Objective:To investigate the effects of tetramethylpyrazine(TMP)on spinal cord inflammation and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/serine-threonine kinase/nuclear factor-κB(PI3K/Akt/NF-κB)signaling pathway in rats with lumbar disc herniation(LDH).Methods:The rats were divided into Control group,lumbar disc herniation group(LDH group),TMP low-dose,high-dose group(TMP-L,TMP-H group),TMP high-dose+PI3K inhibitor group(TMP-H+LY294002 group)by random number table method.LDH rat model was established by autologous nucleus pulposus transplantation and treated with corresponding drugs.After administration,the pain threshold of rats in each group was measured by paw tactile tester and plantar thermal stimulation tester.Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to observe the histomorphological changes of dorsal root ganglion.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to measure the levels of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and interleukin-6(IL-6)in the spinal dorsal horn.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1(Iba-1)and c-Fos in the spinal dorsal horn.Western blot was used to detect the expression of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway related proteins,and the ratios of p-PI3K/PI3K,p-Akt/Akt and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 were calculated.Results:At 24h before intervention,the paw withdrawal mechanical threshold(PWMT)and paw withdrawal thermal latency(PWTL)in the LDH group were lower than those in the Control group(P<0.05).At 24h after intervention,compared with Control group,the LDH group had severe nucleus deviation,blurred nucleoli,large amount of inflammatory cell infiltration and obvious cell swelling,decreased PWMT,PWTL,p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt,and increased levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6 and Iba-1,c-Fos and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65(P<0.05).Com-pared with the LDH group,the neurons had less nuclear deviation,clearer nucleoli,less cell swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration in the TMP-L group and TMP-H group,and the PWMT,PWTL,p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt were in-creased in turn,while the levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6 and Iba-1,c-Fos,p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 were decreased in turn(P<0.05).Compared with the TMP-H group,the TMP-H+LY294002 group had more severe pathological dam-age of neurons,obvious nuclear deviation,blurred nucleoli,cell swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration,decreased PWMT,PWTL,p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt,and increased levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6 and Iba-1,c-Fos and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65(P<0.05).Conclusion:TMP can inhibit the activation of microglia and the expression of Iba-1 and c-Fos,and improve spinal cord inflammation in LDH rats,and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the effects of tetramethylpyrazine(TMP)on spinal cord inflammation and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/serine-threonine kinase/nuclear factor-κB(PI3K/Akt/NF-κB)signaling pathway in rats with lumbar disc herniation(LDH).Methods:The rats were divided into Control group,lumbar disc herniation group(LDH group),TMP low-dose,high-dose group(TMP-L,TMP-H group),TMP high-dose+PI3K inhibitor group(TMP-H+LY294002 group)by random number table method.LDH rat model was established by autologous nucleus pulposus transplantation and treated with corresponding drugs.After administration,the pain threshold of rats in each group was measured by paw tactile tester and plantar thermal stimulation tester.Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to observe the histomorphological changes of dorsal root ganglion.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to measure the levels of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and interleukin-6(IL-6)in the spinal dorsal horn.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1(Iba-1)and c-Fos in the spinal dorsal horn.Western blot was used to detect the expression of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway related proteins,and the ratios of p-PI3K/PI3K,p-Akt/Akt and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 were calculated.Results:At 24h before intervention,the paw withdrawal mechanical threshold(PWMT)and paw withdrawal thermal latency(PWTL)in the LDH group were lower than those in the Control group(P<0.05).At 24h after intervention,compared with Control group,the LDH group had severe nucleus deviation,blurred nucleoli,large amount of inflammatory cell infiltration and obvious cell swelling,decreased PWMT,PWTL,p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt,and increased levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6 and Iba-1,c-Fos and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65(P<0.05).Com-pared with the LDH group,the neurons had less nuclear deviation,clearer nucleoli,less cell swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration in the TMP-L group and TMP-H group,and the PWMT,PWTL,p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt were in-creased in turn,while the levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6 and Iba-1,c-Fos,p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 were decreased in turn(P<0.05).Compared with the TMP-H group,the TMP-H+LY294002 group had more severe pathological dam-age of neurons,obvious nuclear deviation,blurred nucleoli,cell swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration,decreased PWMT,PWTL,p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt,and increased levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6 and Iba-1,c-Fos and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65(P<0.05).Conclusion:TMP can inhibit the activation of microglia and the expression of Iba-1 and c-Fos,and improve spinal cord inflammation in LDH rats,and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the improvement effect and mechanism of triptolide （TP） on sciatica rats. METHODS Sciatica rat model was prepared and then randomly divided into model group （normal saline）， indomethacin group （positive control， 7.5 mg/kg）， TP low-dose and high-dose groups （TP-L group and TP-H group， 50， 100 μg/kg TP）， and high-dose TP+ stimulator of interferon gene （STING） activator group （TP-H+DMXAA group， 100 μg/kg TP+25 mg/kg DMXAA）， with 12 rats in each group. Another 12 unligated rats were selected as sham operation group （normal saline）. After 14 days of intraperitoneal administration， the paw mechanical withdrawal threshold （PWT） and paw withdrawal thermal latency （PWL） were detected； the pathological changes， morphology of sciatic nerve and the number of microglia in sciatic nerve were observed. The levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， mRNA and protein expression levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate- adenosine monophosphate synthase （cGAS） and STING in sciatic nerve were detected. RESULTS Compared with sham operation group， PWT and PWL of rats in model group were obviously reduced and shortened， the number of Nissl bodies was obviously decreased， while the number of microglia， sciatic neuropathology score， the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α， mRNA and protein expressions of cGAS and STING were obviously increased （P＜0.05）， and sciatic nerve injury was serious. Compared with model group， the changes of various indexes in indomethacin group， TP-L group and TP-H group were opposite to the above （P＜0.05）， and sciatic nerve injury was reduced. STING activator DMXAA weakened the inhibitory effect of TP on the activity of microglia and inflammatory response in sciatica rats （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS TP may reduce the activity of microglia and inflammatory response by down-regulating the cGAS/STING signaling pathway， thus alleviating sciatica in rats.

This paper introduces the new research achievement and progress of electro-physiology in olfaction and gustation. Classical implements such as patch-clamp or glass pipette are not appropriate in the dynamic detection of cellular signal transportation. In view of this, we have analyzed the feasibilities and challenges of olfactory or gustatory cell-based biosensors such as field effect transistor (FET) and light addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS). Finally we present the research work carried our in out lab and a future prospective on the development in this field.
Biosensing Techniques ; instrumentation ; methods ; Electrophysiology ; methods ; Humans ; Microchip Analytical Procedures ; methods ; Smell ; physiology ; Taste ; physiology