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Biomedical subjects

Yongxin Ma

Publications and source records attributed to Yongxin Ma.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

The common variant N372H in BRCA2 gene may be associated with idiopathic male infertility with azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the possible association between the common single nucleotide polymorphism N372H in human breast cancer susceptibility gene 2 (BRCA2) and the idiopathic male infertility with azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia. STUDY DESIGN: The study included 240 infertile patients with idiopathic azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia and 250 fathered controls. The allele and genotype frequencies of the polymorphism N372H in BRCA2 gene were investigated in both patients and controls using denaturing high performance liquid chromatography analysis (DHPLC). RESULTS: The frequency of allele H of the polymorphism N372H in patients was significantly higher than that of the controls (23.5% versus 17.6%, OR = 1.49, 95% CI 1.06-1.97, P = 0.02) and the subjects bearing rare allele H (NH + HH) significantly increased in patients compared with controls (41.7% versus 32.4%, 95% CI 1.03-2.15, P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggested that the polymorphism N372H in BRCA2 gene may be associated with idiopathic male infertility with azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Mutation screening and association study of the neprilysin gene in sporadic Alzheimer's disease in Chinese persons.

Neprilysin has been reported to be a major beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta)-degrading enzyme. The decreased expression and activity of it may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease by promoting the accumulation of Abeta. We used denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography to screen the neprilysin gene (NEP) for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 257 Chinese sporadic Alzheimer's disease patients and 242 cognitive normal controls. As a result, eight novel and one known SNP were identified. Three of them, -204G-->C in the promoter region, IVS17-294C-->T, and IVS22+36C-->A showed a significant association with Alzheimer's disease (p = .006,.017, and.003, respectively). Subsequent haplotype analysis provided further evidence of the association (global p < .0001 for the three SNPs mentioned above, and global p < .01 for the eight SNPs with rare allele frequency > 1%). These findings indicate that genetic variations within or extremely close to NEP might influence the susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease in Chinese persons.

Aged↗

Molecular cloning and characterization of a mouse spermatogenesis-related ring finger gene znf230.

Complete cDNA of mouse gene znf230 was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). This cDNA is 982 base pairs (bp) in length and encodes a 230 amino acids (aa) protein with a ring finger domain at its C-terminus. Ninety-one and 98% nucleotide (nt) and aa sequence identity are observed with its human homolog. Revealed by Northern blot and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), this cDNA is only detected in testicular tissue, whereas the longer transcripts of 2.4 and 4.4kb are ubiquitously expressed. The expression of znf230 in testis is developmentally regulated and first detected at day 6 postnatal (pn). It reaches adult level between day 14 and 21 pn during which round spermatids appear in seminiferous tubule. The protein of znf230 exhibits DNA binding activity and its ring finger domain may function as an activator module in transcription. Therefore, it is postulated that znf230 may function as a testis specific transcription factor during mouse spermatogenesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular characterization of the TCP11 gene which is the human homologue of the mouse gene encoding the receptor of fertilization promoting peptide.

A human testis-specific gene was isolated by subtractive hybridization between the cDNA pools of adult and fetal testes, followed by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). This gene sequence is highly homologous to a large portion of the mouse Tcp11 gene which is important in sperm function because it encodes the receptor for fertilization-promoting peptide (FPP). The gene was mapped to human chromosome band 6p21 by fluorescence in-situ hybridization. The 9 exon gene spans a 22.8 kp genomic DNA sequence. The mature processed message encodes a 441 amino acid protein that is highly homologous to the mouse 566 amino acid protein after the first 142 amino acids. Results of Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses of RNA extracted from human tissues revealed that the gene is only expressed in fertile adult testes, but not in azoospermic testes, fetal testes nor in other human tissues. Taken together, our results along with the mouse Tcp11 function suggest that TCP11 gene is important in sperm function and fertility.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Nested coamplification polymerase chain reaction].

OBJECTIVE: To develop a simple and reliable method for intensifying the hybridization signals of gene chips. METHODS: The authors added EDTA and another FAM-labeled probe to the normal PCR products, denatured the mixture by heat, and then let the mixture hybridize with the fastened probes on the chip. RESULTS: With the use of EDTA and another FAM-labeled probe, the hybridization signals increased by 6 times or greater. CONCLUSION: Adding EDTA and another probe to the normal PCR products is a simple and efficient method to intensify the hybridization signal of chips.

Base Sequence↗