Actins ; metabolism ; Angiomyolipoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Desmin ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

Objective:To investigate the effect of dihydromyricetin (DMY) on LPS-induced septic shock in mice and the related underlying mechanism.Methods:The LPS-induced septic shock mice model was established after the mice were pre-treated by DMY for 7 days.The mortality rate was calculated at 24,48,72,96,120,144 and 168 h after the mice were intraperitoneal injected with LPS.For elucidation of underlying mechanism ,RAW246.7 were pre-incubated with DMY for 1 h,and then stimulated by LPS 100 ng/ml.Western blot was performed for determination of P-ERK,P-JNK and P-p38 expression.Immunohistochemistry was applied to explore c-Fos and c-Jun nucleus translocation.Results:DMY could significantly inhibit LPS-induced mice mortality.Inhibitory effect of DMY on the phosphorylation of JNK and p 38 contributed to the anti-inflammatory effect of DMY in vivo.Furthermore , DMY obviously prevented c-Fos and c-Jun nucleus translocation.Conclusion:The anti-inflammatory effect of DMY is attributed to the suppression on c-Fos and c-Jun nucleus translocation ,via inhibition of the phosphorylation of JNK and p 38.

OBJECTIVETo observe the intervention effect of acupuncture on early onset of selec- tive serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in treating depressive disorder, and to study its effect on ser- um 5-HT and unbalanced inflammatory cytokines secreted by TH1/TH2.

METHODSTotally 90 patients with depressive disorder were randomly assigned to the drug control group (as the control group, 45 cases) and the acupuncture combined drug treatment group (as the treatment group, 45 cases). All patients were treated for 4 consecutive weeks. Another 45 healthy subjects were recruited as a healthy control group. The effect of acupuncture on early onset of SSRls in treating acute phase depressive disorder pa- tients was evaluated by HAMD score in the control group and the treatment group before treatment,and at weekends of the 1st, 2nd, and 4th week after treatment. Besides, their serum levels of 5-HT, IL-1β and IL-6 (secreted by TH1), and IL-4 and IL-10 (secreted by TH2) were detected before treatment and after treatment at the weekend of the 4th week.

RESULTSCompared with the healthy control group,serum lev- els of 5-HT, IL-4, and IL-10 decreased in the two drug-treated groups before treatment (P < 0.01); serum levels of IL-1β and IL-6 increased (P <0.01). Compared with before treatment in the same group, HAMD score decreased in the control group at weekends of the 2nd and the 4th week after treatment (P < 0.01); HAMD scores decreased in the treatment group at weekends of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd,and 4th week after treatment (P < 0.01); serum levels of 5-HT, IL-4, and IL-10 increased,serum levels of IL-1β and IL- 6 decreased in the two drug-treated groups after treatment (all P < 0.01). Compared with the control group at the same time point,HAMD scores decreased in the treatment group at weekends of the 1st, 2nd,3rd,and 4th week after treatment (P < 0.01),serum levels of 5-HT, IL-4, and IL-10 increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), serum levels of IL-6 decreased (P < 0. 01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture could accelerate early onset of SSRIs in treating acute phase depressive disorder, and effectively regulate serum 5-HT levels and inflammatory cytokines secreted by TH1/TH2.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Cytokines ; Depressive Disorder ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-1beta ; Interleukin-4 ; Interleukin-6 ; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors ; therapeutic use

T cell immune receptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT), a promising new target in cancer immunotherapy, plays a critical role in limiting adaptive and innate immunity against tumors. The extracellular domain of human TIGIT was used to immune BALB/c mice, and a new anti-human TIGIT chimeric antibody (c7D3) was developed. The mice in this study were used in accordance with the international guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals, and the animal study was approved by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee of AbMax Biotechnology. The biological activity of c7D3 was studied. The results showed that c7D3 exhibited high affinity for TIGIT and effectively inhibited the interaction between TIGIT and its ligands. Cell-based assays indicated that c7D3 induced strong luciferase signaling in TIGIT/CD155 signaling reporter assay and enhanced cytokine secretion in a T cell stimulation assay. The data showed that c7D3 has high binding affinity and excellent blocking bioactivity, supporting the further advancement for therapeutic application.

