Objective To examine plasma adrenomedullin(ADM) levels in patients with IgA nephropathy,and investigate the correlation of plasma ADM and urinary albumin.Methods Specific radioimmunoassay was used to measure the plasma concentration of ADM in 35 patients with IgA nephropathy and 22 controls,and to analyse correlation of plasma ADM level and urinary albumin. Results The levels of plasma ADM (24 2?3 8)pg/ml was significantly higher in patients with IgA nephrophathy than that of controls(10 9?0 8)pg/ml)(P

Objective To explore the possible role of PGE 1 in tubulointerstitial fibrosis formation. Methods Rat model of unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO) was established.In situ hybridation(ISH) technique, morphological observation and biochemical analysis were applied to determine TGF? 1 mRNA expression, changes of tubulointerstitium and rencortical hydroxyproline content after used PGE 1. Results 3 days after UUO,the rats renal interstitial edema, a number of mononuclear cells recruitment. On day 14,tubule atrophy, interstitial proliferative fibrosis and area enlarged,hydroxyproline content,TGF? 1 mRNA expression increased, the peak value of the latter occurred early than that of hydroxyproline peak value and interstitial area enlargement.PGE 1 could down -regulate these changes.Conclusions The antagenistic effect of PGE 1 on renal interstitial fibrosis may be partly associated with down-regulating overexpression of TGF? 1 mRNA and inhibiting mononuclear cells recruitment.

Objective To explore change and significance of serum and urinary transforming growth factor-? 1(TGF-? 1)in the patients with primary chronic glomerulonephropathy (PCG). Methods 65 patients with PCG were divided into four groups according to the degree of renal function damage: normal renal function,renal compensatory,renal decompensatory and renal function failure groups. Levels of serum and urinary TGF-? 1 were determined with ELISA, and the levels of urinary protein and renal function were examined as well. Results Levels of serum and urinary TGF-? 1 in patients with PCG were singificantly higher than those in control, and the levels of serum and urinary TGF-? 1 among four groups were significantly different. The TGF-? 1 level of urinary was associated with the degree of renal function damage(r=0 28,P

Objective To investigate the bioactivities of controlled release bFGF microspheres (Ms) and their effects on the cultured osteoblasts. Methods The secondary cultured osteoblasts were divided into four groups according to the different ingredients being added to the DMEM culture medium, ie, control group,bFGF group, bFGF-PLGA-Ms group and bFGF-PELA-Ms group. The proliferation of the cultured osteoblasts was measured with cell counting method, MTT method and flow cytometry. The content of bone BGP secreted by osteoblast was also measured with RIA method. Results The in vitro cellular study showed no significant difference in the cell number and cell viability of four groups one day after plate culture.The cell number and cell viability in the bFGF-PLGA -Ms group were more than those in other three groups four and six days after plate culture. The cell number and cell viabilitythose in the bFGF group were more than those in the bFGF-PELA-Ms group six and eight days after plate culture with insignificant difference. The flow cytometrical examination showed that the G 2/M+S percentage in the bFGF group reached the highest two days after plate culture and the G 2/M+S percentage in the bFGF-PLGA-Ms group went the highest four and eight days after plate culture. Among four groups, the content of BGP in the bFGF-PLGA-Ms group was the highest and the bFGF-PELA-Ms group the next. Conclusions The effect of bFGF-PELA-Ms is not satisfactory,as indicates that the manufacturing method needs improving. However,the bFGF-PLGA-Ms can promote the proliferation and differentiation of the osteoblasts through a long period of controlled release of bFGF.

Objective To investigate the carotid atherosclerosis(AS) in hemodialysis(HD) patients.Methods Clinical index was measured and intma-media thickness(IMT) of extracranial common carotid artery and presence of atherosclerotic plaques were determined by high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography.Results The age,disease duration,HD duration,triglyceride(TG),low density lipoprotein(LDL),serum C-reactive protein(CRP),mean carotid artery IMT in HD with atherosclerotic plaque were significantly higher than HD without atherosclerotic plaque patients,however,the serum albumin(Alb) was significantly decreased.Mean carotid artery IMT is related to the disease duration,Alb,TG,LDL,CRP in HD patients.Conclusion The CRP,mean carotid artery IMT were increased in HD with atherosclerotic plaque.Mean carotid artery IMT is related to the disease duration,Alb,TG,LDL,CRP in HD patients.To improve malnutrition and decrease micro-inflammation,serum lipid might reduce the rate of AS in HD.

