Endophytic fungi which reside in the tissue of mangrove plants seem to play an important role in the discovery of new biologically active substances. During the course of screening for the antimicrobial metabolites from the endophytic fugus Penicillium sp. FJ-1 of mangrove plant Avicennia marina, a new aurone glycoside (1) was isolated by repeated column chromatography on silica gel and recrystallization methods. The structure of 1 was elucidated as (Z)-7,4'-dimethoxy-6-hydroxy-aurone-4-O-β-glucopyranoside, on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 exhibited antifungal activity against Candida sp., with the potency comparable to amphotericin B and much better than fluconazole. Compound 1 can also inhibit extracellular phospholipase secretion in a concentration-dependent manner.
Antifungal Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Benzofurans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Candida ; drug effects ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Molecular Structure ; Penicillium ; chemistry ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Seawater ; microbiology

Objective To investigate immunoadsorption in the prevention of hyperacute rejection in highly sensitized recipients of renal allografts.Methods Immunoadsorption treatment was performed on 10 patients whose panel reactive antigen (PRA) was more than 40 %. The adverse effect and hyperacute rejection were observed.Results Two cases of acute rejection of renal allografts were found in highly sensitized recipients and reversed by the therapy of immunoadsorption and adjusting immuno-suppressive drugs.Conclusion Immunoadsorption treatment could effectively and safely prevent highly sensitized recipients from hyperacute rejection post-transplantation.

Background Experimental study showed that heparanase (HPA)is overexpressed in choroidal neovascularization,suggesting that it may play a role in the pathogenesis of angiogenesis.To certify HPA inhibitor suppress the formation and development of new blood vessel has an important significance for the treatment of choroidal neovascularization.Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of HPA inhibitor on the proliferation of human umbilical vein vascular endothelial cell (UVEC) and the expression of HPA.Methods Hunan UVEC was primarily cultured and passaged and the third generation cells were used in the experiment.Phosphomannopentaose sulfate (PI-88) solution,a HPA inhibitor,was prepared with endothelial cell medium and the end concentrations were 400.00,200.00,100.00,50.00,25.00,12.50,6.25 mg/L respectively.The cells were treated with PI-88 solutions for 24,48 and 72 hours.The growth and proliferation of human UVEC were analyzed using MTT colorimetric assay at absorbance 570 nm.The expression of HPA in the cells was detected by immunochemistry in 48 hours after addition of PI-88.Results Cultured human UVEC showed the fusiform and polygon in shape.The A570 values of human CVEC were significantly different among various concentrations of PI-88 groups (F=2.721,P=0.053 ) and different action time (F=9.656,P =0.002).When PI-88 was administered for 24 hours,the A570 values of human UVEC were insignificantly altered in comparison with the one without PI-88 culture group (P＞0.05 ).However,in 72 hours after experiment,the A570 values were significantly declined as the PI-88 concentration was ＞50.00 mg/L ( P＜0.05 ).When PI-88 was administered for 48 and 72 hours,the A570 values of human UVEC were significantly higher than those of 24 hours in ＜50.00 mg/L groups (P＜0.01 ),but no statistical differences were seen in ＞100.00 mg/L groups among various time points (P＞0.05 ).HPA was intently expressed in the cytoplasm of human UVEC.However,at 48 hours after addition of ＞25.00 mg/L PI-88,the HPA expression was obviously weaker.Conclusions PI-88 can suppress the growth and proliferation of human UVEC at the dose-and time-dependent manner by downregulating the expression of HPA in the cells.

Aging ; Cytoskeleton ; Endothelium ; Humans ; Research

Objective To investigate the toxic effects of rotenone on dopamine transporter in the substantia nigra of the rat. Methods Rats (male) were divided into normal control group, vehicle control group and rotenone experimental group(1.0mg/kg and 1.5mg/kg). The animals were subcutaneously administrated with the vehicle or rotenone in different dosage once a day for 28 days. One day after last injection, the brain was dissected and the substantia nigra was harvested. Protein expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter were determined with the methods of immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The mRNA expressions of dopamine transporter and dopamine receptor were detected with RT-PCR respectively. The activity of Na+-K+-ATPase was assayed biochemically. Results In the experimental groups, both the immune positive neurons of tyrosine hydroxylase and the expression of its protein were significantly decreased in the substantia nigra of the rats after rotenone treatment. The number of dopamine transporter antibody-immune positive neurons were significantly increased in the rats exposed to rotenone. Furthermore, protein and mRNA expressions of dopamine transporter in the experimental group were also obviously up-regulated compared with the normal control group. A decreased activity of Na+-K+-ATPase was observed in the substantia nigra of rats in the rotenone experimental group. In addition, the mRNA expression of D2R was also increased in contrast with that in the control group. Conclusions Rotenone is toxic to dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra of rats. Dysfunction of dopamine transporter may be involved in the mechanism of rotenone toxicity to dopamine neurons.

