AIM: To investigate the effect of ginsenoside-Rg3 on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in retina with diabetic rats and its roles in preventing neovascularization in diabetes. METHODS: Sixty male Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups randomly: negative control group, diabetic control group and ginsenoside-Rg3 treatment group (5mg/kg, 0.2mg/mL) followed by establishing diabetic model. The expression of VEGF and TNF-α were measured after 8 weeks. RESULTS: There were significant differences among negative control group, diabetic control group and ginsenoside-Rg3 treatment group in the expression of VEGF and TNF-α (F=129.363, 211.992; all the P<0.01). VEGF and TNF-α expression were significantly higher in diabetic control group and ginsenoside-Rg3 treatment group than that in negative control group (P<0.01), with a significant reduction in ginsenoside-Rg3 treatment group than that in diabetic control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Ginsenoside-Rg3 can down-regulate the expression of VEGF and TNF-α in retina, which may interfere in the development of diabetic retinopathy.

OBJECTIVETo study the anti-asthmatic effect of sodium ferulate (SF) and its mechanism in guinea pig asthmatic model.

METHODSGuinea pigs were sensitized with ovalbumin as animal asthmatic model and treated with 3 different concentration of SF for 8 days. Levels of endothelin (ET) and nitric oxide (NO) in blood and lung tissue, and eosinophil (EOS) in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BLAF) was counted at the end of trial.

RESULTSSF could significantly lower the ET content and increase the NO concentration in serum and lung tissue, reduce the number of EOS in blood and BLAF (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Stronger effect was showed in the high dose group.

CONCLUSIONMechanism of anti-asthmatic action of SF might be to increase NO concentration, lower ET content, alleviate EOS infiltration.

Animals ; Anti-Asthmatic Agents ; pharmacology ; Asthma ; blood ; chemically induced ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; cytology ; Coumaric Acids ; pharmacology ; Endothelin-1 ; blood ; Eosinophils ; pathology ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Ovalbumin

OBJECTIVE:To establish an HPLC method for the determination of Stillbene glycoside (THPG) in Zhipingk-ang misture.METHODS:The chromatographic column was Hypersil C18(250 mm?4.6 mm,5 ?m).The mobile phase consisted of acetonitribl-water(25∶75) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL?min-1 with detection wavelength set at 320 nm. RESULTS: There was a good linear relationship within the concentration range of 0.5～8.0 ?g for THPG. The average recovery of THPG was 100.03%(RSD=1.07, n=6).CONCLUSION: The adoptd method is accurate, reproducible and suitable for the quality con-trol of Zhipingkang misture.

AIM To study the effect of 17?-estradiol(E 2) on apoptosis of macrophages at certain concentration.METHODS Fluorescent microscopy and scanning eletron microscopy(ESEM) were used to detect apoptosis changes of macrophages induced by E 2 at relatively high concentration and intracellular Ca 2+ and matochontrial transmembrane potential were examined by laser scanning confocal microscopy(LSCM). RESULTS Apoptosis of macrophages was induced by high concentration of E 2 (≥1 ?mol?L -1). Intracellular Ca 2+ elevated and matochontrial transmembrane potential decreased after E 2 treatment. CONCLUSION Apoptosis of macrophages is induced by certain concentration of E 2 (≥1 ?mol?L -1) and this may be related to elevated intracellular Ca 2+ and decreased matochontrial transmembrane potential.

Objective To analyze mRNA and protein expressions of plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 using microdissection and quantitative real-time PCR,and to analyse their associations with microvascular diseases in IgA nephropathy.Methods Twenty-four IgA nephropathy patients treated in Kidney Center and Kidney Laboratory of PLA from 2000 to 2004 were admitted into the study;20 renal glomeruli or 200 renal tubules and peritubular interstitial per patient were captured by Laser Microdissection System from IgA nephropathy renal biopsy slides(8 ?m),and mRNA was extracted.PA mRNA and PAI-1 mRNA levels in glomerulus and tubulointerstitial area were measured by Taqman quantitative real-time PCR.Capillaries densities in glomerulus and tubulointerstitial area were measured using immunohistological staining method and computer image analysis system.Results With the aggravation of lesions,the glomeruli and peritubular capillaries densities of IgA nephropathy decreased.The glomerular and peritubular capillaries densities were negatively associated with the level of serum creatinine(R2=0.6946 and R2=0.6271,P

ObjectiveTo explore the influence factors of prognosis of spinal cord injury patients. MethodsFollow-up data of 121 cases with spinal cord injury was analysed with retrospective cohort study.ResultsThe highest recover rate was in the patients who accepted the special rehabilitation therapy,while that of recovering two class was in the patients who accepted the magnetic stimulation.Conclusions Special recovering cure and magnetic stimulation can surely promote recovery of spinal cord injury patients.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mucociliary Clearance ; Nasal Mucosa ; diagnostic imaging ; physiology ; Radioimmunoassay ; Radioisotopes ; Radionuclide Imaging

OBJECTIVETo investigate the rule of the aquaporin-4 (AQP4) expression in acute ischemic brain edema, and to study the correlation between AQP4 expression and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).

