The pain peptide adrenomedullin (AM) plays a pivotal role in pathological pain. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of blockade of AM receptor on bone cancer pain (BCP) and its mechanism. BCP was developed by inoculation of Walker 256 mammary gland carcinoma cells in the tibia medullary cavity of Sprague Dawley rats. The selective AM receptor antagonist AMwas administered intrathecally on 15 d after the inoculation. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect mRNA level of CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) in dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Double immunofluorescence staining was used to analyze the localizations of CCL2 and AM in DRG of normal rats. The results showed that, from 6 to15 d after the inoculation, the animals showed significant reduction in the mechanical pain threshold in the ipsilateral hindpaw, companied by the decline in bone density of tibia bone. The expression of CCL2 mRNA in DRG of BCP rats was increased by 3 folds (P < 0.001 vs saline group). Intrathecal administration of AMabolished bone cancer-induced mechanical allodynia and increase of CCL2 mRNA level (P < 0.001). In normal rats, CCL2 was co-localized with AM in DRG neurons. These results suggest that AM may play a role in the pathogenesis of BCP. The increased AM bioactivity up-regulates CCL2 expression in DRG, which may contribute to the induction of pain hypersensitivity in bone cancer.
Adrenomedullin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Bone Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Chemokine CCL2 ; metabolism ; Ganglia, Spinal ; physiopathology ; Hyperalgesia ; drug therapy ; Pain ; drug therapy ; Pain Threshold ; Peptide Fragments ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Adrenomedullin ; antagonists & inhibitors

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) pretreatment on cognitive decline and neuronal damage in an Alzheimer’s disease (AD) rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats were divided into three groups: normal saline (NS), AD, and HBO+AD. In the AD group, amyloid β peptide (Aβ)₁₋₄₀ was injected into the hippocampal CA1 region of the brain. NS rats received NS injection. In the HBO+AD group, rats received 5 days of daily HBO therapy following Aβ₁₋₄₀ injection. Learning and memory capabilities were examined using the Morris water maze task. Neuronal damage and astrocyte activation were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Dendritic spine density was determined by Golgi-Cox staining. Tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-10 production was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Neuron apoptosis was evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling. Protein expression was examined by western blotting. RESULTS: Learning and memory dysfunction was ameliorated in the HBO+AD group, as shown by significantly lower swimming distances and escape latency, compared to the AD group. Lower rates of neuronal damage, astrocyte activation, dendritic spine loss, and hippocampal neuron apoptosis were seen in the HBO+AD than in the AD group. A lower rate of hippocampal p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation was observed in the HBO+AD than in the AD group. CONCLUSION: HBO pretreatment improves cognition and reduces hippocampal damage via p38 MAPK in AD rats.
Alzheimer Disease/*therapy ; Amyloid beta-Peptides/*administration & dosage ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; *Cognition/drug effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hippocampus/*enzymology ; *Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Interleukin-10/biosynthesis ; Interleukin-1beta/biosynthesis ; Learning/drug effects ; Male ; Memory/drug effects ; Neurons ; Peptide Fragments/*administration & dosage ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium Chloride/administration & dosage ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/biosynthesis ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/*metabolism

PURPOSE: Urapidil is putatively effective for patients with hypertension and acute heart failure, although randomized controlled trials thereon are lacking. We investigated the efficacy and safety of intravenous urapidil relative to that of nitroglycerin in older patients with hypertension and heart failure in a randomized controlled trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients (>60 y) with hypertension and heart failure were randomly assigned to receive intravenous urapidil (n=89) or nitroglycerin (n=91) for 7 days. Hemodynamic parameters, cardiac function, and safety outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Patients in the urapidil group had significantly lower mean systolic blood pressure (110.1±6.5 mm Hg) than those given nitroglycerin (126.4±8.1 mm Hg, p=0.022), without changes in heart rate. Urapidil was associated with improved cardiac function as reflected by lower N terminal-pro B type natriuretic peptide after 7 days (3311.4±546.1 ng/mL vs. 4879.1±325.7 ng/mL, p=0.027) and improved left ventricular ejection fraction (62.2±3.4% vs. 51.0±2.4%, p=0.032). Patients given urapidil had fewer associated adverse events, specifically headache (p=0.025) and tachycardia (p=0.004). The one-month rehospitalization and all-cause mortality rates were similar. CONCLUSION: Intravenous administration of urapidil, compared with nitroglycerin, was associated with better control of blood pressure and preserved cardiac function, as well as fewer adverse events, for elderly patients with hypertension and acute heart failure.
Acute Disease ; Aged ; Antihypertensive Agents/*administration & dosage ; Blood Pressure/drug effects ; Cause of Death ; Female ; Heart Failure/*drug therapy/physiopathology ; Heart Rate/drug effects/physiology ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension/*drug therapy/physiopathology ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain/blood ; Nitroglycerin/administration & dosage ; Peptide Fragments/blood ; Piperazines/*administration & dosage ; Ventricular Function, Left/drug effects/physiology

