OBJECTIVETo study the effect of total flavanones of Sedum sarmentosum (SSTF) on the apoptosis of rat hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6) and its mechanism.

METHODDifferent concentrations of SSTF and HSC-T6 cells were co-cultured for different period of time. The MTT assay was used to detect the inhibitory effect of SSTF on the proliferation of HSC-T6 cells. The flow cytometry Annexin-V/PI double staining method was adopted to detect SSTF's effect on HSC-T6 cell apoptosis. Western blotting and Real-time PCR methods were applied to observe the effect on the protein and mRNA expressions of apoptosis-related cytokines Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3.

RESULTSSTF significantly inhibited HSC-T6 cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis in a dose and time dependent manner. According to Western blotting result, SSTF promoted apoptosis by inhibiting Bcl-2, Bax and promoting the protein expression of Caspase-3; according to a further Real-time PCR study, Bcl-2 mRNA levels can inhibit Bcl-2 and promote Bax and Caspase-3 expressions.

CONCLUSIONSSTF has the effect of promoting the apoptosis of HSC-T6 mainly by inhibiting Bcl-2 and promoting protein and mRNA expressions of Bax and caspase-3.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Flavanones ; pharmacology ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Sedum ; chemistry

Objective To find methods to isolate and purify plasminogen activator (Pla) from artificial culture of Yersinia pestis. Methods Ultrasonication and urea extracting combined by ammonium sulfate salting-out were tried to extract Pla. High performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) was used to purify Pla. The first step was ion exchange and the second was gel filtration, Preparative electrophoresis was used to purify Pla, too. The enzyme activity of the isolated or purificated Pla was detected. Results Both 50% - 60% saturated ammonium sulfate deposition of supernatant of plague bacilli ultrasonication and 0 - 10% saturated ammonium sulfate deposition of supernatant of plague bacilli powder soaked by urea had three bands(Mr about 31×103, 35×103 and 37×103) and lysis rings were 6.5 and 7.2 mm in diameter respectively when the enzyme activity was detected. Pla purified by HPLC was mainly composed of three bands(Mr about 31×103, 35×103 and 37×103), occupying more than 80% of total protein weight and lysis ring was 5.0 mm in diameter. Pla purified by preparative electrophoresis mainly consisted of three bands(Mr about 31×103, 35×103 and 37×103) with other proteins of low concentration nearby, no lysis ring was detected. Conclusions Pla is collected by the methods of ultrasonication and urea extracting. Priliminary purification of Pla can be achieved by HPLC and preparative electrophoresis.

The fast development of the molecular biology and the further research on the nucleic acid set a solid foundation for the development of genosensor.Genosensor is the result of combining molecular biology with microelectronics,electrochemistry,optics and etc,which will build a bridge between the life science and the information science and become one of the most important technologies for DNA information analysis and detection.The working principle,classification of genosenor and the recent research on its application in the detection of functional genes of environmental microorganisms are discussed according to the latest literature.And it is pointed out that the application in the determination of microorganism functional genes in compost is an important development orientation of genosensor.

OBJECTIVETo explore the impact of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on glucose metabolism and pancreatic pathology.

METHODSTwenty Wistar rats were divided into 5-FU group(n=10, chemotherapy was administered intraperitoneally to animals at a dose of 20 mg/kg daily for continuous 5 days) and control group (n=10, sodium chloride was administered intraperitoneally to animals with the same dose at the same time ). Glucose tolerance was evaluated 2 and 7 days following 5-FU treatment by serial measurement of blood glucose before and after an oral glucose load. Plasma insulin concentration was determined by radioimmunoassay. Pancreatic pathology was examined with morphological method and the ultrastructural changes of β cells were observed by transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSFasting blood glucose level was significantly higher in the 5-FU group than that in the control group [(7.6±0.9) mmol/L vs. (4.6±0.6) mmol/L at day 2; (8.9±1.0) mmol/L vs. (4.7±0.6) mmol/L at day 7, P<0.01]. Insulin releasing test indicated that the early phase insulin response to glucose load was significantly diminished in animals treated with 5-FU at day 2. Insulin level was significantly lower in the 5-FU group than that in the control group at 30 min (P<0.01). The peak secretion time of plasma insulin in 5-FU group was at 60 min, similar to the control group; and plasma insulin level decreased more slowly. Plasma insulin level was higher in 5-FU groups than in control groups on 120 min and 180 min. At day 7, Insulin level was lower in the 5-FU group than that in the control group on 60 min, and the peak secretion time of plasma insulin was delayed to 120 min. Plasma insulin level was significantly increased in 5-FU group than that in control group on 180 min(P<0.01). No gross histopathological damage to the pancreas was observed at day 2 and 7 following administration of 5-FU. The structural changes of mitochondria were mainly the quantities of secretory granule diminished at day 7 under transmission electron microscope. Dilated rough endoplasmic reticula, swollen mitochondria, and the presence of adipose drops in lysosomes were found in few cells.

