Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) exerts its biological functions by its specific VEGF receptors (VEGFR), which includes VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, VEGFR-3, neuropilin-1, and neuropilin-2. These VEGFR distributes in endothelial cells, and are also expressed in normal skin, inflammatory skin diseases, and skin cancers. The VEGF-VEGFR signaling pathway may be a new key target in the management of the skin diseases.
Animals ; Humans ; Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ; biosynthesis ; Signal Transduction ; Skin Diseases ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; physiology

OBJECTIVEThis study was carried out to investigate the effects of insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on osteoprotegerin (OPG) secretion of periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs).

METHODSHealthy human premolars extracted for orthodontic reasons from 12-14 years old donators were obtained, and periodontal tissues were collected and cultured to obtain PDL cells. Primary or first passage PDLCs were cloned by means of limited dilutions. PDLCs with osteoblastic phenotypes were characterized as follows: Alkaline phosphatase activity, collagen III production and bone-like nodules formation. IGF-II and bFGF were added into culture media and their effects on PDLCs proliferation and OPG secretion were observed. The OPG concentrations in cell culture supernatants were detected by sandwich ELISA. Living cell numbers were demonstrated by MTT test. The average levels of OPG secretion by a single cell were calculated by dividing OPG concentration with MTT-test result.

RESULTSBoth IGF-II and bFGF upregulated the mtt values (P < 0.05), but ICF-II downregulated the opg/mtt values (P < 0.05), whereas bFGF had no significant effect on opg/mtt values (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIGF-II enhances the proliferation of PDL cells but prohibits OPG secretion. Although bFGF has the same effect on the proliferation of PDL cells, it has no effect on OPG secretion. Before cytokines were used to enhance periodontal regeneration, their effects on local bone balance should also be studied.

Adolescent ; Cells, Cultured ; Child ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; pharmacology ; Glycoproteins ; biosynthesis ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II ; pharmacology ; Osteoprotegerin ; Periodontal Ligament ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear ; biosynthesis ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of castration on the quantity of androgen receptor (AR) and the epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the submaxillary salivary glands of castrated rats.

METHODSSixty male Wistar rats, aged 30 to approximately 60 days, were randomly divided into three groups of 20 rats: castrated, sham-operated and normal control (unoperated). The submaxillary salivary glands of the castrated rats were removed one week after surgery, and so were those of the rats in the sham-operated and the normal control groups. The homogenized salivary gland was used for Western-blots.

RESULTSThe quantity of AR and EGF in the submaxillary salivary glands was decreased significantly in the castrated rats compared with that in the sham-operated and the normal control ( P < 0. 05). Moreover, EGF secreted by the submaxillary salivary glands was also decreased in the castrated rats (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCastration affected the production of androgen receptor in the salivary gland, and also, could further affect the secretion of EGF from the salivary gland.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; biosynthesis ; Male ; Orchiectomy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Androgen ; biosynthesis ; Submandibular Gland ; metabolism

To study the expression of the bFGF and its receptor in the mouse bone marrow by treatment with acute radioactive injury and Ligustrazine, 56 mice were divided into 3 groups: normal group, radiation-injured group and Ligustrazine group. After irradiation by 6.0 Gy 60Co gamma-ray, each mouse was orally given 0.1 ml Ligustrazine twice a day for 13 days in Ligustrazine group, and each mouse in radiation injured group was orally given equal amount of saline. On the 3rd, 7th, 14th day after irradiation, bone marrow mono-nuclear cells (BMMNC) were counted, and the expression levels of bPGF and bFGFR in bone marrow were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry analysis respectively. On the 3rd, 7th, 14th day after irradiation, expression of bFGF in bone marrow were significantly lower than in normal group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Expressions of bFGF and bFGFR were much higher in Ligustrazine treated group than that in the control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Ligustrazine potentiate the expression of bFGF and bFGFR in bone marrow MNC to recover the bone marrow hematopoiesis inductive microenvironment, which is one of the mechanisms by which Ligustrazine rebuild the bone marrow hematopoiesis after acute radioactive injury.
Bone Marrow Cells/metabolism ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2/*biosynthesis ; Hematopoiesis/drug effects ; Pyrazines/*pharmacology ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental/*metabolism ; Radiation-Protective Agents/pharmacology ; Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor/*biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between the expression of the kinase insert domain-containing receptor (KDR) and the histological grade of prostate adenocarcinoma.

METHODSForty-eight samples of prostate adenocarcinoma tissues and 20 samples of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) tissues were studied by LsAB immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTSThe positive expression rate of KDR was 73% in prostate adenocarcinoma and 30% in BPH. The expression of KDR was stronger in prostate adenocarcinoma, and there was no relationship between staining intensity and the histological grade of carcinoma.

CONCLUSIONKDR, expressed more highly in prostate adenocarcinoma, promises to be a new target in the treatment of prostate adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ; biosynthesis ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on estrogen receptor (ER) and androgen receptor (AR) in mouse prostate cells and explore the putative role of EGF in prostatic hyperplasia.

METHODSSixty male Kunming mice were randomly divided into two EGF groups and one control group (n=20) and subjected to subcutaneous injection of 1 and 2 microg/day EGF and distilled water, respectively, for 28 consecutive days. The cellular expression of ER and AR in the prostate of mice in different groups was evaluated by flow cytometry.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the positivity rate of ER and its expression level were significantly increased in the mouse prostate after EGF treatment (P<0.01), and the ER expression level was significantly higher in mouse with 2 microg/day EGF treatment than in those treated with 2 microg/day EGF (P<0.01). AR positivity rate and expression level also increased significantly in comparison with the control group (P<0.05), but no significant variation was found between 1 microg/day and 2 microg/day EGF groups.

CONCLUSIONEGF can increase the cellular expression of ER and AR in mice prostate and may play a role in the pathogenesis of prostatic hyperplasia.

Animals ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Flow Cytometry ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Male ; Mice ; Prostate ; cytology ; metabolism ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Random Allocation ; Receptors, Androgen ; biosynthesis ; Receptors, Estrogen ; biosynthesis

Collagen Type I ; biosynthesis ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; biosynthesis ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; physiology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Liver Regeneration ; Receptors, Vitronectin ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo observe the influence of Niupo Zhibao pellet (NZP) on transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and its receptor's expression.

METHODSEndotoxic shock model was established by intravenous injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 1.5 mg/kg and intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine 100 mg/kg, and intervened by NZP, TGF-beta1 and its receptor's expression in lung tissue were detected by immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSNZP could enhance the TGF-beta1 and its receptor's expression in endotoxic shock lung tissue, and reduce the injury of lung.

CONCLUSIONThe mechanism of NZP in reducing endotoxic shock lung injury is possibly related with its effect in enhancing the TGF-beta1 and its receptor's expression in lung tissue.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Galactosamine ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; etiology ; metabolism ; Shock, Septic ; chemically induced ; complications ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

OBJECTIVETo investigate the probabilities of core-biding factor a1 (Cbfa1) expression by human skin fibroblasts induced in vitro.

METHODSThe fibroblasts were isolated, purified from human skin, and were grown in incubation in the media of TNF-alpha, BMP-2, and combined TNF-alpha and BMP-2 at certain concentrations, respectively. The changes in biological features of these fibroblasts correlated with osteogenesis were detected by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR assay.

RESULTSTNF-alpha could switch phenotype of collagen in fibroblasts from Type I and III to Type I and induce fibroblasts to express Ras and BMP type I receptor (BMPR-IA). TNF-alpha in combination with BMP-2 could induce fibroblasts to express Cbfa1 and osteocalcin mRNA.

CONCLUSIONHuman skin fibroblast could be induced into pro-osteoblast expressing Cbfa1, an osteoblast-specific transcription factor and a regulation of osteoblast differentiation, and combined use of TNF-alpha and BMP-2 was one of the regulating factors.

Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type I ; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen ; biosynthesis ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; Core Binding Factors ; Fibroblasts ; metabolism ; Humans ; Neoplasm Proteins ; Osteocalcin ; biosynthesis ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; biosynthesis ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Receptors, Growth Factor ; biosynthesis ; Skin ; cytology ; Transcription Factors ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVESTo study the distribution and potential function of androgen receptor (AR) mRNA and AR in rat submaxillary.

METHODSIn situ hybridization using digoxigenin-labled oligonucleotide probes, cell culture and radio-immunoassay were performed to localize the AR and detect the concentration of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in culturing supernant.

RESULTSAR mRNA hybridization signals were detected in glandular epithelial cells of serous acinus and epithelial cells in all gland ducts. The signals distributed in cytoplasma of all positive cells with negative nuclei; Administration of testosterone can significantly increase the level of EGF (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe rat submaxillary not only is a target organ of androgen but also can product AR by itself. When androgen combined with androgen receptor and can submaxillary function can be infected and can result in the elevation of the level of EGF secreted.

Animals ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; biosynthesis ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Androgen ; genetics ; physiology ; Submandibular Gland ; metabolism