Objective To construct a eukaryofic expression vector for A PP695 gene carrying green fluorescence protein (GFP) gene. Methods RT-PCR was used to amplify the full-length APP695 cDNA. The PCR products and the eukaryotic expression vector pIRES2-EGFP were digested by restriction endonueleases, and the digested APP695 gene was inserted into the digested eukaryotic expression vector. The positive recombinants were identified by PCR analysis, Nhe Ⅰ and Hind Ⅲ digestion and sequence analysis. Results The 2088-bp DNA fragment was amplified by PCR from the plasmid pCB6, and an identical DNA fragment was also amplified from the recombinants. The products of double restriction enzyme digestion were A PP695 gene with a 5.3-kb DNA fragment. Sequence analysis confirmed successful insertion of A PP695 gene into pIRES2-EGFP vector. Conclusion The eukaryotie expression vector pIRES2/APP695-EGFP has been successfully constructed.

At present, the objective of cutting and pruning Cistanche deserticola is to harvest in successive years and enhance the harvesting yield and quality of C. deserticola in the process of the artificial cultivating C. deserticola. An experiment was conducted focusing on cutting and pruning C. deserticola in artificial forests of Haloxylon ammodendron drip-irrigated with saline water at the hinter-land of the Taklimakan desert, according to different growth stages and lengths. The results were following: (1) The effect of cutting on C. deserticola was similar to that of pruning, which resulted in three kinds of morphological types, not related to the bloom and size of C. deserticola. (2) The growth forms were diversified after pruning. Among them, there had sprouting new body, died or maintaining life with no sprouting, mildewed on its surface layer, etc. However, some of new bodies were sprouting from the lower part of the old body. The death rate of bloomed C. deserticola was higher than that of the underground, and the death rate of the 40 cm in stubble height for C. deserticola was higher than those with the stubble height of 20 cm and 5 cm. (3) Most of the diameter of living C. deserticola after pruning was increasing, but some of them changed little. (4) The mildew and rot of C. deserticola and the broken of the roots of the H. ammodendron and the fallen of the point of the inoculated when it was dug, which would cause the death of the C. deserticola. On the other, the yield-increasing effect and the economic benefit of the techniques of the pruning of Cistanche would need further research and evaluate. Therefore, the application of this technique needs to be cautious.
Amaranthaceae ; growth & development ; Cistanche ; growth & development ; Forests ; Fruit ; growth & development ; Plant Roots ; growth & development

OBJECTIVESThe effect of vascular active peptides on the development of pulmonary remodeling and pulmonary hypertension due to left to right shunt congenital heart diseases is the focus of today's studies. The present study was conducted to investigate the roles of adrenomedullin (ADM) and adrenotensin (ADT) in pulmonary remodeling due to left to right shunt in rat lungs.

