AIMTo investigate the effect of sodium ferulate (SF) on glycerol-induced renal injury.

METHODSGlycerol solution 50% was injected intramuscularly to establish a model of acute tubular necrosis in mice. SF was administered intraperitoneally at the dose of 100-200 mg.kg-1 at the beginning of establishing the model and its effect was observed by monitoring renal function, antioxidative functions and renal pathologic histology.

RESULTSAt 6 and 72 h after glycerol injection, SF treatment (100-200 mg.kg-1) showed significant and dose-dependent antagonistic actions on the increment of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG) induced by glycerol. The increase of renal malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the decrease of glutathione content, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione S-transferase (GST), catalase (Cat) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities resulting from glycerol injection were remarkably inversed by SF at the dose of 200 mg.kg-1. Meanwhile, improvement of the renal histology was observed as well.

CONCLUSIONSF showed beneficial effect on glycerol-induced acute tubular necrosis due to its antioxidative action.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Coumaric Acids ; pharmacology ; Creatinine ; blood ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Glycerol ; Kidney ; metabolism ; pathology ; Kidney Function Tests ; Kidney Tubular Necrosis, Acute ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Mice ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

The objective of the present study was to establish a method based on principal component analysis (PCA) for the study of transdermal delivery of Chinese medicinal formulae, and to choose the best penetration enhancers for Qingfei Xiaocuo gel depend on this method. Using improved Franz type diffusion cell and excised rat skin in vitro as transdermal barrier, the receptive solution fingerprint was established by HPLC, harvesting the areas of the common peaks in the fingerprint, then the total factor scores of the concentrations at different times were calculated using PCA and were employed instead of the concentrations to compute the cumulative amounts (Q12) and enhancement ratio (ER), the latter of which were considered as the indexes for optimizing penetration enhancers. Compare to the control group, the ER of the other groups increased significantly and furthermore, 2.5% azone with 2.5% menthol manifested the best effect. PCA represent most information in the receptive solution, the method above could choose the best penetration enhancers, it could be a reference for the study of transdermal delivery of Chinese medicinal formulae.
Administration, Cutaneous ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; pharmacokinetics ; Gels ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Principal Component Analysis ; Skin ; metabolism

Alleles ; Animals ; Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2A6 ; Humans ; Mixed Function Oxygenases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Nicotine ; metabolism ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Tobacco Use Disorder ; metabolism

In order to find a method suitable for purifying large amount of CD34(+) cells, from 5 cases who accepted autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, CD34(+) cells were collected and enriched by using Isolex 300i (Nexell). Phenotypes were detected by flow cytometry and the biological viability were assayed by the colony-forming experiments and cell expansion experiment in vitro. The results showed that the number of mononuclear cells first collected was about (3.5 - 6.0) x 10(10) and (0.55 - 1.2)% of cells were CD34 positive. The number of positive production was about (2.0 - 3.0) x 10(8); the CD34(+) cells purity was (75 - 85)% and the yield was (40 - 65)%. The CD34(+) cells of positive production could expand up to 2 - 3 times when cultured with SCF + IL3 + FL + TPO + EPO in vitro. The results of colony-forming experiments demonstrated that the CD34(+) cells collected has enough colony-forming ability. All results showed the enriched CD34(+) cells with biological viability. In conclusion, the CD34(+) immunomagnetic isolation apparatus Isolex300i is suitable to clinical application for a large amount of CD34(+) cell enrichment.
Antigens, CD34 ; immunology ; Colony-Forming Units Assay ; Flow Cytometry ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunomagnetic Separation ; instrumentation ; methods ; standards ; Neoplasms ; blood

AIMTo observe the influence of polysaccharides of Angelica sinensis (ASP) on the immunologic function of rat Kupffer cells.

METHODSNormal rat Kupffer cells were treated with ASP in vitro. Absorbance at 540 nm ( A540) of neutral red absorption and supernatant NO, TNF-alpha in the cells were measured to evaluate the immunologic function of Kupffer cells; LDH leakage was measured to estimate the severity of cellular damage; Rats were given ASP 0.025, 0.1, 0.25 and 1.0 g x kg(-1) ig (qd x 7 d) in vivo. The above indices and ACP of Kupffer cells were measured, sGST and sALT activity were detected as indices of hepatotoxicity.

RESULTSASP markedly enhanced the phagocytic activity, ACP and supernatant NO, TNF-alpha of Kupffer cells both in vitro and in vivo . The increase of sGST was observed after administration of ASP 1.0 g x kg(-1), but the LDH leakage of the hepatocytes was not increased in vitro.

CONCLUSIONASP with suitable dose could activate the function of Kupffer cells. Slight liver injury was caused by ASP 1.0 g x kg(-1) in vivo, which was likely caused by factors, such as NO, TNF-alpha, indirectly.

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; pharmacology ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Angelica sinensis ; chemistry ; Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Glutathione Transferase ; blood ; Hepatocytes ; metabolism ; Kupffer Cells ; immunology ; metabolism ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Phagocytosis ; drug effects ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo establish a fast and sensitive method for the detection of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in precision-cut rat liver slices by HPLC-MS/MS and to investigate isoniazid (INH) -induced oxidative DNA damage.

METHODSPrecision-cut liver slices (300 microm) were prepared from male rats, and incubated with INH (0.018 mol/L) for 2 h after 1 h preincubation. DNA in the slices was extracted and digested into free nucleosides at 37 degrees C. The samples were injected into HPLC-MS/MS after the proteins were removed. The level of oxidative DNA damage was estimated using the ratio of 8-OHdG to deoxyguanosine (dG).

RESULTSThe limit of detection of 8-OHdG was 1 ng/mL (S/N=3) and the intra-assay relative standard variation was 3.38% when one transition 284.3/168.4 was used as a quantifier and another two transitions 284.3/140.2, 306.1/190.2 as qualifiers. 8-OHdG and dG were well separated, as indicated by elution at 10.02 and 7.37 min, respectively. INH significantly increased the ratio of 8-OHdG to dG in rat liver slices (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION8-OHdG in precision-cut liver slices could be sensitively determined by HPLC-MS/MS. HPLC-MS/MS coupled with precision-cut tissue slices is a fast and reliable analytical technique to evaluate oxidative DNA damage of target tissues caused by procarcinogens and cytotoxins.

Animals ; Chromatography, Liquid ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; Deoxyguanosine ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Humans ; Isoniazid ; pharmacology ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Angelica sinensis Polysaccharides (ASP) on the hepatic drug metabolism enzymes activities in normal mice and those prednisolone (PSL)-induced liver injury.

METHODThe activities of phase II enzymes (GSH-related enzymes) and cytochrome P450 enzymes were measured by biochemical method.

RESULTASP increased the activities of glutathione S-transferase in liver microsomes and mitochondria. The cytochrome P450 content, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, aminopyrine N-demethylase, and aniline hydroxylase activities in liver microsomes were also increased. PSL significantly increased serum ALT levels, and decreased the liver mitochondrial glutathione content. At the same time, other enzymes activities were all increased. When mice were treated with ASP 2.0 g.kg-1, the PSL-induced changes on cytochrome P450 enzymes, glutathione S-transferase, and GSH content were restored.

CONCLUSIONASP can modulate the activities of drug metabolism enzymes.

Aminopyrine N-Demethylase ; metabolism ; Angelica sinensis ; chemistry ; Aniline Hydroxylase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; enzymology ; etiology ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; metabolism ; Glutathione Transferase ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Microsomes, Liver ; enzymology ; Mitochondria, Liver ; enzymology ; NADPH-Ferrihemoprotein Reductase ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Prednisolone

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of silymarin on hepatic microsomal and mitochondrial membrane fluidity in mice.

METHODLiver microsomal and mitochondrial membranes were labled by ANS and DPH. Membrane fluorensent intensity (F), fluorensent polarization(P) and microviscosily(eta) of liver microsome and mitochondria were determined.

RESULTSil increased the external membrane fluidities of liver microsome and mitochondria, and decreased the internal membrane fluidities of liver microsome and mitochondria. Pretreatment with CCl4, the external membrane fluidity of liver microsome and mitochondria were increased, and the internal membrane fluidities of liver microsome and mitochondria were decreased. After given sil 140,280 mg.kg-1, the increased external membrane fluidities of liver microsome and mitochondria were lowered, and the decreased internal membrane fluidities of liver microsome and mitochondria were enhanced in a dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONThe protective effects of sil on liver injury may be related to the recovery of the membrane fluidities of liver microsome and mitochondria.

Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning ; Liver Diseases ; etiology ; pathology ; Male ; Membrane Fluidity ; drug effects ; Mice ; Microsomes, Liver ; drug effects ; Milk Thistle ; chemistry ; Mitochondria, Liver ; drug effects ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Silymarin ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether dendritic cells pulsed with whole tumor lysates (WTL) could in vitro elicit antitumor T cell responses in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSMonocyte-derived immature DCs (imDCs) generated in the presence of human recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor and interleukin-4 from peripheral blood mononuclear cell of NSCLC patients, and then were induced to mature by pulsing autologous WTL (DCs/WTL) or by the addition of TNF-alpha(TNF/DCs). FACS and MLR assay were used to monitor their phenotypic changes and capacity to stimulate allogeneic and autologous T cell proliferation. DCs/WTL activated with TNF-alpha (* DCs/WTL) were cocultured in vitro with autologous T cells for eliciting antitumor CTLs. T cell mediated antitumor responses were measured by IFN-gamma enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay for WTL-specific IFN-gamma releasing T cells and by lactate dehydrogenase release (LDH) assay for lysis of autologous tumor cells, respectively.

RESULTSWhen monocytes-derived imDCs from the patients with NSCLC (n = 10) were pulsed with autologous WTL for a day at 30 microg total protein of WTL per 10(6) DCs/ml, this led to up-regulation of CD1a, CD83 and CD86 as well as HLA-DR, and also led to marked stimulation of allogeneic T cell proliferating activity, which was comparable to that of TNF/DCs. However, their capacity of stimulating autologous T cell proliferation in vitro was significantly more potent than those of TNF/DCs (P < 0.05). The numbers of WTL-specific IFN-gamma releasing T cells in 1/3 cultures after one week exposure to * DCs/WTL was increased significantly compared with those pulsing with TNF/DCs plus IL-2 or IL-2 alone (P = 0.05). T cells derived by priming of non-adherent PBMCs with * DCs/WTL after 14 days in vitro stimulation were significantly more responsive to autologous tumor cells compared with LAK (n = 3, P < 0.05), but its cytotoxicity against K562 cells was also comparable to LAK cells.

CONCLUSIONMonocyte-derived DCs from NSCLC patients could serve as functional APC. The * DCs/WTL may effectively elicit T cell-mediated antitumor response in vitro and enhance NK killing activity.

Antigens, CD1 ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; immunology ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; Dendritic Cells ; immunology ; HLA-DR Antigens ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; secretion ; K562 Cells ; Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated ; immunology ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; immunology ; pathology ; Lung Neoplasms ; immunology ; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; pathology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; pharmacology

To study the dynamic changes of ultrastructure of erythrocytes in prolonged preservation of blood with preservative fluid containing superoxide dismutase (SOD), the whole blood samples were preserved at 4 degrees C in SOD-containing solution, the morphologic changes of erythrocyte were dynamically ob served by transmission microscopy after preservation for 42, 75 and 85 days, an d the blood samples preserved in GMA solution served as control. Three variance was applied to analyze the data with SAS software. The results showed that the metamorphotic rates of erythrocyte preserved in SOD-containing solution for 42, 75 and 85 days were lower than those of erythrocytes preserved in GMA solution. Most of metamorphotic rates of erythrocyte preserved in SOD-containing solution for 42, 75 and 85 days were correspond to those of erythrocytes preserved in GMA solution for 42 days, or even lower. It is concluded that SOD-containing preservative fluid might help to maintain the normal morphology of erythrocytes in prolonged preservation at 4 degrees C.
Blood Preservation ; Erythrocyte Deformability ; Erythrocytes ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Microscopy, Electron ; Superoxide Dismutase ; pharmacology ; Time Factors