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

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK2/STAT3) pathway in knee joint synovial tissues of rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to explore the action mechanism of EA on RA. Methods: Twelve of the 48 SPF male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were assigned to a normal group by the random number table method. The remaining 36 rats were subjected to RA model preparation by intradermal injection of the Freund's complete adjuvant into the right hind foot pad of each rat under sterile conditions. After the model was successfully prepared, rats were then divided into a model group, a drug group and an EA group according to a random number table method (n=12). Rats in the drug group were treated with 2 mL aqueous solution of tripterygium glycosides [8.1 mg/(kg?bw)]; rats in the EA group were treated with EA at bilateral Yanglingquan (GB 34) and Zusanli (ST 36), for 30 min each time; rats in the normal group and the model group were placed in a special rat fixation tank for 30 min each time, and received the same dose of normal saline as those in the drug group. Rats in all groups received intervention once a day for 4 weeks. Diameter of rat ankle joint and rat arthritis index were measured before and after the intervention. At the end of the experiment, the expressions of phospho-JAK2 and phospho-STAT3 were determined by immunohistochemistry. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect JAK2 and STAT3 mRNAs expressions. Results: After the model was produced, the arthritis index >2 was considered successful in model preparation. Compared with the model group, the ankle joint diameters and arthritis indexes of rats in the drug group and the EA group were significantly lower (all P<0.01); immunohistochemical staining cells with phospho-JAK2 and phospho-STAT3 were significantly decreased (all P<0.01); the expression levels of JAK2 and STAT3 mRNAs were decreased with statistical differences (all P<0.01). There were no significant differences between the EA group and the drug group (all P>0.05). Conclusion: EA can alleviate the inflammatory response of RA rats, improve their pathological conditions, reduce the expressions of phospho-JAK2 and phospho-STAT3 in the synovial tissue of knee joint, and decrease the expressions of JAK2 and STAT3 mRNAs. The therapeutic effect of EA is comparable to that of the tripterygium glycosides. The mechanism of EA treatment may be related to the inactivation of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Animals ; Aorta ; Cells, Cultured ; Chloride Channels ; physiology ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiology ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

A novel citrinin derivative, penicitrinol L (1), along with two known analogues, penidicitrinin B (2) and pennicitrinone A (3) were isolated from the marine-source fungus Penicillium citrinum. The structure of the new compound was elucidated by spectroscopic methods including one and two-dimensional NMR as well as high-resolution mass spectrometric analysis. Furthermore, compound 1 showed modest cytotoxic activity against HL-60 cell line and compound 3 showed weak cytotoxic activity against A375 cell line.
Antineoplastic Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Citrinin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Penicillium ; chemistry

Toxic effects of L7 lyophilized powder of extracellular active components (L7-LPEAC), extracted from the Algae-lysing bacteria L7, on Chlorella pyrenoidosa were studied according to the changes of effective photosynthesis rate (EPR), the protein content, the chlorophyll a content and the MDA content of algae. The results showed that the growth of alga was promoted at low concentrations of L7-LPEAC (0.80 g/L, 1.25 g/L). The 96 h-EC50 and 120 h-EC50 upon Chlorella pyrenoidosa are 5.75 g/L and 2.55 g/L, respec tively. The chlorophyll a content increased firstly and then decreased at high concentrations of L7-LPEAC (≥2 g/L), so did the protein content. Compared with the control group, there is a significant statistics diff erence (P

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of fumigating with Yinxieling (YXL) in treating patients with psoriasis vulgaris and its influence on T-bet and GATA-3 protein expressions in peripheral blood monocyte (PBMC).

METHODSWestern blot method was employed to detect the T-bet and GATA-3 protein expressions in PBMC of 30 psoriasis vulgaris patients before and after they received fumigation therapy with YXL, also in 25 healthy persons for controls. The therapeutic efficacy was observed and the relationship between PASI scores and levels of T-bet and GATA-3 analyzed.

RESULTSAfter treatment, 12 out of the 30 patients were cured, 9 were markedly effective, 8 effective and 1 unchanged, the cure rate being 40.0% and the effective rate 96.7%. Level of T-bet expression in PBMC of patients was 1.7917 +/- 0.3840, which was higher than that of healthy persons (0.8860 +/- 0.1486, P < 0.01), but the GATA3 expression was lower than that in control (0.8777 +/- 0.3114 vs. 1.2384 +/- 0.1783, P < 0.01). However, the two indexes were restored after fumigation to 1.3410 +/- 0.3642 and 1.0883 +/- 0.2435 respectively, showing significant difference to those before fumigation (P < 0.01). Correlation analysis showed that PASI score was positively correlated with level of T-bet expression (r = 0.7448, P < 0.01) and negatively correlated with level of GATA-3 expression (r = -0.8291, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONFumigation therapy is effective in treating psoriasis vulgaris, its mechanism is possibly by way of modulating the equilibrium of the transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3 protein expressions in PBMC, and rectifying the immune abnormality of Th1/Th2 subsets imbalance.

