AIM:The present study is to observe the effect of Danshen Tablet combined with Simvastatin on hepatic function in patients with hypercholesterolemia.METHODS:Patients with hypercholesterolemia were randomly divided into Simvastatin treatment group(n=20)and Danshen Tablet combined with Simvastatin treatment group(n=20).Before study and after 12 weeks treatment,serum lipid(TC,TG,LDL-C,HDL-C,AST,ALT and CPK)were measured.RESULTS:After treatment,serum lipid in both groups were improved significantly,and there was no difference between them.In Simvastatin treatment group,there was a tendency to increase in ALT and AST,but we could reject at the significant level.In the same way,the serum lipid in combination treatment group decreased,but no statistic difference.Compared with Simvastatin treatment group,ALT and AST in combination treatment group reduced significantly.CPK in both groups did not change.CONCLUSION:Danshen Tablet can reduce liver injury by statin and could serve as an adjuvant in clinical hypolipidemic treatment.

Objective To fabricate rabbit endothelial progenitor cells(EPCs)-seeded stents in vitro and evaluate its feasibility.Methods The mononuclear cells of rabbit were separated by density-gradient centrifugation using lymphocyte isolation.Cells were seeded on fibronectin-coated 6-well plates and maintained on M199 with endothelial cell growth supplements(ECGS,30 ?g/mL).After 2 weeks,cultured cells were identified by immunofluorescence and immunocytochemistry.EPCs proliferation and migration were measured by drawing a growth curve and modified Boyden chamber assay.EPCs adhesion assay was performed by replating EPCs on fibronectin-coated dishes.VEGF and G-CSF were assayed by ELISA while NO was tested by nitrate reductase method.EPCs were poured on fibronectin-coated or uncoated stents.After 6 days,scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy observation were performed.Results About 14 days after seeding,a majority of spindle-like cells appeared which were characterized as cells,double positive for Dil-acLDL and FITC-UEA-I.EPCs were further confirmed by its expression of the endothelial cell marks of vWF.After 2 weeks culture,EPCs proliferated in exponential growth.They showed high ability of adhesion(96.7?3.2%),migration(15?4) and could secret VEGF,G-CSF and NO.Compared with uncoated stents group,more EPCs migrated and adhered on fibronectin-coated stents group(27.80?4.26 vs 6.10?3.07cells/?400 field,P

Objective To investigate the multiple factors correlated to femoral head necrosis in patients over 45 years old with femoral neck fractures after closed reduction and cannulated screws fixation.Methods Three hundred patients with femoral neck fracture were admitted from May 1999 to May 2004 and treated by closed reduction and internal fixation with cannulated screws.We analyzed the multiple factors:age,gender,Garden classification,follow-up time,procedure delay,quality of reduction,time of full-weight-loading,fixation removal, and preoperative traction.Multiple correlation factors were analyzed by SPSS10.0 statistic system.Results Complete case records were documented in 99 cases who were followed up for an average of 24.5 months(range,8 to 60 months).Femoral head necrosis occurred in 15 cases(15.2%).Time of femoral head necrosis was 8 to 50 months after operation.The combination of quality of reduction,preoperative traction,age,and age?fixation re- moval was found to have the most significant influence on femoral head necrosis after internal fixation for femoral neck fractures.Conclusions Good reduction is the most important factor correlated to the outcome of a femoral neck fracture.Age is linked to the risk of necrosis but it is relatively insignificant.Preoperative traction in wrong positions can increase the incidence of necrosis.Garden classification is important in predicting femoral head necrosis and is associated with quality of reduction,but it is not a risk one in the combination of multiple correlation factors that lead to the necrosis.

Objective To explore the preventive and therapeutic role of silencing type Ⅰ rat platelet-binding protein motifs depolymerization protein-like metalloproteinase 2(ADAMTS2)by siRNA on experimental liver fibrosis in vitro.By studying the mechanism of siRNA silencing of ADAMTS2,we also aim to evaluate the feasibility of ADAMTS2 as a target for anti-liver fibrosis therapy.Methods Three pairs of siRNAs targeting ADAMTS2 mRNA 2237,2597 and 690 targets were designed and synthesized by utilizing RNA design software.The most effective siRNA was chosen to transfect HSC-T6 cell line to test the tendency of hepatic stellate cell(HSC)activation and ex pression of ADAMTS2,COL1α1,COL(I),α-SMA,TGF-β1,MMP-2 and TIMP-3.These were quantified using real time-PCR,Western blotting,and MTT assays.Results Of the same dosage and time of injection,siRNA 2237 inhibited ADAMTS2 gene expression significantly more than other siRNAs.siRNA-ADAMTS2 2237 markedly inhibited ADAMTS2 gene and protein expression of HSCT6 with more than 80％ efficiency.Conversely,siRNA-ADAMTS2 2237 markedly reduced the gene and protein expressions of COL(I),α-SMA and TGF-β1 on HSC-T6 and inhibited the proliferation of HSC.Conclusions siRNA-ADAMTS2 2237 could effectively knockdown the gene and protein expression of ADAMTS2 in HSC-T6 cell lines.Silencing ADAMTS2 by siRNA significantly inhibited the activation,proliferation of HSC and the gene and protein expressions of COL(I),α SMA,and TGF-β1,and it may have a potential anti-fibrotic effect.ADAMTS2 might be an efficient target for anti-fibrotic therapy.

Objective To explore the effects of inhibiting DDR2 expression by siRNA on hepatic stellate cells and evaluate the role of DDR2 gene in hepatic fibrogenesis. Methods (1) Three pairs of chemically synthesized siRNAs targeting DDR2 were respectively transfected into HSC-T6 cells for evaluation of silence efficacy, and the most effective siRNA was used. (2) HSC-T6 cells were divided into three groups, group A served as normal controls, group B served as negative control and group C was RNA interference DDR2 (siRNA-DDR2) expression of HSC. The most effective RNA interference sequences targeting DDR2 gene was chosen to transfect HSC-T6 cells by plasmid transfection. The tendency of DDR2, α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) and collagen-Ⅰ mRNA expression were estimated using RT-PCR, and the protein expression of DDR2 was evaluated by Western blot. Meanwhile, MTT assay was employed to analyze the proliferation of HSC. Results (1) DDR2 siRNA, which began at nt 868, inhibited DDR2 gone expression stronger than the other two siRNAs. (2) After transfection of siRNA-DDR2, the mRNA expression of DDR2 (P<0.01) and α-SMA (P<0.01) significantly decreased compared with the normal group, and the protein expression of DDR2 also significantly decreased (P<0.01). In addition, the proliferation of HSC was also markedly suppressed as compared with the normal group (P<0.01). However, compared with the negative control group, none of them was markedly suppressed. Conclusion SiRNA targeting DDR2 significantly suppresses the activation, proliferation of HSC, and thus attenuates hepatic fibrogonesis in vitro.

Twelve compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of Achillea alpina by column chromatographies on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative HPLC. The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis. The compounds were identified as pellitorine(1), 8,9-dehydropellitorine(2), (E,E)-2,4-undecadien-8, 10-diynoic acid isobutylamide(3), (E,E)-2,4-tetradecadien-8,10-diynoic acid isobutylamide(4),sintenin(5), 4',5,7,8-tetramethoxyflavone(6), chrysoplenetin(7), formononetin(8), aurantiamide(9), asperglaucide(10), artemetin(11), and eupatorin(12). compounds 1-5 were isolated from this plant for the first time, and compounds 6-10 were isolated from the genus Achillea for the first time.
Achillea ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Objective To detect the variation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the splanchnic vessels under portal hypertension (PHT) and explore its mechanism and influence on the process of hyperdynamic circulation.Methods In humans,the level of VEGF pathway related proteins were detected in the splenic artery of PHT patients in clinical trials.In animal experiments,the following parameters were observed for rats in the control group (group N,n =7) and the CCl4 induced portal hypertension group (group PHT,n=7):portal vein diameter,portal vein blood flow velocity (PBV),portal vein blood flow (PBF),portal vein pressure (PP),norepinephrine (NE) reactivity in the isolated mesenteric artery microcirculation,contractile reactivity and degree of endothelial ni tric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation in the mesenteric artery by selectively inhibiting the VEGF signal pathway with SU5416.In cell experiments,primary culturing of arterial endothelial cells in vitro were used to verify the effects of VEGF on eNOS activation.Results The results showed that VEGF expression levels in the splenic artery of PHT patients significantly increased.In animal experiments,there was not a significant difference in portal vein diameter between group N and group PHT.How ever,the PBV and PBF of group PHT were lower than those of group N,and SU5416 had no clear effect on PBV and PBF in group PHT.PP of group PHT was much higher than that of group N,and SU5416 had little influence on reducing PP in group PHT.The contractile response of mesenteric artery microcirculation to NE in group PHT decreased significantly,EC50 increased a lot,and SU5416 improved this hypoergia partially.The protein levels of VEGF,VEGFR-2,eNOS,and p-eNOS in the mesentery artery of group PHT raised quite a lot compared to group N,and SU5416 decreased the protein level of VEGFR-2 and activation of eNOS significantly.Experiments in vitro confirmed that VEGF could promote the activation of eNOS.Conclusion The excessive VEGF produced in visceral arteries under PHT may participate in the process of hyperdynamic circulation partially through promoting the synthesis and activation of eNOS and then reducing visceral arteries' response to NE.

Objective To explore the effects of silencing DDR2 expression by siRNA on CCl4-induced liver fibrosis and its mechanism in rats. Methods Liver fibrosis model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 twice a week for 6 consecutive weeks. Some rats were administered siRNA targeting DDR2 (0. 3 mg/kg), saline or control siRNA every three days from the beginning of CCl4 injection via tail vein injection, while other rats were treated in the same pattern after 2-week CCl4 injection. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of DDR2, MMP-2 and COL Ⅰ . Meanwhile, the pathological changes of liver tissues and the levels of liver function were also observed. Results QRT-PCR showed that the DDR2, MMP-2 and COL Ⅰ mRNA in the chemically synthetic cholesterol-modified siRNADDR2 group were significantly decreased as compared with those in the control group (P＜0.01) ,and the protein expressions of DDR2, MMP-2 and COL Ⅰ were also significantly decreased (P＜0. 01,4 wand 6w). In addition, in comparison with those in the control group, the pathological changes of liver tissues in the siRNA-DDR2 treated group were markedly attenuated, and the levels of ALT(1356.17 ±83.80 nkat/L vs 2532. 70±145.11 nkat/L,4w,1367. 60±321.76 nkat/L vs 2604.37±255.02 nkat/L,6w,P＜0. 01 ) and AST (2460. 80 ± 207. 58 nkat/L vs 3983. 70 ± 253. 08 nkat/L, 4w, P＜ 0. 01,2383.27±290.16 nkat/L vs 3227.70±353. 34 nkat/L,6w,P＜0. 05)were also significantly lowered,while the level of TBIL (7. 97 ± 1.60 μmol/L vs 3.80± 0.60 μmol/L, 4w, 10.40±1.61 μmol/L vs 6.10±0.79 μmol/L,6w,P＜0. 01)was markedly increased. Conclusion Systemic administration of cholesterol-modified siRNA targeting DDR2 could significantly suppress the expression of DDR2, decrease the contents of the extracellular matrix,and thus has a potential antifibrotic effect.

Objective To discuss the perioperative management of cirrhotic patients undergoing abdominal operation. Methods From Jan. 2000 to Jul. 2007, 93 patients with PHT underwent operation in our hospital. We retrospectively analyzed the data according to different therapy result. Results 21 cases developed postoperative ascites. The occurrence of ascites in patients dealt with PHT and coexistent other abdominal disease was 7% and 12% respectively for Child A and B grade patients. The occurrence of ascites in patients dealt with only abdominal disease was 13% and 17% respectively for Child A and B grade patients. The occurrence of ascites in patients dealt with PHT and abdominal disease was amazingly 83% for Child C cases. Patients suffered from tumors didn't have more risk of ascites than the other patients. Conclusion The proper perioperative management of patients can decrease the mortality. To deal with PHT together with abdominal operation is reasonable for patients in Child A or B liver function, and it would not increase the postoperative ascites. For the selective patients, we must try our best to decrease the ascites preoperatively to improve the condition.