柴胡疏肝散对慢性胰腺炎大鼠肝脏核因子-κB活性的干预

目的:观察柴胡疏肝散对慢性胰腺炎大鼠肝脏胰岛素抵抗和核因子-κB活性的干预作用.方法:Wistar大鼠制备慢性胰腺炎模型后,每日给予柴胡疏肝散1.4 g/kg和2.8 g/kg体重灌胃4周,然后进行葡萄糖耐量和胰岛素耐量实验,分离肝细胞进行葡萄糖释放实验,检测肝脏组织核因子-κB活性变化.结果:慢性胰腺炎大鼠的糖耐量异常,胰岛素敏感性降低,胰岛素时离体肝细胞葡萄糖释放的抑制率减弱,肝脏核因子-κB的活性显著增加(P＜0.05)；柴胡疏肝散干预能够显著改善上述变化(P＜0.05).结论:柴胡疏肝散能够抑制肝脏核因子-κB的过度活化,进而改善慢性胰腺炎引发的肝脏胰岛素抵抗.     

A primary study on feeding behaviors of autism model rat pups in the weaning period

It is well known that children with autistic spectrum disorder possess various behavioral problems related to feeding, short attention span and maladaptation to surrounding environments. This study aimed to identify appropriate measures to address behavioral characteristics associated with eating and feeding in children with ASD by examining feeding behavior throughout the weaning period in rat pup models of autism.Male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats and healthy SD rats were nursed with their mothers until 14 days after birth. Then, the pups were divided into the following three groups and related in separate cages without their mothers: group A, two model rats; group B, a model rat and a control rat; and group C, two control rats. The number of meals ingested together and the number of body contact made with other rats at mealtime in each cage were counted from the 15th day to the 21st day. During this period, the body weight of each rat and the amount of food intake in each cage were also measured.These were no remarkable differences in body weight gain between the model rats and control rats. In addition, the amount of food intake was not statistically different among the three groups. The number of body contacts made was not significantly different between group B and group C; however, the number of body contacts made was significantly lower in group A than in the other two groups.These findings indicate that the rat pup models of autism displayed a feeding behavior similar to that of children with autism. These behavioral problems were improved by the inclusion of healthy rat pups in the same cage at the time of feeding.     

Effects of tramadol on viscero‐visceral hyperalgesia in a rat model of endometriosis plus ureteral calculosis

The effects of tramadol versus placebo administration on behavioral indicators of ureteral pain, pelvic pain and referred lumbar muscle hyperalgesia were investigated in a rat model of viscero‐visceral hyperalgesia from endometriosis plus ureteral calculosis (endo + stone). Fifty female Sprague‐Dawley rats underwent surgical induction of endometriosis and, 2 weeks later, were randomly assigned to five groups (10 each), to be treated i.p., twice a day, with tramadol (0.625, 1.25, 2.5, or 5 mg/kg) or saline for 5 days (14–18th day postendometriosis; prestone treatment). On the 21st day, they underwent laparotomy for stone formation in the upper left ureter (dental cement injection). All were video‐taped 24 h nonstop for 7 days before and 4 days after stone formation (14–25th day postendometriosis) to record ureteral and pelvic pain behaviors. Lumbar sensitivity (L1) was tested bilaterally, daily over the same period, by verifying presence/absence of vocalization upon muscle pinching at a predefined pressure (calibrated forceps). Additional fifty endo + stone rats underwent the same protocol, except that treatment was performed on 21st–25th day (poststone treatment). Tramadol vs. saline significantly reduced number and duration of ureteral crises, duration of pelvic behavior, and incidence of muscle hyperalgesia (P < 0.0001), with a dose‐dependent effect. Prestone treatment was significantly more effective than poststone treatment for the 1.25 dose for all parameters and 2.5 dose for pelvic and muscle parameters (0.003 > P < 0.02). Tramadol, even at low doses, is thus highly protective against pain from ‘viscero‐visceral hyperalgesia’ in endometriosis plus ureteral calculosis; it can represent a valid therapeutic approach in women with these comorbidities.     

低浓度甲醛吸入对不同年龄Wistar大鼠海马脑片长时程增强的影响

目的探讨低浓度甲醛吸入后大鼠离体海马脑片长时程增强(LTP)的变化及此变化是否具有年龄差异性。方法选取健康Wistar大鼠32只。其中成年鼠和幼年鼠各12只,新生鼠8只。每个年龄段的大鼠随机分为对照组和甲醛染毒组。甲醛染毒组大鼠暴露于质量浓度为0.5 mg.m-3甲醛,染毒时间为每天2 h,连续30 d。染毒结束后制作离体海马脑片,利用膜片钳技术记录高频刺激(HFS)后海马脑片LTP,并分析兴奋性突触后场电位(fEPSP)的斜率和幅度变化。结果各年龄段甲醛染毒组在HFS后的第30分钟fEPSP的斜率和幅度均较同龄对照组降低。新生鼠中甲醛染毒组与对照组海马脑片HFS后30 min fEPSP的斜率分别为(118.1±9.7)%和(281.8±40.2)%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);在幼年鼠,甲醛染毒组与对照组海马脑片HFS后30 min fEPSP的斜率分别为(107.7±5.2)%和(289.5±64.7)%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);在成年鼠,甲醛染毒组与对照组海马脑片HFS后30 min fEPSP的斜率分别为(120.7±6.5)%和(197.9±38.1)%,无统计学差异(P>0.05)。新生鼠甲醛染毒组与其对照组海马脑片HFS后30 min fEPSP的幅度分别为(111.1±4.9)%和(293.4±46.8)%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);幼年鼠甲醛染毒组与其对照组海马脑片HFS后30 min fEPSP的幅度分别为(101.9±4.2)%和(266.9±51.0)%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);成年鼠甲醛染毒组与其对照组海马脑片HFS后30 min fEPSP的幅度分别为(122.9±4.2)%和(191.2±33.6)%,无统计学差异(P>0.05)。结论甲醛吸入染毒可抑制Wistar大鼠海马LTP的形成,且这种抑制作用具有年龄差异性,年龄越小,甲醛所造成的损伤越大。     

Comparative pharmacokinetics of Nω-hydroxy-nor-L-arginine,an arginase inhibitor,after single-dose intravenous,intraperitoneal and intratracheal administration to brown Norway rats

Abstract

1. Rodent studies have documented that N^ω-hydroxy-nor-L-arginine (nor-NOHA), an arginase inhibitor, has therapeutic potential in the treatment of cardiovascular and obstructive airway diseases. However, its bioavailability and pharmacokinetics have not been described so far.

2. Anesthetized brown Norway rats were administered single doses of nor-NOHA (10, 30 or 90?mg/kg) intravenously (i.v.), intraperitonealy (i.p.) or via intratracheal (i.t.) instillation of aerosol. Plasma nor-NOHA was assayed using a validated HPLC method.

3. Upon i.v. administration, the mean concentration showed a biphasic decline and its value dropped below 10% of the maximum after 20?min. The pharmacokinetics were linear with the total and inter-compartmental clearances of 33 and 17?mL/min/kg, central and peripheral volumes of distribution of 0.19 and 0.43?L/kg and terminal half-life of 30?min.

4. The average absolute bioavailability of nor-NOHA after i.p. and i.t. delivery was 98% and 53%, respectively. The absorption from the airways was rate-limiting and its extent decreased with the dose.

5. In conclusion, nor-NOHA is rapidly cleared from the plasma in concordance with the short time window of its in vivo inhibitory activity reported in the literature. I.t. instillation of aerosol for topical effects of nor-NOHA in the airways is characterized with significant systemic availability.     

FLUOXETINE ALTERS MU OPIOID RECEPTOR EXPRESSION IN OBESE ZUCKER RAT EXTRAHYPOTHALAMIC REGIONS

The aim of this article was to describe the effects of chronic fluoxetine on mu opioid receptor expression in obese Zucker rat extrahypothalamic regions. Male obese Zucker (fa/fa) rats were administered with fluoxetine (10 mg/kg; i.p.) daily for two weeks. Brain regional immunostaining for mu opioid receptor was carried out. An increase in the numbers of neural cells immunostained for mu opioid receptor in caudatus-putamen, dentate gyrus, lateral septum, amygdala, and frontal, parietal, and piriform cortices was observed. Increased mu opioid receptor expression in the central amygdaloid nuclei suggests a decreased opioidergic tone at this level that could be involved in fluoxetine anorectic action.     

cGMP modulates stem cells differentiation to neurons in brain in vivo

During brain development neural stem cells may differentiate to neurons or to other cell types. The aim of this work was to assess the role of cGMP (cyclic GMP) in the modulation of differentiation of neural stem cells to neurons or non-neuronal cells. cGMP in brain of fetuses was reduced to 46% of controls by treating pregnant rats with nitroarginine-methylester (l-NAME) and was restored by co-treatment with sildenafil.Reducing cGMP during brain development leads to reduced differentiation of stem cells to neurons and increased differentiation to non-neuronal cells. The number of neurons in the prefrontal cortex originated from stem cells proliferating on gestational day 14 was 715±14/mm² in control rats and was reduced to 440±29/mm² (61% of control) in rats treated with l-NAME. In rats exposed to l-NAME plus sildenafil, differentiation to neurons was completely normalized, reaching 683±11 neurons/mm². In rats exposed to sildenafil alone the number of cells labelled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and NeuN was 841±16/mm². In prefrontal cortex of control rats 48% of the neural stem cells proliferating in gestational day 14 differentiate to neurons, but only 24% in rats exposed to l-NAME. This was corrected by sildenafil, 40% of cells differentiate to neurons. Similar results were obtained for neurons proliferating during all developmental period. Treatment with l-NAME did not reduce the total number of cells labelled with BrdU, further supporting that l-NAME reduces selectively the differentiation of stem cells to neurons. Similar results were obtained in hippocampus. Treatment with l-NAME reduced the differentiation of neural stem cells to neurons, although the effect was milder than in prefrontal cortex. These results support that cGMP modulates the fate of neural stem cells in brain in vivo and suggest that high cGMP levels promote its differentiation to neurons while reduced cGMP levels promote differentiation to non-neuronal cells.     

Neonatal exposure to low-dose domoic acid lowers seizure threshold in adult rats

Exposing Sprague–Dawley rat pups to very low, sub-convulsant doses of domoic acid (DOM) during perinatal development has been previously shown to result in seizure-like activity in adulthood similar to partial complex epilepsy in humans, and to produce cellular and molecular changes in the dentate gyrus and area CA-3 of the hippocampus. To further these investigations we recorded electroencephalographical and behavioural activity in DOM and control rats following a normally sub-convulsant dose (25 mg/kg) of pentylenetetrazol. During this exposure, 50% of DOM-treated rats experienced a Stage V (tonic-clonic) seizure (X²₍₁₎=5.33, P=0.021), indicating a lowering of generalized seizure threshold in these animals. In a separate experiment we explored focal seizure (afterdischarge) threshold as well as seizure propagation rates in treated rats, using a 25 consecutive day standard amygdala kindling paradigm. We report that the afterdischarge threshold for DOM-treated rats was significantly lower than controls (F_(1,27)=7.117, P=0.013). No difference between groups was found in seizure progression as measured by afterdischarge duration, latency to first Stage V seizure, or latency to reach a fully kindled state (defined as five consecutive Stage V seizures). Timm staining to assess mossy fibre sprouting (MFS) in the hippocampus revealed a significant MFS increase relative to sham at the ventral level in both left and right inner molecular layer of the dentate gyrus for all DOM-treated animals, as well as in the dorsal stratum oriens of CA3 contralateral to electrode placement, and these increases were further enhanced by the kindling procedure. We conclude that perinatal exposure to subconvulsive doses of DOM results in permanent changes in neuronal excitability in the adult rat, as demonstrated by a lowering of both generalized seizure and focal afterdischarge threshold, and produces increased MFS following kindling.     

白藜芦醇预处理介导Wnt/β-catenin信号通路保护脑缺血再灌注大鼠海马区神经元损伤

目的:研究白藜芦醇(resveratrol,Res)预处理对脑缺血再灌注(ischemia reperfusion,I/R)大鼠海马区Wnt/β-catenin信号通路相关蛋白的表达量、星形胶质细胞及神经元形态的影响,探讨白藜芦醇对脑缺血再灌注大鼠海马区神经元损伤的保护作用机制。方法:将SD大鼠60只随机分为四组,每组15只:正常对照组(Control)、假手术组(Sham)、缺血再灌注组(I/R)和白藜芦醇治疗组(Res)。Res组大鼠连续7 d腹腔注射白藜芦醇(每日30 mg/kg,由2%DMSO溶解),Sham组和I/R组注射同等量2%DMSO;7 d后Res组和I/R组采用改良线栓法制备大鼠大脑中动脉阻塞(middle cerebral artery occlusion,MACO)模型,缺血90 min,再灌注24 h。Sham组仅分离暴露一侧颈内动脉,不插入线栓;24 h后对各组大鼠进行神经功能学评分;脑组织TTC染色;尼氏染色;免疫组化检测海马区GSK-3β和星型胶质细胞(GFAP)数量及形态变化;Western Blot分别检测Wnt信号通路相关因子GSK-3β、p-GSK-3β、β-catenin蛋白水平表达量。结果:再灌注24 h后,尼氏染色显示与I/R组相比Res组海马区仅有少量的神经元破碎和消失,形态尚完整(P0.05),同时行为学评分和梗死面积也低于I/R组(P0.05)。免疫组化显示,与I/R组相比Res组GSK-3β的表达量明显降低,伴随星形胶质细胞活化状态和数量减少(P0.05)。Western Blot显示,与免疫组化表达趋势结果一致Res组GSK-3β的的表达量明显低于I/R组,而p-GSK-3β、β-catenin的表达量均增高(P0.05)。结论:白藜芦醇可能是通过调节Wnt/β-catenin信号通路相关蛋白的表达进而有效的降低大鼠脑缺血再灌注后神经元的损伤。