Objective To investigate the effect of aldosterone on the activation of autophagy in mesangial cells. Methods Three classic techniques were used to detect the autophagy activity in mesangial cells with or without aldosterone treatment in this study. (1) Western blotting analysis was used to examine the expression of autophagy protein LC3, SQSTM1/P62 after human mesangial cell line (HMCL) was treated with different concentrations of aldosterone. (2) Confocal laser scanning microscope was used to observe the change of autophagy points after transforming eukaryotic expression vector GFP-LC3 into HMCL cells. (3) Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the autophagic vacuoles of HMCL cells after treatment with aldosterone. Microscope and Western blotting analysis were used to observe the expression of apoptosis protein and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase in mesangial cells under the conditions of oxidative stress (2.5×10^-6mol/L H2O2 solution) and under the presence or absence of aldosterone. Results All the three methods confirmed that high physiological dose of aldosterone (10^-7 mol/L) could inhibit mesangial cell autophagy activation: (1) The autophagy marker LC3 I converting to LC3 II had a decrease of approximately 40% after 10^-7 mol/L aldosterone stimulation for 12 h. (2) The numbers of autophagy point of mesangial cells induced by Earle's balanced salt solution (EBSS) and rapamycin were also reduced by 60% and 47% upon aldosterone treatment, respectively. (3) Aldosterone treatment significantly reduced starvation and rapamycin-induced vacuole formation in mesangial cells examined by transmission electron microscopy. The mesangial cells treated by aldosterone had a significantly increased apoptosis rate than the control group under oxidative stress condition with hydrogen peroxide stimulation (2.5×10^-6 mol/L, P<0.05). Conclusion High physiological concentration of aldosterone shows an inhibition against the basic autophagy activation of mesangial cells and accelerates cell apoptosis under conditions of oxidative stress.

Objective To investigate the relapse risk assessment for patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia(APL)through testing PML-RAR? fusion gene by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RQ-PCR).Methods Relative copies of PML-RAR? fusion gene were measured in 25 patients with APL in phases of first diagnosis,complete remission(CR)and relapse.The minimal residual disease(MRD)situations were also monitored in 6 of the 25 patients.Results Different PML-RAR? fusion gene expression levels were observed in patient groups of different phases of the disease.(P

Objective To explore the role of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1(TIMP-1) during renal senescence by using human TIMP-1 transgenic mice.Methods Renal histological changes of wild type mice and transgenic mice at the age of 3,12,24 months were observed by periodic acid-schiff(PAS)staining of paraffin sections.The numbers of F4/80 positive cells were detected by immunofluoreseence.The protein expressions of TIMP-1,TIMP-2,matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-9,MMP-2,intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1),transforming growth factor?1(TGF-?1),collagenⅢand collagenⅣwere detected by Western blot.The activities of gelatinases and TIMP-1 were examined by gelatin zymography and reverse zymography respectively.Results Focal renal fibrosis was found in two genotypes with aging.At the age of 24 months,compared with wild type,in kidneys of transgenic type,the expressions and activities of gelatinases were dowregulated (MMP-2:2.08?0.20 vs.3.39?0.43;MMP-9:4.02?0.82 vs.6.72?1.40,all P＜0.05);the expressions of collagenⅢ,collagenⅣ,ICAM-1,and TGF-?1 were upragulated(0.72+0.11 vs.0.57?0.09;0.84?0.13 vs.0.6?0.11,0.72?0.12 vs.0.53?0.07; 0.69?0.12 vs.0.45?0.09,all P＜0.05),and the numbers of F4/80 positive cells were increased (18.8?4.4 vs.12.7?3.6,P＜0.05)with the upregulated expression and activity of TIMP-1(1.10?0.18 vs.0.62?0.09;50.75?7.25 vs.20.64?3.50,P＜0.05).Conclusions TIMP-1 could promote age-related renal fibrosis through enhancing inflammation reaction by ICAM-1 upregulation.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), one of the most common chronic complications of diabetes, is characterized by allodynia, hyperalgesia and spontaneous pain. Chinese epidemiological studies have shown that at least 25% diabetic patients suffered from painful DPN, which compromises patients' daily functioning and becomes a major health care problem. Although the pathogenesis of painful DPN is not fully understood and current treatment options are very limited, research in the field has advanced our understanding on the mechanism of painful DPN in the past Decade of Pain Research and Control. This review will mainly focus on evaluation of current diabetic animal models, possible molecular pathways and available therapies, with an emphasis on roles of purinergic receptor and its signaling transduction pathways. Common therapies address one or two DPN symptoms, while others offer wider symptom control, presumably by targeting pathophysiological mechanisms of DPN. Purinergic receptor signaling transduction pathways might become potential targets for treatment for painful DPN.
Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus ; physiopathology ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia ; physiopathology ; Pain ; physiopathology ; Receptors, Purinergic P2X ; physiology

Drug Monitoring ; statistics & numerical data ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Research Design ; Serum ; chemistry

