Objective: To determine the effect of K ATP on the reduction of blood pressure variability (BPV) caused by adenosine in conscious, freely moving sinoaortic denervated (SAD) rats. Methods: Using computerized analytic system of blood pressure (BP), five groups treated with adenosine, adenosine A 1 receptor agonist N 6 cyclopentyladenosine (CPA), A 2 receptor agonist 5′ N cyclopropyl carboxamido adenosine (CPCA), ATP sensitive K + channel (K ATP ) blocker glibenclamide, and CPCA with the K ATP blocked by glibenclamide in advance were used. BP, heart period (HP) and BPV were analyzed. Results: Both adenosine and CPCA significantly decreased BPV in SAD rats, but CPA had no influence on it. Glibenclamide markedly reduced BPV in SAD rats as well, furthermore, it might antagonize the effect of CPCA on BPV by blocking K ATP . Conclusion: K ATP plays an important role in the development of high BPV in SAD rats. [

Objective To construct DNA vaccine expressing Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) immunodominant antigen Ag85A and analyze its anti-tuberculosis T cell responses in BCG primed-mice after DNA vaccination boosting.Methods The coding gene of Ag85A mature fragment was amplified by PCR with H37Rv genomic DNA as template,and then cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pVAX1 to construct Ag85A DNA vaccine.After purification,Ag85A DNA vaccine was injected intramuscularly twice in BCG primed-mice with BCG vaccination and DNA vaccination alone as control.Eight weeks post-vaccination,spleen lymphocytes were separated and were then used to analyze Mtb antigen specific effector T cell response and polyfuntional IFN-γ/TNF-α/IL-2 secreting CD4+ T cell frequencies and intensities,and CD8+T cell responses by IFN-γ ELISPOT assay and intracellular staining,respectively.Results Compared to BCG vaccinated-and DNA vaccinated-mice,Ag85A DNA boosting not only enhanced significantly BCG primed-mice IFN-γ+TNF-α+IL-2+,IFN-γ+ IL-2+,TNF-α+IL-2+ and IL-2+ CD4+ T cell frequencies and IL-2 secretion,but also improved significantly IFN-γ-secreting and IL-2-secreting CD8+ T cell frequencies.Condusion Ag85A DNA vaccine was constructed successfully and was demonstrated to enhance significantly BCG primed-mice Mtb antigen specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses when boosting,which is beneficial to improve BCG immunogenicity and its waning immune protection against Mtb.

Objective:Glucose-insulin-potassium(GIK) is clinically used for reducing mortality in acute myocardial infarction(MI). It is known that ventricular arrhythmia, left ventricular dysfunction and impaired baroreflex sensitivity(BRS) are the three major determinants for predicting the mortality after acute MI. The present work was designed to study the effects of GIK on BRS, ventricular arrhythmia, and left ventricular function in rats with coronary artery ligature. Sprague-Dawley rats were used and the myocardial infarction was produced by ligature of the left anterior descending artery. Five weeks after coronary artery ligation, BRS was measured in conscious state with a computerized blood pressure monitoring system and left ventricular function and electrocardiogram were determined in the anaesthetized state in the subacute phase of myocardial infarction. It was found that GIK did not affect the blood pressure and heart period in both conscious and anaesthetized rats. GIK did not enhance BRS, but reduced ventricular arrhythmia and improved left ventricular function by reducing left ventricular end diastolic pressure in anaesthetized rats with MI. It is proposed that reducing ventricular arrhythmia and improving left ventricular function contribute to the effect of GIK on reducing the mortality after MI.

Purpose To evaluate apoptosis in renal tissue of diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis and therelationship between the existence of apoptosis cells in renal tissue and histopathological or clinical changes.Methods Apoptosis was detected by in situ nick-end labeling techniques (TUNEL) in renal biopsies from 25patients with type Ⅳ LN, 12 patients with IgAN, 4 patients with MsPGN, and 3 patients with APSGN. Normalrenal tissue obtained at nephrectorny for hypemephroma in 4 adults was used as control. In addition, proliferatingcells were identified by proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA) in these patients. Results Compared to otherproliferative glomerulonephritis and control,the patients with lupus nephritis had less apoptosis cells, higher ratio ofPCNA+ cells/TdT+ cells/(P/T) in renal tissues;Ratio of P/T in glomeruli and tubulointerstitium correlated withthe chronicity index, r=0. 498 3(P = 0. 013 2), r = 0. 839 9(P＜ 0.001 ), r = 0. 661 4(P = 0. 003 3),respectively. Ratio of P/T in glomerulus and tubule had positive correlation with 24 hour urinary protein, r =0.855 4(P＜0.001),r=0.713 4(P=0. 001); negative correlation with Ccr, r = - 0. 488 0(P =0. 013 3)and r = - 0. 722 9(P = 0. 001), which in tubules positively correlated with Scr, r = 0. 410 7 (P = 0.041 4 ).Conclusions Apoptosis is insufficient in proliferative lupus nephritis. Intense proliferation without followingincrease in apoptosis may be related to chronic progressive renal histopatholcgical changes.

Objective To investigate the effect of baicalain on high expression of ECM and TGF-?1 in proximal tubular epithelial cells cultured in high glucose concentration. Methods LLC-PK1 cells were divided into six groups: (1)normal glucose group(NG, 5. 5 mmol/L D-glucose), (2)high glucose group(HG, 25 mmol/L D-glucose), (3) HG + PKC inhibitor(10?mol/L chelerythrine chloride), (4)HG + baicalein(50 ?mol/L), (5) HG + baicalein(100 ?mol/L), (6) HG + baicalein (200 ?mol/L) . PKC activity was detected. Expression of ColⅣ, FN and TGF-?1 was examined by in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry(ABC) techniques. Results At concentrations of 100 ?mol/L and 200 ?mol/L, baicalein decreased membranous PKC activity in LLC-PK1 cells by 42% and 68% , respectively ( P

Objective:To investigate the effect of arterial baroreflex(ABR)on survival rate of rats with cecal ligation and puncture(CLP)-induced sepsis.Methods:Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 2 groups:sham-operated rats(n=22)and sinoaortic denervated(SAD)rats(n=22).Four weeks after SAD rats were subjected to CLP-induced sepsis,the blood pressure and heart period(HP)were monitored for 12 hours in conscious state and the survival of rats was observed.Results:Both the diastolic and systolic blood pressue gradually decreased after CLP;the HP shortened first and then drastically prolonged until the death of rats.At 12 h after CLP the survival rate of SAD rats was lower than that of the sham-operated rats(59% vs 86%).Significant differences were found between the Kaplan-Meier survival curves of the rats in 2 groups(P

Objective:To investigate the protective effect of Intravenous Injection of Radix Astragali seu Hedysari on acute myocardiac infarction (AMI) in anesthetized dogs. Methods: Twenty health dogs were treated by ligating descending anterior of coronary with two-step method. The changes of electrocardiogram before and after ligation were recorded. After 4 hours myocardium were taken out and dyed with NBT to make sure of the extent of myocardiac infarction.Results: Intravenous Injection of Radix Astragali seu Hedysari could decrease the lethality of AMI, ameliorated ST changes on electrocardiogram induced by AMI, and reduced infarction area. Conclusions: Intravenous Injection of Radix Astragali seu Hedysari is effective in the treatment of AMI in anesthetized dogs.

Objective:Clonidine,by activating peripheral α-sbrenoceptors, produces transient pressor response after i.v.injection in anesthetized animals.Moxonidine, with at least 40-fold higher affinity to I1-imidazoline receptors than to α2-adrenoceptors,produces also a transient pressor response. This work was designed to investigate whether I1-imidazoline receptors are involved in this pressor effect of moxonidine. Methods:Female spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHRs,aged 14-16 weeks)were anesthetized with urethane.To observe the transient pressor responses,moxonidine 0.1,0.3,1.0mg/kg(intravenous,i.v),2.0μg(intracerebroventricular,i.c.v.)and 1.0,10.0mg/kg(intragastric,i.g.)were administrated in different groups of rats.To evaluate the roles of α1-adrenoceptors,α2-adrenoceptors and I1-imidazoline receptors in the transient pressor responses to moxonidine, prazosin(10.0μg/kg),yohimbine(2.0mg/kg),phentolamine(0.2mg/kg),idazoxan(1.0mg/kg)or yohimbine+idazoxan(2.0mg/kg+1.0mg/kg)were intravenously given to the animals before moxonidine 0.3mg/kg (i.v.).Results:It was found that i.v.moxonidine produced a greater pressor response than clonidine when producing a similar reduction of blood pressure.This effect of moxonidine was not influenced by prazosin, but was partly inhibited by yohimbine, phentolamine or idazoxan,and completely blocked by the combination of yohimbine and idzaxon.Neither i.c.v.injection nor i.g. administration of moxonidine induced transient pressor responses.Conclusion:The transient pressor response of i.v. moxonidine is mediated by both peripheral I1-imidazoline receptors and α2-adrenoceptors.

