Objective To investigate the effect of atorvastatin on expression of ABCA1(mRNA,protein) and LXR? mRNA in THP-1 macrophages induced by PMA.Methods Cultured THP-1 cells were induced to differentiate into macrophages by PMA for 48 hours.The macrophages were incubated with atorvastatin in different concentions for 24 or 48 hours.We determined the changes of ABCA1 mRNA,protein and LXR? mRNA by reverse trancriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and immuno-histochemistry.Results The expression level of ABCA1 mRNA(ratio of relative expression 1.21 vs 1.48) and protein as well as LXR? mRNA(0.87 vs1.12) were decreased in THP-1macrophages when cultured with atorvastatin(10 ?mol/L) for 24 h.Conclusion Atorvastatin inhibits the expression of ABCA1 mRNA and protein as well as LXR? mRNA of THP-1macrophages in vitro.

Objective To investigate and compare the killing effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT)induced by hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD),hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME) and photocarcinorin (PsD007) on human leukemia cells K562 in vitro.Methods Human leukemia cells were cultured with serial concentrations of photosensitizers followed by irradiation of different dosage of laser light,then MTT colorimetric assay was applied to measure the relative survival rate of PDT for the cells.Results Significant difference in the inhibitory between the PDT group and control group was observed (P＜0.05).The survival rate of PDT for the cells elevated along with the increase in the concentration of sensitizer and dose of laser light.When the photosensitizer concentration was bigger (25 μg/ml) or the energy density was bigger (7.2 J/cm2),the effect of PsD007 was better than HMME,and they were significantly better than HpD (P＜0.05).Conclusion PDT has significant killing effect on human leukemia cells K562,and its relative inhibitory rate appears to be correlated with the dose of sensitizer and laser light irritation.The effect of PDT is related to the photosensitizers.The effect of HpD-PDT is not as effective as PsD007 and HMME.On the conditions of higher energy density and larger photosensitizer concentration,the effect of PsD007-PDT is better than HMME-PDT.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the therapeutic effect and adverse reactions of ?-receptor blocker, domestic urapidil, on severe hypertension. METHODS: Observation was carried out in a multi-center, random sampling and controlled pattern. Drug was iv injected first and then infused. At the same time, the patients' systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, heart rate, EKG, blood & urine routine, serum GPT and urea nitrogen were measured and examined.RESULTS: Of 41 cases in this series. 16 satis- factory(39.0%), 23 improved (56.1%), 2 unsatisfactory(4.9%) .The total effective rate was 95.1%. After drug administra- tion, systolic pressure was lowered by 43 .97mmHg(P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between catecholamine-beta-adrenoceptor (beta-AR)-adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate (cAMP) system and long-term prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

METHODSThe study population comprised 73 patients with CHF (EF: 23% +/- 10%) with a mean follow-up of 3.8 +/- 1.9 years. Plasma levels of norepinephrine (NE) were measured using high performance lipid chromatography, beta-adrenergic receptor density (Bmax) and the content of cAMP in peripheral lymphocytes were calculated using 3H-dihydroalpneolo as ligand and competitive immunoassay, respectively. Deaths due to cardiovascular events within the follow-up period were registered.

RESULTSThe total mortality was 64.7%, 57.4% of which was for cardiogenic (worsening heart failure: 32.4%; sudden death: 25.0%). In the cardiogenic death group, plasma levels of NE and epinephrine (E) (3.74 nmol/L +/- 0.09 nmol/L and 3.17 nmol/L +/- 1.0 nmol/L) and the contents of peripheral lymphocyte cAMP (3.64 pmol/mg protein +/- 1.4 pmol/mg protein) were significantly increased as compared with the survival group (2.68 nmol/L +/- 0.07 nmol/L, 2.41 nmol/L +/- 0.24 nmol/L and 2.73 pmol/mg protein +/- 0.9 pmol/mg protein, respectively, all P < 0.01). In the sudden death group, plasma levels of NE and E (5.01 nmol/L +/- 0.06 nmol/L and 4.13 nmol/L +/- 0.08 nmol/L) were significantly increased as compared with the worsening heart failure group (2.49 nmol/L +/- 0.07 nmol/L and 2.33 nmol/L +/- 0.8 nmol/L, all P < 0.001) and to the survival group (2.68 nmol/L +/- 0.07 nmol/L and 2.41 nmol/L +/- 0.14 nmol/L, all P < 0.01). The incidences of sudden death were 0%, 75%, and 100% (chi(2) = 16.018, P < 0.01) in patients with plasma NE < 2.5 nmol/L, NE 2.5 nmol/L - 4.5 nmol/L, and NE > 4.5 nmol/L, respectively. In the worsening heart failure group, the content of peripheral lymphocyte cAMP (4.46 pmol/mg protein +/- 0.18 pmol/mg protein) was significantly increased compared with the sudden death group (2.39 pmol/mg protein +/- 0.9 pmol/mg protein, P < 0.001) and to the survival group (2.73 pmol/mg protein +/- 1.1 pmol/mg protein, P < 0.001). The worsening heart failure death occurences were 5.0%, 72.2%, and 100% (chi(2) = 14.26, P < 0.01) in patients with a content of peripheral lymphocyte cAMP < 2.5 nmol/L, cAMP 2.5 nmol/L - 4.5 nmol/L, and cAMP > 4.5 nmol/L, respectively. Bmax in peripheral lymphocyte was not significantly different (P > 0.05) among the sudden death, worsening heart failure, and survival groups in CHF patients.

CONCLUSIONSPlasma levels of catecholamine increase significantly, and Bmax and the contents of cAMP in peripheral lymphocytes decrease significantly in patients with CHF. High plasma catecholamine levels may be associated with sudden death, and high intralymphocyte cAMP content may be associated with worsening heart failure in CHF patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Catecholamines ; blood ; Cyclic AMP ; blood ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Female ; Heart Failure ; blood ; mortality ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; chemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta ; blood

Objective:To explore the protective effect of the water-soluble total flavonoids from Isodon lophanthoides var.gerardia-nus (Benth.) H.Hara on LO2 cells damage.Methods:The cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT cell viability determination to confirm the concentration range .Hepatocyte damage model was established by H 2 O2 treatment.After the oxidative stress hepatocyte was coin-cubated with WSTF at different concentrations for various times , the protective effect of WSTF on H 2 O2-induced hepatocyte damage was evaluated by MTT cell viability determination and the content determination of ALT , AST and MDA in cell supernatant .The inhibition of WSTF against H 2 O2-induced LO2 cells apoptosis was evaluated by the quantitative determination of Rhodamine 123 fluorescence and intracellular ROS.Results:The LO2 cells injured by 0.3 mmol· L-1 H2 O2 treatment for 4 h were used as the hepatocyte damage model.The concentration range of WSTF was 0.0312-0.125 mg· ml-1.WSTF could inhibit H2O2-induced injury in LO2 cells and obviously reduce ALT, AST and MDA.Moreover, WSTF could reverse mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization and decrease the amount of intracellular ROS .Conclusion:WSTF exhibits notable protective and curative effects on hepatocyte damage in vitro.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have shown that integrins alpha5beta1 (ITGA5B1) gene-modified rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs) could prevent cell anoikis and increase the nitric oxide (NO) production. Here we examined the capability of rBMSCs/ITGA5B1 on the phenotype modulation of Human Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cell (HPASMC) in vitro. METHODS AND RESULTS: The synthetic (dedifferentiated) phenotype of HPASMC was induced by monocrotaline (MCT, 1μM) for 24 h and then co-cultured with rBMSCs/ITGA5B1 in a transwell culture system. The activation of NO/cGMP (nitric oxide/Guanosine-3′, 5′-cyclic monophosphate) signaling was investigated in HPASMC. The changes of pro-inflammatory factors, oxidative stress, vasodilator, vasoconstrictor, contractile and synthetic genes, and the morphological changes of HPASMC were investigated. The results of this study showed that the NO/cGMP signal, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression, the expression of the vasoprotective genes heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1) and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) were increased, but the expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins delta (Cebpd), Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), and activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) were reduced in MCT treated HPASMC co-cultured with rBMSCs/ITGA5B1. The synthetic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) phenotype markers thrombospondin-1, epiregulin and the vasoconstrictor endothelin (ET)-1, thromboxane A2 receptor (TbxA2R) were down-regulated, whereas the contractile SMCs phenotype marker transgelin expression was up-regulated by rBMSCs/ITGA5B1. Furthermore, rBMSCs/ITGA5B1 promoted the morphological restoration from synthetic (dedifferentiation) to contractile (differentiation) phenotype in MCT treated HPASMC. CONCLUSIONS: rBMSCs/ITGA5B1 could inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress related genes to promote the HPASMC cell differentiation by activation NO/cGMP signal.
Activating Transcription Factor 4 ; Animals ; Anoikis ; Bone Marrow ; Cell Differentiation ; Endothelins ; Epiregulin ; Genes, Synthetic ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Inflammation ; Integrins ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Monocrotaline ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; Nitric Oxide ; Oxidative Stress ; Phenotype ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Pulmonary Artery ; Rats ; Receptors, Thromboxane A2, Prostaglandin H2