METHODSThirty-six Wistar rats were divided into 2 groups randomly, control group (n = 12) and operation group (n = 24) in which right middle cerebral artery of each animal had been occluded unilaterally (MCAO) at interval times of: 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hours, 3 hours, 6 hours and 24 hours, respectively. The operation process of the control group was the same as the operation group except for the MCAO. All groups were examined using DWI. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), relative density (rd) and relative area (rs) of the biggest hyperintensity signal layer on DWI were measured. After that the animals were sacrificed and perfused with the mixture solution consisting of TTC. The biggest layers of the ischemic cerebral tissues in each rat corresponding to the DWI were stained with TTC and examined with immunochemistry (DeltaS), in situ hybridization (alpha) and histology.

RESULTSThere was no significant change in the control group. In the operation group, a hyperintensity signal was found in the DWI of the right MAC territory at 15 minutes after MCAO. The ADC value decreased quickly within one hour after MCAO, while the AQP4 expression, rd-DWI and rs-DWI increased rapidly during this stage. As time progressed, the ADC value decreased further to (2.1 +/- 0.6) x 10(-4) mm(2)/s at 3 hours, and then began to increase slowly till 24 hours. But the AQP4 expression (DeltaS and alpha) and rd as well as the rs continuously increased slowly between 1 hour and 6 hours after MCAO, followed a peak after 6 hours. The AQP4 expression (alpha) showed a positive relationship with the rs-DWI, they all presented two peaks and a plateau. The corresponding sequential pathologic changes were a gradual increase of intracellular edema (within one hour), then an emergence of vasogenic edema (1-6 hours), and final necrosis and liquefaction (6 - 24 hours).

CONCLUSIONSUpregulated expression of AQP4 may play a significant role in acute ischemic brain edema, especially during the stages of intracellular edema and necrosis, but it has no correlation to vasogenic edema. Certainly, the high expression of AQP4 is perhaps one of the most important reasons of the decrease of ADC and hyperintensity on the DWI in the intracellular edema.

Acute Disease ; Animals ; Aquaporin 4 ; Aquaporins ; analysis ; Brain Edema ; etiology ; pathology ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; pathology ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective To investigate the hemodynamic change of venous leakage in venogenic impotence. Methods Thirty-two patients with vasculogenic impotence were evaluated with conventional penile duplex sonography with spectral analysis and color Doppler imaging after intracavernosal injection of PGE1 to induce an erection.The color Doppler appearance of deep dorsal vein of penis,cavernous veins and bulbourethral vein wen observed and the correlativity with resistance index(RI)of cavernous artery were analyzed. Results After five minutes following intracavernous injection,the flow and diameter of the penis vein were continuous increased.The coefficient correlation r between the discharge of deep dorsal vein of penis,cavernous veins and bulbourethral vein with RI of cavernous artery were-0.55,-0.53,-0.24(P＜0.05).Considering the existence of mixed venous leakage,r between the discharge of vein of penis with RI of cavernous artery was-0.88(P＜0.001).Conclusions Higher qualitative ultrasound imaging could demonstrate venous leakage sensitively and assess the location and degree of venous leakage in venogenic impotence initially.

Objective:To purify HLA-DR molecules. Methods: Anti-HLA-DR antibody L243 was purified and coupled with CNBr activated Sepharose 4B gel. Immunoaffinity column was used to purify HLA-DR molecules. Results:Twenty micrograms of HLA-DR molecules were isolated from about 5 g Epstein-Barr virus-transformed human B lymphoblastoid cell line RAJI lysates by affinity chromatography. The purified HLA-DR molecules existed in α/β heterodimers form and could bind to conformation-dependent antibody L243. These HLA-DR molecules were separated into two strands,α and β,by boiling denaturation. These results are the basis for studying MHC Ⅱ binding peptide motif and CD4＋ T cell epitopes of antigens in future.