Objective To investigate the expressions of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) protein and mRNA in the lung of rats with hepatopulmonary syndrome. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: sham operation (SO), intrahepatic portal hypertension (IHPH), prehepatic portal hypertension (PHPH) and portasymstimic shunt (PCS). Two weeks after preparation of rat models, the following measurements were performed: arterial blood gas analysis; the concentrations of NO in lungs; in situ hybridization of ecNOS and iNOS mRNA expressions in lung tissue sections with digoxin-labeled ecNOS and iNOS oligonucleotide probes; expressions of ecNOS and iNOS proteins by immunohistochemisty; image and semiquantitative analysis of the expressions of ecNOS, iNOS and their mRNA. Results PaO_ 2 was (73.85?6.51) mmHg in IHPH rats, significantly lower than that in PHPH, PCS and SO rats97.39? 1.33, 95.23?2.22 and (99.05?0.75)mmHg, respectively.The level of lung NO of IHPH was(19.78?5.33)?mol per gram of protein,much higher than that of PHPH, PCS and SO 13.21?3.99,13.89?3.16 and (8.71?1.68)?mol per gram of protein,respectively. In capillary endothelia, positive expressions of ecNOS mRNA and ecNOS protein in IHPH(4.96?0.82,4.11?0.28) were significantly higher than those of PHPH (1.81? 0.39, 1.63?0.18), PCS (1.88?0.53,1.83?0.16)and SO(1.19?0.32,0.98?0.20). Conclusion The expressions of NOS protein and mRNA in the lung of rats with hepatopulmonary syndrome were increased, and the level of lung NO was elevated, which seems to play an important role in the pathogenesis of hepatopulmonary syndrome.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dipyridamole ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; drug therapy ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use ; Tripterygium ; chemistry

AIM: To investigate whether Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription ( JAK/STAT) signaling pathway mediates high glucose-induced damage in human umbilical vein endothelial cells ( HUVECs ) . METHODS:The cell viability was examined by CCK-8 assay.The expression levels of JAK2, STAT3, caspase-9 and en-dothelial nitric oxide synthase ( eNOS) were detected by Western blot .The intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species ( ROS) were tested by DCFH-DA staining followed by photofluorography .Mitochondrial membrane potential ( MMP) was measured by rhodamine 123 staining followed by photofluorography .RESULTS:Treatment of HUVECs with high glucose (40 mmol/L glucose) for 6~12 h enhanced the protein level of phosphorylated JAK 2, peaking at 9 h.Treatment of the cells with high glucose for 6~12 h also increased the protein level of p-STAT3 with the peak value at 12 h.Pretreatment with the inhibitor of JAK/STAT pathway AG490 for 1 h before exposure of the HUVECs to high glucose significantly inhibi-ted the high glucose -induced injury , as evidenced by an increase in the cell viability , decreases in the expression of caspase-9 and the intracellular ROS production , and increases in MMP and the expression of eNOS .CONCLUSION:JAK/STAT signaling pathway is involved in the high glucose-induced damage in HUVECs .

