Spermatogenesis is a unique process of cell differentiation, which involves the regulation of a series of complicated post-transcriptional expressions. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of none-coding RNAs that play important roles in regulating post-transcriptional gene silencing. MiRNAs are expressed in a cell-specific manner in spermatogenesis and participate in the maturation and differentiation of male germ cells. The specifically altered seminal plasma miRNA is closely related with spermatogenic dysfunction and therefore can be used as a novel biomarker for the diagnosis of male infertility. A deeper insight into these specific miRNAs may point a new direction in the studies of the molecular mechanisms of spermatogenesis and spermatogenic dysfunction.
Biomarkers ; Cell Differentiation ; Genitalia, Male ; Germ Cells ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; RNA Interference ; Semen ; physiology ; Spermatogenesis ; genetics

Actins ; metabolism ; Adult ; Breast ; pathology ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Mammography ; Neoplasms, Muscle Tissue ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Norovirus ; chemistry ; genetics ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Open Reading Frames ; Virus Replication

Animals ; Heart Ventricles ; cytology ; Lipid Bilayers ; Potassium Channels ; Sarcolemma ; physiology ; Swine

Objective To investigate the significance and effect of ultrasonic diagnosis on the autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in angiogenesis. Methods Twenty-four New Zealand rabbits were divided into experiment group (12) and the control group (12). Then rabbit bone marrow MSCs from experiment group were isolated, caltured and marked with Brdu. After ischemic hind limb animal model on all rabbits was set up, autologous bone marrow MSCs were directly injected into the ischemic hind limb muscles in experiment group while same volume normal saline was used in the control group. Two weeks after the implantation of autologous bone marrow MSCs, 2D and color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) detection were used in rabbit femoral artery of the two groups to observe the inner diameter of the blood vessel, the peak velocity and the acceleration time. The disposition of transplaned cells and the state of angiogenesis in ischemic muscles were assessed using immunofluorescence staining. Results The results of 2D and Doppler ultrasound detection showed the inner diameter of the blood vessel and the peak velocity of the blood current in experiment group obviously higher than that of the control group , and the acceleration time was obviously smaller than that of the control group P<0.01. The immunofluorescence staining showed there were transplanted cells existed in transplanted portion and state of angiogenesis was supurior obviously than that of the control. Conclusions Bone marrow MSCs had the effect to promote angiogenesis. Implantation of autologous bone marrow MSCs was a simple and efficient therapeutic method for the ischemia hind limb. Using high-frequency ultrasound to detect femoral artery may provide a practical and useful method to evaluate the effect on implanted autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

Adult ; CD56 Antigen ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Neprilysin ; metabolism ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Receptors, Progesterone ; metabolism ; Vimentin ; metabolism ; Young Adult ; beta Catenin ; metabolism

Objective To observe the influence of serum containing esculentoside A(EsA) on the proliferation of glomerular mesangial cell (GMC) and the activation of ERK1/2-AP-1 pathway of glomerular mesangial cell induced by IL-1β.Methods SD rats were gavaged by different doses of EsA(5,10,20,40 mg/kg) for getting medicated sera.The control group was set (gavage by 0.5sodium carboxymethylcellulose);the EsA medicated serum was used to treat rGMC.The control serum group was set.The influence of EsA medicated serum in each group on rGMC proliferation was detected by MTT;the rGMC was divided into the blank control group,IL-1β single action group,IL-1β+ EsA double action group,IL-1β+ U016 double action group and IL-1β+ U0126 + EsA combined action group,which were synchronized and then cultured for 48 h.Western blot was used to detectthe expression of p-ERK1/2 and AP-1 an the imaging analysis was performed.Results The EsA medicated serum(5-10 mg/kg gavage) inhibited the cellular proliferation(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01);the IL-1β group promoted the expression of p-ERK1/2 and AP-1 in rGMC(P＜ 0.05),after acting on rGMC in the IL-1β+EsA double action group,IL-1β+U0126 double action group and IL-1β+U0126+EsA combined action group,the expression of p-ERK1/2 and AP-1 was decreased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Serum containing EsA (5～10 mg/kg gavage) significantly inhibits the rGMC proliferation;EsA inhibits IL-1β induced rGMC proliferation,its action pathway on ERK1/2-AP-1 is one of mechanisms for inhibiting rGMC proliferation.

