BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) has extensive pharmacological basis for the treatment of cerebral ischemic injury, and animal experiments for treatment of brain injury by bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel transplantation are ongoing. However, little is reported about the combined use of PNS and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel transplantation.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of PNS combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel transplantation on traumatic brain injury in rats.
METHODS:Traumatic brain injury models were made in 60 Sprague-Dawley rats by hydraulic shock method. Then, model rats were randomized into model group, cel transplantation group receiving bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel transplantation and combined treatment group undergoing PNS combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel transplantation. Nerve function recovery of the rats and protein expression of nerve growth factor in the brain tissue were evaluated and detected by Bederson scoring and western blot methods, respectively. Morphological changes of the brain tissue and apoptosis in cortical neurons were observed and detected by hematoxylin-eosin staining and TUNEL, respectively.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Highest Bederson score was found in the model group, fol owed by the cel transplantation group and combined treatment group (P<0.05), while the protein expression of nerve growth factor was ranked as fol ows:the combined treatment group>the cel transplantation group>the model group (P<0.05). Inflammatory infiltration and brain edema in the brain were relieved markedly in the combined treatment group compared with the other two groups, and the number of apoptotic neurons was significantly reduced as wel . Our findings suggest that PNS combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel transplantation can promote neurological recovery from traumatic brain injury by increasing the expression of nerve growth factor and reducing neuronal apoptosis.

Objective To observe the glucose utilization in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle during catch-up growth, and to explore the mechanism of catch-up growth of adipose tissue. Methods Male Wistar rats were randomly divide into normal control group(NC)and catch-up group(RN). Rats in RN group received 50%of food consumed by NC group for 4 weeks, then were re-fed spontaneously as the rats in NC group. In the end of the fifth week(NC1 group and RN1 group)and the sixth week(NC2 group and RN2 group), the experiment was performed. [3]-2-deoxy-glucose was used for detecting the glucose uptake rate. RT-PCR and Western-blot were used for detecting the levels of mRNA and membrane protein of glucose transporter-4(Glut4). Results The glucose uptake rates in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle of RN1 group increased by 189.6%(P<0.01)and reduced by 36.5%(P<0.05)respectively, as compared with NC1 group. After 2 weeks of catch-up growth, the glucose uptake rates in adipose tissue of RN2 group increased by 157.3%(P<0.01)and decreased by 41.5%(P<0.05) in skeletal muscle as compared with NC2 group. However. no significant difference in Glut4 mRNA levels in muscle or in adipose tissue between NC and RN groups were found. The membrane protein of GIut4 after insulin-stimulating in RN1 group and RN2 group reduced by about 46.5%(P<0.01)and 32.1%(P<0.05)in muscle and increased by 116.5%(P<0.01)and 89.9%(P<0.01)in adipose tissue respectively. Conclusion There exists the redistribution of glucose from skeletal muscle to adipose tissue during the early stage of catch-up growth, which results in the catch-up growth of adipose tissue. This change is induced by the tissue-specific alteration of insulin-stimulated Glut4 protein translocation.

To explore the relationship between serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level and obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in euthyroid subjects, 1322 subjects were subjected to a questionnaire survey and physical examination. Fasting blood samples were collected to test serum TSH, plasma glucose and lipids. Fatty liver was diagnosed by type B ultrasonography. The relationship between serum TSH level and body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat and NAFLD was analyzed. The results showed that serum TSH level was significantly higher in females than in males at the same group, and it was significantly higher in overweight group than in control group. Levels of body weight, BMI, waist circumference and percentage of body fat were increased in TSH >2.5 group compared to TSH ≤2.5 group in women. However, plasma lipids showed no significant differences. In males all the parameters showed no significant differences between two groups. Serum TSH was significantly correlated with body weight, BMI, waist circumference and percentage of body fat after adjustment for age in females. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that percentage of body fat and BMI contributed significantly to the variance of TSH. Serum TSH level was significantly higher in nonalcoholic fatty liver group than in normal group in females. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that TSH level was not the independent risk factor of NAFLD. Taken together the data suggest that serum TSH in normal range is significantly correlated with BMI and percentage of body fat in females. And the change of TSH level would not influence the prevalence of NAFLD.

To explore the relationship between serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level and obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in euthyroid subjects,1322 subjects were subjected to a questionnaire survey and physical examination.Fasting blood samples were collected to test serum TSH,plasma glucose and lipids.Fatty liver was diagnosed by type B ultrasonography.The relationship between serum TSH level and body mass index (BMI),percentage of body fat and NAFLD was analyzed.The results showed that serum TSH level was significantly higher in females than in males at the same group,and it was significantly higher in overweight group than in control group.Levels of body weight,BMI,waist circumference and percentage of body fat were increased in TSH ＞2.5 group compared to TSH ≤2.5 group in women.However,plasma lipids showed no significant differences.In males all the parameters showed no significant differences between two groups.Serum TSH was significantly correlated with body weight,BMI,waist circumference and percentage of body fat after adjustment for age in females.Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that percentage of body fat and BMI contributed significantly to the variance of TSH.Serum TSH level was significantly higher in nonalcoholic fatty liver group than in normal group in females.Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that TSH level was not the independent risk factor of NAFLD.Taken together the data suggest that serum TSH in normal range is significantly correlated with BMI and percentage of body fat in females.And the change of TSH level would not influence the prevalence of NAFLD.

Objective:To investigate the preventive and therapeutic effects of compound wild chrysanthemum eye pad on blue light-induced alteration of meibomian gland function in mice and its mechanism.Methods:Sixty-four 15-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were divided into two groups of 32 mice each according to random numbers for the prevention test and the treatment test.The respective 32 mice in the prevention and treatment experiments were randomly divided into normal group, blue light group, solvent group and eye pad group according to random numbers, with eight mice in each group, respectively.In the prevention experiments, mice in each group were exposed to blue light at a wavelength of 460 nm and a light intensity of 2 000 lx for 6 hours per day for 15 consecutive days to establish a mouse model of meibomian gland function changes except for the normal group.The solvent group and the eye pad group were treated with the corresponding eye pad before and after the blue light exposure for 25 minutes daily for the 15 consecutive days.The blue light group was treated with blue light exposure only for 15 days, and the mice were photographed at the edge of the meibomian gland on day 15 to observe the function of the meibomian gland except for the normal group.In the treatment test, all groups of mice except the normal group were induced the altered function of the mouse meibomian gland by the above method.The solvent and eye pad groups were treated with corresponding eye pads for 25 minutes in the morning and afternoon of each day for 15 consecutive days after blue light exposure.The blue light group was kept in a standard environment for 15 days and the changes in meibomian gland function of mice were detected by meibomian gland photographs on day 15.Photography of the eyelid margin in vitro, oil red O staining, and hematoxylin-eosin staining were performed to observe the histologic changes in the meibomian glands of mice after the preventive and experimental treatment.The relative expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) mRNA in mouse meibomian gland tissues was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.The expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and phosphorylation of NF-κB (p-NF-κB) proteins in mice meibomian gland tissues was detected by Western blot to assess the degree of amelioration of blue light-induced inflammation in mouse meibomian glands by the compound wild chrysanthemum eye pad.This study was conducted in accordance with the Statement of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology on the Use of Animals in Ophthalmology and Vision Research, and was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Xiamen University (No.XMULAC20220258). Results:Compared with the normal group, a gradually increased number of blocked meibomian gland openings, and a gradually decreased remaining area of lower meibomian gland, were observed in the mice after 15 days of blue light group, and all the differences were statistically different (all at P<0.05). In the prevention test, the number of obstructed opening in the eye pad group was 1.833±0.753, which was significantly less than 3.667±1.033 in the solvent group ( P<0.05). The relative remaining area of the lower lid meibomian gland in the eye pad group was 0.718±0.091, which was significantly greater than 0.624±0.130 in the solvent group ( P<0.05). Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed inflammatory cell infiltration in mouse meibomian gland in the blue light and solvent groups.There was no inflammatory cell infiltration in eye pad group, and the morphology of the acini was similar to that of the normal group.Oil red O staining showed that there was no significant lipid deposition in the groups.The relative expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ mRNA were significantly lower, and the relative expressions of NF-κB and p-NF-κB proteins were significantly lower in the eye pad group than in the solvent group, showing statistically significant differences (all at P<0.05). In the treatment test, the number of obstructed openings in the eye pad group and solvent group was 4.333±1.211 and 4.833±1.722, respectively, and the relative remaining area of the lower meibomian gland was 0.572±0.151 and 0.588±0.154, respectively, showing no statistically significant differences (both at P>0.05). Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed inflammatory cell infiltration in mouse meibomian glands in the blue light and solvent groups, with a similar morphology of acini as in the normal group.There was no inflammatory cell infiltration in eye pad group.Oil red O staining showed that there was no significant lipid deposition in the groups.The relative expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ mRNA were significantly lower and the relative expressions of NF-κB and p-NF-κB proteins were significantly lower in the eye pad group than in the solvent group (all at P<0.05). Conclusions:Compound wild chrysanthemum eye pad may have preventive and therapeutic effects on blue light-induced changes in meibomian gland function by reducing the inflammatory response of meibomian gland tissue through the inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Obese patients may have abnormal metabolism of branched-chain amino acids(BCAA).Elevated levels of BCAA can lead to insulin resistance(IR)through various mechanisms,which may make it a sensitive indicator for predicting the occurrence of diabetes mellitus.This article reviews the research progress on the correlation between BCAA metabolism,obesity and IR.

The prevalence of energy metabolism-related metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, fatty liver, and cardiovascular diseases, is trending upwards over years. Not only glucose and lipid metabolism but also amino acid metabolism are involved in the pathogenesis, among which branched-chain amino acids are most widely studied. Isoleucine is an important branched-chain amino acid. Its relevance to metabolic diseases has caught more attention in recent years. This review is to highlight advances in isoleucine and energy metabolism.