OBJECTIVES: To investigate the inhibitory effect of cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) binding to cholecystokinin 2 receptor (CCK2R) on methamphetamine (METH)-induced neuronal apoptosis, and to explore the signal transduction mechanism of β-arrestin 2 in CCK-8 inhibiting METH-induced neuronal apoptosis. METHODS: SH-SY5Y cell line was cultured, and HEK293-CCK1R and HEK293-CCK2R cell line were constructed by lentivirus transfection. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to knockdown the expression of β-arrestin 2. Annexin Ⅴ-FITC/PI staining and flow cytometry were used to detect the apoptotic rate of cells, and Western blotting was used to detect the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. RESULTS: The apoptosis of SH-SY5Y cells was induced by 1 mmol/L and 2 mmol/L METH treatment, the number of nuclear fragmentation and pyknotic cells was significantly increased, and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins Bax and cleaved caspase-3 were increased. CCK-8 pre-treatment at the dose of 0.1 mmol/L and 1 mmol/L significantly reversed METH-induced apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells, and inhibited cell nuclear fragmentation, pyknosis and the changes of apoptosis-related proteins induced by METH. In lentivirus transfected HEK293-CCK1R and HEK293-CCK2R cells, the results revealed that CCK-8 had no significant effect on METH-induced changes of apoptosis-related proteins in HEK293-CCK1R cells, but it could inhibit the expression level of apoptosis-related proteins in HEK293-CCK2R cells induced by METH. The inhibitory effect of CCK-8 on METH-induced apoptosis was blocked by the knockdown of β-arrestin 2 expression in SH-SY5Y cells. CONCLUSIONS CCK-8 can bind to CCK2R and exert an inhibitory effect on METH-induced apoptosis by activating the β-arrestin 2 signal.
Apoptosis/physiology* ; Central Nervous System Stimulants/pharmacology* ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Methamphetamine/pharmacology* ; Sincalide/pharmacology*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether hydrogen-rich water exerts a protective effect against cellular injury by affecting the level of autophagy after oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) in a mouse hippocampal neuronal cell line (HT22 cells). METHODS: HT22 cells in logarithmic growth phase were cultured in vitro. Cell viability was detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay to find the optimal concentration of Na₂S₂O₄. HT22 cells were divided into control group (NC group), OGD/R group (sugar-free medium+10 mmol/L Na₂S₂O₄ treated for 90 minutes and then changed to normal medium for 4 hours) and hydrogen-rich water treatment group (HW group, sugar-free medium+10 mmol/L Na₂S₂O₄ treated for 90 minutes and then changed to medium containing hydrogen-rich water for 4 hours). The morphology of HT22 cells was observed by inverted microscopy; cell activity was detected by CCK-8 method; cell ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscopy; the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and Beclin-1 was detected by immunofluorescence; the protein expression of LC3II/I and Beclin-1, markers of cellular autophagy, was detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: Inverted microscopy showed that compared with the NC group, the OGD/R group had poor cell status, swollen cytosol, visible cell lysis fragments and significantly lower cell activity [(49.1±2.7)% vs. (100.0±9.7)%, P < 0.01]; compared with the OGD/R group, the HW group had improved cell status and remarkably higher cell activity [(63.3±1.8)% vs. (49.1±2.7)%, P < 0.01]. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the neuronal nuclear membrane of cells in the OGD/R group was lysed and a higher number of autophagic lysosomes were visible compared with the NC group; compared with the OGD/R group, the neuronal damage of cells in the HW group was reduced and the number of autophagic lysosomes was notably decreased. The results of immunofluorescence assay showed that the expressions of LC3 and Beclin-1 were outstandingly enhanced in the OGD/R group compared with the NC group, and the expressions of LC3 and Beclin-1 were markedly weakened in the HW group compared with the OGD/R group. Western blotting assay showed that the expressions were prominently higher in both LC3II/I and Beclin-1 in the OGD/R group compared with the NC group (LC3II/I: 1.44±0.05 vs. 0.37±0.03, Beclin-1/β-actin: 1.00±0.02 vs. 0.64±0.01, both P < 0.01); compared with the OGD/R group, the protein expression of both LC3II/I and Beclin-1 in the HW group cells were notably lower (LC3II/I: 0.54±0.02 vs. 1.44±0.05, Beclin-1/β-actin: 0.83±0.07 vs. 1.00±0.02, both P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Hydrogen-rich water has a significant protective effect on OGD/R-causing HT22 cell injury, and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of autophagy.
Mice ; Animals ; Oxygen/metabolism* ; Beclin-1/pharmacology* ; Glucose/metabolism* ; Actins ; Sincalide ; Autophagy/physiology* ; Hydrogen/pharmacology* ; Reperfusion Injury ; Apoptosis

