Dynamic culture conditions serve as a critical factor in constructing physiologically functional blood vessel substitutes. With the development of tissue engineering, many experiments have verified the hypothesis that proper dynamic conditions are important for cells' behaving ways such as attachment, proliferation, differentiation and the remodeling of the extracellular matrix. By means of simulating the physiological dynamic conditions, one can enhance cell growth and extracellular matrix remodeling, and further improve the function of engineered vessel. In this paper is reviewed the current state of dynamic culture conditions provided for tissue engineering vessel graft, including the effects of different dynamic culture conditions on the proliferation of vascular cells and the remodeling of extracellular matrix. The use of bioreactor in constructing tissue engineering blood vessels and the effects of dynamic culture environments are also discussed with respect to the biological properties of vascular grafts.
Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bioreactors ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Pulmonary Artery ; cytology ; Rabbits ; Tissue Engineering ; methods

ObjectiveTo study the mechanism of Shenling Guchang prescription on blood glucose of gestational diabetes mellitus rats by regulating intestinal flora and short chain fatty acids. MethodThe 30 pregnant rats were randomly selected from 36 pregnant rats which were successfully pregnant. The model rats were fed with high-fat and high-sugar diet for 1 week， and 35 mg·kg^-1 streptozotocin （ STZ ） was given for 3 consecutive days to construct a gestational diabetes model. After successful modeling， the rats were randomly divided into model group， metformin group， Shenling Guchang prescription low-， medium- and high-dose group. The high dose group of Shenling Guchang prescription was given 18 mg·kg^-1， the middle dose group was given 9 mg·kg^-1， the low dose group was given 4.5 mg·kg^-1 drug solution by gavage， the metformin group was given 52.5 mg·kg^-1 drug solution by gavage， the blank group and the model group were given equal volume of normal saline by gavage.At 24 h after the last administration， blood samples were collected from the tail tip of the rats to measure the blood glucose， and blood samples were collected from the abdominal aorta under anesthesia to measure the levels of triglyceride （TG）， total cholesterol （TC）， high density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） and low density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）. Lipopolysaccharides （LPS）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and insulin （INS） were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）.The intestinal tissue of rats was taken， and the pathological changes of intestinal tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Fecal samples were collected from rats， 16S rRNA sequencing was used to detect intestinal flora， and short-chain fatty acids were detected by gas chromatography. ResultCompared with the blank group， the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the model group was significantly increased （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the Shenling Guchang prescription groups and the metformin group was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with the blank group， the levels of blood glucose， TG， TC， HDL-C， LDL-C， LPS， IL-1β， IL-6 and TNF-α in the model group were significantly increased （P<0.05）， and the intestinal tissues had different degrees of inflammatory changes and mucosal damage. Compared with the model group， the levels of blood glucose， TG， TC， HDL-C， LDL-C， LPS， IL-1β， IL-6 and TNF-α in each group of Shenling Guchang prescription and metformin group were down-regulated （P<0.05）， and intestinal inflammation and intestinal mucosal damage were improved. Compared with the blank group， the functional structure and diversity of intestinal flora in the model group changed （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the functional structure and diversity of intestinal flora in the Shenling Guchang prescription groups and the metformin group were reversed， and the trend was close to the blank group （P<0.05）.Compared with the blank group， the abundance of pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli， Enterococcus， Klebsiella， and Dustella in the model group was significantly increased， and the abundance of probiotics such as Prevotella， Prevotella， Akmania， Rombustella， and Lachnospiraceae was decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the abundance of pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli， Enterococcus， Klebsiella， and Dustella was decreased （P<0.05）， and the abundance of probiotic bacteria such as Prevotella， Akmanella， Rombustella， and Lachnospira was increased （P<0.05） in the Shenling Guchang prescription groups and the metformin group. Compared with the blank group， the content of short-chain fatty acids in the model group was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the content of short-chain fatty acids in each group of Shenling Guchang prescription and metformin group increased （P<0.05）. Correlation analysis showed that Proteobacteria was positively correlated with inflammatory factors， blood glucose and blood lipid in gestational diabetes mellitus （P<0.05）. ConclusionShenling Guchang prescription has a good regulatory effect on blood glucose， blood lipids and adverse pregnancy outcomes in rats with gestational diabetes mellitus. Its efficacy is comparable to that of metformin sustained-release tablets. Its mechanism may be related to regulating the structure of intestinal flora， increasing the content of short-chain fatty acids， reducing LPS， IL-1β， IL-6， TNF-α， and improving intestinal inflammation.

This paper summarized the clinical experience of Professor HE Chengyao in treating recurrent miscarriage complicated with subclinical hypothyroidism. It is believed that kidney yang insufficiency is the root of the disease， while the functional decline of the five zang （脏） organs and the obstruction of the sanjiao （三焦） pivot are the key links of the pathogenesis. In clinical practice， the division of yang numbers in the Book of Changes （《周易》） is followed， and 9 months is advocated as the basic treatment cycle for recurrent miscarriage complicated with subclinical hypothyroidism. During the first half of the period before pregnancy （the first 3 months）， it is recommended to warm the pivot and sanjiao （三焦）， and Yougui Pills （右归丸） is commonly used as the basic prescription to warm and supplement the kidney yang， together with the medicinals of invigorating blood and dissolving stasis， regulating and unblocking qi movement. During the second half of the period before pregnancy （the second 3 months）， it is better to nourish essence and nature the embryo commonly with Wuzi Yanzong Pills （五子衍宗丸） in modification. After pregnancy （the third 3 months）， it is suggested to supplement kidney and consolidate chong mai （冲）， replenish qi and nourish blood mainly， supplemented by warming and nourishing heart yang， and self-made Bushen Antai Formula （补肾安胎方） which is modified based on the combination of Shoutai Pills （寿胎丸） and Wenbao Beverage （温胞饮） is commonly used.Additionally， it is recommended to adjust lifestyle and diet so as to balance yin and yang and improve the physical condition.

OBJECTIVE To study the tocolysis effects of Angelica sinensis polysaccharides on threatened abortion model rats and their impacts on Th1/Th2 balance by regulating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （AKT） signaling pathway. METHODS Pregnant rats were randomly grouped into the control group， model group， A. sinensis polysaccharide group （200 mg/kg）， PI3K/AKT signaling pathway inhibitor LY294002 group （5 mg/kg）， and A. sinensis polysaccharide+LY294002 group （200 mg/kg A. sinensis polysaccharide+5 mg/kg LY294002）， with 10 rats in each group. Except for the control group， rats in all other groups were given mifepristone （8.3 mg/kg） and misoprostol （100 μg/kg） intragastrically to establish a threatened abortion model， and intragastric or intraperitoneal injection of corresponding drugs. The serum levels of estrogen， progesterone， interferon-γ （IFN-γ）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， and interleukin-4 （IL-4） in each group of rats were detected， and the uterine ovarian index and embryonic mortality rate of rats in each group were measured； the morphology of uterine tissue in rats was observed in each group； Th1/Th2 balance in peripheral blood of rats as well as the expression of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway-related proteins in the uterine tissues of rats in each group were detected. RESULTS Compared with the control group， the uterine tissue of rats in the model group showed pathological damage； the serum levels of estrogen， progesterone and IL-4， uterine ovarian index， peripheral blood Th2 cell ratio， and the ratios of phosphorylated PI3K （p-PI3K）/PI3K and phosphorylated AKT （p-AKT）/AKT in uterine tissue were all decreased （P＜0.05）； the embryo mortality rate， Th1 cell ratio， Th1/Th2 ratio， and serum levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α were increased （P＜0.05）. Compared with the model group， the pathological damage of uterine tissue in the A. sinensis polysaccharide group was reduced， and the above indexes were all improved significantly （P＜0.05）； LY294002 could weaken the effect of A. sinensis polysaccharide on model rats （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS A. sinensis polysaccharides can improve Th1/Th2 imbalance in threatened abortion model rats by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway， thereby inhibiting immune inflammation， and promoting embryo survival.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the impacts of isorhynchophylline （IRN） on airway inflammation in asthmatic mice by regulating the monocyte chemotactic protein-1 （MCP-1）/CC chemokine receptor 2 （CCR2） signaling pathway. METHODS The asthmatic mice model was established by injecting and inhaling ovalbumin. The successfully modeled mice were randomly grouped into asthma group， IRN low-dose group （IRN-L， intragastric administration of 10 mg/kg IRN）， IRN high-dose group （IRN-H， intragastric administration of 20 mg/kg IRN）， IRN-H+CCL2 group [intragastric administration of 20 mg/kg IRN+intraperitoneal injection of 7.5 ng CC chemokine ligand 2 （CCL2）] and positive control group （intraperitoneal injection of 2 mg/kg dexamethasone）. The mice injected and inhaled with sterile phosphate-buffered solution were included in the blank control group， with 10 mice in each group. The mice in administration groups were given relevant medicine once a day， for consecutive 2 weeks. The levels of airway hyperreactivity indexes such as enhanced （Penh） value， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α），interleukin-13 （IL-13） and IL-4 in serum， the number of eosinophil （EOS）， lymphocyte （LYM） and neutrophils （NEU） in alveolar lavage fluid and the protein expressions of MCP-1 and CCR2 in lung tissue were observed in each group； the pulmonary histopathological changes were observed， and inflammatory cell infiltration score was evaluated. RESULTS Compared with the blank control group， the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the lung tissue of mice was more significant in the asthma group， and there was swelling and shedding of cells； inflammatory infiltration score， Penh value， the levels of IL-4， IL-13 and TNF-α， the number of EOS， NEU and LYM， the protein expressions of MCP-1 and CCR2 were increased significantly （P＜0.05）. Compared with the asthma group， the pathological injuries of the IRN-L group， IRN-H group and positive control group were improved， and the above quantitative indexes were decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. Compared with the IRN-L group， the above quantitative indexes of the IRN-H group and positive control group were decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. There was no statistical significance in the above quantitative indexes between the IRN-H group and the positive control group （P＞0.05）. Compared with the IRN-H group， the above quantitative indexes of the IRN-H+CCL2 group were increased significantly （P＜0.05）. CCL2 reversed the protective effect of high-dose IRN on asthmatic mice. CONCLUSIONS IRN may reduce the release of airway inflammatory factors in asthmatic mice by inhibiting the activation of the MCP-1/CCR2 signaling pathway， so as to achieve the purpose of improving asthma.