Objective To observe the changes of cardiac function and carotid artery structure in elderly hypertensive patients with different left ventricular geometric patterns. Methods Seventy-eight elderly patients with essential hypertension were divided into 4 groups according to left ventricular geometric patterns by ultrasonography: normal ventricular geometry group(n=34),concentric remodeling group(n=18),concentric hypertrophy group(n=11)and eccentric hypertrophy group(n=15).The 24-h ambulatory blood pressure,left ventricular function,carotid artery intima-media thickness(IMT),hemodynamic parameters and incidence of plaque were measured and compared among groups.Results Patients in concentric hypertrophy group had higher 24-h average systolic blood pressure in comparison with those in normal ventricular geometry group and concentric remodeling group(P

AIMTo observed the expression of estrogen receptor (ER alpha and ER beta) in the heart of Gekko swinhonis.

METHODSThe immunohistochemical technique for the estrogen receptor was used.

RESULTSThe positive ER alpha and beta cells existed in cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts of the atria and the ventricles of Gekko swinhonis and had no sexual difference. The difference of ER alpha between the atria (11.56 +/- 1.67) and ventricles (6.68 +/- 1.88) was observed in both sexes (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe atria are probably the main target tissue of estrogen through ER alpha pathway while some functions of whole heart will be regulated by estrogen through ER beta pathway. The sexual differences aren' t related to the content of ER. It may be involved in the state of activity and function of ER under the physiological conditions.

Animals ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; metabolism ; Estrogen Receptor beta ; metabolism ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lizards ; physiology ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism

Objective: To establish a mouse hepatocellular carcinoma cell line that can produce mMIP-1α and to evaluate the possibility of cancer gene therapy by mMIP-1α. Methods: mMIP-1α cDNA was cloned into retrovirus vector pBabe puro and pBabe puro-mMIP-1α was constructed, then pBabe puro-mMIP-1α was used to transfect packaging cells, anti-puromycin cells was proliferated, the supernatant was used to infect hepa1-6, the anti-puromycin clone (hepa1-6 mMIP-1α) and hepa1-6 were analysed for the expression of mMIP-1α mRNA and protein by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry respectively. The growth curve of hepa1-6 and hepa1-6 mMIP-1α was drawn. The chemotaxis of mMIP-1α produced by hepa1-6 mMIP-1α to mouse spleen cells was observed on agarose gel. C57B/L mouse was inoculated with the tumor cell and the tumorigenicity was studied. Results: Recombinant retrovirus vector pBabe puro-mMIP-1α with mMIP-1α cDNA was constructed. Hepa1-6 did not produce mMIP-1α mRNA and protein, while hepa1-6 mMIP-1α could produce mMIP-1α mRNA and protein. The growth curve of hepa1-6 and hepa1-6 mMIP-1α showed no difference. The chemotaxis of mMIP-1α produced by hepa1-6 mMIP-1α to mouse spleen cells was observed. The tumorigenicity was reduced. Conclusion: A mouse hepatocellular carcinoma Hepa1-6 mMIP-1α is established and mMIP-1α can affect the tumorigenecity of hepa1-6.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Compound Qingqin Liquid (CQL) on the expression level of angiotensin II (Ang II) and COX-2 mRNA transcription and protein expression in the renal tissue of rats with uric acid nephropathy.

METHODSSD rats were randomly divided into the blank control group, the model group, the positive drug group, the high, moderate, and low dose CQL group according to number randomization principle. The model was established by gastrogavage of adenine, accompanied with yeast feeding. Distilled water was given by gastrogavage to rats in the blank control group and the model group. Allopurinol at the daily dose of 9.33 mg/kg was given by gastrogavage to rats of the positive control group. CQL at the daily dose of 3.77 g/kg, 1.89 g/kg, and 0.09 g/kg was respectively given by gastrogavage to rats in the high, moderate, and low dose CQL groups. All treatment lasted for 6 weeks. Rats were randomly divided at week 4 (3 in the blank control group, and 6 in the rest groups), and the rest rats were killed at week 6. The renal tissue was extracted. The expression level of Ang II and COX-2 mRNA transcription were detected by RT-PCR. The expression level of Ang II was detected by ELISA. The expression level of COX-2 protein was detected by Western blot and immunohistochemical assay.

