OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on improving motor function and regulating microglial activation based on Notch receptor 1 (Notch1)/Hes family bHLH transcription factor 1 (Hes1) pathway in mice with Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: Thirty-six male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into a control group, a model group and an EA group, 12 mice in each group. PD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) for 7 consecutive days in the model group and the EA group. From the 1st day of modeling, EA was applied at "Baihui" (GV20) and bilateral "Shenshu" (BL23) in the EA group, with continuous wave, in frequency of 2 Hz and current of 2 mA, 15 min a time, once a day for 14 days continuously. The behavioral performance was evaluated by gait test, pole climbing test and hanging test, the number of positive cells of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and the co-expression positive cells of Notch1/ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1) in the substantia nigra of midbrain was assessed by immunofluorescence, the protein expression of TH, α-synuclein (α-syn), Notch1, Hes1, Iba-1, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), Arginase-1 (ARG1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and IL-10 was detected by Western blot, the mRNA expression of Notch1 and Hes1 was detected by real-time PCR. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, in the model group, the stride frequency was accelerated (P<0.001) and the stride length was shortened (P<0.001) for the four limbs, the pole climbing test time was prolonged (P<0.01) and the grip level was reduced (P<0.01); in the substantia nigra of midbrain, the number of positive cells of TH was decreased (P<0.001), the number of co-expression positive cells of Notch1/Iba-1 was increased (P<0.001), the protein expression of α-syn, Notch1, Hes1, Iba-1, iNOS, TNF-α, IL-1βand IL-6 was increased (P<0.01, P<0.05, P<0.001), the protein expression of TH, ARG1 and IL-10 was decreased (P<0.01, P<0.001), the mRNA expression of Notch1 and Hes1 was increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, in the EA group, the stride frequency was decelerated (P<0.001) and the stride length was increased (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001) for the four limbs, the pole climbing test time was shortened (P<0.05) and the grip level was increased (P<0.05); in the substantia nigra of midbrain, the number of positive cells of TH was increased (P<0.01), the number of co-expression positive cells of Notch1/Iba-1 was decreased (P<0.001), the protein expression of α-syn, Notch1, Hes1, Iba-1, iNOS, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β was decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), the protein expression of TH, ARG1 and IL-10 was increased (P<0.05, P<0.001, P<0.01), the mRNA expression of Notch1 and Hes1 was decreased (P<0.05). CONCLUSION EA can improve the behavioral performance and protect the dopaminergic neurons in PD mice, its mechanism may relate to the inhibition of Notch1/Hes1-mediated neuroinflammation, thus inhibiting the microglial activation.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Microglia/metabolism* ; Male ; Receptor, Notch1/metabolism* ; Parkinson Disease/physiopathology* ; Transcription Factor HES-1/metabolism* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Humans ; Signal Transduction

Gene therapy represents a promising treatment for the Alzheimer׳s disease (AD). However, gene delivery specific to brain lesions through systemic administration remains big challenge. In our previous work, we have developed an siRNA nanocomplex able to be specifically delivered to the amyloid plaques through surface modification with both CGN peptide for the blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration and QSH peptide for -amyloid binding. But, whether the as-designed nanocomplex could indeed improve the gene accumulation in the impaired neuron cells and ameliorate AD-associated symptoms remains further study. Herein, we prepared the nanocomplexes with an siRNA against -site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), the rate-limiting enzyme of A production, as the therapeutic siRNA of AD. The nanocomplexes exhibited high distribution in the A deposits-enriched hippocampus, especially in the neurons near the amyloid plaques after intravenous administration. In APP/PS1 transgenic mice, the nanocomplexes down-regulated BACE1 in both mRNA and protein levels, as well as A and amyloid plaques to the level of wild-type mice. Moreover, the nanocomplexes significantly increased the level of synaptophysin and rescued memory loss of the AD transgenic mice without hematological or histological toxicity. Taken together, this work presented direct evidences that the design of precise gene delivery to the AD lesions markedly improves the therapeutic outcome.

Reduced sulfur compounds ( RSCs) are one of the main pollutant species in the atmosphere, so it is of great significance to develop a rapid and on-line approaches for their detection. In this study, a portable time-of-flight mass spectrometer ( TOF-MS) with magnetic field enhanced photoelectron ionization source was designed to detect RSCs. The photoelectron ionization source was induced from vacuum ultraviolet photons which generated from vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) lamp with energy of 10. 6 eV. The energy of photoelectrons was controlled by adjusting the extraction voltage to produce the photoelectron ionization, and an annular magnet was used in the ionization region to improve the ionization efficiency of photoelectrons. From the simulation result by SIMION software, it was found that the introduction of magnet field made the motion trajectroies of electrons in the helical motion increase and the convergence of electron at the ionization source was achieved. Experimental results showed that after introducing the magnet filed, the sensitivity of H2 S, SO2 and CS2 was improved by a factor of 5. 3, 9. 4 and 6. 9, respectively. With a detection time of 50 s, the limits of detection for H2S, SO2 and CS2 were 0. 14, 0. 52 and 0. 31 mg/m3(S/N=3), respectively. It could be concluded that the portable TOF-MS with magnetic field enhanced photoelectron ionization source has great potential to be applied for on-line monitoring of volatile sulfides at the emission source.

Objective:To explore the effect of intratracheal transplantation human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells on pulmonary interstitial fibrosis by bleomycin in mice,compare the treatment in pulmonary fibrosis of intratracheal transplantation with tail vain injection human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells.Methods:The second generation of HUCBMSCs were cultured to the fourth generation.Sixty specific pathogen free male Kunming mice were randomly divided into 4 groups:negative control group ( Cont group) ,bleomycin group( BLM group) ,HUCBMSCs transplantation groupⅠ( MⅠgroup) and HUCBMSCs transplantation groupⅡ(MⅡ group),each group 15 mice.Pulmonary fibrosis models were induced by bleomycin via intratracheal perfusion in the latter three groups.Twenty four hours after model establishment,5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine( Brdu) marked HUCBMSCs were poured in trachea in MⅠgroup ,the same were injected into tail vein in MⅡ group.At the 7th,14th,28th day,5 mice in each group were executed re-spectively.The morphological changes of the lung tissues were observed by HE staining and Masson staining.The localization and distribution of human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells were determined by the method of immunohistochemistry.The hydroxyproline contents were measured by alkali hydrolysis assay.The protein levels of transforming growth factor β-1 ( TGF-β1 ) and smooth muscle alpha-actin(α-SMA) were detected by Western blot.Results:In the two mesenchymal stem cell transplantation groups, there were Brdu marked cells at the 7th,14th,28th days in lung tissue.The alveolitis and fibrosis in lung of the two mesenchymal stem cell transplantation groups were milder than which of the the bleomycin group(P<0.05).Hydroxyproline levels in the bleomycin groups at 3 time points showed a gradually rising trend,the highest level was at 28th day( P<0.01).The protein levels of TGF-β1 andα-SMA in the lung tissues ranked as follows:BLM group>MⅠ,MⅡgroup>Cont group(P<0.05),the difference between MⅠgroup and MⅡgroup was not statistically significant(P>0.05).Conclusion:The colonization of human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells can be seen in the damaged tissue via intratracheal transplantation which can alleviate pulmonary fibrosis in mice caused by bleomycin.