Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Kechuanning capsules for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in stable phase.Methods Totally 110 patients with stable COPD were randomly divided into the therapy group and the control group, 55 cases in each group. Patients in both groups were given ipratropium bromide solution for inhalation. On the basis of western medicine treatment, the therapy group took Kechuanning capsules orally at the same time, 4 softgels for each time, 3 times a day;on the basis of western medicine treatment, the control group took the same amount of placebo capsules. The treatment lasted three months. Meanwhile, the clinical efficacy, BODE index, CAT score and ADRs of patients in the two groups were observed.Results The clinical efficacy in the therapy group was 96.00% (48/50), and 88.24% (45/51) in the control group, with statistical significance (P<0.05). BODE index and CAT score in the two groups decreased and the therapy group was lower than the control group (P<0.05). Liver and kidney function had no obvious abnormalities in the treatment group before and after treatment.Conclusion Kechuanning capsules can effectively reduce the BODE index and CAT score in patients with stable COPD, improve patients' life quality and clinical outcomes, and no obvious side effect has been found.

Objective To observe the effects of Kechuanning capsules on airway inflammation cells and inflammatory mediators in patients with COPD.Methods Totally 110 patients with stable COPD were randomly divided into therapy group and control group, 55 cases in each group. Both of the groups were given compound ipratropium bromide solution for inhalation, at the same time, patients in the therapy group took Kechuanning capsules orally, 4 softgels each time, 3 times a day, and patients in the control group took the same amount of placebo capsules. The treatment lasted three months. Differential counting of inflammatory cells and levels of inflammatory factors in serum and sputum supernatant were observed.Results In terms of differential counting of inflammatory cells, the sputum neutrophils of the therapy group decreased significantly (P<0.05) and macrophages increased (P<0.05) after treatment, with statistical significance compared with the control group (P<0.05). In terms of inflammatory mediators, the levels of IL-6, IL-8, LTB4 in serum did not change significantly (P>0.05) in two groups before and after treatment;IL-6, IL-8, LTB4 levels in the sputum supernatant of the therapy group were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05), with statistical significance compared with the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Kechuanning capsules have an obvious inhibitory effect on airway inflammatory cells in patients with stable COPD as well as the release of inflammatory mediators.

AIM:To investigate the relationship between autophagy and calcification in vascular smooth muscle cells ( VSMCs) after platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB stimulation.METHODS:Cultured VSMCs were stimulated with PDGF-BB for different time, the expression of vascular calcification-related proteins and autophagy-related proteins were detected by Western blot .The interaction be-tween Beclin1 and PI3KC3 was detected by co-immunoprecipitation.RESULTS: The expression of BMP2 and ALP showed a trend from decline to rise.ALP slumped at 12 h, and BMP2 slumped at 6 h.Moreover, the expression of Beclin-1 showed a trend from rise
to decline, and peaked at 12 h.The conversion of LC3-ⅠtoⅡincreased in a time-dependent manner , and peaked at 24 h.The ex-pression of BMP2 and ALP was increased in VSMCs incubated with PDGF-BB and autophagy inhibitor 3-MA, compared with PDGF-BB-stimulated VSMCs.Furthermore, the interaction between Beclin1 and PI3KC3 was enhanced at 6 h after PDGF-BB stimulated, peaked at 12 h, and kept in high level at 24 h.Moreover, the phosphorylation level of Beclin 1 was enhanced by PDGF-BB stimulation, and peaked at 6 h.CONCLUSION:Our findings demonstrate that PDGF-BB-induced autophagy inhibits VSMC calcification by en-hancing Beclin1 phosphorylation and interaction between Beclin 1 and PI3KC3.