PURPOSE: MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that play important roles in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) function. This study investigated the role of miR-379 on proliferation, invasion, and migration of VSMCs and explored underlying mechanisms thereof. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MicroRNA, mRNA, and protein levels were determined by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot. The proliferative, invasive, and migratory abilities of VSMCs were measured by CCK-8, invasion, and wound healing assay, respectively. Luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm the target of miR-379. RESULTS: Platelet-derived growth factor-bb was found to promote cell proliferation and suppress miR-379 expression in VSMCs. Functional assays demonstrated that miR-379 inhibited cell proliferation, cell invasion, and migration. Flow cytometry results further showed that miR-379 induced apoptosis in VSMCs. TargetScan analysis and luciferase report assay confirmed that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) 3'UTR is a direct target of miR-379, and mRNA and protein levels of miR-379 and IGF-1 were inversely correlated. Rescue experiments showed that enforced expression of IGF-1 sufficiently overcomes the inhibitory effect of miR-379 on cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in VSMCs. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that miR-379 plays an important role in regulating VSMCs proliferation, invasion, and migration by targeting IGF-1.
Apoptosis ; Cell Movement/*physiology ; Cell Proliferation/*physiology ; Humans ; Insulin ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I/*physiology ; MicroRNAs/*physiology ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/*cytology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis/*physiology ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sincalide/physiology ; Wound Healing/physiology

To study the effect of cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8) on systemic hypotension and cytokine production in serum and lung of endotoxic shock (ES) rats induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and investigate its signal transduction mechanism of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), the changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) were observed by using a polygraph in four groups of SD rats: group of LPS (8 mg/kg i.v.) induced ES, group of CCK-8 (40 microg/kg i.v.) pretreatment 10 min before LPS (8 mg/kg) administration, group of CCK-8 (40 microg/kg i.v.) only, and normal saline (control) group; the contents of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and IL-6) in the lung and serum were assayed using ELISA kits; and p38 MAPK was detected by Western blot. The results showed that CCK-8 alleviated LPS-induced decrease in MAP of rats; compared with the control, LPS elevated the levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and IL-6 in serum and lung significantly, while CCK-8 significantly inhibited the LPS-induced increases in TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and IL-6 in serum and lung. The activation of p38 MAPK in the lung of ES rats was enhanced by CCK-8 pretreatment. These results suggest that CCK-8 can alleviate the LPS-induced decrease in MAP of ES rats and exert an inhibitory effect on the overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines, and that p38 MAPK may be involved in its signal transduction mechanisms.
Animals ; Cytokines ; biosynthesis ; Lung ; metabolism ; Male ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; biosynthesis ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Shock, Septic ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Sincalide ; pharmacology ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases

AIMTo observe the responses of pain-related neurons in habenula to the nociceptive stimuli and classic analgesic morphine for inquiring into its characteristics of pain.

METHODSThe experiment was proceeded with adult rats under light anesthetized. Through the cannula inserted by operation or the multielectrode injecting the morphine, naloxone, CCK-8 and etc into lateral cerebro-ventricule or habenula, the unit firings from the neurons of habenula were recorded.

RESULTSThe unit firings were recorded from pain-related neurons distributed in MHb or LHb. The pain-related neurons could be differentiated into pain excitatory or pain inhibitory neurons. After the morphine iontophoresed, the main response of the pain excitatory neurons was inhibited, the pain inhibitory neurons were excited. The naloxone iontophoresed could antagonize the analgesic effect of morphine on neurons of habenula. After the morphine injected (10 mg/kg, i. p) into morphine-tolerated rats, the analgesic efficacy of pain-related neurons in LHb was more stronger than in MHb. It showed that the neurons in LHb were suffered from morphine was higher than MHb. After injection of antagonist of CCK-8 into lateral cerebro-ventricle, morphine injected peritoneally could weaken the tolerance level of morphine. Conversely, after injection of morphine (10 mg/kg, i. p.) 10 min, second time injection of CCK-8 (15 ng/10 microl) into lateral cerebro-ventricle could antagonize the analgesic action of morphine on the neurons in LHb, but in MHb the antagonized action was not obviously.

CONCLUSIONThe excitatory and inhibitory neurons in Hb were sensitive to the nociceptive stimuli and not easy to adapt to it. The sensitivity of the neurons in LHb to morphine was more higher than the neurons in MHb.

Animals ; Habenula ; cytology ; drug effects ; Morphine ; pharmacology ; Naloxone ; pharmacology ; Neurons ; drug effects ; physiology ; Pain Threshold ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sincalide ; pharmacology

For investigation of the regulatory mechanism of cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8) on pulmonary circulation in rabbits with endotoxic shock (ES) induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) were evaluated for 5 h in five groups of rabbits: group of LPS (8 mg/kg, i.v.)-induced ES, group of CCK-8 pretreatment (15 microg/kg, i.v.) 15 min before LPS administration (8 mg/kg, i.v.), group of proglumide pretreatment (1 mg/kg, i.v.) 15 min before LPS administration (8 mg/kg, i.v.), group of CCK (15 microg/kg, i.v.) only, and normal saline (control) group. The pulmonary arterial tension was measured with isolated vascular ring technique. The results showed that LPS-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension was abolished by CCK-8. In contrast, proglumide, a nonspecific antagonist of CCK-8 receptor, potentiated the deleterious effect of LPS. The contractile response of isolated pulmonary artery to alpha-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine (PE) was enhanced and the relaxation response to acetylcholine (ACh) was depressed significantly after LPS was injected, but the effect could be reversed by CCK-8. These results suggest that pulmonary circulation is improved by CCK-8 in ES, and the regulatory effects of CCK-8 may be brought about by modulating the pulmonary arterial tension.
Animals ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Pulmonary Artery ; drug effects ; physiology ; Rabbits ; Shock, Septic ; complications ; physiopathology ; Sincalide ; pharmacology ; Vasodilation ; drug effects

The regional distributions and relative frequencies of some gastrointestinal endocrine cells in the three portions (cecum, colon and rectum) of the large intestinal tract of C57BL/6 mice were examined with immunohistochemical method using 7 types of specific antisera against chromogranin A (CGA), serotonin, somatostatin, human pancreatic polypeptide (HPP), glucagon, gastrin and cholecyctokinin (CCK)-8. In this study, all 3 types of immunoreactive (IR) cells were identified. Most of these IR cells in the large intestinal portion were generally spherical or spindle in shape (open-typed cell) while cells with a round shape (close-typed cell) were found in the intestinal gland. Their relative frequencies varied according to each portion of the large intestinal tract. CGA-IR cells were found throughout the whole large intestinal tract but were most predominant in the colon. Serotonin-IR cells were detected throughout the whole large intestinal tract and showed highest frequency in the colon. Peculiarly, glucagon-IR cells were restricted to the colon with a low frequency. However, no somatostatin-, HPP-, gastrin- and CCK-8-IR cells were found in the large intestinal tract. In conclusion, some peculiar distributional patterns of large intestinal endocrine cells were identified in C57BL/6 mice.
Animals ; Chromogranin A ; Chromogranins/metabolism ; Enteroendocrine Cells/*metabolism/physiology ; Female ; Gastrins/metabolism ; Glucagon/metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry/veterinary ; Intestine, Large/*cytology/metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Pancreatic Polypeptide/metabolism ; Serotonin/metabolism ; Sincalide/metabolism ; Somatostatin/metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To determine if ARHGEF10 has a haploinsufficient effect and provide evidence to evaluate the severity, if any, during prenatal consultation. METHODS: Zebrafish was used as a model for generating mutant. The pattern of arhgef10 expression in the early stages of zebrafish development was observed using whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH). CRISPR/Cas9 was applied to generate a zebrafish model with a single-copy or homozygous arhgef10 deletion. Activity and light/dark tests were performed in arhgef10 ^-/-, arhgef10 ^+/-, and wild-type zebrafish larvae. ARHGEF10 was knocked down using small interferon RNA (siRNA) in the SH-SY5Y cell line, and cell proliferation and apoptosis were determined using the CCK-8 assay and Annexin V/PI staining, respectively. RESULTS: WISH showed that during zebrafish embryonic development arhgef10 was expressed in the midbrain and hindbrain at 36-72 h post-fertilization (hpf) and in the hemopoietic system at 36-48 hpf. The zebrafish larvae with single-copy and homozygous arhgef10 deletions had lower exercise capacity and poorer responses to environmental changes compared to wild-type zebrafish larvae. Moreover, arhgef10 ^-/- zebrafish had more severe symptoms than arhgef10 ^+/- zebrafish. Knockdown of ARHGEF10 in human neuroblastoma cells led to decreased cell proliferation and increased cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION Based on our findings, ARHGEF10 appeared to have a haploinsufficiency effect.
Animals ; Annexin A5 ; Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; CRISPR-Associated Protein 9 ; CRISPR-Cas Systems ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Flow Cytometry ; Genotype ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Larva/physiology* ; Phenotype ; RNA/isolation & purification* ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction/standards* ; Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors/metabolism* ; Sincalide/analysis* ; Spectrophotometry/methods* ; Zebrafish/physiology*

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) on carotid sinus baroreflex in 36 anesthetized male rats by isolated carotid sinus perfusion in vivo. The results obtained are as follows. (1) By perfusion with CCK-8 (0.1, 0.5, 1.0 micromol/L), the functional curve of baroreflex was shifted to the right and upward, with a decrease in peak slope (PS) (p<0.001) and a reflex decrease (RD) in mean arterial pressure, while the threshold pressure (TP) and saturation pressure (SP) were significantly increased. Among the functional parameters of carotid sinus baroreflex, the changes in RD, PS and TP were dose-dependent. (2) Pretreatment with proglumide (100 micromol/L), a nonselective CCK receptor antagonist, the inhibitory effect of CCK-8 (0.5 micromol/L) on the baroreflex was significantly attenuated. (3) Pretreatment with L-NAME (100 micromol/L), an inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase, did not affect the inhibitory action of CCK-8 (0.5 micromol/L). (4) Preperfusion with Bay K 8644 (500 nmol/L), an agonist of calcium channel, could attenuate the effect of CCK-8 (0.5 micromol/L). It is suggested that the inhibitory action of CCK-8 on the baroreflex may be mediated by the activation of its receptors in the carotid sinus baroreceptor, leading to an inhibition of stretch-sensitive channels and a decrease in Ca(2+) influx. However, NO released from the endothelium seems not to be involved in the mechanism of this effect.
3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Baroreflex ; drug effects ; Calcium Channel Agonists ; pharmacology ; Carotid Sinus ; physiology ; Depression, Chemical ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; pharmacology ; Proglumide ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sincalide ; pharmacology

Objective: To search for the methods of isolating, purifying and culturing corpus cavernosal endothelial cells (CCECs) from SD rats, observe their growth characteristics, and providing seed cells for the study of erectile dysfunction (ED). METHODS: The corpus cavernosal tissue from the SD rat was digested with 0.1% elastase, followed by purification of CCECs with immunomagnetic beads. After further amplification, monoclonal CCECs were sorted out with the cloning cylinder and their morphological and proliferative characteristics were observed. The von Willebrand factor (VWF) in the CCECs was identified by immunofluorescence staining, the CD31 molecule detected by immumohistochemistry, the purity of the CCECs determined by flow cytometry, and the proliferation of the cells measured with CCK-8 and growth curves. RESULTS: After 7 days of purification and culture, the CCECs were fused into a monolayer under the inverted phase-contrast microscope, arranged like flagstones. The growth curves showed that the CCECs were in latency with a low growth rate at 1－2 days, in the logarithmic growth phase with a rapid rate at 3－4 days, and into the platform phase around the 6th day. VWF was positively expressed in the CCECs with much green fluorescence, and so was CD31 with a large number of brownish particles. The positive rate of the CCECs which were labelled with the VWF purified with magnetic beads combined with cloning cylinders was up to (91.9±3.75)%. CONCLUSIONS High-purity rat CCECs can be cultured successfully using immunomagnetic beads combined with cloning cylinders, with stable proliferation and passage in the endothelial cell medium.
Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; chemistry ; cytology ; physiology ; Erectile Dysfunction ; pathology ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunomagnetic Separation ; Male ; Penis ; cytology ; Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sincalide ; analysis ; von Willebrand Factor ; analysis