Objective To investigate the role and possible mechanism of combination use of chloroquine (CQ) with either dexamethasone (DEX) or radiation on multiple myeloma (MM) cell line U266 .Methods Cell viability of U266 treated with CQ alone ,or CQ combined with either DEX or radiation was measured by cell counting kit-8 (cck8) .CalcuSyn method was used to assess effect of drugs interaction .Cell viability and apoptosis of U266 pre-treated with CQ were also measured by cck8 and flow cytometry after radiation .Expression of B-cellymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) in U266 cells treated by CQ combined with DEX or radiation was determined by Western blot analysis .Results Either CQ or DEX displayed a dose dependent cell proliferation in-hibitory effect on U266 cells .Cytotoxic effect of DEX (125 μmol/L) on U266 cells was enhanced and expression of Bcl-2 pro-tein in U266 cells was decreased by combining with CQ (3 .9 μmol/L) .U266 cells were sensitized to radiation and cell death was induced by CQ (1 .0 μmol/L) .Conclusion CQ could sensitize cytotoxic effect of DEX or radiation on U 266 cells ,and the former was possibly related to down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein .

Objective:To construct a microfluidic organ-on-a-chip and evaluate its capability in simulating subchondral bone remodeling during the progression of osteoarthritis.Methods:The chip′s main body was designed based on the microfluidic technology and cell co-culture technique. MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured adherently within the cell seeding micro-chamber, with the culture medium perfused at a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min at the bottom of the micro-chamber. Evaluation metrics were as follows: (1) Assessment of the microfluidic organ-on-a-chip: The growth culture medium was perfused and simulation experiments were conducted to test the concentration differences and equilibrium times of the fluid inside and at the bottom of the cell seeding micro-chamber at various time points; live-dead staining was performed to observe the biocompatibility of cells cultured continuously for 3 days and 7 days at a set flow rate, which was divided into 3-day and 7-day groups. (2) Osteogenic potential of the microfluidic organ-on-a-chip: The osteogenic induction medium was perfused, and ALP staining and PCR were performed to compare the number of the black alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-positive cells and the expression levels of osteogenesis-related marker genes including osteoblast-specific transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), type I collagen (COL1A1), bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), and osteocalcin (OCN) under static, 3-day and 7-day perfusion conditions, which was divided into static non-induced, static-induced and perfusion-induced groups. (3) Characterization of morphology and size, and biocompatibility of extracellular vesicles (EVs) of three osteoblast subtypes: Three different subtypes of osteoblasts were obtained [endothelial-type osteoblasts (EnOB)-EVs, stromal-type osteoblasts (StOB)-EVs and mineralizing-type osteoblasts (MinOB)-EVs]. Their morphology and size were obtained through transmission electron microscopy and particle size analysis. Growth medium containing EVs of three different cell subtypes was perfused, and cell proliferation/apoptosis assay was performed to compare the biocompatibility of the addition of different EVs concentrations (1, 1.25, 2.5, and 5 μg/ml) for 24 hours, which was categorized into the EnOB-EVs group, StOB-EVs group and MinOB-EVs group. (4) Osteogenic effect of EVs from three subtypes of osteoblasts: Osteogenic induction media containing EVs from three different osteoblast subtypes were perfused for 3 days, and ALP staining and PCR were performed to compare the number of black ALP-positive cells and the expression levels of osteogenesis-related marker genes including RUNX2, COL1A1, BMP-2, and OCN, which was divided into non-EVs group, EnOB-EVs group, StOB-EVs group and MinOB-EVs group.Results:(1) Evaluation of the microfluidic organ-on-a-chip: Simulation results showed that the concentration in the top layer of the upper chamber reached more than 95% of that in the lower chamber and that the concentration in the bottom layer was about 96.5% of that in the lower chamber after 12 hours of continuous perfusion, reaching an equilibrium state of the concentration difference between the upper and lower chambers. The results of live-dead staining showed that the chip was biocompatible at a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min, and the cell survival rate at 3 and 7 days of perfusion was (99.48±0.12)% and (97.07±1.05)% ( P<0.01). (2) ALP staining results showed that at 3 days, the perfusion-induced group showed the highest number of black ALP-positive cells, followed by the static-induced group, and the least in the static non-induced group. At 7 days, the static-induced group had the highest number of black ALP-positive cells, followed by the perfusion-induced group, and the least in the static non-induced group. PCR results indicated that at 3 days, the expression levels of RUNX2, COL1A1, BMP-2, and OCN were 1.00±0.03, 1.00±0.12, 1.00±0.01, and 1.00±0.02 respectively in the static non-induced group; 1.80±0.04, 4.05±0.37, 9.80±1.94, and 4.38±0.89 respectively in the static-induced group, and 2.45±0.23, 5.48±0.42, 91.50±4.56, and 10.82±4.96 respectively in the perfusion-induced group ( P<0.01). At 7 days, the expression levels of RUNX2 was 1.00±0.01 in the static non-induced group, 1.46±0.46 in the static-induced group, and 1.11±0.08 in the perfusion-induced group ( P>0.05); the expression levels of COL1A1, BMP-2, and OCN were 1.00±0.03, 1.00±0.13, and 1.00±0.09 respectively in the static non-induced group, 9.38±0.25, 14.27±4.35, and 84.01±4.02 respectviely in the static-induced group, and 2.39±0.08, 133.64±8.87, and 86.64±8.36 respectively in the perfusion-induced group ( P<0.01). When comparing the static non-induced, static-induced, and perfusion-induced groups at both 3 and 7 days, the perfusion-induced group demonstrated the strongest osteogenic capability. (3) Characterization of morphology and size and biocompatibility of EVs from three osteoblast subtypes: Under the transmission electron microscope, EVs from EnOB-EVs, StOB-EVs, and MinOB-EVs all exhibited a typical saucer-shaped morphology. The particle sizes of EnOB-EVs, StOB-EVs, and MinOB-EVs were (91.3±14.7)nm, (106.0±16.0)nm, and (68.1±10.7)nm, respectively. Cell proliferation/apoptosis assay results indicated that the optimal administration concentration of EnOB-EVs, StOB-EVs, and MinOB-EVs was all 1.25 μg/mL. (4) Validation of osteogenic effect of the microfluidic organ-on-a-chip on three types of EVs: ALP staining results showed that the non-EVs group had the fewest black ALP-positive cells, followed by the EnOB-EVs group, then the StOB-EVs group, and the MinOB-EVs group had the most. PCR results showed that the expression levels of RUNX2, COL1A1, BMP-2, and OCN were 1.00±0.01, 1.00±0.03, 1.00±0.02, and 1.00±0.02 respectively in the non-EVs group, 1.95±0.11, 6.78±2.04, 7.99±0.57, and 6.93±3.83 repectively in the EnOB-EVs group, 0.79±0.12, 5.68±1.53, 12.59±3.15, and 25.59±0.95 respectively in the StOB-EVs group, and 0.68±0.10, 4.36±0.69, 18.75±3.21, and 34.74±3.98 repectively in the MinOB-EVs group ( P<0.01). Compared with the non-EVs group, EnOB-EVs group, StOB-EVs group, and MinOB-EVs group, the MinOB-EVs group showed the most significant osteogenic effect. Conclusions:The microfluidic organ-on-a-chip constructed using microfluidic technology and cell co-culture techniques is capable of maintaining the normal growth of MC3T3-E1 cells, enhancing their proliferation and osteogenic induction differentiation. EVs released by osteoblasts at different stages possess osteogenic effects and can accelerate the bone sclerosis in the remodeling of subchondral bone during the progression of osteoarthritis.