Objective To investigate the dynamic expression from gene and protein levels of hypoxia inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α) during the development of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) in neonatal rats.Methods A neonatal rat model of HPH was established,normal neonatal rats were enrolled as the control group.At the 3th 、7th、10th and 14th days,we measured the mRVSP through catheterization of right ventricule,collected hearts to figure out the right ventricular hypertrophy index(RVHI),evaluated vascular remodeling by the percentage of medial thickness to outer diameter of the small pulmonary arteries (MT％) and the percentage of medial cross section on area to the total cross section area of the pulmonary small arteries (MA％),observed the expression of HIF-1α by immunochemistry,and measured the expression of HIF-1α in mRNA and protein by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively.Results The mRVSP increased at the 3th day,and sustained until the 14th day (P ＜ 0.01).RVHI MT％ and MA％ increased at the 7th day,and sustained until the 14th day (P ＜0.01).HIF-1α mainly expressed in endothelium and smooth muscle cells in the CHPH group and the HIF-1αmRNA increased significantly on the 3th and 7th days (P ＜ 0.05),and the HIF-1α protein increased significantly on the 7th、10th and 14th days in the CHPH group compared with the control group(P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion The mRVSP increased at the early stage after hypoxic exposure in neonatal rats,followed by vascular remodeling and right ventricular hypertrophy.Both mRNA and protein levels of HIF-1α sustained higher than control group during the vascular remodeling stage,indicating that HIF-1α might be a important factor contributing to the vascular remodeling.

ObjeCtive To investigate the value of protein biochip in the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis. Methods The serum IgM and IgG antibodies against flagellin were detected by flagellin coated-and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) modified-biochips in 82 patients with neuroborreliosis (NB),35 patients with erythema migrans (EM) and 44 normal controls.The results were compared with those from enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and Western blot.Results The levels of both IgM and IgG antibodies were significantly higher in the NB patients than those in the normal controls (P

Exosomes are nanosized membrane microvesicles secreted by various living cells.They contain proteins,lipids,RNA,and a variety of other biological macromolecules.Exosomes play an important role in many pathological and physiological processes,such as antigen presentation in the immune system,repair of damaged tissues,and growth and migration of tumors.Tumor-derived or tumor-associated exosomes play a vital role in regulating the occurrence and development of tumors.The analysis and detection of exosomes in tumors is helpful for the early diagnosis of tumors and provide new treatment methods.This article reviews exosomes' origin,composition,and functions in the development,migration,diagnosis,and treatment of tumors and provides new ideas for the treatment of tumors.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Ginseng and Sanchi Compositions (GSC) on the protein and mRNA expressions of Ras, extracellular signal-regulated Kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), and C-Raf-1 of ischemic myocardium of rats with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

METHODSBy adopting myocardial ischemia Wistar rat model with the ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, the normal control group, the sham-operation group, the model group, the Betaloc group, the high and low dose GSC group were set up. The protein expressions of Ras, C-Raf-1, ERK1/2,and phosphor-ERK1/2, p-ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) were detected by Western blot. The mRNA expressions of Ras, C-Raf-1, ERK1, and ERK2 were detected using Real-time PCR.

RESULTSThe protein expressions of Ras, c-Raf-1, and p-ERK1/2 and their mRNA expressions in the model group increased more than those in the normal control group and the sham-operation group (P < 0.05). The protein expressions of Ras, c-Raf-1, and p-ERK1/2 and their mRNA expressions in the high and low dose GSC groups and the Betaloc group were significantly higher than those in the model group (P < 0.05). The protein expressions of Ras, c-Raf-1, and p-ERK1/2 and their mRNA expressions increased more obviously in the high dose GSC group than in the low dose GSC group (P < 0.05). The ERK1/2 protein expression was not significantly different among all groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSGSC could up-regulate the protein expressions and mRNA expressions of Ras, C-Raf-1, and p-ERK1/2. It suggested that GSC might promote the angiogenesis through Ras signal transduction pathway dose-dependently.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Panax ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo investigate the action targets of ginseng (GS) and Panax notoginseng (PN), Chinese herbs for benefiting qi and activating blood circulation, on angiogenesis signaling pathway (VEGFR-2-Ras-MAPK) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC).

METHODSTo block the signal pathway by turns, at the first, added the IC50 of VEGFR-2 inhibitor, SU5416, and detected its downstream signaling protein Ras, MAPK expression using Western Blot. Secondly, added the IC50 of the Ras inhibitor, FPP, and detected its downstream signaling protein MAPK expression.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, adding SU5416 made the Ras, MAPK expression significantly decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); and adding FPP made the expression of MAPK significantly decreased (P < 0.01). Compared with the group treated by SU5416 alone, the expression of downstream signaling protein Ras, MAPK were significantly higher in the group treated by SU5416 plus GS and PN (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); same state also found in comparison MAPK expression between groups treated with FPP alone and FPP plus GS and PN (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe angiogenesis mechanism of GS and PN on HUVEC may be realized by increasing the protein expression of three key signals, VEGFR-2, Ras and MAPK, respectively.

Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases ; metabolism ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Panax ; chemistry ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 ; metabolism ; ras Proteins ; metabolism

The present study aimed to investigate the effect and the mechanisms of Bu-zhong-yi-qi-tang (BZYQ) on Spleen-Qi deficiency rat's model using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics and multivariate statistical analysis methods. The rat Spleen-Qi deficiency model was established as follows: oral administration of Radix Rhei extract, loaded swimming and starvation for 24 h. The body weight and motor behavior of the rats were measured and recorded once a week. BZYQ could significantly improve body weight and behavioral of Spleen-Qi deficiency model rats compared with the model group (P < 0.05, 0.01). After drug administration, the changes in the levels of endogenous metabolites in the spleen including decreasing lactate, taurine and hypoxanthine, increasing glutamate and scyllo-inositol compared with the model group. The metabolomics approach is an effective tool for the investigation of the pharmacologic mechanism of BZYQ and it is helpful to further research.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Metabolomics ; Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Qi ; Rats ; Spleen

Objective To investigate the etiology and clinical characteristics of pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH) and improve its early diagnosis and treatment.Methods The clinical and echocardiogram data of all inpatients with PAH in Pediatric Department of Peking University First Hospital between May 1995 and May 2007 were retrospectively analyzed for age,sex,etiology,symptoms and echocardiographic measurement of pulmonary artery pressure.Data were divided into groups according to different etiology and statistics.Pulmonary arterial systolic pressure(sPAP) values estimated from the tricuspid regurgitant velocity by Doppler echocardiography were compared among different groups.Cases who were not belonged to the first category of the Venice Clinical Classification of pulmonary hypertension were not included.Results Totally 276 cases,168 boys and 108 girls were diagnosed to have PAH.Age ranged from 1 month to 17 years,median age was 9 months.Most of pediatric PAH was associated-PAH(267 cases,96.7%),while idiopathic PAH took a small part(9 cases,3.3%).Congenital heart disease-associated PAH(CHD-PAH) was predominant(245 cases,88.7%) and left to right shunt was the main lesion (217 cases,88.6%),while complex lesion-associated PAH comprised 28 cases(11.4%).Connective tissue disease associated PAH(CTD-PAH) was the second common among this group of pediatric PAH patients(19 cases,6.9 %).The incidence of PAH in systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE),juvenile rheumatoid arteritis and takayasu arteritis were 10.3 %(13/126),8.7%(4/46),15.4%(2/13),respectively.The other 3 cases of PAH were associated with portal hypertension(2 cases) and thalassanemia(1 case).The estimated sPAP from tricuspid regurgitant velocity in 8 cases with idiopathic PAH[(74.6?23.9) mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)]was higher significantly compared with those of 33 cases of CHD-PAH [(58.0?19.7) mmHg ] and 12 cases of CTD-PAH [(49.6?18.9) mmHg] respectively(t=-2.052,-2.609 Pa

0.05).The different tilt angles impacted patients' fear psychology(?2=8.038,P=0.018).The order of the extent of children's fear psychology represented from low to high at the angle of 60?,70? and 80?,respectively.The extent of the children's fear psychology had positive correlation with the tilt angle(r=0.669,P=0.002).Conclusions The tilt test angle does not affect the positive rate of HUTT and the hemodynamics in children undergoing HUTT with angles from 60? to 80?.The children at the tilt angle 60? had less fear than at the angle of 70? or 80?.The 60? tilt angle of HUTT in children is recommended in the clinical practice.

OBJECTIVETo obtain more information on DNA fingerprintings and to confirm the genetic relationships of ten wide populations of Pinellia tornata.

METHODCollect wide-type or cultivated P. tornata from ten major production areas nation-wide as material. Twelve combinations of EcoR I and Mse I primers were used to asses divergence among ten populations. The data were analyzed using unweighted pair-group method, based on arithmetic averages (UPGMA) bootstrap analysis. Cluster analyses were performed by using NTSYSpc software version 2.1. The alkaloid was extracted from P. ternate with chlorolform and determined in UV absorption spectroscop.

RESULT1,673 bands were applied with 12 combinations. These results of cluster were congruent with differences in total alkloids.

CONCLUSIONThe results of the study showed a potential application of AFLP fingerprinting for identification of P. ternata.

Alkaloids ; analysis ; China ; Cluster Analysis ; DNA Fingerprinting ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Pinellia ; chemistry ; genetics ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; genetics ; Quality Control

Objective To investigate the effects of ischemic postconditioning (Post) on myocardial cell apoptosis and expres- sion of Bcl-2 and Bax protein during ischemia/reperfusion period in rabbits.Methods Eighteen rabbits were randomly allocated to three groups (6 in each group),sham operation (group S),ischemia/reperfusion group(group IR) and ischemic postconditioning group(group Post).Group IR and group Post were subjected to 15 minutes of left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion followed for 30 minutes of reperfusion.Ischemic postconditioning was achieved by three 30 seconds cycles of reperfusion,each followed by 30 seconds ischemia.Cardiomyocyte apoptosis were determined by in situ TDT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and DNA electrophoresis.The expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in apoptotic myocardial cells were detected by immunohistochemistry sepa- rately.Results Compared with group IR,apoptotic index was significantly reduced in group Post [(28.06?2.92) % vs.(55.70? 13.96)%,P