To study the expression of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and angiotensin (Ang) 1-7 specific receptor Mas protain in renal blood vessels of metabolic syndrome ( MS) rats and its anti-oxidative effect. A total of 80 male SD rats were divided into four groups: the normal control group (NC, the same volume of normal saline), the MS group (high fat diet), the MS + Astragali Radix group (MS + HQ, 6 g x kg(-1) x d(-1) in gavage) and the MS + Valsartan group (MS + XST, 30 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) in gavage). After four weeks of intervention, their general indexes, biochemical indexes and blood pressure were measured; plasma and renal tissue Ang II, malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide demutase (SOD) levels were measured with radioimmunoassay. The protein expressions of Mas receptor, AT1R, ACE and ACE2 were detected by western blot analysis. According to the result, compared with the NC group, the MS group and the MS + HQ group showed significant increases in systolic and diastolic pressures, body weight, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, triglycerides, free fatty acid and Ang II level of MS rats (P < 0.05). The MS + XST group showed notable decreases in systolic and diastolic pressures than that of the MS group. The MS group showed significant increases in the SOD activity and NO level and decrease in the MDA level after being intervened with Astragali Radix. ACE and AT1R protein expressions in renal tissues of the MS group were higher than that in the NC group, but with lower ACE2 and -Mas receptor expressions (all P < 0.05). Compared with the MS group, the MS + HQ group showed significant increase in Mas receptor expression in renal tissues, whereas the MS + XST group showed notable decrease in AT1R (all P < 0.05). In conclusion, Astragali Radix can increase the Mas receptor expressions in renal tissues, decrease ACE expression and change local Ang II, MDA, NO and SOD in kidneys, so as to protect early damages in renal tissues.
Angiotensin I ; metabolism ; Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; chemistry ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Kidney ; drug effects ; injuries ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Metabolic Syndrome ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Peptide Fragments ; metabolism ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; genetics ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; genetics ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Chinese herbal medicines for nourishing yin, supplementing qi, and activating blood on the reproductive endocrine-immune network and its mechanisms in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS).

METHODSSeventy pSS patients were randomly assigned to two groups using a randomized digital table: the integrative therapy group (36 cases) and the control group (34 cases). Thirty healthy subjects were taken as a normal group. The control group was treated with hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets alone, and the integrative therapy group was treated by Chinese herbal medicines for nourishing yin, supplementing qi, and activating blood combined with hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets. The treatment course was 6 months for both groups. Before and after treatment, serum estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL) by radioimmunoassay and immunoglobulin (IgG) by immunodiffusion, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) by Westergren, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay were determined.

RESULTSE2 and T levels in all patients were lower than those of normal subjects before treatment (P<0.05) and were increased significantly after 6-month treatment (P<0.05). ESR, FSH, LH, IgG, IFN - γ, IL - 4 and ratios of E2/T, and IFN -γ/IL in the patients were higher than those of normal subjects before the treatments (P<0.05), and were reduced significantly after the treatments (P<0.05). The T and IFN - γ levels and E2/T ratio in the patients treated with integrative therapy were reduced significantly compared with the control group (P<0.05). However, the PRL levels before and after treatment were not significantly changed in the two groups (P>0.05). The ratios of E2/T and IFN -γ/IL-4, and levels of IgG and ESR were positively correlated before and after treatment (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe ratios of E2/T and IFN -γ/IL-4 might be used as indicators of pSS activity. Chinese herbal medicines for nourishing yin, supplementing qi, and activating blood combined with Western medicine could improve the therapeutic effect by regulating the reproductive endocrine-immune network in pSS patients.

