Background and purpose:Gap junctions (GJ) could enhance cytotoxicity induced by chemo-therapeutic agents. Previous studies have showed that some of anesthetics exerted effect on GJ and thereby affected the cytotoxicity of X-ray. However, it is still unclear whether etomidate, a commonly used anesthesia adative agent, could alter GJ intercellular communication in tumor cells. This study explored the effect of etomidate on GJ composed of connexin 43 in U87 malignant glioma cells to provide mechanism clues for studies on the effect of anesthetics on the toxicity induced by chemotherapeutic agents.Methods:Sulforhodamine B was used to examine the toxicity of etomidate on U87 malignant gli-oma cells. The effect of etomidate on GJ function was determined by parachute dye-coupling assay.Results:Pretreatment of etomidate at the concentration of 0.1, 0.5, 1 or 5 μmol/L for 4 h did not induce cytotoxicity in U87 cells. So etomidate at these concentrations would not reduce the amount of GJ on U87 cell membranes. Parachute dye-coupling assay had showed that treatment with 0.5 and 1 μmol/L etomidate for 4 h significantly decreased the dye spread through GJ in U87 cells, while 0.1 μmol/L etomidate had no effect on dye spread of U87 cells through GJ.Conclusion:Etomidate inhibits GJ function in glioma cells.

AIM: To study the expression of c-jun in brain stem following moderate lateral fluid percussion brain injury in rats, and to observe the temporal patterns of its expressions following percussion.METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normal control, sham operation control and injury groups. The rats of injury group subjected to moderate lateral fluid percussion injury (0.2 mPa), and then were subdivided into 5 min, 15 min, 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h and 12 h groups according to the time elapsed after injury. The expression of c-jun was studied by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. RESULTS: After percussion for 15 min, Jun positive neurons increased in brain stem progressively, and peaked at 12h. At 5min after percussion, the induction of c-jun mRNA was increased, and remained elevated up to 1h-2h after brain injury. CONCLUSION: The induction and expression of the c-jun in brain stem after fluid percussion brain injury were increased rapidly and lasted for a long time.

AIM: To study the expression of c-fos mRNA in brain following moderate lateral fluid percussion brain injury in rats, and to observe the temporal patterns of its expression following percussion. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normal control, sham operation control and injury group. The rats of injury group subjected to moderate lateral fluid percussion injury (0.2 mPa). The injury groups were then subdivided into 5 min, 15 min, 30 min, 1h, 2h groups according to the time elapsed after injury. The expression of c-fos mRNA was studied with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) semi-quantitatively.RESULTS: At 5 min after percussion, the induction of c-fos mRNA was increased, and remained elevated up to 2 h after brain injury.CONCLUSION: The induction and expression of the c-fos mRNA in cortex and brain stem after fluid percussion brain injury were increased rapidly.

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of different doses of dexamethasone (Dex) on bone quality in rats. Thirty-one SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, Control (7 with saline), Dex-L (8 with 1 mg Dex. / kg), Dex-M (8 with Dex. 2.5 mg/kg), Dex-H (8 with Dex. 5 mg/kg), with tail injection, twice per week for 8 weeks. All the rats were killed then. Their proximal tibia were processed into undecalcified sections and measured for bone histomorphometry. The content of Ca2+ and hydroxyproline in their left ulnars were tested. Bone mineral density (BMD) and biomechanical property of the thigh bone were tested to observe the qualities of bone. Compared to the control group, the bodyweights of the rats in different Dex treatment Groups decreased remarkably. Percent labeled perimeter (%L. Pm), Mineral apposition rate(MAR), Bone formation rate (BFR/BV) and so on reduced significantly. Percent trabecular area (%Tb. Ar) and Trabecular number (Tb. N) were obviously higher while Trabecular separation (Tb. sp) was remarkablely lower than those of the control group. BMD in Dex-L and the content of hydroxyproline in Dex-M reduced notablely. Biomechanical property of Dex groups decreased significantly. Dex suppressed bone formation and reduced bone turnover significantly. As the increase doses of Dex, %Tb. Ar increased, and, on the contrary, BMD and biomechanical property decreased with the reduced matrix in bone at the same time. It suggested that non-mineralized bone formation increased and biomechanical property deceased. The doses of 1 mg/kg Dex had the most obvious effect on bone quality. This dose slightly increased %Tb. Ar, however, bone formation, bone biomechanical property and matrix in bone decreased obviously. Diffferent doses of Dex have different effects on bone qualities. However the dose has no direct influcing ratio to the bone qualities.
Animals ; Bone Density ; drug effects ; Dexamethasone ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Osteoporosis ; chemically induced ; pathology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tibia ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo examine the effect of acute incisional pain on the expression of connexin 43 in rat spinal cord dorsal horn.

