Animals ; Arginine ; pharmacology ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Hypertension ; etiology ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

ObjectiveTo explore the association between angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion(I/D) polymorphism and cerebral infarction among Chinese people. MethodsThe ACE gene polymorphism was determined by PCR-RFLP in 242 patients with cerebral infarction and 283 controls. Multiple logistic regression was performed to explore the risk factors for cerebral infarction. ResultsAfter adjusting age, gender, alcohol drinking, smoking, education,history of diabetes mellitus and the primary hypertension, there was no significant association between ACE I/D polymorphism and cerebral infarction, either was hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The primary hypertension significanlly increased risk of cerebral infarction (OR=7.28,P =0.000). Both ACE ID/DD genotype and the primary hypertension showed a significant gene-environment interaction(r=1.62,OR=7.29), something as super multiplicative type 2 interaction. ConclusionAlthough ACE gene polymorphism is not risk factors of cerebral infarction, but ID/DD genotype had shown significant gene-environment interaction with primary hypertension in occurrence of cerebral infarcion.

Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood samples of 3 patients from 1 pedigree with congenital nephrogenie diabetes insipidus (NDI) and their 12 family members.The whole coding region of the arginine vasopressin receptor 2 (AVPR2) gene was amplified by PCR and then directly sequenced,A mutation of AVPR2 gene [g1236T→C (L292P)]was found in 3 patients.The patients' mothers were found to have both mutant and normal alleles.

Objective To study the effect ofL-arginine (L-arg) on the sebaceous gland of SD rat. Methods The SD rats of group) for 14 days. Blood samples were obtained from these rats for serum androgen determination and the pathological changes of the skin were observed. Results After L-arg treatment for 7 days, the dorsal hair of all the adult male rats appeared damp, greasy and yellow, while that of the adult and 5-week-old female rats looked normal. When the treatment was prolonged to 14 days, the same changes occurred in most of the adult female rats and all the 5-week-old female rats. The sebaceous glands of the abnormal skin showed hyperplasia in pathologic examination. The serum levels of androgen in rats with sebaceous gland hyperplasia were significantly higher than those in the control rats. Conclusion L-arg can promote sebaceous gland hyperplasia in rats in relation to increased androgen secretion induced by L-arg and NO.

Objective To study the effect ofL-arginine (L-arg) on the sebaceous gland of SD rat. Methods The SD rats of group) for 14 days. Blood samples were obtained from these rats for serum androgen determination and the pathological changes of the skin were observed. Results After L-arg treatment for 7 days, the dorsal hair of all the adult male rats appeared damp, greasy and yellow, while that of the adult and 5-week-old female rats looked normal. When the treatment was prolonged to 14 days, the same changes occurred in most of the adult female rats and all the 5-week-old female rats. The sebaceous glands of the abnormal skin showed hyperplasia in pathologic examination. The serum levels of androgen in rats with sebaceous gland hyperplasia were significantly higher than those in the control rats. Conclusion L-arg can promote sebaceous gland hyperplasia in rats in relation to increased androgen secretion induced by L-arg and NO.

Animals ; Cholestasis ; complications ; Fibrosis ; etiology ; Gallbladder ; pathology ; Humans ; Kidney ; pathology ; Lipid Metabolism ; Liver Cirrhosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear ; physiology

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) is a member of cyclin-dependent kinase family, which does not directly regulate cell cycle. Through phosphorylation of target protein, CDK5 plays an irreplaceable role in the development, reparation and degeneration of neurons. Brain injury refers to the organic injury of brain tissue caused by external force hit on the head. Owing to the stress and repair system activated by our body itself after injury, various proteins and enzymes of the brain tissues are changed quantitatively, which can be used as indicators for estimating the time of injury. This review summarizes the progress on the distribution, the activity mechanism and the physiological effects of CDK5 after brain injury and its corresponding potential served as a marker for brain injury determination.
Brain/physiopathology* ; Brain Injuries/physiopathology* ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5/metabolism* ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism* ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology* ; Phosphorylation/drug effects* ; Time Factors

BACKGROUNDA bioactive compound from Paecilomyces tenuipes (BCPT) has an inhibitory effect on monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) and monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) in vitro and in vivo, which indicates BCPT may be a potential antidepressant. In this study we aimed to study the antidepressant effects of BCPT in the chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) model in rats and explore underlying mechanisms in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

METHODSThe antidepressant effects of BCPT were studied in the chronic unpredictable stress model in rats. Animals were housed isolated, except the control group. Rats were exposed daily to different random stressors from day 1 to 21. Awarding response was detected by calculating the 24-hour consumption of sucrose water. Cortisol (CORT) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ATCH) contents in serum and arginine vasopressin (AVP) contents in the pituitary body were detected by radio immunoassays. Total RNA of hippocampus or hypothalamus was extracted and subjected to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the measurement of corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA or mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) mRNA and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA levels. Statistical analyses were performed using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Student-Newman-Keuls (SNK) test.

RESULTSChronic unpredictable stress resulted in reduction of sensitivity to reward and abnormality in the HPA axis in the animal model. BCPT improved the reward reaction as measured by increasing sucrose consumption, remarkably reduced serum CORT and ACTH levels and the AVP content in the pituitary body in the CUS-treated rats, decreased the expression of CRH mRNA, enhanced the expression of hippocampus MR mRNA, GR mRNA and decreased the ratio of MR/GR.

CONCLUSIONSBCPT has potentially antidepressant-like activity and normalized the HPA axis hyperactivity in a CUS model of depression in rats. This may be an important mechanism of its antidepressant effect.

Animals ; Antidepressive Agents ; pharmacology ; Chronic Disease ; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone ; genetics ; Hydrocortisone ; blood ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; drug effects ; physiology ; Male ; Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Paecilomyces ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; genetics ; Receptors, Mineralocorticoid ; genetics ; Stress, Psychological ; physiopathology ; Sucrose ; administration & dosage

Apoptosis ; physiology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; enzymology ; pathology ; Carrier Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Gene Targeting ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; RNA Interference ; Telomerase ; metabolism ; Tumor Cells, Cultured