Objective: To investigate whether transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) through renal arteries can protect kidney from acute tubular necrosis(ATN), so as to lay a foundation for MSC transplantation in treatment of ATN. Methods: Five-week-old nude mice were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group (n = 10), acute tubular necrosis(ATN) model group without(n = 10) and with MSCs treatment group(n = 11). ATN nude mice were induced with 50% glycerin. MSCs labeled with enhanced green fluorescent proteins(EGFP) were injected into kidney through renal arteries. Serum creatinine was determined in all groups and pathological changes of renal tissues were detected using H-E staining. The amount and distribution of the EGFP-marked MSCs in renal tissues were determined with fluorescence microscope. Results: Degeneration and exfoliation of renal tubular epithelial cells, and even renal tubular tamponade with cast-off cells were observed in the ATN group; these pathological changes were mainly located at renal cortex and juncture of renal cortex and medulla. The damages were greatly alleviated in the ATN + MSCs transplantation group, with no swelling of epithelial cells, nuclear condensation or edema. Fourteen days after MSCs transplantation, EGFP positive cells were increased in renal tubules of recipient mice. Conclusion: The MSCs transplantation via renal artery can locate in renal tubular epithelium, and promote the repair of injured renal tubular epithelial cells.

Genetic Heterogeneity ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; pathology ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; methods ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

Aim The effect of tetrandrine on TGF-?1 mRNA expression in glomerulosclerosis rat was observed. Methods The rats were randomly divided into four groups, such as the normal control group (sham operative rat), glomerulosclerosis model group,tetrandrine group and amlodipine group. The expression of TGF-?1 mRNA was analyzed by Northern blot hybridization. Results The expressions of TGF-?1 mRNA in two treating groups were much lower than untreated model group. There were no difference between these two treating groups. Conclusion Tetrandrine can decrease the expression of TGF-?1 mRNA in glomerulosclerosis rat induced by unilateral renctomy plus adriamycin.

The traditional Chinese medicine (Tripterygium wilfordiiHook.f.,TWH) has been clinically used to treat primary and secondary renal diseases and proteinuria for nearly 40 years.However,there is a rare literature about the effect of triptolide (the main active ingredient of TWH) on the expression of oxidative carbonyl protein (OCP) in diabetic nephropathy (DN).This study aimed to provide experimental evidence for triptolide treatment on DN through its effect on the expression of OCP,in order to investigate the effects of triptolide on the expression of OCP in rats with DN.Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into five groups:control group,high-dose triptolide (Th) group,low-dose triptolide (T1) group,DN model group,and positive control (benazepril) group.The DN model was established using streptozotocin.Urinary protein excretion,fasting blood glucose (FBG),superoxide dismutase (SOD) in renal homogenate,malondialdehyde (MDA) in renal homogenate and renal nitrotyrosine by immunohistochemistry,and the expression of OCP by oxyblotimmune blotting were detected.In the DN model group,rat urinary protein excretion and renal MDA were significantly increased,while renal SOD significantly decreased and nitrotyrosine expression was obviously upregulated in the kidney.After triptolide treatment,24-h urinary protein excretion (61.96±19.00 vs.18.32±4.78 mg/day,P＜0.001),renal MDA (8.09±0.79 vs.5.45±0.68 nmol/L,P＜0.001),and nitrotyrosine expression were decreased.Furthermore,renal OCP significantly decreased,while renal SOD (82.50±19.10 vs.124.00±20.52 U/L,P＜0.001) was elevated.This study revealed that triptolide can down-regulate the expression of OCP in the renal cortex of DN rats.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect and mechanism of resveratrol against human colon cancer ls174t cells in vitro and the growth of colon cancer in tumor-bearing nude mice.

METHODSMTT method was used to test the inhibiting effect of resveratrol on the growth and proliferation of ls174t cells. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the morphological changes of cell apoptosis, and FCM assay was performed to measure the changes of cell apoptosis rate and cell cycle. RT-PCR method was used to detect the expression of bcl-2 and bax mRNA, and Western blot was used to detect the expression of bcl-2 and bax protein.

RESULTSMTT test revealed that resveratrol showed significant inhibiting effect on ls174t cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. In the concentration range of 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 micromol/L, the inhibition rate after resveratrol treatment for 24 hours was respectively 1.0%, 9.1%, 17.4%, 27.8% and 66.5%, while the inhibition rate after treatment for 48 hours was respectively 3.6%, 13.7%, 30.2%, 58.4% and 86.1%, and the inhibition rate after treatment for 72 hours was 18.1%, 33.0%, 48.6%, 61.2% and 89.4%, respectively, showing a very significant difference (P < 0.01). Typical ultrastructural apoptotic changes were observed in resveratrol-treated ls174t cells. It was found through FCM assay that resveratrol caused apoptosis in ls174 cells and blocked the cell cycle at S phase. RT-PCR and Western blot test showed that after the treatment of colon cancer cells with resveratrol at different concentrations (25, 50, 100 and 200 micromol/L), the expression level of bcl-2 was decreased, while expression level of bax was increased. The highest inhibition rate was 47.9%. In 200 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg resveratrol treatment groups, the weight of subcutaneously transplanted tumors in nude mice was 4.10 +/- 0.18 g and 3.05 +/- 0.35 g, respectively, the difference was significant compared with that of the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONResveratrol can inhibit the growth of ls174t cells through apoptosis induction. The mechanism is probably related to inhibition of anti-apoptotic factor bcl-2 and enhancement of expression of apoptotic factor bax.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Colonic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Stilbenes ; pharmacology ; Tumor Burden ; drug effects ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; genetics ; metabolism

Aged ; Genital Neoplasms, Male ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Neurilemmoma ; pathology ; Scrotum

OBJECTIVETo review the current status and progress on nuclear medical molecular imaging of angiogenesis.