Adult ; Blood Sedimentation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Estradiol ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Immunodiffusion ; Immunoglobulins ; blood ; Interferon-gamma ; analysis ; Interleukin-4 ; analysis ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Peptide Fragments ; analysis ; Prolactin ; blood ; Radioimmunoassay ; Random Allocation ; Sjogren's Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Tablets ; Testosterone ; blood

Tongluo Xingnao effervescent tablet (TLXNET) is a patented prescription, which comes from modified Xionggui decoction and can improve cognitive function. However, its effect on the urine metabolites and anti-dementia mechanism in the dementia model rats induced by hippocampal injection with Aβ25-35 remains unclear. The experiment focused on the changes in trajectory and inter-relationship among the urinary metabolite of rats in the blank group, Aβ25-35 hippocampal injection dementia model group and the TLXNET intervention group, in order to determine theirs characteristic metabolic markers and explain the anti-dementia effect of TLX-NET base on the change of metabolic trajectory of these bio-markers. According to the experimental results, 5, 6-indolequinone, 4-hydroxyphenyl pyruvic acid (4-HPPA), cortisol and 3-thiosulfate lactic were preliminarily identified as the characteristic metabolic markers. They mainly participate in dopamine system, glucocorticoids and energy metabolic pathways. TLXNET can apparently downregulate the disturbances of metabolic trajectory of the four bio-markers. The experiment indicates that the dementia model induced by injecting Aβ25-3 into hippocampus has its characteristic endogenous metabolic markers in urine, and ELXNET can ameliorate dementia by down-regulating the disturbances of metabolic trajectory.
Amyloid beta-Peptides ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Animals ; Biomarkers ; urine ; Dementia ; drug therapy ; urine ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolomics ; Peptide Fragments ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tablets ; administration & dosage ; Urine ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of tanshinone II(A) on the expression of different components in the renin-angiotensin system of left ventricles of renal hypertensive rats.

METHODThe renal hypertension model was established in rats by the two-kidney-one-clip (2K1C) method. In the experiment, all of the rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 15 per group) before the operation: the sham-operated (Sham) group, the hypertensive model (Model) group, the low-dose tanshinone II(A) group and the high-dose tanshinone II(A) group. At 5 week after the renal artery narrowing, the third and fourth groups were administered with 35 mg kg(-1) x d(-1) and 70 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) of tanshinone II(A), respectively. The blood pressure in rats was determined by the standard tail-cuff method in each week after the operation. After the drug treatment for 8 weeks, all the rats were put to death, and their left ventricles were separated to determine the ratio of left ventricle weight to body weight (LVW/BW), the myocardial collagen content, and the expressions of different components in myocardial RAS, including angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), angiotensin 1-type receptor (AT1R), Mas receptor mRNA expression and angiotensin II (Ang II) and angiotensin (1-7) [Ang (1-7)] content.

RESULTCompared with the sham group, the hypertensive model group exhibited a markable increase in the content of Ang II and Ang (1-7) and the mRNA expressions of ACE, ACE2, AT1R and Mas (P < 0.01). However, the treatment with tanshinone II(A) showed the does dependence, inhibited left ventricle hypertrophy, decreased myocardial Ang II content and the mRNA expression of ACE and AT, R in renal hypertensive rats (P < 0. 01) , further increased the myocardial Ang (1-7) content and the mRNA expression of ACE2 and Mas (P < 0.01) , but without any change in the blood pressure of hypertensive rats.

CONCLUSIONThe treatment with tanshinone II(A) could inhibit left ventricle hypertrophy of renal hypertensive rats. Its mechanism may be partially related to the expression of different components in the renin-angiotensin system for regulating myocardial tissues.

Angiotensin I ; genetics ; metabolism ; Angiotensin II ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; administration & dosage ; Heart Ventricles ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Peptide Fragments ; genetics ; metabolism ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Renin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; drug effects

BACKGROUNDThe advent of brain stimulation techniques to treat movement disorders and psychiatric diseases has shown potential to decode the neural mechanism that underlies the cognitive process by modulating the interrupted circuit. Here, the present investigation aimed at evaluating the influence of deep brain stimulation of the anterior nucleus thalamus (ANT-DBS) on memory.

