OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of strategy of allograft tolerance induction by injection of FasL-decorated donor splenocytes.

METHODSChimeric FasL with core streptavidin (SA-FasL) was efficiently displayed on the surface of splenocytes by the technology of ProtEx™. Heterotopic heart transplant procedures were performed from donor WF rats to recipient ACI rats, F344 rats were used as third-party. Intraperitoneal injection of ACI rats with "decorated" WF splenocytes was used as the approach to induce tolerance in this study. According to different therapeutic strategies, three groups were set up: SA-FasL group (n = 23), SA group (n = 20) and naive splenocytes only group (n = 8). No treatment group was regarded as control (n = 10). Adoptive transfer was underwent with injection of splenocytes from tolerant recipients into naive ACI followed by heart transplant procedures. Mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and third party transplantation were performed to detect allogenic tolerance.

RESULTSThe injection of ACI rats with WF rat splenocytes displaying SA-FasL on their surface resulted in tolerance to donor, but not F344 third-party cardiac allografts. There were 70% cardiac allografts in SA-FasL group achieved long term survival, and it was significantly higher than the rats in other groups (P < 0.05). Adoptive transfer of splenocytes from long-term graft recipients into naive unmanipulated ACI rats resulted in indefinite survival of secondary WF grafts. Donor specific tolerance was identified by MLR and third-party transplant.

CONCLUSIONThe direct display of SA-FasL on the cell membrane in a rapid and efficient manner provides a practical and clinically applicable means of immunomodulation for tolerance induction with considerable therapeutic potential for transplantation.

Animals ; Fas Ligand Protein ; genetics ; immunology ; Heart Transplantation ; immunology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred ACI ; Rats, Inbred F344 ; Rats, Inbred WF ; Spleen ; cytology ; metabolism ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation Tolerance ; immunology

To establish a murine carotid artery transplantation model for the study of the chronic rejection, 80 rats were divided into two groups, an allotransplant (ACI-Lewis) group and an isotransplant (Lewis-Lewis) group (control group). The donor carotid artery and the recipient carotid artery were anastomosed by using a polyethylene cuff (internal diameter: 0.7 mm, length: 3 mm).The pathological changes of carotid artery transplant were observed 14, 28 and 56 days after the transplantation. The results showed that the model was successfully established in 95% of the animals. The chronic rejection-associated arteriosclerosis was induced 28 days after the transplantation. The new chronic rejection model of carotid artery by using cuff technique caused fewer traumas and was easy to make. The pathological changes of the transplant mimicked the chronic rejection-associated arteriosclerosis found in human transplant.
Anastomosis, Surgical/methods ; Arteriosclerosis ; Carotid Artery, Common/*transplantation ; Delayed Graft Function ; Graft Rejection/*pathology ; Models, Animal ; Polyethylene ; Rats, Inbred ACI ; Rats, Inbred Lew

The use of repeatedly heated frying oils and intake of high cholesterol diet have been linked to bone damage. The aim of this study is to determine the combined effects of taking repeatedly heated frying oils (palm or soy oil) and high cholesterol diet on the dynamic histomorphometric parameters of bone. Ovariectomised rats were used as animal model of post-menopausal osteoporosis. After six months of treatment, Double-labeled Surface (dLS/BS), Mineralising surface (MS/BS) and Bone Formation Rate (BFR/BS) of ovariectomised rats (OvxC) were significantly reduced compared to the normal control group. Additions of fresh or once-heated palm or soy oil into high cholesterol diet seem to have improved the dynamic parameters towards the normal control values. However, when these oils were repeatedly heated, the protective effects were lost and the dynamic parameters except MS/BS dropped back towards the ovariectomised-control values.
Oils ; Diet ; Cholesterol ; Skeletal bone ; Rattus norvegicus

The protein nutritive value of anchovy, mackerel and canned sardine samples together with casein as a reference formulation were evaluated. Proximate composition, protein quality and protein digestibility were determined. Procedures for evaluation included Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) using the rat bioassay and in vivo Apparent Digestibility (AD). Rats fed with canned sardine diet had the highest mean body weight (154.8±12.28g) while rats fed with anchovy diet had the lowest mean body weight (145.27±15.89g) with significant differences between all the groups. Mean body weight of rats fed with selected fish diet was higher compared to rats fed with casein diet. For PER value, canned sardine has the highest value (2.48), followed by anchovy (2.46) and mackerel (2.34). PER value for all selected fish is lower than that for casein (3.14). Mackerel had the highest value of in vivo AD (96.99%), followed by casein (96.96%), canned sardine (96.88%) and anchovy (91.29%). In conclusion, among the types of fish compared, sardine had the highest protein quality while mackerel showed the highest digestibility.
Proteins ; Diet ; Caseins ; Protein measurement ; Rattus norvegicus

This study determined the effects of palm vitamin E (TRF) diet on the levels of blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (gHb), serum advanced glycosylation end-products (AGE) and malondialdehyde (MDA) of diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats received either control (normal rat chow), TRF diet (normal chow fortified with TRF at 1 g/kg) or Vitamin C diet (vitamin E-deficient but contained vitamin C at 45 g/kg). The animals were maintained on the respective diet for 4 weeks, made diabetic with streptozotocin (STZ), then followed-up for a further 8 weeks. At week-4, mean serum AGE levels of rats given TRF diet (0.7 +/- 0.3 units/ml) were significantly lower than those of control or Vitamin C diet rats (p pounds 0.03). The levels increased after STZ and became comparable to the other groups. At week 12, blood glucose (20.9 +/- 6.9 mM) and gHb (10.0 +/- 1.6%) of rats on TRF diet remained significantly low compared to that of control or Vitamin C diet rats (p pounds 0.03). MDA however, was not affected and remained comparable between groups throughout the study. This study showed that TRF may be a useful antioxidant; effectively prevented increase in AGE in normal rats, and caused decrease in blood glucose and gHb in diabetic rats. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms of action of TRF.
Rattus norvegicus ; Diet ; Protirelin ; control ; Streptozocin

Liver Cancer ; Yellow color ; Rattus norvegicus

OBJECTIVETo study the inhibitory effect of Juhua Jueming powder (JJP) on high-risk corneal transplantation immune rejection in rats.

METHODSThe high-risk corneal transplantation immune rejection rat model was established by inducing corneal neoangiogenesis by suture method and the penetrating transplantation. Model rats were divided into two groups, the treated group and the control group, they were administered with JJP 0.1 g (dissolved in 2 mL water) and normal saline respectively via gastric infusion every day after transplantation. The survival status of the allograft, histopathology, local and systemic immune status in the recipients were observed using immunofluorescence histochemistry and flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe survival time of the allograft in the treated group (14.50 +/- 3.55 days) was significantly longer than that in the control group (8.25 +/- 0.71 days, P < 0.01). Levels of Fas, FasL expressions in iris were stronger, and the percentage of CD4 CD FOXP3 positive cells in peripheral blood was less (5.11 +/- 3. 92% vs. 14.81 +/- 2.58%) in the control group than those in the treated group respectively. The concentration of IL-2 was lower while that of IL-10 was higher in aqueous humor of the treated group than those of the control group, respectively.

CONCLUSIONJJP has certain effect for preventing high-risk corneal transplantation immune rejection in rat model.

Animals ; Corneal Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Graft Rejection ; prevention & control ; Phytotherapy ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred F344 ; Rats, Inbred Lew

*Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental/*therapy ; Microspheres ; Polyglactin 910/*therapeutic use ; Rats, Inbred ACI

BackgroundThe effectiveness of the combination of electroacupuncture (EA) and behavioral training (BT) for mid/advanced cerebral infarction (M/ACI) and related mechanisms remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the combined effects on the learning-memory ability and event-related potential P300 in rats with M/ACI.

MethodsEighty rats with M/ACI were divided into Group Model (M), Group EA, Group BT, and Group EA-BT (n = 20) according to the random number with five healthy rats in Group Control (CON). On the 6 week after modeling, EA, BT, and EA-BT were given to Group EA, Group BT, and Group EA-BT, respectively, whereas Group M and Group CON were not given any intervention. Y-maze test and P300 were recorded before and after the intervention.

ResultsAfter intervention, the P300 latency was lower and the amplitude was higher in the Group EA-BT, Group EA, and Group BT than before (for latency, t = -7.638, -4.334, and -5.916; for amplitude, t = 8.125, 3.846, and 5.238; P < 0.01), with Group EA-BT superior to Group EA (for latency, t = -3.708; for amplitude, t = 3.653; P < 0.01) and Group BT (for latency, t = -2.067; for amplitude, t = 2.816; P < 0.05), with no significant difference between Group BT and EA (for latency, t = -1.439; for amplitude, t = 1.075; P > 0.05). While the performances of Y-maze tests in the Group EA-BT, Group EA, and Group BT were all better than before (t = 10.359, 4.520, and 7.791, P < 0.01), with Group EA-BT better than Group EA (t = 5.627, P < 0.01) and Group BT (t = 2.913, P < 0.01) respectively, and Group BT better than Group EA (t = 2.912, P < 0.01).

ConclusionEA or BT can affect P300 in rats with M/ACI, and the combination of these two methods can significantly improve the learning-memory ability.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Cerebral Infarction ; Disease Models, Animal ; Electroacupuncture ; Evoked Potentials ; Humans ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred ACI ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Animals ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; therapy ; Male ; Microspheres ; Polyglactin 910 ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred ACI