Aiming at the present tedious English translation of traditional Chinese medicine, the author advocates some approaches to simplify it in order to improve the readability, communicability and quality of translation.
Humans ; Information Dissemination ; methods ; Language ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Translations

AIM: To investigate the effect of selective silencing of SLC7a8 on uptaking L-dopa in renal tubular epithelial cells of rat (NRK-52E). METHODS: The three siRNAs targeting SLC7a8 (siRNA-1, siRNA-2, siRNA-3) were designed and synthesized. A siRNA with nonspecific coding sequence (siRNA-con) was used for control. All siRNAs were transfected into NRK-52E cells. The siRNA-con transfected group, blank control group and gene-specific silencing SLC7a8 group were set up. The efficiency of transfection was estimated by flow cytometry. The efficiency of RNA interference was detected and screened by RT-PCR preliminarily, and was followed by Western blotting at protein level. The concentrations of L-dopa uptake into the NRK-52E cells were detected by ultraviolet spectrophotometry at different time points (6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 and 120 min). RESULTS: The transfection efficiency was 94% detected by flow cytometry. The initial screening of RT-PCR showed that the efficiencies of RNA interference of siRNA-1 and siRNA-3 were higher, and siRNA-3 was the highest at protein level determined by Western blotting. No distinctive change was found between siRNA-con treated NRK-52E and blank control cells. The L-dopa uptake at different time points (6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 and 120min) in siRNA-interference group was lower than that in siRNA-con transfected group and blank control group. No significant difference of L-dopa uptake between siRNA-con group and blank control group was observed. CONCLUSION: RNA interference technology selectively down-regulates SLC7a8 expression in rat renal tubular epithelial cells. The L-dopa uptake is also decreased after specifically silencing the slc7a8 expression.

Animal models with kidney disease are generally divided into two types. One belongs to the models which imitate human kidney disease by the artificial operations, such as anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody nephritis, Heymann nephritis, anti-Thyl. 1 antibody nephritis, BSA nephritis and puromycin nephropathy. The other one pertains to the models which make themselves kidney disease, and appear the pathological characteristics naturally as like as human, such as HIGA mice with IgA nephropathy and NZB/WF1 and MRL/1pr mice with lupus nephritis. In addition,the transgenic animal models with kidney disease can also be established by the modern molecular biologic techniques including gene knockout and siRNA transfection. As for the studies related with kidney disease in pharmacodynamics and pharmacology of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), it is important to understand deeply the features of each animal model with kidney disease, and select accurately the proper models according to the different experimental objectives, and then, build the special models provided with the combination of disease with syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Therefore,it is the developmental direction for the further study to establish animal models with kidney disease, which should possess the characteristics of syndrome in TCM.
Animals ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; etiology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; etiology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Streptozocin

Background Many ophthalmologists have proved that the intravitreal injection of plasmin can safely induce posterior vitreous detachment(PVD),but if it can generate the complete PVD need further to seek confirmation.Researches showed that the safe dose and toxicity dose of dispase are very near,so its application is limited.Whether hyaluronidase can induce PVD is still in controversy.Objective This study is to clarity the mechanism of pharmacological vitreolysis with plasmin and hyaluronidase.Methods Plasmin 4μmol/L,2μmol/L and 1μmol/L,plasmin 1μmol/L+ hyaluronidase 20μmol/L,hyaluronidase alone were intravitreally injected in lateral eye of 4 clean New Zealand white rabbits respectively,and 0.1mL BSS was injected as control group.Electron immunocytochemical technique was used to detect the laminin and fibronectin of interface between vitreous and retina in 7 days after intravitreal injection.Other 14 eyes of 7 clean New Zealand white rabbits were used in this study.Plasmin 1μmol/L + hyaluronidase 20μmol/L was intravitreally injected in the lateral eyes,and only plasmin 1μmol/L was injected in the fellow eyes.Plasmin activity in vitreous was evaluated in 15 and 30 minutes,1 hour,2,3,6,12 hours after intravitreal injection.The use of animals followed the Regulations for the Administration of Affair Concerning Experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission.Results The amounts of laminin and fibronectin in the vitreoretinal interface were decreased in 4μmol/L plasmin group,2μmol/L plasmin group,1μmol/L plasmin group,1μmol/L plasmin+20μmol/L hyaluronidase group compared with control group(P＜0.01).No significant difference was seen in the density of gold particles of anti FN between 20μmol/L hyaluronidase group and control group (P＞0.05).The change of amounts of fibronectin in the vitreoretinal interface was similar to that of laminin.Plasmin activity remained the highest level 1 hour after injection and thereafter gradually decreased and extincted in 12 hours and presented the same trend between plasmin 1μmol/L+hyaluronidase 20μmol/L group and only plasmin 1μmol/L group.Conclusion The mechanism of pharmacological vitreolysis is to dissolve laminin and fibronectin in the interface between vitreous and retina and therefore induce PVD.Combination of plasmin with hyaluronidase can increase the efficiency of pharmacological vitreolysis.The optimum selection of drug in inducing PVD should consider not only its role of lysis laminin and fibronectin but also the role of liquefying the vitreous.

