Immunomodulatory and Anti-inflammatory Effect of p-Coumaric Acid, a Common Dietary Polyphenol on Experimental Inflammation in Rats

In this study, p-coumaric acid was evaluated for its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties in vivo. The immunomodulatory effect of p-coumaric acid (100 mg/kg body weight) was assessed by evaluating its effect on cell-mediated immune responses (delayed type hypersensitivity reaction), serum immunoglobulin levels, and macrophage phagocytic index in rats. The anti-inflammatory effects of p-coumaric acid (100 mg/kg body weight) were investigated by examining its effect on expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) in synovial tissue by immunofluorescence confocal microscopy and circulating immune complexes in serum of adjuvant-induced arthritic rats. The increased cell-mediated immune responses and macrophage phagocytic index observed in control rats were significantly reduced (p?<?0.05) upon treatment with p-coumaric acid implying its immunosuppressive property, whereas serum immunoglobulin levels were found to be increased in p-coumaric acid treated control rats. p-coumaric acid also showed significant (p?<?0.05) anti-inflammatory effects in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats by effecting a decrease in the expression of inflammatory mediator TNF-α and circulating immune complexes. Indomethacin was used as a reference drug for anti-inflammatory studies. Thus, our results show that p-coumaric acid could be considered a potential immunosuppressive agent in treating autoimmune inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.     

Effects of Exercise and Diet on Weight Gain During Nicotine Cessation in Rats1

The present experiment examined the effects of exercise and the prevention of access to sweet food on nicotine cessation-induced changes in body weight, body fat, and plasma insulin levels in rats. As in previous studies, nicotine administration reduced body weight gain and sweet food consumption, and nicotine cessation increased body weight gain and sweet food consumption. Exercise (swimming) reduced nicotine cessation-induced increases in weight gain and body fat, and reduced plasma insulin levels. Preventing access to sweet food also reduces plasma insulin levels and body fat, but did not reduce weight gain. Insulin sensitivity is discussed as a possible mechanism for changes in body weight resulting from nicotine administration and cessation. In addition, the possible implications of these findings for behavioral and pharmacological interventions to prevent weight gain induced by smoking cessation are presented.     

糖尿病大鼠红细胞对脑组织损伤的影响

研究糖尿病时红细胞的变化对脑组织损伤的影响。方法：用链脲佐菌素（ＳＴＺ,５０ｍｇ／ｋｇ）诱发大鼠糖尿病,分离红细胞,输注给正常大鼠（８×１０９个红细胞／只）,测定脑组织ＭＤＡ和亚硝酸盐含量,同时将分离红细胞在体外用异硫氰酸荧光黄（ＦＩＴＣ）标记,荧光显微镜观察输入的红细胞在脑微血管中的流动。结果：ＳＴＺ大鼠血糖持续高于正常,病程达一年的大鼠糖基化血红蛋白（％）明显高于正常大鼠（Ｐ<０．０１）。将糖尿病１年大鼠红细胞输给正常大鼠,４ｈ后,糖尿病红细胞组大鼠脑组织ＭＤＡ和亚硝酸盐含量明显高于对照红细胞组（ＭＤＡＰ＝０．０３２;亚硝酸盐Ｐ＝０．０２７）。软脑膜微循环的活体观察发现有ＦＩＴＣ标记的糖尿病红细胞粘附于微血管壁。结论：糖尿病的红细胞可以直接引起正常脑组织自由基代谢产物的变化,其作用可能与红细胞对内皮细胞的粘附有关。     

Effects of Cyclic Starvation-Feeding and of Splenectomy on the Development of Hemosiderosis in Rat Livers

The development of siderosis of liver and spleen was investigated in rats subjected alternately to periods of starvation and periods of feeding of diets rich in iron (0.71% or 1.23% Fe) or of control diets, during periods ranging up to 245 days. With 0.71% iron in the diet, cyclic starvation-feeding markedly enhanced the accumulation of iron in rat livers by comparison to feeding ad libitum even though rats fed ad libitum ingested far greater total amounts of iron than cyclically fed rats. With 1.23% iron in the diet, the concentration of iron in livers reached more or less the same plateau in cyclically starved-fed rats and in rats fed ad libitum (betwen 4 and 5 mg Fe/g wet weight); but the mean rate of accumulation of iron in the livers of cyclically starved and fed rats was more than twice that in rats fed ad libitum, whereas mean ingestion of iron per feeding day was only 16% higher in the former group. Surgical removal of the spleen enhanced the accumulation of iron in the liver in cyclically starved-fed rats and in rats fed ad libitum. Histologically, siderosis of the liver was moderate in rats fed the diet with 0.71% iron but was severe in rats fed the diet with 1.23% iron and most severe in those without spleens. Stainable iron was deposited in hepatocytes and in Kupffer cells. None of the rats developed cirrhosis of the liver. The data suggest that in rats a barrier to the absorption of iron from the gut, or to its later utilization, is surmounted if the concentration of iron in the food exceeds a certain limit value, somewhere between 0.71 and 1.23%. With iron in the food below this value, cyclic starvation-feeding markedly potentiates accumulation of iron in the liver in the course of several months, but siderosis is moderate. With iron in the food above the limit value, cyclic starvation-feeding and feeding ad libitum can equally lead to massive siderosis of the liver.     

血塞通预处理对缺血再灌注损伤大鼠心肌细胞凋亡的影响

目的探讨血塞通注射液对缺血再灌注损伤(MIRI)大鼠心肌细胞凋亡的影响。方法采用脱氧核糖核苷酸转移酶介导的脱氧尿嘧啶缺口末端标记法原位检测心肌细胞凋亡。透射电镜观察缺血损伤区心肌,摄片检测心肌细胞凋亡。结果X组和MIR组心肌细胞凋亡指数(AI)较S组显著增高(P<0.001,P<0.05),X组AI较MIR组低(P<0.05)。电镜下对照组未发现细胞凋亡,而在MIR组细胞凋亡明显增多,X组心肌细胞凋亡特征较MIR组明显减少。结论血塞通能减轻MIRI对大鼠心肌毒性作用,抑制心肌细胞凋亡,达到心肌保护作用。     

缺锌对血浆─氧化氮及部分免疫指标的影响

通过缺锌大鼠模型观察缺锌对血浆一氧化氮（ＮＯ）的变化，并探讨ＮＯ与血清锌，以及部分免疫指标的关系。结果表明：（１）缺锌（ＺＤ）组血浆ＮＯ、肿瘤坏死因子（ＴＮＦ）、骨髓和脾脏细胞增殖指数（ＰＩ）、腹腔吞噬细胞吞噬率、吞噬指数和外周血粒细胞杀菌力均非常显著低于配对（ＰＦ）组和自由喂养（ＡＬ）组。（２）血浆ＮＯ与血清锌呈显著正相关。ＺＤ组ＮＯ与血浆ＴＮＦ、脾淋巴细胞ＰＩ正相关。ＰＦ组ＮＯ与吞噬细胞吞噬率、吞噬指数、外周血粒细胞杀菌力呈正相关。     

Peroxidase Arthritis: III. Sequential Changes in Cellular Composition of the Developing Inflammatory Infiltrate

Repeated daily injections of horseradish peroxidase into rabbit knee joints lead to a characteristic sequence of cellular events. Early transient infiltration with polymorphonuclear leukocytes was followed by a progressive increase in the number of macrophages. This appeared to represent, at least in part, a consequence of increased emigration of monocytes. Subsequently, increasing numbers of lymphocytes appeared. Many of the lymphocytes had frequent cytoplasmic polyribosomes. By the eighth or ninth day, immunoblasts, plasmablasts and immature plasma cells were observed; cytochemical evidence of local specific antibody synthesis first was demonstrated in such cells at this stage. These results demonstrate the sequential cellular events in an immunologic inflammatory response to local antigen. Questions remain concerning the stimulus for early monocyte emigration and macrophage accumulation, and the site of initial sensitization of lymphocytes; these problems are discussed.     

Acute Antidepressant Effects of Derivatives of 3-Hydroxypyridine and Succinic Acid in Experiments on Rats

Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology - We report here a comparative analysis of the acute antidepressant actions of derivatives of 3-hydroxypyridine and succinic acid (emoxypine, Reamberin, and...     

Smoking and Immunity: an Additional Player in the Mosaic of Autoimmunity

Autoimmune diseases are associated with a variety of predisposing factors. However, the relative contribution of each remains to be established. The purpose of the paper is to focus on cigarette smoking, a common Western habit, as a possible environmental factor for the emergence of autoimmunity. This association is described in view of several recent studies documenting increased susceptibility to autoimmune diseases among smokers.     

Effects of Partial Hepatectomy in Rats on Two Transplantable Hepatomas: Changes in Weight and in Synthesis of DNA and Ferritin

Partial hepatectomy in rats carrying Reuber H-139 and H-35 hepatomas is followed by rapid growth of these tumors. At comparable times after implantation, average wet weights of H-139 or H-35 hepatomas in partially hepatectomized rats were significantly higher than average wet weights of these tumors in control rats. In H-35 hepatomas growing subcutaneously, synthesis of DNA, as shown by incorporation of tritiated thymidine, was depressed 18 hours after a two-thirds hepatectomy in the host. Between 18 and 36 hours after partial hepatectomy, DNA synthesis rose steadily, with a maximum at about 36 hours. Incorporation of ¹⁴C-leucine into ferritin (apoferritin) reached a maximum in liver and, to less extent, also in subcutaneous H-35 hepatomas, 48 hours after partial hepatectomy and returned to normal levels at 72 hours. The increase in wet weight of the tumors is most likely the result of an increase in rate of growth concomitant with the restoration of liver mass. The rise in synthesis of DNA and of ferritin in hepatoma cells after partial hepatectomy suggests that these hepatomas were affected by the same humoral factor or mechanism that stimulates cell division and protein synthesis in the liver immediately after partial hepatectomy.