The effects of adrenomedullin on infection, inflammation, immune regulation had been reviewed in this paper, suggesting that cardiovascular active peptides involve in defense reactions.

Objective To investigate the effect of Xuebi-jing injection on the change of the serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD). Methods 86 patients with AECOPD were enrolled in this study, who was randomly divided into a control group (43 cases)and a treatment group (43 cases). Both treatment group and control group were given conventional therapy. On this basis, Xuebi-jing injection was added to the treatment group. Hs-CRP, blood gas analysis, blood cell count and severity of illness score (acute physiological and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ, APACHE Ⅱ) were monitored before and 5 days after treatment. Results There was no obvious difference of hs-CRP levels between two groups before treatment. Hs-CRP was decreased in both groups after the treatment, while the treatment group showed an obvious decrease compared with the control group (t＝5.3302,P＜0.01). Blood gas analysis, blood cecount, APACHE Ⅱ scores were improved after the treatment in both groups, while the improvement in treatment group showed obvious difference than the control group (t＝13.5089、26.3077 、13.4053,P＜0.01). Conclusion The conventional therapy plus Xuebi-jing injectiong for AECOPD can improve serum hs-CRP levels and improve the efficacy of AECOPD .

AIM: To establish a model of primary cultured neuron injury induced by D-galactose for the research in Alzheimer's disease. METHODS: Primary rat neurons cultured for 6 days were exposed to 50 mmol D-galactose for 72 h. The neural growth and neurite density were observed with HE stain and microscope, the neural metabolism rate and apoptosis rate were examined with MTT, immuno-enzyme assay and flow cytometry, respectively, and the aldose reductase mRNA expression was also detected with RT-PCR. RESULTS: The neural growth and development in neurons treated with D-galactose was retarded, the neural metabolism rate decreased from 0.762?0 030( n= 33) to 0 543?0 064( n= 11)( P

] AIM: Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive phospholipid known to have growth factor-like activity on fibroblasts, and is involved in cardiovascular diseases. Besides direct effects, usually, LPA can work together with other bioactive factors to regulate cardiovascular homeostasis by induction of their expression and production, or increase in their activity. Among variety of bioactive factors, adrenomedullin (ADM) is a multifunctional peptide with an important cytoprotective effect against cardiovascular damage, but the interaction between ADM and LPA on adventitia remains unknown. METHODS: The experiment was performed on the bath of isolated rat aortic adventitia, ADM produced and secreted from adventitia stimulated by LPA was detected by using radioimmunoassay, proliferation in adventitia cells was evaluated by the level of [3H]-thymine incorporation, and prepro ADM gene expression was measured by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: It was found that LPA stimulated aortic adventitia to secrete ADM and express its mRNA in a concentration-dependent manner. ADM inhibited LPA-induced proliferation in adventitial cells, and attenuated the activity of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) stimulated by LPA. In contrast, the treatment with specific antagonists of ADM receptor potentiated the LPA-induced proliferation in adventitial cells. CONCLUSION: LPA stimulates adventitia to produce and secrete ADM, and in turn, ADM produced by adventitia regulates the vascular biological effects of LPA. [

Objective: To compare the protective effect of various preparations from Tiaogan Lipi prescription on mouse ethanol hepatic injury.Methods:The hepatic injury model of mice was replicated with ethanol.Comparing with Fufang Biejia Ruan’gan prescription,three preparations from Tiaogan Lipi prescription were administrated for protecting the hepatic injury.The contents of AST,ALT,CHOL and TG in serum and the MDA and SOD in liver tissue were tested.The pathological changes of the liver had been evaluated.Results:Three preparations from Tiaogan Lipi reduces the level of ASTALTCHOL TG,lowers the content of MDA(P

Objective To observe the effect of digestive load from senna on the adaptive thermogenesis in hypothyroid rats.Methods After being born(d1),rats were given the intraperitoneal injection with a series ratio of 131Ⅰ at neutral temperature 28℃ and a graded developmental hypothyrosis was resulted in.Since d56,they were fed with higher lipid 24 h then fasted 24 h interval to make them sensitive to digestive load.Since d70,senno sides were given intragastrical administration for 14 d to resulted in the digestive load with its empting function of the bowels.Pre-(d67-69)and post-(d85-86)administration of senna under the neutral environmental temperature,all changes of rat temperature,included peaks(℃)and areas under curve(℃?h),were measured and recorded with physiography,during 180 min after being injected with 106 ?g?kg-1 isoprenaline intravenously.The correlation between the effect and the logarithmic dose of 131Ⅰ(nCi?g-1)was analyzed.As well as EC50,the decreased thermogenesis induced by 131Ⅰ,was calculated with peaks and areas under curve respectively.The correlative analysis between the digestive load and the adaptive thermogenesis was performed especially with senna.Results Before and after administrated senna,it was negative correlation between rat temperature change(peaks and areas under curve)induced with isoprenaline and the degree of hypothyrodism(P

AIM: To study the effects of [Gly~(14)]-humanin,one of the strongest derivate of humanin,on proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells(NSCs) and the protective action of cell death or apoptosis induced by ?-amyloid protein 1-42.METHODS: NSCs were treated with different concentrations of [Gly~(14)]-humanin and ?-amyloid protein 1-42.RESULTS: 10 nmol/L [Gly~(14)]-humanin made NSCs resistant to the apoptotic action induced by A?P1-42 and prevented NSCs from death induced by 25 ?mol/L ?-amyloid protein 1-42.The differentiated neural stem cells yield more neuronal cells than that in control groups when 10 nmol/L [Gly~(14)]-humanin was added to the culture media.The number of cells increased and the cultures grown with a manner of floating cell clones likes that cultured in the presence of mitogen when 100 nmol/L [Gly~(14)]-humanin was added to the differentiation culture media.CONCLUSION: The [Gly~(14)]-humanin significantly promoted the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of neural stem/progenitor cells and also inhibited the toxic action of ?-amyloid protein 1-42 on cultured neural stem/progenitor cells.

AIM: The activity and expression of neutral endopeptidase (NEP) and the adrenomedullin (ADM) contents in various tissues were observed in septic shock and control rats to study the possible role of NEP in the change of ADM contents in tissues during septic shock. METHODS: The septic shock model of rats were established by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). ADM contents, NEP activities, level of NEP mRNA and NEP protein were measured. RESULTS: (1) In early septic shock (ES), the ADM contents were generally higher in detected tissues, the NEP activity in left ventricle and small intestine were lower and was higher in blood than those in controls, and in lung, kidney and aorta were similar with the controls. NEP immunoreactive staining were less in lung, left ventricle, endothelium and media of aorta, but more in adventitia of aorta and kidney than those of the controls; (2) In late septic shock (LS), the ADM contents in small intestine was less but in plasma and other tissues were higher, and the NEP activity were less in plasma and other tissues than those in ES. The NEP immunoreactive staining were less in heart, endothelium and media of aorta, lung and kidney than those in ES, and was no significant change in adventitia of aorta compared with those of ES. RT-PCR found that NEP gene expression were significantly less in left ventricle, aortas, lung and small intestine than those in the controls. CONCLUSIONS: In septic shock rats, the NEP activity changes heterogeneously but the ADM contents elevate in most tissues. These results indicate that during the septic shock, the local concentrations and actions of ADM in various tissues may be regulated differently by the NEP. [

AIM: To study the effects of ?-amyloid protein (A?) on neural stem cells cultured in vitro. METHODS: Neural stem cells (NSC) were isolated from E13 SD rats and cultured in serum-free medium (DMEM/F12). After detected by nestin, the A? was added to the NSC medium to observe the viability and proliferation of NSC by MTT, cell count and flow-cytometric examination. The effects of A? on differentiated NSC were also observed. RESULTS: A? markedly inhibited the proliferation and the cell viability of NSC when its concentration was higher than 25 ?mol/L. The differentiatory ability of NSC was inhibited when A? was in very low concentration. CONCLUSION: A? significantly inhibits the proliferation and differentiation of NSC and this may be one of the reasons that Alzheimer's disease is induced. [

The temperature of platelet intracellular ice crystal formation (IIF) is one of the most important physical parameters to instruct platelet cryopreservation. In this study, the range of temperatures for platelet IIF was measured by means of biological and physical methods. All platelet samples were graded cooling, and two samples of per 5 degrees C decrease were thawed by 2 different ways: 37 degrees C directly (T 37 degrees C) and 37 degrees C after keeping in liquid nitrogen (LN) for 2 hours. The phosphatidylserine (PS) positive rate, plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentration and platelet aggregate rate were measured in all samples. The heat release graphs of platelets cryopreserved with or without 5% DMSO were also measured by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The results showed that the PS positive rates and aggregate rates in platelets and plasma LDH concentrations gradually increased in T 37 degrees C group and decreased in LN group until the arrival of -35 degrees C, and then there were no further changes of the 3 parameters. A small second heat release peak was detected at about -35 degrees C in the platelet samples cryopreserved without DMSO. It is concluded that the temperature of intracellular ice crystal formation in platelet is from -30 to -40 degrees C (-35 degrees ).
Blood Platelets ; physiology ; Blood Preservation ; Cryopreservation ; Crystallization ; Humans ; Temperature