Aim The purpose of this study was to compare the differential expression of 15-lipoxygenase isoenzymes in the pulmonary arteries between normoxia and hypoxia and to explore their roles in the formation of hypoxic pulmomary vasoconstriction. Method Eighteen SD rats were randomly divided into two groups(n=9):the normoxic control group breathing fresh gas and the hypoxic group breeding in animal hypoxic incubator.Immunohistochemical method,in situ hybridization and Western blot were employed to determine certain 15-lipoxygenase isoenzymes which involved in the process of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction.Results ①In normoxic control group,the expression of 15-LO-1 protein was detected in the pulmonary arteries;but the expression of 15-LO-2 protein wasn’t detected.②The expression of 15-LO-1 protein in hypoxic group was much stronger than that in normoxic group (P

This study is to investigate the effect of total flavonoids of Uygur medicine bugloss (BTF) on rats with myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, and to explore the mechanisms by which it acts. Left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery in rats was occluded for 30 min followed by 4 h reperfusion. Meanwhile, BTF dissolved in saline was administered intraperitoneally at dosage of 10, 30 and 50 mg x kg(-1). Electrocardiograph, infarction index, serum myocardial enzymes and heart function were determined to evaluate the effect of BTF. Some other observations were carried out to explore whether inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis is involved in the mechanisms underlying BTF. Our results showed that in ischemia/reperfusion injured rats BTF could dose-dependently reduce myocardial infarction index and myocardial enzyme leakage, and enhance heart function, indicating that it possesses significant cardio protection. ELISA analysis showed that BTF could decrease the content of myocardial inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha. Western-blotting confirmed that BTF could increase the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and reduce the expression of proapoptosis protein Bax. Further more, the phosphorylation level of PI3K and Akt was upregulated by BTF treatment. BTF can protect rat against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. Anti-inflammation and inhibition of apoptosis through upregulating PI3K/Akt signal pathway may contribute to the protective effect of BTF.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; Boraginaceae ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Heart ; Interleukin-6 ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy ; Myocardium ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; Phosphorylation ; Protective Agents ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein

Objective:To explore influence of intensive atorvastatin therapy on contrast-induced nephropathy(CIN) and systemic inflammatory response in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease(ICD)after interventional sur-gery.Methods:A total of 118 ICD patients undergoing interventional surgery in our hospital were selected.Accord-ing to atorvastatin dose,they were divided into intensive group(n=59,received atorvastatin 80mg/d before surgery and 40mg/d after surgery)and routine control group(n=59,received atorvastatin 20mg/d 3d before surgery and af-ter surgery).Levels of renal function indexes and inflammatory indexes 24h before and 72h after surgery were com-pared between two groups.Results:Compared with before treatment,after treatment,there was significant rise in cystatin C(CysC)level in intensive group;significant rise in levels of serum CysC,creatinine(Scr),and β2-micro-globulin(β2-MG),and significant reduction in creatinine clearance rate(Ccr)in routine control group(P<0.05 or<0.01);compared with routine control group after treatment,there were significant reductions in levels of Scr [(93.97 ± 13.83)μmol/L vs.(78.44 ± 17.36)μmol/L],β2-MG[(2.88 ± 0.64)mg/L vs.(2.46 ± 0.61)mg/L] and CysC[(1.24 ± 0.07)mg/L vs.(0.88 ± 0.10)mg/L],and significant rise in Ccr[(68.92 ± 17.38)ml/min vs. (82.22 ± 15.94)ml/min]in intensive group,P=0.001 all.There were significant reductions in inflammatory index levels in both groups after surgery,compared with routine control group,there were significant reductions in levels of high sensitive C reactive protein[(13.53 ± 3.82)mg/L vs.(11.31 ± 3.72)mg/L],interleukin-6[(99.87 ± 24.76)ng/L vs.(85.73 ± 24.17)ng/L]and tumor necrosis factor α[(286.67 ± 78.38)ng/L vs.(252.61 ± 80.02) ng/L]in intensive group,P<0.05 or <0.01. Incidence rate of CIN in intensive group was significantly lower than that of routine control group(1.69% vs.11.90%,P=0.028).Conclusion:Intensive atorvastatin therapy can sig-nificantly lower incidence rate of CIN and inhibit systemic inflammatory response in ICD patients after intervention -al surgery,and it′s safe and reliable.

BACKGROUNDDamage to the gut barrier often occurs during critical illnesses. In such cases, it is very important to alleviate impairment of the intestinal barrier and protect intestinal barrier function. This study investigated the protective effect of growth hormone on intestinal barrier function in rats under stress.

METHODSThis study consisted of prospective, randomized, and controlled animal experiments. Twenty-five Sprague-Dawley rats served as total parenteral nutrition (TPN) models and were divided into three groups: TPN group, sepsis (Sep) group, and growth hormone (GH) group. Another 8 rats served as normal controls. Each group received different stress stimuli. Rats were fed for 7 days, and samples were taken for examination 24 hours after gavaging with dual saccharides.

