Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; complications ; pathology ; Prednisone ; pharmacology

The skin ulceration syndrome of sea cucumber is a kind of desease induced by bacterium.In order to investigate the bacterium of infected sea cucumber and detect the N-acyl-homoserine lactones(AHLs) se-cretion of the bacterium,7 bacterial strains were isolated from the infected sea cucumber.These strains were identified by physiological-biochemical characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence.Results show that strain C6 belongs to Tenacibaculum,strain 4 belongs to Shewanella putrefaciens group,strain TB belongs to Vibrio,strain BP2,BP3,BP4 and BP6 belong to Pseudoalteromonas,respectively.AHLs were detected with strain Agrobacterium tumefaciens KYC55.Among these bacterial strains,strain C6,4,TB,BP3 and BP4 can se-cret AHLs,while strain BP2 and BP6 can’t.And the AHLs activity differs,from the highest to the lowest are 4,TB,BP4,BP3 and C6.

The dissolution of substrate is the key step in steroid microbial conversion.The formation of surfactant micelle with a hydrophobic center directly results in increased pseudo-water-solubilities of hydrophobic compounds such as steroids.Results showed increased water solubility of steroid with the increased surfactant concentrations.Compared to mono-surfactant PSE,less quantity of multiple surfactants PSE-MGE was required to achieve the enhancement of steroid solubility at the same level,thus the negative effects of surfactants on mycelial growth were reduced and steroid conversion was therefore improved more.It was also shown that the surfactants and ultrasonic irradiation used jointly could result in better substrate dispersion and dissolution than surfactants used alone,and the best result was obtained when the comparatively high intensity (12.4 W/cm 2) and short time (5min) of ultrasonic irradiation were performed.

Objective: To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on the behaviors of rat with anxiety disorder, and the expressions of hippocampal neurotransmitters including 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA), and the expressions of hippocampal B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2 associated X (Bax).Methods: Forty-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into a control group (n=10), a model group (n=12), an EA group (n=12), and a drug group (n=12). Except the control group, the other three groups were established into rat models of anxiety disorder using uncertain empty bottle stimulation. Rats in the EA group and the drug group received corresponding interventions for 15 consecutive days [EA group was given EA at Baihui (GV 20) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6); the drug group was given aqueous solution of alprazolam via intragastric administration]. After intervention, all four groups received open-field test (OFT) and elevated plus-maze (EPM) for behavioral evaluations. The expressions of 5-HT, NE and DA in hippocampus were determined by fluorescence spectroscopy (FS) while the expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in hippocampus were determined by Western blot (WB). Results: The OFT horizontal scores in the control group, EA group and drug group were significantly higher than that in the model group (all P<0.05), and the difference between the EA group and the drug group was statistically insignificant (P>0.05); the OFT vertical scores in the model group, EA group and drug group were significantly lower than the score in the control group (all P<0.05). The EPM percent of open-arm entries (OE％) in the control group, EA group and drug group was higher than that in the model group (P<0.05), and the differences among these three groups were statistically insignificant (P>0.05); though the percent of open-arm total time (OT％) in the EA group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05), the difference was statistically insignificant when compared with the drug group (P>0.05), and it was significantly higher than that in the model group (P<0.05). The expression of 5-HT in the EA group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05); the expression of 5-HT in the EA group was significantly lower than that in the model group (P<0.05); the difference between the EA group and the drug group was statistically insignificantly (P>0.05). The expression of NE in the model group was significantly higher than that in the other three groups (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference among these three groups (P>0.05). The expression of DA in the EA group was significantly higher than that in the control group and the drug group (both P<0.05), while the difference between the EA group and the model group was statistically insignificant (P>0.05). The expression of Bax in the model group was significantly higher than that in the other three groups (all P<0.05), whereas the expression of Bcl-2 in the model group was significantly lower than that in the other three groups (all P<0.05), and the differences in both Bax and Bcl-2 among the other three groups were statistically insignificant (all P>0.05). Bax/Bcl-2 in the EA group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05) and lower than that in the model group (P<0.05), and the difference was statistically insignificant when compared with the drug group (P>0.05). Conclusion: EA shows promising effects in attenuating rats' anxiety disorder, which may be achieved by the down-regulation of the expressions of 5-HT and NE in the hippocampus and/or inhibition of hippocampal neuronal apoptosis. The efficacy is comparable to that of intervention with alprazolam.

AIMTo investigate the effect of 8-opioid receptors in the cardioprotection elicited by ischemic postconditioning and the underlying mechanism.

METHODSThe isolated perfused hearts of male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 30 min of global ischemia followed by 120 min of reperfusion. Formazan content of myocardium was measured spectrophotometrically, and the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the coronary effluent was measured. In isolated ventricular myocytes hypoxic postconditioning was achieved by 3 cycles of 5 min reoxygenation/5 min hypoxia starting at the beginning of reoxygenation, and cell viability was measured.

RESULTSIn the Langendorff perfused rat heart model, ischemic postconditioning (6 cycles of 10 s reperfusion/10 s global ischemia starting at the beginning of reperfusion) increased formazan content, reduced LDH release, improved the recovery of the left ventricular developed pressure, maximal rise/fall rate of left ventricular pressure and rate pressure product (left ventricular developed pressure multiplied by heart rate), attenuated the decrease of coronary flow during reperfusion and increased the isolated cell viability. Pretreatment with naltrindole, an antagonist of delta-opioid receptors and calcium-activated potassium channel (KCa) blocker paxilline attenuated the effect of ischemic/hypoxic postconditioning.

CONCLUSIONThe findings indicate that ischemic postconditioning protects myocardium against ischemia/reperfusion injury via activating delta-opioid receptors and opening KCa.

Animals ; Cell Survival ; In Vitro Techniques ; Ischemic Postconditioning ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; metabolism ; Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Opioid, delta ; antagonists & inhibitors

It is now well established that inflammation plays an important role in the development of numerous chronic metabolic diseases including insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Skeletal muscle is responsible for 75% of total insulin-dependent glucose uptake; consequently, skeletal muscle IR is considered to be the primary defect of systemic IR development. Our pre- vious study has shown that rutaecarpine (Rut) can benefit blood lipid profile, mitigate inflammation, and improve kidney, liver, pan- creas pathology status of T2DM rats. However, the effects of Rut on inflammatory cytokines in the development of IR-skeletal muscle cells have not been studied. Thus, our objective was to investigate effects of Rut on inflammatory cytokines interleukiri (IL)-1, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in insulin resistant primary skeletal muscle cells (IR-PSMC). Primary cultures of skeletal muscle cells were prepared from 5 neonate SD rats, and the primary rat skeletal muscle cells were identified by cell morphology, effect of ru- taecarpine on cell proliferation by MTT assay. IR-PSMC cells were induced by palmitic acid (PA), the glucose concentration was measured by glucose oxidase and peroxidase (GOD-POD) method. The effects of Rut on inflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α in IR-PSMC cells were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. The results show that the primary skeletal muscle cells from neonatal rat cultured for 2-4 days, parallel alignment regularly, and cultured for 7 days, cells fused and myotube formed. It was shown that Rut in concentration 0-180. 0 μmol x L(-1) possessed no cytotoxic effect towards cultured primary skeletal muscle cells. However, after 24 h exposure to 0.6 mmol x L(-1) PA, primary skeletal muscle cells were able to induce a state of insulin resistance. The results obtained indicated significant decrease (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α production by cultured IR-PSMC cells when incubating 24 hours with Rut, beginning from 20 to 180.0 μmol x L(-1). IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α in the Rut treated groups were dose-dependently decreased compared with that in the IR-PSMC control group. Our results demonstrated that the Rut promoted glucose consumption and improved insulin resistance possibly through suppression of inflammatory cytokines in the IR-PSMC cells.
Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Female ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Indole Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Inflammation ; metabolism ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Quinazolines ; pharmacology ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo determine the effects of Chinese herbal monomers such as baicalin, berberine, and matrine on the androgen receptor (AR) mRNA expression in SZ95 sebocytes in vitro and to explore the possible mechanism of using traditional Chinese medicines to treat acne.

METHODSSZ95 sebocytes were cultured and then treated with berberine, baicalin, matrine, and 13-cis-retinoic acid for 24 hours. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was applied to detect the changes of AR.

RESULTAR mRNA was downregulated by 13-cis-retinoic acid of 1 x 10(-5) mol/L and 1 x 10(-6) mol/L, and by baicalin of 1 x 10(-4) mol/L (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION13-cis-retinoic acid and baicalin may exert antiandrogenitic action by inhibiting AR mRNA expression in human sebocytes.

Androgen Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Down-Regulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Humans ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; Receptors, Androgen ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Skin ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of B7H4 on human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (HBMSC) mediating immune suppression.

