Objective To investigate the expression of integrin avβ3 in both of hepatic stellate cell (HSC)and fibrotic liver tissue,and to demonstrate whether integrin avβ3 is a phenotypical receptor of activated HSC.Methods HSC were isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats and activated by prolonged cultural.The rats were injected with 175 mg of thioacetamide twice a week for 12 weeks to induce liver fibosis.The expressions of avβ3 and a-SMA were identified by immunocytochemical staining.The expression of avβ3 in HSC,normal and fibrotic tissues were examined by real-time PCR and Western blot.Results The expression of avβ3 in activated HSC were up regulated and levels of mRNA and protein were increased to 18 and 5.2 folds on day 14 compared with day 1 and were also higher than control(t=2.39,P＜0.05;t=2.74,P＜0.05).The immunochemistry staining showed that integrin avβ3 was expressed on membrane of activated HSCs.The avβ3 and a-SMA were expressed in portal vein in normal liver,but were also expressed in portal and fibrotic.Conclusions The integrin avβ3 is up-regulated in activated HSC both in vitro and in vivo.It is a phenotypical receptor of activated HSC which involved in liver fibrosis.

The structure and 5-HT immunoreactivity in the brain and suboesophageal ganglion of three beetles, Ambrostoma quadriimpressum, Henosepilachna vigintioctomaculata and Oxycetonia jucunda, were first studied by means of colophony-paraffin embedding serial section technique and strepteavidin-peroxidase immunohistochemical method. The results showed that the brains of these three taxonomically closely related beetles were remarkably different in composition and size. Mushroom bodies and antennal lobes in Oxycetonia jucunda were conspicuous. Calyces and lobes of the mushroom bodies.were much developed. In contrast, calyces of Ambrostoma quadriimpressum and Henosepilachna vigintioctomaculata were extremely undeveloped. However, the postretinal fibres and circumpharyngeal nerves of Ambrostoma quadriimpressum were highly developed. In the three beetles, 5-HT immunoreactivity was present in all neuropils of the brain and the suboesophageal ganglion. The pattern of 5-HT immunoreactivity and the localization of immunoreactive somata which often clustered into groups were similar among these beetles, while the immunoreactivity intensity was distinct, especially in the lamina. The results suggest that the three beetles have given rise to adaptive radiation under the evolutionary pressure because of the long-term different life styles and living environments in which the taxonomic status of Ambrostoma quadriimpressum is relatively low. The similarity of the pattern of 5-HT immunoreactivity and localization of some positive somata among the three beetles raise the possibility that 5-HT seemes to serve similar physiological function in different insects. Furthermore, 5-HT might be involved in modulating the ingestion by regulating muscular activity and visual sensitivity.