Abstract Paired basic amino acid-cleaving enzyme 4 (PACE4), a proprotein convertase, is involved in the activation of aggrecanases (ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5) in osteoarthritic and cytokine-stimulated cartilage. Activated aggrecanases cause aggrecan degradation and thus, contribute to osteoarthritis (OA). In this study, we investigated the association between PACE4 gene polymorphisms and OA risk. One single-nucleotide polymorphism (rs4965833) in the PACE4 gene was genotyped in 432 OA patients and 523 healthy controls using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to determine the relative expression of PACE4 in blood samples from 90 OA patients (30 for each genotype). The relative expression level of PACE4 mRNA was higher in the GG genotype as compared to the AA/AG group. Moreover, the PACE4 rs4965833 polymorphism was associated with increased risk of OA, especially among individuals aged ≥55 years and with a body mass index ≥25. There was no significant association between the PACE4 rs4965833 polymorphism and clinical parameters of OA patients, such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, Visual Analog Scale for pain and Lequesne’s index. In conclusion, the rs4965833 polymorphism in the 3’-UTR of PACE4 is associated with OA susceptibility.

ABSTRACT The effects of rheum on serum parameters in a taurocholate-induced acute pancreatitis (AP) rat model were investigated using pathological and biochemical tests, and a proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR)-based metabonomic strategy. Healthy rats and rats with AP were either treated with rheum (7.5% at a dose of 1.5 g/kg) or left untreated. Serum samples were collected from the AP and rheum-treated groups at 6, 12, and 24 h after treatment. The effect of rheum on pathological changes in the pancreatic was investigated to validate the AP model. We obtained 1H NMR spectra and analyzed the results using the partial least squares discriminant method. The results of the pathological and metabolic analyses revealed an amelioration of multiple metabolic abnormalities and an increase in the aerobic respiration ratio after treatment, compared with the AP groups. These results were attributed to improvements in energy supply and the elimination of metabolic products. The study also promoted NMR-based metabonomic analysis as a feasible method of assessing traditional Chinese drugs.

Microextração líquido-líquido dispersiva (DLLME) utilizando líquido iônico (IL) como solvente extrator foi desenvolvida com uma nova abordagem para a determinação de quatro pesticidas piretróides em amostras ambientais de água e solo. Cromatografia líquida de alto rendimento com detector de UV (HPLC-UV) foi empregada na análise cromatográfica. Este método é rápido, fácil de operar e ambientalmente correto. O solvente clorado altamente tóxico foi substituído pelo IL hexafluorofosfato de 1-hexil-3-metilimidazólio ([C6MIM][PF6]), para o qual elevados valores de recuperação de extração e fatores de enriquecimento foram obtidos. Os efeitos do volume de IL, tipo e volume do solvente dispersor, adição de sal, pH e tempo de extração foram investigados e otimizados. Nas condições ideais, o método mostrou boa resposta linear com valores de coeficiente de correlação (R²) no intervalo de 0,9943 a 0,9986. Desvio padrão relativo (RSD) variou de 3,9 a 10,1%. Fator de enriquecimento, limite de detecção e recuperação variaram de 260 a 319, de 0,94 a 1,97 µg L-1 e de 89 a 98%, respectivamente. Para amostras de água reais, RSD variou de 3,8 a 10,8%, e recuperação de 83 a 99%. Para análise de amostra de solo, RSD e recuperação variaram de 3,7 a 8,9% e 88 a 98%, respectivamente.

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) using ionic liquid (IL) as extraction solvent was developed as a new approach for the determination of four pyrethroid pesticides in environmental water and soil samples. High-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) was employed on chromatographic analysis. The method is rapid, easy to operate and enviromentally-friendly. The highly toxic chlorinated solvent was replaced by the IL 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C6MIM][PF6]), in which high extraction recovery and enrichment factors were obtained. The effects of IL volume, type and volume of disperser solvent, salt addition, pH and extraction time were investigated and optimized. Under optimum conditions, the method showed good linear response with correlation coefficient (R²) values in the range of 0.9943 to 0.9986. Relative standard deviation (RSD) varied from 3.9 to 10.1%. Enrichment factor, limit of detection and recovery ranged from 260 to 319, 0.94 to 1.97 µg L-1 and 89 to 98%, respectively. For real water samples, RSD ranged from 3.8 to 10.8%, and recovery from 83 to 99%. For soil sample analysis, RSD and recovery ranged from 3.7 to 8.9% and 88 to 98, respectively.