RESULTSCompared with the blank control group, except the mRNA expression of Ang II at week 4, the mRNA and protein expression of Ang II and COX-2 obviously increased at week 4 and 6 in the model group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The COX-2 protein expression at week 4 was obviously lower in the high and moderate dose CQL groups than in the model group and the low dose CQL group (P < 0.05); the average integral of optical density value was obviously lower in the positive control group than in the model group. Except the mRNA expression of Ang II in the high dose CQL group at week 6, the mRNA and protein expression of Ang II obviously decreased in the positive control group and each dose CQL group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Of them, the effects were better in the high and moderate dose CQL groups than in the positive control group and the low dose CQL group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Besides, the mRNA expression of COX-2, the average integral of optical density value were obviously lower in the positive control group and each dose CQL group than in the model group (P < 0.05). The protein expression of COX-2 was obviously lower in the high and moderate dose CQL groups than in the model group (P < 0.05). Of them, the mRNA expression of COX-2 was better in the moderate dose CQL group than in the positive control group (P < 0.05); the protein expression of COX-2 was better in the high dose CQL group than in the low dose CQL group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCQL was capable of lowering the expression level of Ang II, COX-2 mRNA transcription and protein expression, thus suppressing the inflammatory pathological injury of the renal tissue.

Angiotensin II ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Kidney Diseases ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Uric Acid

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of compound qingqin liquid (CQL) on Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in rats with urate nephropathy, and to explore its renal protection mechanism.

METHODSTotally 55 SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, i.e., the normal control group (n =5), the model group (n =10), the positive drug group (n=10), and the high-, medium-, low-dose CQL groups (n=10) respectively. The urate nephropathy model was induced by intragastrically administering adenine and feeding yeast. Distilled water was intragastrically administered at the daily dose of 10 mL/kg to rats in the normal control group and the model group. Allopurinol was intragastrically administered at the daily dose of 9.33 mg/kg to rats in the positive control group. CQL was intragastrically administered at the daily dose of 3.77, 1.89, 0.94 g/kg to rats in the high-, medium-, and low-dose CQL groups. Rats of each group were executed in batches at the 4th and 6th week respectively. Their kidney tissues were taken out to determine the mRNA transcription level of TLR2 and TLR4 by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The protein expression level of TLR2 and TLR4 were determined by Western blot. The protein expression level of TLR4 was also detected by immunohistochemical assay.

RESULTSAt week 4 and 6, the protein expression of TLR2 and TLR4 as well as the mRNA transcription of TLR4 increased in the model group, when compared with the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, there was no statistical difference in the transcription level of TLR2 mRNA or TLR4 mRNA among the 3 CQL groups (P > 0.05) at week 4 and 6. Additionally, at week 6, the protein expression of TLR4 and TLR2 could be reduced by CQL (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCQL might protect kidney tissue against inflammatory injury by inhibiting the protein expression levels of TLR2 and TLR4.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Kidney Diseases ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Toll-Like Receptor 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Uric Acid

Chorismate mutase catalyzes the conversion of chorismate to prephenate that is the first committed step in the biosynthesis of the aromatic amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine. A chorismate mutase gene, designated SmCM1, was isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza by using RT-PCR. The full length of SmCM1 cDNA consists of 948 nucleotides and has an open reading frame of 765 bp. The deduced amino acid sequence of SmCM1 has 255 amino acid residues which forms a 36.0 kD polypeptide with calculated pI of 6.41 as expected. The putative polypeptide contains a CM_2 super family function domain. Blast W results showed that SmCM1 had 70% of the similarity with Petunia x hybrid CM, 72% of the similarity with Arabidopsis thaliana CM, and 64% of similarity with Populus trichocarpa CM. The transcription level of SmCM1 in root, stem and leaf was analysed by realtime quantitative PCR. The results showed the expression level of the SmCM1 in leaf was highest, and lowest in root. Yeast extract and silver ion joint induction could markedly stimulate the increase of mRNA expression of SmCM1 and its upstream 3-deoxy-7- phosphoheptulonate synthase (DAHPS) and chorismate synthase (CS). It was 7.9, 5.5 and 9.8 times of control on 8 h after induction, respectively.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Chorismate Mutase ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cloning, Molecular ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; classification ; enzymology ; genetics

In order to study function of NAC transcription in development, hormone regulation and the stress response of Salvia miltiorrhiza, the NAC transcription was cloned and analyzed. By retrieving cDNA database of S. miltiorrhiza hairy root one NAC unigene was found, then a full length of cDNA was cloned by designing specific primers and PCR amplifying. Using ORF finder it was found that the cDNA containing a NAC-AB conserved domain in N-terminal, so the cDNA was a NAC transcription factor, named as SmNAC1 (kF006346). Bioinformatics analysis showed that SmNAC1 had an open reading frame (ORF) of 591 bp encoding 196 amino acids. The calculated protein had isoelectric point (pI) of 4.36 with molecular weight about 21.66 kDa. The transcription level of SmNAC1 after dealing with yeast extract (YE) and silver ion (Ag+) in S. miltiorrhiza hairy root was markedly stimulated up regulating. It was 1.4 fold compared with the control after induction 2 h, and maintained 2.0 fold on 4-12 h after induction. SmNAC1 may participate in regulation of stress response of YE + Ag+.
Cloning, Molecular ; Computational Biology ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; genetics ; Trans-Activators ; genetics ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo determine the optimum treatment for viral myocarditis (VMC).

