OBJECTIVE: To evaluate transplanted porcine pancreatic islets in the kidney capsules of diabetic mice using a clinically approved superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) and a 1.5T MR scanner. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Various numbers of porcine pancreatic islets labeled with Resovist, a carboxydextran-coated SPIO, were transplanted into the kidney capsules of normal mice and imaged with a 3D FIESTA sequence using a 1.5T clinical MR scanner. Labeled (n = 3) and unlabeled (n = 2) islets were transplanted into the kidney capsules of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Blood glucose levels and MR signal intensities were monitored for 30 days post-transplantation. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in viability or insulin secretion between labeled and unlabeled islets. A strong correlation (r2 > 0.94) was evident between the number of transplanted islets and T2 relaxation times quantified by MRI. Transplantation with labeled or unlabeled islets helped restore normal sustained glucose levels in diabetic mice, and nephrectomies induced the recurrence of diabetes. The MR signal intensity of labeled pancreatic islets decreased by 80% over 30 days. CONCLUSION: The transplantation of SPIO-labeled porcine islets into the kidney capsule of diabetic mice allows to restore normal glucose levels, and these islets can be visualized and quantified using a 1.5T clinical MR scanner.
Animals ; Contrast Media/pharmacology ; Dextrans/pharmacology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/*therapy ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; *Islets of Langerhans Transplantation ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods ; Magnetite Nanoparticles ; Mice ; Microscopy, Electron ; Statistics, Nonparametric ; Swine

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the bee-collected rape pollen.

METHODThe compounds were isolated by column chromatography on silica gel; Sephadex LH-20 and C18. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis.

RESULTNine compounds were isolated from the bee-collected rape pollen and the structures of them were kaemferol-3-O-beta-D-glucosyl-(2-->1)-beta-D-glucoside (1), kaemferol-3,4'-di-O-beta-D-glucoside (2), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucosyl-(2-->1)-beta-D-glucoside (3), nicotinic acid (4), nicotinamide (5), trans-p-coumaric acid-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), kaemferol (7), beta-sitosterol (8) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (9).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-6 were isolated from the bee-collected rape pollen for the first time.

Animals ; Bees ; physiology ; Brassica napus ; chemistry ; physiology ; Coumaric Acids ; chemistry ; Dextrans ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Pollen ; chemistry ; physiology ; Propionates ; Sitosterols ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of Polygala telephioides.

METHODThe compounds were isolated and purified on macroporous resin, silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, Chromatorex ODS column chromatograph and the structures were determined based on the spectral and chemical evidences.

RESULTFour compounds were obtained and characterized as telephiose G, telephiose D, isomangiferin, quescetin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, respectively.

CONCLUSIONCompounds 2-4 were obtained from this plant for the first time and the compound 2 (telephiose G) was a new compound.

1-Deoxynojirimycin ; isolation & purification ; Dextrans ; Glucosides ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Polygala ; chemistry ; Silica Gel ; Silicon Dioxide ; isolation & purification ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Xanthones ; isolation & purification

BACKGROUNDDiarrhea is a common clinical feature of ulcerative colitis resulting from unbalanced intestinal fluid and salt absorption and secretion. The Cl(-)/HCO3(-) exchanger SLC26A3 is strongly expressed in the mid-distal colon and plays an essential role in colonic Cl(-) absorption and HCO3(-) secretion. Slc26a3 expression is up-regulated by lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in vitro. Our study was designed to investigate the effects of LPA on SLC26A3 expression and the diarrheal phenotype in a mouse colitis model.

METHODSColitis was induced in C57BL/6 mice by adding 4% of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) to the drinking water. The mice were assigned to LPA treatment DSS group, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) treatment DSS group, DSS only group and untreated mice with a completely randomized design. Diarrhea severity was evaluated by measuring mice weight, disease activity index (DAI), stool water content and macroscopic evaluation of colonic damage. The effect of LPA treatment on Slc26a3 mRNA level and protein expression in the different groups of mice was investigated by quantitative PCR and Western blotting.

RESULTSAll mice treated with DSS lost weight, but the onset and severity of weight loss was attenuated in the LPA treatment DSS group. The increases in stool water content and the macroscopic inflammation score in LPA treatment DSS group were significantly lower compared to DSS control group or PBS treatment DSS group ((18.89±8.67)% vs. (28.97±6.95)% or (29.48±6.71)%, P = 0.049, P = 0.041, respectively and 2.67±0.81 vs. 4.5±0.83 or 4.5±0.54, P = 0.020, P = 0.006, respectively), as well as the increase in DAI (P = 0.004, P = 0.008, respectively). LPA enema resulted in higher Slc26a3 mRNA and protein expression levels compared to PBS-treated and untreated DSS colitis mice.

CONCLUSIONLPA increases Slc26a3 expression in the inflamed intestine and reduces diarrhea severity in DSS-induced colitis, suggesting LPA might be a therapeutic strategy in the treatment of colitis associated diarrhea.

Animals ; Antiporters ; genetics ; metabolism ; Colitis ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Colon ; immunology ; metabolism ; Dextran Sulfate ; pharmacology ; Dextrans ; pharmacology ; Diarrhea ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Female ; Immunoblotting ; Intestines ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Lysophospholipids ; therapeutic use ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of superparamgnetic iron oxides (ferumoxides) on the survival and proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs) and determine the optimal ferumoxides concentration for labeling.

METHODSBone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were obtained from rat femoral marrow and cultured in vitro to induce their differentiation into NSCs. Ferumoxides labeling of the NSCs was performed with different final concentrations of ferumoxides, and the labeling efficiency and viability of the labeled NSCs were evaluated by Prussian blue staining, MTT assay, flow cytometry and transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSThe NSCs could be effectively labeled with ferumoxides with a labeling efficiency of around 90%. Prussian blue staining showed numerous fine granules with blue staining in the cytoplasm of the labeled NSCs, and the intensity of the blue staining was in positive correlation with the ferumoxide concentration for labeling. Transmission electron microscopy of the labeled NSCs revealed the presence of numerous vesicles spreading in the cytoplasm and filled with electron-dense magnetic iron particles. The ferumoxides vesicles increased with the labeling concentration of ferumoxides, and at the final concentration exceeding 25 microg/ml, ferumoxides vesicles in the NSCs gave rise to conglomeration which hampered observation of the cellular ultrastructure by transmission electron microscope. The results of flow cytometry and MTT assay demonstrated that the cell viability, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of the labeled cells were affected by ferumoxides at the concentration above 25 microg/ml, but such effects could be minimal at lower concentrations.

CONCLUSIONFerumoxides might be feasible for in vitro labeling of the NSCs with the optimal concentration of 25 microg/ml.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dextrans ; Ferrosoferric Oxide ; Iron ; pharmacology ; Magnetite Nanoparticles ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Neurons ; cytology ; ultrastructure ; Oxides ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; ultrastructure

Fourteen compounds were isolated from Dalbergia odoriferae and purified by repeated column chromatography on silica and sephadex LH-20 gel and structurally identified by spectral analysis. These compounds were identified as 4, 9-dimethoxy-3-hydroxypterocarpan (1), medicarpin (2), 2', 4', 5-trihydroxy-7-methoxyisoflavone (3), 2', 3', 7-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavan (4), formononetin (5), 3, 8-dihydroxy-9-methoxypterocarpan (6), koparin (7), 3-hydroxy-9-methoxypterocarp-6a-ene (8), 2'-hydroxyformononetin (9), stevenin (10), 2', 7-dihydroxy-4', 5'-dimethoxyisoflavone (11), lyoniresinol (12), 2, 4-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-benzophenone (13) and neokhriol A (14). Compounds 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 14 were isolated from this plant for the first time. Antibacterial activity assay showed that compound 4 had inhibitory effect on Ralstonia solanacearum.
Anisoles ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Benzophenones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Chromatography ; methods ; Dalbergia ; chemistry ; Dextrans ; Gels ; Isoflavones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Naphthalenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Pterocarpans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Ralstonia solanacearum ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Silica Gel

OBJECTIVETo prepare anti-human IgG-dextran-adriamycin conjugate for immunotargeting of S180 sarcoma and assess its effects on the tumor weight and survival time of the tumor-bearing mice.

METHODSAnti-human IgG-dextran- adriamycin was synthesized by conjugating dextran and adriamycin with anti-human IgG. The immunoactivity of anti-human IgG-dextran-adriamycin was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the cytotoxicity of anti-human IgG, adriamycin, and the IgG-dextran-adriamycin conjugate against the tumor cells in vitro was evaluated using MTT assay. In mice bearing S180 sarcoma, the agents were tested for their effects against tumor cell growth and the survival time of mice.

RESULTSThe molar ratio of anti-mouse IgG, dextran, and adriamycin was 1:2.5:38 in the conjugate. The conjugates were shown to retain the immunoactivity of anti-human IgG, and possessed cytotoxicity to S180 cells in vitro. Administration of the conjugate and intratumor injection of human IgG resulted in a tumor suppression rate of 17.72%in mice bearing S180 sarcoma, but did not prolong the survival time of the mice.

CONCLUSIONThe anti-human IgG-dextran-adriamycin conjugate shows targeted antitumor effect against S180 sarcoma in mice.

Animals ; Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Dextrans ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Doxorubicin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Female ; Immunoglobulin G ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Immunotoxins ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Sarcoma 180 ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Survival Analysis ; Tumor Burden ; drug effects

Adolescent ; Adult ; Alprostadil ; pharmacology ; Anticoagulants ; pharmacology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dextrans ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; pharmacology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Heparin ; pharmacology ; Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease ; etiology ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the urinary protein patterns of nephropathy mice induced by dextran and the effects of aquesous extract of Fructus Corni (AEFC) and Radix Astragali (AERA).

METHODNephropathy model was established by administrated with dextran to mice. Some of the dextran treated mice were given AERA (20 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) as AERA group, other mice were given AEFC (10 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) as AEFC group. Some of the dextran treated mice were given water as model group, some normal mice as normal control group. After a 12 weeks' treatment, 24 hour urine of four groups was collected, respectively. Each urinary sample was divided into two parts, one was non-concentrated urine sample, another was used as concentrated urine sample. Two kinds of urinary sample of four groups were analyzed with microfluidic chips on Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer instrument.

RESULTEach group's urinary protein patterns were obtained, more than 20 proteins were were detected. Compared with normal group, about five kinds of protein were found in urinary sample of model group, among which M > 43 x 10(3) proteins were increased. Compared with model group, significant treated-related protein's kind and quantitative changes in AERA treated group and AEFC group were found. Urinary protein kinds were reduced, especially certain the proteins (M > 50 x 10(3)) were significantly decreased approach to normal patterns. Non-concentrated urine samples' protein pattern mainly included were proteins (M=29, 32, 43, 52, 68, 76 x 10(3) and concentrated urine samples mainly included the proteins (M=22, 24, 32, 46 x 10(3)).

CONCLUSIONAERA and AEFC could reduce the urinary protein and made protein pattern different, which showed that radix astragali and fructus corni could play an important role in protecting renal function of nephropathy mice and finding the target protein markers related to AERA and AEFC effects on nephropathy mice.

Animals ; Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; Cornus ; chemistry ; Dextrans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Kidney ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mice ; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques ; methods ; Nephritis ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; urine ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Proteinuria ; urine ; Proteomics ; methods

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of L.F04, the active fraction of Lycopus lucidus, on erythrocytes rheological property so as to investigate its mechanism in promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis.

METHODThe effects of L.F04 (used for treatment for 10 days in different dosages) on deformability, aggregation and membrane liquidity of erythrocytes (MLE) as well as whole blood apparent viscosity (eta(b)) were examined on the basis of rat model of blood-stasis syndrome induced by venous injection of high molecular weight dextran.

RESULTAs compared with the normal control group, the model group's RBC deformability and MLE were lower, and the aggregation of erythrocytes and eta(b) were higher. Compared with the model group, both L.F04 0.612 g/kg and 0.306 g/kg showed significant effect in improving deformability and inhibiting aggregation of red blood cells (RBC) and reducing blood viscosity. The trend of improving MLE was also shown.

CONCLUSIONL.F04 could significantly improve the abnormal rheological property of erythrocytes.

Animals ; Blood Viscosity ; drug effects ; Dextrans ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Erythrocyte Aggregation ; drug effects ; Erythrocyte Deformability ; drug effects ; Hemorheology ; Hemostasis ; drug effects ; Lycopus ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Space Flight