持续吸入不同浓度氧气对新生大鼠肺血管内皮生长因子及其受体tuRNA表达的影响

目的 探讨持续吸入不同浓度氧气对新生大鼠肺血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)及其受体1(VEGFRl)和受体2(VEGFR2)mRNA表达的影响.方法 新生足月SD大鼠32只,随机分为对照组和实验组.实验组生后12 h开始持续吸入氧气,按不同的吸入氧浓度,将实验组又分为30%O2组、50%O2组和75%O2组.对照组吸入空气.每组8只.于实验开始后21 d处死实验大鼠,取出右肺下叶,RT-PCR技术检测VEGF、VEGFR1和VEGFR2 mRNA表达,根据2-△△CT的计算方法,实验组基因表达差异用实验组相对于对照组基因表达量的倍数表示.结果 与对照组相比,30%O2对新生大鼠肺VEGF及其受体mRNA表达无影响.75%O2组VEGF mRNA表达是对照组的0.48倍;50%O2组、75%O2组VEGFR1 mRNA分别为对照组的0.18倍和0.06倍;VEGFR2 mRNA分别为对照组的0.22倍和0.10倍,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05).结论 长时间吸入低浓度氧对新生大鼠肺VEGF及其受体mRNA影响不明届,而持续吸入中等浓度及较高浓度氧可降低VEGF及其受体mRNA的表达.     

脱钙冻干骨修复种植周骨缺损的扫描电镜观察

目的比较脱钙冻干骨(DFDB)、脱钙冻干骨复合人重组骨形成蛋白-2(rhBMP-2)、脱钙冻干骨联合钛膜的骨修复能力。方法 3条犬股骨种植体周形成4 mm×3 mm×3 mm的骨缺损,分别植入上述3种不同材料。术后4、8、12周分期处死动物,取含种植体的骨段进行扫描电镜观察,观察新骨形成情况及其与种植体之间的缝隙。结果 DFDB可单独用于修复种植体周骨缺损,但成骨作用较慢;DFDB+rhBMP-2和DFDB+钛膜能较早诱导新骨形成,加速骨整合过程。结论DFDB是一种较理想的骨修复材料,复合rhBMP-2或与钛膜联用时效果更佳。     

Mapping corpus callosum deficits in autism: an index of aberrant cortical connectivity.

BACKGROUND: Volumetric studies have reported reductions in the size of the corpus callosum (CC) in autism, but the callosal regions contributing to this deficit have differed among studies. In this study, a computational method was used to detect and map the spatial pattern of CC abnormalities in male patients with autism. METHODS: Twenty-four boys with autism (aged 10.0 +/- 3.3 years) and 26 control boys (aged 11.0 +/- 2.5 years) underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan at 3 Tesla. Total and regional areas of the CC were determined using traditional morphometric methods. Three-dimensional (3D) surface models of the CC were also created from the MRI scans. Statistical maps were created to visualize morphologic variability of the CC and to localize regions of callosal thinning in autism. RESULTS: Traditional morphometric methods detected a significant reduction in the total callosal area and in the anterior third of the CC in patients with autism; however, 3D maps revealed significant reductions in both the splenium and genu of the CC in patients. CONCLUSIONS: Statistical maps of the CC revealed callosal deficits in autism with greater precision than traditional morphometric methods. These abnormalities suggest aberrant connections between cortical regions, which is consistent with the hypothesis of abnormal cortical connectivity in autism.     

Analysis of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and a receptor subtype (KDR/flk-1) in the liver of rats exposed to riddelliine: a potential role in the development of hemangiosarcoma