RESULTSThe architecture of the small intestinal mucosa in the Sep group showed the most severe damage among all groups. Nitric oxide levels in blood plasma and immunoglobulin A levels in the intestinal mucosa of the GH group were significantly lower than in the Sep group (P < 0.02). There were no significant changes in CD3 counts and in the CD4/CD8 ratio between the four groups. Dual sugar tests and bacteriological examinations revealed that intestinal permeability and rate of bacterial translocation in the GH group were lower than in the Sep group (P < 0.01, respectively).

CONCLUSIONProphylactic treatment with growth hormone can alleviate damage to intestinal barrier function caused by trauma and endotoxemia in rats under stress.

Animals ; Bacterial Translocation ; drug effects ; Growth Hormone ; therapeutic use ; Intestinal Mucosa ; drug effects ; physiology ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total ; adverse effects ; Prospective Studies ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stress, Physiological ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo examine the effect of trastuzumab on cell proliferation, colony formation and changes of HER-2 proteins in human breast cancer cell line SKBR3 and human ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 cells which overexpress p185 HER-2 but shed high or low HER-2 extracellular domain (ECD) levels.

METHODSSKBR3 cells and SKOV3 cells were treated with or without trastuzumab. Cell number and the rate of colony formation were calculated. Western blot analysis was used to detect p185 HER-2, HER-2 ECD and phospho-HER-2. Two-site ELISA assay was used for the detection of HER-2 ECD.

RESULTSTrastuzumab inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, and decreased or eliminated the levels of two uncharacterized phospho-proteins (molar weight about 90 000 and 40 000) in SKBR3 cells shedding high level of HER-2 ECD expression. These responses were not observed in SKOV3 cells shedding low level of HER-2 ECD expression. But total p185, phospho-p185 and phospho-p95 proteins did not appear to change in SKBR3 and SKOV3 cells after treatment with trastuzumab. Trastuzumab reacts not only with proteolytic cleavage HER-2 ECD containing HER-2 ECD I , II , III and IV subdomains of p185 HER-2 extracellular domain, but also with the secreted autoinhibitor p68/ECD III a specifying 340 residues, identical to subdomains I and II from the extracellular domain of p185 HER-2, followed by a unique C-terminal sequence of 79 aa encoded by intron 8, which suggested that there may be a trastuzumab binding site on p68/ECD III a protein. Comparing with HER-2 ECD levels of the same number of SKBR3 cells, there was no significant decrease of HER-2 ECD shedding level after treatment with or without trastuzumab for 4 days in serum-free medium.

CONCLUSIONAntitumor effects of trastuzumab may be related to the two uncharacterized phospho-p90 and/or phospho-p40 proteins. There is probably a trastuzumab epitope on p68/ECD III a. The decrease of HER-2 ECD levels may be positively correlated with the number of SKBR3 cells.

Antibodies, Monoclonal ; pharmacology ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Blotting, Western ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Phosphorylation ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; metabolism ; Trastuzumab

Carbon nanosheets load beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD-CNS) as a new modified electrode materials was reported for the electrochemical determination of sulfadiazine(SD). Carbon nanosheets(CNS) were prepared by a new method of ultrasonic electrolysis in which the β-CD was attached on CNS through ultrasonic dispersion method. The β-CD-CNS composite nanomaterials were immobilized onto glassy carbon electrodes with drops of coating method to construct an SD voltammetric sensor. The differential pulse stripping voltammetry (DPSV) was used to characterize the electrocatalytic behavior of the developed sensor. The Effects of some parameters on the response behavior of the sensor such as pH,modification amount,scanning rate,stirring speed,stirring time,deposition potential and time were investigated and optimized. The results indicated that the β-CD-CNS composite nanomaterials had excellent electroactivity for the SD in neutral solution and greatly improved the current response of SD. Under the optimal conditions, the SD had an irreversible characteristic oxidation peak around+0.87 V,and the oxidation peak current ip(μA) had a good linear relationship with the concentration C ( μmol/L) of the SD in concentration range of 0.05 μmol/L-13.5 μmol/L with correlation coefficients of 0.999. The detection limit was 12.2 nmol/L (S/N=3). The sensor was successfully applied for the trace SD determination in water and milk samples and the recoveries from the spiked samples were 80.0%-102% with RSD≤5.2%.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the molecular pathology in families with long QT syndrome (LQTS) including Jervell-Longe-Nielsen syndrome (JLNS) and Romano-ward syndrome (RWS) and Brugada syndrome (BS) in Chinese population.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing were used to screen for KCNQ1, KCNH2, KCNE1, and SCN5A mutation.

