Retinoblastoma(RB)is the most common intraocular malignancy of children with extremely poor prognosis. MicroRNAs are small non-coding single-stranded RNAs in eukaryotic cells, which regulate the expression of gene by mRNA degradation or translation inhibition. MicroRNAs, acting as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes, are associated with the occurrence and development of RB directly, which is vital for the early diagnosis and clinical targeted therapy of RB. This review summarized the expression of microRNAs in RB and the related mechanism.

Photodynamic therapy ( PDT ) is a new technique to diagnose and treat diseases with photodynamic effect produced by photosensitizer and light, and is now a main method of treating exudative age - related macular degeneration ( AMD ) . ln recent years, with the development of science and technology, combinations of PDT have become a research hot spot. ln this paper, we reviewed the research status of treatments on exudative AMD with PDT combined anti-VEGF drugs.

Expression of c-fos protein in the medulla oblongata after baroreceptor activation by elevated intrasinus pressure (ISP) and perfusion of adenosine (Ado) was examined in 14 vascularly isolated carotid sinus perfusion rats. The results showed that Fos-like immunoreactive(FLI) neurons were distributed throughout nucleus tractus solitarius, area postrema, rostral ventrolateral medulla and nucleus raphe pallidus, and the number of FLI was increased with the elevation of ISP. Furthermore, perfusing the carotid sinus with Ado at a given ISP markedly increased the FLI in the above regions. From the results obtained, it is concluded that the c-fos expression in baroreflex pathway in medulla oblongata may be enhanced by elevated ISP and intrasinus perfusion of Ado, and Ado is capable of facilitating the baroreflex.

The effects of capsaicin microinjection into area postrema (AP) on mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) were investigated in 36 anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats. The results obtained are as follows. (1) Following microinjection of capsaicin (10 μmol/L, 50 nl) into the AP, MAP, HR and RSNA were significantly increased from 12.34±0.53 kPa, 328.52±7.54 bpm and 100±0% to 15.17±0.25 kPa (P<0.001), 354.81±8.54 bpm (P<0.001) and 156.95±7.57% (P<0.001), respectively. (2) Ruthenium red (RR, 100 mmol/L, 0.2 ml, iv), a capsaicin receptor antagonist, significantly inhibited these effects of capsaicin. (3) Pretreatment with a NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 (500 μg/kg, 0.2 ml, iv) also reduced these effects of capsaicin. The above results indicate that microinjection of capsaicin into AP induces excitatory effects on MAP, HR and RSNA, which are mediated by capsaicin receptors with glutamate involvement.

The present study was undertaken to define whether intracarotid injection of capsaicin induces Fos expression associated with the activation of NOS-containing neurons in brainstem nuclei by combining the immunocytochemical method for Fos with NADPH-d histochemical technique for NOS. The results obtained are as follows: (1) Intracarotid injection of capsaicin caused a significant increase of Fos-like immunoreactive neurons in area postrema (AP), nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), paragigantocellularis lateralis (PGL) and locus coeruleus (LC), without influence upon the neurons of raphe nuclei (RN) and periaqueductal gray (PAG). (2) NO-containing neurons in PGL and NTS and the double-labeled neurons in PGL were also increased significantly following intracarotid injection of capsaicin. Small numbers of NO-containing neurons were found in LC, but there was no change in the number of NO-containing neurons in RN and PAG. No NADPH-d histochemical activity could be found in AP. (3) The above responses to capsaicin were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with either a capsaicin receptor antagonist ruthenium red or a NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801. The above results indicate that intracarotid injection of capsaicin may activate the neurons in brainstem nuclei involved in cardiovascular regulation, and that NO only plays an indirect role in the modulation of the responses of brainstem nuclei to capsaicin. These effects of capsaicin are mediated by capsaicin receptors with involvement of glutamate.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Volatile Oil of Radix Angelicae Sinensis (VOA) on experimental asthma in rat model based on abnormal immune functions of Treg cells.

METHODSAfter grouping, the asthmatic rats were developed through injecting OVA and AI(OH)3 for sensitization and then administering OVA aerosol for challenge, and the respiratory functions, asthmatic behaviors, IL-10 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) (ELISA) and Foxp3 expression (immunohistochemistry) in lung of asthmatic rats were observed.

RESULTSVOA at the doses of 40-160 mg/kg could improve the respiratory functions and the asthmatic behaviors, and upgrade IL-10 levels in BALF and Foxp3 expression in lung of asthmatic rats.

CONCLUSIONVOA has some effects of anti-asthma and one of the mechanisms is to improving the lower immune functions of Treg cells.

Angelica sinensis ; chemistry ; Animals ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; chemistry ; Disease Models, Animal ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Interleukin-10 ; chemistry ; Lung ; metabolism ; Oils, Volatile ; pharmacology ; Plant Oils ; pharmacology ; Rats ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Bushen Wenyang Huayu Recipe (BSWYHYR) on nerve growth factor (NGF) and transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor I (TRPV1) in experimental endometriosis (EMT), and to explore its mechanism for treating EMT-induced pain.

METHODSTotally in-bred line BALB/c 75 female mice were divided into five groups, i.e., the sham-operation group, the model group, the high dose BSWYHYR group, the low dose BSWYHYR group, the gestrinone group, 15 in each group. Writhing response was observed in each group. Serum contents of NGF were detected using ELISA. Expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 in uterus and ectopic foci were detected using immunohistochemical staining SP and Western blot. mRNA expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 in uterus and ectopic foci were detected by Real-time PCR.

RESULTSThe serum NGF content in the model group was higher than that in the sham-operation group (P < 0.01), and there was positive correlation between NGF and the writhing frequency (r = 0.574, P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, serum levels of NGF significantly decreased in the 3 treatment groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the sham-operation group, mRNA and protein expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 increased significantly in the model group (P < 0.01). Protein expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 decreased significantly in the 3 treatment groups, when compared with the model group (P < 0.01). mRNA expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 decreased most in the high dose BSWYHYR group (P < 0.01). NGF in uterus and ectopic foci was positively correlated with protein and mRNA expression levels of TRPV1 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSNGF and TRPV1 participated in the occurrence of pain in EMS. BSWYHYR played an important role in inhibiting EMT-induced pain through reducing the up-regulation of NGF on TRPV1.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nerve Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Pain ; RNA, Messenger ; TRPV Cation Channels ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation ; Uterus

To define the action sites of adrenomedullin (ADM) in the rat brain, and to examine whether neuronal NO may participate in the actions of ADM, the present study was undertaken to examine the effects of i.c.v. administration of ADM on the induction of Fos protein and on nitric oxide-producing neurons in rat brain nuclei involved in cardiovascular regulation, using double immunohistochemical method for Fos and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). Following i.c.v. administration of ADM (1 nmol/kg, 3 nmol/kg), Fos-like immunoreactivity neurons were markedly increased in several brain areas of the rat, including the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), the area postrema, the locus coeruleus, the parabrachial nucleus and the nucleus paragigantocelluaris laterialis (PGL) in the brainstem, the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), the supraoptic nucleus (SON) and the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus in the hypothalamus, as well as the central amygdaloid nucleus and the lateral habenular nucleus in the forebrain. Following i.c.v. injection of ADM (1 nmol/kg, 3 nmol/kg), the number of double-labeled neurons for Fos and nNOS was increased in the PVN and SON. Small numbers of double-labeled neurons were also found in the NTS and PGL following i.c.v. injection of ADM (3 nmol/kg), while i.c.v. injection of ADM (1 nmol/kg) did not change the number of double-labeled neurons in the NTS and PGL. Pretreatment with calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist CGRP(8-37) (30 nmol/kg) significantly reduced the action of ADM (3 nmol/kg) in the brain. These results suggest that centrally administered ADM may increase the expression of c-fos in the forebrain, the hypothalamus and the brainstem and activate nitric oxide-producing neurons in the PVN, SON, NTS and PGL. These effects may be partly mediated by CGRP receptors.
Adrenomedullin ; Animals ; Brain Stem ; metabolism ; Injections, Intraventricular ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I ; metabolism ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; metabolism ; Peptides ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology ; Solitary Nucleus ; physiology

The study is aimed to ensure the quality and safety of medicinal plants by using ITS2 DNA barcode technology to identify Corydalis boweri, Meconopsis horridula and their close related species. The DNA of 13 herb samples including C. boweri and M. horridula from Lhasa of Tibet was extracted, ITS PCR were amplified and sequenced. Both assembled and web downloaded 71 ITS2 sequences were removed of 5. 8S and 28S. Multiple sequence alignment was completed and the intraspecific and interspecific genetic distances were calculated by MEGA 5.0, while the neighbor-joining phylogenetic trees were constructed. We also predicted the ITS2 secondary structure of C. boweri, M. horridula and their close related species. The results showed that ITS2 as DNA barcode was able to identify C. boweri, M. horridula as well as well as their close related species effectively. The established based on ITS2 barcode method provides the regular and safe detection technology for identification of C. boweri, M. horridula and their close related species, adulterants and counterfeits, in order to ensure their quality control, safe medication, reasonable development and utilization.
Base Sequence ; China ; Corydalis ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; chemistry ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Nucleic Acid Conformation ; Papaveraceae ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics