Objective To observe the expression of OBR and NPY in mouse hypothalamus.Methods In mouse hypothalamus,the location and coexpression of OBR and NPY were observed with immunohistochemistry and double immunohistochemistry.Results OBR positive cells distributed as clump in hypothalamus ME,ARC and VMN,having obscure boundary.OBR positive cells were also present in choroid plexus,brain ependymal layer cell and vascular endothelial cells.In hypothalamus ARC,NPY positive neurons were present with bright red color in cell plasma.The NPY positive neurons were found as round or ellipse,having many neurites.NPY positive fibers were present in ME.In double immunohistochemistry result,the coexpression of OBR and NPY showed black color,because that OBR positive cells showed brown purple or dark purple granula near the NPY positive neurons.Conclusion OBR distributed in ME,ARC,VMN of mouse hypothalamus,choroid plexus,brain ependymal layer cells and vascular endothelial cells.Meanwhile NPY also distributed in ME,ARC,cerebral cortex and hippocampus and so on.Moreover the coexpression of OBR and NPY was present in mouse hypothalamus ARC.

The liver is an important organ of the body,with an extraordinary capacity for responding to physical or chemical injuries by regenerating. The mechanisms behind liver regeneration are very complicated as hundreds of substances are involved.However,most of them are not liver-specific,such as HGF,EGF etc. We recently isolated a pure protein with hepatic stimulatory activity from the extract of a weanling calf liver and named its hepatopoietin Cn (HPPCn).This paper,with reference to our own work, mainly reviews the development and bioactivity about hepatic stimulator substance(HSS),augmenter of liver regeneration(ALR),hepassocin(HPS) and HPPCn,which are liver-specific biologically active peptides.

OBJECTIVESTo unravel the molecular mechanism of proliferation inhibition induced by transfection of pemt2-cDNA into rat CBRH-7919 hepatoma cells.

METHODSWe started with the highly expressed PEMT2 clone. Cell culture and Western blotting techniques were used to examine the expression of cyclinD1/CDK4, cyclinE/CDK2, phospho-Rb, caspase-3, c-jun and caveolins.

RESULTSOur results showed that CDK4, CDK2, phospho-Rb and c-jun were down regulated in the pemt2 highly expressed cell clone. The high expression clone of pemt2-transfected cells also showed over expression of caspase-3.

CONCLUSIONThe reductions of proliferation and apoptosis of pemt2 transfected cells could be related to the G1 phase arrest induced by down-regulation of the cell cycle-associated proteins.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Caspase 3 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Down-Regulation ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; genetics ; metabolism ; Phosphatidylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Transfection ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Objective Through detecting CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells(Treg)in the peripheral blood in children suffering autoimmune diseases and normal controls to learn about the changes of Tregs during the diseases and to acquire some references for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods The data were reviewed for CD4+CD25+ Treg cells of the 93 children diagnosed as pediatric autoimmune disease in Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics from Nov.2007 to Jun.2008.Thirty-five normal children in the contempora-neous physical examination were selected as the control group.The percentage of CD4+CD25+ Treg cells and CD4+ T cells to the total T cells were determined by flow cytometric method.Data of the JRA group(22 cases),SLE group(12 cases) and HSP group(12 cases),which were the first three according to the number of cases,were respectively compared with the controls.Independent-samples t test was performed for a statistic analysis with SPSS 11.5 software.Results 1.The percentages of CD4+CD25+ Treg cells to the total T cells and CD4+ T cells in the autoimmune diseases children[(6.14?3.21)% and(21.85?11.68)%,respectively] were both higher than those in the control group[(3.68?1.02)% and(12.83?3.61)%,respectively Pa

OBJECTIVETo explore ginseng fermentation process by Lactobacillus plantarum, and to make part of total saponins transformed into more reactive ginsenoside Rd.

METHODMicrobial fermentation was carried out by still dark culture. Total saponins were extracted by Soxhlet extraction, and determined by UV visible spectrophotometry with colours reaction by vanillin-sulfuric acid. Ginsenoside Rd was determined by HPLC method.