Administration, Inhalation ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Animals ; Case-Control Studies ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Female ; GATA3 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; immunology ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; drug effects ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Psoriasis ; drug therapy ; genetics ; immunology ; T-Box Domain Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the difference between the blood pressure readings between sitting and supine position,and to study the factors that associated with the sitting-supine blood pressure difference in patient with diabetes.Methods We measured the sitting blood pressure first then followed by the supine pressure in 356 diabetic patients,using a standard mercury sphygmomanometer.Patient's body weight,height and blood glucose levels were also measured.Results SBP and DBP were significantly higher in the supine position than in sitting position in diabetic patients(by 3.5?7.6/1.5?4.9 mm Hg,P

Objective To investigate the assoiation between rheumatoid arthritis(RA)and the pres- ence of the shared epitope(SE)of HLA-DRBI gene in Han nationality of Neimenggu population.Methods The method of DNA amplification with sequence-specific primers(PCR-SSP)was used to determine 17 alleles of HLA-DRB1*01,*04,*10 genotypes in 80 RA patients and 110 healthy controls from the Han nationality population in Neimenggu.Results The frequencies of SE were significantly increased in RA patiens com- pared with controls(48.8%:20%,P＜0.01).Epitope analysis revealed that the most predominant allele subtype of DR4(*0405)was usceptible sequence in Neimenggu patients with RA(28.8%:12%,P＜0.01).No statisticall significant difference of other subtypes of DR1,DR4 nd DR10 was noted including DRB1*0101(2.5%:0.9%), *0102(2.5%:0),*0103(1.25%:0.9%),*0104(2.5%:0),*0401(6.25:1.8%),*0402(3.75%:0.9%),*0403 (1.25%:1.8%),*0404(2.5%:1.8%),*0406(2.5%:2.7%),*0407(1.25%:0.9%),*0408(3.75 %:0.9%),*0409 (1.25%:0),*0410(2.5%:0.9%),*0411(0:0)and *1001(8.75%:4.5%)respectively.Logistic regression analy- sis showed that the disease of patients with SE homozgote was more severe than that of patients with heterozy- gote(P＜0.01).Conclusion The results suggest that there is an association between SE of HLA-DRBI gene and susceptibility and severity of RA,especially,HLA-DR4 subtypes are strongly associated with RA in Han nationality in Neimenggu population.

AIM:To study the visual acuity and refractive status of students pupils and middle school students in Shenzhen, and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of myopia.
METHODS:A cluster sampling method was used to select five primary school students(6 737) and three junior middle school students(1 925) from Shenzhen. The visual acuity, anterior segment, fundus, eye position, and refractive status were measured. Information on associated factors for poor vision were also obtained using a questionaire. The risk factors of poor vision and the rate of myopia between grade or gender were analysed by Chi-square test.
RESULTS:The rate of poor vision was 67. 0%. Female, family history of high myopia, long time of continuous look near, short time of outdoor activities were the main risk factors. The rate of emmetropia, hyperopia, astigmatism and myopia were 15. 1%, 11. 3%, 11. 0% and 62. 6% respectively. Emmetropia, hyperopia and astigmatism incidenece rate decreased with age growing, but myopia incidence rate was increased. There were significant differences between adjacent two grades in myopia(χ2=7. 338-45. 018, P<0. 05 ) except the primary grade six and the junior grade one. There were significant differences between boys ( 61. 0%) and girls ( 65. 5%) in myopia(χ2=17. 180, P<0. 05).
CONCLUSION:The rate of poor vison is pretty high in students of Shenzhen aged between 5 to 16 years old, and myopia is the main reason. The development rate of myopia is increased with age. Early management of myopia may play an important role in controlling poor vision in students.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of low T3 syndrome in patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI) and explore the effect of low T3 syndrome on outcome of AMI.MethodsThree hundred and thirty-eight patients with AMI admitted to cardiac care unit(CCU) underwent examinations of thyroid function and cardial ultrasound,and were further categorized according to thyroid hormone profile.The records of noninvasive bi-level positive airway pressure(BiPAP)ventilation utilization,length of hospital stay,mortality during hospitalization were evaluated,and the related factors were analysed.ResultsOne hundred and thirty-nine of the 338 patients(41.12%) with AMI complicated with low T3 syndrome.Free triiodothyronine(FT3) was the independent influential factor for length of hospital stay.Low FT3 was significantly correlated with noninvasive BiPAP ventilation utilization and mortality during hospitalization.The average time of follow-up was(21.4?8.1) months.It was revealed by multivariate Cox regression analysis that FT3 was the chief predictor for cumulative death(risk ratio,4.25;95% confidential interval,2.30-7.87),followed by age and left ventricular ejection fraction.ConclusionThe recognition of AMI complicated with low T3 syndrome plays an important role in predicting the disease severity and outcome.