Riddelliine alters hepatocellular and endothelial cell kinetics and function including stimulating an increase in hepatocytic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the absence of increased serological levels of VEGF (Nyska etal. 2002). The objective of this study was to further assess hepatic VEGF and KDR/flk-1 synthesis and expression by hepatic cells under riddelliine treatment conditions. Forty-two male F344/N rats were dosed by gavage with riddelliine (0, 1.0, and 2.5 mg/kg/day) for 6 weeks. Seven animals/group were sacrificed after 8 consecutive daily doses; remaining rats were terminated after 30 daily doses, excluding weekends. Hepatic tissues were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. The results showed that VEGF mRNA expression was observed in control and treated animals; however, qualitative differences were noted. Treated animals exhibited VEGF mRNA in clustered, focal hepatocytes and bile duct epithelium, whereas VEGF mRNA in hepatocytes from vehicle control rats was distributed evenly across all hepatocytes. Results evaluating the distribution of the VEGF cognate receptor, KDR/flk-1 showed that randomly distributed, rare sinusoidal endothelium, including those demonstrating karyomegaly and cytomegaly expressed KDR/flk-1. Phosphorylation of KDR/flk-1 at pTyr996 and pTyr1054/1059, but not pTyr951, was also detected, evidence that endothelial cell KDR/flk-1 was activated. These results suggest that both hepatocytes and endothelial cells are targets of riddelliine-induced injury. We speculate that damage to both populations of cells may lead to dysregulated VEGF synthesis by hepatocytes and activation of KDR/flk-1 by endothelium leading to the induction of sustained endothelial cell proliferation, culminating in the development of hepatic hemangiosarcoma.     

补肾活血法对子宫内膜异位症模型大鼠细胞凋亡的影响

目的 探讨补肾活血法治疗子宫内膜异位症的细胞凋亡机制. 方法 将雌性8～12周龄SD大鼠分为模型组、西药组、中药组及中西药合并组,每组15只.造模成功后,分别给药4周,采用光镜、电镜、TUNEL法及免疫组化法检测药物干预前后模型大鼠异位子宫内膜的病理形态学、凋亡细胞的阳性率及凋亡调控蛋白bcl-2、bax的阳性表达. 结果 中西药合并组的异位内膜组织发生凋亡的改变最为明显,凋亡指数最高,并可明显下调bcl-2蛋白的阳性表达和提升bax蛋白阳性的表达,从而使bcl-2/bax比值下降,其次为中药组、西药组和模型组. 结论 子宫内膜异位症的发生与细胞凋亡能力的下降有关.补肾活血中药能促进异位内膜细胞发生凋亡,使异位病灶萎缩、消退细胞.     

Cytotoxicity of Chinese motherwort (YiMuCao) aqueous ethanol extract is non-apoptotic and estrogen receptor independent on human breast cancer cells

Background

Motherwort has been used as medicinal herb for many years in both China and Europe. In particular, Chinese motherwort has been commonly used to treat disorders of mammary gland in Chinese traditional medicine (TCM). Chinese motherwort aqueous extract (MAE) was previously reported to have anti-cancer activity in breast cancer cells with low potency (IC50s in a range of 8–40 mg/mL). However, treatment of motherwort ethanol extract in vivo markedly suppressed the development of uterine adenomyosis and mammary cancers in mice. Therefore, anti-cancer activity of Chinese motherwort, especially in a form of ethanol extract, needs to be confirmed further at cellular level.

Materials and methods

Aerial part of Chinese motherwort (Leonurus japonicus Houtt) dry powder is extracted with 70% ethanol and the chemical components were characterized with HPLC finger print as well as mass spectrometry. Cytotoxicity of the motherwort aqueous ethanol extract (MAEE) was analyzed with MTT assay on ER negative MDA-MB-231 and ER positive MCF-7 human breast cancer cell lines. Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry were used to verify whether the cell death induced by MAEE is apoptosis in nature. Cell cycle status of MAEE treated cells were analyzed with flow cytometry.

Results

Our results showed that MAEE caused cell death in a dose-dependent and time-dependent fashion in both ER positive and negative breast cancer cells. Morphology, Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry evidence all indicated the cell death is not in an apoptotic nature. Furthermore, low concentrations of MAEE caused cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase.

Conclusions

These data suggest that Chinese motherwort aqueous ethanol extract may effectively inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells through mechanisms of both cytotoxicity and cell cycle arrest. The cellular effects of MAEE are non-apoptotic and ER independent on breast cancer cells.     

Attenuation of colitis injury in rats using Garcinia cambogia extract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic enteropathies that probably result from a dysregulated mucosal immune response. These pathologies are characterized by oxidative and nitrosative stress, leukocyte infiltration and up-regulation of pro-inflammatory substances. Current IBD treatment presents limitations in both efficacy and safety that stimulated the search for new active compounds. Garcinia cambogia extract has attracted interest due to its pharmacological properties, including gastroprotective effects. In this study, the antiinflammatory activity of a garcinia extract was assessed in TNBS-induced colitis rats. The results obtained revealed that garcinia administration to colitic rats significantly improved the macroscopic damage and caused substantial reductions in increases in MPO activity, COX-2 and iNOS expression. In addition, garcinia extract treatment was able to reduce PGE(2) and IL-1beta colonic levels. These antiinflammatory actions could be related to a reduction in DNA damage in isolated colonocytes, observed with the comet assay. Finally, garcinia extract caused neither mortality nor toxicity signals after oral administration. As such, the antiinflammatory effects provided by the Garcinia cambogia extract result in an improvement of several parameters analysed in experimental colitis and could provide a source for the search for new antiinflammatory compounds useful in IBD treatment.     

钙池操纵的Ca2+通道的激活机制研究进展

钙池操纵的Ca~(2 )通道(store-operated Ca~(2 ) channels,SOC)是非兴奋细胞Ca~(2 )内流的主要通道之一,参与多种病理和生理过程,在钙信号通路的研究中,SOC的激活机制一直是人们关注的焦点之一,迄今为止,钙内流因子模型(Ca~(2 ) innux factor model,CIF model)和构象耦联模型fconformational coupling model)受到广泛关注.部分学者已经从很多不同类型的细胞中提取出CIF,并证实钙非依赖性的磷脂酶A_2(Ca~(2 )-independent phospholipase A_2,iPLA_2)作为CIF的底物,在某些类型细胞的SOC激活过程中发挥重要作用,并进一步提出了ER- CIF-iPLA_2-CaM-LysoPLs-SOC通路模型.瞬时受体电位(transient receptor potential,TRP)通道蛋白与1.4,5-磷酸肌醇受体(inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate receptor,IP_3R)的结构连接作为构象耦联模型的基础已被广泛证实,随着对IP_3R,Ryanodine受体、肌动蛋白等在钙信号通路中所发挥作用的深入研究,构象耦联模型将得到不断补充和完善.SOC激活机制的破解,将对进一步完善非兴奋细胞的钙通道特性及其调节机制理论带来重大突破.     

Acute selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors increase conditioned fear expression: blockade with a 5-HT(2C) receptor antagonist.

BACKGROUND: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) effectively treat various anxiety disorders, although symptoms of anxiety are often exacerbated during early stages of treatment. We previously reported that acute treatment with the SSRI citalopram enhances the acquisition of auditory fear conditioning, which is consistent with the initial anxiogenic effects reported clinically. Here, we extend our findings by assessing the effects of acute SSRI treatment on the expression of previously acquired conditioned fear. METHODS: Rats underwent fear conditioning drug-free. Tone-evoked fear responses were tested after drug treatment the following day. This protocol more closely resembles the clinical setting than pre-conditioning treatment, because it evaluates effects of treatment on a pre-existing fear rather than on the formation of a new fear memory. RESULTS: A single pre-testing injection of the SSRIs citalopram or fluoxetine significantly increased fear expression. There was no effect of the antidepressant tianeptine or the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor tomoxetine, indicating that this effect is specific to SSRIs. The SSRI-induced enhancement in fear expression was not blocked by tropisetron, a 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist, but was blocked by SB 242084, a specific 5-HT(2C) receptor antagonist. CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced activation of 5-HT(2C) receptors might be a mechanism for the anxiogenic effects of SSRIs observed initially during treatment.     

复方通络中药改善肥胖患者血管内皮细胞功能障碍研究

目的观察复方通络中药对单纯性肥胖患者血管内皮依赖性舒张功能障碍的干预效应，探讨其作用机制。方法应用高分辨血管超声检查选择血管内皮依赖性舒张功能障碍[以血流介导的肱动脉扩张率（FMD）表示]肥胖患者（65例），随机分为通络中药治疗组和对照组。治疗组32例，对照组33例。治疗组给予辛香疏络2号胶囊，3g／次，每日3次；对照组给予淀粉胶囊，3g／次，每日3次。共用药12周，分别测定用药前后FMD、肱动脉内径（D0），同时检测辛香疏络2号治疗前后患者血清总胆固醇（TC）、三酰甘油（TG）的变化。结果治疗后治疗组FMD较对照组明显增加（P〈0．01），TC、TG较治疗前及对照组明显下降（P〈0．01）。结论复方通络中药辛香疏络2号胶囊可明显改善肥胖患者血管内皮障碍，调节血脂可能是其改善血管内皮功能机制之一。