The blood-brain barrier (BBB) exerts its central nervous system (CNS) protective function as it hinders the delivery of diagnostic and therapeutic agents to the brain. With the development of nanotechnology during the last thirty years, the nanocarriers for delivering drugs make it possible to transport drugs across the BBB. The brain-targeted drug delivery system usually consists of two parts: nanocarriers and brain-targeted strategies. In this review, several kinds of nanocarriers are introduced for brain-targeted drug delivery. We focus on several possible strategies for brain-targeting and comment on their advantages and disadvantages in application.

Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; diagnosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The aim of this study was to investigate whether shear stress could promote function of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) with Shexiang Baoxin Pill (SBP) treatment in vitro, and to study whether shear stress contributed to vascular injury repair by EPCs. EPCs were isolated and characterized; EPCs' proliferation, migration, adhesion, tube formation and eNOS protein level in vitro were investigated by culturing confluent EPCs in 4 mg/mL SBP under physiological shear stress (15 dyne/cm2) for up to 24 hours. Afterwards, EPCs were transfused into rats after wire-induced carotid artery injury augmented re-endothelialization. The results showed that, compared to the SBP group, the shear stress+SBP group obviously enhanced EPCs proliferation, migration, adhesion, tube formation and eNOS protein expression in vitro (P<0.01). After one week, immunofluorescence staining showed that endothelial regeneration rate obviously enhanced in shear stress+SBP group (P<0.01). The present study demonstrates that shear stress can promote function of endothelial progenitor cells treated with SBP, which improves the vascular injury repair potentials of EPCs.
Animals ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Progenitor Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Rats ; Regeneration ; Stress, Mechanical

Background and purpose: Accumulation of genetic and epigenetic changes that lead to the activation of proto-oncogenes or inactivation of tumor suppressor genes play important roles in development and progression of bladder cancer. We aimed to investigate the methylation patterns of TWIST1 gene in bladder cancer. Methods:A total number of 78 histologically conifrmed bladder tumor samples and paired 75 urine samples constituted the study group and was compared with 75 age-matched and gender-matched non-cancerous individuals. DNA was puriifed from both tumor, adjacent tissues and urine samples. The methylation status of the TWIST1 gene was analyzed by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) in both urinary bladder cell carcinoma samples, adjacent tissues and urine samples. Sensitivity and speciifcity values of the method were assessed and compared with the results of the cytology test. Results:Methylation of TWIST1 was detected in 88.5%of carcinoma samples and 84%of the paired urine samples,respectively;11.5%carcinoma adjacent tissues and 5.3%control urine sample was methylated. The sensitivity by urine cytology detection method was 49.3%in in bladder cancer patients, and was 17.3%in control group. The sensitivity of TWIST1 genes was 66.7%for low-grade cases. The sensitivity of urine cytology was 33.3%for the same low-grade cases. Conclusion:The methylation analysis of TWIST1 gene may be a simple, non-invasive, sensitive, and speciifc method for early detecting bladder cancer cells in urine.

This study was aimed to observe the effect of Softening Liver and Reducing Enzyme Mixed Agent (SLREXA) in the prevention of acute liver injury rats induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). A total of 60 male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, which were the SLREXA low-, middle-, high-dose group, glucurolactone group, normal group and model group. Intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 was used to induce acute liver injury rat mod-el. Intragastric administration of SLREXA was given to each Chinese medicine group. Intragastric administration of distilled water was given to the normal group and the model group. Intragastric administration of glucurolactone aque-ous solution was given to the glucurolactone group. On the 12th day of the experiment, after 16-hour fasting, rats were killed. Pathological changes in liver tissues were examined. Blood serum was determined for alanine aminotrans-ferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). The liver homogenate was determined for superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver tis-sues of rats. RT-PCR was used to detect the expression level of mRNA in liver heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). The re-sults showed that in the microscopic examination of liver tissues, compared with the model group, different doses of SLREXA can alleviate pathological damages of liver in varying degrees. Levels of blood serum ALT and AST content in different doses of SLREXA groups and glucurolactone group were significantly lower than those of the model group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, contents of GSH-Px, GSH, SOD, CAT in the liver ho-mogenate were significantly increased, and MDA content was decreased significantly (P< 0.05 or P< 0.01) in differ-ent doses of SLREXA groups and glucurolactone group; compared with the model group, the HO-1 mRNA relative expression quantity in the normal group and each treatment group increased obviously, with statistical significance (P< 0.05 or P< 0.01). It was concluded that SLREXA can prevent CCl4-induced liver injury rats with definite thera-peutic effect.