METHODSTwenty-one male Wistar rats were divided into two groups randomly. A right common carotid artery to external jugular vein shunt operation was performed on experimental rats (n = 9) to establish a left to right shunt animal model. Meanwhile, the common carotid artery and external jugular vein of the control group rats (n = 12) were just isolated without connection. Twelve weeks later, the mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), the right ventricle to left ventricle plus septum ratio [weight, RV/(LV + SP)], the percentage of media wall thickness (MT%) were calculated. The distributions and relative protein contents of ADM and ADT in lungs were measured by immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting analysis. The relative gene expression for ADM, ADT, p46-p54 stress-actived protein kinase (SAPK) and p44 extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1 (ERK(1)) were investigated by RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe muscular and the tunica intimae layer of pulmonary artery were thicker in experiment group rats than those of control group, and the mPAP increased significantly in shunt group [(27.10 +/- 6.67) mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa)] compared with that in control group [(14.32 +/- 3.14) mm Hg] (t = 5.5507, P < 0.001). The ratios of RV/(LV + SP) and MT% increased significantly in experimental group in contrast to the control group (P < 0.001). ADM and ADT positive granules distributed mainly over vascular smooth muscle cells, and Western blotting and integrated optical density analysis showed that the content of ADM increased in shunt group rats (P < 0.001), however, ADT content decreased (P < 0.001). The mRNA expression of ADM, SAPK and ERK(1) up-regulated in experiment group compared with the control group (P < 0.01, and P < 0.001 respectively), however, the ADT mRNA expression decreased in experimental rats in contrast to the control group (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSThe phenomenon of intramolecular regulation of ADM and ADT, which both derived from proadrenomedullin, existed in the development of pulmonary remodeling and pulmonary hypertension due to left to right shunt. The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signal transduction pathway has been activated in the formation of left to right shunt pulmonary remodeling and pulmonary hypertension, and ADM may slow down the occurrence of pulmonary hypertension through cutting off MAPKs signaling pathway.

Adrenomedullin ; biosynthesis ; Airway Remodeling ; Animals ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; metabolism ; Lung ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Peptide Fragments ; biosynthesis ; Pulmonary Artery ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Circulation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVETo screen the severe acute respiratory syndromes (SARS) mimotopes with random phage peptide library and to investigate their immunogenicity.

METHODSUsing SARS sera as selective molecule, a 12 mer phage peptide library was biopanned and positive clones containing the mimic epitopes were selected. The immuno-characteriation of the epitopes were then investigated.

RESULTS2 positive clones that having specific affinity to SARS sera were obtained. The DNA sequencing data showed no homology between the sequences of the deduced amino acid of the two mimic antigen peptides and the sequence of SARS.

CONCLUSIONSARS mimotopes were obtained by phage peptide library screening. This method might provide a new approach for SARS therapy and vaccine development.

Animals ; Antigens, Viral ; Base Sequence ; Biomimetic Materials ; Cloning, Molecular ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epitopes ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Peptide Library ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo study emetic and anti-emetic effects of Rhizoma pinelliae in minks.

METHODThe emetic effect of raw pinellia 2 g kg(-1) (i.g.) was investigated. Three preparations of Rhizoma pinelliae (processed with ginger) were made by ethanol extraction, water extraction and water decoction respectively and their effects on emesis model induced by cisplatin (7.5 mg kg(-1), i.p.) or apomorphine (1.6 mg kg(-1), s.c.) were then studied; the effect of the decoction of ginger-processed Rhizoma pinelliae on rotation-induced emesis model in minks was also observed.

RESULTThe emesis was induced by raw pinellia in minks (P < 0.01); ginger-processed Rhizoma pinelliae, metoclopramide and ondansetron significantly inhibit the emesis induced by cisplatin and apomorphine (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONGinger-processed Rhizoma pinelliae exhibits a anti-emetic effect in minks, which may be mediated by inhibiting the function of the vomiting center in central nervous system.

Animals ; Antiemetics ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Ginger ; Hot Temperature ; Male ; Mink ; Phytotherapy ; Pinellia ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Vomiting ; chemically induced ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo study the association of beta-fibrinogen(Fg) gene -148 C/T and 448 G/A polymorphisms, plasma Fg concentration, molecular reactivity and the type of cerebral infarction.

METHODSGene polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The plasma Fg concentration and the molecular reactivity were also determined.

RESULTSThe Fg concentration in MCI patients with T -148 allele was higher than that in PCI patients and controls. The MCI patients with A448 allele had higher Fg concentration, FMPV and FMPV/Amax when compared with controls, and had higher FMPV/Amax when compared with PCI patients.

CONCLUSIONFgB beta -148 and 448 mutational genotypes have impact on Fg concentrationì and therefore increase the risk of MCI.

Aged ; Cerebral Infarction ; blood ; genetics ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length