NO-releasing xanthine KMUP-1 bonded by simvastatin attenuates bleomycin-induced lung inflammation and delayed fibrosis

Background and purposePulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a progressing lung injury initiated by pulmonary inflammation (PI). Bleomycin (BLM) is the most common pathogenesis of PF through early PI and extensive extracellular matrix deposition. This study is aimed to determine whether NO-releasing KMUP-1 inhibits PI and PF, and if so, the benefits of KMUP-1S resulted from simvastatin (SIM)-bonding to KMUP-1.Experiment approachC57BL/6 male mice were intra-tracheally administered BLM (4 U/kg) at day 0. KMUP-1 (1–5 mg/kg), KMUP-1S (2.5 mg/kg), SIM (5 mg/kg), Plus (KMUP-1 2.5 mg/kg + SIM 2.5 mg/kg), and clarithromycin (CAM, 10 mg/kg) were orally and daily administered for 7 and 28 days, respectively, to mice, sacrificed at day-7 and day-28 to isolate the lung tissues, for examining the inflammatory and fibrotic signaling and measuring the cell population and MMP-2/MMP-9 activity in broncholaveolar lavage fluid (BAL).Key resultsKMUP-1 and KUP-1S significantly decreased neutrophil counts in BAL fluid. Fibroblastic foci were histologically assessed by H&E and Masson's trichrome stain and treated with KMUP-1 and references. Lung tissues were determined the contents of collagen and the expressions of TGF-β, α-SMA, HMGB1, CTGF, eNOS, p-eNOS, RhoA, Smad3, p-Smad3, MMP-2 and MMP-9 by Western blotting analyses, respectively. These changes areregulated by NO/cGMP and inhibited by various treatments. KMUP-1 and KMUP-1S predominantly prevented HMGB1/MMP-2 expression at day-7 and reduced TGF-β/phosphorylated Smad3 and CTGF at day-28.Conclusions and implicationsKMUP-1 and KMUP-S restore eNOS, inhibit iNOS/ROCKII/MMP-2/MMP-9, attenuate histologic collagen disposition and reduce BALF inflammatory cells, potentially useful for the treatment of BLM-lung PF.     

Histopathologic,biochemical and genotoxic investigations on chronic sodium nitrite toxicity in mice

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long term Sodium nitrite (NaNO₂) consumption. Swiss albino mice were given NaNO₂ (0, 10 and 20 mg/kg/day) as mixed in feed for 8 months. At the end of treatments, animals were sacrificed and selected organs were processed for histopathologic, imunohistochemical, biochemical and genotoxic investigations. Mild to moderate degenerative changes were observed in liver, kidney, intestine, lung and spleen of NaNO₂-given mice. Inducible nitric oxide synthase and nitrotyrosine activities increased in liver and kidney of NaNO₂-given mice. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen activity increased in liver. Apoptotic cell death was observed in livers of the treatment groups. Liver malondialdehyde level was higher in the treatment groups while no change was seen in kidney. Nitric oxide levels in both liver and kidney of the treatment groups were lower than those of the control group. In genotoxic investigations, the number of chromosome and chromatid breaks, chromatid association, and polyploidy increased while mitotic index decreased in NaNO₂-given mice. The results showed that NaNO₂ would cause histopathologic changes, nitrosative tissue damage, and lipid peroxidation in liver and kidney, as well as induce chromosomal aberrations even if it was given at low levels for long time.     

The association of lipopolysaccharide and inflammatory factors with hepatopulmonary syndrome and their changes after orthotopic liver transplantation

Background

The level of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and inflammatory factors were higher in end stage liver disease patient than in normal person for the damage of intestinal mucosal barrier function. Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) was a common pulmonary complication in end stage liver disease. But the association of LPS and inflammatory factors such as toll like receptor 2 (TLR2), TNF-α and ET-1 with the development of HPS was undefined.

Methods

Thirty-one HPS patients were researched (26 patients were performed liver transplantation, five were not). Ten healthy volunteers were recruited as negative control. Blood was collected from the 26 HPS patients before and 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), and from five HPS patients without OLT and ten healthy volunteers once to detect TLR2 mRNA and iNOS mRNA in peripheral blood monocytes and plasma LPS, TNF-α and ET-1 level. Their levels before and after OLT were compared.

Results

TLR2 mRNA, iNOS mRNA, LPS, TNF-α and ET-1 before OLT in HPS patients were 336,594.1±366,901.1, 63,982.2±74,127.5 copies/ugRNA, 4.3±3.3, 90.1±76.0 and 319.9±124.4 ng/L, respectively. They were 10,338.3±3,814.6, 19,168.5±2,417.4 copies/ugRNA, 0.94±0.69, 2.7±0.1 and 84.2±10.6 ng/L in normal control group. They were significantly higher in HPS patients than those in control group (P<0.05). After OLT, liver function improved to normal. Also TLR2 mRNA, TNF-α and ET-1 decreased in HPS patients after OLT compared with those before OLT. And PaO₂ and PaO₂/FiO₂ improved greatly with intrapulmonary shunt decreased to normal after OLT.

Conclusions

Lipopolysaccharides at the end stage of liver disease with the release of series of inflammatory factors may be associated with the development of HPS.     