The significance of the blood glutathion reductase activity coeff i-.cient (BGR-AC) as the guide line to assess riboflavin status in 28 radar operators was studied by comparing with the amount of their urinary excreted riboflavin.The 28 subjects were randomized into 4 groups and the riboflavin intake was 0.53.mg,1.0 mg,2.0 mg,and 3.0 mg respectively.It was found that there was a significant negative correlation between BGR-AC and urinary excretion of riboflavin,and with the incrase of riboflavin intake,there was a significant decrease of BGR-AC in Groups Ⅰ,Ⅱ,and Ⅲ though the difference between Group Ⅲ and Group Ⅳ was insigificant.On the basis of the BGR-AC values of the 4 groups,an exponential equation was established which tells the riboflavin requirement of radar operators.It is defined that when BGR-AC is smaller than equal to 1.24,it is normal and when it is larger than 1.24,it means abnormal riboflavin status of the individual.

Objective To investigate the transfection of human papilloma virus types 16E6 gene on the proliferation and apoptosis of cervical carcinoma cell line C33A. MethodsPlasmid pcDNA3-HPV16E6 was stably transfected into C33A cells by liposome, and the expression of HPV16E6 mRNA and protein in the transfected cells, the cells transfected with blank vector and the cells without transfection were identified by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. The growth, proliferation and cell cycles of the 3 kinds of C33A cells were by cell growth curve plotting and flow cytometry analysis. ResultsC33A cells were transfected stably by liposome with plasmid pcDNA3-HPV16E6 (C33A-E6 cells)and plasmid pcDNA3 (C33A-P cells). The growth of C33A-E6 cells was more rapid than those of C33A-P and C33A cells (P0.05). ConclusionHPV16E6 is involved in the cell cycle probably through some signal pathways, and promotes cell division and proliferation of C33A cells.

Objective To evaluate the performance of the target controlled infusion(TCI) system with midazolam during combined spinal and epidural anesthesia. Methods Twenty female patients scheduled for selective lower abdominal or pelvic surgery under combined spinal and epidural anesthesia were enrolled in this study. They use combined spinal and epidural anesthesia with target controlled infusion of midazolam sedation. Midazolam plasma concentration was set at 100ng/ml. Blood pressure,heart rate, pulse oxygen saturation were monitored during anesthesia and operation. We use BIS as a pharmacodynamic value of midazolam sedation. Blood samples were taken from radial arterial for analysis of plasma midazolam concentration during infusion. Midazolam plasma concentration were tested by high performance liquid chromatography. Results MDPE of target controlled infusion with midazolam with Burher parameters was 38.7%, MDAPE was 38.7%,and wobble is 24.9% in Chinese female patients. Conclusions Burher parameters of midazolam target controlled infusion system should be correct, then can be used for our country female patients conscious sedation accurately.

Objective To study perioperative changes in serum levels of TNF-?, IL-6 and IL-10 in orthotopic liver transplantation without veno-venous bypass. Methods Sixteen patients with terminal liver disease underwent orthotopic liver transplantation under general anesthesia. Samples from arterial blood were obtained at beginning of surgery, before the anhepatic phase, 5min before recirculation, 15min and 60min after recirculation, 4h and 24h after operation, respectively. Serum levels of TNF-?, IL-6 and IL-10 were measured by ELISA. Results TNF-? and IL-6 concentrations were kept at a low level before operation, while IL-10 was not detected. The concentrations of IL-6 and IL-10 rose during the anhepatic phase (P

Lipoxygenase(LO) pathway had been implicated in the pathogenesis of such cardiovascular diseases as hypertension, atherosclerosis, restenosis, and palys and important role in the development of these disease. LO inhibitiors could suppress vascular contractile responses significantly, reduce blood pressure, inhibit migration of vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMC), attenuate neointimal thickening in the injuried arteries and generation reactive oxygen species(ROS), block monocyte binding to VSMC, etc. The effects of LO inhibitors were associated with marked inhibition of MAPK pathway. Therefore, inhibition of LO pathway may provide a new strategy for preventing and treating above diseases, suggesting that LO mat be a novel taget for such purposes.