METHODSThirty-two rats were randomized into phosphate buffer saline (PBS) group (n = 8, rats received PBS injections without implantation of electrodes into the ANT), Alzheimer's dementia (AD) group (n = 8, rats received Aβ1-40 injections without implantation of electrodes into the ANT), ANT sham stimulation group (n = 8, rats received Aβ1-40 injections with implantation of electrodes into the ANT but without stimulation) and ANT stimulation group (n = 8, rats received Aβ1-40 injections with implantation of electrodes into the ANT and stimulation). A Morris maze test was used for determining the effect of electrical stimulation on cognitive function in rats. The data were assessed statistically with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's tests for multiple post hoc comparisons.

RESULTSThe data showed that in the training test, PBS group and AD group managed to learn the hidden-platform faster and faster while AD group needed a significantly longer time to reach the platform than PBS group (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, ANT stimulation group demonstrated a significantly shorter time to reach the platform (P < 0.05) compared to the AD group, while there was no significant difference between the ANT sham stimulation group and the AD group (P > 0.05). On the probe test, the AD group spent less time ((10.15 ± 2.34) seconds) in the target quadrant than the PBS group ((28.20 ± 2.75) seconds) (P < 0.05). And the times of platform-traversing of the AD group (3.35 ± 1.12) significantly decreased compared with the PBS group (8.69 ± 2.87) (P < 0.05). However, the times of platform-traversing and the time spent in the target quadrant of the ANT stimulation group significantly increased compared to the AD group (P < 0.05), while times of platform-traversing or the time spent in the target quadrant was not significantly different between the ANT sham stimulation group and the AD group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBilateral high-frequency stimulation of the ANT may be useful as a potential therapeutic modality for cognitive dysfunction in AD.

Amyloid beta-Peptides ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Animals ; Anterior Thalamic Nuclei ; drug effects ; Cognition ; drug effects ; Cognition Disorders ; chemically induced ; therapy ; Deep Brain Stimulation ; methods ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; Male ; Peptide Fragments ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo observe the inhibitory effect of angiotensin-(1-7) on liver fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation in rats.

METHODSEighteen Wistar rats were randomized into 3 groups and subject to sham operation, bile duct ligation (BDL), or BDL with angiotensin-(1-7) treatment. An osmotic minipump was implanted intraperitoneally for administration of saline in the sham-operated and BDL groups and angiotensin-(1-7) (25 µg·kg(-1)·h(-1)) in angiotensin-(1-7) treatment group. After a 4-week treatments, the fibrosis score, Masson staining, and hydroxyproline assay were used to evaluate the level of liver fibrosis in the rats, and immunohistochemistry was used to detect expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in the liver tissue.

RESULTSCompared with BDL group, a 4-week treatment with angiotensin-(1-7) following BDL significantly reduced the fibrosis score (2.33±0.52 vs 5.17±0.75), hydroxyproline content (0.36±0.03 vs 0.52±0.04) and α-SMA expression (54.11±17.55 vs 191.84±31.72) in the liver tissue of the rats (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONProlonged infusion of angiotensin-(1-7) inhibit the formation of hepatic fibrosis in rats following bile duct ligation.

Angiotensin I ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Bile Ducts ; surgery ; Infusions, Parenteral ; Ligation ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; surgery ; Male ; Peptide Fragments ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

To study the effect of Cu2+ and Zn2+ on amyloid-beta peptides (Abeta) aggregation, the morphology, size and cell toxicity of Abeta40 aggregates formed with the metal ions have been observed by the methods including ultraviolet spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that Cu2+ and Zn2+ can accelerate Abeta40 aggregation, and both changed the morphology and size of Abeta40 aggregates. Zn2+ induced Abeta40 to form fibrous Abeta40 aggregates, while the amorphous and fibrous aggregates were produced by the interaction between Cu2+ and Abeta40. In addition, H2O2 was produced when Abeta40 reduced Cu2+. The relationship between metal ions and Abeta40 aggregates was analyzed, and the function of metal ions in Alzheimer's disease (AD) was illustrated in the research.
Amyloid beta-Peptides ; chemistry ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Copper ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; chemistry ; Ions ; chemistry ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Peptide Fragments ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Fluorescence ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ; Zinc ; chemistry