Objective To study the association between clinical symptoms,psychosomatic factors and autonomic nervous function in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).Methods Thirty-four patients with GERD diagnosed by reflux disease questionnaire (RDQ) and endoscopy and 15 healthy control subjects were enrolled in this study.All the subjects were divided into two groups,one with normal scores of Zung's self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and Zung's depression scale (SDS) as GERD (-) and the other with abnormal scores of SAS and SDS as GERD (+).Reflux symptom score was recorded for both groups at the same time.Autonomic nervous function was assessed by their heart rate variability (HRV) on dynamic electrocardiogram (DCG).The time domain parameters analyzed included standard deviation (SD) of average R-R interval during 24 hours (SDNN),SD of average 5-minute sinus heart rate (SDANN),mean square root of the difference of adjoining two R-R interval (rMSSD),and proportion of the heart beats with difference of R-R interval more than 50 ms from the total heart beats (PNN 50),and the frequency domain parameters analyzed included low-frequency (LF),high-frequency (HF) and ratio of LF to HF.Results Average scores of SAS and SDS were significantly higher in patients with GERD than those in healthy controls (48?9 vs 38?6 and 48?11 vs 41?6,respectively,P

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of acupuncture on cationized bovine serum albumin (C-BSA) nephritis model in rabbits and to explore its mechanism.

METHODSFifty rabbits were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, a metoprolol group, a irbesartan group and an acupuncture group, 10 rabbits in each group. The model was established by ear vein intravenous injection with C-BSA. The positive control groups were treated by intragastric administrated with metoprolol and irbesartan, respectively. The acupuncture group was treated by acupuncture at "Fengmen" (BL 12) and "Shenshu" (BL 23). No interventions were added on the blank group and the model group. The changes of blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), plasma norepinephrine (NE), serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and 24 hours urine protein (24 h UP) in rabbits at the time points of 3rd, 6th and 8th week of treatment were observed.

RESULTSAfter the model was established, the Scr of (194.30 +/- 20.09) micromol/L, BUN of (9.19 +/- 0.66) mmol/L and 24 h UP of (277.70 +/- 20.09) mg/24 h in the model group were all higher than the Scr of (66.03 +/- 4. 76) micromol/L, BUN of (4.11 +/- 0.71) mmol/L and 24 h UP of (14.28 +/- 1. 47) mg/24 h in the blank group (all P < 0.01), and the diffused mesenteria hyperplasia and the increase of intercapillary cells in the model group were showed in the pathological sections. After 3 weeks of treatment. The Scr of (99.82 +/- 9.29) micromol/L, BUN of (6.32 +/- 0.75) mmol/L and 24 h UP of (189.67 +/- 15.45) mg/ 24 h in the acupuncture group were all decreased significantly, furthermore, the decrease of BP, HR, NE were better than the other treatment groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Except the level of 24 h up and HR at 8th week, other results were as same as the 3rd week.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture can improve the function of kidney, decrease the content of 24 h UP and the underlying therapeutic mechanism could be correlated with that acupuncture can lower excitability of sympathetic nerve and alleviate the renal pathological lesion induced by nephritis.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; metabolism ; Humans ; Kidney ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Nephritis ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo demonstrate the effects and mechanisms of Huangkui capsule (HKC) on renal fibrosis in rats with diabetic nephropathy (DN).

METHODRats were randomly divided into 5 groups, the sham-operated group (Sham group, n = 5), the vehicle-given group (Vehicle group, n = 7), the low dose of HKC-treated group (L-HKC group, n = 7), the high dose of HKC-treated group (H-HKC group, n = 7) and the lipoic acid (LA)-treated group (LA group, n = 7). DN models were induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ,35 mg x kg(-1)) twice and unilateral nephrectomy. After models were successfully established, the rats in HKC and LA groups were daily administrated with HKC suspensions (0.75, 2 g x kg(-1)) or LA suspensions (60 mg x kg(-1)) respectively, and at the same time, the rats in Vehicle group were daily administrated with distilled water (2 mL) for 8 weeks. All rats were sacrificed at the end of week 8 to collect blood and renal tissues. UAlb, renal function, renal fibrotic morphologic characteristics, as well as oxidative stress (OS)-related markers, the protein expressions of the key signaling molecules in p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) signaling pathway, fibrogenic cytokines and inflammatory factors were examined respectively.

RESULTHKC, similar to LA, improved the general state of health, body weight, UAlb, BUN, UA and Alb in DN model rats. Of note, renal fibrosis was ameliorated in HKC groups,especially in H-HKC group which was better than that in LA group. In addition, HKC not only improved the main indexes of OS in the kidney like LA, but also down-regulated the protein expressions of phosphorylated-p38MAPK (p-p38MAPK), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α in the kidney, whereas, LA only decreased the protein expression of TNF-α in the kidney in DN model rats.

CONCLUSIONHKC, similar to LA, has the actions of anti-OS in vivo. Moreover, HKC could attenuate renal fibrosis by suppressing the activation of p38MAPK signaling pathway and the protein expressions of fibrogenic cytokines and inflammatory factors in the kidney in DN model rats, which is different from LA.

Abelmoschus ; chemistry ; Animals ; Capsules ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Fibrosis ; Kidney ; drug effects ; pathology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; Male ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects and mechanisms of multi-glycoside of Tripterygium wilfordii (GTW) on improving glomerular inflammatory lesion in rats with diabetic nephropathy (DN).

METHODDN model was induced by unilateral nephrectomy and intraperitoneal injection of STZ (35 mg x kg(-1)) twice. The rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, the sham-operated group (Sham group, n = 5), the vehicle-given group (Vehicle group, n = 5 ) and GTW-treated group (GTW group, n = 5). After the model was successfully established, the rats in GTW group were daily oral administrated with GTW suspension (50 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)), meanwhile, the rats in Vehicle group were daily oral administrated with distilled water (2 mL) for 8 weeks. From the beginning of the administration, all rats were killed 8 weeks later. Blood and renal tissues were collected,and then UAlb, renal function, glomerular morphology characteristics and glomerular macrophages (ED1 + cells) infiltration, as well as the protein expressions of inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α and interleukin(IL)-lβ, and the key molecules in p38MAPK signaling pathway including p38 mitogenactivated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphorylated p38 (p-p38MAPK) and transforming growth factor(TGF)-β1 were investigated respectively.

RESULTGTW not only ameliorated the general state of health and body weight,but also attenuated UAlb, glomerulosclerosis, the infiltration of glomerular ED1 + cells and the protein expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, p-p38MAPK and TGF-β1 in the kidney in DN model rats.

CONCLUSIONBy means of DN model rats, we demonstrated that GTW has the protective effect on renal inflammatory damage in vivo via inhibiting inflammatory cells infiltration and inflammatory cytokines expression. Furthermore, GTW could improve renal inflammatory lesion through down-regulating the expressions of the key signaling molecules in p38MAPK pathway such as p-p38MAPK and TGF-β1 ,and inhibiting the activation of p38MAPK signaling in the kidney.

Animals ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Glomerulonephritis ; drug therapy ; Glycosides ; pharmacology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; analysis ; Tripterygium ; chemistry ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; physiology

In the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN), reactive oxygen specie (ROS) over much in vivo leads to oxidative stress(OS)-related renal injuries, which are characterized by the structural and functional changes in glomerular and renal tubular cells in morphology. The regulative approaches of OS involve the several signaling pathways, in which, both p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway play the important roles as the target of anti-oxidants. The interventional actions of Chinese herbal compound prescriptions and the extracts of single Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) on OS in the kidney in DN include regulating the balance between ROS and antioxidants, reducing the production of AGEs, inhibiting the expression of growth factors and intervening the activity of signaling pathways.
Animals ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Treatment Outcome

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plays a contributory role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this review, we summarized the current findings of lncRNAs in RA, including cellular function and the potential mechanisms. Serum lncRNA levels are associated with serum proinflammatory cytokines and disease activity. LncRNAs regulate proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs), modulate the differentiation of T lymphocytes and macrophages, and affect bone formation-destruction balance of chondrocytes. Besides, lncRNAs are involved in inflammation and cell motivation signaling pathways. In-depth research on lncRNAs may help elucidate the pathogenesis of RA and provides clues for novel treatment targets.