BACKGROUND: Scoparone,which is a major principle separated from traditional Chinese herbs artemisia scoparia, which possesses actions of immunosuppression, anti-inflammation and relaxing bronchial smooth muscle. It' s not known whether scoparone possesses the regulation of the imbalance of interferon-gamma(IFN-γ) and interleukin-4(IL-4) in asthmatic guinea pig.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the inhibition and immunoregulation of scoparone on asthmatic guinea pig.DESIGN: Randomized controlled study based on the experimental animals.SETTING: Department of ethnopharmaeology in a university.MATERIALS: The experiment was completed in the Department of Ethnopharmacology,China Medical University between July 2000 and March 2002. Totally 84 male guinea pigs were selected at sanitation grade,weighting about(200 ± 50) g.INTERVENTIONS: The ameliorative effects of scoparone on the imbalance of IFN-γ and IL-4 in asthmatic guinea pigs were investigated by using the acute and delayed asthmatic guinea pigs which were respectively challenged by the aerosol mixture of 10 g/L histamine and 1 g/L acetylcholine,and 10 mL/L ovalbumin.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The asthmatic latent periods in acute and delayed asthma, and the levels of IgE, IL-4 and IFN-γ in serum and pulmonary tissue homogenate in the asthmatic animals.RESULTS: Scoparone significantly prolonged the asthmatic latent periods in acute and delayed asthma,observably reduced the levels of IgE and IL-4 and raised the content of IFN-γin serum and pulmonary tissue homogenate in the asthmatic animals (P<0. 05).CONCLUTION: The anti-asthmatic effects of scoparone result from the ameliorative effects on the imbalance of IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio thereby to inhibit the abnormal synthesis of IgE.

0.05). Conclusion Ryanodine receptor of asthmatic guinea-pig showed hypersensitivity. Under specified condition, the characteristics of ryanodine receptor still retains in subcultured ASMCs of asthmatic guinea-pig.

AIM To study the changes of IgE, IL-4 and IFN-y in serum and pulmonary tissue homogenate of asthmatic guinea pigs and the effects of scoparone on them. METHODS To divide animals into three groups: control, asthma and scoparone treatment groups. Choose the model guinea pigs of asthma sensitized with OA, and observe the changes of IgE, IL-4 and IFN-r in serum and pulmonary tissue homogenate of asthmatic guinea pigs and the effects of scoparone on them by means of chemolumi nescence, radio immunoassay, enzyme-linked immunoabsordent assay. RESULTS IgE and IL-4 in serum and pulmonary tissue homoge-nate of asthmatic guinea pigs obviously increase (P

Polysaccharide sulfate (PSS) is a new type of antiatherosclerotic medicine for its effects of anticoagulation, anti-thrombosis and modulation of dyslipidemia. However, it is still uncertain whether PSS could modulate the diabetic dyslipidemia or not. Here, the rat model of diabetic dyslipidemia was developed and the effects of PSS on glucose and lipid levels were investigated in this animal model. Wistar rats were iv injected with streptozotocin 20 mg·kg-1 after feeding with high fat diet for one and a half month. Then, rats received orally PSS (30, 90, and 180 mg·kg-1) for 1 month. After oral treatment with PSS (90 and 180 mg·kg-1) for 1 month, the levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) were significantly reduced and the level of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) increased, compared with diabetic control rats. Moreover, PSS (30, 90, and 180 mg·kg-1) had a tendency to reduce glucose and insulin levels, and significantly increased insulin sensitivity index. Our results suggest that PSS could improve insulin sensitivity and relieve dyslipidemia in diabetic dyslipidemic rats.

Objective To study the function of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in type 2 diabetes model rats and its effect on focal cerebral ischemia induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion in these rats. Methods Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion for 6 hours in type 2 diabetes rats and normal control rats.Blood vessels morphology was examined by ink perfusion,infarct size was measured by TTC and expression of VEGF and CD34 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry staining. Results Ink perfusion revealed increased number of small vessels in type 2 diabetes rats. Infarct size was significantly smaller in type 2 diabetes rats ( ( 80. 07 ± 11.21 ) mm3 ) than that in normal controls ((98. 91 ± 14. 86) mm3,t = 2.48,P = 0. 0326). There were more hemorrhage lesions in the ischemic hemisphere in type 2 diabetes rats when comparing with the controls. VEGF and CD34 showed significantly higher expression in type 2 diabetes rats than in normal controls. Conclusions High expression of VEGF and CD34 are found in type 2 diabetes rats after middle cerebral artery occlusion. There is cerebrolvascular remodeling in diabetes rats. While this diabetes-induced remodeling appears to prevent infarct expansion,the changes also increase the risk of hemorrhagic transformation. The latter may result in poor prognosis.

Aim To confirm the inhibitory effect of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia ( CIHH) on my-ocardial apoptosis induced by metabolism syndrome ( MS) , and to investigate its mechanism. Methods A rat model of MS induced by fructose was used. The blood pressure and the plasma content of glucose, tri-glyceride, cholesterol, and insulin after 12 h fasting were detected. HE stain were used to detect the cardi-ac structure. The TUNEL staining and activity of caspase-3 were used to detect the apoptosis of myocar-dium. The protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bax was detected by Western blot . Results Compared with the control rats, the blood pressure and the plasma content of glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, and insu-lin were all increased in rats with MS. In rats with MS, the impairment of cardiac structure and the increase of apoptosis were also observed. The protein expression of Bcl-2 was significantly down-regulated, and that of Bax was significantly up-regulated in MS rats. The ratio of Bcl-2/Bax was also significantly decreased. Interest-ingly, CIHH could ameliorate all of the above issues. There was no significant difference between control group and CIHH group. Conclusion CIHH may im-prove the increased apoptosis in rats with MS via inhib-iting the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. This stud-y might provide new targets for therapy and the preven-tion of MS patients.