CONCLUSIONS5-FU-induced hyperglycemia appears to be mediated in part by a relatively deficient insulin secretion to glucose stimulation. A relative deficiency in insulin secretion following 5-FU treatment appears to be related to β cells function impairs with islet cell ultrastructural changes induced by 5-FU.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; pharmacology ; Insulin ; blood ; Male ; Pancreas ; drug effects ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Most plants can form a symbiosis in root with microorganisms for mutual benefit, Nonlegumes mainly form the symbiotic mycorrhiza with arbuscular fungi. The interaction is initiated by invasion of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi into the plant root, and follows by production of several special signal molecules, such as the symbiosis receptor-like kinase (SYMRK) from plant. SYMRK has an extracellular domain comprising three leucine-rich repeats (LRRs), a transmembrane domain and an cytoplasmic protein kinase domain. Symrk is required for a symbiotic signal transduction pathway from the perception of microbial signal molecules to the rapid symbiosis-related gene activation. Study of symrk may set up a solid foundation for giving further insight on the function and mechanism of plant-fungi symbiosis.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Host-Pathogen Interactions ; Lycopersicon esculentum ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mycorrhizae ; physiology ; Phosphotransferases ; classification ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; classification ; genetics ; Plant Roots ; enzymology ; genetics ; microbiology ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid ; Signal Transduction ; genetics ; Symbiosis ; genetics

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of Tongxinluo on cell viability and tissue factor (TF) in AngII induced vascular endothelial cells and to investigate its mechanism. METHODS: AngII(10(-6)mol/L) was added to human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) culture media alone or with various concentration of Tongxinluo drug containing plasma (5%,10%, and 20%) added 30 minutes before AngII. Cell viability was evaluated after 24-hour incubation with AngII in a dose manner. TF, AngII type 1 receptor (AT(1)) mRNA, NO synthase (NOS) and NO were observed after 24-hour incubation with AngII. In addition, NOS inhibitor nomega-nitro-larginine (L-NAME) was added 30 minutes before Tongxinluo and AngII. Cell viability, TF, AT(1)mRNA, the level of NOS and NO were evaluated after 24-hour incubation with Tongxinluo and AngII. RESULTS: Tongxinluo significantly improved AngII induced endothelial cell viability and the effect was the most obvious at 10%. Tongxinluo (10%) decreased the TF and AT(1) mRNA while increased the NOS and NO levels. L-NAME obviously inhibited the effects of Tongxinluo on cell viability, TF, AT(1) mRNA, and NOS and NO levels. CONCLUSION Up-regulating NOS-NO signaling may be the mechanism of Tongxinluo on cell viability and TF in AngII induced vacular endothelial cells.
Angiotensin II ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; pharmacology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I ; antagonists & inhibitors ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Thromboplastin ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) on cell viability and tissue factor (TF) in angiotensin II (Ang II) induced vascular endothelial cells and to investigate its mechanisms.

METHODS10(-6) mol/L Ang II was added to human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) culture media alone or 30 min after pretreatment with IGF-1 (0.1 microg/ml , 0.5 microg/ml, 2.5 microg/ml). Cell viability and AngII type 1 receptor (AT1-R) mRNA were evaluated after 24 h incubation with AngII. At the optimum concentration of IGF-1 affecting cell viability, the time dependent manner for 12 - 48 h incubation with Ang II was evaluated. TF, NOS and NO were investigated after 24 h incubation with Ang II. In addition, NO synthase inhibitor Nomega-nitro-1-arginine methylester(L-NAME) was added 30 min before addition of IGF-1 and Ang II, and cell viability, TF, AT1-R mRNA, NOS and NO were evaluated after 24 h incubation.

RESULTS(1) Ang II induced a decrease in cell vitality, an upregulation of AT1-R mRNA, an increase in TF, and a decrease in the activity of NOS and content of NO. (2) Pretreatment with IGF-1 significantly inhibited the decreased cell viability and upregulation of AT1-R mRNA. IGF-1 at 0.5 microg/ml showed the most obvious effects. This effect of cell viability recovery was in a time dependent manner during 12 -48 h. (3) IGF-1 also inhibited the increased content of TF, the decreased activity of NOS and the decreased content of NO. (4) The beneficial effects of IGF-1 on cultured endothelial cells were completely abolished by L-NAME.

CONCLUSIONIGF-1 pretreatment could enhance the ang II injured cell viability and anti-thrombosis capacity, and the protective effects may be related to activation of NOS-NO signaling pathway which inhibited AT1-R.

Angiotensin II ; pharmacology ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiology ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; pharmacology ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Thromboplastin ; metabolism

Aim To study the application of HL-60 monocyte activation test in the pyrogen detection of freeze-dried rabies vaccine for human use.Methods The established HL-60 mononuclear cell activation test (MAT) was transferred between laboratories and the method was verified; referring to the interference test in the photometric method of the bacterial endotoxin test method of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, HL-60- IL- 6 MAT was used to detect the recovery and pyrogen content of 13 batches of freeze-dried rabies vaccine for human use.Results The linearity of the amount of 1L-6 secreted by HL-60 cells, which stimulated by dif¬ferent concentrations of endotoxin standards was above 0.95; the calculated minimum detection limit was not more than 0.125 EU • mL"1 ; the recovery experiment with a solution containing 0.5 and 1.0 EU • mL"1 of endotoxin was performed to cheek the accuracy of the method.HL-60-IL-6 was used to detect 13 hatches of Freeze-dried rahies vaccine for human use, and the re¬covery of endotoxin was between 50 % to 200%.It was consistent that HL-60-IL-6 with pyrogens and en¬dotoxin test for 4 batches of freeze-dried rabies vaccine for human use which pyrogens and endotoxin test failed and the 3 batches of water for injection.Conclusion The HL-60 MAT using IL-6 as a detection indicator is suitable for the detection of pyrogenic substances in freeze-dried rabies vaccine for human use.

Public hospitals play an important role in independent innovation of basic medicine and clinical medicine. As key players in translation of medical research achievements, they play a pivotal role in promoting the development of medical sciences. At present, these hospitals however, are faced with challenges in the translation, namely system defects, unclear property rights ownership, misleading research project goals, defective assessment mechanism, insufficient funding, and lack of translation channels. In such considerations, the authors suggested based on their experiences to improve the translation system of scientific research achievements, set up special departments for translation, clarify the rights to use and dispose of scientific research achievements and that to yields. They also proposed to actively guide the establishment of clinical application projects, improve the evaluation mechanism, and broaden channels of funding. These measures are expected to accelerate the translation of scientific research achievements.

To investigate the effects of leptin on glucose metabolism and related inflammatory factors in diabetic rats. Methods: Ten healthy male Wistar rats were randomly selected as the control group. Fifty rats were fed with high sugar and high fat diet and injected with streptozotocin (STZ, 25 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. They were randomly divided into model group, leptin low, middle and high dose group. The rats in the low, middle and high dose group were fed with leptin at the doses of 20, 50 and 100 μg/kg for 5 d respectively. Blood glucose (FBG) was measured by GOD-PAP method, insulin content (INS) was tested by radioimmunoassay, the serum levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein (HDL-C) were determined by automatic biochemical analyzer, the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blot was used to detect the expression of leptin in adipose tissue of diabetic rats. Compared with the control group, the blood glucose levels of other groups were increased significantly (P＜0.01). Compared with the model group, the blood glucose levels of middle and high dose leptin rats decreased significantly (P＜0.05, P＜0.01). The insulin level of high dose leptin group decreased significantly (P＜0.01). There was no significant difference in FBG and INS among the three groups (P＞0.05). Compared with the model group, TC levels of middle and high dose leptin group were decreased significantly (P＜0.05, P＜0.01). TG and LDL-C levels of high dose leptin group were decreased significantly (P＜0.05), HDL-C level of high dose group was increased significantly (P＜0.01). Compared with different dose groups, the high dose of leptin (100 μg/kg) could decrease the levels of TC, TG and LDL-C, and increase the level of HDL-C, which was better than those of the middle and low dose of leptin (P＜0.05) Compared with the model group (52.27±10.93), the levels of leptin in low, middle and high dose group were (47.35±12.09), (44.68±10.23) and (40.13±9.87) respectively, which could be decreased by leptin in a dose-dependent manner. The abnormal secretion of leptin is one of the factors inducing diabetes mellitus. Under the intervention of a certain concentration of exogenous leptin (100 μg/kg), it can significantly reduce the level of MDA, TNF-α, and improve the level of IL-6. The mechanism may be closely related to the reduction of inflammatory response, oxidative stress and correction of dyslipidemia. Leptin also reduces the risk of disease progression in diabetes treatment.