OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) for improving the cardiac function of Sjogren's syndrome (SS) model rats based on Keapl-Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway.

METHODSTotally 48 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups by random digit table, i.e., the blank control group,the model control group,the APS group, and the hydroxychloroquine group, 12 in each group. Except those in the blank control group, 0. 1 mL mixed antigen protein of sufficiently emulsified Freund's complete adjuvant and submandibular gland protein was injected from two feet plantar to induce SS model. The intervention was started from 19th day after inflammation induction. Equal volume of normal saline was given to rats in the blank control group (1 mL/100 g), APS was administered to those in the APS group (1 mg/100 g), and hydroxychloroquine (0.03 125 g/kg) was administered to those in the hydroxychloroquine group. All rats were intervened once per day for 30 consecutive days. Changes of rats' body mass and drinking water quantity, submandibular gland index, spleen index, histological changes of glands were observed. Changes of the heart function were monitored using invasive hemodynamics. Serum reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-35 (IL-35)were detected using ELISA method. The pathological changes were observed using HE staining. The protein expression of ROS, reactive nitrogen species (RNS), glutathione (GSH), and thioredoxin (TRX) were observed by immunohistochemical staining. The mRNA expression of Keap1, Nrf2, and ARE was detected using real time fluorescent quantitative PCR. The protein expression levels of gamma-glutamic acid and a half long glycine synthetase (gamma-GCS) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) in the myocardial tissue were determined by Western blot method. Results Compared with the blank control group, the quantity of drinking water, submandibular gland index, spleen index, heart rate (HR), cardiac index (HI), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular diastolic pressure (LVEDP), MDA, ROS, TNF-alpha, ROS protein expression, RNS protein expression, Keap 1 mRNA expression, Maf mRNA expression, Nfr2 mRNA expression, and HO-1 protein expression, and gamma-GCS protein expression significantly increased (P <0.01); body mass, +/-dp/dtmax, SOD, TAC, IL-35, GSH, and TRX significantly decreased (P <0.01) in the model group. Compared with the model group, the quantity of drinking water, submandibular gland index, spleen index, LVEDP, MDA, ROS, TNF-alpha, ROS protein expression, RNS protein expression, Keap1 mRNA expression, Maf mRNA expression, Nfr2 mRNA expression, and HO-1 protein expression, and gamma-GCS protein expression significantly decreased (P<0.05); body mass, +/-dp/dtmax, SOD, TAC, IL-35, GSH protein expression, and TRX protein expression significantly increased (P < 0.05, P <0.01) in the AR group and the hydroxychloroquine group. In the hydroxychloroquine group HR increased (P <0.05). In the AR group HR and LVSP decreased (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). Compared with the hydroxychloroquine group, HR, LVEDP, - dp/dtmax, y-GCS protein expression significantly decreased (P <0. 05, P <0. 01); SOD, TAC, GSH, TRX, HO-1 protein expression increased (P <0.01 )in the AR group. HI was positively correlated with ROS (P <0. 05). LVSP and LVEDP were positively correlated with Keap1 -Nrf2/ARE signaling pathways (P <0. 01) , and negatively correlated with TAC (P <0. 05, P <0. 01 ). +/-dp/dtmax was negatively correlated with Keap1-Nrf2/ARE signaling pathways(P <0.05), and positively correlated with TNF alpha (P <0. 05).

CONCLUSIONSDeclined heart function exists in SS rats. The mechamechanism of APS for improving the heart function might be closely correlated with activating Keap1-Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway.

Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; Blotting, Western ; Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases ; metabolism ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; metabolism ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; enzymology ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; metabolism ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use ; Polysaccharides ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Sjogren's Syndrome ; Submandibular Gland ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Thioredoxins ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

Objective This study is to investigate the set-up accuracy of thermoplastic mask used for immobilization of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients being treated by Intensity Modulated Radia- tion Therapy (IMRT).Methods Nineteen patients with early stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (T1- T2N0M0),treated by fractionated intensity-modulated radiation therapy,underwent repeated CTs during their 6-week treatment course.We evaluated their anatomic landmark coordinates in a total of 85 repeated CT data sets and respective x,y and z shifts relative to their position in the 19 treatment-planning reference CTs.Results The translation in x,y,and z-axes with their mean value derived from both positive and negative set-up errors was-0.84 mm(x-axis),+0.65 mm(y-axis) and +0.01 mm(z-axis).Mean target isocenter translation was (0.89?0.69) mm,(0.82?0.79) mm,(0.95?1.24) mm in x,y and z-direc- tions,respectively.The mean total magnitude vector and 95% CI of isocenter motion were 1.87 mm and 4.65 mm.The data measured over the 6-week fractionated course of treatment revealed a slight deterioration of isocenter accuracy.The 95% CI,considered by us to be a valuable parameter for characterizing the sys- tem,of 4.17 mm for measurement within the first 3 weeks increased to 5.12 mm in the last 3 weeks of treat- ment.Conclusions The sequential CT scanning is a pronounced valuable method of evaluating the quality of departmental specific patient positioning procedures.The thermoplastic mask is eyed as well suited tool for immobilization and repositioning of NPC patients receiving intensity-modulated radiation therapy.