AIM: To investigate the inhibitory effect of L-carnitine on high glucose-induced apoptosis of human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) and the molecular mechanisms.METHODS: The apoptosis of HAECs was induced by high-glucose incubation.HAECs were treated with L-carnitine at different concentrations (50, 100 and 200 μmol/L).The cell viability was measured by MTT assay.The cell apoptosis was assessed by Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry.Colorimetric method was employed to detect the caspase-3 activity in the HAECs.The protein expression and phosphorylation levels were determined by Western blot.RESULTS: High-glucose incubation dramatically decreased the cell viability and induced apoptosis.The protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), inositol-requiring enzyme-1 (IRE1) and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) signaling pathways of endoplasmic reticulum stress were activated to induce cell apoptosis via down-stream caspase-4/3 cascade.However, L-carnitine treatment significantly attenuated the cell apoptosis and increased the cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner.L-carnitine also significantly suppressed endoplasmic reticulum stress and ATF6 signaling in high glucose-incubated HAECs without attenuating PERK and IRE1 signaling.The expression of site-1 protease (S1P) and site-2 protease (S2P) was inhibited by L-carnitine treatment, thus decreasing pro-apoptotic factor ATF6 p50 produced by ATF6 cleavage.CONCLUSION: L-carnitine inhibits high glucose-induced apoptosis of HAECs by inhibiting ATF6 signaling.

Objective to investigate the efficacy of moxibustion treatment to rheumatoid arthritis(RA) patients and the impact to blood levels of rheumatoid factor(RF) ,C reactive protein(CRP) ,and interleukin-6(IL-6) .Methods RA patients were divided in-to treatment group and comfort group .The two groups were treated by moxibustion and sham-moxibustion for 2 courses ,respec-tievely .Results Overall clinical efficacy rate was higher in treatment group than in comfort group(P<0 .01) .The arthralgia ,ar-throcele ,tenderness and its degrees ,and morning stiffness time were significant improved in both groups(P<0 .05) ,and the indexes were better in treatment group than comfort group(P<0 .05) .The blood levels of RF ,IL-6 and CRP were reduced after treatment in both groups(P<0 .05) ,and which of treatment group reduced more than those of comfort group(P<0 .05) .Conclusion Moxi-bustion treatment can significantly improve clinical outcomes of RA and markedly reduce the blood levels of RF ,IL-6 and CRP of RA patients .

The pre-metabolic disease state is the body state of substance metabolism disorder that has not yet reached the physical and chemical indicators of the disease, and abnormal glucose metabolism is often the key link of metabolic disorder. In TCM, the healthy function of the spleen is the cornerstone of the production and distribution of fine substances. This article discussed the pre-metabolic disease state based on the theory of "overflow of Five Qi" in the Nei Jing, taking the loss of spleen preparedness as the starting point, in order to provide new ideas and directions for the prevention and treatment of clinical metabolic diseases.