AIM: To elucidate the effects of losartan on the expression ofmatrix metalloproteinases-2, JNK1/2 and proliferation in cardiac fibroblast. METHODS: Neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts were cultured. The cells proliferation was determined by MTT. To determine effects of AngⅡ on JNK1/2 activity, cells were incubated (for 0, 2, 5, 10, 30, 60, 120 min) in serum-freemedia with AngⅡ, and the other group fibroblasts were exposed to serum-free media with or without AngⅡ and losartan (AngⅡ 100 nmol/L, AngⅡ 100 nmol/L+losartan 100 nmol/L, losartan100 nmol/L, losartan for 45 min before). Cells protein was collected with MBST buffer. The relative abundance of MMP-2, JNK1/2 and p-JNK1/2 in cells was determined by immunoblotting. The secretion of MMP-2 in media of cell culture was determined by ELISA. RESULTS: AngⅡ increased the proliferation of CFB in a dose-dependent manner, whereas losartan decreased the proliferation of CFB stimulated by AngⅡ in a dose-dependant manner, too (P＜0.05). The relative abundance of JNK1/2 was highest in AngⅡ of the 2-min-stimulated group. AngⅡincreased expression of JNK1/2 and MMP-2 protein (P＜0.05), on the contrary, losartan inhibited JNK1/2 and MMP-2 protein expression.CONCLUSION: AngⅡ induce the increase of proliferation of CFB, expression of JNK1/2 and MMP-2 in CFB, and losartan inhibits these effects of AngⅡ.

Objective To explore the follow-up value of phonocardiogram D/S ratio in CHF patients with treatment.Methods Forty-eight CHF patients who had never under-went regular treatment were collected in our hospital,given the regular anti-heart failure treatment for 3 months.NYHA heart failure classification,resting heart rate(RHR),and D/S ratio of phonocardiogram were recorded,six-minutes walk distance(6MWD),Left ventricular end diastolic diameter(LVEDd),the left ventricular ejection(LVEF) were tested before and after treatment.After 3-month treatment,the resting heart rate 65 times as the watershed,the patients were classified into two groups:one was up to standard,and the other was not up to standard.D/S ratio,RHR,6MWD,LVEDD,LVEF and the improvement of the heart function were compared between the two group.Results Exception the resting heart rate,the in-dicators had no significant improvement in the group of not up to standard compared with the before treatment,and D/S ratio, 6MWD,LVEF was improved significantly after three months treatment(P <0.05).In the group of up to standard,the D/S ratio was improved significantly after one months treatment(P <0.05),while after three months treatment all indicators were improved significantly(P <0.05).Comparison between the two groups,the RHR,D/S ratio were significantly improved(P <0.05 ),LVEF was significantly improved after three months treatment(P <0.05).At the same time,the D/S ratio,6MWD and NYHA classifica-tion of cardiac function was significant negatively correlated(P <0.05).Conclusion The D/S ratio could reflect heart functional im-provements in patients with CHF after anti-heart failure treatment,and it could reflect the heart functional improvement earlier and more significant in the group up to standard,it has a good clinic follow-up value in CHF patients with anti-heart failure treatment.

Aim To investigate the role of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases(MAPKs) in genistein-induced osteoblastic differentiation of mouse bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs).Methods Mouse BMSCs cultured in phenol red-free ?-MEM containing 10% V/V FBS,were added ?-glycerophosphate and ascorbic acid for inducing osteoblastic differentiation,and treated with 0.01~1 ?mol?L~(-1) genistein and/or SB203580 and PD98059.The temporal sequence of osteoblastic differentiation in BMSCs cultures was assayed by measuring alkaline phosphatase activity(ALP) and calcium deposition.The MAPK phosphorylation level was detected by Western-blot.Results Genistein(0.01~1 ?mol?L~(-1)) showed a dose-dependent effect on osteoblastic differentiation as evidenced by increased alkaline phosphatase(ALP) activity and calcium deposition in mouse BMSCs cultures.Genistein(1 ?mol?L~(-1))-induced osteoblastic differentiation of BMSCs was diminished by p38 MAPK inhibitor but not the p44/42 MAPK inhibitor.The effects of Genistein were associated with rapid and sustained activation of p38 MAPK in the BMSCs cultures,which was blocked by SB203580(1 ?mol?L~(-1)).In contrast,Genistein treatment resulted in inactivation of p42/44MAPK,which was further attenuated by PD98059(25 ?mol?L~(-1)).Conclusion p38 MAPK plays an important role in genistein-induced osteoblastic differentiation of mouse BMSCs cultures.

Objective To study the gene mutation of a Chinese family with Alport syndrome and to perform preimplantation genetic diagnosis before embryo implantation.Methods Next generation sequence analysis was done for checking COL4A3,COL4A4 and COL4A5 genes in the Alport syndrome family members.Array comparative genomic hybridization(CGH) was used to detect the embryos.Results A mutation c.2605G ＞ A was found and identified in COL4A5 gene of all of the Alport syndrome patients in the family,but COL4A3 and COL4A3 genes were normal in all of the detected people.After searching for the mutation database,the mutation c.2605G ＞ A of COL4A5 gene was related to the X-linked dominant Alport syndrome.Three embryos were detected by using the preimplantation genetic diagnosis.Among these embryos,there were two male and one female.One of the male embryos was chromosomal aneuploidy,which was 45,XY,-16 and the other was normal.This normal embryo was implanted,and after 20 weeks the prenatal amniocentesis diagnosis approved that the fetus was normal.Conclusions The mutation of COL4A5 gene (c.2605 G ＞ A) is the cause of Alport syndrome in this family,which indicates that next generation sequence analysis proves to be an accurate and rapid method to detect Alport syndrome disease.Meanwhile array CGH can be used to reduce birth rates as a useful preimplantation genetic diagnosis method.

The shape and structure of granules are controlled by the granulation process, which is one of the main factors to determine the nature of the solid dosage forms. In this article, three kinds of granules of a traditional Chinese medicine for improving appetite and promoting digestion, namely, Jianwei Granules, were prepared using granulation technologies as pendular granulation, high speed stirring granulation, and fluidized bed granulation and the powder properties of them were investigated. Meanwhile, synchrotron radiation X-ray computed micro tomography (SR-µCT) was applied to quantitatively determine the irregular internal structures of the granules. The three-dimensional (3D) structure models were obtained by 3D reconstruction, which were more accurately to characterize the three-dimensional structures of the particles through the quantitative data. The models were also used to quantitatively compare the structural differences of granules prepared by different granulation processes with the same formula, so as to characterize how the production process plays a role in the pharmaceutical behaviors of the granules. To focus on the irregularity of the particle structure, the box counting method was used to calculate the fractal dimensions of the granules. The results showed that the fractal dimension is more sensitive to reflect the minor differences in the structure features than the conventional parameters, and capable to specifically distinct granules in structure. It is proved that the fractal dimension could quantitatively characterize the structural information of irregular granules. It is the first time suggested by our research that the fractal dimension difference (Df,c) between two fractal dimension parameters, namely, the volume matrix fractal dimension and the surface matrix fractal dimension, is a new index to characterize granules with irregular structures and evaluate the effects of production processes on the structures of granules as a new indicator for the granulating process control and optimization.

Objective To explore the influence of whole-course individualized nursing intervention on treatment compliance among intractable epilepsy children with ketogenic diet therapy.Methods 80 intractable epilepsy patients with ketogenic diet therapy were divided into the control group and the experimental group with 40 cases in each group.The routine nursing was given to the control group.On basis of routine nursing,whole-course individualized nursing intervention was given to the experimental group.The investigation was carried out before and after intervention in two groups by using self-designed questionnaire.The treatment compliance and therapeutic effect were compared between two groups.Results The treatment compliance and therapeutic effect were significantly alleviated in the experimental group compared with the control group in the third,sixth and twelfth months.Conclusions The whole-course individualized nursing intervention can improve the parental awareness of the disease,enhance their confidence and determination to adhere to the treatment,improve their treatment compliance,thereby improve the effect of treatment.

The shape and structure of granules are controlled by the granulation process, which is one of the main factors to determine the nature of the solid dosage forms. In this article, three kinds of granules of a traditional Chinese medicine for improving appetite and promoting digestion, namely, Jianwei Granules, were prepared using granulation technologies as pendular granulation, high speed stirring granulation, and fluidized bed granulation and the powder properties of them were investigated. Meanwhile, synchrotron radiation X-ray computed micro tomography (SR-µCT) was applied to quantitatively determine the irregular internal structures of the granules. The three-dimensional (3D) structure models were obtained by 3D reconstruction, which were more accurately to characterize the three-dimensional structures of the particles through the quantitative data. The models were also used to quantitatively compare the structural differences of granules prepared by different granulation processes with the same formula, so as to characterize how the production process plays a role in the pharmaceutical behaviors of the granules. To focus on the irregularity of the particle structure, the box counting method was used to calculate the fractal dimensions of the granules. The results showed that the fractal dimension is more sensitive to reflect the minor differences in the structure features than the conventional parameters, and capable to specifically distinct granules in structure. It is proved that the fractal dimension could quantitatively characterize the structural information of irregular granules. It is the first time suggested by our research that the fractal dimension difference (Df,c) between two fractal dimension parameters, namely, the volume matrix fractal dimension and the surface matrix fractal dimension, is a new index to characterize granules with irregular structures and evaluate the effects of production processes on the structures of granules as a new indicator for the granulating process control and optimization.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Fractals ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Powders ; Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship ; Synchrotrons ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective To establish a stable and efficient method of culturing imDCs in vitro,and to explore the effect of GW5074, which blocks ERK1/2 signal pathway in the process of imnature dentritic cells (imDCs) on inducing differentiation of the na(i)ve allogeneic CD4+ T cells into Treg cells in vitro. Methods The imDCs and mature DCs (mDCs) were isolated and cultured from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) derived from a healthy adult male volunteer, and they were identified by cell morphology, cell surface marker and cell functions respectively. Na(i)ve CD4+ T cells were isolated from newborn umbilical vein blood and were divided into 5 groups to be cultured: (1) Blank control group: Na(i)ve CD4+ T cells were cultured alone;(2) Positive control group: The irrDCs were Middle-concentration GW5074 group;(5) High-concentration GW5074 group. In the last three groups, imDCs and na(i)ve CD4+ T cells were co-cultured, the same as the positive control group, but these groups were added by GW5074 dilution at the concentrations of 8, 24, and 40μmol/Lrespectively. After co-culture for 5 days, the transformation ratio from naive CD4+T cells to Treg T cells was detected by flow cytometry. Results On the surface of imDCs, there was stronger pression of CD1a, but weaker expression of CD80 and CD83. On the contrary, on the surface of mDCs, there was weaker expression of CD1a, but stronger expression of CD80 and CD83. The stimulation index in imDCs group and mDCs group was 1.12±0.03 and 2.85±0. 07 respectively. The transformation ratio of Treg T cells in blank control group, positive control group, low-concentration GW5074 group, middle-concentration GW5074 group and high-concentration GW5074 group was (5. 81±1.36)%, (35.73±2.07)%, (22.53±2.11)%, (11.55±1.73)%, and (4.97±1.83)%respectively. One-way ANOVA analysis revealed that there was no significant difference between high-concentration GW5074 group and blank control group, P＞0. 05, but significant difference between the remaining groups, P＜0.01. Conclusion High purity of imDCs can be obtained from PBMC by induction with rhGM-CSF and rhIL-4. ERK1/2 signal pathway plays a role in inducing the immune tolerance. GW5074 can inhibit differentiation of na(i)ve CD4+ T cells into Treg T cells.

The study aimed to investigate the effect of inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) activity on tau phosphorylation in HEK293/tau441 cells and its mechanism. HEK293/tau441 cells were treated with 3-aminobenzamide (3-AB), a PARP-1 inhibitor, at different doses (0.5, 1, 2, 4 mmol/L). After 24 h, the cell morphology was observed under phase contrast microscope, tau phosphorylation level in different sites (tau-1, tau-5, Thr231) and the activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) were detected by Western blotting. The results showed: (1) 3-AB at different doses failed to change the morphology of cells; (2) The 3-AB-induced decrease in activity of PARP-1 resulted in increase of unphosphorylation level in tau-1(Ser195/198/199/202) sites; (3) The phosphorylation of tau was decreased in Thr231 site, while the total tau was slightly changed after 3-AB treatment; (4) With the increased phosphorylation of GSK-3 at Ser9 site, the activity of GSK-3 was decreased after 3-AB treatment. The results suggest that the inhibition of PARP-1 by 3-AB could decrease tau phosphorylation in HEK293/tau441 cells probably through decreasing GSK-3 activity.
Benzamides ; pharmacology ; Depression, Chemical ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Phosphorylation ; Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1 ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases ; metabolism ; tau Proteins ; metabolism

BACKGROUND: Early reperfusion can effectively treat acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and reduce the mortality significantly. This study aimed to compare the role of plasma microRNA-1 (miR-1) and cardiac troponin T (cTnT) in early diagnosis of AMI patients. METHODS: From May 2011 to May 2012, plasma samples were collected from 56 AMI patients and 28 non-AMI controls. The expression of plasma miR-1 was measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and the level of plasma cTnT was measured using electrochemiluminescence-based methods on an Elecsys 2010 Immunoassay Analyzer. SPSS 16.0 was used for the statistical analysis of the results. Data were expressed as mean±standard deviation unless otherwise described. The differences about clinical characteristics between the AMI patients and controls were tested using Student'st test or Fisher's exact test. The Mann-WhitneyU test was conducted to compare the expression of microRNAs between the AMI patients and controls. MicroRNAs expression between different intervals of the AMI patients was compared using Wilcoxon's signed-rank test. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was established to discriminate the AMI patients from the controls. RESULTS: In the present study, the expression of plasma miR-1 was significantly increased in the AMI patients compared with the healthy controls (P<0.01). The plasma miR-1 in the AMI patients decreased to the normal level at 14 days (P>0.05). The expression of plasma miR-1 was not related to the clinical characteristics of the study population (P>0.05). ROC curve analyses demonstrated that miR-1 was specific and sensitive for the early diagnosis of AMI, but not superior to cTnT. CONCLUSION: Plasma miR-1 could be used in the early diagnosis of AMI, but it is similar to cTnT.