Humans ; Musculoskeletal Diseases ; psychology ; Occupational Diseases ; psychology ; Psychology, Social

Objective To determine the protective effects and potential mechanism of activating retinoid X receptor (RXR) on rat cardiomyocytes H9c2 against hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) induced oxidative injury.Methods The model of H-/R injury was established with hypoxia for 2 hours and reoxygenation for 4 hours in cardiomyocytes of H9c2,and 9-cis-retinoic acid (c-RA) was obtained as RXR agonist,and HX531 as RXR antagonist.Cultured cardiomyocytes were randomly (random number) divided into four groups:sham group,H/R group,H/R + c-RA-pretreated group (100 nmol/L c-RA) and H/R +c-RA + HX531-pretreated group (2.5 μmol/L HX531).We measured the cell viability by MTT (methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium),apoptosis rate of cardiomyocytes by using flow cytometry,and mitochondrial membrane potential by JC-1 fluorescent probe,protein levels of Bcl-2,Bax and cleaved Caspase-9 with Western blot.All measurement data were expressed as (-x ± s),and statistically analyzed using One-way ANOVA and Dunnett-t test.Differences were considered significant when P ＜ 0.05.Results Pretreatment with RXR agonist enhanced cell viability,reduced apoptosis ratio,stabilized mitochondrial membrane potential.Dot blotting experiments demonstrated that under H/R stress conditions,Bcl-2 protein level decreased,while Bax and cleaved Caspase-9 increased.The c-RA administration prior to H/R stress prevented these effects,however,overall protective effects of activating RXR on rat cardiomyocytes against H/R induced oxidative injury were abolished when pretreated with RXR pan-antagonist HX531.Conclusions Activating RXR has the protective effects against H/R injury in rat cardiomyocytes H9c2 through attenuation of mitochondria apoptosis signaling pathway.

Animals ; Hypothermia ; blood ; Hypoxia ; blood ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Myocardial Ischemia ; blood ; Rabbits ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood

There is a broad and urgent need for the clinical application of anticancer nanomedicine in tumor therapy, but the complex biological barrier in solid tumors has always been the main obstacle to infiltrating nanomedicine into the tumor. The traditional design of nanomedicine based on enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect still has some limitations in tumor permeability, it is urgent to find other design theories. Therefore, this review summarizes two novel strategies, active transcytosis and immune cell-mediated tumor penetration, for promoting tumor penetration of anticancer nanomedicine.

BACKGROUND:Retinoid X receptor (RXR) plays a central role in the regulation of intracellular receptor signaling pathways. The activation of RXR has protective effect on H2O2-induced apoptosis of H9c2 ventricular cells in rats. But the protective effect and mechanism of activating RXR in cardiomyocytes against hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced oxidative iniury are stillunclear. METHODS:The model of H/R injury was established through hypoxia for 2 hours and reoxygenation for 4 hours in H9c2 cardiomyocytes of rats. 9-cis-retinoic acid (9-cis RA) was obtained as an RXR agonist, and HX531 as an RXR antagonist. Cultured cardiomyocytes were randomly divided into four groups:sham group, H/R group, H/R+9-cis RA -pretreated group (100 nmol/L 9-cis RA), and H/R+9-cis RA+HX531-pretreated group (2.5 μmol/L HX531). The cellviability was measured by MTT, apoptosis rate of cardiomyocytes by flow cytometry analysis, and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) by JC-1 fluorescent probe, and protein expressions of Bcl-2, Bax and cleaved caspase-9 with Western blotting. Allmeasurement data were expressed as mean±standard deviation, and analyzed using one-way ANOVA and the Dunnett test. Differences were considered significant whenP was <0.05. RESULTS:Pretreatment with RXR agonist enhanced cellviability, reduced apoptosis ratio, and stabled ΔΨm. Dot blotting experiments showed that under H/R stress conditions, Bcl-2 protein level decreased, while Bax and cleaved caspase-9 were increased. 9-cis RA administration before H/R stress prevented these effects, but the protective effects of activating RXR on cardiomyocytes against H/R induced oxidative injury were abolished when pretreated with RXR pan-antagonist HX531. CONCLUSION:The activation of RXR has protective effects against H/R injury in H9c2 cardiomyocytes of rats through attenuating signaling pathway of mitochondria apoptosis.

AlM:To investigate the effects of pirfenidone ( PFD) on the proliferation and transfomring growth factor-β1 ( TGF-β1 ) expression in vitro culture rat corneal stromal cells.METHODS: Corneal stromal cells from 8 to 10wk SD rats were isolated, cultured and treated with different concentrations of PFD 0mg/mL (control group), 0. 15mg/mL (experimental group▏), 0. 3mg/mL (experimental group‖), 1mg/mL (experimental group Ⅲ) for 48h. CCK-8 assay was performed to assess cell proliferation, while immunocytochemistry and Western Blot were used to detect the expression of ki-67 and TGF-β1 expression, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with control group, PFD significantly inhibited the proliferation in a dose -dependent manner ( all P < 0. 05 ), so was protein expression of ki-67. PFD significantly down-regulated the expression of TGF-β1 in a dose-dependent manner (P<0. 05).CONCLUSlON: Pirfenidone can significantly inhibit the proliferation of rat corneal stromal cell by down regulating TGF-β1 expression, therefore, it has potential prospect in lightening the corneal wound healing reaction.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the chemical groups changing in rat kidney with regard to fatal hyperthermia by Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIR-MSP) and to provide a new method to diagnose fatal hyperthermia. METHODS: Rats were sacrificed by hyperthermia, brainstem injury, massive hemorrhage and asphyxiation and divided into groups. The renal samples were dissected immediately after death. The data of infrared spectroscopy in glomerulus were measured by FTIR-MSP. RESULTS: The absorbances of 3290, 3070, 2850, 1540 and 1396 cm(-1) significantly increased (P < 0.05), and the ratios of Al650/A3290 and A1650/A1540 significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in group of hyperthermia. CONCLUSION FTIR-MSP can analyze the changes of chemical groups of kidney as an auxiliary diagnosis for discriminating hyperthermia with other causes of death.
Animals ; Fever/mortality* ; Fourier Analysis ; Kidney/metabolism* ; Microspectrophotometry ; Rats ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared/methods*

