Novel technologies and models for studying pharmacological activities of traditional Chinese medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis
10.3867/j.issn.1000-3002.2021.10.033
- Author:
Yang ZHAO
1
,
2
;
Zhong-Hong WEI
;
Su-Yun YU
;
Ai-Yun WANG
;
Wen-Xing CHEN
;
Xiang-Jian ZHENG
;
VADAS MATHEW
;
GAMBLE JENNIFER
;
Yin LU
Author Information
1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,School of Medicine&Holistic Integrative Medicine,Nanjing 210023,China
2. Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica,School of Pharmacy,Nanjing 210023,China
- Keywords:
traditional Chinese medicine;
blood circulation;
blood stasis;
tumor vessels;
cerebral cavernous malfor?mation;
diabetic retinopathy
- From:
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology
2021;35(10):740-741
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE Our previous studies demonstrated that various ingredients from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, as exemplified by cryptotanshinone and salvi?anolic acid B, exerted striking effects on modulating angiogenesis and vascular permeability, which suggests that they may be effective in treating vascular leak-driven diseases (e.g. tumor, cerebral cavernous malformation and diabetic reti?nopathy). However, the lack of reliable and advanced technologies and models sets up difficult hurdles for better under?standing the role of TCM for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. To this end, this study is to outline numerous cutting-edge platforms that can be utilized for exploring the function of TCM for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis in vascular leak-driven diseases. METHODS Two-photon laser scanning fluorescence micros?copy was used to observe the interactions between neutrophils and blood vessels in a real-time manner. Dynamic flow system was employed to mimic the in vivo behaviors of neutrophils. RIP1-Tag5 spontaneous pancreatic cancer model was used to study the function of tumor blood vessels. CCM2ECKO (deletion of CCM2 in endothelial cells) mice were employed to establish the cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) animal model. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) was utilized to assess the CCM lesion. Müller cell-knockout mouse model was used to study the progression of dia?betic retinopathy. Vascular permeability in this model was assessed by fluorescein angiography. RESULTS The interac?tions between neutrophils and endothelial cells involve a series of complicated processes, including rolling, adhesion, intraluminal crawling and transmigration, which were all monitored in vivo by two-photon laser scanning fluorescence microscopy in a real-time manner. Dynamic flow system was capable of recapitulating the biological behaviors of neutro?phils in vitro. Tumor vascular function in particular vascular perfusion could be assessed in the RIP1-Tag5 spontaneous pancreatic cancer model. In terms of CCM studies, specific deletion of CCM2 in endothelial cells resulted in the initiation of CCM lesion. The size and number of CCM lesions could be visualized and quantified by micro-CT. Furthermore, the Müller cell-knockout mouse model was able to precisely reflect the clinical symptoms of diabetic retinopathy. Vascular leak could be monitored at different time points using fluorescein angiography. CONCLUSION An array of high technol?ogies and animal models can be used in investigating the occurrence and progression of multiple vascular leak-driven diseases. The pre-clinical and clinical studies of TCM for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis provide fundamental support for the application of the above-mentioned platforms, with the purpose of uncovering the scientific basis of TCM for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis.
