BACKGROUND: Electro-acupuncture therapy shows good central and peripheral analgesic effects. Several studies have shown that transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of knee osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism underlying electro-acupuncture treatment of knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: A total of 80 healthy male 3-month-old Sprague Dawley rats were randomly and evenly divided into normal, model, electro-acupuncture and drug groups. Rat models of knee osteoarthris were estbalished by ligating the femoral veins and forcing rats to do activies. At 1 month after knee osteoarthris induction, the electro-acupuncture group rats received electro-acupuncture therapy at two acupoints Neixiyan (EX-LE4) and Dubi (ST 35) with a depth of 0.1 cun (pulse 2 Hz, 20 minutes, once a day). The drug group rats were intraarticularly administerd sodium hyaluronate (0.1 mL/administration, once a week). After 2-week treatment, synovial tissue of the knee joint was harvested to determine the exprssion of TGF-β1, TGF-β1 receptor Ⅰand TGF-β1 receptor Ⅱ. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: TGF-β1 expression in synovial tissue of the knee joint was significantly increased after knee osteoarthris (P < 0.05), but after electro-accupuncture therepy or sodium hyaluronate treatment, TGF-β1 expression was significantly decreased (P < 0.05), moreover, TGF-β1 receptor Ⅰ, Ⅱ expression was signficantly decreased (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that electro-acupuncture for treatment of knee osteoartheis improves the symptoms of osteoarthris by downregulating TGF-β1 expression, and reduction in TGF-β1 receptor Ⅰ, Ⅱ expression promotes the recovery of knee osteoarthris.

Objective Choroidal neovascularization(CNV) is the main cause of blindness in over 50-years-old population. To establish an available CNV animal model is helpful for us to understand the pathogenesis and management of CNV. Purpose of present study was to observe the role of coagulation with different power of diode laser in laser-induced choroidal neovascularization model of Brown Norway (BN) rats. Methods Coagulation of 810 nm diode laser(8 - 10 spots for each eye) was performed in 36 male BN rats with the spot diameter 75 μm, shutter time 0. 1 s, power 120 mW, 140 mW and 160 mW, respectively, while 6 normal BN rats were used as contrast. CNV was evaluated by fundus examination, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), indocyanine green angiography(ICGA) and light microscope on day 1, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 56 after photocoagulation. Results CNV formed on the 7th day after photocoagulation in 120 mW, 140 mW and 160 mW groups and reached the peak on the 21st day according to FFA and ICGA manifestation. Incidence of CNV in 120 mW, 140 mW and 160 mW group was 51. 3%, 91. 8%, 88. 3% on FFA findings and 51.3%, 92.7%, 93.7% on ICGA findings, respectively. In 7 days after photocoagulation, inflammatory cells increased and CNV formed at the lesion. Photocoagulation plaque became thicker with pigment cells proliferating and migrating on 14 days. After that time, inflammatory cells decreased and more collagen fibers emerged. The CNV reminded till the 56th day after photocoagulation. Conclusion CNV model of BN rats can be successfully created using the different power of diode laser (from 120 through 160 mW). CNV rate under the laser coagulation with 140 mW is higher, indicating that the power of 140 mW may be a suitable parameter for diode laser-induced choroidal neovascularization model of BN rats.

Objective: To observe the clinical effect and infra-red thermogram changes for acute lumbar sprain. Methods: All 295 cases with acute lumbar sprain were randomly divided into an electroacupuncture group (147 cases) and medication group (148 cases). The cases in electroacupuncture group were treated by needling Houxi (SI 3), whereas those in the medication group were treated with Meloxicam tablet. The infra-red thermogram was observed before and after treatment. Results: The recovery and effective rates in the electroacupuncture group were 71.4% and 93.9%, whereas the rates in the medication groups were 42.6% and 87.2% (P＜0.01). The temperature differences via the thermogram in the electroacupuncture and medication groups were 2.52℃ and 0.80℃ (P＜0.01), indicating a significant difference.Conclusion: Both electroacupuncture and medication could obtain significant effect for acute lumbar sprain; however, electroacupuncture obtained a better overall effect and a more substantial temperature-raising effect in the thermogram than medication.

Macrophages are widely distributed immune cells that contribute to tissue homeostasis. Human THP-1 cells have been widely used in various macrophage-associated studies, especially those involving pro-inflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory M2 phenotypes. However, the molecular characterization of four M2 subtypes (M2a, M2b, M2c, and M2d) derived from THP-1 has not been fully investigated. In this study, we systematically analyzed the protein expression profiles of human THP-1-derived macrophages (M0, M1, M2a, M2b, M2c, and M2d) using quantitative proteomics approaches. The commonly and specially regulated proteins of the four M2 subtypes and their potential biological functions were further investigated. The results showed that M2a and M2b, and M2c and M2d have very similar protein expression profiles. These data could serve as an important resource for studies of macrophages using THP-1 cells, and provide a reference to distinguish different M2 subtypes in macrophage-associated diseases for subsequent clinical research.
Humans ; Macrophages/metabolism* ; Phenotype ; Proteomics ; THP-1 Cells

Objective:To analyze the mutations in desmosomal protein genes of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) in relatives of Yunnan unexplained sudden death (YUSD) cases in Nanjian County, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province, and provide a basis for etiological hypothesis and control measures.Methods:The blood samples of YUSD case relatives ( n = 7) and control villagers ( n = 7) were collected, and basic situation investigation and electrocardiography (ECG) examination were performed at the same time. Blood DNA was extracted as a template for PCR amplification, and Sanger method was used to perform plakophilin 2 (PKP2), desmoglein 2 (DSG2), desmocollin 2 (DSC2), desmoplakin (DSP), and junction plakoglobin (JUP) five ARVC desmosomal protein genes sequencing of a total of 97 exons, and comprehensive analysis of gene mutations was carried out. Results:Five of YUSD case relatives carried genetic mutation sites, including DSP gene heterozygous synonymous mutations about exon 20 c.2862 C>T (p.Cys954Cys) and exon 24F c.7122 C>T (p.Thr2374Thr), DSC2 gene heterozygous missense mutation about exon 15 c.2326 A>G (p.Ile776Val), and all the five people were single heterozygous mutation carriers. Among them, two case relatives of the father-son carried the same site mutation of the DSC2 gene; the abnormal ECGs of three YUSD case relatives were ST-T change or clockwise rotation. However, the mutation sites of PKP2, DSG2, DSC2, DSP and JUP genes in control villagers were not detected.Conclusions:YUSD case relatives in Nanjian County carry ARVC desmosomal protein genes DSP and DSC2 mutations. Pathogenic mutation of DSC2 gene c.2326 A>G (p.Ile776Val) is may related to the incidence of some YUSD cases.

The structure of N-glycans on specific proteins can regulate innate and adaptive immunity via sensing environmental signals. Meanwhile, the structural diversity of N-glycans poses analytical challenges that limit the exploration of specific glycosylation functions. In this work, we used THP-1-derived macrophages as examples to show the vast potential of a N-glycan structural interpretation tool StrucGP in N-glycoproteomic analysis. The intact glycopeptides of macrophages were enriched and analyzed using mass spectrometry (MS)-based glycoproteomic approaches, followed by the large-scale mapping of site-specific glycan structures via StrucGP. Results revealed that bisected GlcNAc, core fucosylated, and sialylated glycans (e.g., HexNAc₄Hex₅Fuc₁Neu5Ac₁, N₄H₅F₁S₁) were increased in M1 and M2 macrophages, especially in the latter. The findings indicated that these structures may be closely related to macrophage polarization. In addition, a high level of glycosylated PD-L1 was observed in M1 macrophages, and the LacNAc moiety was detected at Asn-192 and Asn-200 of PD-L1, and Asn-200 contained Lewis epitopes. The precision structural interpretation of site-specific glycans and subsequent intervention of target glycoproteins and related glycosyltransferases are of great value for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for different diseases.
Humans ; B7-H1 Antigen ; Glycosylation ; Polysaccharides/metabolism*