METHODSEighty rats were assigned into control group without any treatment and incisional pain group with incision surgery. For paw incisions, a 1-cm longitudinal incision was made through the skin and fascia of the plantar aspect of the right hind paw. After surgery, the 50% paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) was assessed in response to a tactile stimulus with calibrated von Frey monofilaments at 1, 2, 4 and 24 h, respectively. The spinal cord dorsal horn of rats was isolated at 1, 2, and 4 h after the surgery to assess the expression of connexin 43 using Western blotting and immunofluorescence assay.

RESULTSThe 50% PWT of the rats was significantly decreased after the incision surgery, and this decrement was the most obvious at 2 and 4 h. Western blotting and immunofluorescence assay showed that the expression of connexin 43 in the spinal cord dorsal horn was significantly increased in rats receiving the surgery especially at 2 and 4 h after the surgery.

CONCLUSIONIncision surgery induces an significant increase in connexin 43 expression in rat spinal cord dorsal horn, suggestting an potential role of connexin43 in postoperative incisional pain.

Animals ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Pain, Postoperative ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn ; metabolism

Objective To examine the effect of acute incisional pain on the expression of connexin 43 in rat spinal cord dorsal horn. Methods Eighty rats were assigned into control group without any treatment and incisional pain group with incision surgery. For paw incisions, a 1-cm longitudinal incision was made through the skin and fascia of the plantar aspect of the right hind paw. After surgery, the 50% paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) was assessed in response to a tactile stimulus with calibrated von Frey monofilaments at 1, 2, 4 and 24 h, respectively. The spinal cord dorsal horn of rats was isolated at 1, 2, and 4 h after the surgery to assess the expression of connexin 43 using Western blotting and immunofluorescence assay. Results The 50%PWT of the rats was significantly decreased after the incision surgery, and this decrement was the most obvious at 2 and 4 h. Western blotting and immunofluorescence assay showed that the expression of connexin 43 in the spinal cord dorsal horn was significantly increased in rats receiving the surgery especially at 2 and 4 h after the surgery. Conclusion Incision surgery induces an significant increase in connexin 43 expression in rat spinal cord dorsal horn, suggestting an potential role of connexin43 in postoperative incisional pain.

Objective:To investigate the expression and diagnostic values of CD200 and insulinoma associated protein 1 (INSM1) in gastrointestinal and pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm (GIP-NEN).Methods:The expression of CD200, INSM1, Syn and CgA was detected in 69 cases of GIP-NEN, 66 cases of gastrointestinal and pancreatic non-neuroendocrine neoplasm (GIP-nonNEN) and 16 cases of metastatic neuroendocrine neoplasm by immunohistochemistry, to compare the values of CD200, INSM1, Syn, CgA and their combinations in diagnosing GIP-NEN. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was used.Results:The immunoreactivity of CD200 was present in the cytoplasma and/or membrane of the neoplasms cells, the positive expression rates in GIP-NEN and GIP-nonNEN were significantly different ( P<0.01). The sensitivity and specificity of CD200 for diagnosing GIP-NEN were 95.7% and 78.8%, respectively. There was significant difference of the positive rates of CD200 between neuroendocrine tumor and neuroendocrine carcinoma ( P=0.05). The immunoreactivity of INSM1 was present in the nuclei of neoplasms cells. The positive expression rates in GIP-NEN and GIP-nonNEN were significantly different ( P<0.01). The sensitivity and specificity of INSM1 for diagnosis of GIP-NEN were 85.5% and 95.5%, respectively. There were also significantly different positive rates of INSM1 between neuroendocrine tumor and neuroendocrine carcinoma, as well as between G1 and G3 neuroendocrine tumors ( P<0.05). There was no difference in the area under ROC curve (AUC) of single stain of CD200, INSM1, Syn or CgA (0.857, 0.907, 0.890 and 0.833, respectively, P>0.05). The sensitivity of combined CD200+INSM1 stains for diagnosing GIP-NEN was significantly higher than that of Syn+CgA (85.5% vs. 63.8%, P<0.05). The AUC of two combinations were 0.962 and 0.925, respectively, which were not statistically different ( P>0.05). Conclusions:CD200 and INSM1 are two novel markers of neuroendocrine neoplasm, which aid to diagnosis for GIP-NEN and exclude its mimickers. They are associated with tumor grades. Combining both as an immunohistochemical panel shows high sensitivity and specificity. Thus, the combined panel can be utilized as useful supplement for Syn and CgA.

Objective To examine the effect of acute incisional pain on the expression of connexin 43 in rat spinal cord dorsal horn. Methods Eighty rats were assigned into control group without any treatment and incisional pain group with incision surgery. For paw incisions, a 1-cm longitudinal incision was made through the skin and fascia of the plantar aspect of the right hind paw. After surgery, the 50% paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) was assessed in response to a tactile stimulus with calibrated von Frey monofilaments at 1, 2, 4 and 24 h, respectively. The spinal cord dorsal horn of rats was isolated at 1, 2, and 4 h after the surgery to assess the expression of connexin 43 using Western blotting and immunofluorescence assay. Results The 50%PWT of the rats was significantly decreased after the incision surgery, and this decrement was the most obvious at 2 and 4 h. Western blotting and immunofluorescence assay showed that the expression of connexin 43 in the spinal cord dorsal horn was significantly increased in rats receiving the surgery especially at 2 and 4 h after the surgery. Conclusion Incision surgery induces an significant increase in connexin 43 expression in rat spinal cord dorsal horn, suggestting an potential role of connexin43 in postoperative incisional pain.

Objective To investigate the value of serum IgG4 level for the diagnosis of IgG4-related hepatobiliary diseases and the differentiation from other hepatobiliary diseases.Methods A total of 270 patients with hepatobiliary diseases in the People's Hospital of Hunan Province from August 2015 to April 2017 were enrolled in this study,and 20 healthy subjects were selected as controls.The 270patients were divided into eight groups:liver cirrhosis group (n =17),acute pancreatitis group (n =52),chronic pancreatitis group (n =33),cholecystitis and gallstone group (n =27),bile duct carcinoma group (n =30),cholangitis and biliary calculi group (n =41),pancreatic cancer group (n =47),IgG4-related hepatobiliary disease group (n =23).The levels of serum IgG4 were measured by rate nephelometery assay.The sensitivity and specificity of IgG4 levels for distinguishing IgG4-associated hepatobiliary diseases were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve.Results The levels of IgG4 of the cirrhosis group and the IgG4 related hepatobiliary disease group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P ＜ 0.05).The IgG4 level in the hepatobiliary disease group was significantly higher than those of the other seven groups (Z =-5.267,-6.802,-5.921,-6.005,-6.173,-6.513,-6.014,P all ＜ 0.01).The area under curve (AUC) for IgG4 level in distinguishing IgG4 associated hepatobiliary diseases and other hepatobiliary diseases was 0.982.When 4.13 g/L was used as the cut off value of diagnosis,the sensitivity and specificity of IgG4for diagnosis were 95.7％ and 96.0％ respectively.The IgG4 levels in twelve patients with IgG-associated hepatobiliary diseases after 2 months of glucocorticoid therapy were significantly lower than those before glucocorticoid therapy (Z =-2.021,P =0.043).Conclusion The elevated serum IgG4 level may not be specific just for IgG4-related hepatobiliary diseases.The cut off value of 4.13 g/L should be very useful for diagnosing IgG4-related hepatobiliary diseases,differentiating from other hepatobiliary diseases and evaluating the therapeutic effect of glucocorticoid therapy.The further detailed verification for these findings should be necessary in clinical practice by increasing the sample size.