Animals ; Calcineurin ; metabolism ; Diet, High-Fat ; Dietary Fats ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; physiology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxides ; antagonists & inhibitors

This study aims to investigate the effect of total flavones of Fructus Chorspondiatis (TFFC) on the mRNA and protein expression of collagen type I and III of rat cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) induced by angiotensin II (Ang II), and explore its anti-myocardial fibrosis molecular mechanism. Neonatal rat CFs were prepared from Sprague-Dawley rats (1-3 d after birth). The expression of collagen type I and III mRNA and protein were measured by RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The study showed that stimulation of neonatal rat CFs with 100 nmol.L-1 of Ang II for 72 h resulted in a significant increase of the expression of collagen type I and III mRNA and protein. The changes on the expression level were blocked by TFFC. The results demonstrated that TFFC can inhibit myocardial fibrosis induced by Ang II in rats, which is probably associated with the collagen type I and III mRNA and protein levels up-regulated by Ang II, and TFFC was shown to decrease the expression levels of collagen type I and III mRNA and protein.
Anacardiaceae ; chemistry ; Angiotensin II ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen Type I ; genetics ; metabolism ; Collagen Type III ; genetics ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; Flavones ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Myocardium ; cytology ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neuroma, Acoustic ; pathology ; surgery

In this study, the effect of heparin-derived oligosaccharide (HDO) on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) induced vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) proliferation and the related signal transduction mechanisms were investigated. MTT assays were used to measure VSMCs proliferation. Cell cycle distribution was analyzed by flow cytometry. The level of key regulatory proteins in PKC, MAPK and Akt/PI3K pathways were determined by RT-PCR, Western blot and immunocytochemical methods. Meanwhile, mRNA expressions of some proto-oncogenes were assayed by RT-PCR method. Our data showed that HDO (0.01, 0.1 and 1 μmol · L(-1)) inhibited 30 ng · mL(-1) PDGF-induced VSMCs proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, blocked the G1/S transition and inhibited the level of key regulatory proteins and some proto-oncogenes (P < 0.05). The results showed that HDO may decrease the key regulatory proteins expression, hence suppress the transcription of proto-oncogene and G1/S transition, finally inhibiting VSMCs proliferation.
Cell Cycle ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Flow Cytometry ; Heparin ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; drug effects ; Oligosaccharides ; pharmacology ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Signal Transduction

Steroidal saponins have a wide range of pharmacological effects and biological activities, such as anti-tumor, antifungal, hypoglycemic, immune regulation, insecticides, etc. In the last ten years, some new structures of steroidal saponins compounds were found from natural plants, they have some new and different activities. In order to accelerate the research on the drug innovation of steroidal saponins, we summarized the new progress of the research on such compounds.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Antifungal Agents ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Steroids ; pharmacology

ObjectiveTo examine whether the single nucleotide polymorphisms in inflammation-related genes are associated with the risk of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).MethodsThe study recruited 116 aMCI patients and 93 matched healthy controls.All subjects underwent extensive assessment of cognitive function,genotyping was carried out on the platform of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry.Results ( 1 ) There was prominent discrepancy between aMCI and controls in the memory,attention and executive functions,20 minutes delayed recall of auditory verbal memory test (AVMT) (3.0(0.0 ～ 10.0 ),8.0 (0.0 ～ 12.0),t =- 8.533,P ＜ 0.05 ),recall of Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test ( R-O CFT) (11.2 ±8.3,16.1 ±8.0,t=4.216,P＜0.05),digit span test (DST) (12.0(7.0 ～ 19.0),13.0(7.0 ～20.0),Z=-2.516,P＜0.05),trail making test A (TMTA) (80.0s(35.0 ～200.0)s,72.0s(29.0 ～512.0)s,Z=-3.113,P＜0.05),trail making test B (TMTB) ((180.1 ±72.7)s,(141,7 ±52.1)s,t=-4.385,P＜0.05 ).(2) No significant differences were found in frequencies of alleles,genotypes and hapolotypes of inflammation mediator genes ( interleukin 10,interleukin 1 A,interleukin 1 B,tumor necrosis factor,interleukin 6,α1- an-tichymotrypsin gene,transforming growth factor B1 ) between aMCI and controls (P ＞ 0.05 ).ConclusionThe results indicate that polymorphisms in the inflammation-related candidate genes do not appear to be involved in the risk of developing aMCI.

Objective To investigate the relationship between amnestic mild cognitive impairment and functional genes associated with hyperphosphorylated tau protein.Methods One hundred and sixteen amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) patients and 93 normal controls were recruited for the study.Multi-dimension neuropsychologic tests were used to assess the cognitive function extensively.MassARRAY and iPlex systems were used to measure candidate SNP polymorphisms,analyze genotypic,allelic or haplotypic distributions and their interaction with ApoE ε4 and the correlation with the cognitive function in the subjects.Results ( 1 ) The scores of neuropsychologic tests in memory domain ( Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT)-first immediate recall,AVLT-second immediate recall,AVLT-second immediate recall,AVLT-5 minute delayed recall,AVLT-20 minute delayed recall,AVLT-recognition,Rey-Osterrich Comolex Test-delay) in aMCI patients ( 3.0 ( 0-7.0 ),5.0 ( 1.0-10.0),6.0 ( 1.0-11.0 ),4.0 (0-11.0),3.0(0-10.0),20.0(8.0-24.0),11.2 ±8.3) were significantly lower than those in the normal controls(4.0(0-9.0),7.0(2.0-11.0),9.0(3.0-12.0),8.0(0-12.0),8.0(0-12.0),22.0 (10.0-24.0),16.1±8.0) (Z=-3.592,-6.802,-6.408,-8.173,-8.533,-5.647 andt=4.216 respectively,all P ＜0.01 ) ; (2) Genotypic distributions of rs242562 GG in aMCI (7.826％ ) were significantly lower than those in normal controls (20.65％,OR =0.3525,95％ CI 0.1411-0.8807,P =0.024 98),however there were no differences in the genotypic,allelic or haplotypic distributions between aMCI patients and controls of glycogen synthase kinase-3β,cyclin dependent protein kinase-5,calcium and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-Ⅱ,cell division cycle 2,dual-specificity tyrosine-phosphorylation regulated kinase 1A and low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6; (3) MAPT/STH rs242562 genotype was correlated with AVLT-immediate recall,AVLT-delayed recall,Rey-Osterrieth Complex Test,Rey-Osterrieth Complex Test-delayed recall and Clock Drawing Test (H =9.763,12.258,10.508,9.624,10.767,F =3.700,3.123 and H =6.591 respectively,all P ＜ 0.05 ) ; (4) There were no differences in the distributions of MAPT/STH rs242562 GG genotype and ApoE ε4 haplotype between aMCI patients and normal controls.Conclusions MAPT/STH rs242562 GG genotype decreases the genetic risk of aMCI,which might have important role in memory function in aMCI.The interaction between rs242562 GG and ApoE ε4 doesn' t affect the susceptibility to aMCI.

Objective To explore the pulse diagram parameter changes of chronic renal insufficiency patients with five symptoms types(spleen kidney qi deficiency ,spleen kidney Yang deficiency ,kidney liver Yin deficiency and the deficiency of Yin and Yang ) , and to establish the differentiation mode of each symptoms type for assisting the clinical diagnosis .Methods The DS01-C pulse manifestation instrument made by the Shanghai Daosh company was adopted to detect and analyze the pulse manifestations in the healthy control group and the chronic renal insufficiency group .Results The healthy control group was dominated by the normal pulse manifestation .The chronic renal insufficiency group was dominated by the taut pulse and its concurrent pulse .Along with the progress of the disease ,the pulse manifestations also appeared the corresponding changes .The patients with spleen kidney qi defi-ciency and spleen kidney Yang deficiency were dominated by the taut pulse .Comparing the patients with liver kidney Yin deficiency and Qi Yin deficiency ,the taut pulse and concurrent rapid pulse were common ,in addition ,the former also had the deep pulse .The patients with Yin and Yang deficiency showed the slow pulse and the taut pulse or the taut pulse and rapid pulse .Conclusion The pulse manifestation change in the patients with chronic renal insufficiency is dominated by the taut pulse and the concurrent pulse , the pulse manifestation change of various symptoms types are complex .