Taking application of some isolation and purification technologies, such as solvent extraction, preliminary solvent isolation, column chromatographies over silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 gel and preparative HPLC, 10 compounds were obtained from Gynura nepalensis cultivated in the suburban area of Beijing. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic methods and comparison with literature as (3R) -3-hydroxy-β-ionone (1), (3S,5R, 6S, 7E) -5, 6-epoxy-3-hydroxy-7-megastigmen-9-one (2), (+) -boscialin (3), 3, 6-trans-3-hydroxy-α-ionone (4), 3, 6-cis-3-hydroxy-α-ionone (5), 3, 4-cis-3, 4-dihydroxy-β-ionone (6), ethyl caffeate (7), loliolide (8), 1H-indole-3-carbaldehyde (9), and 3-(hydroxyacetyl)indole (10), respectively. All compounds were isolated from the title plant for the first time, and with compounds 1, 2, 4-7, 9 and 10 being isolated from Gynura species for the first time. Structurally, the above compounds 1-6 belong to C13 nor-sesquiterpenoids, sharing the same carbon skeleton of megastigmane. According to this study, they are one of major kinds of chemical constituents of Gynura nepalensis and have important reference value for the investigation on phytotaxonomy of this species.
Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Caffeic Acids ; chemistry ; Cyclohexanones ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; Indoles ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure ; Norisoprenoids ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the role of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in evaluating and guiding radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its feeding vessels. Methods From January 2006 to June 2007, 71 patients with 75 hypervascular HCC in Peking University Cancer Hospital who underwent RFA were included in the study. The diagnosis was conifrmed by ultrasound guided biopsy for all patients. These patients were not suitable for transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) or had poor responds to TACE. They were divided into two groups, which included group percutaneous artery ablation (PAA) combining RFA and group RFA. There were 38 patients with 39 HCC in group PAA combining RFA and CEUS were used to identify the range of HCC inifltration. Firstly, PAA of the feeding vessels was conducted under the guidance of color doplor lfow imaging (CDFI). Then CEUS was performed to evaluate HCC perfusion after blocking the feeding vessels. Finally, the rest of the tumor was ablated by RFA. In group RFA, there were 33 patients with 36 HCC, who did not undertake PAA before RFA. Generally, the RFA was planned based on tumor size and location, and the ablation started with deep part of HCC or portion close to nearby organs. Contrast CT was used as a post-RFA imaging for follow-up at 1, 3 and 6 months post-RFA. T test was used to compare the difference in focal lesions number between two groups, andχ2 tests were used to compare the difference in necrosis rate between two groups after treatment. Results In group PAA combining RFA, post-PAA CEUS showed intratumor perfusion decreased more than 70%in 31 HCC (79.5%, 31/39). Of them, 13 HCC (33.3%, 13/39) showed complete perfusion defect with clear margin, called“solar eclipse sign”. The rest 8 HCC (20.5%, 8/39) showed 40%-70%of perfusion defect. In group PAA combining RFA, CDFI showed 35 (83.3%, 35/42) feeding vessels were blocked, and 3 vessels (7.1%, 3/42) showed signiifcant decreased lfow signal after PAA. There were average 3.18±1.42 ablations per HCC in group PAA combining RFA, and 4.32±1.56 in group RFA. The number of ablations per HCC in group PAA combining RFA was signiifcantly less than group RFA (t=2.524, P=0.015). The tumor necrosis rate at 1 month post-RFA in group PAA (92.3%, 36/39) combining RFA was signiifcantly higher than that of group RFA (66.7%, 24/35) (χ2=8.264, P=0.001). Conclusions With CEUS, PAA can effectively block the feeding vessels of HCC, enhance ablated necrosis in the tumor and signiifcantly increase necrosis rate post-RFA for large hypervascular HCC. CEUS-assisted PAA can improve efifciency of RFA with less ablation number and better result.

Objective To study the expression and clinical significance of COX-2 and the relation- ship between COX-2 and PTEN in endometrial adenocarcinoma(EAC).Methods The expression of COX-2, PTEN protein was detected by SP-immunohistochemical method in EAC,endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia, corresponding normal endometrium.Results The positive rates of COX-2 protein increased from normal en- dometrium(13.33%) to endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia(50.00%) and adenocarcinoma(64.58 %)(P

Taking application of some isolation and purification technologies, including crushing, solvent extraction, preliminary solvent isolation, column chromatographies over silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 gel and preparative HPLC, 8 compounds were obtained from the seeds of Jufeng grape sourced from market. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic methods and comparison with literature values as Catechin (1), Epicatechin (2), quercetin (3), ethylgallate (4), rel-(2S, 3R) -2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) -3- (hydroxymethyl)-5-(3-hydroxypropyl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-7-ol (5), rel-(2α, 3β)-7-O-methylcedrusin (6), rel-(1R,2S)-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) -2-(4-(3-hydroxypropyl) -2-methoxyphenoxy) propane-1,3-diol (7), and (+) -isolariciresinol (8), respectively. Compounds 5-8 were serial lignans isolated from the seeds of grape for the first time. Structurally, 5 and 6 belong in benzofuran-8,3'-neolignans, 7 in 8,4'-oxyneolignan, and 8 in 8,8' :2,7'-cyclolignan. According to in vitro activity evaluation conducted in cell model, compound 6 showed significant anti-oxidative ability, with the activity of RAW264. 7 cell superoxide dismutase being raised evidently in the test as compared with the positive anti-oxidative agents, compounds 1 and 2.
Antioxidants ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Vitis ; chemistry

The non-neuronal cholinergic system, widely exists in prokaryotic, eukarytic, and even plant cells, however, it has not been investigated in preadipocytes and adipocytes. To search for evidence its existence in preadipocytes and adipocytes, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) α7 subunit, acetyicholinesterase (ACHE) and choline acetyltransferase (CHAT) in 3T3-L1 cells were examined using immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting. The choline-regulated visfatin expression in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes was also tested by reverse transcriptase-PCR. Incubation with methyilycaconitine (10-6 to 10-4mol/L) for 12, 24 and 36 hours dose-dependently increased visfatin expression from 1.3- to 1.55-folds (P <0.01) with maximal induction at 24 hours with 10-4mol/L methyllycaconitine. Nicotine treatments (10-6 to 10-4 mol/L) for 12, 24 and 36 hours decreased visfatin expression; choline chloride (10-4 mol/L))suppressed visfatin expression in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes at 36 hours by 1.64 to 2.03 fold (P < 0.05) which was more effective as compared with nicotine. It was concluded that α7 nAChR was expressed in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and involved in visfatin expression.

Objective To investigate the protective effects of simvastatin on cobalt choride ( CoCl2 ) -induced hypoxia and reoxygenation injury on alveolar type Ⅱ cells and the underlying mechanisms.Methods CoCl2 was used to establish the hypoxia and reoxygenation injury model on AT Ⅱ cells.Blank,control and variant doses simvastatin-treated groups ( 5,10,20,30,50,100 μ mol/L) were designed in the present study.The proliferation of AT Ⅱ cells was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 ( CCK-8 ) assay.The percentage of apoptotic cells was assessed by flow cytometry AV/PI double-staining.The protein levels of surfactant protein-C (SP-C) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in AT Ⅱ cells was determined by Western blot.Results As compared with the control group,pretreatment with low dose (5 - 20 μmol/L),but not high dose simvastatin (50 - 100 μmol/L) markedly reduced A549 cells apoptosis,and increased their proliferation and the protein levels of SPC and PCNAin vitro.The protective effect could be reversed in vitro by L-mevalonate,a simvastatin competitive inhibitor,which indicated that the inhibition of mevalorate pathway was involved in the simvastatin induced AT Ⅱ cells function restoration.Condusion Low doses simvastatin reversed CoCl2-induced hypoxia and reoxygenation injury of AT Ⅱ cells.The inhibition of mevalonate pathway contributed to simvastatin induced AT Ⅱ cells function restoration.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of Xuezhikang Capsules (ZXKC) and probucol on blood lipids, vascular endothelial functions and redox status in patients with coronary heart disease. METHODS: One hundred and twelve patients with coronary heart disease were randomly divided into XZKC-treated group and probucol-treated group, 56 in each. Before and after 8-week treatment, the blood levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1), reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) were all measured in both groups. The GSH/GSSG redox potential (Eh) was calculated according to the Nernst equation. RESULTS: In the XZKC-treated group, the blood levels of TC, LDL-C and TG were significantly decreased after 8-week treatment as compared with those before treatment. The blood levels of TC and LDL-C were also significantly decreased in the probucol-treated group as compared with those before treatment. In the XZKC-treated group, the blood levels of ET-1 and GSSG and the GSH/GSSG Eh after treatment were all significantly lower than those before treatment, whereas the blood levels of GSH and NO, the NO/ET-1 ratio, and the GSH/GSSG ratio after treatment were all significantly higher than those before treatment. CONCLUSION: The XZKC or probucol treatment can yield a significant decrease in blood lipids in patients with coronary heart disease. Furthermore, XZKC exerts effective protection on vascular endothelial function, and can make GSH/GSSG redox status shift towards deoxidation.