AIM To investigate the effect of Icarrin on penile erection and cyclic GMP levels in rabbit corpus cavernosum(RCC). METHODS Effects of various concentration of Icariin on cGMP level in RCC were measured by 125 I radioimmunoassay procedure with Sildenafil and papaverine as the positive controls RESULTS In the presence of SNP, Icariin increased cGMP concentration in rabbit corpus cavernosum in a dose dependent manner ( P

BACKGROUNDTo investigate the relationship between immune status and rubella virus (RV) infection of central nervous system (CNS).

METHODSBALB/c mice were given dexamethaxone and cytoxan before RV JR23 strain infection. Immune functions and RV invasion to CNS were assayed at 21 days postinfection via abdominal cavity and their relationship was analyzed.

RESULTST cell functions of cytoxan group were obviously worse than those of other groups (P <0.05) by MTT method. Infection rates of dexamethaxone and cytoxan and the group without any intervention were 60%, 90% and 50% (P >0.05), respectively. Cellular immune functions of the mice with CNS infection were obviously worse than those of the mice without CNS infection (P <0.001). Specific antibodies (Ab) were assayed in all groups with ELISA and the results showed that there were no significant differences among groups (P >0.05), neither between the groups with and without CNS infections.

CONCLUSIONSRV infection of CNS may relate to cellular immune status before specific antibody was produced in the body.

Animals ; Antibody Specificity ; Central Nervous System Infections ; immunology ; virology ; Female ; Immunity, Cellular ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Rubella ; immunology ; Rubella virus ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology

ted in a loss of cell fusion,which suggests the 928 site on G2 is crucial for cell fusion and the fusion peptide is likely on G2.

In regard to erectile function, Yin is flaccidity and Yang erection. In the past decade, research has mostly focused on the Yang aspect of erectile function. However, in recent years, the Yin side is attracting increasingly greater attention. This is due to the realization that penile flaccidity is no less important than penile erection and is actively maintained by mechanisms that play critical roles in certain types of erectile dysfunction (ED); for example, in diabetic patients. In addition, there is evidence that the Yin and Yang signaling pathways interact with each other during the transition from flaccidity to erection, and vice versa. As such, it is important that we view erectile function from not only the Yang but also the Yin side. The purpose of this article is to review recent advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate the Yin and Yang of the penis. Emphasis is given to the Rho kinase signaling pathway that regulates the Yin, and to the cyclic nucleotide signaling pathway that regulates the Yang. Discussion is organized in such a way so as to follow the signaling cascade, that is, beginning with the extracellular signaling molecules (e.g., norepinephrin and nitric oxide) and their receptors, converging onto the intracellular effectors (e.g., Rho kinase and protein kinase G), branching into secondary effectors, and finishing with contractile molecules and phosphodiesterases. Interactions between the Yin and Yang signaling pathways are discussed as well.
Erectile Dysfunction ; Humans ; Male ; Penile Erection

OBJECTIVETo demonstrate molecular insight into the pathology of Peyronie's disease (PD). A preliminary profile of differential gene expression between the PD plaque and control tunica albuginea was obtained with DNA microarrays. Also, to investigate the effect of intervention in PD cells, transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) was recruited to treat PD cell lines.

METHODSThree PD plaques and control tunica albugineas were constructed and studied. cDNA probes were prepared from RNA isolated from those cells and hybridized with the Clontech Atlas 3.6 Array. Relative changes of greater than 2.0 defined up-regulation and down-regulation, respectively. The expression of selected individual gene MCP-1 and the effect of TGF-beta1 on MCP-1 were analyzed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSSome up-regulated genes in the PD plaque detected by the Clontech assay were screened, one of them was monocyte chemotactic protein. One involved the pathogenesis of PD as a downstream gene and responded to the TGF-beta1 treatment but not CTGF. The results were also confirmed by TR-PCR in all the types of cell.

CONCLUSIONSThe cell lines from plaque tissue and normal tunica from men with PD were successfully established. The findings indicate a potential role for MCP-1 over expression in the pathogenesis of PD as a downstream gene regulated by some genes and could be a new therapeutic target in PD. The information may allow a better understanding of the basic mechanisms involved in the etiology and pathogenesis of PD. Furthermore, it may permit some strategies of therapeutic interventions combine routine methods with Chinese herbal medicine.

Cell Line ; Chemokine CCL2 ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Male ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Penile Induration ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; Proteins ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; pharmacology

Although phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is) are a revolution in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) and have been marketed since 1998, they cannot restore pathological changes in the penis. Low-energy shock wave therapy (LESWT) has been developed for treating ED, and clinical studies have shown that LESWT has the potential to affect PDE5I non-responders with ED with few adverse effects. Animal studies have shown that LESWT significantly improves penile hemodynamics and restores pathological changes in the penis of diabetic ED animal models. Although the mechanisms remain to be investigated, recent studies have reported that LESWT could partially restore corpus cavernosum fibromuscular pathological changes, endothelial dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy. LESWT could be a novel modality for treating ED, and particularly PDE5I non-responders with organic ED, in the near future. However, further extensive evidence-based basic and clinical studies are needed. This review intends to summarize the scientific background underlying the effect of LESWT on ED.
Animals ; Erectile Dysfunction* ; Hemodynamics ; Lithotripsy ; Male ; Models, Animal ; Penis ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors ; Shock*

Objective: To account the direct cost of uterine cervix carcinoma treatment in China and to explore the related factors which influence the direct financial burden of the disease. Methods: Data was collected through the medical record system and telephone interviews in 14 county-level hospitals and 9 provincial and municipal hospitals from 14 provinces/municipalities enrolled in the Chinese National Health Industry Research Project in 2015. The direct financial burden of uterine cervix carcinoma treatment consisted of the direct medical cost and the direct non-medical cost of treatment in different pathological cervical cancer stages and precancerous lesions. Multiple liner regression method was used to analyze the factors affecting the costs. Results: The age of the 3 246 patients was (46.40±10.43) years, including 2 423 patients from provincial and municipal hospitals and 823 patients from county-level hospitals. The direct financial burden for one patient of pathological uterine cervix carcinoma stage or precancerous lesion ranged from 10 156.3 yuan to 75 716.4 yuan in provincial and municipal hospitals, and for patients from county-level hospitals, the cost was between 4 927.9 yuan and 47 524.8 yuan per person. There was a wide gap between the direct financial burden of patients in different disease stages. The direct financial burden of patients with precancerous lesions ranged from 4 927.9 yuan per person to 11 243.0 yuan per person, as for patients of pathological uterine cervix carcinoma stages, the direct financial burden was between 29 274.6 yuan and 75 716.4 yuan per person. The factors which influence direct financial burden would include: the levels of the hospital, pathological period, medicare reimbursement, days of treatment, and the methods of treatment (P<0.001). Conclusion The direct financial burden of diseases in patients with pathological uterine cervix carcinoma stage or precancerous lesion differed in different levels of hospital and pathological periods. In addition, medicare reimbursement, days of treatment, and the methods of treatment all had impact on it.

Objective: To investigate the effects of oxidized low-density lipoprotein/β2 glycoproteinⅠ/β2 glycoproteinⅠantibody (oxLDL/β2GPⅠ/β2GPⅠ-Ab) complex on the phenotypic transformation and lipid transpoters on the surface of rat thoracic aorta smooth muscle cell line (A7r5), and their correlation with toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway. Methods: A7r5 cells were stimulated by oxLDL, oxLDL/β2GPⅠ complex, oxLDL/β2GPⅠ-Ab complex, β2GPⅠ/β2GPⅠ-Ab complex and oxLDL/β2GPⅠ/β2GPⅠ-Ab complex respectively, and then total RNA and protein were collected. The expressions of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), macrophage surface marker CD68, galectin-3 (LGALS3), scavenger receptor class B member 3 (CD36) and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1/G1 (ABCA1/ABCG1) were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), western blot and immunofluorescence (IF) respectively. The roles of TLR4 and its downstream signaling molecules in the phenotypic transformation and expression changes of lipid transporters of A7r5 cells induced by oxLDL/β2GPⅠ/β2GPⅠ-Ab complex were investigated by the pretreatment of TLR4 blocker TAK-242 (5 μmol/L) or c-Jun N-terminal kinases 1/2 (JNK 1/2) blocker SP600125 (90 nmol/L). Results: The oxLDL/β2GPⅠ/β2GPⅠ-Ab complex significantly increased the levels of CD68 and LGALS3, and decreased the level of α-SMA, while TAK-242 could reverse this phenomenon. The oxLDL/β2GPⅠ/β2GPⅠ-Ab complex could promote the expression of CD36 and inhibit the expression of ABCA1/ABCG1, while TAK-242 and SP600125 could reverse this process. Conclusion The oxLDL/β2GPⅠ/β2GPⅠ-Ab complex promotes the phenotypic transformation of A7r5 cells to macrophage-like cells, regulates the expression of lipid transport-related molecules and enhances the ability of lipids transport into cells. TLR4 and JNK1/2 are closely related to this process.

Objective: To investigate the effects of β2 glycoprotein Ⅰ/anti-β2 glycoprotein Ⅰ complex (β2/aβ2) on oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-mediated lipid accumulation and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation in THP-1 macrophage, as well as the role of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) during the process. Methods: THP-1 cells were differentiated into THP-1 macrophage by PMA (100 ng/mL). THP-1 macrophages were treated with RPMI 1640 medium, oxLDL, oxLDL+β2/aβ2 or oxLDL+lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The mRNA expressions of lipid transportation molecules, ACAT1, ABCA1 and ABCG1 were detected by RT-qPCR. Intracellular total cholesterol (TC) and free cholesterol (FC) in THP-1 macrophages were evaluated by Trinder assay, then the content and proportion of intracellular cholesteryl ester (CE) were calculated. The expression and phosphorylation of FAK were detected by immune fluorescence, RT-qPCR and western blot. To evaluate the role of TLR4, THP-1 macrophages were pre-treated with or without TLR4 inhibitor TAK-242 (1 μg/mL). Results: β2/aβ2 treatment significantly inhibited oxLDL-mediated lipid accumulation and FAK expression and phosphorylation in THP-1 macrophages, which could be reversed by TLR4 blockage. Conclusion β2/aβ2 inhibits the oxLDL-mediated lipid accumulation and FAK activation of THP-1 macrophage, which is related to the function of TLR4.