Objective To observe the clinical effect of Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue decoction(the function of decoction is to tonify Qi,nourish Yin and enhance blood circulation)on salivary gland response attribute to radiotherapy.Methods This study,carried between January 2005 and December 2005,focused on the effect of Chinese herbs on salivary gland response attribute to radiotherapy.In the treatment group,30 cases took Chinese herbs during the duration of radiotherapy,while in the control group 30 cases were given routine therapy.Results Both groups had finished the radiotherapy,however,in the control group,there were 5 cas- es with a break for 1～2 weeks.For the comparison of the salivary gland change in acute stage,there was no variance(x~2=2.387,P=0.122);the latency for the salivary gland change in treatment group was longer than that in control group(x~2=13.106,P=0.000).For the comparison of Karnofsky after radiotherapy,the KS was superior in the treatment group than that in control group(x~2=12.685,P=0.013);For the comparison of objective effect after radiotherapy,the remission rate in treatment group was 90 %,and it was 86.7 % in control group(x~2=0.638,P=0.727).Conclusion The decoction can remit the salivary gland response caused by radiotherapy in clinic,prolong the latency for acute radioactive response;release the pain of the pa- tients,increase the achievement ratio for radiotherapy,and improve the patients'living condition.To combine with radiotherapy,Chinese herbs is a good supplemental therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Many studies have shown that the incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is increasing with an annual of 2％ to 5％.As the same with type 2 diabetes mellitus,T1DM is also a risk factor for stroke.Although some T1DM studies have taken stroke as a component of the composite endpoint of cardiovascular events,a few studies have focused on the risk of stroke in patients with T1DM.Recent studies have shown that the risk of stroke in patients with T1DM is significantly higher than those without diabetes mellitus,especially in the population under the age of 50.In addition,the T1DM patients died of the risk of stroke are 3 to 4 times higher than the general population.This article reviews the relationship between T1DM and stroke.

Effective prevention is the best approach for reducing the burden of stroke.The reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with statins may decrease the risks of patients with the first ever stroke and ischemic stroke or recurrent stroke in patients with transient ischemic attack.In stroke prevention,the treatment of statins has become the most important advance following aspirin and antihypertensive treatment.This article reviews the roles of statins in the prevention of stroke.

Functional constipation (FC) is a common functional bowel disorder disease that affects life quality of a large number of people. This study aimed to explore the impact of different intensities of electro-acupuncture (EA) treatment for FC patients. Totally, 111 patients with FC meeting the Rome III criteria were randomly assigned to different intensities of EA groups (low and high intensity of EA groups) and medicine-controlled (MC) group. In EA groups, patients were treated with EA at quchi (LI11) and shangjuxu (ST37) bilaterally for 4 weeks, 5 times/week in the first 2 weeks, and 3 times/week in the last 2 weeks. In MC group, 5 mg mosapride citrate was administered orally 3 times/day for 4 weeks. Spontaneous bowel movement frequency each day was recorded using a constipation diary. Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were used to assess the patients' psychological state. Cortisol (CORT), substance P (SP), and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) were evaluated at baseline and at the end of 4 weeks after treatment. As compared with the baseline, there was statistically significant increase in stool frequency every week (P<0.01), but there was no statistically significant difference among the three groups. As compared with the baseline, after 4 weeks of EA therapy, the scores of SDS and serum levels of CORT were decreased significantly in low intensity of EA group (P<0.01), and the serum levels of SP and VIP were increased significantly (P<0.05); the scores of SAS and SDS and serum levels of CORT were decreased significantly in high intensity of EA group (P<0.05), and the serum levels of SP and VIP were increased significantly (P<0.05); the serum levels of CORT and VIP were increased significantly in MC group (P<0.05). As compared with MC group, after 4 weeks of treatment, the serum levels of SP were signifcicantly increased in low intensity of EA group (P<0.01). Low and high intensities of EA could increase the stool frequency, improve the FC patient's anxiety and depression, reduce the serum levels of CORT, and increase the serum levels of SP and VIP effectively. It is concluded that both low and high intensities of EA are effective for FC patients, but there is no significant difference between the low and high intensities of EA.

Objective To improve the diagnosis and treatment of ureteral cancer. Methods A retrospective analysis of 24 cases of primary ureteral cancer treated from January 1990 to March 2005 was performed.The diagnostic value of ultrasound,IVU,CT,MRU and the patients' outcomes were reviewed. There were 19 males and 5 females aged 38-72 years(mean,59 years).The tumors were on the left side in 16 cases and on the right in 8.Of the 24 cases,17(71%)had gross hematuria and 7(29%)had micro- scopic hematuria.Urine cytology was performed in 16 cases with a positive rate of 6.3%.B-ultrasonic exami- nation showed hydronephrosis in 19 cases(79%)and low-echo space-occupying disease of middle-inferior ureter in 3(12%).IVU demonstrated hydronephrosis in 20 cases(83%)and filling defect of the diseased ureter in 3(12%).Retrograde pyelography showed filling defect of the diseased ureter in 16(76%)of 21 cases(5 cases had failure of intubation).CT scan was performed in 20 cases,indicating thickening of the ureteral wall and infiltration of the cancer in 14(70%).In 3 cases who had undergone spiral CT thin layer scan and 1 of 3 cases who had undergone MRU,the definite diagnosis was made.Results All the 24 pa- tients underwent surgical treatment.Among them,nephroureterectomy and bladder cuff or partial resection were performed in 18 cases,and nephrectomy and partial ureterectomy in 6 cases.Postoperative pathology showed transitional cell carcinoma in 23 cases,and adenoma in 1.Of the 14 cases during 1990-1999 peri- od,1,5,3,2,2 and 1 cases had survival time of 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 years,respectively.Of the 10 cases during 2000-2005 period,3 were lost to follow-up;2 survived for 3 years and 2,for 1 year;the other 3 who have survived near 5 years have been followed till now.Conclusions IVU and retrograde urography are the most common diagnostic measures for primary ureteral cancer.They can be used in combination with other imaging study to reduce missed diagnosis rate.The 5-year survival rate was lower because of late pathologic stage of the tumors in the patients of this series.