AIM:To investigate the effects of curcumin on cardiac dysfunction induced by chronic restraint stress in a depression rat model.METHODS:Thirty-two Wistar rats weighing(200±20)g were randomly divided into control,model,low-dose curcumin,and high-dose curcumin groups(n=8 per group).The rats in model and curcumin groups were subjected to chronic restraint stress for 5 h daily at random time,while those in control group were maintained under normal conditions.Following daily stress exposure,the rats in low-and high-dose curcumin groups received 100 and 200 mg/kg curcumin daily,respectively,and those in control and model groups received the same volume of normal saline daily.The above treatments lasted for 28 d.Body weight of the rats was measured weekly.Sucrose preference test was performed on days 14 and 28 of the experiment.Serum corticosterone content was determined to evaluate depression.Histological changes of cardiac tissues were observed using HE and Masson staining.Echocardiography was conducted to examine heart function.The related mRNA and protein levels were detected using RT-qPCR and Western blot,respective-ly.RESULTS:Compared with control group,the rats in model group exhibited significantly slower weight gain(P<0.05),impaired sucrose preference(P<0.01),and increased corticosterone levels(P<0.01).HE staining revealed myo-cardial hypertrophy in model group but not in control group.Masson staining indicated significantly higher cardiac fibrosis in model group than control group(P<0.01).Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated a significant increase in posi-tive collagen type I expression(P<0.01).RT-qPCR results showed significantly elevated mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines(tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-6,and interleukin-1β)and fibrosis factors(α-smooth muscle actin,colla-gen type I,and collagen type Ⅲ)in model group compared with control group(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Western blot re-vealed a significant increase in c-Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK)phosphorylation level in model group(P<0.01).Treat-ment with low-and high-dose curcumin reversed the above indicators.CONCLUSION:Curcumin treatment attenuated cardiac inflammation and fibrosis in rats subjected to chronic restraint stress,possibly by inhibiting JNK signaling pathway.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics,treatment and prognosis of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT)-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA) in children.Methods The clinical information,treatment and prognosis of 9 cases with TA-TMA hospitalized following alloHSCT from January 2008 to November 2017 in Hematology Oncology Center,Beijing Children's Hospital,Capital Medical University were retrospectively analyzed.Results Of all the 283 allo-HSCT recipients,9 patients (3.2％) were diagnosed as TA-TMA.Among them,there were 5 male and 4 female,with a median age of 94 months (39-129 months).The median time to of diagnosis was 63 days (6-342 days) after HSCT.Additionally,the median platelet counts,hemoglobin and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) levels were 44 × 109/L [(7-75) × 109/L],76 g/L (40-105 g/L) and 594 U/L(445-1 386 U/L).Neurological symptoms were found in 5 of the patients,4 had kidney involvement,and 6 had gastrointestinal involvement.The major treatment of TA-TMA was plasma exchange,Rituximab and defibrotide instead of the use of calcineurin inhibitors.Finally,4 patients achieved response after treatment,5 children died of ineffective treatment.Conclusion TA-TMA is a fatal complication after allo-HSCT.It can lead to multiorgan and multi-systems dysfunction.If there are more than 2 systems involved in TA-TMA,it suggests poor prognosis.The combined therapy is better than monotherapy,and the selective individual treatment of TA-TMA is essential.