AIMTo study the effects of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on proliferation and migration of bovine coronary artery endothelial cells (BCAEC) in vitro.

METHODSBCAECs were isolated and cultured in vitro, and divided into control group, VEGF group and HGF group. BCACEs proliferation were measured using MTT, and their migration was observed using reverse microscope.

RESULTSThe OD value of control, VEGF and HGF group were 0.22 +/- 0.01, 0.40 +/- 0.14, 0.44 +/- 0.15 respectively. The proliferation ratio of BCAECs in VEGF and HGF group was 81.8% +/- 16.9%, 100.0% +/- 21.1% respectively. There was no migration in control group, but significant migration in VEGF and HGF group.

CONCLUSIONBoth VEGF and HGF can promote proliferation and migration of BCAECs, the effect of HGF is stronger than VEGF.

Animals ; Cattle ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Coronary Vessels ; cytology ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; pharmacology

Cell Line, Tumor ; Choriocarcinoma ; metabolism ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases ; metabolism

AIMTo study the effect of Dehydrocorydaline and Verapamil (Ver) on intracellular free calcium concentration of myocardial cell ([Ca2+]i) under hypoxic condition.

METHODSWe adopted guinea-pig heart Langendorff instillation. The myocardial cells were isolated by collagenase (Type I, sigma)and marked by fluorescence ratio imaging. The suspension of myocardial cells was assigned to six groups: DHC, Ver, and control were each two. Each three groups was exposed to hypoxia and normoxia before determination of [Ca2+]i.

RESULTS(1) In normoxia state, [Ca2+]i was 120.5-8.3 nml/L (n = 20).( 2) In hypoxia state, the increased [Ca2+]i of myocardial cells was proportional to the time (degree) of hypoxia. Correlation coefficient (r) was about 0.98. (3) Under the condition of normoxia DHC and Ver decreased [Ca2+]i. (4) DHC was obviously slow the increase of [Ca2+]i after hypoxia.

CONCLUSIONIn normoxia and hypoxia, DHC decreases the increased [Ca2+]i. It can prevent intracellular calcium overload. We believe DHC may improve self-protected performance of myocardial cells.

Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Hypoxia ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Male ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism

4-Chloromercuribenzenesulfonate ; pharmacology ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Graves Disease ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; metabolism ; Iodine ; metabolism ; Male ; NADPH-Ferrihemoprotein Reductase ; metabolism ; Thyroid Function Tests

AIMTo observe the effects of stress on Ica-L, steady-state activation curves and steady-state inactivation curves.

METHODSUse NE to construct stress cell model, then the whole-cell patch-clamp recording technique was used to record the Ica-L, the steady-state activation curves and the steady-state inactivation curves. With FCM technique, we observed the rate of apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. By dying cells with Fura-2 and fluorometry, we determined [Ca2+]i.

RESULTSThe amplitude of peak current of Ica-L increased significantly, and by analyzing the steady-state activation curve, we found that the curve was shifted to left, the V1/2 of stress group was (-14.59 +/- 0.24 ) mV vs (-0.69 +/- 0.36) mV of control group. The rate of apoptosis was increased from 0.36% to 2.17% (P < 0.01). The [Ca2+]i increased by 16.7%.

CONCLUSIONStress can bring on increasing of Ica-L, and the channels are easy to be activated. These changes can cause "calcium overload" and then induce apoptosis which lead to injury of myocytes in stress.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Calcium Channels, L-Type ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Heart Ventricles ; cytology ; Male ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; metabolism ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Stress, Physiological

AIMTo study the influence of astragalus and zinc sulfate on the viscosity in erythrocyte membrane during intestinal I/R and their mechanism of action.

METHODSModels of rabbits intestinal I/R injury were made. The effect of astragalus and zinc sulfate on the viscosity and malondialdehyde (MDA) in erythrocyte membrane, superoxide dismutase (SOD) in erythrocyte, oxidase (XO) in plasma and MDA tissues homogenate were observed.

RESULTSThe administration of astragalus and zinc sulfate decreased viscosity and MDA and XO, prevented the reduction of SOD, and alleviated I/R injury.

CONCLUSIONLipid peroxidation injury of the erythrocyte membrane was one of the pathogenesis of I/R injury, and astragalus and the zinc sulfate possessed effects of anti-lipid peroxide, stabilized erythrocyte membrane, increased red blood cell deform ability and raised microcircular perfusion.

Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; Blood Viscosity ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Erythrocyte Membrane ; drug effects ; Female ; Intestines ; blood supply ; pathology ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; analysis ; Oxidoreductases ; analysis ; Rabbits ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; pathology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; analysis ; Zinc Sulfate ; pharmacology

AIMTo investigate the effects of Angelica sinensis injection on the neuronal metabolites and blood flow speed within reperfusion in the ischemic cerebral injury of rats.

METHODSSixty-nine male Sprague Dawley rats with an average body weight of 150 to 170 g were used, and were randomly divided into three groups: sham operation group (n = 4), ischemia injury group (n = 30) underwent an operation of ischemic brain injury, Angelica-treated group (n = 35) underwent the same operation and received the treatment of Angelica sinensis injection (5 g/kg bw, i. p). The right middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) of both ischemia injury group and Angelica-treated group rats was induced by 5/0 nylon suture for 2 hours. The reperfusion was conducted for three to four hours and five to six hours respectively following MCAO. T2 weighted-imaging (T2WI) and 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) were performed, to study the changes in imaging and neuronal metabolites N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), creatine/phosphocreatine (Cr/ PCr) and choline (Cho) following cerebral ischemia. The changes in blood flow speed were measured by laser Doppler flowmetry. The surface vascular density in right hemisphere were calculated.

RESULTSThe hyperintense signals and volume in the right cerebrum in Angelica-treated group decreased compared with those of the ischemia injury group, the T2 values were decreased, and the level of NAA increased, the ratio of Cr/NAA and Cho/NAA decreased. The blood flow speed in Angelica-treated group was improved. The length of brain surface vessels in group C increased.

CONCLUSIONThe Angelica sinensis injection enhanced the blood circulation in the ischemic brain, improved the neuronal metabolisms.

Angelica sinensis ; Animals ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Brain Ischemia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Injections ; Male ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; pathology

Animals ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; drug therapy ; Leptin ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains

AIMTo create a simple behavioral procedure for detecting tinnitus of rats.

METHODSA procedure based on a Pavlovian-conditioned suppression paradigm was set referencing Jastreboff's way to detect tinnitus behaviorally in conscious animals. Rats received acquisition training through Pavlovian conditioning to associate the conditioned stimulus (noise offset) with the unavoidable unconditioned stimulus (foot-shock). The manifestation here is escape reaction. An extinction procedure followed, during which the subject was exposed to the conditioned stimulus, but shock is no longer given. The manifestations of the rats in different group during the extinction processes were observed. Tinnitus was induced by salicylate (SA) injection to validate the method.

RESULTSThe escaped rate of SA group is lower than that of the control. It indicated that the SA rats escaped seldom when there was a sound off, because the rats might perceive the salicylate-induced auditory sensation as a substitute for the background noise that had acquired a safety value during training.

CONCLUSIONThe behavioral procedure could be used to detect tinnitus of rats induced by salicylate.

Animals ; Conditioning (Psychology) ; Disease Models, Animal ; Escape Reaction ; Male ; Psychometrics ; methods ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tinnitus ; diagnosis

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; Brain Ischemia ; blood ; enzymology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Phytotherapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism