Rabbit follicular oocytes were cultured in a medium supplemented with various elements such as bovine serum(RS), bovine serum albumin(BSA), amino acids and chorionic gonadotrophic hormone(HCG) in order to find which factors among them were most effective for oocyte maturation. The presence of BSA in the basic medium (modified Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate) did not elevate the proportion of oocyte maturation. When BS alone was added to the medium, only a few oocytes could reach to metaphase I and most of them were in degeneration. This implies that BS may act as an inhibitory or a toxic agent to the rabbit oocytes. It was found that the medium supplemented with 0.4% BSA and amino acids together raised the proportion of the oocyte maturation (54-62%). Especially the presence of proline, or of both proline and glutamine, gave a more favourable condition for the initiation of meiotic division than other amino acids. Addition of HCG to the medium did not promote the proportion of the oocyte maturation. As a consequence, it is apparent that amino acids in the medium are the most essential factors in inducing oocyte meiotic division.
Amino Acids/pharmacology* ; Animal ; Chorionic Gonadotropin/pharmacology ; Culture Media* ; Female ; Growth ; Oocytes/physiology* ; Ovum/physiology* ; Rabbits ; Serum Albumin, Bovine/pharmacology

In order to observe the effects of serum albumin and fibrinogen on biophysical surface properties and the morphology of pulmonary surfactant in vitro, we measured the surface adsorption rate, dynamic minimum and maximum surface tension (min-, max-ST) by Pulsating Bubble Surfactometer, and demonstrated ultrastructures on a series of mixtures with varying concentrations of albumin or fibrinogen and Surfactant-TA. The albumin and fibrinogen significantly inhibited the adsorption rate and ST-lowering properties of surfactant through increasing STs of adsorption rate, min-ST, and max-ST. The characteristic morphology of the Surfactant-TA changed from lamellar rod-like structure with open ends into spherical structures with loss of their open ends by mixing with albumin or fibrinogen. These inhibitory effects of albumin and fibrinogen on surface properties of surfactant were dependent upon the increasing concentration of albumin or fibrinogen. We concluded that albumin and fibrinogen significantly altered surfactant function and its ultrastructural morphology in vitro. These findings support the concept that albumin and fibrinogen-induced surfactant dysfunction may play an important role in the pathophysiology of adult respiratory distress syndrome, and this adverse effect of albumin and fibrinogen on surfactant might be overcome by administration of large doses of exogenous surfactant.
Adsorption ; Animal ; Cattle ; Fibrinogen/pharmacology* ; Human ; Pulmonary Surfactants/ultrastructure* ; Pulmonary Surfactants/drug effects ; Serum Albumin, Bovine/pharmacology* ; Surface Properties

This study evaluates the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis by producing immune complex induced arthritis with an intra-articular injection of BSA in immunized rabbits, and the effect of systemic administration of cyclophosphamide and local administration of anti-macrophage serum. The reduction of inflammatory reaction by cyclophosphamide administration appears to be caused mainly by selective depletion of the neutrophils, and partly by immune suppression. It appears that the rabbit abdominal macrophage has the common morphologic, functional and antigenic patterns with the M-type synovial lining cells. There is another possibility that the cross-reacting antigens between macrophage and the M-type cell of the synovial lining may exist. It is concluded that in this experimental immune complex arthritis, the site of localization of immune complexes seems to be the synovial, M-type cell, and the tissue injury of synovium is largely mediated not only by neutrophils and complement, but also by macrophages.
Animal ; Antigen-Antibody Complex* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/etiology* ; Cyclophosphamide/pharmacology ; Immune Complex Diseases/etiology* ; Immune Sera/pharmacology ; Macrophages ; Rabbits ; Serum Albumin, Bovine/administration & dosage ; Synovial Membrane/pathology

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of bombesin noncytoskeleton form and intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i) concentration in PC-3 prostate cancer cell line.

METHODSImmunofluorescent histochemistry (IH) combined with laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) was used to examine the expression of cytokeratin (CK) in PC-3 cells treated with definite concentrations of BBS and observe its effect on cytoskeleton form. Fluo-3/AM fluorescence technique and LSCM were adopted to measure the [Ca2+]i concentration after different concentrations (10(-9), 10(-7) and 10(-5) mol/L) of BBS were added in PC-3 cells.

RESULTSBBS (10(-5) mol/L) stimulated the expression of CK in PC-3 cells and the formation of lamellipodium, and increased the [Ca2+]i concentration, with concentration dependence.