Objective To study the function of the toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) signaling pathway in the synthesis and secretion of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells of rats with COPD. Methods The primary pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) of rats with COPD were digested, separated and purified. Then they were randomly divided into control group, LPS group, TLR4 inhibitor group (TAK242) and LPS + TLR4 inhibitor group. RT-PCR, Western blot were used to detect the expression level of TLR-4 and NF-κB among groups. The levels of IFN-γ and PDGF-AB in supernatant with PASMCs in each group were detected by ELISA. Results LPS increased the expression of TLR-4、 NF-κB and the levels of IFN-γ and PDGF-AB. The expression of TLR4, NF-κB and the levels of IFN-γ and PDGF-AB were significantly reduced after inhibiting the expression of TLR4(P < 0.05). Conclusion TLR-4 signaling pathway involved in the inflammatory response and pulmonary vascular remodeling which increased the synthesis and secretion of IFN-γ and PDGF-AB in PASMCs. It provides a theoretical approach for the early intervention of clinical with COPD.

Objective To report the clinical, myopathological and genetic features of a patient with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS)/Leigh syndrome (LS) overlap syndrome who carried m.10158 T>C mutation. Methods The patient′s clinical and imaging materials were collected. An open biopsy of right biceps brachii was performed. DNA samples were prepared from the patient and her mother′s blood. Direct sequencing of the complete mitochondrial genome was performed to detect the mtDNA mutation.Western blotting was used to estimate the content of respiratory complexes in the patient′s muscle. Results The patient was a 40-year-old female. She had seizures and lost consciousness for 9 months. Brain MRI findings consisted of asymmetrical lesions in the cerebral cortex of the frontal and temporal lobes, as well as symmetrical lesions bilaterally in the basal ganglia. Muscle biopsy showed typical ragged red fibers. Direct sequencing of the complete mitochondrial genome from blood and muscle of the patient revealed the T-to-C transition at nucleotide position 10158 in the MT-ND3 gene.The mutation rate was 9.31% and 70.0%, respectively.Western blotting demonstrated that the contents of complexes Ⅰ and Ⅳ were significantly lower in the patient′s muscle mitochondria compared with the normal controls (53.1%±1.2% vs 88.6%±1.7%, t=4.08, P<0.05;57.3%±2.4% vs 80.1%±2.1%, t=3.39,P<0.05).Conclusion We reported a case of MELAS/LS overlap syndrome who carried m.10158 T>C mutation in MT-ND3 gene and DNA test is very important for the diagnosis of the disease.

Aged ; Bone Marrow ; metabolism ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of valproate acid sodium (VPA) on gap junction intercellular communication in breast cancer Hs578T cells and explore the mechanism.

METHODSMTT assay was used to detect the cytotoxicity of VPA on Hs578T cells, and parachute assay was used to detect the effect of VPA on dye spread of the cells. Western blotting was employed to detect the expression changes of Cx43 total protein in VPA-treated Hs578T cells. The effect of VPA on the expression of Cx43 on the surface of Hs578T cells was examined with immunofluorescence assay.

RESULTSMTT assay showed no obvious cytotoxicity of VPA on Hs578T cells at the concentrations below 10 mmol/L. VPA below 5 mmol/L obviously increased the gap junction function in Hs578T cells (P<0.01), and significantly enhanced the expression of Cx43 total protein (P<0.01) and Cx43 expression on the surface of Hs578T cells (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONVPA can obviously increase the gap junction function in Hs578T cells possibly by enhancing Cx43 total protein expression and Cx43 protein expression on the surface of Hs578T cells.

Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Cell Communication ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Female ; Gap Junctions ; drug effects ; Humans ; Valproic Acid ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Zhuhong ointment on accumulation in the body of mercury and the pathological morphology changes of kidney, via the measurement of related indicators of the skin-impaired model rat.

METHODEighty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into the impairment control group, and high-, middle-, low-dose Zhuhong ointment groups. Each group was treated by corresponding methods for 4 weeks, and recovering for 4 weeks. Urinary potein (PRO), pH, Beta N-acetyl aminoglycosidase enzymes (NAG) and beta2-microglobulin (beta2-MG) contents in urine were taken as monitoring indexes, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (SCr) in blood and the levels of mercury in urine, blood and kidney were tested, and the pathological morphology changes of kidney were observed.

RESULTAfter treatment for 4 weeks, compared with impairment control group, the levels of mercury in urine, blood and kidney in every dose group increased significantly (P < 0.01). And the relation exists between toxicity and dose on Zhuhong ointment. After recovery for 4 weeks, the levels of mercury in urine and blood in every dose group restore normal, while the level of mercury in kidney in high- dose group still increased (P < 0.01). The level of NAG increased only in high-dose group. There was no significant difference in NAG contents between Zhuhong ointment groups and the impairment control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONExcess using Zhuhong ointment repeatedly may lead to accumulation of mercury and pathological morphology changes of kidney. So the levels of mercury in the body and related indicators of renal functions should be tested in clinical when long-term using Zhuhong ointment.

Acetylglucosaminidase ; drug effects ; urine ; Animals ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; blood ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Female ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; drug effects ; Kidney ; drug effects ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mercury ; blood ; metabolism ; urine ; Ointments ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Retinol-Binding Proteins ; drug effects ; urine ; Skin ; drug effects ; injuries ; Time Factors ; beta 2-Microglobulin ; urine

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of repeated administration of Zhuhong ointment on renal antioxidant capability of ulcerous skin in rats, in order to further discuss the mechanism of mercury contained in Zhuhong ointment on the antioxidant capability of kidney in skin ulcer rats.

METHODEighty SD rats were randomly divided into eight groups: Zhuhong ointment A, B, C, D, E (1.219, 0.609, 0.305, 0.152, 0.76 g x kg(-1)) groups, the vaseline group, the ulcer model group and the impairment control group. The levels of NAG and RBP of toxicity for early kidney tubular injury and T-AOC, SOD, GSH-PX and GSH in kidney were determined after consecutive administration for 14 days.

RESULTCompared with ulcer model group, the levels of RBP in groups A, B, C and D increased, while the levels of NAG increased only in the group A. The level of T-AOC increased in groups A, B and C. The level of T-SOD increased in the group E, while it dropped down greatly in the group A. The level of GSH-PX increased in groups A, B and C. The content of GSH increased in every dose groups.

CONCLUSIONAntioxidant capacity in rats can be increased in a reasonable dose of Zhuhong ointment, but some antioxidant activity can be notably inhibited by with the increase of dose.

Acetylglucosaminidase ; drug effects ; urine ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; analysis ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Glutathione ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Kidney Tubules ; drug effects ; injuries ; metabolism ; Male ; Mercury ; metabolism ; Ointments ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Retinol-Binding Proteins ; drug effects ; urine ; Skin Ulcer ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms ; Staphylococcal Skin Infections ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo compare the effects of Badu Shengji San (BDSJS) on rats with different injured skins.

METHODThe injured and ulcerous skin rat model was established to observe the renal injury induced by BDSJS, a mercury-containing external preparation of Chinese medicine, with urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and retinol binding protein (RBP) as indicators of renal toxicity.

RESULTCompared to injured skin rats with the same dose, both of high and low-dose ulcerous skin groups showed obvious increase in urinary RBP and kidney coefficients, significant pathomorphological changes in renal tubules and notable epithelial cytopathic effects. In terms of NAG, the high-dose ulcerous skin group saw no significant increase, but the low-dose group recorded sharp rise.

CONCLUSIONThe renal toxicity induced by BDSJS in ulcerous skin rats was more toxic than that in injured skin ones.

Acetylglucosaminidase ; urine ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; toxicity ; Epithelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Kidney Tubules ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mercury ; toxicity ; urine ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Retinol-Binding Proteins ; urine ; Skin ; drug effects ; injuries ; Skin Ulcer ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Staphylococcal Skin Infections ; drug therapy