Neuroendocrine responses to nicotine and stress: enhancement of peripheral stress responses by the administration of nicotine

Habitual smokers frequently report that when they are stressed smoking helps them to relax. One potential explanation for the reported stress ameliorating effect of smoking is that cigarette consumption (nicotine self-administration) may decrease the sympathetic autonomic nervous system activity which is associated with the stress response. In the present study, rabbits prepared with chronic vascular cannulae were used to study the effects of nicotine administation on plasma corticosterone, catecholamine (epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine) and glucose responses to physical restraint stress. Nicotine (0.025, 0.05 or 0.10 mg nicotine base/kg body weight) was administered for 10 days prior to the stress test to allow for the development of habituation/tolerance to its acute toxic effects. Independent administration of nicotine, or the application of the physical restraint stressor, resulted in increases in the plasma concentrations of corticosterone, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and glucose. Nicotine administration during restraint stress enhanced the increase in plasma corticosterone and epinephrine, as compared to the responses induced by either factor alone. The results suggest that the stress ameliorating effect of continued cigarette smoking, as reported by habitual smokers, is not due to a reduction in the activity of the peripheral sympathetic autonomic nervous system.     

CARDIAC RATE RESPONSES TO CIGARETTE SMOKING: A STUDY UTILIZING RADIOTELEMETRY

Radiotelemetry of the human EKG was obtained to observe for rate alterations during spontaneous cigarette smoking. Ten subjects were observed for a total of 26 hours during which time 50 cigarettes were smoked. The utilization of telemetry allowed the subjects to continue their usual afternoon behavior. There were no rate changes before, during, or after smoking which could be attributed to the cigarette. These results differ from most previous reports. Telemetry allows for two departures from past designs; subjects were ambulant and smoking behavior was spontaneous (both in initiation and rate). It is suggested that these departures are related to the results of the present study.     

孕鼠被动吸烟对子代学习记忆功能及海马神经生长因子含量的影响

目的 探讨孕鼠被动吸烟对子代学习记忆功能的影响及其机制。方法 采用反映学习记忆功能的水迷宫法测试大鼠神经行为的改变，IRMA法测定大鼠海马神经生长因子的含量变化。结果 孕期被动吸烟使仔鼠学习记忆能力下降，海马神经生长因子含量明显降低。结论 孕期被动吸烟降低仔鼠学习记忆功能与海马神经生长因子代谢的失调有关。     

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis in rabbits. Modulation of pulmonary inflammation by long-term aerosol challenge with antigen

Immunized rabbits that were aerosol challenged for 2 to 3 wk with pigeon dropping extract, an etiologic agent of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, developed chronic pulmonary inflammation associated with cell-mediated immunity in bronchoalveolar cells. However, prolonged aerosol challenge for 12 wk resulted in the diminution of pulmonary inflammation (modulation) and the loss of demonstrable cell-mediated immunity. This was probably not due to loss of sensitized lymphocytes that mediated pulmonary inflammation. Furthermore, rabbits undergoing modulation when they were challenged with an unrelated antigen were refractory to the development of pulmonary inflammation for at least 9 wk. After this refractory period, animals reimmunized and aerosol challenged with pigeon dropping extract displayed an anamnestic response and produced pulmonary lesions that were strikingly similar to the histopathology of human hypersensitivity pneumonitis.     

银杏叶提取物对在体缺血保存再灌注后肺组织ICAM-1和P-选择素基因mRNA表达的影响

目的 探讨银杏叶提取物对在体缺血冷藏再灌注后肺组织ICAM-1和P选择素基因mRNA表达的影响。方法 新西兰白兔30只。随机分为3组：对照组、LPD组和GBE组．建立兔在体缺血冷藏再灌注模型，对照组左肺不灌注肺保护液，阻断左肺门后直接将左肺下叶载体冷藏于10℃肺保存器内2h，再灌注2h；LPD组左肺门阻断后经肺动脉灌注LPD液，余同对照组；GBE组灌注液为合银杏叶提取物（Ginkgo Biloba Extract，GBE）的LPD液，余同LPD组。分别于左肺门阻断前、缺血2h、再灌注2h取左肺组织，RTPCR技术检测P-选择素和ICAM-1基因mRNA的表达；免疫纽化技术检测P-选择素和ICAM-1基因蛋白质产物量。结果 三组在缺血前及缺血2h再灌注前P—selectin基因mRNA表达量及其蛋白质产物免疫组化评分组间均未有显著性差异。再灌注2h后，GBE组P—selectin基因mRNA表达量厦其蛋白质产物免疫组化评分显著低于LPD组和对照组。，缺血前，所有三组ICAM—1基因mRNA表达量均未有显著性差异，在缺血2h后再难注前及再灌注2h后，ICAM—1基因mRNA表达量及其蛋白质产物免疫组化评分在GBE组均显著低于对照组和LPD组。结论 银杏叶提取物可抑制P—selectin和ICAM—1基因mRNA的表达上调，使肺组织P—selectin和细胞间粘附分子-1蛋白产物减少，从而减轻保存肺的缺血再灌注损伤。银杏叶提取物作为肺保护液添加剂，在进一步研究后可以试用于临床肺移植，为中药提取物的开发应用展示了光明的前景。     