METHODSThe expression of the negative immunoregulatory factor B7H4 on HBMSC were analyzed by RT-PCR and flow cytometry (FCM), respectively. The blocking experiment was used to detect the effects of B7H4 on HBMSC mediating suppression on PHA induced T cell activation, proliferation and cell cycle. HBMSC inhibiting T cell proliferation was examined by transwell cell culture system.

RESULTSB7H4 was highly expressed on HBMSC. Blocking the B7H4 expression by B7H4mAb significantly attenuated the inhibitory effects of HBMSC on T cell proliferation. Compared with that of the unblocking group, T cell stimulator index (SI) of the B7H4 blocked group was significantly increased (53 +/- 5 vs 15 +/- 8, P < 0.01) and the inhibitory effects of HBMSC on T cell cycle were weakened significantly through down-regulating the cell number in G(0)/G(1) phase \[(85.6 +/- 9.9)% vs (95.8 +/- 9.9)%\] and up-regulating those in S phase\[(5.8 +/- 3.2)% vs (2.3 +/- 2.2)%, P < 0.05\]. The suppressive effects of HBMSC on T cell proliferation were significantly weakened after separating HBMSC from T cells by transwell cell culture system. Compared with the cell to cell contact group, T cell SI was significantly increased (27 +/- 17 vs 15 +/- 3, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONHBMSC highly express B7H4, which plays an important role in the suppressive effects of HBMSC on T cell proliferation.

B7-1 Antigen ; metabolism ; physiology ; Bone Marrow Cells ; immunology ; metabolism ; Cell Cycle ; immunology ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Activation ; drug effects ; immunology ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; immunology ; metabolism ; Phytohemagglutinins ; pharmacology ; T-Lymphocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; immunology ; V-Set Domain-Containing T-Cell Activation Inhibitor 1

AIM: To investigate the curative effect of phacoemulsification and intraocular lens ( IOL ) implantation combined with goniosynechialysis in the treatment of age-related cataract merging with primary angle-closure glaucoma ( PACG) . · METHODS: Totally 80 patients with age-related cataract merging with PACG were in our hospital from January 2014 to January 2016. The preoperative average intraocular pressure ( IOP) was 33. 22 ± 3. 17mmHg; the average depth of anterior chamber was 2. 07 ± 0. 15mm;the dynamic situation of primary angle closure ≤1/2 cycle by gonioscope. They were randomly divided into Group A and B for doing a study. All the two groups were treated with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation. And the Group A was with goniosynechialysis. The following up period was 2mo, and we observed the IOP, chamber depth and the anterior chamber angle. · RESULTS: The change of chamber depth and intraocular pressure about the two groups: the average intraocular pressure of the Group A was 15. 11 ± 3. 67mmHg,the chamber depth was 3. 11±0. 08mm;those of the Group B were 17. 24 ± 1. 67mmHg, 2. 76 ± 0. 15mm respectively; the differences had statistical significance (P<0. 05). Postoperatively, there were 28 eyes (70%) in Group A with fully open anterior chamber angle, and 18 eyes (45%) in Group B (P<0. 05). · CONCLUSION: The phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation combined with goniosynechialysis in the treatment of age-related cataract merging with primary angle-dosure glaucoma is safe and reliable. It's simple to operate, and do not increase the risk of surgery.

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture for treating focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

METHODSSeventy-five Wistar rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group and an electroacupuncture group, 25 cases in each group. The model of focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion was established by inserting nylon thread into the internal carotid artery except the control group which was only separated of the carotid artery without occlusion. Electroacupuncture group was treated with electroacupuncture at "Baihui (GV 20)" and "Dazhui (GV 14)" and the other groups without electroacupuncture treatment. The number of nestin positive cells expression at 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st days after focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion was observed by use of immunohistochemistry method.

RESULTSThe number of nestin positive cells in electroacupuncture group at ischemia side was significantly more than that in the model group at 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st days (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and at contralateral ischemia side, the number of nestin positive cells in the electroacupuncture group was significantly more than that in the model group only at 7th day (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at "Baihui (GV 20)" and "Dazhui (GV 14)" in rats can increase the number of nestin positive cells in hippocampus after focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, which may be one of the important mechanisms of electroacupuncture in treating acute cerebral ischemic diseases.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; genetics ; metabolism ; surgery ; therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Electroacupuncture ; Gene Expression ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Intermediate Filament Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Nestin ; Neural Stem Cells ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion