Acupuncture, Ear ; Adult ; Depression, Postpartum ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

A growing body of evidence has indicated the important role of autophagy receptors in directing ubiquitinated or non-ubiquitinated cargos towards autophagy. Autophagy receptors bind to LC3 (microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3) on phagophore and autophagosome membranes, and recognize signals on cargoes in the delivery system of autophagy. However, the diverse domains in the receptor structures determine that their roles would never be limited to autophagy. Up to date, increasing numbers of the receptor proteins have been demonstrated to serve as a molecular link or switch participating in autophagic degradation, apoptosis or cell survival signals. Here, we highlight the non-autophagic roles of these receptor proteins to draw attention to this growing research topic.
Apoptosis ; Autophagy ; Humans ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; Ubiquitination

Acute-Phase Proteins ; metabolism ; Biomarkers ; metabolism ; urine ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 1 ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; metabolism ; urine ; Lipocalin-2 ; Lipocalins ; metabolism ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; metabolism ; Proteomics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism ; Receptors, Virus ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe therapeutic effects of acupuncture at different acupoints on depression.

METHODSSeventy adult male rats with similar Open-Field score were randomly divided into a normal control group, a model group, a blank control group, a drug treatment group, an acupuncture group I ["Baihui" (GV 20), "Shenting" (GV 24)], II ]"Neiguan" (PC 6), "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6)], and III ("Baihui", "Shenting", "Neiguan" and 'Sanyinjiao"), 10 rats in each group. Separation feeding, long term unpredictability and medium stimulation stress techniques were applied to develop depression model rats. Changes of behaviors were investigated with Open-Field method and sucrose consumption trial.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, the score for the behavior and the consumption of sucrose reduced in the depression model group; compared with the blank control group, the score for the behavior and the consumption of sucrose increased in all the treatment groups during treatment. There was no significant difference among the acupuncture groups in the increase of behavior scores 21 days after treatment (P > 0.05), and there were significant differences in the increase of consumption of sucrose in the acupuncture group I and the increase of score for vertical movement in the acupuncture group III 14 days after treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture can change the behavior abnormality induced by separation feeding, long term unpredictability and medium degree stimulation depression model rats and different acupoint selection is a factor in acuounture treatment.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Depression ; therapy ; Depressive Disorder ; Humans ; Problem Behavior ; Rats

Hypoxia-induced 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) is an essential mediator to constrict pulmonary arteries (PA). The signaling pathway involved in 15-HETE-induced PA vasoconstriction remains obscure. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that hypoxic PA constriction induced by 15-HETE was possibly regulated by the extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK1/2) pathway. PA ring tension measurement, Western blot and immunocytochemistry were used in the study to determine the possible role of ERK1/2 in 15-HETE-induced PA vasoconstriction. The organ bath for PA rings tension study was employed. Adult male Wistar rats were raised in hypoxic environment with fractional inspired oxygen (FIO2, 0.12) for 9 d. PA 1~1.5 mm in diameter were dissected and cut into 3 mm long rings for tension study. ERK1/2 up-stream kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD98059, which blocks the activation of ERK1/2, was used. The results showed that pretreatment of PD98059 significantly blunted 15-HETE-induced PA vasoconstrictions in the rings from hypoxic rat. Moreover, in endothelium-denuded rings, PD98059 also significantly attenuated 15-HETE-induced vasoconstriction. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) of rat was enhanced evidently when stimulated by 15-HETE. Thus, the data suggest that ERK1/2 signaling pathway is involved in 15-HETE-induced hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction.
Animals ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acids ; antagonists & inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; physiology ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; Pulmonary Artery ; cytology ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Vasoconstriction ; drug effects

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of D-limonene on K562 leukemia cells and its mechanism. Inhibitory effect of D-limonene on proliferation of K562 leukemia cells was assayed by MTT method and cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and DNA agarose gel electrophoresis, the morphologic change of K562 cells was observed by microscopy. The results showed that when K562 cells were treated with 0.125 - 1.0 mmol/L of D-limonene for 48 hours, the proliferation of K562 cells was obviously inhibited in dose-dependent manner. Typical morphological changes and the typical DNA ladder on agarose gel electrophoresis for analysis of cellular apoptosis were significantly appeared in D-limonene treated K562 cells. Simultaneously, the sub-G1 peak was found in FCM analysis. It is concluded that the D-limonene can inhibit proliferation of K562 cells in dose-dependent manner, cause cell detained at G1 phase and induce apoptosis of K562 cells.
Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cyclohexenes ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Terpenes ; pharmacology

This study is to investigate the effect of emodin on inducing human myeloid leukemia cell line HL-60 apoptosis and the role of Akt signal pathway in the apoptosis. HL-60 cells were exposed to various dosages of emodin. MTT assay was used to detect HL-60 cell proliferation. Distribution of HL-60 cells in cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry and cell apoptosis was observed by MitoCapture apoptosis detection. The protein expressions of Akt signal pathway were detected by Western blotting. The result showed that emodin remarkably inhibited the cell proliferation. The IC50 value for 48 h treatment was about 20 micromol x L(-1). Apoptosis in HL-60 cells could be efficiently induced by emodin in a dose dependent manner and cells were arrested at G0/G1. The expressions of Akt, p-Akt, IkappaB-alpha, p-IkappaB-alpha, p65, p-p65, mTOR and p-mTOR in Akt signal pathway were downregulated after emodin treatment. It can be concluded that emodin could efficiently induce growth inhibition and apoptosis in HL-60 cells. Akt signal pathway may be involved in this process.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Emodin ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; I-kappa B Proteins ; metabolism ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha ; Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo construct an animal model infected by Trichophyton rubrum.

METHODSThree different strains of Trichophyton rubrum were separated from clinical specimen for the infection of guinea pigs. Corticosteroids were given before and after the construction of animal model to facilitate the infection. Direct microscopy, culture, and histopathologic methods were adopted to verify the construction.

RESULTSTen days after the inoculation of Trichophyton rubrum, with the intervention of corticosteroid, the guinea pigs were examined. Prominent scales and inflammation could be seen on the inoculation site of the Trichophyton rubrum infected guinea pig. Scales and hairs of Trichophyton rubrum infected guinea pig dealt with 10% potassium hydroxide, hypha out of the hair and microconidia or hypha in the hair shaft could be seen. Seven days after the inoculation of scales and hair on SDA plate, cultures of Trichophyton rubrum showed that the colonial morphology were identical to the original dermatophytes. PAS staining of infected guinea pig skin tissue showed that hypha and microconidia could be seen in the infundibula and hair root.

CONCLUSIONWith the intervention of corticosteroid, a stable guinea pig model infected by Trichophyton rubrum were successfully constructed.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Humans ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Tinea ; immunology ; microbiology ; Trichophyton ; pathogenicity ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effectiveness of injectable tissue engineering to repair full-thickness meniscal defects.

METHODSFrom June 2008 to February 2009 full-thickness of meniscal defects were created in the anterior corner of goats, which with no blood supply, in a diameter of 2 mm. Then bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) was mixed with injectable calcium alginate gel to fill the defects. Other groups include the calcium alginate gel and empty group were served as control groups. At different time points, the animals were sacrificed and macroscopy, microscopy determination, electroscopy and MRI detection were performed to assess the outcomes of repairing.

RESULTSThe meniscal defects had been filled thoroughly in 16 weeks after operation with white, tough and elastic repair tissue similar to normal meniscal fibrocartilage in the tissue engineering groups. The repair tissue was mainly fibrochondrocytes in line with the calcium alginate fiber. Thick matrix secreted by the cells crammed the space between fibers. The view under electroscopy demonstrated that the microstructure of the repair tissue was normal and cells were in a fibrocartilage phenotype.

CONCLUSIONThe full-thickness meniscal defects in regions without blood supply can be reconstructed effectively with injectable tissue engineering.

Alginates ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Cells, Cultured ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gels ; Glucuronic Acid ; Goats ; Hexuronic Acids ; Injections ; Male ; Stem Cells ; Tibial Meniscus Injuries ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Tissue Scaffolds

AIMTo observe the effect of subtypes of Kv channels in rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) on the process of pulmonary vasoconstriction induced by 15-HETE.

METHODSIn the present study, ring of rabbit PA with specific Kv channel blockers were employed to functionally identify certain channel subtypes that took part in the process of 15-HETE induced pulmonary vasoconstriction; RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis were also used to measure the expression of subtypes of Kv in PASMCs exposed to 15-HETE,chronic hypoxia.

RESULTSBlocking of Kv1. 1, Kv1. 2, Kv1. 3 and Kv1. 6 channels did not affect 15-HETE induced vasoconstriction in normoxic rats; 15-HETE did not affect expression of Kv1. 1 and Kv1. 2 channels; 15-HETE significantly downregulated the expression of mRNA and protein of Kv1. 5 and Kv2. 1 in rat PASMCs.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggested that hypoxia may block Kv1. 5 and Kv2. 1 channels via 15-HETE mediated mechanism, leading to decrease numbers of functional Kv1. 5 and Kv2. 1 channels in PASMCs, leading to PA vasoconstriction.

Animals ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acids ; pharmacology ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Kv1.5 Potassium Channel ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; metabolism ; Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Pulmonary Artery ; physiopathology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Shab Potassium Channels ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Vasoconstriction ; drug effects