Effect of Gardenia extract ZG on the adsorption quantity of herpes simplex virus type 1 （HSV-1）

To observe the effect of Gardenia extract ZG on the adsorption quantity of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) so as to explore the mechanism of its antiviral activity, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was used as the fluorescent probe to label viruses and heparin sodium was used as control. Meanwhile , the effect of Gardenia extract ZG on the adsorption quantity on the surface of Hep-2 cells was determined by flow cytometry. It was demonstrated that adsorption of HSV-1 on the surface of Hep-2 cells exhibited the character of saturation and specificity and heparin sodium could prevent attachment of viruses on these cells. These results are in accord with those reported previously. It was also proved that the manner of drug-use prior to adsorption or simultaneous use of drug and adsorption was better than adsorption prior to drug-use, and the inhibition rates of the former and latter manner were 84. 76% and 82.92% respectively. Three manners of drug-use with Gardenia extract ZG were all effective to reduce the adsorption quantity of viruses, especially the manner of simultaneous use of drug and adsorption with an adsorption inhibition rate of 68.46% . From the above observation, it is apparent that the mechanism of anti-viral activity of Gardenia extract ZG may be via several steps involved in the HSV-1 adsorption.     

Isolation and immunochemical characterization of the major allergen of birch pollen (Betula verrucosa)

The classification of some of the extractable birch pollen antigens as allergens was established by crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis (CRIE). In CRIE the major allergen (antigen 23) exhibited the strongest “radiostaining” and only a few other components of birch pollen extract were visibly radiostained. The major allergen and a preparation containing mainly the minor allergens, antigens 25 and 19, were isolated from a crude aqueous birch pollen extract by a combination of anion-exchange, size-exclusion, and chelate chromatography. Antigen 23 was purified to near homogeneity. The molecular weights and the pIs of antigens 23, 25, and 19 were determined to be 17,000 daltons, pI 5.25 (5.5, 5.0); 25,000 daltons, pI 5.0 (4.9, 5.4); and 29,000 daltons, pI 6.2 (5.4), respectively. The classification of antigen 23 as the major allergen in birch pollen was supported by results of RAST inhibition experiments, RAST screening, and skin prick testing.     

Mucosal bromodomain-containing protein 4 mediates aeroallergen-induced inflammation and remodeling

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Antiangiogenic and antimetastatic properties of Neovastat (Æ-941), an orally active extract derived from cartilage tissue

A novel naturally occurring antiangiogenic agent isolated from cartilage, referred to as Neovastat (AE-941), was examined for its efficacy against tumor neovascularization and progression. Exposure to Neovastat results in ex ovo antiangiogenic properties in the chorioallantoid membrane of chicken embryo (71% decrease in the angiogenic index as compared to the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) treated control embryos, P < 0.0001). Oral administration of Neovastat inhibits bFGF-induced angiogenesis in the Matrigel mouse model (87.5% decrease in hemoglobin as compared to the bFGF-treated control implants, P < 0.0001). Neovastat also induces a dose response decrease of lung metastases in the Lewis lung carcinoma model (oral administration; 69.1% of inhibition obtained at the maximal dose of 0.5 ml/day, P < 0.0001). Combined with a sub-optimal dose of cisplatinum (2 mg/kg, i.p.), Neovastat (0.5 ml/day) improved the therapeutic index by increasing the antimetastatic efficacy and by exerting a protective activity against cisplatinum-induced body weight loss and myelosuppression. In summary, our experimental data provide evidence of antiangiogenic and antimetastatic properties of Neovastat, following oral administration.     

人参银杏复方制剂对缺氧复氧后大鼠海马CA1区GABA、Glu表达的影响

目的：探讨人参银杏复方制剂对缺氧复氧后海马CAI区神经元的保护作用机制。方法：应用低压氧舱仿海拔8000米高空缺氧模型，采用免疫组织化学及免疫荧光方法并结合图像分析等技术，观察预防性应用人参银杏复方制剂对缺氧24h复氧0h、24h时段海马CAI区GABA、Glu表达的影响。结果：缺氧24h复氧卟组海马CAI区GABA免疫反应阳性神经元数量、Glu免疫反应阳性神经元荧光强度分别较常氧对照组减少和减弱，复氧24h后上述变化更加明显。预防性应用人参银杏复方制剂后海马CAI区GABA免疫反应阳性神经元数量在复氧0h和24h时较常氧对照组多，以复氧0h时增加最明显；Glu免疫反应阳性神经元荧光强度在复氧0h、24h时段也较缺氧复氧实验组相应时段增加。结论：人参银杏复方制剂可增加缺氧复氧后海马CAI区GABA表达及防止Glu过度释放，对缺氧复氧性脑损伤具有保护作用。