Objective To explore intervention effect of retinoic acid(RA) on hyperoxic lung fibrosis in neonatal rat,and to observe the role of transforming growth factor-?1(TGF-?1)and ?-smooth muscle actin(?-SMA)in hyperoxic lung fibrosis.Methods The SD neonatal rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:air-exposed control group(group Ⅰ),air-exposed and RA-treated group(group Ⅱ),hyperoxia-exposed control group(group Ⅲ),hyperoxia-exposed and RA-treated group(group Ⅳ).The rats of group Ⅲ,Ⅳ were kept in chambers containing 850 mL/L oxygen,the other 2 groups were exposed to air.The rats of group Ⅱ,Ⅳ were intraperitoneally injected with RA [500 ?g/(kg?d)],group Ⅰ,Ⅲ were intraperitoneally given the same dose of oleum lini.At the end of exposure,the lung histophatholoical changes and radical alveolar counts(RAC) were observed by HE staining under light microscope,the degree of pulmonary fibrosis was evaluated by Masson trichrome method and fibrosis score.The protein expression of TGF-?1 and ?-SMA were determined by immunostaining.Results At 14 d of exposure,group Ⅲ resulted in a significant increase in fibrosis score and expressions of TGF-?1 and ?-SMA compared with group Ⅰ,Ⅱ and Ⅳ(Pa0.05).Conclusion TGF-?1 and ?-SMA may have important role in hyperoxic induced lung fiborsis injury,the earlier period intervention of RA can reduce lung fibrosis regeneration and exceptional alveolus development.

Age Determination by Skeleton ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Child ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Estradiol ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Puberty, Precocious ; blood ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Yin-Yang

Objective To study the effect of salmon calcitonin and physical therapy on lumbar spinal ste- nosis.Methods Eighty cases of lumbar spinal stenosis were divided into treatment and control groups.Physical therapy alone was given to the control group,but salmon calcitonin was injected intramuscularly in addition to phys- ical therapy for the patients in the treatment group.Visual analogue scale,range of motion (ROM),pain-free walking distance,tendon reflexes and functional independence measures (FIM) were observed to assess the re- sults.Results The VAS,ROM and walking distance of the treatment group improved more than those of the con- trol group,but the groups' tendon reflexes and FIM were similar.Conclusions Salmon caleitonin can reduce the symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis,and it has special effects in relieving pain.

Ectodermal Dysplasia 1, Anhidrotic ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Ectodysplasins ; genetics ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mutation, Missense

Objective To observe the effect of ligustrazine on the changes of collagen, transforming growth factor- ?1(TGF- ?1) content in airway wall of asthmatic rats. Methods Forty SD rats were randomly divided mto normal group,model group, desametha-sone group, low - dose and high - dose of ligustrazine group, 8 rats in each group. The changes of collagen and TGF - ?1 content in the atrway wall were measured by the computerized image analysis system. Results The contents of collagen type Ⅲ and TGF -?1 in air-way wall in model group were significantly higher than controls group(P ail

Benzoxazinoids (BXs) are important secondary metabolites in plants.There has been a wide range of attention and research of them because of their role in defensive and allelopathy.With the development of genomics and molecular biology,the BXs biosynthesis and other molecular areas research has made great progress.The BXs profile,the function of BXs,the genetic basis of BXs biosynthesis and expression regulation were briefly introduced.

OBJECTIVETo establish an appropriate animal model of uterine leiomyoma and to understand the pathogenesis of this disease.

METHODSMature female rats were intramuscularly injected with estradiol benzoate at 200 μg or 300 μg twice a week. After injection for 8 or 10 weeks, the rats were sacrificed. We measured the serum levels of estrogen (E(2)) and progesterone (P), evaluated ER and PR expression, and calculated the leiomyoma forming rate and mortality of the rats. Histological changes were compared between rat uterine leiomyoma and human uterine leiomyoma with HE staining. The optimal dose and duration of E(2) for induction of uterine leiomyoma in rat were determined.

RESULTSIn the rats treated with estradiol benzoate 200 μg for 8 weeks ìn the serum E(2) level increased significantly (P<0.01). Uterine nodules were visible in some of the tested rats. Based on the pathohistological Results , the uterine leiomyoma developed in the treated rats demonstrated similar features as in human uterine leiomyoma. The expressions of ER and PR were increased in the leiomyoma tissues.

CONCLUSIONThe rat model of uterine leiomyoma can be established by intramuscular injection of estradiol benzoate at 200 μg twice per week for 8 weeks, with similar features as those of human uterine leiomyoma. The high concentrations of ER and PR in uterine tissue might be related with the development of uterine leiomyoma in animal.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Estrogens ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Female ; Leiomyoma ; chemically induced ; Rats ; Uterine Neoplasms ; chemically induced

BACKGROUNDStathmin was identified as an endometriosis-related protein by comparative proteomics in our previous study. As a microtubule-destabilizing factor, stathmin was shown to participate in the relay and integration of diverse intracellular signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, and many other cellular activities. To investigate whether stathmin is involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, we examined the expression of stathmin in eutopic endometrium of women with or without endometriosis.

METHODSEutopic endometrium samples were collected from thirty-six patients who were diagnosed as endometriosis and the nineteen age-matched patients who were confirmed to be free of endometriosis surgically and histologically. The expression of stathmin mRNA was detected by real-time PCR, and its protein was detected by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSStathmin was overexpressed in eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis detected by real-time PCR in mRNA levels and by Western blotting in protein levels, without significant difference between proliferative and secretory phase. Immunohistochemistry showed that stathmin protein was localized in both endometrial glandular and stromal cells throughout the menstrual cycle.

CONCLUSIONSStathmin is overexpressed in endometrium of patients with endometriosis and may play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

Adult ; Blotting, Western ; Endometriosis ; metabolism ; Endometrium ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stathmin ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of adenovirus delivered tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3 (Ad-TIMP-3) on the biological behaviors of cervical cancer cell lines and to evaluate its potential application in cervical cancer gene therapy.

METHODSWe transferred Ad-TIMP-3 into cervical cancer cells. The TIMP-3 mRNA expression was assessed by RT-PCR, and the TIMP-3 and p53 protein expressions were assessed with Western blot. The apoptotic changes of cells were illustrated with morphology and DAPI staining. The viability of cells was determined with MTT assay. The abilities of in vitro invasion and adhesion were evaluated by the invasion and adhesion assays respectively.

RESULTSAfter infection, the TIMP-3 mRNA and protein were significantly upregulated in a time-dependent manner. Overexpression of TIMP-3 markedly increased p53 protein level in spite of the backgrounds of p53 gene in cells. Ad-TIMP-3 infection induced massive apoptosis of cervical cancer cells with a marked bystander effect. The abilities of in vitro invasion and adhesion were inhibited significantly (P < 0.01). The cytotoxicity of Ad-TIMP-3 was significantly stronger than that of Ad-p53 (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSAd-TIMP-3 infection has cytotoxic effects on cervical cancer cells and can inhibit the expressions of these malignant phenotypes. Ad-TIMP-3 may be a potentially useful agent for cervical cancer gene therapy.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Apoptosis ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; Female ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Humans ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-3 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; biosynthesis ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms