Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Sleep Deprivation ; physiopathology ; psychology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of extracellular regulating kinase (ERK) signaling pathway on the secretion of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in cultured rat hippocampal neurons induced by stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1).

METHODSThe hippocampal neurons of newborn SD rats were cultured and identified in vitro; the phosphorylation level of ERK1/2 was examined by Western blot; ELISA was used to detect the effect of PD98059, a ERK1/2 specific blocker on GABA secretion of cultured hippocampal neurons and Western blot were adopted to measure the protein expression levels of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD65/67) and gamma aminobutyric acid transporter (GAT); after blocking ERK1/2 signaling pathway with PD98059; RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of GAT-1 and GAD65 after treated with PD98059.

RESULTSThe levels of ERKl/2 phosphorylation were increased significantly by SDF1 acting on hippocampal neurons, and CX-CR4 receptor blocker AMD3100, could inhibit SDF-1 induced ERK1/2 activation; SDF-1 could inhibit the secretion of GABA in cultured hippocampal neurons, and ERK1/2 specific inhibitor PD98059, could partly reverse the inhibition of GABA secretion by SDF-1. The effects of SDF-1 on cultured hippocampal neurons was to decrease the mRNA genesis of glutamic acid decarboxylase GAD65 and GABA transporter GAT-1, besides, ERK inhibitor PD98059 could effectively flip the effect of SDF-1. The results of Western blot showed that SDF-1 could inhibit the protein expression of GAT-1 and GAD65/67 in hippocampal neurons and the inhibition of GAT-1 and GAD65/67 protein expression could be partially restored by ERK1/2 blocker.

CONCLUSIONSDF-1 acts on the CXCR4 of hippocampal neurons in vitro, and inhibits the expression of GAD by activating the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, and this may represent one possible pathway of GABA secretion inhibition.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Cells, Cultured ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; pharmacology ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Glutamate Decarboxylase ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; metabolism ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; secretion

AIM: To investigate the early changes of retinal function in diabetic patients detected by multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG).METHODS: The first-order kernel responses of mfERG were recorded from eyes of 33 normal control subjects,63 diabetic patients without retinopathy and 43 diabetic patients with background retinopathy. The response densities and implicit times of N1 and P1 were compared among the control, diabetic patients without retinopathy and diabetic patients with retinopathy.RESULTS: The response densities of N1 and P1 in central 3 rings were reduced significantly in diabetic eyes with and without retinopathy. And the implicit times of N1 and P1 were delayed significantly only in diabetic eyes with retinopathy.CONCLUSION: mfERG can detect the early changes of retinal function quantitatively in diabetic patients. Analysis of response densities and implicit times of N1 and P1 can reflect the progress of local retinal dysfunction in diabetes.

OBJECTIVETo study the features of histopathologic and ultrastructural pathologic changes of liver biopsy in patients with infantile cholestatic disease, and to investigate its diagnostic significance combining with the clinical data.

METHODSThirty-six children diagnosed as infantile cholestatic disease and received liver biopsy in Chongqing Medical University Children's Hospital from Jun 2007 to Oct 2008 were enrolled and the pathologic and ultrastructural pathologic changes of liver were analyzed.

RESULTSMorphologic changes under light microscope in liver tissues included hepatocyte swelling, hepatocyte denaturation, hepatocyte necrosis, multinucleated giant cell formation, bile duct proliferation, fiber tissues proliferation and inflammatory cells infiltration in liver lobules and portal regions. The characteristics of cholestasis including intralobular cholestasis, acinus formation, feather-like cytoplasmic filaments and bile stasis in bile canaliculi were observed. The morphologic changes of biliary atresia were observed in 7 cases whose image investigations showed no obstruction of biliary tract. Nuclear changes, resolution of cytoplasm, inflammatory cell infiltration, collagen fiber proliferation and increased number of lysosomes were observed under electromicroscope. Two cases of glycogen storage disease, 1 case of Niemann-Pick disease and 1 case of lipid storage disease with unknown cause were confirmed by the combination of histological changes and clinical manifestations.

CONCLUSIONCommon pathologic changes of liver tissues existed under light microscope or electroscope. The diagnosis of hereditary metabolic disorders could be made increasingly by application of these two technologies in clinical practice. It is difficult to diagnose biliary atresia in early childhood by image investigations and the pathological changes of liver tissues are helpful.

