Neuronal?_4?_2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors(nAChRs) are the most widespread subtypes in central nervous system.?_4?_2 nAChRs mainly exist in procerebrum,parietal lobe cortex,temporal lobe cortex,hippocampus,basal ganglion and cerebellum.Researches on gene knock-out mice have demonstrated that?_4?_2 receptors participate in the development,aging,neuron survival,pain,and learning and memory,and are also involved in gamma-aminobutyric acid release and dopaminergic function.Studies have disclosed that?_4?_2 nAChRs relate to the development of variety of neurological diseases,including pain,Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Neuronal α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are the most widespread subtypes in central nervous system, α4β2 nAChRs mainly exist in procerebrum, parietal lobe cortex, temporal lobe cortex, hippocampus, basal ganglion and cerebellum. Researches on gene knock-out mice have demonstrated that α4β2 receptors participate in the development, aging, neuron survival, pain, and learning and memory, and are also involved in gamma-aminobutyric acid release and dopaminergic function. Studies have disclosed that α4β2 nAChRs relate to the development of variety of neurological diseases, including pain, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Gingerol on endotoxemia mouse induced by heatstroke.

METHODSForty mice were randomly divided into five groups, the endotoxemia model group (A), the normal temperature group (B), the Gingerol treated group (C), the solvent control group (D), and the saline control group (E), 8 mice in each group. Group B to E was administered with saline, Gingerol, solvent and saline respectively. Mice in group B were placed at room temperature 25 +/- 0.5 degrees C , relative humidity 43 +/- 5 % for 2 hrs, while mice in the other groups were exposed under 35 +/- 0.5 degrees C and relative humidity 65 +/- 5 % for 2 hrs in an artificial hot-climate mimic cabin to establish heatstroke endotoxemia model. The energy metabolic level of celiomacrophage was detected with MTT; the phagocytic ability was examined with neutral red chromometry; the hepatocyte ultrastructure was observed with transmission electron microscopy, as well as the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in plasma was tested.

RESULTSAs compared with Group A, D and E, in Group C, energy metabolic levels of macrophage, phagocytic ability, and activity of SOD were significantly higher (P < 0.01), and the level of MDA was significantly lower respectively (P < 0.01), with the levels of SOD and MDA approaching to those in Group B (P >0.05). The pathologic changes of hepatocyte ultrastructure in group C were less than those in the other three endotoxemia groups.

CONCLUSIONGingerol could raise the energy metabolic level of celio-macrophage to enhance its phagocytic ability, increase the activity of SOD and reduce the production of MDA in mouse with heatstroke endotoxemia, so as to alleviate the liver damage.

Animals ; Catechols ; Endotoxemia ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Fatty Alcohols ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Ginger ; chemistry ; Heat Stroke ; complications ; Macrophages ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Phagocytosis ; drug effects ; Phytotherapy ; Random Allocation

BACKGROUNDThe conventional procedure for screening bioactive components from traditional Chinese medicine is time-consuming, expensive and low efficient. Therefore, some alternative strategies are needed urgently. A novel method for screening anti-platelet aggregation components from oleoresins was developed using chicken thrombocyte extract and high performance liquid chromatography.

METHODSThe anti-platelet aggregation components of oleoresins were combined with receptors, channels and enzymes of chicken thrombocytes under physiological environment. Unbound substances were washed away and bound compounds were eluted using specific phosphate buffered solution (PBS). Compounds released from target sites were collected and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography and LC-MS. The activity of three compounds which were screened from this model was confirmed using platelet aggregation pharmacology in vivo.

RESULTSThere were four typical compounds that bound to the thrombocytes: 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 6-shogaol and 10-gingerol, and all had shown anti-platelet aggregation activities. Eight-gingerol displayed the best anti-platelet aggregation effect.

CONCLUSIONSChicken thrombocyte extract can be used to isolate chemicals that are ligands of the receptor or other bio-targets on the platelet. This may therefore be a simple and efficient method to screen for anti-platelet aggregation compounds from traditional Chinese medicine.

Animals ; Catechols ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Chickens ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Fatty Alcohols ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Ginger ; chemistry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plant Extracts ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Platelet Aggregation ; drug effects ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism

Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) bm47 gene is found in all sequenced lepidopteran nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPVs). It is one of the core genes of NPVs. However, the role of bm47 in the biological cycle of NPV remains unknown. In this study, the Red recombination system was used to knock out bm47 from BmNPV to construct bm47-ko-Bacmid in E. coli BW25113 system. Then bm47 gene was introduced back to the viral genome using the Bac-to-Bac system to create the repair virus bm47-re-Bacmid. TCID50 assay and real-time PCR (qPCR) were used to evaluate the effects of bm47 deletion on viral DNA replication, gene transcription, and protein expression. qPCR results showed that bm47 knock-out had no significant effect on viral DNA replication. However, the qPCR results showed that bm47-ko-Bacmid significantly decreased the transcription levels of early gene lef-3, late gene vp39, and very late gene p10 at 48 h and 72 h after viral transfection of BmN cells (P < 0.05). This work will provide a foundation for further studies on the biological function of BmNPV bm47 in viral replication and transcription.
Animals ; Bombyx ; virology ; Gene Deletion ; Gene Expression Regulation, Viral ; Nucleopolyhedrovirus ; genetics ; physiology ; Transcription, Genetic ; Viral Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Virus Replication