RESULTThe fermentation process was: MRS medium, 35 degrees C, pH 5.0, cultured for 2 days. The content of total saponins was inhance 32%, and the content of ginsenoside Rd was increased 4.864 mg x g(-1).

CONCLUSIONThe fermentation system's process was reasonable, and it's suitable for mass production, important significance for ginsenoside microbial transformation.

Biotransformation ; Culture Media ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; Ginsenosides ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lactobacillus plantarum ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Molecular Structure

OBJECTIVETo investigate characteristics of pulmonary stem cells labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (Brdu) and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) in lung tissue, as well as the effects of proliferation and differentiation of the stem cells on lung development and repair of pulmonary injury.

METHODSA model of hyperoxia in neonatal rats was made by exposing the rats to 95% O2 for 7 d. Before sacrificing the rats, Brdu was injected through peritoneum, and immune staining positive cells were analyzed after the rats were sacrificed. TERT positive cells were stained by an immunohistochemical method. At the same time, the double staining for surfactant protein C (SPC) and Brdu or SPC and TERT were performed. Lung histologic study was done on HE stained tissue slices.

RESULTS(1) The lung with hyperoxic injury had thinner walls of alveoli, simple alveolar structure, fewer and larger alveoli, expanded and shrunken alveoli, and there were many fell-off alveolar epithelial cells in the alveolar cavities as well. (2) The cells positively stained with Brdu located in septa, mucosa and submucosa of various bronchi, scattering in epithelium of bronchi, and the number of positive cells was low, having a large nucleus. The TERT-positive cells were apparent in the septa and alveolar walls of peripheral lung tissue, characterized by uneven distribution in the lung lobes, the number of positive cells was less than that of Brdu-positive cells [integral of expression (1.61 +/- 0.83) vs. (0.62 +/- 0.55), P < 0.05]. The number of Brdu- and TERT-positive cells had no significant difference in hyperoxic rats compared to that in controls [integral of expression (1.43 +/- 0.85) vs. (1.61 +/- 0.83); (0.62 +/- 0.55) vs. (0.83 +/- 0.84), P > 0.05]. (3) After double staining, a few positive cells were found in double-stained tissues with SPC and Brdu or TERT. (4) The cells positively stained with SPC antibody had different size. The percentage of positive cells was not significantly different between the hyperoxia group (80.3%) and control group (78.6%). The Brdu positive staining located in nucleus of cells that had larger size than the cells not stained, round nucleus with intense staining (seldom, pole-shaped) and the number of such cells was less than that of the SPC positive cells. The percentage of positive cells was not significantly different between the hyperoxia group (28.5%) and control group (21.4%). (5) The TERT staining located in nucleus of cell that had smaller size than the cells not stained, various nuclear shape, including round intensively stained, round slightly stained, pole-shaped and divided shape. The percentage of positive cells was not significantly different between the hyperoxia group (2.3%) and control group (1.5%).

CONCLUSIONS(1) Brdu and TERT, as markers of stem cells having different capability of differentiation, possess special characteristics, respectively. The cells with Brdu could be transit amplifying cell (TAC) which retains characteristics of stem cells originated from differentiated stem cells, while, the cells stained with TERT especially reflects the characteristics of stem cells. (2) The proliferation and differentiation of pulmonary stem cells during hypoxic lung injury are limited and may be related with arrest of alveolization.

Alveolar Epithelial Cells ; pathology ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Bromodeoxyuridine ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Hyperoxia ; complications ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung ; cytology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lung Injury ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Peptides ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stem Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Telomerase ; metabolism

Fifteen tissues of 4-year-old fruit repining stage Jilin ginseng were chosen as materials, six kinds of monomer saponins (ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rc, Rb2 and Rd) content in 15 tissues was measured by HPLC and vanillin-sulfuric acid method. The relative expression of FPS, SQS, SQE, OSC, β-AS and P450 genes in 15 tissues was analyzed by real-time PCR. The correlations between ginseng saponin content in 15 tissues of Jilin ginseng and biosynthetic pathway -related genes were obtained. The results showed that was a synergistic increase and decrease trend of positive linear correlation among six kinds of monomer saponin content, and there was a significantly (P < 0.01) positive correlation between monomer saponin content and total saponins content. Monomer saponin content and 6 kinds of enzyme gene correlation were different. Biosynthesis of ginseng total saponins and monomer saponin were regulated by six kinds of participation ginsenoside biosynthesis enzyme genes, the expression of these six kinds of genes in different tissues of ginseng showed collaborative increase and decrease trend, and regulated biosynthesis of ginseng ginsenoside by group coordinative manner.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Panax ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plant Structures ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Saponins ; analysis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of antihypertensive medication timing on degree and stability of blood pressure (BP) lowering in patients with moderate and severe essential hypertension.

METHODSNinety patients were randomly assigned to take Valsartan and Felodiping together in the morning (group A), Valsartan in the morning and Felodiping in the evening (group B) or Felodiping in the morning and Valsartan in the evening (group C, n = 30 each). The morning dosage was titrated if the goal blood pressure was not achieved. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was performed on the first and 14(th) day of medication.

RESULTSThe BP reductions during nighttime and twenty-four in group B and C hours were similar (P > 0.05) but were significant more than those in group A (P < 0.05). The smoothness indexes of mean systolic, mean arterial blood pressure during nighttime and twenty-four in group B and C were similar but significantly higher than that in group A (P < 0.05). The smoothness index of diastolic pressure at nighttime in group B and C was similar but significantly higher than that in group A (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMore significant and stable antihypertensive effects could be achieved by taking the two antihypertensive medications separately in the morning and at evening compared that taken the two drugs together in the morning.

Antihypertensive Agents ; administration & dosage ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Felodipine ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; Tetrazoles ; administration & dosage ; Valine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Valsartan

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) haplotype is associated, with aspirin resistance.

METHODSThe participants were 431 old Chinese Han patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases who took aspirin. The 59 patients with aspirin resistance (AR) by light transmittance aggregation acted as the cases; the 372 aspirin-sensitive patients were the controls. The relationships between AR and 6 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in COX-1 gene. rs1888943 (8759C/T), rs1330344 (1676A/G), rs3842787 (exon2, 50C/T, p.Pro17Leu), rs5787 (exon 4, 323G/A, p. ARg108Gln), rs5789 (exon7, 709C/A, p. Leu237Met) and rs5794 (exonl0, 1330G/A, p.Va1481Ile) were investigated by the USA Sequenom high-throughput single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) genotyping systems.

RESULTSIn this case-control trial, the frequency of mutant CGCGCC-haplotype in case was 0.48 (57/118) and in control was 0.39 (286/742), which was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < or = 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCOX-1 haplotype is associated with aspirin resistance in old Chinese Han patients with cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, mutant CGCGCC-haplotype carriers of COX-1 has a significant significantly increased risk of AR.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Aspirin ; pharmacology ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; genetics ; Cyclooxygenase 1 ; genetics ; Drug Resistance ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of tetramethylpyrazine on learning, memory, and cholinergic system in D-galactose-lesioned mice.

METHODSC57BL/6J mice were given subcutaneous injection of 2% D-galactose for 40 days (100 mg.kg-1.d-1). Normal saline, tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) and Huperzine A (HupA) were given respectively by intragastric administration in different study groups from the third week on. Learning and memory ability were tested by Morris water maze for 5 days at the sixth week. Acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity, the binding sites (Bmax) and the affinity (KD) of M-cholinergic receptor were determined.

RESULTSThe learning and memory dysfunction, with lowered AchE activity and M-cholinergic receptor binding sites were found in the model group as compared with the normal control group. The tetramethylpyrazine, especially at the dose of 100 mg.kg-1.d-1, could markedly attenuate cognitive dysfunction, while elevate the lowered AchE activity (P < 0.05) and M-cholinergic receptor binding sites (P < 0.005) in the cerebral cortex of mice treated with D-galactose.

CONCLUSIONSThe tetramethylpyrazine can significantly improve central cholinergic system function, and thus enhance the learning and memory ability in D-galactose-lesioned mice.

Acetylcholinesterase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Avoidance Learning ; drug effects ; Cognition ; drug effects ; Galactose ; Learning ; drug effects ; Male ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology ; Receptor, Muscarinic M1 ; metabolism ; Receptors, Cholinergic ; drug effects ; physiology