RESULTSWe identified a novel mutation N1774S in the SCN5A gene of the BS family, a novel mutation G314S in a RWS family which had also been found in Europe, North America, and Japan, and a single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) G643S in the KCNQ1 of the JLNS family. In this JLNS family, another heterozygous novel mutation in exon 2a was found in KCNQ1 of the patients.

CONCLUSIONNew mutations were found in our experiment, which expand the spectrum of KCNQ1 and SCN5A mutations that cause LQTS and BS.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Base Sequence ; ERG1 Potassium Channel ; Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Jervell-Lange Nielsen Syndrome ; genetics ; KCNQ1 Potassium Channel ; genetics ; Long QT Syndrome ; congenital ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Muscle Proteins ; genetics ; Mutation ; NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel ; Pedigree ; Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated ; genetics ; Romano-Ward Syndrome ; genetics ; Sodium Channels ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical changing characters of the clinical markers after interferon treatment in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and make out practical indexes to predict the effect.

METHODS150 CHB patients were randomly divided into two groups: therapeutic group (90) and control group (60) in the prospective controlled trial. The levels of endogenous interferon before treatment, interferon antibody at the end of the second month and fourth month after treatment, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and HBV DNA in the serum were detected. Then the data was analysed to find out indexes for predicting the effect.

RESULTS(1) The clearance rate of HBeAg had no significant difference in age except for 20 - 30 and 30 - 40 (t > 2.331 2, P < 0.01). (2) It was more effective if ALT level was higher than 400 U/L before treatment and it decreased more than 50% two months after treatment. (3) The patients whose HBV DNA was negative (dot hybridization) or less than 10(6) copies/ml before treatment had higher rate of HBeAg clearance. (4) There was no effect on patients whose interferon antibody turned positive at the end of the second month. (5)A predictive method of comprehensive factors was made out, whose sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 80%, 100% and 90%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe clinical characters of these Chinese patients are different from those of the westerners and the effects of interferon have close relation to the levels of ALT, HBV DNA and interferon antibody.

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; isolation & purification ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVE Lychee seed, a famous traditional Chinese medicine, recently were reported to improve the learning and memory abilities in mice. However, it is still unclear whether lychee seed saponins (LSS) can improve the cognitive function and associated mechanisms. METHODS In present studies, we established the Alzheimer disease (AD) model by injecting Aβ25-35 into the lateral ventricle of rats. Then the spatial learning and memory abilities of LSS- treated rats were evaluated with the Morris water maze, meanwhile the protein expressions of AKT, GSK3β and Tau in the hippo?campal neuron were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. RESULTS The results showed LSS can improve the cognitive functions of AD rats through shortening the escape latency, increasing the number across the platform, platform quadrant dwell time and the percentage of the total distance run platform quadrant. The protein expression of AKT was significantly up-regulated and that of GSK3β and Tau were decreased remarkably in the hippocampal CA1 area. CONCLUSION Our study is the first to show that LSS significantly improve the cognitive function and prevent hippocampal neuronal injury of the rats with AD by activation of the PI3K/AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway, suggesting LSS may be developed into the nutrient supplement for the treatment of AD.

OBJECTIVESTo evaluate if the humoral immune response of hepatitis B DNA vaccine pVAX1-S2S could be enhanced by Talpha1 and/or IFNa expression plasmid co-inoculated.

METHODSThe following mammalian expression recombinant plasmids were constructed: the plasmid pVAX1-S2S expressing hepatitis B surface antigen S2S, the plasmid pVAX1-T/I co-expressing thymosin a and IFNalpha, the plasmid pVAX1-I/S2S co-expressing IFNalpha and S2S. These plasmids were inoculated intramuscularly into several BALB/c mice groups in different combinations. In the co-immunization group 1 (pVAX1-I/S2S), each mouse was inoculated with 100 microg of pVAX1-I/S2S; in the co-immunization group 2 (pVAX1-S2S) each mouse was co-inoculated with pVAX1-S2S and 50 microg of pVAX1-TI; in the control group each mouse was inoculated with 100 microg of pVAX1-S2S. All the immunizations were boosted at 2 and 4 week intervals; then the serum samples were collected to detect the anti-HBs and anti-preS2 strengths.

RESULTS3, 5 and 8 weeks after the first inoculation, the positive rates of anti-HBs were 12.5%, 12.5%, 62.5% respectively in the co-immunization group 1 and 25%, 50%, 50% in the co-immunization group 2, while those in the control group were 0, 25%, 37.5%. The titers of anti-preS2 in co-immunization group 2 was 5 times higher than those in the other two groups.

CONCLUSIONThe data shows that Talpha1 and/or IFNalpha expression plasmid co-inoculated with pVAX1-S2S might act as an adjuvant to enhance the humoral immune response induced by pVAX1-S2S.

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; genetics ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; immunology ; therapy ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Interferon-alpha ; genetics ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; immunology ; Thymosin ; genetics ; immunology ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology