BACKGROUND: Parkinson disease is a common degenerative disorder of nervous system. Transplantation of embryonic stem cell can alleviate the symptoms of Parkinson disease, but restricted technically and ethically. Compared with embryonic stem cell, the various characteristics of bone marrow derived-multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPCs) enable them to become one the ideal sources of cells for cell transplantation.OBJECTIVE: To explore the hypothesis that MAPCs were able to enter the brain and reduce the neurological functional deficits in rats by injecting intravenously.DESTGN: A randomized controlled experiment.ETTING: Department of Neurology, Wuhan First Hospital.MATERIALS: The experiments were performed in the laboratory of Department of Neurology, Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from October 2003 to March 2005. Eighty healthy Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats of 180-200 g were provided by the experimental animal center of Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology.METHODS: The rats were made into models of Parkinson disease, the bone marrow-derived MAPCs, which were in vitro purified, proliferated and treated with 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU), were injected via caudal vein. After three months,the immunohistochemical technique, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), electron microscopy and behavioral tests were used to identify the MAPCs or neuron-like cells derived from MAPCs in brain and their functions.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Results of behavioral observation; ② Results of immunihistochemical staining.RESULTS: After implantation, MAPCs could survive and differentiate into neuron-like cells in substantia nigra and striatum. MAPCs-derived dopaminergic neurons caused gradual and sustained behavioral restoration of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-mediated motor asymmetry. The levels of dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH), nerve growth factor (NGF) or dopamine transporter (DAT) mRNA were up-regulated significantly. It was observed under electron microscope that immature synapse implicated MAPCs- derived neuron should play an important role in the reconstruction of neural circuitry.CONCLUSION: Transplanted bone marrow derived-MAPCs can spontaneously differentiate into dopaminergic neurons,and act the corresponding nerve function.

Stem ceils transplantation is one of the potential therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Many animal models following stem cell transplantation showed improvement in memory and cognitive function. However, the pathological changes in AD, such as arnyloid beta deposits, negatively affect the survival and differentiaition of stem cells. Stem cells transfectcd with neprilysin or administration of phenserine could at-tenuate these adverse effects. Genetic modification of stem cell by over expression of neurotrophic factors could attenuate the adverse effects not only on stem cells but also on degenerative neurons. Further investigation on how to overcome the adverse effects of phathological factors in AD on stem cells and maximize the therapeutic effects of stem cells would support the hope for introduction of stem cells transplation into clinical application.

Objective To observe the effect and mechanism of magnesium on nigral dopaminergic neurons in rats with Parkinson's disease(PD). Methods The PD rats were prepared by unilateral injection with 6-hydroxydopamine(6-OHDA) in the nigra and then divided into magnesium sulfate group,Madopar group,mixed group(magnesium sulfate+Madopar) and control (normal saline) group,and recived corresponding therapy by gastric perfusion for 28 d.The behavior change was observed. At the damage side,the number of tyrosine hydroxylase(TH) positive neurons in nigra was detected by immunohistochemistry; the activities of superoxide dismatase(SOD),glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the level of malondialdehyde(MDA) in striatum were measured by biochemistry method,the expression of caspase-3 mRNA and the protease of nuclear factor(NF)-?B P65 in nigra were detected by RT-PCR and Western Blot. Results After treatment,the stable contralateral rotation was found only in mixed group. Compared with other groups,the number of TH positive neurons in mixed group was significantly increased (allP

Objective To investigate the cytoprotection of curcumin against rotenone(Ro)-induced injury and the molecular mechanisms underlying in PC12 cells.Methods The insulted model of PC12 cells was established with Ro.Cell viability was determined using MTT reduction assay.The content of reactive oxygen species(ROS)was determined by the method of DCFH-DA staining.Chromatometry was used to measure the total activity of SOD,DCFH-DA staining to measure the level of intracellular ROS,and flow cytometry to assay the apoptosis rate.Results 0.5 and 1.0 μmol/L curcumin significantly decreased the inhibitory rate of Ro on the growth of PC12 cells for 24 h as compared with the Ro group(P＜0.01).0.5 and 1.0 μmol/L curcumin significantly ameliorated the changes in morphology of PC12 cells,increased the activities of intracellular SOD as compared with the Ro group(P＜0.05),decreased the production of intracellular ROS and inhibited the apoptosis of PC12 cells induced by Ro for 24 h as compared with Ro group(P＜0.01).Conclusion Curcumin can resist Ro-induced cytotoxicity probably by the mechanism of scavenging intracellular ROS and increasing the activity of antioxidase.