DATA SOURCESA literature search was performed in Medline and PubMed published in English up to May 31, 2012. The search terms were molecular imaging, nuclear medicine and angiogenesis.

STUDY SELECTIONArticles studying molecular imaging of angiogenesis using radionuclide were selected and reviewed.

RESULTSMolecular imaging has been used for studying angiogenesis by targeting integrin αVβ3, VEGF/VEGFR, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) with radionuclide-labeled tracers. The technology has been shown to be able to assess the angiogenesis status and/or predict the efficacy of anti-angiogenic therapy. Future directions of the research on the molecular imaging of angiogenesis include development of new tracers with better tumor targeting efficacy, desirable pharmacokinetics, and easy translation to clinical applications.

CONCLUSIONAdvances in molecular imaging of angiogenesis using radioculcide will make the technology a valuable tool for personalized anti-angiogenesis treatment.

Humans ; Integrins ; analysis ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; analysis ; Neoplasms ; blood supply ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; diagnosis ; Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ; analysis ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; analysis

The present study investigated the enhanced radiosensitivity of U-251 cells induced by sodium butyrate (NaB) and its possible mechanisms. Increased radiosensitivity of U251 cells was examined by clonogenic cell survival assays. The expression of Ku70 mRNA and protein was detected by using RT-PCR and Western blotting respectively. γ-H2AX foci were measured at different time points after ionizing irradiation alone or combined with NaB treatment. The results showed that cell survival rate was significantly reduced, both D0 and Dq values were decreased (D0: 1.43 Gy vs. 1.76 Gy; Dq: 1.22 Gy vs. 2.05 Gy) after the combined treatment as compared with irradiation alone, and sensitivity enhancing ratio (SER) reached 1.23. The average number of γ-H2AX foci per cell receiving the combined treatment was significantly increased at different time points, and the expression levels of Ku70 mRNA and protein were suppressed by NaB in a dose-dependent manner. It was concluded that enhanced radiosensitivity induced by NaB involves an inhibited expression of Ku70 and an increase in γ-H2AX foci, which suggests decreased ability in DSB repair.

We investigated the effects of fish protein hydrolysate (FPH) on growth performance and humoral immune response of the large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea R.). One thousand and two hundred large yellow croakers [initial average weight: (162.75+/-23.85) g] were divided into four groups and reared in floating sea cages (3 m x 3 m x 3 m). The animals were fed with 4 diets: basal diet only (control) or diets supplemented with 5%, 10% and 15% (w/w) FPH. The results show that dietary FPH levels significantly influenced the growth and immunity of the large yellow croaker. Compared with the control group, total weight gain (TWG) in all treatment groups, relative weight gain (RWG) and specific growth rate (SGR) in fish fed with diets supplemented with 10% and 15% FPH were significantly increased (P<0.05). Similar results were observed in immune parameters [lysozyme activity, serum complements, immunoglobulin M (IgM)]. Lysozyme activity, complement C4 and IgM were also significantly increased (P<0.05) in fish fed with diets supplemented with 10% and 15% FPH, while complement C3 level was significantly increased (P<0.05) in all treatment groups. In general, with the supplementation of FPH, particularly at dose of 10%, the growth performance and immunity of the large yellow croaker can be improved effectively.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Antibody Formation ; drug effects ; immunology ; Dietary Supplements ; Fish Products ; Gadiformes ; metabolism ; Perciformes ; growth & development ; immunology ; Protein Hydrolysates ; administration & dosage

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common and serious clinical complication of diabetes and presently there are no effective ways to prevent its occurrence and progression. Recent studies show that pentoxifylline (PTX) can improve renal hemodynamics, reduce urinary protein excretion, and alleviate or delay renal failure in DN patients. In this study, we focused on the anti-oxidative stress effect of PTX on alleviating renal damages of DN using rat models. DN rats were established with injection of streptozotocin. Blood glucose, urinary protein excretion, serum cystatin C, renal biopsy, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum and renal homogenate and renal nitrotyrosine levels were analyzed before and 12 weeks after the treatment of PTX. Before treatment, all the DN rats had elevated blood glucose, increased urinary protein excretion and elevated serum cystatin C. Morphologically, DN rats exhibited renal tissue damages, including swelling and fusions of foot processes of podocytes under electron microscope. Masson staining revealed blue collagen deposition in glomeruli and renal interstitium. With treatment of PTX, symptoms and renal pathological changes of DN rats were alleviated. Furthermore, the MDA levels were increased and the SOD levels were decreased in the serum and kidneys of DN rats, and these changes were reversed by PTX. The expression of nitrotyrosine was up-regulated in DN rat model and down-regulated by PTX, indicating that PTX was able to inhibit oxidative reactions in DN rats. PTX could alleviate renal damage in DN, which may be attributable to its anti-oxidative stress activity.
Animals ; Biomarkers ; analysis ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Kidney ; metabolism ; pathology ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Pentoxifylline ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Streptozocin ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Tyrosine ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism