Hepatitis B, Chronic ; metabolism ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 ; genetics ; Renin ; genetics

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cell Separation ; Cells, Cultured ; Interferon-alpha ; pharmacology ; Liver ; cytology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; fas Receptor ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) on phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (pERK1/2) in the dorsal horn of spinal cord induced by plantar inflammation in the rat.

METHODSAll the rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: normal control group, simple electroacupuncture group, formalin group, formalin plus ipsilateral electroacupuncture group and formalin plus contralateral electroacupuncture group. The acute inflammation animal model was made by injection of 100 microL of 4% formalin into the right posterior foot pad. Electroacupuncture was given at "Zusanli" (ST 36) for 30 min, with sparse-dense waves, frequency 2-15 Hz, and intensity 2-3 mA. One and a half hours latter, the rats were killed under anesthesia, and pERK1/2 expression in the lumbar dorsal horn were investigated with immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSThe positive cells were rarely seen (6.45 +/- 1.05) in the superficial spinal cord in the control group; a few cells (14.07 +/- 3.19) in ipsilateral superficial spinal cord were found in the electroacupuncture group. The number of pERK1/2-positive neurons (26.57 +/- 4.93) in lamina I - II0 of the ipsilateral dorsal horn in the formalin group increased significantly. After electroacupuncture at ipsilateral Zusanli (ST 36), the number of positive cells (20.79 +/- 5.21) had a tendency to decrease, but with no statistically significant difference. However, after electroacupuncture at contralateral Zusanli (ST 36), the number of positive cells (14.75 +/- 3.03) significantly decreased as compared with the non-acupuncture group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation in the spinal cord dorsal horn by electroacupuncture is possibly involved in acupuncture analgesic effect.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Male ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 ; metabolism ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Posterior Horn Cells ; enzymology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Animals ; Apoptosis ; genetics ; Genes, p53 ; genetics ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; genetics ; pathology ; Rats ; Transfection ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

This study was purpose to investigate the expression levels of HSP70 and MDR1 genes under heat shock and/or adriamycin (ADM) chemotherapy stimulation. The K562 cells were bathed in water at 43 degrees C for 1 hour, then the heat-treated K562 cells were collected and were cultured at 37 degrees C. The expression of HSP70 was assayed by immunocytochemistry, the growth suppression rate of K562 cells was detected by MTT assay, the function of P-gp and the expressions of HSP70 mRNA, MDR1 mRNA were detected by flow cytometry and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) respectively. The results showed that (1) the synthesis of HSP70 protein in K562 cells treated with high shock (43 degrees C) reached to high level after culture at 37 degrees C for 2 hours, and moved from cytoplasm to nucleolus, the expression of HSP70 began to decrease following 3 hours of culture at 37 degrees C, and gradually reached to normal level after culture at 37 degrees C for 5 hours, the location of HSP70 expression returned to cytoplasm; (2) the expressions of HSP70 mRNA and MDR1 mRNA increased following 43 degrees C heat shock, and were 4 and 5.8 times higher than that of control group at 37 degrees C culture for 2 hours respectively; (3) the expression of P-gp was higher in ADM group than that in control. The expressions of HSP mRNA and MDR1 mRNA increased significantly in heat shock plus ADM group and ADM group as compared with control (p<0.01). It is concluded that the heat shock and ADM chemotherapy both induce over expression of HSP70 and MDR1 which can maintain stability of K562 cells and may be related to formation of the MDR in leukemia.
ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; metabolism ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; pharmacology ; Cell Proliferation ; Doxorubicin ; pharmacology ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Heat-Shock Response ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of perioperative application of intestinal probiotics to substitute oral intestinal antimicrobial agents on intestinal flora and immune function in surgical patients with colorectal cancer.

METHODSSixty patients with colorectal cancer undergoing elective laparoscopic radical surgery were randomized to receive preoperative bowel preparation using oral intestinal antimicrobial agents (n=20) or using oral intestinal probiotics (Jinshuangqi Tablets, 2.0 g, 3 times daily) since the fifth day before the operation and at 24 h after the operation for 7 consecutive days. Upon admission and 7 days after the operation, fecal samples and fasting peripheral venous blood were collected from the patients to examine the intestinal flora and serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IgA, IgG, and IgM, NK cell activity, T lymphocytes subsets CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+) and CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio.

RESULTSAt 7 days after the operation, the patients receiving probiotics showed significantly increased counts of intestinal Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Enterococcus (P<0.05) and significantly lowered counts of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus (P<0.05). The serum levels of IL-2, IgA, IgG and IgM as well as CD4(+) cell percentage all increased significantly in probiotics group compared with those in patients with conventional intestinal preparation (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPerioperative application of intestinal probiotics to replace preoperative oral intestinal antimicrobial agents can effectively correct intestinal flora imbalance and improve the immune function of surgical patients with colorectal cancer.

Aged ; Bifidobacterium ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; immunology ; microbiology ; Female ; Humans ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Intraoperative Period ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Premedication ; Probiotics ; therapeutic use ; Prospective Studies ; Single-Blind Method

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of sinusoidal endothelial cell in the development of liver fibrosis, and to dissect the relationship among hepatic microcirculation disorders, hepatic sinusoidal capilarization and liver fibrosis.

METHODSLiver biopsy was performed in fifty-six patients with chronic hepatitis B. The liver tissues were observed under light microscope and transmitted electronic microscope.

RESULTSOf 56 cases, 39 cases were mild hepatitis, 10 were moderate hepatitis, and 7 were severe hepatitis. The morphology of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) was similar to that of fibroblasts in the tissues of the patients with chronic hepatitis B. Collagenous fibers were deposited around the hepatic stellate cells. Electron-dense materials were deposited between sinusoidal endothelial cell and hepatic stellate cell. The size and amount of fenestraes of sinusoidal endothelial cells were reduced in 53 of 56 cases. The consecutive or inconsecutive membrane-like materials were observed along sinusoidal endothelial cells in 20 cases. Collagen fibers were observed in the space of Disse in 15 cases. Even in the patients with normal hepatic functions, red blood cells aggregation and microthrombi could be observed in the liver tissues.

CONCLUSIONSinusoidal endothelial cells are involved in development of liver fibrosis by interacting with hepatic stellate cells. Hepatic microcirculation disorders and sinusoidal capillarization are important changes in the early stage of liver fibrosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Biopsy, Needle ; Endothelial Cells ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; pathology ; Humans ; Liver ; blood supply ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Liver Circulation ; Liver Cirrhosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Male ; Microcirculation ; Microscopy, Electron ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the incidence and angiographic features of exercise-induced ST-segment elevation in patients without prior myocardial infarction.

METHODSExercise-induced ST-segment elevation occurred in 15 out of 4601 consecutive patients without prior myocardial infarction underwent treadmill exercise testing during a 2-year period. The coronary angiographic features of the 15 patients (13 males, aged between 40 - 75 years) were analyzed.

RESULTSCoronary angiography revealed one hemodynamically relevant stenotic vessel in 6 patients, two hemodynamically relevant stenotic vessels in 6 patients, three hemodynamically relevant stenotic vessels in 3 patients. Left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery was affected in 12 patients. Left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis was evidenced in 1 patient and right coronary artery stenosis in 7 patients. Severe (90% - 100%) occlusions were visualized in 8 out of 13 patients with LAD or LMCA lesions. Elevated ST-segment leads were consistent with the ischemic area where the blood supply of myocardium was affected by diseased vessels.

CONCLUSIONSThe incidence of exercise induced ST-segment elevation in patients without prior myocardial infarction is very low and mostly due to severe fixed coronary artery stenosis, especially in LAD. The location of ischemic myocardium can be suggested by ST-segment elevation leads during exercise.

Adult ; Aged ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Electrocardiography ; Exercise Test ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Adult ; Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Ethanol ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Popliteal Cyst ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Ultrasonic Therapy

OBJECTIVEIn order to characterize the feature of stress response induced by stressor with both physical and psychological natures, the effects of water restriction performed in different experimental modes on the physiological parameters, psychological behavioral manifestations and brain c-Fos expressions were observed and compared.

METHODSFifty-eight male Wistar rats were used and randomly divided into three experimental groups (n = 18 for each) and a control group (n = 4). In control group, the rats were allowed to access drinking water freely at all experimental period. In the experimental groups the water supply to the rats was restricted. In timed water supply (TW) group, the water was supplied twice a day, 10 min for each in fixed hours every day. In empty bottle-served (EB) and water-restricted (WR) groups, the water was served only once a day for 10 min, either in the early morning or evening, and in the other time point scheduled for water supply only an empty bottle without water was provided in the EB group and nothing was given in the WR group. The quantities of drank water and eaten food, weight-gaining, and behavior score were observed every day. The serum level of corticosterone was assayed and the rats were sacrificed with fixative perfusion of 3 d, 7 d or 14 d, respectively, following water restriction (n = 6 for each time point in each group). The brain c-Fos expressions were examined with immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSThe slow down of weight-gaining, rise of serum corticosterone level, occurrence of psychological behavioral manifestations of unpeaceful restlessness such as exploring and attacking, enhance of c-Fos expression in the subfornical organ (SFO), median preoptic nucleus (MnPO), area postrema (AP), hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), supraoptic nucleus (SON), medial (MeA) and central (CeA) amygdaloid nucleus and ventrolateral septum (LSV) were noticed in both EB and WR groups, except the nucleus of solitary tract (NTS) in which the Fos expression was decreased. The changes of Fos expression in most of nuclei in EB group began at day 3, at least persisted till day 7, and backed down at day 14, while in WR group, similar changes started at day 7 and reached its peak at day 14. In TW group, only the concentration of corticosterone at day 7 was slightly increased and the rest indexes observed were unchanged.

CONCLUSIONThe results indicate that water restriction induces physical as well as psychological stress responses. And the water restrictions experimentally executed in different modes result in different manifestations of behavioral response and brain immediately early gene expression in discrete brain nuclei/regions.