普罗布考对糖基化终末产物引发心脏微血管内皮功能紊乱的作用

目的:观察普罗布考（probucol）对糖基化终末产物（AGEs）作用后的心脏微血管内皮细胞iNOS表达的影响。方法: 原代培养心脏微血管内皮细胞,AGEs（100 mg/L）体外模拟高糖环境,在probucol(5 μmol/L,10 μmol/L,20 μmol/L) 作用后,检测ROS、NO和iNOS变化情况。结果: 与AGEs组比较,probucol组中ROS蛋白表达降低,NO生成增加,而 iNOS蛋白表达降低,且显示有浓度依赖性。结论: probucol可能通过对抗氧化应激的途径,缓解AGEs引发的心脏微血管内皮功能障碍。     

Protective effects of irbesartan and alpha lipoic acid in STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy in rats

The aim of this study was designed to investigate the possible beneficial effects of the angiotensin (ang) II T₁ (AT₁) receptor blocker, irbesartan (Irb), and the alpha lipoic acid (ALA) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy (DNP) in rats. The rats were randomly allotted into one of five experimental groups: A, control; B, diabetic untreated; C, diabetic treated with Irb; D, diabetic treated with ALA; and E, diabetic treated with Irb + ALA; each group contains 10 animals. B, C, D, and E groups received STZ. Diabetes was induced in four groups by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (50 mg/kg, freshly dissolved in 5 mmol/L citrate buffer, pH 4.5). The rats in Irb-, ALA-, and Irb + ALA-treated groups were given Irb (5 mg/kg), ALA (in a dose of 3 mg/kg), and Irb + ALA (in a dose of 2.5 + 1.5 mg/kg) once a day orally by using intragastric intubation for 12 weeks starting 2 days after STZ injection, respectively. Treatment with ALA and especially Irb reduced the glomerular size; thickening of capsular, glomerular, and tubular basement membranes; increased amounts of mesangial matrix and tubular dilatation as compared with diabetic-untreated rats. Notably, the better effects were obtained when Irb and ALA were given together. We conclude that Irb, ALA, and especially Irb + ALA therapy causes renal morphologic improvement after STZ-induced diabetes in rats. We believe that further preclinical research into the utility of Irb and ALA treatment, alone or its combination, may indicate its usefulness as a potential treatment in DNP.     

穿心莲内酯对脂多糖诱导RAW264.7细胞炎症反应的抑制作用

目的探讨穿心莲内酯对脂多糖诱导RAW264.7细胞炎症反应的抑制作用及其作用机制。方法采用噻唑蓝比色(MTT)法分析穿心莲内酯对RAW264.7细胞活力的影响。通过脂多糖处理RAW264.7细胞24 h建立细胞炎症模型,造模前1 h用穿心莲内酯2.5、5、10、20μmol/L预处理。荧光定量PCR法检测RAW264.7细胞内相关抗氧化应激酶基因和i NOS水平。穿心莲内酯单独处理RAW264.7细胞24 h,Western blotting法检测Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1信号通路相关蛋白和Keap1、Nrf2、HO-1蛋白水平。免疫荧光检测转录因子Nrf2在胞质及核内的分布情况。结果与对照组比较,穿心莲内酯剂量相关性地抑制RAW264.7细胞活力,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05、0.01、0.001)。穿心莲内酯显著抑制脂多糖诱导RAW264.7细胞的i NOS水平(P0.001),增加相关抗氧化酶基因HO-1、NQO1 m RNA水平。穿心莲内酯抑制Keap1表达,增加Nrf2和HO-1蛋白水平的表达。结论穿心莲内酯可抑制脂多糖诱导的炎症反应,其作用机制可能与激活Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1信号通路从而调控抗氧化酶HO-1、NQO1 m RNA表达水平相关。     

Combination of dexamethasone and etanercept reduces secondary damage in experimental spinal cord trauma

The aim of our study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of combination therapy with etanercept and dexamethasone (DEX) in vivo in experimental murine model of spinal cord trauma, which was induced by the application of vascular clips (force of 24 g) to the dura via a four-level T5-T8 laminectomy. Spinal cord injury in mice resulted in severe trauma characterized by edema, neutrophil infiltration, and cytokine production followed by recruitment of other inflammatory cells, production of inflammation mediators, tissue damage, apoptosis and disease. Treatment of the mice with etanercept (1.25 mg/kg) and DEX (0.025 mg/kg) when administered as a combination therapy but not as a single treatment significantly reduced the degree of (1) spinal cord inflammation and tissue injury (histological score), (2) infiltration of neutrophils (MPO evaluation), (3) inducible nitric oxide synthase, nitrotyrosine, and cytokines expression (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta), (4) and apoptosis (Terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated UTP end labeling staining, Fas-ligand expression and Bax and Bcl-2 expression). In a separate set of experiments we have also clearly demonstrated that the combination therapy significantly ameliorated the recovery of limb function (evaluated by motor recovery score). Taken together, our results clearly demonstrate for the first time that strategies targeting multiple proinflammatory pathways may be more effective than a single effector molecule for the treatment of spinal cord trauma.     

The Role of Oxidative Stress in Aseptic Loosening of Total Hip Arthroplasties

This study investigated the hypothesis that wear particle-induced oxidative stress initiates osteolysis after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Patient radiographs were scored for osteolysis and periprosthetic tissues were immunostained and imaged to quantify polyethylene wear, inflammation, and five osteoinflammatory and oxidative stress-responsive factors. These included high mobility group protein-B1 (HMGB1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), and nitrotyrosine (NT). The results show wear debris correlated with inflammation, 4-HNE, NT and HMGB1, whereas inflammation only correlated with NT and HMGB1. Similar to wear debris and inflammation, osteolysis correlated with HMGB1. Additionally, osteolysis correlated with COX2 and 4-HNE, but not iNOS or NT. Understanding the involvement of oxidative stress in wear-induced osteolysis will help identify diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets to prevent osteolysis after THA.