Objective To reveal the protective effects of atorvastatin against atherosclerosis independent of cholesterol-lowering effect, we investigated the effects of atorvastation on the expression of protein kinase C (PKC) and C-reactive protein in experimental atherosclerosis of rats.Method Fifty female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal diet group (n = 10, control group), vitamin D3 injection and high cholesterol diet group (n = 40). After 8 weeks, vitamin D3 injection and high cholesterol diet rats were randomized to receive either atorvastatin (5 mg. kg-1. d-1) (n = 20, atorvastatin group) or normal diet (n = 20, model group). Another eight weeks later, all rats were killed and part of their aortas were examined by light and electron microscope and the left were removed for western blot analysis to measure PKC; At the begin and end of experiment, serumcollected for lipid and C-reactive protein determining determination.Results Cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride levels in atorvastatin group were significantly lower than those in model group but higher than control group. The pathologic changes in atorvastatin group were less severe than those in model group, there showed no any pathological changes in control group. The levels of C-reactive protein in model group[(18.64 ± 0.94) mg/L] were higher than those in control group [(9.21 ± 0.21)mg/L] (P<0.05). C-reactive protein levels also differed significantly between control and atorvastatin group (12.52 ± 0.65 mg/L)( P<0.05). PKC levels were significantly higher in model group (7786.12 ± 264.75)and atorvastatin group (4267.57 ± 233.94) than in control group (2468.75 ± 145.53)(all P<0.05). But compared with model group, PKC levels were markedly lower in the atorvastatin group ( P<0.01 ).Conclusions Atorvastatin may be useful not only as a cholesterol-lowering agents but also as anti-arteriosclerotic agent that provide vascular protection by inhibition PKC expression and inflammatory reaction.

To prolong serum half-life of human kallikrein (hK) and enhance its secretion rate, we modified hK gene and constructed a new form of recombinant hK protein (hK'-Fc). We amplified hK gene and Fc sequence, replaced the signal peptide of hK gene with murine signal peptide, constructed native expression plasmid of pcDNA-hK-Fc and modified expression plasmid of pcDNA-hK'-Fc, then transfected to CHO cells respectively. After the stable cell lines were screened, we compared the secretion rate between native fusion protein and modified fusion protein, purified fusion protein through Protein A+G affinity chromatography column and investigated the bioactivity of fusion protein. The results showed that recombinant vectors encoding fusion protein hK-Fc and hK'-Fc were constructed successfully; CHO cell lines stably secreting fusion protein were obtained, the yield is higher than 11 mg/L; Secretion rate was enhanced by 5-10 times after the signal peptide of fusion protein was modified; Fusion protein has enzymatic activity in vitro. The above results could promote the following researches on serum half-life of the fusion protein and develop a new stroke medicine with better clinical efficacy.
Animals ; CHO Cells ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Humans ; Mice ; Protein Sorting Signals ; genetics ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; physiology ; Tissue Kallikreins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transfection

Objective:Analysis the protective effect of the partial femoral to femoral cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB) on thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair(TAAAR).Methods:From September 2016 to August 2020, 50 cases of TAAAR under partial CPB were performed at our hospital. Thirty males and 20 females with an average age of(40.5±12.4) years old(ranging 21 to 69 years old) were involved. Partial CPB without selective organ perfusion were applied at the early stage. Since November 2019, the adjunct of perfuse the celiac and superior mesenteric artery with warm blood and irrigate the renal artery with 4℃ HTK solution was used in TAAAR, and 25 patients were operated under this adjunct.Results:The average CPB time was(116.9±35.4) min, the lowest central body temperature during the partial CPB was(34.7±0.7)℃. Total early postoperative mortality was 6%(3/50, 3 deaths in partial CPB alone group). Paraplegia occurred in 4 cases(8%), new happened postoperative hemodialysis was in 6 cases(16%). Among the hemodialysis event, 2 cases(8%, 2/25) were in the group with selective organ perfusion, and 4 cases(16%, 4/25) in the group without using the adjunct.Conclusion:Mild hypothermic partial cardiopulmonary bypass combined with selective organ perfusion have protective effects on spinal cord and abdominal organ in patients underwent TAAAR.

The end of the COVID-19 infection peak in 2022 prompts a backlog of cardiovascular surgical patients to gradually return to the hospital, resulting in a surge in cardiovascular surgeries. However, against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the clinical practice of cardiovascular surgery faces many problems. Therefore, organized by Beijing Anzhen Hospital, experts in cardiovascular surgery and related fields have formulated hospital expert experience on perioperative treatment principles of cardiovascular surgery for patients infected with COVID-19. This article summarizes the clinical decision-making of patients requiring cardiovascular surgery after COVID-19 infection, and advises on the corresponding recommendations according to the existing evidence-based medical evidence as well as the actual clinical practice experience of relevant experts. The main content of the article includes special requirements for cardiovascular surgical treatment indications in patients with COVID-19 infection, selection of surgical timing, special requirements of preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative management, etc., which aims to provide COVID-19-infected patients with guidance on rational decision-making when receiving cardiovascular surgery.

A case of pituicytoma was observed in a Han-Wistar rat from the control group of a 2-year carcinogenicity study. No obvious abnormality were found in clinical observation and necropsy. Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE) staining results showed that nodular hyperplasia in the pars nervosa of the pituitary, which was well demarcated and compressed the adjacent normal tissue. The tumor cells were similar to the glial cells with round or oval nuclei, cytoplasm rich in eosinophilic or vacuole. The tumor cells differentiated well, with no obvious cell pleomorphism and visible mitotic figures. Some tumor cells were arranged in a pseudorosette formation. Immunohistochemical staining (IHC) analysis confirmed positive expression of Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and S-100 protein. The tumor was diagnosed as the spontaneous benign pituicytoma combining the HE and IHC staining results.

As a group of nonspecific inflammatory diseases affecting the intestine, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) exhibits the characteristics of chronic recurring inflammation, and was proven to be increasing in incidence (Kaplan, 2015). IBD induced by genetic background, environmental changes, immune functions, microbial composition, and toxin exposures (Sasson et al., 2021) primarily includes ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) with complicated clinical symptoms featured by abdominal pain, diarrhea, and even blood in stools (Fan et al., 2021; Huang et al., 2021). UC is mainly limited to the rectum and the colon, while CD usually impacts the terminal ileum and colon in a discontinuous manner (Ordás et al., 2012; Panés and Rimola, 2017). In recent years, many studies have suggested the lack of effective measures in the diagnosis and treatment of IBD, prompting an urgent need for new strategies to understand the mechanisms of and offer promising therapies for IBD.
Chronic Disease ; Colitis, Ulcerative/therapy* ; Crohn Disease/epidemiology* ; Diarrhea ; Homeodomain Proteins ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/cytology* ; MicroRNAs ; RNA, Long Noncoding ; Recurrence ; Umbilical Cord/cytology*