Chemical investigation was carried out to study the alkaloids from stems of Nelumbo nucifera and their cytotoxic activities. The constituents were separated by column chromatography, and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analyses. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities by MTr method. Fifteen compounds were isolated from the total alkaloids extract and identified as asimilobine (1), isococlaurine (2), N-acetylnorarmepavine (3), crykonisine (4), velucryptine (5), pycnarrhine (6), liriodenine (7), nuciferine (8), nornuciferine (9), armepavine (10), N-methylasimilobine (11), coclaurine (12), N-norarmepavine (13), N-methylcoclaurine (14) and lysicamine (15). Compounds 1-7 and 12-15 were isolated from stems of this plant for the first time, and compounds 2-6 were firstly isolated from the family Nelumbonaceae. Compounds 7-10, 13 and 14 showed significant cytotoxic activities against HL-60 carcinoma cell line with inhibitory ratios of 51.36%, 59.09%, 52.51%, 53.93%, 51.43%, and 64.31% at concentration of 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1), respectively.
Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Nelumbo ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the effect of adenosine A2A receptor deficiency on the ischemic neuronal injury and its potential mechanism.Methods Transient(2 h)cerebral ischemia was induced by the middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO)in mice.Adenosine A2A receptor knockout(A2ARKO)mice and their wild-type littermates(A2ARWT)were divided into 2-hour cerebral ischemia group,cerebral ischemia with 22-hour reperfusion group and cerebral ischemia with 46-hour reperfusion group.Cerebral infarction volume was measured by image analysis of brain sections stained with cresyl violet(CV).Brain water content was evaluated with the dry-wet weighing method.The expression of calbindin D-28k(CB)and aquaporin-4(AQP4)in ischemic brain was determined with immunohistochemical methods.Results The cerebral infarction volumes in 2-hour cerebral ischemia group,cerebral ischemia with 22-hour reperfusion group and cerebral ischemia with 46-hour reperfusion group of A2ARKO mice were lesser than those in the corresponding groups of A2ARWT mice.Compared with A2ARWT mice,A2ARKO mice had more CB,lesser AQP4 expressions and lesser brain water contents.Conclusion Adenosine A2A receptor deficiency exerts the protection against ischemic brain injury both in the acute phase and reperfusion phase,and attenuates brain edema caused by cerebral ischemia,which may be due to the inhibition of intracellular calcium overload and AQP4 expression.

Objective To investigate the effects of deletion of adenosine A2A receptors on peripheral leukocytes on cerebral white matter lesions induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion.Methods Twenty-four wild type(WT) male mice were given a ? irradiation of 12.5Gy,followed by receiving bone marrow cells tail vein from female A2A receptor knocked out(KO) mice via tail vein,were assigned as KO→WT group,while those received bone marrow cells from WT female mice were assigned as WT→WT group(n=20).The efficiency of reconstitution of bone marrow cells in recipient mice was assessed 7 weeks after transplantation by PCR and immunofluorescent technique.Then,the recipient mice were subjected to bilateral common carotid artery stenosis with internal diameter of 0.18mm by external banding using microcoils at 8 weeks after transplantation.On 7d,14d and 30d after the surgery,corpus callosum,fiber bundles of Caudoputamen and optic tract were harvested from the cerebral white matter,and stained with Kluver-Barrera staining for observing the changes in nerve fibers,and with GFAP and CD11b immunohistochemistry staining for observing the proliferation of microglia and astrocytes.Results At 7 weeks after successful transplantation,the genotype of sex chromosome in peripheral leukocytes of the male recipient mice was changed into female pattern.The expression rate of A2A receptor was 9.73%?2.05% in KO→WT group and 93.82%?11.24% in WT→WT group,with significant difference between the two groups(P

Objective To observe behavioral characteristics and pathologic changes of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in mice. MethodsTotally 62 adult C57BL/6 mice were subjected to either sham-operation (n=31) or bilateral common carotid artery stenosis using external microcoils with an inner diameter of 0.18 mm(n=31). At 30 d after the stenosis, the animals of the 2 groups (8 mice for each group) underwent behavioral test of 8-arm radial maze. In 7, 14 and 30 d, the rest mice were sacrificed for their brain tissue samples which were examined with Kluver-Barrera staining and immunohistochemical assay for markers of microglia and astroglia, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and CD11b. In 14 d after the model establishment, Evans blue dye extravasation test was performed for the blood-brain barrier function. ResultsThe model group made significantly more errors than sham-operated group in 8-arm radial maze test at 30 d after the surgery. White matter lesions occurred and the proliferation of activated microglia and astroglia were observed in white matter in model mice after 14 and 30 d bilateral common carotid artery stenosis. The disruption of blood-brain barrier function of model mice was indicated in the evans blue extravasation test at 14 d after bilateral common carotid artery stenosis. ConclusionCognitive impairment, white matter lesions and glial activation are successfully induced after bilateral common carotid artery stenosis in mice model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion.

Firing patterns of injured nerve fibers were recorded using the single-fiber firing recording technique. Under the same background firing pattern, three types of bursting were induced separately by EGTA, veratridine or high [Ca(2+)](o) in the same type of nerve fibers. The results suggest that different firing patterns are related to different stimuli, which means that each firing pattern carries corresponding neural information.
Action Potentials ; Animals ; Calcium ; pharmacology ; Egtazic Acid ; pharmacology ; Nerve Fibers ; drug effects ; pathology ; Rats ; Veratridine ; pharmacology