OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Shensu II Recipe on the renal function, mesangial extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, the expressions of transforming growth factor-beta1, (TGF-beta1), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in the focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) rats.

METHODSFSGS SD rat model was induced by injecting adriamycin. They were randomly divided into the model group, the Western medicine group, and the Chinese medicine group according to body weight. Besides, another 12 rats was taken as the blank control group. Of them, benazepril (0.33 mg/100 g) was given to rats in the Western medicine group by gastrogavage, while Shensu II Recipe (3.5 g/100 g) was given to rats in the Chinese medicine group by gastrogavage. Normal saline was given to rats in the control group and the model group by gastrogavage. Six rats died during the experiment process, among which, one in the control group, two in the model group, one in the Western medicine group, and two in the Chinese medicine group. The changes of 24 h urinary protein (24 hU, pyrogallol red method), blood urea nitrogen (BUN, urease method), serum creatinine (SCr, enzymatic assay of creatinine), serum total protein (TP, biuret colorimetry), serum albumin (ALB, bromocresol green colormetry) were detected. The pathomorphological changes of the glomerulus were observed. Fibronection (FN), collagen IV (Col IV), glomerulus sclerosis index (GSI), ECM/glomerulus area (GA), expressions of TGF-beta1, and PAI-1 were determined by semi-quantitative analysis.

RESULTSAt the end of the 12th week, improvement was shown in the Chinese medicine group (24 hU: 38.55 +/- 2.49 mg; BUN:10.87 +/- 1.78 mmol/L; SCr: 51.70 +/- 1.50 micromol/L; TP: 68.28 +/- 2.31 g/L; and ALB: 42.43 +/- 1.95 g/L). The pathomorphological observation showed that the development of glomerulosclerosis (GS) was significantly slowed down. Semi-quantitative analysis showed significant difference when compared with the model group (GSI: 1.68 +/- 0.33 grade; ECM/GA: 7.11% +/- 2.46%; FN: 4.15% +/- 1.55%; Col IV:1.47% +/- 0.48%; TGF-beta1:19.70% +/- 5.05%; PAI-1: 22.57% +/- 10.65%) ( P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONShensu II Recipe could postpone the development of GS in FSGS rats possibly through inhibiting the expressions of TGF-beta1 and PAI-1, hindering the over-accumulation of mesangial matrix.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Extracellular Matrix ; drug effects ; Glomerular Mesangium ; drug effects ; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Male ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection on the expression of survivin and cell cycle in human tongue squamous carcinoma TSCCa cells.

METHODSThe proliferation of TSCCa cells infected with NDV in vitro was evaluated by means of MTT assay, and survivin expression in the infected cells was detected using RT-PCR and Western blotting. Flow cytometry was performed to assess the changes in the cell apoptosis, cell cycle and cell proliferation index (PI) of the cells.

RESULTSNDV infection resulted in decreased survivin expression and increased apoptosis of TSCCa cells, with reduced cell percentage in G2/M and S phases and lowered PI of the cells, showing significant differences from those of the negative control cells (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONNDV infection can inhibit survivin expression, affect the cell cycle of TSCCa cells and induce their apoptosis.

Apoptosis ; physiology ; Blotting, Western ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Cell Cycle ; physiology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Host-Pathogen Interactions ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Newcastle disease virus ; physiology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tongue Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology

Endometrial cancer is a common malignancy of the female reproductive system. Despite improvement in living standards, the incidence of endometrial cancer is increasing due to the lack of effective screening. Early detection of endometrial cancer and precancerous lesions can significantly improve prognosis and survival. At present, China lacks a method for screening endometrial lesions comparable to that for cervical cancer screening. A recently introduced endometrial sampler has the advantages of simple operation, low cost, and minimal trauma, and is gradually being accepted for clinical screening of endometrial cancer and precancerous lesions in other countries.This study aims to explore current screening methods for endometrial cancer and precancerous lesions and the clinical application of an endometrial sampler for screening.

Tumor-derived exosomes (TEXs) are small membrane vesicles secreted by tumor cells.They contain various proteins and RNA which make they serve as functional mediators in cell interaction.TEXs can alter the components of extracellular matrix and induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition of tumor cells,which enhance the invasiveness of tumor cells.TEXs regulate immunity through multiple pathways,allowing circulating tumor cells to escape immune surveillance.TEXs promote pre-metastatic microenvironment in target organ before metastasis and induce angiogenesis after circulating tumor cells colonization.Understanding the role and mechanism of TEXs in this process can effectively block relevant signaling pathways which may provide new targeted therapies for clinic.

BACKGROUNDOur previous studies have demonstrated that Tongxinluo (TXL), a traditional Chinese medicine, can protect hearts against no-reflow and reperfusion injury in a protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent manner. The present study was to investigate whether the PKA-mediated cardioprotection of TXL against no-reflow and reperfusion injury relates to the inhibition of myocardial inflammation, edema, and apoptosis.

METHODSIn a 90-minute ischemia and 3-hour reperfusion model, minipigs were randomly assigned to sham, control, TXL (0.05 g/kg, gavaged one hour prior to ischemia), and TXL + H-89 (a PKA inhibitor, intravenously and continuously infused at 1.0 µg/kg per minute) groups. Myocardial no-reflow, necrosis, edema, and apoptosis were determined by pathological and histological studies. Myocardial activity of PKA and myeloperoxidase was measured by colorimetric method. The expression of PKA, phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB) (Ser(133)), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), P-selectin, apoptotic proteins, and aquaporins was detected by Western blotting analysis.

RESULTSTXL decreased the no-reflow area by 37.4% and reduced the infarct size by 27.0% (P < 0.05). TXL pretreatment increased the PKA activity and the expression of Ser(133) p-CREB in the reflow and no-reflow myocardium (P < 0.05). TXL inhibited the ischemia-reperfusion-induced elevation of myeloperoxidase activities and the expression of TNF-α and P-selectin, reduced myocardial edema in the left ventricle and the reflow and no-reflow areas and the expression of aquaporin-4, -8, and -9, and decreased myocytes apoptosis by regulation of apoptotic protein expression in the reflow and no-reflow myocardium. However, addition of the PKA inhibitor H-89 counteracted these beneficial effects of TXL.

CONCLUSIONPKA-mediated cardioprotection of TXL against no-reflow and reperfusion injury relates to the inhibition of myocardial inflammation, edema, and apoptosis in the reflow and no-reflow myocardium.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Aquaporin 4 ; physiology ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; physiology ; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases ; physiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Edema ; prevention & control ; Hemodynamics ; drug effects ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control ; Myocarditis ; prevention & control ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature

OBJECTIVETo study the growth and differentiation of adult canine autologous skeletal myoblasts after being transplanted into acute myocardial infarction (AMI) region by intramyocardium injection (IMI) and intracoronary infusion (ICI).

METHODSAutologous skeletal myoblasts were procured by a modified method. AMI model of adult canine was obtained through left anterior descending branch ligation and was divided into 4 groups (n = 5 for each group). Autologous skeletal myoblasts (1.0 - 1.4 x 10(8) cells) were injected locally into AMI region or infused into infarction-related coronary artery. Specimens were harvested 4 weeks after cellular transplantation for histological study including HE, PTH, immunochemical stain and transmission electronmicroscope.

RESULTSIn both two transplantation groups, newborn muscle-derived cells, striated muscle tissue and mature skeletal myofibril were demonstrated existing in MI region by electronmicroscope, PTH stain or anti-skeletal myosin heavy chain (slow) immunochemical stain, respectively. Newborn striated muscle tissues arranged in order of consistency with host myocardial fibers in two treatment groups. Newborn striated muscle tissue was more inclined to gather in MI region in the local injection group but distracted from each other in the intracoronary infusion group.

CONCLUSIONAutologous skeletal myoblasts appears to live and differentiate into mature striated muscle tissue after transplanting into AMI region by IMI or ICI routes.

Animals ; Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Cells, Cultured ; Dogs ; Female ; Male ; Myoblasts, Skeletal ; cytology ; transplantation ; Myocardial Infarction ; surgery ; Transplantation, Autologous

Objective: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) involves a variety of visual symptoms that are thought to be partially caused by structural abnormalities of the retina. However, the relationship between retinal structural changes, disease severity, and intracranial alterations remains unknown. We investigated distinct retinal thinning patterns and their relationship with clinical severity and intracranial alterations in a PSP cohort. Methods: We enrolled 19 patients with PSP (38 eyes) and 20 age-matched healthy controls (40 eyes). All of the participants underwent peripapillary and macular optical coherence tomography. Brain 11C-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-fluorophenyl) tropane (11C-CFT) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography imaging were also performed in patients with PSP. We investigated the association between retinal thickness changes and clinical features, striatal dopamine transporter availability, and cerebral glucose metabolism. Results: The peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and macula were significantly thinner in patients with PSP than in controls. The thickness of the superior sector of the pRNFL demonstrated a significant negative relationship with the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale part III and Hoehn and Yahr staging scale scores. A significant negative correlation was found between outer inferior macular thickness and disease duration. Outer temporal macular thickness was positively correlated with Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores. In PSP, lower outer temporal macular thickness was also positively correlated with decreased dopamine transporter binding in the caudate. Conclusion The pRNFL and macular thinning may be candidate markers for monitoring disease severity. Additionally, macular thinning may be an in vivo indicator of nigrostriatal dopaminergic cell degeneration in PSP patients.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Shenshuning Recipe (SR) on the peritoneal function, accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), and the expression of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in the peritoneal fibrosis rats.

METHODSThe peritoneal fibrosis correlating peritoneal dialysis SD rat model was induced by injecting erythromycin and peritoneal dialysate. They were randomly divided into 4 groups according to body weight, i.e., the 1.50% peritoneal dialysate group (Group B), the 1.50% peritoneal dialysate + SR group (Group C), the 4.25% peritoneal dialysate group (Group D), and the 4.25% peritoneal dialysate +SR group (Group E), 15 in each group. Besides, another 15 rats was taken as the blank control group (n = 15, Group A). SR at the daily dose of 43.93 g/kg was given to rats in Group C and E by gastrogavage, while equal volume of normal saline was given to rats in other groups by gastrogavage. The changes of glucose in the peritoneal fluid were detected. The ultra filtration volume (UF)and mass transfer of glucose (MTG) were calculated. The pathomorphological changes of the peritoneum were observed. The distribution of collagen fiber, fibroblast count, collagen I (Col I), expressions of TIMP-1 and TGF-beta1 were determined.

RESULTSAt the end of the 6th week, statistical difference was shown in UF [(-3.3 +/- 14.2) mL] and [(-2.0 +/- 10.7) mL], MTG [(18.1 +/- 0.8) mmol/kg] and [(16.1 +/- 1.2) mmol/kg], collagen fiber [(4 721.3 +/- 541.0)%] and [(6502.7 +/- 877.4)%], fibroblast [(0.087 +/- 0.010)/mm2] and [(0.131 +/- 0.042)/mm2], Col I [(187.5 +/- 36.9)%] and [(289.7 +/- 95.6)%], TIMP-1 [(2.57 +/- 0.94)%] and [(3.63 +/- 0.29)%], and TGF-beta1 [(104.0 +/- 20.7) ng/L] and [(108.2 +/- 17.5) ng/L] between Group C and Group E, when compared with the peritoneal dialysate group at the same concentration (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSR could postpone the development of peritoneal fibrosis in peritoneal dialysis SD rats possibly through inhibiting expressions of TGF-beta1 and TIMP-1, and hindering the over-accumulation of ECM.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Extracellular Matrix ; drug effects ; Male ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Peritoneal Fibrosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Peritoneum ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

Neonatal seizures are the most common clinical manifestations of critically ill neonates and often suggest serious diseases and complicated etiologies. The precise diagnosis of this disease can optimize the use of anti-seizure medication, reduce hospital costs, and improve the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. Currently, a few artificial intelligence-assisted diagnosis and treatment systems have been developed for neonatal seizures, but there is still a lack of high-level evidence for the diagnosis and treatment value in the real world. Based on an artificial intelligence-assisted diagnosis and treatment systems that has been developed for neonatal seizures, this study plans to recruit 370 neonates at a high risk of seizures from 6 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in China, in order to evaluate the effect of the system on the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of neonatal seizures in neonates with different gestational ages in the NICU. In this study, a diagnostic study protocol is used to evaluate the diagnostic value of the system, and a randomized parallel-controlled trial is designed to evaluate the effect of the system on the treatment and prognosis of neonates at a high risk of seizures. This multicenter prospective study will provide high-level evidence for the clinical application of artificial intelligence-assisted diagnosis and treatment systems for neonatal seizures in the real world.
Artificial Intelligence ; Electroencephalography/methods* ; Epilepsy/diagnosis* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases/diagnosis* ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Multicenter Studies as Topic ; Prospective Studies ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Seizures/drug therapy*

AIM: To investigate the effects of antitumor drug paclitaxel(PTX)on the proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, cell morphology, and related protein expression of Müller cells, and to evaluate its potential toxicity to the retina.METHODS:Müller cells were cultured in vitro and divided into two groups: control group(normal medium)and PTX group. Retinal Müller cells were treated with different concentrations of PTX(0.005, 0.05, 0.5 and 5mg/L)for varying durations(12, 24, 36, 48 and 72h). The CCK8 method was used to assess the effects of different concentrations of PTX and treatment duration on the proliferation Müller cells. Flow cytometry was employed to investigate the impact of different concentrations of PTX on Müller cells apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Immunofluorescence was used to observe morphological changes in Müller cells. The effects of PTX on the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and aquaporins were analyzed by Western blot and qRT-PCR.RESULTS: PTX exhibits the ability to inhibit the proliferation of Müller cells when cultured in vitro. The efficacy of this inhibition was found to be dependent on both the concentration of the drug and the duration of the stimulation. Higher concentrations of the drug and longer stimulation times resulted in a weaker ability of the cells to proliferate. Additionally, PTX also induces apoptosis in Müller cells, with increased drug concentrations and longer stimulation times leading to higher apoptosis rates. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrates that PTX arrests Müller cells in the G2-M phase of the cell cycle. Moreover, there is a distinct change in cell morphology, with a shift from the typical appearance characterized by clear and slender fibrous structures to a rounder morphology, accompanied by a significant decrease in cell numbers. Further, our findings reveal that there is a transient increase in the expression of cytoinflammatory factors following drug treatment compared to the control group. However, discontinuation of drug stimulation can alleviate this heightened expression. In treated cells, the expression of the CA XIV protein is upregulated compared to the control group, while the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)is downregulated(P<0.05). Additionally, the levels of inflammatory factors in the PTX group are significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05), suggesting that PTX has the potential to disrupt the retinal barrier function.CONCLUSION: PTX affects the proliferation and apoptosis of Müller cells, with the effects dependent on stimulation duration and drug concentration. In addition, PTX blocks the Müller cell cycle at the G2-M phase and alters cell morphology, leading to a transient upregulation of inflammatory factors and affecting the integrity of the retinal barrier. These findings indicate the potential toxicity of the antitumor drug PTX to the retina.