This study sought to probe into the mechanism of spontaneous contraction of portal vein. The morphological and electrophysiological characteristics of the freshly isolated interstitial cells (ICs) of rabbit portal vein were investigated by using immunohistochemical and conventional whole-cell patch clamp techniques. The isolated interstitial cells exhibited stellate-shaped or spindle-shaped bodies with a variable number of thin processes projecting from cell bodies, and these cells were noted to be c-Kit immunopositive. Under conventional whole-cell patch clamp configuration, the membrane potential was held at -60 mV, the spontaneous rhythmic inward currents were recorded in ICs, and the frequencies of which were similar to those of spontaneous contraction of portal vein. The inward currents were insensitive to nicardipine (an L-type calcium channel blocker) but could be abolished by gadolinium (a non-selective cation channel blocker). The results suggested that the spontaneous rhythmic inward currents recorded in freshly isolated ICs may be pacemaker currents which elicit the spontaneous contraction of portal vein.
Action Potentials ; Animals ; Electrophysiology ; Female ; Interstitial Cells of Cajal ; physiology ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; physiology ; Periodicity ; Portal Vein ; cytology ; physiology ; Rabbits ; Transient Receptor Potential Channels ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the effect of micro RNA (miR)-125a-3p on proliferation and apoptosis of glioma cells and its role in MAPK signaling pathway. Methods (1) The miR-microarray data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA, https:// cancergenome.nih.gov/) database were downloaded, and the miR-125a-3p expressions in 565 gliomas tissues and 10 normal brain tissues were compared. (2) Clinical collection of 30 glioma specimens surgically resected in our hospital from April 2015 to April 2018, was performed, including 7 of low-grade glioma and 23 of high-grade glioma;8 normal brain tissues needed craniocerebral trauma excision were collected at the same time period;reverse transcription (RT)-real-time quantitative (q) PCR was used to detect the miR-125a-3p expressions in glioma tissues and normal brain tissues. (3) The normal brain glial cells HA1800 and glioma cells (U251, U138, U87, U373, and T98G) were routinely cultured in vitro; RT-qPCR was used to detect the miR-125a-3p expression in normal brain glial cells and glioma cell lines. (4) The cultured glioma cell lines U251 and U373 at logarithmic phase were divided into miR-125a-3p group and negative control group;and miR-125a-3p mimic or nonsense sequence were transfected using LipofectamineTM 2000;72 h after transfection, the miR-125a-3p expression was detected by RT-qPCR; the proliferation rate was detected by clone formation after transfection; the apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry 72 h after transfection; the cleaved-caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-9, cleaved-caspase-7, P38 and P-P38/MAPK protein expressions were detected by Western blotting. Results (1) In TCGA database, the miR-125a-3p expression in glioma brain tissues was statistically lower as compared with that in normal brain tissues (P<0.05). (2) The miR-125a-3p expressions in clinically collected normal brain tissues, low-grade glioma specimens and high-grade glioma specimens were decreased successively, enjoying statistically significant differences (P<0.05). (3) As compared with normal glial cells, the miR-125a-3p expressions in glioma cell lines were significantly lower (P<0.05), of which, U251 and U373 enjoyed the most obvious decrement. (4) As compared with the blank control group, the miR-125a-3p group had significantly increased miR-125a-3p expression, significantly decreased colony forming efficiency, significantly increased proliferation rate, significantly increased expressions of apoptosis-related proteins cleaved-caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-9, and cleaved-caspase-7, and statistically increased phosphorylated-P38/MAPK expressions (P<0.05). Conclusion The miR-125a-3p expression is low in glioma tissues and cells; miR-125a-3p over-expression can inhibit the proliferation of glioma cells and promote apoptosis through MAPK signaling pathway, which may provide a new potential target for treatment of glioma.

Objective:To observe the safety and efficacy of one-stage bilateral temporal lobe lesions resection in patients with severe bilateral radiation-induced temporal lobe injury after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Methods:Clinical data of 12 patients with severe bilateral radiation-induced temporal lobe injury after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma underwent one-stage bilateral temporal lobe lesions resection in our hospital from January 2013 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) scores were used as predictors of surgical outcomes before and two weeks after surgery. Imaging changes of radiation-induced brain injury lesions after surgery before and 3 months after surgery, surgical-related complications, and death were observed.Results:All 12 patients (100%) had improved postoperative KPS scores, which showed significant difference as compared with the preoperative KPS scores ( P<0.05). Two patients had pulmonary infection after operation, one patient had poor wound healing, and one patient had intracranial infection; all of them recovered after expectant treatment. None of the 12 patients had new neurological symptoms after surgery. During the follow-up period, the postoperative cranial MR imaging showed that the lesions were completely removed, and the leukoencephalopathy was alleviated or completely subsided. Conclusion:One-stage bilateral temporal lobe lesions resection is feasible for bilateral radiation-induced temporal lobe injury after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.