Objective To explore the effects of AP on pulmonary fibrosis. Methods Alveolar macrophages (AM) were treated by AP for 24 hours. Pulmonary fibroblasts (FB) were cultured with the supernatant of AM medium. The protein of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-?1) of AM, the proliferative activity and hydroxyproline (Hyp) content of FB were examined. Rats were treated with AP by intratracheal instillation and sacrificed at 3 days. The TGF-?1 mRNA content in the lung was examined. Results The positive staining macrophages in low and high AP groups and the quantity of TGF-?1 in high AP group were obviously higher than those in the control group (P

The fruit of Pandanus tectorius (PTF) has a long history of use as a folk medicine to treat hyperlipidemia in Hainan province, South China. Our previous studies have shown that the n-butanol extract of PTF is rich in caffeoylquinic acids and has an adequate therapeutic effect on dyslipidemic animals induced by high-fat diet. In this work, seven caffeoylquinic acids isolated from PTF were screened for the lipid-lowering activity in HepG2 hepatoma cells. Oil-Red O staining, microscopy and intracellular triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) quantification showed that 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid (3-CQA), 3, 5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (3,5-CQA), and 3,4,5-tri-O-caffeoylquinic acid (3,4,5-CQA) significantly inhibited lipid accumulation induced by oleic acid and decreased intracellular levels of TC and TG in a dose-dependent manner. These three caffeoylquinic acids showed no significant cytotoxicity at concentrations of 1 -50 μmol x L(-1) as determined by MTT assay. Realtime quantitative PCR revealed that 3-CQA and 3, 5-CQA significantly increased the expression of lipid oxidation-related genes PPARα, CPT-1 and ACOX1 while 3-CQA, 3, 5-CQA and 3,4,5-CQA decreased the expression of lipogenic genes SREBP-1c, SREBP-2, HMGR, ACC, FAS. Overall, 3-CQA, 3, 5-CQA and 3, 4, 5-CQA may be the principal hypolipidemic components in PTF which can decrease intracellular lipid accumulation through up-regulating the expression of lipid oxidative genes and down-regulating the expression of lipogenic genes.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; China ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Oleic Acid ; Pandanaceae ; chemistry ; Quinic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 ; Triglycerides ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the impact of chronic renal insufficiency on serum levels of protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist‐Ⅱ(PIVKA‐Ⅱ) and sialic acid (SA) .MethodsThe levels of serum PIVKA‐Ⅱ ,SA ,urea and creatinine(Cr) were detected in 127 cases of chronic renal insufficiency ,32 cases of renal disease with normal renal function ,57 healthy controls un‐dergoing the physical examination and 120 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC ) by using the chemiluminescent and enzymatic methods respectively .The serum urea and creatinine levels were also measured .The estimated GFR (eGFR) was calculated .Results The serum PIVKA‐Ⅱ level had no statistical difference in among the healthy control group ,renal disease with normal renal func‐tion group and renal disease with renal insufficiency group (H=2 .902 ,P> 0 .05) ,moreover significantly lower than that in the HCC group (U=319 .5 ,203 .00 ,665 .50 respectively ,P<0 .001) .Serum PIVKA‐Ⅱ level had no statistical difference among vari‐ous stages in the disease with renal insufficiency group (H=3 .991 ,P>0 .05) .However ,serum SA levels had statistical differences among the healthy control group ,disease complicating normal renal function group and disease complicating renal insufficiency group( H = 63 .685 ,P<0 .001) ,and among the various stages in the disease complicating renal insufficiency group (H=64 .689 , P<0 .001) .The serum SA level was negatively correlated with eGFR level (r= -0 .705 ,P<0 .001) ,and positively correlated with Urea and Cr levels (r= 0 .599 ,r= 0 .704 ,P<0 .001) .The SA level in the HCC group was significantly increased compared with that in the stage 1-4 of chronic kidney disease(CKD) (U=126 .00 ,163 .50 ,247 .00 ,715 .00 respectively ,P<0 .001) ,but had no obvious change compared with the stage 5 of CKD(U=419 .00 ,P>0 .05) .Conclusion The renal insufficiency has no obvious im‐pact on serum PIVKA‐Ⅱexpression ,but could significantly increase the SA expression level ,moreover is closely related with the se‐verity of renal function impairment ,thus indicating that the SA level increase not only has the assisted diagnosis value on HCC and multiple malignant tumors ,but also better reflects the renal function status in the patients with chronic renal insufficiency .

Objective To explore the effect of pedicle fixation for treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures in patients with osteoporosis,and to provide more evidence for the treatment.Methods Retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 121 patients with osteoporotic vertebral burst fracture from June 2012 to October 2015.And these patients were divided into two groups according to different operation methods, namely the control group (n=56) who were given short segment fixation and the observation group (n=65) who were given single segment fixation.The visual analogue scale(VAS),Oswestry disability index(ODI),vertebral height,kyphotic angle and bone mineral density of the two groups were analyzed before surgery and 3 days,1 month,3 months and 12 months after surgery.Results The VAS score,ODI score,vertebral height,and Cobb angle of the injured vertebra were significantly improved in both of the two groups,and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).The VAS score of the observation group was better than that of the control group 3 days after surgery with statistically significant difference (P<0.05).But there was no significant difference 3 months,6 months and 12 months after surgery(P>0.05).The ODI score of the observation group was better than that of the control group 3 days and 3 months after surgery with statistically significant difference (P<0.05),and there was no significant difference between the two groups till the end of follow-up.Pedicle fixation at the injured vertebra significantly improved the vertebral height and Cobb angle with statistically significant difference (P<0.05).And the anti-osteoporosis treatment significantly increased the bone mineral density (P<0.05).Conclusion Pedicle fixation at the injured vertebra is useful in pain relief as well as function and anatomical structure restoring.And anti-osteoporosis treatment is necessary for the bone mineral density increase.

Objective To evaluate the effect of asymptomatic hyperuricemia on the postoperative functional recovery in osteoarthritis (OA)patients with knee joint replacement.Methods Among the 294 patients who recieved knee joint replacement in our hospital from Feb-ruary 2013 to September 2015,a total of 187 patients were included in this study with 79 cases in the hyperuricemia group and the other 108 cases in the control group.The WOMAC index of the two groups were analyzed before the surgery,2 weeks,3 months,and 6 months after the knee joint replacement surgery.Multivariable linear regression was performed to test the effect of impact factors on the variation of WOMAC index.Results The WOMAC index of the two groups significantly increased 2 weeks after surgery,and the difference was statistically signifi-cant(P <0.05).And the WOMAC index of the control group was higher than that in the hyperuricemia group 2 weeks and 3 months after sur-gery with statistically significant difference(P <0.05).Conclusion The uric acid level before surgery was a influence factor of WOMAC index, and high uric acid level before knee joint replacement has negatively impact for the postoperative functional recovery in the osteoarthritis patients.

Critical Care ; Critical Illness ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Transportation of Patients

OBJECTIVETo study the genotoxicity of components of diesel engine exhausts with ethanol-diesel blending fuel. To provide scientific arguments to find more economical and less polluted fuels.

METHODSAmes test, comet assay and GC-MS technique were used to test the genotoxicity and 16 kinds of PAHs on diesel engine exhausts with different proportions of ethanol (E0, E5, E10, E20).

RESULTSBoth Ames test and comet assay were positive. It shows that diesel engine exhausts can lead to mutation and DNA damage, especially in pure diesel oil. But the content of 16 kinds of PAHs and DNA damage level decreased in exhausts of E5. With the increase of ethanol proportion in diesel oil, the content of 16 kinds of PAHs and DNA damage level increased.

CONCLUSIONCompared with pure diesel oil and high proportion of ethanol fuel, E5 can reduce the genotoxicity and the brake specific exhausts of PAHs.

Air Pollutants ; toxicity ; Air Pollution ; Carbon Monoxide ; Comet Assay ; DNA Damage ; Ethanol ; toxicity ; Gasoline ; toxicity ; Mutagenicity Tests ; Particulate Matter ; Vehicle Emissions ; toxicity

Objective To investigate the role of Notch signaling in hypoxia-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in N9 microglia by inhibiting Notch signaling with a γ-secretase inhibitor,DAPT.Methods N9 cells cultured in vitro were divided into normoxia group,normoxia+10 μmol/L DAPT treatment group,hypoxia group and hypoxia+10 μmol/L DAPT treatment group;10 μmol/L DAPT was added to the media of treatment groups;normoxia group and hypoxia group were added the same amount of solvent.Then,cells in the hypoxia group and hypoxia+10 μmol/L DAPT treatment group were changed into hypoxia conditions (3％ O2) for 12 h.The mRNA and protein were extracted among the four groups;real-time PCR was used to observe the mRNA expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6,IL-1 β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α,Western blotting was applied to detect the protein levels of N1ICD,Hes1 and Hey1,and ELISA was used to determine the secretion levels of IL-6,IL-1 β and TNF-α among four groups.Results DAPT had an inhibitory effecton mRNA expression and protein secretion of the inflammatory cytokines IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α,and the inhibition effect gradually increased with the increase of DAPT doses.As compared with those in the normoxia group,the mRNA and protein secretion levels of IL-6,IL-1 β and TNF-α and Notch signaling molecules N1ICD,Hes1,Hey1 protein levels were significantly increased in the hypoxia group (P＜0.05).As compared with those in the hypoxia group,the mRNA and secretion levels of IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α and Notch signaling molecules N1ICD,Hes1,Hey1 protein levels were significantly decreased in hypoxia+DAPT group (P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in the mRNA and protein secretion levels of IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α and Notch signaling molecules N1ICD,Hes1,Hey1 protein levels between normoxia group and nomoxia+DAPT group (P＞0.05).Conclusion Notch signaling mediates hypoxia induced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in microglia.

Objective To explore the role ofperoxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ in hypoxia-induced secretion of inflammatory cytokine and migration of N9 microglia cells by activating PPAR-γsignaling with pioglitazone and its mechanism.Methods N9 microglia cells cultured in vitro were divided into normoxia group,hypoxia group,pioglitazone+hypoxia group and T0070907 (PPAR-γ pathway inhibitor)+pioglitazone+hypoxia group.Total cell RNA and protein were prepared,Western blotting was employed to detect the protein expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1α).Real-time PCR was used to detect the interleukin (IL)-1 β,IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA expressions.The migration ability of N9 cells was detected by Transwell assay.The HIF-1α protein expression in N9 cells was detected by immunofluorescence.Results As compared with cells from normoxia group,cells from the hypoxia group had significantly increased HIF-1α protein expression,markedly enhanced migration ability and significantly increased mRNA levels of IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α (P＜0.05).As compared with those in the cells from the hypoxia group,the HIF-1α protein expression,migration ability and IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA levels were significantly decreased in the cells from pioglitazone+hypoxia group (P＜ 0.05).T0070907+pioglitazone+hypoxia group had significantly increased HIF-1α protein expression,migration ability and IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-o mRNA levels as compared with pioglitazone+hypoxia group (P＜0.05).Conclusion Activation of PPAR-γ pathway could inhibit the hypoxia-induced secretion of inflammatory cytokine and migration ability of N9 microglia cells via down-regulation of HIF-1α protein and IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA expressions.

Objective To explore the effect ofhypoxia on CXCR4 expression in N9 microglia cells and the role of CXCR4 in hypoxia-induced N9 cell migration.Methods N9 microglia cells were cultured in normoxia and hypoxia conditions; total cell RNA and protein were prepared,real-time PCR was used to detect the CXCR4 mRNA expression,and Western blotting was employed to detect the protein expressions ofhypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and CXCR4.After cells were transfected with siRNA targeting HIF-1α or CXCR4,the CXCR4 expression was detected again.The migration ability of N9 cells in normoxia and hypoxia conditions were detected by Transwell assay.After cells were treated with CXCR4 siRNA,the migration ability of N9 cell in hypoxia was measured again.Results As compared with cell cultured in normoxia condition,the CXCR4 expression was significantly increased as compared with cells cultured in hypoxia condition (P＜0.05); however,the hypoxia-induced CXCR4 up-regulation was prevented by HIF-1α silencing.The migration ability of N9 cells in hypoxia condition was significantly higher than that of cells cultured in normoxia condition (number of transmembrane cells:(63.00±5.57) and (20.33±2.08),respectively,P＜0.05); however,the N9 cell migration ability promoted by hypoxia was obviously inhibited by CXCR4 silencing (number of transmembrane cells:63.00±4.00 in si-Control cells and 19.33±3.21 in CXCR4 siRNA cells,P＜0.05).Conclusion Hypoxia can promote the migration ability of N9 cells through inducing CXCR4 expression.