Objective To explore the incidence rate, total incidence numbers and possible impacting factors of non-motor symptoms (NMSs) in Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods The NMS questionnaire (NMS Quest) was used to investigate 131 out-patients diagnosed with PD, and the prevalence of each item, the total NMS numbers and their relationships with clinical features were assessed. Results All of the patients, who were distributed in every stage of PD, had NMSs and each case with 11 items on average. Autonomic symptoms such as nocturia and constipation were the most frequent ones. The patients over 65 versus less than 65 years old had a higher prevalence in a number of items such as olfactory disturbance, dysphagia and constipation. At the same time, the rigidity subtype patients had a higher prevalence in depression items than the tremor subtype ones.The total number of NMS was positively correlated with course of disease, age, UPDRS score and Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) stage. Conclusions NMSs are common among PD patients. While the prevalence of each item may vary with different clinical features, the total number of NMS is increased with the severity of PD. More attention should be paid to the diagnosis and rational treatment of the NMSs.

Objective To explore the effect of intra ve nous irradiation of low energy He-Ne laser on plasma endothelin(ET) levels in p atients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI). Methods Eighty-five patients with ACI were randomly divided into two groups: In group s I, the patients were treated with low energy He-Ne laser intravenous irradiat ion combined with conventional treatment (group ILIB);In group II, the patients were only received the conventional treatment (conventional control group). The levels of plasmal ET were measured using radioimmunoassay before and 10, 20 days after the treatment, simultaneously 39 healthy subjects were examined for ET le vels and served as the normal control group. Results Before treatment, the plasmal ET level of ACI was significantly higher than th at of normal control group ( P 0.05). ConclusionIt was suggested that intravenous irradiation therapy with low energy He-Ne laser could inhibit ET release and facilitate the recovery of ACI patients.

Objective To explore the protective effect mechanism of minocycline (MC) on cell apoptotic model of Parkinson's disease induced by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+ ).Methods Different concentrations of MPP+ (10, 50, 250, 500 ?mol/L) were added into the culture of PC12 cells. The most appropriate concentration of MPP+ (MPP+ group) was selected to establish apoptotic model of dopaminergic neurons. For selecting the most a-ppropriate concentration MC (MC+MPP+ group) of protective effect, MTT was used to assay the viability of model of dopaminergic neurons pretreated by different concentrations MC (0, 10, 50, 100, 200 ?mol/L). The cell apoptosis, apoptosis ratio and caspase-3 mRNA expression of MPP+ group and MC+MPP+ group were assayed by electrophoresis method, flow cytometry and RT-PCR, and compared with control group.Results (1) At concentration of 10 ?mol/L of MPP+, cell parkinsonism model of apoptosis was established. The cell viability of apoptotic model of dopaminergic neurons was the highest when pretreated by 100 ?mol/L of MC ( P

Objective To study the pathway of IFN-?-iNOS-NO on T lymphocytic cells in the rats with experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG).Methods Lewis rats were divided randomly into groups EAMG , normal control(NC) and completed Freund's adjuvant control(CFA-C) . The rats were immunized in foot pad, abdomen and back subcutaneouly with the AChR protein extracted from electric organ of Narcine timilei and CFA in the EAMG group, or only with CFA in the CFA-C group. The above-mentioned emulsions were injected again after 4 weeks . At the 7th week after first immunization, T lymphocytic cells in every rat were separated from the spleen. After cultured in vitro for 48 h, the content of IFN-? in the supernatant of cultured T lymphocytic cells was detected by enzyme-linked immunoadsordent assay (ELISA), and the level of NO was examined with Griess reagent method. Results The contents of IFN-? were (81.68?10.23 ) pg/ml in EAMG group,(29.20?5.41) pg/ml in NC group,(31.54?6.12) pg/ml in CFA-Cgroup.The levels of NO were (23.68?7.13 )?mol/L in EAMG group ,(9.05?2.11) ?mol/L in NC group,(10.21?2.67 )?mol/L in CFA-C group.The contents of IFN-? and NO in EAMG group were increased markedly than groups NC and CFA-C(allP

The aim of our study was to observe the effect of diabetes melitus and hy- pertension on cerebral hemodynamics.The flow velocity of cerebral basal arteries were inves- tigated with transcranial Dopplersonography(TCD) in the group of diabetesmellitus,hyper- tension and diabetes combined with hypertension.The results that the flow abnormality in diabetic group(n=48) was41 .7% and in hypertensive group(n=1 6 0 ) was30 % ,respective- ly,butin the group(n=35 ) of diabetes combined with hypertension,the abnormality reae- hed as high as 82 .9% and the abnormal rate of the latest group was significantly higher than former two groups(P

Objective To study the effect of dextran sulfate inhibiting leukocytes infiltration and infarct size,and apoptosis in rats with cerebral embolism.Methods Using one's blood emboli,dextran sulfate (4 mg/kg) or saline was intravenously administered after half an hour ischemia and urokinase (5000 U/kg) was injected after 2h or 4h ischemia in rat embolic stroke models.At 12h or 24h after ischemia,the infarct size were measured by TTC staining.ICAM-1 expression and leukocytes infiltration were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, apoptosis were detected by TUNEL;blood-brain barrier(BBB) and cell necrosis were observed by electromicroscopy.Results combined thrombolytic group compared with pure thrombolytic group,the infarct focus decreased(P