Cholestasis ; diagnosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Diseases ; diagnosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Male

Recent reports have clearly demonstrated that bone marrow cells can be differentiated into neurons, suggesting the existence of cells with the differentiation capacity in the bone marrow cell population. It is well known that hematopoietic stem cells as well as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be transplanted and therefore, alternative of them might contribute to the process. In the present study it was addressed whether marrow MSCs could be coaxed into neuron-specific antigen bearing cells and if so, whether the differentiated cells possess the cytochemical features seen in neurons. The report here showed that high concentration of 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) could induce some of the MSCs into neuron-like cells expressing neurofilament (NF) and neuron specific enolase (NSE). The neuron-like cells were alkaline phosphotase positive while the others MSCs were kept negative. Cells treated with 2-ME were positive for alpha-naphthylacetate esterase and glycogen and negative for acetylchonlinesterase, which were similar with the results seen in untreated cells. Furthermore, Nissel body was not observed in treated cells shown by toluidine blue staining. Therefore, it is likely that the cells described here seem not belong to the neuronal lineage. These findings, however, reveal that human MSCs could alter their committed fates under some circumstances.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of rhein on the development of hepatic fibrosis.

METHODSThe animal models were made with carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) mixed with vegetable oil (3/2, v/v), which was injected subcutaneously twice a week for 6 weeks, and with 5% ethanol for free drinking water. At the same time, Rhein was administrated at the dose of 25 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg once a day for 6 weeks. The changes of both biochemical markers, such as the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), hyaluronic acid (HA), procollagen type III (PCIII) in serum and SOD, malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver, and related histopathological parametres were determined.

RESULTSCompared with the model group, there were three kinds of changes in the larger quantity of rhein treated group. (1) The levels of ALT, HA, PCIII in serum and MDA in liver homogenate were decreased significantly (from 150 U/L +/- 16 U/L to 78 U/L +/- 18 U/L, 321 microg/L +/- 97 microg/L to 217 microg/L +/- 75 microg/L, 31 microg/L +/- 14 microg/L to 16 microg/L +/- 6 microg/L and 3.67 nmol/mg +/- 0.68 nmol/mg to 1.88 nmol/mg +/- 0.34 nmol/mg, respectively, t > or 2.977, P<0.01). However the level of SOD in liver was increased (from 62.45 NU/mg +/- 8.74 NU/mg to 91.26 NU/mg +/- 14.04 NU/mg, t=4.453, P<0.01). (2) The expressions of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) in liver were markedly reduced (P<0.05 and P<0.01). (3) The collagen staining positive area was decreased and the grade of fibrosis was reduced significantly in liver (P<0.05 and P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONRhein can protect hepatocyte from injury and prevent the progress of hepatic fibrosis in rats, which may associate with that rhein plays a role in antioxidation, anti-inflammation, inhibiting the expression of TGF-beta1 and suppressing the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs).

Animals ; Anthraquinones ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Collagen ; analysis ; Liver ; drug effects ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

OBJECTIVESTo determine the expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in testis and to investigate the effects of NO on the reproductive function of testis.

METHODSTestes of adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde. The paraffin sections were made as routine. Immunohistochemical ABC method was used to observe the localization of NOS.

RESULTSEndothelia NOS (eNOS), neuronal NOS (nNOS) and inductive NOS (iNOS) were all expressed in Leydig cells. Only eNOS was expressed in peritubular myoid cells, endothelial and smooth muscle cells of blood vessel, while only nNOS expressed in tunica adventitia of testicular blood vessels. The reactive substance distributes in cytoplasm with negative nuclei. Immunoreactivity for eNOS, nNOS and iNOS in all spermatogenic cells was negative.

CONCLUSIONSThree kinds of NOS were all expressed in testis and the distribution of different NOS had a little difference.

Animals ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; biosynthesis ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testis ; enzymology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Compound Qingqin Liquid (CQL) on the expression level of angiotensin II (Ang II) and COX-2 mRNA transcription and protein expression in the renal tissue of rats with uric acid nephropathy.

METHODSSD rats were randomly divided into the blank control group, the model group, the positive drug group, the high, moderate, and low dose CQL group according to number randomization principle. The model was established by gastrogavage of adenine, accompanied with yeast feeding. Distilled water was given by gastrogavage to rats in the blank control group and the model group. Allopurinol at the daily dose of 9.33 mg/kg was given by gastrogavage to rats of the positive control group. CQL at the daily dose of 3.77 g/kg, 1.89 g/kg, and 0.09 g/kg was respectively given by gastrogavage to rats in the high, moderate, and low dose CQL groups. All treatment lasted for 6 weeks. Rats were randomly divided at week 4 (3 in the blank control group, and 6 in the rest groups), and the rest rats were killed at week 6. The renal tissue was extracted. The expression level of Ang II and COX-2 mRNA transcription were detected by RT-PCR. The expression level of Ang II was detected by ELISA. The expression level of COX-2 protein was detected by Western blot and immunohistochemical assay.

RESULTSCompared with the blank control group, except the mRNA expression of Ang II at week 4, the mRNA and protein expression of Ang II and COX-2 obviously increased at week 4 and 6 in the model group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The COX-2 protein expression at week 4 was obviously lower in the high and moderate dose CQL groups than in the model group and the low dose CQL group (P < 0.05); the average integral of optical density value was obviously lower in the positive control group than in the model group. Except the mRNA expression of Ang II in the high dose CQL group at week 6, the mRNA and protein expression of Ang II obviously decreased in the positive control group and each dose CQL group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Of them, the effects were better in the high and moderate dose CQL groups than in the positive control group and the low dose CQL group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Besides, the mRNA expression of COX-2, the average integral of optical density value were obviously lower in the positive control group and each dose CQL group than in the model group (P < 0.05). The protein expression of COX-2 was obviously lower in the high and moderate dose CQL groups than in the model group (P < 0.05). Of them, the mRNA expression of COX-2 was better in the moderate dose CQL group than in the positive control group (P < 0.05); the protein expression of COX-2 was better in the high dose CQL group than in the low dose CQL group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCQL was capable of lowering the expression level of Ang II, COX-2 mRNA transcription and protein expression, thus suppressing the inflammatory pathological injury of the renal tissue.

Angiotensin II ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Kidney Diseases ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Uric Acid

BACKGROUND:The drug and thermal effects of moxa-wool moxibustion have been extensively studied in the clinical trials; however, the infrared radiation effects during the moxibustion are rarely reported. OBJECTIVE:To learn the spectrum characteristics of moxa sticks in the traditional moxibustion.METHODS:The herba violae, bog rush, tobacco and moxa were chosen as experimental materials. Furthermore, the moxa sticks of different storage years (1, 3, 10 years), proportions (1:3, 1:5, 1:10), and places of production (Nanyang, Qiai) were compared. A spectral measurement platform was built by using an optical power meter to analyze the spectral characteristics of the ten kinds of materials above. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:For the different materials, the herba violae and bog rush could not burn after crushed and the infrared radiation intensity of tobacco was too low, but a strong infrared emission was from the moxa with a wide range of spectrum from ultraviolet to far infrared ray. It was also found that the year of storage, proportion, place of production as well as production process had significant effects on the radiation intensity of the moxa stick. The spectrum ascended at visible-light spectrum region, reached its peak at near-infrared region, and then descended at mid-infrared and far-infrared regions. We analyzed the stability characteristics and relative total intensity of moxa stick based on statistics and mathematics. The results showed that the stability characteristics were proportional to the proportion of moxa wool, and the year of storage had stronger effect on the relative total intensity compared with the proportion of moxa wool. Herein, we systematically analyzed the spectral characteristics of different moxa sticks, thereby providing the scientific basic data for the study on the optical radiation of moxa-wool moxibustion.

[Objective]To investigate autistic traits(AT)of college students with different levels of pro-social behavior,and their characteristics of empathy and theory of mind(ToM).[Methods]372 college students(91males)were recruited. The Chinese Version of Autism-Spectrum Quotient(AQ-C)and Prosocial Tendencies Measure(PTM)questionnaires were used to assess autistic traits and prosocial behaviors. 49 participants were drawn from the total sample for the next procedure. The Chinese Version of Inter?personal Reactivity Index(IRI-C)and Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test(RMET)were used to assess empathy and theory of mind.[Results]The AQ-C's total(14.8±5.3 vs 13.8±5.3,P=0.031)and Socialness subscale(29.8±6.1 vs 27.6±6.0,P=0.001)scores in the low PTM group were higher than those in high PTM group. The IRI-C's total(46.5±9.9 vs 52.8±8.6,P=0.025)and Perspective Taking subscale(10.3±3.6 vs 12.1±2.4,P=0.049)scores in the low level of prosocial behavior group were lower than those in high lev?el group. Scores of RMET showed no significant difference between the two groups.[Conclusions]Individuals with lower level of pro?social behaviors has higher AT,which may be related to deficits of cognitive empathy. No association between ToM and prosocial be?haviors has been found.