Aim To investigate the effect of ellagic acid (EA) on cognitive function in APP/PS 1 double- transgenic mice, and to explore the regulatory mechanism of ellagic acid on the level of oxidative stress in the hippocampus of double-transgenic mice based on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/glycogen synthase kinase-3 (PI3K/AKT/GSK-3 β) signaling pathway. Methods Thirty-two SPF-grade 6-month-old APP/PS 1 double transgenic mice were randomly divided into four groups, namely, APP/PS 1 group, APP/PS1 + EA group, APP/PS1 + LY294002 group, APP/PS 1 + EA + LY294002 group, with eight mice in each group, and eight SPF-grade C57BL/6J wild type mice ( Wild type) were selected as the blank control group. The APP/PS 1 + EA group was given 50 mg · kg

OBJECTIVEThis study was aimed to investigate the effects of emodin combined with 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) on proliferation and apoptosis of leukemia cell line KG-1a cells and its mechanism.

METHODSKG-1a cells were transfected with Egr-1 siRNA by electroporation and divided into blank control (KG-1a), nonspecific control (KG-1a/NC) and Egr-1 siRNA (KG-1a/siRNA) groups. Transfection efficiency was tested through fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry and the transfection effect was detected by using qPCR. The cell proliferation rate was detected with MTT method. After the cells were treated with 10 µmol/L of emodin, 3200 or 1600 µmol/L of AZT and their combinations, the proliferation inhibition rates and the apoptosis rates of cells in 3 groups were detected with MTT method and FCM, respectively.

RESULTSThe transfection efficiency of Egr-1 siRNA was found to reach more than 59.21%; as compared with blank control(KG-1a) and nonspectic control(KG-1a/NC), the cell proliferation in Egr-1 siRNA group significantly reduced (P<0.01). The combination of emodin and AZT had considerable synergistic inhibitory effects on proliferation of normal KG-1a cells and nonspecific control(KG-1a NC) cells, but the synergistic effects disappeared after Egr-1 gene silencing.

CONCLUSIONThe effects of the combination of emodin and AZT on proliferation and apoptosis may be related with Egr-1.

Apoptosis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Early Growth Response Protein 1 ; Emodin ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Leukemia ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Transfection ; Zidovudine

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in peripheral blood and joint synovia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to verify the clinical efficacy of EA.

METHODSAdopting randomized controlled principle, the 63 RA patients enrolled were assigned to two groups, the 32 patients in the EA group were treated with EA, and the 31 patients in the simple needling (SN) group treated with simple needling. According to the integral-local combining method, the acupoints were selected mainly from yang-meridian and local Ashi points (pain-point). EA or SN was applied every other day, 10 times as a course, and each patient received a total of 3 courses of treatment.

RESULTSBlood and synovial levels of TNF-α and VEGF were reduced significantly after treatment in both groups. The lowering (absolute value and difference value) of TNF-α as well as the absolute value of VEGF, either in blood or in synovia, were similar in the two groups (P>0.05); but the lowering of VEGF after treatment was more significant in the EA group than that in the SN group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA could effectively lower the contents of TNF-α and VEGF in peripheral blood and joint synovia to improve the internal environment for genesis and development of RA, so as to enhance the clinical therapeutic effectiveness.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; blood ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Joints ; pathology ; Male ; Synovial Fluid ; metabolism ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; blood ; metabolism ; Young Adult