To study the effect of cholesterol and 25-OH-cholesterol on cholesterol metabolism in HepG2 cells and the effect of coptisine (Cop) extracted from Coptidis Rhizoma (CR) in reducing and regulating cholesterol. In this study, TC, TG, LDL-c and HDL-c were measured by biochemical analysis; mRNA and protein expressions of LDLR, HMGCR and CYP7A1 were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. According to the results, cholesterol and 25-OH-cholesterol inducing could decrease in mRNA and protein expressions of LDLR and CYP7A1, so as to increase TC and LDL-c contents. However, Cop could up-regulate mRNA and protein expressions of LDLR and CYP7A1 and down-regulate that of HMGCR, so as to reduce TC and LDL-c levels. These findings suggested that Cop has potential pharmacological activity for reducing cholesterol, and may reduce cholesterol by regulating mRNA and protein expressions of key genes involved in cholesterol metabolism, such as LDLR, CYP7A1 and HMGCR. This study laid a firm theoretical foundation for developing new natural drugs with the cholesterol-lowering activity.
Berberine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; drug effects ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, LDL ; genetics ; metabolism ; Triglycerides ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the effect of a vasoactive substance urotensin Ⅱ on the expression of type Ⅰ collagen and migration of human skin fibroblasts,and to explore the underlying mechanisms of signal transduction.Methods Fibroblasts were isolated from human foreskin tissues and subjected to primary culture.After a series of subculture,fibroblasts were classified into several groups to be treated with different concentrations (10-10 to 10-6 mol/L) of urotensin lⅡ for 24 hours,urotensin Ⅱ of 10-s mol/L for different durations (0,4,12,24 hours),or pretreated with PD98059 (a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor),nicardipine (a calcium channel blocker) and ciclosporin (a calcineurin inhibitor) of 10-5 mol/L respectively for 30 minutes followed by treatment with urotensin Ⅱ of 10-8 mol/L for 24 hours.The cells receiving no treatment served as the control.Subsequently,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to determine the level of urotensin Ⅱ in the supernatant of fibroblasts,and Transwell assay to estimate the migration activity of fibroblasts.Statistical analysis was carried out by t test and analysis of variance.Results Urotensin Ⅱ promoted the expression of type Ⅰ collagen in a time-and concentrationdependent manner.The level of type Ⅰ collagen was increased by 21.2％ (P ＞ 0.05),52.2％ (P ＜ 0.05),84.4％ (P ＜0.05),83.6％ (P ＜ 0.05) and 77.1％ (P ＜ 0.05) in the supernatant of fibroblasts treated with 10-10,10-9,10-8,10-7 and 10-6 mol/L of urotensin Ⅱ for 24 hours respectively,by 23.2％ (P ＞ 0.05),69.5％ (P ＜ 0.05) and 84.1％ (P ＜0.05) in the supernatant of fibroblasts treated with urotensin Ⅱ of 10-8 mol/L for 4,12 and 24 hours respectively,compared with the untreated control fibroblasts.The migration activity was markedly enhanced in fibroblasts treated with urotensin Ⅱ of 10-8 mol/L for 24 hours compared with the control fibroblasts (P ＜ 0.05).PD98059,nicardipine and cyclosporin A inhibited the secretion of type Ⅰ collagen by 18.2％,15.9％ and 19.7％ respectively,and suppressed the migration of fibroblasts by 38.3％ (P ＜ 0.05),20.7％ (P ＜ 0.05) and 81.4％ (P ＜ 0.05) respectively in the groups receiving pretreatment compared with those treated with urotensin Ⅱ alone.Conclusions Urotensin Ⅱ can promote the secretion of type Ⅰ collagen by and migration of fibroblasts,which may be realized through the Ca2+,calmodulin kinase,and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.

Objective To systematically review the effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in an animal model of lung injury induced by paraquat (PQ),and to provide a theoretical basis for future clinical trials.Methods The Wanfang,CNKI,VIP,PubMed/MEDLINE,EMBASE database (from January 1979 to September 2012) were searched.All papers concerning TCM in animal model of lung injury induced by PQ were retrieved.Study selection and data extraction were performed on the basis of Cochrane systematic review methods.Weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95％ confidence interval (95％CI) with random effects model was adopted to investigate the effect of TCM on lung injury induced by PQ.Results Eighteen papers involving 1 188 rats met our criteria.Meta-analysis showed that TCM could improve the lung coefficiency (WMD-0.07,95％ CI-0.14 to-0.01,P=0.03),reduce lung wet/dry weight ratio (WMD-1.15,95％CI-2.03 to-0.27,P=0.01),increase the serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (WMD 56.08,95％CI 23.46 to 88.70,P=0.000 8),improve plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) level (WMD 26.64,95％CI 18.95 to 34.33,P＜0.000 01),and lower serum malondialdehyde(MDA) level (WMD-0.65,95％CI-1.00 to-0.30,P=0.000 2),however there was no significant difference in the level of serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and hydroxyproline (HYP) level between TCM and controls (TNF-α:WMD-25.15,95％CI-54.87 to 4.57,P=0.10; HYP:WMD-0.11,95％CI-2.71 to 0.48,P=0.17).Conclusions These findings demonstrate the efficacy of TCM in animal models of lung injury induced by PQ.However taking account of heterogeneity,the efficacy should be interpreted with caution.