低氧对大鼠附睾功能的影响

目的研究低氧对大鼠附睾功能的影响。方法将成年雄性Wistar大鼠随机分为常氧和低氧5d、15d、30d4组。低氧各组置低压舱内模拟5,000m高原低氧。测定附睾尾精子数量、质量,生化法测定各组大鼠附睾液中果糖、肉毒碱的含量及α-葡萄糖苷酶的活性。结果低氧15d组、30d组大鼠附睾尾精子数显著低于常氧组。低氧各组精子活力、活率显著低于常氧组;尾部畸形精子数显著高于常氧组。低氧5d组、15d组大鼠附睾液果糖含量显著高于常氧组(P<0.01)。低氧5d、30d组,大鼠附睾液中性α-葡萄糖苷酶活性显著低于常氧组。结论低氧可抑制附睾尾精子数量和质量,并抑制附睾液中性α-葡萄糖苷酶活性,提示低氧可干扰附睾功能,并抑制精子的成熟。     

Spatiotemporal pattern of striatal ERK1/2 phosphorylation in a rat model of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia and the role of dopamine D1 receptors.

BACKGROUND: We examined the activation pattern of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) and its dependence on D1 versus D2 dopamine receptors in hemiparkinsonian rats treated with 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine (L-DOPA). METHODS: 6-Hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats were treated acutely or chronically with L-DOPA in combination with antagonists for D1 or D2 receptors. Development of dyskinesia was monitored in animals receiving chronic drug treatment. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2, mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase-1 (MSK-1), and the levels of FosB/DeltaFosB expression were examined immunohistochemically. RESULTS: L-DOPA treatment caused phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in the dopamine-denervated striatum after acute and chronic administration. Similar levels were observed in matrix and striosomes, and in enkephalin-positive and dynorphin-positive neurons. The severity of dyskinesia was positively correlated with phospho-ERK1/2 levels. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and MSK-1 was dose-dependently blocked by SCH23390, but not by raclopride. SCH23390 also inhibited the development of dyskinesia and the induction of FosB/DeltaFosB. CONCLUSIONS: L-DOPA produces pronounced activation of ERK1/2 signaling in the dopamine-denervated striatum through a D1-receptor-dependent mechanism. This effect is associated with the development of dyskinesia. Phosphorylated ERK1/2 is localized to both dynorphinergic and enkephalinergic striatal neurons, suggesting a general role of ERK1/2 as a plasticity molecule during L-DOPA treatment.     

Ischemic postconditioning: brief ischemia during reperfusion converts persistent ventricular fibrillation into regular rhythm

Objectives: Brief episodes of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion employed during reperfusion after a prolonged ischemic insult may attenuate the total ischemia-reperfusion injury. This phenomenon has been termed ischemic postconditioning. In the present study, we studied the possible effect of postconditioning on persistent reperfusion-induced ventricular fibrillation (VF) in the isolated rat heart model. Methods: Isolated Langendorff-perfused rat hearts (n=46) were subjected to 30 min of regional ischemia and reperfusion. The hearts with persistent VF (n=11) present after 15 min of reperfusion were then randomly assigned into one of the two groups: (1) control hearts (n=6), in which perfusion was continued without intervention; (2) postconditioned hearts (n=5) subjected to 2 min of global ischemia followed by reperfusion. Left ventricular pressures, heart rate, coronary flow, and electrogram were monitored throughout the experiment. Results: Conversion of VF into regular rhythm was observed in all hearts subjected to postconditioning. Regular beating was maintained by all postconditioned hearts during the subsequent reperfusion. None of the hearts in the control group had normal rhythm at the end of the experiment. At the end of reperfusion, the left ventricular developed pressure was lower in beating postconditioned hearts compared to the hearts that did not develop persistent VF. Conclusions: Ischemic postconditioning possesses strong antiarrhythmic effect against persistent reperfusion-induced tachyarrhythmias. Postconditioning may be an interesting, novel adjunct strategy to protect the heart.     

Bromodeoxyuridine Labeling Index as an Indicator of Early Tumor Response to Preoperative Radiotherapy in Patients with Rectal Cancer

Purpose Assessment of tumor proliferation rate using Bromodeoxyuridine labeling index (BrdUrdLI) as a possible predictor of rectal cancer response to preoperative radiotherapy (RT). Methods and material Ninety-two patients were qualified either to short RT (5 Gy/fraction/5 days) and surgery about 1 week after RT (schedule I), or to short RT and 4–5 weeks interval before surgery (schedule II). Tumor samples were taken twice from each patient: before RT and at the time of surgery. The samples were incubated with BrdUrd for 1 h at 37°C, and the BrdUrdLI was calculated as a percentage of BrdUrd-labeled cells. Results Thirty-eight patients were treated according to schedule I and 54 patients according to schedule II. Mean BrdUrdLI before RT was 8.5% and its value did not differ between the patients in the two compared groups. After RT tumors showed statistically significant growth inhibition (reduction of BrdUrdLI). As the pretreatment BrdUrd LI was not predictive for early clinical and pathologic tumor response, prognostic role of the ratio of BrdUrdLI after to BrdUrdLI before RT was considered. The ratios were calculated separately for fast (BrdUrd LI > 8.5%) and slowly (BrdUrd LI ≤ 8.5%) proliferating tumors and correlated with overall treatment time (OTT, i.e., time from the first day of RT to surgery). One month after RT, accelerated proliferation was observed only in slowly proliferating tumors. Conclusions Pretreatment BrdUrdLI was not predictive for early clinical and pathologic tumor response. The ratio after/before RT BrdUrdLI was correlated to inhibition of proliferation in responsive tumors. The paper was presented at ECCO 13, October 30 to November 03, 2005 in Paris, France     

VEGF参与CoCl2预处理对神经细胞缺氧损伤的保护作用

目的：探讨CoCl2对体外培养分化SH-SY5Y细胞的缺氧损伤保护作用及缺氧诱导基因产物VEGF在其中的作用。方法：分化的SH-SY5Y细胞随机分为对照组、化学缺氧预处理组（预处理组,细胞先用50μM CoCl2预处理3 h,换液后常氧培养1 h,然后在2%的低氧孵箱内缺氧28 h）、缺氧组（无CoCl2预处理过程,其余同预处理组）。用Western Blotting法测细胞VEGF的蛋白表达,RT-PCR测VEGF的mRNA表达,通过乳酸脱氢酶释放率和MTT细胞活力测定判断细胞损伤程度。然后,进一步通过添加VEGF单克隆抗体、重组人VEGF,验证VEGF在化学缺氧预处理组中的保护作用。结果：化学缺氧预处理组细胞VEGF蛋白、VEGF mRNA表达都显著高于缺氧组（P〈0.01）,预处理组细胞较缺氧组细胞存活率高,乳酸脱氢酶释放率减少（P〈0.01）。MTT细胞活力测定显示,40μg/ml VEGF单克隆抗体可抑制预处理的保护作用,而100 ng/ml重组人VEGF可模拟预处理组的保护作用。结论：CoCl2化学预缺氧可保护神经型细胞对缺氧产生耐受,VEGF可能在其中发挥重要的保护作用。     

绿茶对交链孢霉代谢物致突变性的抑制作用

观察绿茶对交链孢酚单甲醚(AME)和B_(2-a6)提取物诱导人胚肺2BS细胞SCE的影响。结果表明:不同浓度的绿茶,均不能增加SCE的频率,但在绿茶存在的情况下,由AME(10μg/ml)和B_(2-a6)(0.1mg/ml)所诱导的SCE频率比没有绿茶时低(P<0.01),并呈剂量—效应关系。结果提示:绿茶对某些霉菌毒素的致突变性有抑制作用。     

Neurotransmitters in cerebrospinal fluid reflect pathological activity

The excitatory transmitters glutamate and aspartate become toxic whenever their extracellular levels are increased because of neuronal, glial and endothelial impairment. Taurine, a volume-regulating amino acid, is released upon excitotoxin-induced cell swelling. Our aim was to investigate if glutamate and aspartate in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) reveal neuropathology in neurological patients, and if taurine unmasks glutamate-mediated toxicity. Glutamate and aspartate are doubled in viral meningitis, acute multiple sclerosis (MS) and myelopathy compared with control subjects and patients with peripheral facial nerve palsy. These levels do not coincide with a disturbed blood–brain barrier, as estimated by the albumin ratio, are independent of their precursors (glutamine, asparagine) and are not associated with cell lysis. Taurine is significantly increased in meninigitis, acute MS, and myelopathy, suggesting glutamate-mediated toxicity. Analysis of transmitters in lumbar CSF can be used to identify patients with cerebral and spinal pathology who might benefit from specific receptor-modulating agents.     

Daily variation in circulating cytokines and acute-phase proteins correlates with clinical and laboratory indices in community-acquired pneumonia

Our objective was to investigate the initial levels of circulating proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), of certain acute-phase proteins, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen (FBN) and albumin, and of the glycoprotein fibronectin at presentation and their daily variation during the clinical course of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in relation to clinical and laboratory indices of infection. Thirty otherwise healthy hospitalized patients aged 48 ± 3 years (mean ± SEM) and with bacteriologically confirmed CAP were studied prospectively. IL-1β and IL-6 were found to be 15-fold higher on admission (122 ± 9 pg mL^?1 and 60 ± 4 pg mL^?1 respectively), whereas TNF-α was three-fold higher (102 ± 5 pg mL^?1) than those of controls, all of them showing a decline towards normal. Initial CRP levels were increased 90-fold (416 ± 1 mg L^?1), whereas fibronectin levels were reduced (242 ± 9 mg dL^?1). The presence of parapneumonic effusion was associated with a higher TNF-α serum level (127 ± 7 vs. 86 ± 4 pg mL^?1, P = 0.0002), a more rapid daily decline in TNF-α (–7.2 ± 0.7 vs. ?3.8 ± 0.5 pg mL^?1 day^?1, P = 0.0005), a slower rate of decline in CRP (?42.8 ± 3.0 vs. ?54.6 ± 3.0 mg L^?1 day^?1, P = 0.02) and a slower rate of increase in FBN (5.9 ± 1.0 vs. 11.7 ± 1.0 mg dL^?1 day^?1), P = 0.001]. Furthermore, daily progression of serum levels of cytokines and acute-phase proteins correlated strongly with pyrexia, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), neutrophil count, alveolar–arterial oxygen difference and radiographic resolution, clinically manifested by improvement in the patients' condition.