OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of the calcium/calmodulin (CaM)-mediated activation of calcineurin (CN)-nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) signaling pathway in mediating the regulatory effect of hyperforin (HY) on stress-induced depression-like disorder (DP) in mice. METHODS: C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group, DP model group, and hyperforin treatment group (n=15). Behavioral changes of the mice were assessed using open field test (OFT), sucrose preference test (SPT), tail suspension test (TST), light/dark box test (LDB), and novel object suppression test (NSFT). Immunohistochemistry was used to detect tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, and serum serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NA) levels were detected with ELISA. Western blotting was used to analyze the expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2, and CN-NFAT pathway proteins. In cultured BV-2 microglial cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, the effects of hyperforin and CN inhibitor (CNIS) on expressions of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (IBA-1), 5-HT, NA, inflammatory cytokines and CN-NFAT pathway proteins were examined using immunofluorescence assay, ELISA or Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the control mice, the mice in DP group showed significantly reduced activity in OFT, decreased sucrose consumption in SPT, reduced shuttle crossing in LDB, and lowered food intake in NSFT with significantly increased immobility in TST. The mice with DP showed significantly decreased TH-positive neurons, lowered 5-HT and NA levels, and increased expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2 and CaM-CN-NFAT pathway proteins. In cultured BV-2 cells, LPS stimulation strongly increased cellular IBA-1 expression, decreased the levels of neurotransmitters (5-HT and NA), and increased the levels of inflammatory cytokines and CN-NFAT signaling, and these changes were effectively reversed by treatment with hyperforin or CNIS. CONCLUSIONS Hyperforin improves stress-induced depression-like behaviors in mice and activated BV-2 cells by targeting the CN-NFAT signaling pathway.
Animals ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice ; Microglia/drug effects* ; Depression/etiology* ; Perylene/pharmacology* ; Calcineurin/metabolism* ; NFATC Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Calcium Signaling/drug effects* ; Stress, Psychological ; Phloroglucinol/pharmacology* ; Signal Transduction ; Male ; Behavior, Animal/drug effects* ; Terpenes

Biocompatibility has always been the focal point in the study of biomaterials applied to medical apparatus. But at present, the standard system hasn't formed completely to evaluate the biomaterials. In recent years scientists tend to use general standard of evaluation. In this article, based on the recalcification time, the adhesion of platelets as well as the total quantity of plasma protein and some other evidences, combining with the Analytic hierarchy process (AHP), the method of general evaluation on the biocompatibility of anticoagulant biomaterials was discussed.
Anticoagulants ; analysis ; Biocompatible Materials ; standards ; Blood Proteins ; analysis ; Humans ; Materials Testing ; methods ; standards ; Platelet Adhesiveness ; drug effects

Good anticoagulant biomaterials need good surface chemical properties, good mechanics performances and particularly good characteristics of biocompatibility, including tissue compatibility and hemocompatibility. In order to understand with greater clearness the anticoagulant biomaterial, we have to characterize them by different methods. In this paper, the approaches to assessing and displaying the characteristics of anticoagulant biomaterial are reviewed in three aspects, namely the surface chemical properties and structure, the mechanics performances the and the biocompatibility of anticoagulant biomaterial.
Anticoagulants ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Blood Coagulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Materials Testing ; Prostheses and Implants ; adverse effects ; Prosthesis Design ; Surface Properties