As a kind of mineral medicine containing mercury, the toxicity of Cinnabaris has always been controversial. In recent years, along with the increasing reports and studies on Cinnabaris, it has been found that although the toxicity of Cinnabaris has effects on multi-systems, the main effect is on nervous system. In order to clarify Cinnabaris neurotoxicity and reduce its damage for nervous lesion caused in clinical application, this article made a thorough analysis on symptom expression and mechanism of Cinnabaris neurotoxicity and put forward corresponding countermeasures.

Objective To study the effect of Sarcandra Glabra on the expression of signal transduction molecules of TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway in miniature pig of radiation-induced lung injury.Methods 75 miniature pigs were divided into control group,radiation group and radiation plus medication group randomly.At 1 week before exposure of right lung with 15 Gy γ-rays,the miniature pigs in radiation plus medication group were given Sarcandra glabra,while those in the other groups received an equal amount of saline.Right lung were taken at weeks 2,4,8,12 and 24 after irradiation,the pathological changes in the lung tissue were observed by HE staining,and the expression of mRNA and protein of TGF-β1,Smad2,Smad3,and Smad7 were detected by real-time PCR and western blotting,respectively.Results Sarcandra glabra reduced the inflammation and fibrosis of the lung tissue in miniature pig after irradiation.Compared with control group,the expressions of TGF-β1 and Smad3 were significantly increased at 2 weeks after irradiation(P ＜ 0.05),Smad2 and Smad7 were increased at 8 and 12 weeks after irradiation(P ＜ 0.05),respectively,in the radiation group.Compared with the radiation group,the expressions of TGF-β1 and Smad2 were significantly decreased(P ＜ 0.05) from the fourth and eighth week,respectively,Smad3 had no obvious change while Smad7 was significantly increased from the second week in the radiation plus medication group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Sarcandra Glabra plays protective effect on radiation-induced lung injury in miniature pig by regulating TGF-β1,Smad2 and Smad7 expressions in the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Kangxianling Decoction (KXLD), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) mRNA and phosphorylations of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2) and p38 in renal tissue of rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). METHODS: Eighteen male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: sham-operated group, untreated group and KXLD-treated group. A rat model of renal interstitial fibrosis was established by UUO. Rats with UUO were sacrificed after intragastric administration of KXLD for 14 days, and the parameters such as serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and hydroxyproline in the kidney of rats in 3 groups were analyzed. The expression of HGF mRNA in kidney tissue was determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The expressions of c-Met protein, ERK1/2 protein, p38 protein and the phosphorylations of ERK1/2 and p38 were determined by Western blotting method. RESULTS: The levels of SCr, BUN and hydroxyproline in the untreated group were significantly increased as compared with those in the sham-operated group (P<0.05). The expression of HGF mRNA in the untreated group was significantly down-regulated. The expression of c-Met protein and the phosphorylations of ERK1/2 and p38 in the kidney tissue of rats with UUO in the untreated group were significantly up-regulated. After intervention with KXLD, the phosphorylations of ERK1/2 and p38 were all significantly inhibited except for c-Met expression. The HGF mRNA was increased in KXLD-treated group. CONCLUSION: KXLD can decrease the level of collagen in the obstructed kidney of rats with UUO and alleviate the renal interstitial fibrosis in rats with UUO through enhancing the HGF mRNA expression and inhibiting the phosphorylations of ERK1/2 and p38.

BACKGROUND:Mongolian Pharmaceutical Betel Shisanwei Ingredients Pil has achieved good clinical efficacy, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Mongolian Pharmaceutical Betel Shisanwei Ingredients Pil on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis negative feedback function in the chronic depressed rats, and to explore anti-depression mechanisms of Mongolian Pharmaceutical Betel Shisanwei ingredients pil. METHODS: Eighty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into ten groups according to the sugar consumption test (with eight rats in each group): normal control group, model group, fluoxetine group, high-, medium- and low-dose Betel Shisanwei Ingredients Pil groups, RU486 group, high-, medium- and low-dose Betel Shisanwei Ingredients Pil plus RU486 groups. Except normal control group, the other groups were treated with the chronic unpredictable mild stress stimulation combined with lonely rising, to establish depression models. In the meantime, rats of the high-, medium- and low-dose Betel Shisanwei Ingredients Pil groups were given oral gavage of Betel Shisanwei Ingredients Pil (0.2, 0.4, 0.8 g/kg) for 28 days; rats of the normal control group and model group were intragstricaly administered with sodium carboxymethyl celulose; rats of RU486 group were given abdominal subcutaneous injection of RU486 from day 21 after modeling; rats of the high-, medium- and low-dose Betel Shisanwei Ingredients Pil plus RU486 groups were intragstricaly administered with Betel Shisanwei Ingredients Pil (0.2, 0.4, 0.8 g/kg) and subcutaneous injection of RU486 from day 21. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with normal control group, cortisone content increased significantly (P < 0.05), the expression of glucocorticoid receptor mRNA in hippocampus, hypothalamus and pituitary gland decreased significantly, and hypothalamic corticotrophin releasing hormone mRNA expression increased significantly in the model group and RU486 group. Compared with model group, cortisone content decreased, the expression of glucocorticoid receptor mRNA in hippocampus, hypothalamus and pituitary gland increased significantly, and hypothalamic corticotrophin releasing hormone mRNA expression decreased significantly in rats treated with Betel Shisanwei Ingredients Pil. Compared with RU486 group, Betel Shisanwei Ingredients Pil administration led to changed in cortisone content, glucocorticoid receptor mRNA expression in hippocampus, hypothalamus and pituitary gland, as wel as hypothalamic corticotrophin releasing hormone mRNA expression. Experimental findings indicate that, Betel Shisanwei Ingredients Pil can directly regulate excessive secretion of glucocorticoid, and improve the dysfunction of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis central negative feedback through increasing glucocorticoid receptor mRNA expression and decreasing corticotropin releasing hormone mRNA expression. After the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis negative feedback pathway is blocked, the effect of Betel Shisanwei Ingredients Pil is weakened.

Objective To explore the influence and mechanism of cytokines and protein expression of alveolar epithelial type (ACE) Ⅱ cells in Bama minipigs' right-thorax with a single 15 Gy dose irradiation.Methods All minipigs received either right thoracic irradiation or sham-irradiation under anesthesia.At 4,8,12 and 24 week post-irradiation,5 minipigs respective and random from irradiarion groups and control group were sacrificed to remove the lungs.The protein expression of surfactant associated protein (SP)-A,transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1,Vimentin and E-cadherin were detected by Western blot.The protein expression of α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) was detected by immunohistochemistry.The co-localization of SP-A and α-SMA was visualized by double immunofluorescence staining.Results At 4,8,12 and 24 week post-irradiation,a significant increase in the protein expression of α-SMA,TGF-β1 and Vimentin were observed in irradiated lung compared to sham-irradiated controls(α-SMA:t =2.46-3.26,P ＜0.05;TGF-β1:t =2.96-3.52,P ＜0.05;Vimentin:t =3.24-5.05,P ＜ 0.05).By contrast,the protein expression of SP-A and E-cadherin in irradiation group was lower than it in control group (SP-A:t =3.62-4.65,P ＜ 0.05;E-cadherin:t =2.53-4.15,P ＜ 0.05).Moreover,at 8 week after irradiation,under confocal laser scanning microscope,the co-localization of SP-A and α-SMA was observed in irradiated alveolar epithelium cells,and it was not observed in sham-irradiated controls.Conclusions These data demonstrate that E-cadherin,SP-A and TGF-β1 may act as sensitive predictors of radiation-induced lung injury(RILI).Irradiation may lead to ACE Ⅱ cells achieving a mesenchymal phenotype,namely,epithelial to mesenchymal cells transition occurs,and ACE Ⅱ cells play the important part in the development of RILI by epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

AIM: To observe the effects of sera containing Kang xian ling (a traditional Chinese medicine) on c-Met and its downstream MAPK signal molecules in HK-2 cells treated with transforming growth factor-β_1(TGF-β_1), so as to further explore the effective mechanism of anti-renal fibrosis of the traditional Chinese medicine. METHODS: Rat sera containing herbs were collected after rats were intragastrically administered with the herbs. HK-2 cells activated by TGF-β_1 were incubated with different heat-inactivated sera. The proliferation and expression of MAPK and the phosphorylation of MAPK in HK-2 cells were detected by Alarm blue and immunoblotting. RESULTS: No significant difference of cell proliferation between any two groups was observed. C-Met and the phosphorylation of its downstream molecules were also observed after incubated with different sera. CONCLUSION: The receptor c-Met of hepatocyte growth factor, and the phosphorylation of its downstream MAPK molecules can be regulated by the sera containing Kang xian ling.

AIM: To investigate the effects of Hua Yu Dao Zhi decoction (HYDZD) on renal interstitial fibrosis induced by gentamicin in rats. METHODS: 32 healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (n=6), gentamicin group (n=13) and HYDZD+gentamicin group (n=13). The renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in rats was induced by gentamicin for 9 d. All rats were sacrificed on 30 d after modeling and renal tissues were stained with HE. The renal indexes were calculated and the changes of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, total urinary protein in 24 h, and the level of α-SMA, Smad2, Smad7 were detected. RESULTS: Compared to control group, it was observed that there was mainly necrosis and partly degeneration in the renal tubular epithelial cells, proliferation of fibroblasts and infiltration of the inflammatory cells in the interstitial substance in gentamicin group under the light microscope. The renal indexes, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, total urinary protein in 24 h, and the level of α-SMA, Smad2 were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.01) and the level of Smad7 was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.01). Under the light microscope, the results of all mentioned above in HYDZD+gentamicin group were improved significantly (P<0.01), the level of α-SMA, Smad2 were significantly lower than those in gentamicin group (P<0.01). However, no significant difference of Smad7 protein expression between gentamicin group and HYDZD+gentamicin group was observed (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: HYDZD is very effective in preventing and treating renal interstitial fibrosis caused by gentamicin with the decreased level of Smad2.

The renal toxicity of rats after a single dose ofMeng-Gen-Wu-Su (mercury) processed products,Meng-Gen-Wu-Su (mercury)-18-composition pill, mercuric sulfide, mercuric chloride, and mercurous chloride was studied. Fifty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into nine groups according to body weights (6 rats in each group): normal control group, low and high dose groups (0.033, 0.33 g·kg-1·d-1) ofMeng-Gen-Wu-Su (mercury) processed products, low and high dose groups (0.29, 2.9 g·kg-1·d-1) ofMeng-Gen-Wu-Su (mercury)-18-composition pill, simplified prescription ofMeng-Gen-Wu-Su (mercury)-18-composition pill group (0.26 g·kg-1·d-1), mercuric sulfide group (17.39 mg·kg-1·d-1), mercuric chloride group (4.06 mg·kg-1·d-1) and mercurous chloride group (35.3 mg·kg-1·d-1). After acclimation for one week, once oral administration was given to each group of rats. After 24 h, function and morphological changes of liver and kidney were detected. Mercury accumulation in kidney was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma source mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Apoptosis of renal cell was determined by terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated Nick End Labeling (TUNEL). Renal typeⅢ collagen protein's expression was determined by immunohistochemical (HIC) method and expression changes of MT-1, MT-2 mRNA in kidney were also determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (real-time-PCR). There was no significant difference of ALT, AST in serum between normal control group and other groups (P>0.05). CREA and UREA in mercurous chloride group were apparently higher than normal control group and low dose group of Meng-Gen-Wu-Su processed products (P<0.01). Hepatic and renal pathologic examination results showed that liver cell of low dose groups ofMeng-Gen-Wu-Su processed products andMeng-Gen-Wu-Su-18-composition pill swelled to a low degree and glomerular disease was not obvious. In high-dose groups ofMeng-Gen-Wu-Su processed products,Meng-Gen-Wu-Su-18-composition pill and mercuric sulfide group, liver and kidney appeared some pathological changes and such changes were more significant in mercuric chloride and mercurous chloride groups. Compared with normal control group and low dose group ofMeng-Gen-Wu-Su processed products, the mercury kidney volume in mercuric chloride and mercurous chloride groups increased significantly (P<0.01). The apoptosis rate of renal cell and expression of typeⅢ collagen protein increased significantly in the groups of mercuric sulfide, mercuric chloride and mercurous chloride (P<0.01). MT-1and MT-2 mRNA gene expression rised significantly in the groups of mercuric chloride and mercurous chloride (P<0.05 orP<0.01). In summary, the rats renal toxicity after a single dose ofMeng-Gen-Wu-Su (Mercury) processed products or MongolianMeng-Gen-Wu-Su (Mercury)-18-composition pill were both far less than that of mercuric chloride or mercurous chloride.

rs of glucose and lipid metabolism in adolescents with abdominal obesity. Determimation of serum A-FABP concentration might be useful in diagnosis and prevention of metabolic syndrome and abdominal obesity in adolescent.

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