Objective To identify whether soybean isoflavones plays a role in the prevention of chronicallograft nephropathy(CAN)in rats.Methods Forty-five male Lewis rats as receptors were randomly divided into 3 groups,receiving a diet with protein from high isoflavone soy protein fraction (HIS),low isoflavone soy protein fraction(LIS)or casein(CAS)starting one week before renal transplants from fisher donors,and continuing throughout the study.Serial serum and urine samples were collected at the beginning of the study,and at 4th,12th and 24th week.All rats were killed and the grafts were harvested in the 24th week.The functional and histopathogical changes of renal grafts were evaluated.Results In HIS group,arteria caudilis systolic blood pressure(SBP)value,24 h uri- nary protein(Upro)and serum creatitine(Cr)concentrations were significantly lower than those in LIS and CAS groups(all P

Objective To investigate the etiological diagnosis and therapy of liver function lesion after kidney transplantation.Methods By analyzing the etiological factor of 82 cases of liver function lesion,we provided a reasonable and operative therapy scheme in kidney post-transplantation.Results Of 82 cases,the number of drug toxicity and viral hepatitis B which result in liver functional lesion were 70 cases(85 5%) and 12 cases(14 5%) respectively.The former were all cured,8 cases in the latter were cured and the other 4 cases were died from acute hepatic failure.Conclusions The liver function lesion of post-transplantation should be diagnosed carefully and treated particularly.Morever,the adjustment of immuno-suppressive drugs and monitoring circlosporin A concentration should be done for the patients with liver function damaged.

Impotence is one of the more common and serious symptom type of male sexual disturbance.It demonstrates by domestic sampling investigation that about more than 10% of male adult have impotence,and the incidence of impotence goes higher with the growing of age.Warming and invigorating kidney-yang has been the main therapy method for treating impotence.Through years of clinic practices,the treatment for impotence from liver has achieved satisfied effects.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect of DMF on the human liver cells (HL-7702) in vitro.

METHODSLiver cells were exposed to different concentrations of DMF (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 mmol/L) for 12 hours. Apoptotic rate, the expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in liver cells were measured by FCM and western blotting respectively.

RESULTSThe increase in apoptotic rate of hepatocytes in concentration-manner was shown after DMF treatment for 12 h. After treatment the expression of Bcl-2 was decreased steadily and lower than the control group (P < 0.01), the expression of Bax showed no significant difference among the groups of different dosage by one-factor analysis of variance (P > 0.05), as the increase of the dosage of DMF. The ratio of Bcl-2/Bax dropped with the dosage of DMF increasing, and the ratio in 200 mmol/L of DMF was significantly lower than that of the control (P < 0.01). The new lands of procaspase-3 in 150, 200 mmol/L were observed, which demonstrated that there was active caspase-3.

CONCLUSIONDMF can induce apoptosis of cultured adult normal hepatocytes in vitro, and the mechanism might be related to the decrease of Bcl-2/Bax and the cleavage of Caspase-3.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Dimethylformamide ; pharmacology ; Hepatocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

ObjectiveTo explore the influence of cluster needling of scalp acupuncture combined with rehabilitation techniques on cognition dysfunction in patients with cerebral infarction.Methods60 patients with cerebral infarction following cognitive impairment were randomly divided into 3 groups: Group A (the cluster needling of scalp acupuncture), group B (cognition training) and group C (cluster needling of scalp acupuncture combined with cognition training). All groups received routine neuropathic treatment. All patients were assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) before and a month after treatment. The therapeutic effect was observed by change of P300 latency and solid contents of blood plasma cortisol a month after the treatment.ResultsThere was significant difference in the score of MMSE, P300 latency, and solid contents of blood plasma cortisol in 3 groups before and after the treatment(P<0.05). Compared to groups A and B, group C got a higher score of MMSE, shorter latency of P300 and lower solid contents of blood plasma cortisol (P＜0.01). ConclusionCluster needling of scalp acupuncture combined with cognition training may reduce solid contents of blood plasma cortisol and improve cognition function in patients with cerebral infarction.