ObjectiveTo investigate the diagnosis and treatment of adrenocorticotropin-independent macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (AIMAH). MethodsThe clinical data of 14 cases of AIMAH from August 1972 to July 2010 were retrospectively analyzed.The cases included 5 males and 9 females with a mean age of 45 (range 26 to 58 ) years.Ten patients demonstrated typical Cushing's syndrome (CS) and 4 patients presented with weight gain,hypertension or diabetes mellitus without any signs of CS.The circadian rhythm of serum cortisol was abnormal.Low and high dose dexamethasone suppression tests failed to suppress cortisol secretion.CT scan showed bilateral enlargement of the adrenal glands with multiple macronodules.All patients underwent open surgery,including 5 cases of unilateral adrenalectomy,6 cases of adrenalectomy combined with contralateral subtotal adrenalectomy and 3 cases of bilateral adrenalectomy.ResultsIt was established by pathological examination that all patients had bilateral adrenal macronodular or adenomatoid hyperplasia.During the mean follow-up of 69 months (range 12 to 120 months),the clinical symptoms of CS disappeared after surgery in all cases.The 5 patients who received unilateral adrenalectomy had urinary free cortisol and serum cortisol within normal ranges and no further enlargement of the contralateral gland was noticed.Among the 3 patients who received bilateral adrenalectomy,1 case died of adrenal crisis on day seven post-operation.The remaining 2 cases presented with adrenal insufficiency but returned to normal after glucocorticoid replacement therapy.Nelson's syndrome was not observed in the other patients.ConclusionsAIMAH has unique endocrinological and pathological features,presenting as an independent etiology of CS.Unilateral adrenalectomy appears to be an effective and safe alternative treatment for AIMAH and long-term remission can be achieved.Bilateral adrenalectomy or unilateral adrenalectomy combined with contralateral subtotal adrenalectomy may be performed if the symptoms have not improved or recurred after unilateral adrenalectomy.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Kangxin capsule (KXC) on homocysteine (HCY) and beta-amyloid protein (beta-Ap) in patients with vascular dementia.

METHODSSixty-three patients with vascular dementia were randomly divided into two groups, the 33 patients in the treated group and the 30 in the control group. Basal treatment were given to both groups, besides, KXC was given to the treated group and Hydergine was given to the control group. The levels of plasma HCY, beta-Ap as well as the changes of mini mental state examination (MMSE), activity of daily living (ADL) and TCM Syndrome scoring were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSKXC could significantly decrease the levels of HCY and beta-Ap (P < 0.01), rise the MMSE scores, reduce ADL scores and ameliorate TCM Syndrome.

CONCLUSIONKXC can effectively regulate the levels of HCY, beta-Ap in vascular dementia patients.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; blood ; Capsules ; Dementia, Vascular ; blood ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endothelins ; blood ; Female ; Homocysteine ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Phytotherapy

OBJECTIVETo analyze the correlation between changes of thyroid hormone (TH), dopamine (DA) and Chinese medicine syndrome types by detecting contents of serum TH and DA in insomnia, thus to explore objective indices of Chinese medicine syndrome types.

METHODSInsomnia patients were assigned to four Chinese medicine syndrome types groups, covering depressed Gan transforming into fire, internal disturbance by phlegm-heat, excessive fire due to yin deficiency, and Xin-Pi deficiency. One healthy control group was set up. Each group consisted of 30 patients or subjects. Serum DA content was determined using spectrophotofluorometry. Serum levels of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4) were detected using radioimmunoassay (RIA).

RESULTSThe serum levels of DA and TH showed difference among groups at various levels. The serum DA level was sequenced from high to low as the control group > the depressed Gan transforming into fire group > the excessive fire due to yin deficiency group > the internal disturbance by phlegm-heat group > the Xin-Pi deficiency group. The serum TH level was sequenced from high to low as the excessive fire due to yin deficiency group > the depressed Gan transforming into fire group > the internal disturbance by phlegm-heat group > the control group > the Xin-Pi deficiency group.

CONCLUSIONSSerum DA levels in insomnia patients were in line with the disease course and the dynamic change from sthenia to asthenia in Chinese syndrome types. Serum DA levels, as one of pathological factors constituting the sthenia syndrome or the asthenia syndrome, may be taken as an objective indicator in Chinese medicine syndrome typing.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dopamine ; blood ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; blood ; diagnosis ; Thyroid Hormones ; blood ; Yang Deficiency ; diagnosis ; Yin Deficiency ; diagnosis ; Young Adult