Objective To evaluate the preventive and therapeutic effect of oral solution of Niao Du Kang (尿毒康) on acute renal tubular necrosis (ATN) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats,and preliminarily approach its mechanisms.Methods The oral solution was composed of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei (大黄),Radix Sanguisorbae Offieinalis (地榆),Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (丹参), Radix Astragali seu Hedysari (黄芪),Flos Carthami Tinctorii (红花) and so on.Sixty-four SD male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:normal control group,ATN model group,verapamil treatment group and traditional Chinese medicine,oral solution of Niao Du Kang treatment group,every group having 16 rats.. The ATN model of SD rats was induced by intramuscular injection of 50% glycerin mixed with isotonic saline solution at the back of bilateral lower extremities.After the model was established in each group ,the levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN),levels of blood serum creatinine (SCr),renal failure index (RFI) and renal pathological changes were detected at different time points after modeling for 12 and 24 hours,and the therapeutic effect of oral solution of Niao Du Kang was observed.Results After the model establishment, Niao Du Kang oral solution could lower the elevation of blood BUN,SCr,RFI in the model,and compared with the normal control group,there were statistical significances (all P

OBJECTIVETo develop a novel vector system, which combines the advantages of the gene therapy, antiangiogenic therapy and virus therapy, and to observe its effect on lung cancer.

METHODSHuman angiostatin gene hA(k1-5) was inserted into the genome of the replicative virus specific for the tumor cells by virus recombination technology. The expression of hA(k1-5), its effect on tumor growth in vitro and in vivo were studied.

RESULTSA new kind of gene-viral vector system, designated as CNHK200-hA(k1-5), in which the E1b55 000 gene was deleted but the E1a gene of adenovirus preserved, was constructed. The novel vector system possessed the same property as the replicative virus ONYX-015, which replicates in p53- tumor cells but not in normal cells, thus specifically kills tumor cells. In vitro, CNHK200-hA and Ad-hA both could kill A549 tumor cells but the latter needed 100 times more MOI to achieve the same amplitude of cell killing. In vivo, the therapeutic effect of CNHK200-hA on human lung cancer A549 xenograft in nude mice was significantly better than that of Ad-hA and that of tumor-replicative virus ONYX-015.

CONCLUSIONCNHK200-hA(k1-5), a novel vector is constructed in which the angiostatin gene is inserted into the genome of the replicative adenovirus cytotoxic to p53-negative tumor cells. It has the advantages of specific tumor targeting, high level gene expression in tumor cells, and potent tumoricidal activity.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Adenovirus E1A Proteins ; genetics ; Angiostatins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; physiology ; Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Female ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Transfection

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; epidemiology ; Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Poverty Areas ; Young Adult

This study is to explore the effect of ginkgolide B (BN52021) on the production of nitric oxide (NO), interleukin (IL)-6 and regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) from astrocytes induced by stimulators. Primary cultured rat astrocytes were stimulated with lipopolysaccharides (LPS), the production of NO was assayed using Griess reaction; U251 cells were stimulated with IL-1 beta, the contents of IL-6 and RANTES in the supernatant were measured using ELISA. The mRNA expressions of IL-6 and RANTES were detected using RT-PCR. LPS (10 ng mL(-1) to 10 microg mL(-1)) could stimulate rat astrocytes to produce NO in a dose-dependent manner. Ginkgolide B at the concentrations of 0.1-10 micromol L(-1) were shown to decrease NO production significantly. IL-1 beta could induce the mRNA expression and protein secretion of IL-6 from U251 cells, as well as RANTES. Ginkgolide B at concentrations of 0.1-10 micromol L(-1) were shown to inhibit RANTES secretion, and to inhibit mRNA expression of IL-6 and RANTES at concentration of 10 micromol L(-1). Ginkgolide B has inhibitory effect on the production of NO, IL-6 and RANTES from astrocytes treated with inflammatory stimulators.
Animals ; Astrocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cells, Cultured ; Chemokine CCL5 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Ginkgolides ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Glioblastoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Interleukin-1beta ; Interleukin-6 ; genetics ; secretion ; Lactones ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Platelet Activating Factor ; antagonists & inhibitors ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo investigate the regulatory effect of Jingang Jiangu pill (see text, JGJG) on expression of integrin in ovariectomized rats.

METHODSFifty ovariectomized 10 months old female rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: Fushanmei group (FSM), Jingang Jiangu pill (see text) group (JGJG), Gusongbao granule group (GSB), Model group (OVX), Sham group. After ovariectomized,the rats were raised in the same environment for 13 weeks. The rats in JGJG group took 0.13 g JGJG pill orally each day for each rat; the rats in GSB group took 0.86 g GSB granule orally each day for each rat; the rats in FSM group took 0.28 mg FSM orally each day for each rat; and the rats in OVX and sham groups took sodium. The treatment duration of rats in above 5 groups was 13 weeks. Bone mineral density (BMD) and the expression of integrin beta1 and alphavbeta3 were detected in each group after the treatment. RESYKTS: The BMD and the expression of integrin beta1 in FSM group, JGJG group and GSB group improved obviously than that of OVX group. There were statistical difference between these groups (P<0.05). The expression of integrin alphavbeta3 of the three treating groups significantly depressed.

CONCLUSIONThe JGJG pill improves BMD and express of integrin beta1, in ovariectomized rats and reduces express of integrin alphavbeta3 through the regulation of the coupling of osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

Animals ; Bone Density ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Integrin alphaVbeta3 ; analysis ; Integrin beta1 ; analysis ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Osteoporosis ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Ovariectomy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar