?-(1,3)-D-glucan is a core structure of many bioactive fungal polysaccharides. It has drawn intensive attentions in recent because of its multiple bioactivities, particularly the immunomodulatory and antitumorous actions. In this review, we introduced the studies of structure-activity correlation of these ?-(1,3)-D-glucans, particularly the contributions of main backbone, branch degree and residues, molecular weight and conformation to the activities. We also summarized the recent progress in the detective methods for both quantitation and qualification using limulus G factor assay,galactosyl ceramide ELISA and etc.

Funnel Chest ; complications ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Kidney ; abnormalities ; Male ; Prune Belly Syndrome ; complications ; Situs Inversus ; complications ; Spleen ; abnormalities

Action Potentials ; drug effects ; Animals ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Neurons ; drug effects ; physiology ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology

Humans ; Occupational Health ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

The nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a key protein of endogenous antioxidant defense systems in the body. In response to oxidative stress, Nrf2 translocates to nucleus and binds to antioxidant response elements (ARE), regulating the expression of a large amounts of antioxidant genes and maintaining a proper redox balance. The pathological processes of neurodegenerative diseases are associated with generation of reactive oxygen species, which cause oxidative stress. Oxidative stress plays a cardinal role in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Nrf2-inducer compounds can reduce oxidant stress and have shown therapeutic efficacy in many neurodegenerative disease models. How to activate the Nrf2 signaling pathway effectively has been received much attention. Here we provided an overview of specific mechanism of Nrf2-ARE pathway and the protective effects of Nrf2 in different neurodegenerative diseases, and summarized the Nrf2 activators recently in preclinical study.
Antioxidants ; physiology ; Humans ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; physiology ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

Carotenoids play an important role in regulating the hydrogen production of hydrogen-producing Rhodobacter sp. The carotenoids of hydrogen-producing Rhodobacter sp. grown in acetate medium were extracted by using acetone-methanol (7∶2,V/V) solvent and were separated by using thin-layer chromatography on silica-gel plate. The qualitative and quantitative of the carotenoids were analyzed by spectrometry. The results showed that the carotenoids were completely extracted three times with acetone-methanol (7∶2,V/V) in two hours. The ultrasonication had little effect on yield of carotenoids. The yield of carotenoids was 2.81mg/g wet cell. There were 4 spots on the silica-gel plate in the order of yellow, red, light red and light yellow. Yellow spot and red spot were the dominant composition of carotenoid in Rhodobacter sp. The spectrometry data showed that the yellow and red component might be the spheroidene and spirilloanthin respectively.

Brainstem infarction accounts for about 9% to 21.9% of all cerebral infarctions. This article reviews the etiology of brainstem infarction and its pathogenesis,clinical manifestation,diagnosis,and treatment.

Objective To evaluate the effect of N- acetylcysteine(NAC) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) - sensitized neonatal rats with hypoxic- ischemic brain damage(HIBD) and possible mechanism except the antioxidant. Methods With the total number of 98 Wistar pups at postnatal day 8 of either sex was used in this study. There were 86 pups which were divided into three groups to evaluate the brain injury:vehicle group ( n = 29) ,low dose (25 mg/kg) ( n = 31 ) and high dose NAC (200 mg/kg) ( n - 26) treatment group. The pups were injected with LPS(0.1 mg/kg)intraperitoneally 3 days before hypoxic- ischemic(HI) insult. Multiple dose of NAC (25 mg/kg or 200 mg/kg) or vehicle was injected intraperitoneally before and after HI. Brain injury was evaluated 7 days after HI. For the Caspase - 3 activity and immunoblotting analysis, the samples were collected at 24 h after HI treated either with vehicle or high dose NAC ( n = 6 per group). Results The brain injury volume was significantly reduced by high dose NAC (200 mg/kg) treatment compared with that of vehicle (77% reduction, P ＜ 0.001 ). The tissue loss was reduced 67 % ( P ＜ 0.001 ) in high dose NAC treated group compared with that of vehicle. However,there was no significant reduction of brain injury in the low dose NAC treatment group compared with vehicle group. Caspase - 3 like activity measurement showed that the activity decreased 53 % after high dose NAC treatment ( P ＜ 0. 001 ) compared with that of vehicle treatment. The immunoblots showed that the active form of Caspase - 3, 17 kDa band, was abolished by the high dose NAC treatment. Conclusions NAC treatment attenuate LPS - sensitized neonatal HI brain injury is dose dependent. The neuroprotective effect involves Caspase - 3 inhibition.

Accumulating evidence suggests that the small G protein Rho and its downstream effector Rho kinase may play important roles in kidney biology. The present study examined the effects of a Rho-kinase inhibitor, fasudil, on daunorubicin-induced progressive glomerulosclerosis and explored the underlying mechanism by which fasudil ameliorates glomerulosclerosis. Thirty-six male SD rats were randomly allocated into sham-operation group (sham group, n=12), unilateral nephrectomy (UNX)+daunorubicin (DRB) group (model group, n=12), UNX+DRB+Fasudil group (treatment group, n=12). Two to four weeks after the establishment of the animal model, 6 rats in each group were taken randomly for the detection of 24-h urine protein excretion. Kidney sections were examined by HE and PAS staining, immunohistochemistry and transmission electric microscopy (TEM). The expression of Rho-kinase mRNA and P27 mRNA in kidney were detected by RT-PCR. It was found that the 24-h urine protein excretion in model group was increased significantly as compared with sham group (P<0.01). But this increase was significantly suppressed by fasudil (P<0.05). At 4 week, the foot process effacement in podocytes, mesangial proliferation and ECM accumulation were observed in model group, presenting as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. But in the treatment group, the fasudil alleviated glomerular injury, with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-positive cell infiltration ameliorated and the expression of P27 increased. The expression of Rho-kinase mRNA was significantly enhanced in model group and was suppressed in treatment group. Moreover, fasudil up-regulated the mRNA expression of P27. Our study demonstrated that the glomerulosclerosis was substantially ameliorated by inhibiting the expression of Rho-kinase. It is suggested that Rho-kinase pathway is involved in the renal injury and the inhibition of Rho-kinase may constitute a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of renal injury.

AIM:To observe the expression of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF)in unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO)rats,and to explore its pathogenic role in renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis.METHODS:48 Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham-operated and UUO group.The rats were sacrificed at day 1,3,7,and 14.The degree of tubulointerstitial damage was scored according to the Masson staining.The mRNA and protein levels of CTGF,transforming growth factor-?1(TGF-?1),collagen Ⅰ(Col Ⅰ),and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1)were detected by reverse transcriptional-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)and immunohistochemistry,respectively.Expression of CTGF protein in the kidney was also assessed using Western blotting.RESULTS:TGF-?1 mRNA level began to increase as early as 1 day after UUO.This increase was followed by the elevation of CTGF mRNA level,which began to increase at third days after UUO(P