Polysaccharide sulfate (PSS) is a new type of antiatherosclerotic medicine for its effects of anticoagulation, anti-thrombosis and modulation of dyslipidemia. However, it is still uncertain whether PSS could modulate the diabetic dyslipidemia or not. Here, the rat model of diabetic dyslipidemia was developed and the effects of PSS on glucose and lipid levels were investigated in this animal model. Wistar rats were iv injected with streptozotocin 20 mg x kg(-1) after feeding with high fat diet for one and a half month. Then, rats received orally PSS (30, 90, and 180 mg x kg(-1)) for 1 month. After oral treatment with PSS (90 and 180 mg x kg(-1)) for 1 month, the levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) were significantly reduced and the level of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) increased, compared with diabetic control rats. Moreover, PSS (30, 90, and 180 mg x kg(-1)) had a tendency to reduce glucose and insulin levels, and significantly increased insulin sensitivity index. Our results suggest that PSS could improve insulin sensitivity and relieve dyslipidemia in diabetic dyslipidemic rats.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Cholesterol, HDL ; blood ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; blood ; chemically induced ; complications ; Dyslipidemias ; blood ; etiology ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Polysaccharides ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Streptozocin ; Sulfates ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Triglycerides ; blood

OBJECTIVETo examine the temporal and spatial expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietins (Ang) in rat brain after cerebral ischemia, and to elucidate the roles they played in angiogenesis and vascular permeability.

METHODSRats were subjected to either middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) or sham operation. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of VEGF, Ang-1 and Ang-2 at different time points after ischemia. CD31 was used to label endothelial cells after MCAO. Vascular permeability was determined by Evans blue.

RESULTSVEGF was markedly increased at 2 h, had an initial peak at 12 h (0.7249 ± 0.1933, P < 0.01), and a second peak at 7 days (0.5264 ± 0.1519, P < 0.01). Ang-2 mRNA and protein significantly increased after MCAO, both of them peaked at 12 h (0.6747 ± 0.2416, P < 0.01; 1.1197 ± 0.1780, P < 0.01). In contrast, Ang-1 mRNA and protein gradually decreased after MCAO, respectively reaching a minimum at 3 d (0.3220 ± 0.1427, P < 0.01) and 1 d (0.1298 ± 0.0293, P < 0.01). Changes in the expression of these factors correlated with the progress of angiogenesis and vascular permeability. Evans blue test revealed that the vascular permeability gradually increased, and peaked at day 1 after ischemia [(6.219 ± 0.887) µg/g, P < 0.01].

CONCLUSIONDynamic temporal changes in VEGF, Ang-1 and Ang-2 expression stimulate the cerebral angiogenesis after focal cerebral ischemia.

Angiopoietin-1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Angiopoietin-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Capillary Permeability ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism

The present study was designed to investigate the role of opioid receptors in the vasorelaxation effect of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH) in thoracic aorta rings and the underlying mechanism in rats. Adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: CIHH treatment group and control group. The rats in CIHH group were exposed to hypoxia in a hypobaric chamber (simulated 5 000 m altitude) for 28 days, 6 h per day. The rats in control group were kept in the same environment as CIHH rats except no hypoxia exposure. The relaxation of thoracic aorta rings was recorded by organ bath perfusion technique, and expression of opioid receptors was measured by Western blot. Results are shown as follows. (1) The acetylcholine (ACh)-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation of thoracic aorta in CIHH rats was increased obviously in a concentration-dependent manner compared with that in control rats (P < 0.05). (2) This enhancement of ACh-induced relaxation in CIHH rats was abolished by naloxone, a non-specific opioid receptor blocker (P < 0.05). (3) The expressions of δ, μ and κ opioid receptors in thoracic aorta of CIHH rats were up-regulated compared with those in control rats (P < 0.05). (4) The enhancement of CIHH on relaxation of thoracic aorta was reversed by glibenclamide, an ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATP) blocker (P < 0.05). The results suggest that opioid receptors are involved in CIHH-enhanced ACh-induced vasorelaxation of thoracic aorta through KATP channel pathways.
Acetylcholine ; pharmacology ; Altitude ; Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; drug effects ; Glyburide ; pharmacology ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; KATP Channels ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Opioid ; metabolism ; Vasodilation

Senescence is the major risk factor that promotes development of different stages of chronic liver diseases and is closely related to occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.Significant differences consist in clinicopathological features and tumor microenvironment between elderly and young patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.With rapid development of systemic therapy,immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with targeted therapy have greatly improved the prognosis of patients with advanced hepa-tocellular carcinoma.The selection of treatment decisions for elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma requires to consider u-nique age-related issues.Adequate communication and necessary evaluation should be carried out before making decisions.Elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are speculated to benefit from combination immunotherapy based on age subgroup analysis of large clinical studies.However,data of effects and security obtained from clinical trials has certain limitations when being ap-plied in elderly populations of real world.The optimal therapeutic strategies for elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma still remain to be further explored in large-scale prospective clinical studies.