CONCLUSIONDefinite concentrations of BBS could obviously enhance the [Ca2+] i concentration, CK expression and cytoskeleton morphology of PC-3 cells. The results provide a basis for further studies on the role of BBS in tumour researches as well as in intracellular signal transmission.

Bombesin ; pharmacology ; Calcium ; analysis ; Cytoskeleton ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Fluoroimmunoassay ; Humans ; Keratins ; biosynthesis ; Male ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Arsenic trioxide albumin microspheres (As2O3-BSA-NS) were prepared by using methods of chemical cross-linking. The desirability function (DF), calculated according to the size (<1 microm) distribution, drug loading and drug trapping efficiency, was introduced as a total index for the microspheres formulation. Four factors, inculding W/O ratio, decentralization speed, BSA concentration and stirring stabilization time, were selected and arranged in an orthogonal experimental table. The release characteristic was studied by the drug release experiment in vitro. The four factors affected DF differently. Decentralization speed behaved as the maximum (P<0.01), followed by BSA concentration (P<0.05) and the W/O ratio dose (P<0.05). Stirring stabilization time did not influence DF (P>0.05). The release experiment in vitro showed that As2O3 in As2O3-BSA-NS was released more slower than pure As2O3. It was concluded that regular As2O3-BSA-NS may be prepared by the methods of chemical cross-linking, which was optimized by orthogonal experimental analysis of different factors, and the microspheres can release As2O3 slowly.
Arsenicals/*chemistry ; Cross-Linking Reagents/pharmacology ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Carriers/*chemistry ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Microspheres ; Oxides/*chemistry ; Serum Albumin, Bovine/*chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of IL-10 in suppressing 18F-FDG uptake in the inflammatory granuloma of SD rats. METHODS: Eight SD rats were killed, and their blood was collected sterily. After centrifugion, the white blood cells were incubated in PRMI 1640 for 3 days. Then each culture flask of white blood cells was divided into two equal parts. To one group was added 0.2 mL IL-10 solution (0.1 mg/mL); to the control was added with 0.2 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride solution. All cells were then incubated for 120 minutes at 37 degree, after which 18F-FDG (1.85 MBq) was added. Sixty minutes later, the cells were washed twice with PBS and the extent of uptake 18F-FDG determined. In vivo, an inflammatory granuloma was produced by hypodermic injection of rats with a mixture of Freund's complete adjuvant, bovine serum albumin and talcum powder. Each rat was maintained for 8 weeks. Imaging of the inflammatory granulomas was performed using the 18F-FDG signal. IL-10 was injected into SD rats at 10 μg/kg of body weight. Sixty minutes later, 7.4 MBq of 18F-FDG were injected, and, after a further 60 minutes, the rats underwent a PET-CT scan. The region of interest (ROI) of the inflammatory granuloma was delineated and the standard uptake value (SUV) calculated. A second PET-CT scan was done without IL-10 on the next day. The granulomatous tissue underwent pathological examination. RESULTS: In the intro test, the with blood cell uptaking ratio of 18F-FDG was (50.3±6.7)% without IL-10, and (34.6±3.5)% with IL-10(t=8.9, P<0.01). IL-10 suppressed the rat white blood cell uptaking 18F-FDG. In the PET-CT scan, the SUV of ROI on inflammatory granuloma was 1.7±0.4 with IL-10 and 2.1±0.3 without IL-10 (t=20.6, P<0.01). IL-10 suppressed the inflammatory granuloma uptaking 18F-FDG. CONCLUSION IL-10 can suppress the inflammatory granuloma of SD rats uptaking 18F-FDG.
Animals ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; pharmacokinetics ; Freund's Adjuvant ; Granuloma ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Interleukin-10 ; pharmacology ; Lung Diseases ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Male ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats ; Serum Albumin, Bovine

Objective: To explore the effect of P311 microspheres-loaded thermosensitive chitosan hydrogel on the wound healing of full-thickness skin defects in rats. Methods: The method of experimental study was adopted. The polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate microspheres (simple microspheres), P311 microspheres, and bovine serum albumin labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC-BSA) microspheres were prepared by water-in-oil emulsification, and then their morphology was observed under a light microscope/inverted fluorescence microscope. Chitosan solution was prepared, chitosan solution and β-glycerol phosphate disodium hydrate were mixed to prepare simple thermosensitive hydrogels, and thermosensitive hydrogels loaded with simple microspheres or P311 microspheres were prepared by adding corresponding substances in simple thermosensitive hydrogels. The morphological changes of the prepared four liquids in the state of tilt was observed at 37 ℃. After being freeze-dried, the micromorphology of the prepared four liquids was observed under a scanning electron microscope. Eighteen 3-4-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normal group without any treatment, dressing group, chitosan group, hydrogel alone group, simple microspheres-loaded hydrogel group, and P311 microspheres-loaded hydrogel group, which were inflicted with one full-thickness skin defect wound on both sides of the back spine and were dealt correspondingly, with 3 rats in each group. Rats with full-thickness skin defects in the five groups were collected, the wound healing was observed on post injury day (PID) 0 (immediately), 5, 10, and 15, and the wound healing rates on PID 5, 10, and 15 were calculated. The wound and wound margin tissue of rats with full-thickness skin defects in the five groups on PID 15 and normal skin tissue in the same site of rats in normal group were collected, hematoxylin and eosin staining was conducted to observe the histological changes, immunohistochemical staining was performed to observe the expressions of CD31 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and Western blotting was conducted to detect the protein expressions of CD31 and VEGF. The number of samples was all three. Data were statistically analyzed with one-way analysis of variance, analysis of variance for repeated measurement, and Bonferroni correction. Results: Simple microspheres were spherical, with loose and porous surface. The surfaces of P311 microspheres and FITC-BSA microspheres were smooth without pores, and the FITC-BSA microspheres emitted uniform green fluorescence. The diameters of the three microspheres were basically consistent, being 33.1 to 37.7 μm. Compared with chitosan solution and simple thermosensitive hydrogel, the structures of the two microspheres-loaded hydrogels were more stable in the state of tilt at 37 ℃. The two microspheres-loaded hydrogels had denser network structures than those of chitosan solution and simple thermosensitive hydrogel, and in the cross section of which microspheres with a diameter of about 30 μm could be seen. Within PID 15, the wounds of rats in the five groups were healed to different degrees, and the wound healing of rats in P311 microspheres-loaded hydrogel group was the best. On PID 5, 10, and 15, the wound healing rates of rats in dressing group and chitosan group were (26.6±2.4)%, (38.5±3.1)%, (50.9±1.5)%, (47.6±2.0)%, (58.5±3.6)%, and (66.7±4.1)%, respectively, which were significantly lower than (59.3±4.8)%, (87.6±3.2)%, (97.2±1.0)% in P311 microspheres-loaded hydrogel group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The wound healing rates of rats in hydrogel alone group on PID 10 and 15, and in simple microspheres-loaded hydrogel group on PID 15 were (76.0±3.3)%, (84.5±3.6)%, and (88.0±2.6)%, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in P311 microspheres-loaded hydrogel group (P<0.05). The epidermis, hair follicles, and sebaceous glands could be seen in the normal skin of rats in normal group, without positive expressions of CD31 or VEGF. The wounds of rats in P311 microspheres-loaded hydrogel group on PID 15 were almost completely epithelialized, with more blood vessels, hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and positive expressions of CD31 and VEGF in the wounds than those of rats with full-thickness skin defects in the other four groups, and more protein expressions of CD31 and VEGF than those of rats in the other five groups. Conclusions: The P311 microspheres-loaded thermosensitive chitosan hydrogel can release the encapsulated drug slowly, prolong the drug action time, and promote wound healing in rats with full-thickness skin defects by promoting wound angiogenesis and re-epithelialization.
Rats ; Male ; Animals ; Hydrogels ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Chitosan/pharmacology* ; Serum Albumin, Bovine/pharmacology* ; Microspheres ; Polyvinyl Alcohol/pharmacology* ; Hematoxylin/pharmacology* ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS)/pharmacology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Wound Healing ; Skin/injuries* ; Skin Abnormalities ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; Water/pharmacology* ; Alginates/pharmacology*

The valaciclovir was used as the model drug, the bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (BSA-NP) were prepared by desolvation process. Glycyrrhizin (GL) was oxidized by sodium periodate to be conjugated to surface reactive amino groups (SRAG) of the VACV-BSA-NP. Gel filtration method combined with HPLC method verified that GL was covalent coupling to the surface of VACV-BSA-NP with mean 9 GL residues per albumin molecule. The mean diameter of the VACV-BSA-NP-GL was 268 +/- 23 nm, the drug loading was 1.35%, and embedding ratio was 68.76%. The characteristics of release in vitro were in accord with two-phase kinetics. The uptake amount of VACV-BSA-NP-GL by primary cultured rat hepatocytes in vitro was higher, compared to the control-VACV-BSA-NP. 69.89% and 64.82% of the VACV were concentrated in liver at 15 min after i.v. VACV-BSA-NP-GL and VACV-BSA-NP, respectively. There is a significant difference between surface-modified group and control group (P<0.10). VACV-BSA-NP-GL was successfully prepared, which is considered to be a novel drug delivery system for targeting to hepatocytes.
Acyclovir ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; pharmacology ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Microspheres ; Nanostructures ; Nanotechnology ; Particle Size ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; pharmacology ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Valine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDGalectin-3 is the most recently identified advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs) binding protein. This study aimed to investigate the effects of AGEs and rosiglitazone on the expression and secretion of galectin-3 in cultured human renal mesangial cells (HRMCs).

METHODSHRMCs were incubated with different concentrations of AGE-bovine serum albumin (BSA) (0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/L) for different time (0, 24, 36, 48, and 72 hours), and exposed to AGE-BSA in the presence of different concentrations of rosiglitazone (1, 10, and 100 micromol/L). The mRNA and protein expression of galectin-3 in HRMCs were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. The culture medium of HRMCs was collected and concentrated, and the content of galectin-3 in the medium was detected by Western blotting.

RESULTSBoth RT-PCR and Western blotting revealed that AGE-BSA up-regulated the expression of galectin-3 in HRMCs in a concentration- (P < 0.05) and time-dependent (P < 0.05) manner compared with the control. Compared with the control, AGE-BSA elevated the content of galectin-3 in the culture medium of HRMCs time- and concentration-dependently (P < 0.05, respectively). Both protein and mRNA expression of galectin-3, and its content in the medium of HRMCs exposed to different concentrations of rosiglitazone in the presence of AGE-BSA were increased compared with those of cells exposed to AGE-BSA alone (P < 0.05). Rosiglitazone increased the expression and secretion of galectin-3 in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAGEs up-regulates the expression and secretion of galectin-3 in HRMCs. Rosiglitazone further enhances the upregulation of galectin-3 in HRMCs induced by AGEs, which suggests that rosiglitazone may play a role of reno-protection via up-regulation of galectin-3.

Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Galectin 3 ; genetics ; secretion ; Glycation End Products, Advanced ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Mesangial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; pharmacology ; Thiazolidinediones ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo determine whether advanced glycosylation end products modified bovine serum albumin (AGEs-BSA) affects endothelial cell lateral junction protein, platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) in the presence or absence of inflammatory mediators.

METHODSCultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were exposed to AGEs-BSA for 6, 12, 24, and 36 hours, and exposed to AGEs-BSA glycosylated with different concentrations of glucose, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon (IFN-gamma), TNF-alpha + IFN-gamma and AGEs-BSA + TNF-alpha for 24 hours, respectively. Expression of PECAM-1 mRNA was measured by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with beta-actin as an internal standard, and sequencing of RT-PCR products was performed to confirm the specificity of amplification for PECAM-1 gene. The endothelial cell surface expression of PECAM-1 was determined by flow cytometry (FCM).

RESULTSThere were no significant changes in the expression of PECAM-1 mRNA and protein when the cells were exposed to AGEs-BSA with different concentrations or periods (P > 0.05). However, PECAM-1 expression was reduced in the cells treated with TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha + IFN-gamma and AGEs-BSA + TNF-alpha. The level of PECAM-1 treated with AGEs-BSA + TNF-alpha was lower than that of TNF-alpha treated alone (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSAGEs-BSA had no effect on the expression of PECAM-1 mRNA and protein in cultured HUVEC. With the presence of inflammatory mediator TNF-alpha, AGEs-BSA decreased the level of PECAM-1, which might reduce the adhesion interaction between adjacent endothelial cells, enhance the permeability of endothelial cells, and might be implicated in the endothelial dysfunction and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes mellitus. The significance of this phenomenon in intracellular signal transduction remains to be determined.

Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; chemistry ; drug effects ; Glycation End Products, Advanced ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; pharmacology ; Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; analysis ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; pharmacology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; pharmacology ; Umbilical Veins