METHODSA total of 126 VMC patients were randomly divided into the control group (42 cases) that was treated with conventional Western medicine, and the intervention group (84 cases) that was treated with a combination of Chinese medicine (CM) and Western medicine intervention termed optimum proposal of integration of disease and syndrome (OPIDS). Before and after 4 weeks of treatment, the integral of CM syndrome, self-rating depression and anxiety scales (SDS and SAS, respectively), echocardiograms (ECGs), heart rate variability and left ventricular systolic function were observed.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the intervention group showed significant reductions on the SDS and SAS (P <0.05); improvement of premature ventricular beats, atrioventricular blocks, ST-segment abnormalities, and significant T wave changes (P <0.05); greater reductions in standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN), standard deviation for per 5 min averages NN intervals (SDANN), and root-mean-square of successive difference of NN intervals (rMSSD) (P <0.05); and increases in cardiac output, stroke volume, and ejection fraction, the last of which was statistically significant (P <0.05). Overall, the treatment efficacy rate was significantly better P<0.05) in the intervention group (75.61%) compared with the control group (69.70%).

CONCLUSIONOPIDS is quite effective in treating VMC and improves symptoms such as anxiety and depression, left ventricular systolic dysfunction, premature ventricular contraction, and cardiac autonomic nervous system dysfunction. [

REGISTRATIONChinese clinical trial center (No. ChiCTR-TRC-00000298)].

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anxiety ; complications ; Depression ; complications ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Myocarditis ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; therapy ; virology ; Syndrome ; Systole ; Ultrasonography ; Ventricular Function ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of ex vivo expansion on the adhesion activities of umbilical cord blood hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC).

METHODSFresh UCB CD(34)(+) cells were cultured in a serum and stroma-free culture system. At day 7, day 10 and day 14, CD(34)(+) cells were re-selected from the expanded products. The expression of adhesion molecules (CAMs) such as VLA-4, VLA-5, LFA-1, ICAM-1, HCAM, L-selectin and PECAM-1, and the adhesion activity of the expanded CD(34)(+) cells were evaluated and compared with those of precultured fresh CD(34)(+) cells.

RESULTS(1) The CD(34)(+) cells expressing homing-related CAMs were increased (from 15-fold increase for CD(34)(+) CD(54)(+) subset to 72-fold increase for CD(34)(+) CD(49e)(+) subset at day 14). (2) The expressions of CD(49d), CD(44), CD(11a) and CD(49e) on the expanded CD(34)(+) cells were increased or sustained the same levels as those on fresh UCB CD(34)(+) cells, while the expression of CD(62L), CD(54) and CD(31) on expanded CD(34)(+) cells declined with the cultivating. (3) Spontaneous adhesion and SDF-1-induced adhesion tended to be increased in the course of the first 10 day's culture.

CONCLUSIONSThe culture system used in this study could substantially support the expansion of HSPCs expressing the above CAMs, and the expanded HSPCs would sustain their intrinsic adhesion potentials.

Antigens, CD ; analysis ; Antigens, CD34 ; analysis ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; biosynthesis ; Cell Division ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; immunology ; metabolism ; Flow Cytometry ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo observe the hepatic injury following stop- flow chemotherapy and investigate the potential mechanisms.

METHODSTwelve healthy hybrid female pigs were randomly divided into two groups as stop- flow group (SF) and stop- flow chemotherapy (SFC) group. The expression of IL- 8 and ICAM- 1 mRNA in hepatic biopsies was detected by RT- PCR, and the expression of NF- kappa B P65 subunit in nuclei was assessed by Western blot analysis. The levels of ALT and AST, and histopathologic alterations were examined to evaluate the hepatic function at different time before and after stop- flow procedure.

RESULTSThe expression of NF- kappa B P65 subunit, IL- 8 and ICAM- 1mRNA increased at 30 min after stop- flow procedure, and gradually decreased at 3 h and 6 h after stop- flow procedure. The levels of ALT and AST decreased after reaching the peak at 24 h after stop- flow procedure, but removed one week after stop- flow procedure. Cytoplasmic microvascular steatosis developed with appreciable neutrophils infiltration after early stop- flow procedure without significant destroy occurred in the structure of hepatic lobule. No significant difference of various parameters above occurred between SF and SFC groups.

CONCLUSIONThe hepatic injury following stop- flow procedure was self-limited and reversible. There is no severe destroy of hepatic structure and disfunction during stop- flow chemotherapy.

Animals ; Chemotherapy, Cancer, Regional Perfusion ; methods ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Infusions, Intra-Arterial ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Liver ; blood supply ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Swine ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism