Aim To investigate the effect of dehydroepiandrosterone(DHEA)on the levels of NR2B and GBR1 expressed in primary cultured rat cerebral cortical neurons.Methods Primary cultured rat cerebral cortical neurons were treated with DHEA of different concentrations (1,10,100 μmol·L~(-1))and the expression of amino acids receptor subunit NR2B and GBR1 were detected by immunocytochemistry.Results Compared with control group,the expression intensity of NR2B increased by 15.6%,19.9% and 49.4% after DHEA-L,DHEA-M and DHEA-H treatment(P<0.05 or P<0.01);the expression intensity of GBR1 increased by 14.5% and 58.5% after DHEA-M and DHEA-H treatment(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion DHEA can enhance the expression of neuron receptor subunit NR2B and GBR1.

brain . The investigation might help to further study the physiological significance of " peripheral-type" benzodiazepines receptor.

Aim To investigate the effect of progesterone on the levels of glutamate and ?-aminobutyric acid released from primary cultured rat cerebral cortical neurons.Methods Primary cultured rat cerebral cortical neurons were treated with PROG(10 ?mol?L-1) and the concentrations of amino acid in cell culture media at different time(0.5,1,1.5,2,24,36,48,72 h) were measured by OPA-mercaptoethanol precolumn derivatization technique and HPLC-FLD.Results Compared with control group,PROG treatment significantly reduced the levels of GLU at the time of 1,1.5,2,24,36,48,72 h(P

BACKGROUND:Previous studies have demonstrated that normal rat liver homogenate supernatant can induce human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cels with partial hepatocyte functions. However, whether fibrotic liver homogenate supernatant can work or how the inducing effect is remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the differentiation potential of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels into hepatocytes under the normal liver and fibrotic liver microenvironment in vitro. METHODS:Liver fibrosis was induced in the SD rats by repeated intraperitoneal injections of 3% thioacetamide at a dose of 200 mg/kg body mass, twice a week for 4 weeks, and then fibrotic liver tissues and normal liver tissues were used to prepare liver homogenate supernatants. Passage 3 human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels were used and divided into standard control group (cels were cultured in DMEM/F12 with 10% fetal bovine serum), fibrotic liver homogenate supernatants group (cels were cultured in DMEM/F12 with 10% fetal bovine serum and 50 g/L fibrotic liver homogenate supernatants), normal liver homogenate supernatants group (cels were cultured in DMEM/F12 with 10% fetal bovine serum and 100 g/L normal liver homogenate supernatants). The morphological changes of the cels in each group were recorded under inverted microscope; the protein levels of CK18, AFP, CYP3A4, CYP2E1, CYP2D6 and TPH2 were evaluated using western blot assay. Furthermore, the concentration of albumin in the cels was measured. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After a 7-day inducement, the stem cels in liver homogenate supernatants groups lost their fusiform shape and changed into hepatocyte-like cels with the morphous of round shape. Compared with the standard control group, the hepatocyte-like cels in the two liver homogenate supernatants groups exhibited human hepatocyte biomarkers, CK18 and AFP. The standard control group cels could express a little amount of CYP2E1, while cels in the two liver homogenate supernatants groups could express CYP3A4, CYP2E1, CYP2D6, TPH2. Compared with the standard control group, the expression level of CYP2E1 in the two liver homogenate supernatants groups increased significantly (P < 0.01), and however, the relative levels of CYP3A4, CYP2E1, CYP2D6, TPH2 in the two liver homogenate supernatants groups showed no statistical significance (P > 0.05). At the same time, compared with the standard control group, the concentration of albumin in the two liver homogenate supernatants groups markedly increased (P < 0.01), but there was no difference between the two liver homogenate supernatants groups (P > 0.05). Experimental findings demonstrated that both of normal liver tissue and fibrotic liver tissue microenvironments could induce human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cels. To achieve the same effect, compared with normal liver tissue, fibrotic liver tissue required lower concentrations, suggesting that fibrotic liver tissue microenvironment may be more conducive to differentiation of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels into hepatocytes.

Aim To investigate the protective effect of naringenin on isoniazid and rifampicin induced hepatotoxicity and the role of CYP 3A4.Methods Isoniazid and rifampicin were added to culture media for QSG-7701 cells and cultured for 48 hours. Narringenin, 1,5 and 25 mg·L~(-1) in final concentration,was added concomitant with isoniazid and rifampicin. The culture media and cells were collected and the activities of lactate dehydrogenase were detected with chromatometry. The ratio of extra/intracellular lactate dehydrogenase was calculated as the release rate of lactate dehydrogenase. Cells were incubated with midazolam for 2 hours after treatment with durgs and the concentration of midazolam in the incubation media was determined with HPLC-MS.Results Compared with control group, isoniazid and rifampicin treatment increased lactate dehydrogenase release and CYP 3A4 activity significantly. Naringenin attenuated the effect of isoniazid and rifampicin on lactate dehydrogenase and CYP 3A4 activity.Conclusion Naringenin can attenuate the hepatotoxicity of isoniazid and rifampicin through inhibiting the activity of CYP 3A4 in cultured hepatocytes.

AIM: To investigate the pharmacokinetic properties and bioequivalence of nifedipine sustained-release tablets after multiple doses administration in healthy volunteers. METHODS: Twenty two male healthy volunteers were enrolled in a randomized two-way crossover design with multiple doses (20 mg·d-1×7 d) study. Nitrendipine was used as the internal standard and the concentrations of nifedipine in plasma were determined by HPLC-APCI-MS. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated and the bioequivalence were compared by DAS (ver 1.0) program. RESULTS: The pharmacokinetic parameters of test and reference preparations were as follows: Cmax (52.5±27.4) and (54.0±31.2) ng·ml-1;Cmin (5.4±4.1) and (6.2±5.9) ng·ml-1;Cav (16.8±9.2) and (19.3±12.4) ng·ml-1;Tmax (3.7±0.9) and (4.1±1.1) h;t1/2 (8.9±4.9) and (8.5±3.1) h;AUC0-τ (403.4±221.0) and (461.9±296.6) μg·h·L-1, AUC0-36h (444.4±256.1) and (503.1±330.9) ng·h·ml-1;AUC0-∞ (482.1±268.9) and (542.3±348.4) ng·h·ml-1;DF (299.8±117.7)% and (279.2±97.5)%, respectively. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in Tmax, Cmax, Cmin, Cav, DF, AUC0-τ, AUC0-36h, AUC0-∞ and t1/2 between the two preparations. The relative bioavailability of test tablets was (100.6±38.6)%. CONCLUSION:The test and reference preparations were bioequivalence.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a collagen dressing for healing of wounds induced by fractional CO2 laser in patients with atrophic facial acne scars.Methods Seventy patients with atrophic facial acne scars were recruited to this study,and randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group.Both the two groups were treated by two sessions of fractional CO2 laser with an interval of one month.After each session of laser therapy,the treatment group were topically treated with a collagen dressing for 20 minutes once a day for 10 consecutive days,while the control group did not apply any collagen dressing.All the patients were followed for 6 months.Efficacy was evaluated by the degree of acute inflammatory reaction,time needed for crust shedding and patient comfort level.The length of downtime as well as incidence of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and other adverse reactions were also assessed.Results Compared with the control group,the treatment group showed a decrease in the score for acute inflammatory response (W =312,P ＜ 0.01),time needed for crust shedding (t =2.08,P ＜ 0.05),incidence rate of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (x2 =6.06,P ＜ 0.05),length of downtime (t =3.14,P ＜ 0.05),but an increase in self-reported comfort level (W =172,P ＜ 0.01).No new scar formed in any of these patients.Conclusion The collagen dressing is effective in reducing incidence of adverse reactions and improving satisfaction degree of patients with atrophic facial acne scars after fractional CO2 laser therapy.

BACKGROUND:Preliminary experiments have demonstrated that rat liver homogenate supernatants can induce the morphological changes of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells. However, little is known about whether the induced cells have some phenotypic and functional features of hepatocytes.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells have some phenotypic and functional characteristic of hepatocytes after being induced by liver homogenate supernatants.
METHODS:Passage 3 human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were used and divided into control group (cells were cultured in basic culture medium) and liver homogenate supernatant group (cells were cultured in liver homogenate supernatants for 3, 5, 7 days). Meanwhile, positive control group (QSG-7701 human liver celllines) and negative control group (simple liver homogenate supernatants) were set up. The protein and mRNA level of hepatocyte markers, alpha-fetoprotein, cytokeratin 18 and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase enzyme, were detected at different time points.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After inducement, the stem cells of fusiform shape began to lose their sharp edges and progressively shrunk, and then they changed into hepatocyte-like cells with the morphous of triangle, polygon and anomalism shape. Compared with the control group, the protein and mRNA level of alpha-fetoprotein, cytokeratin 18 and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase enzyme significantly increased time dependently after inducement with liver homogenate supernatants (P<0.01). This study demonstrated that human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells are able to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells in vitro that possess some functions of liver cells.

A 36-year-old woman presented with a 3-year history of pruritic erythema and scaling on the trunk and extremities.Dermatological examination revealed ill-defined light pink macules with white lamellar scales on the chest,abdomen and buttocks.Histologically,there was a focal mononuclear cell infiltrate in the superficial dermis,with the epidermotropism of some cells and mild atypia of epidermotropic cells,as well as an interstitial mononuclear cell infiltrate and mild deposition of mucin between the collagen fibers in the middle dermis.CD3 and CD4 were expressed by scattered mononuclear cells infiltrating the upper and middle dermis.Based on these data,the patient was diagnosed with interstitial granuloma fungoides.

A case of benign follicular neoplasm-trichogerminoma-is reported.A 48-year-old man presented with a 10-year history of asymptomatic subcutaneous nodule in the chest.Histological examination revealed a well-circumscribed lesion composed of variously sized lobuli and cysts in the deep dermis and separated from the surrounding tissue by a fibrous capsule.Most lobuli consisted of concentrically arranged clear cells in the central area and basophilic cells in a palisade arrangement in the peripheral area.The tumor cells displayed a multi-directional differentiation toward hair bulb,inner root sheath,outer root sheath and infundibulum of hair follicles.Immunohistochemically,the tumor cells expressed AE1/AE3,CK5/6 and CK17,but were negative for CK20 or CK7.There was a sharp contrast in immunohistochemical findings between the central clear cells and peripheral basophilic cells.Based on the histological and immunohistochemical features,a diagnosis of trichogerminoma was made.