Role of endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis of trophoblasts in intrahepatic cholestasis during pregnancy / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)-induced trophoblast apoptosis in the development of intrahepatic cholestasis during pregnancy (ICP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty pregnant women with ICP and 20 normal pregnant women undergoing cesarean section were enrolled in this study. The number of placenta syncytial knots in these women was determined using HE staining. The mRNA expressions of GRP78, CHOP, caspase-3, and caspase-7 were detected using RT-PCR in the placental tissues of the women and also in HTR-8/SVneo cells treated with different doses of deoxycholic acid (DCA). Caspase-3 and caspase-7 activities were also detected in DCA-treated HTR-8/SVneo cells using commercial assay kits, and the presence of apoptotic bodies in the cells were detected with electron microscopy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with normal placental tissues, the placenta from women with ICP showed significantly increased syncytial knots (P<0.01) and obviously enhanced mRNA expressions of GRP78, CHOP, caspase-3, and caspase-7 (P<0.05). In HTR-8/SVneo cells treated with different doses of DCA (0, 10, 50, and 100 µmol/L), the mRNA expressions of GRP78, CHOP, caspase-3 and caspase-7 were significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05) and the protein levels of GRP78 and CHOP were also increased dose-dependently. Treatment with DCA at 50 µmol/L for 24 h significantly upregulated caspase-3 and caspase-7 activity in the cells (P<0.05), and the cells treated with 50 µmol/L DCA for 12 h showed the presence of apoptotic bodies.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The activation of ERS and enhanced apoptosis of the trophoblasts occur in the placenta of women with ICP. DCA can significantly increase the expressions of ERS markers and thus lead to trophoblast apoptosis, suggesting that ERS-induced trophoblasts apoptosis may play a key role in the development of ICP.</p>

Expectant therapy versus curettage for retained products of conception after second trimester termination of pregnancy: analysis of outcomes and complications / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the prognosis and complications of expectant therapy and curettage for retained product of conception (RPOC) after second trimester termination of pregnancy (TOP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 270 patients with RPOC following second trimester TOP in Nanfang Hospital between January, 2014 and December, 2015 were included in this study. The duration of vaginal bleeding time and menstruation recovery interval were compared between patients receiving expectant therapy and curettage for RPOC, and binary logistic regression was used to assess the risk factors for complications in bivariate and multivariate analyses.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The duration of vaginal bleeding time was significantly longer in expectant therapy group than in curettage group (P=0.005), while the menstruation recovery interval did not differ significantly between the two groups. The incidence of vaginal bleeding time for over 42 days was significantly higher in curettage group than in expectant therapy group (P=0.040), and the incidence of a menstruation recovery interval beyond 60 days was comparable between them. The incidence of complications was significantly higher in curettage group than in expectant therapy group either with adjustment of age, gravidity, parity, history of uterine surgery status, gestational age, type of indications, regimens for TOP and induction-abortion interval (OR=18.26 [95% CI: 3.57-93.42], P<0.001) or without adjustment (OR=10.60, [95% CI: 2.36-47.66], P=0.002).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Expectant therapy and curettage for RPOC after second trimester TOP have comparable prognosis, but curettage is associated with a significantly higher rate of complications.</p>

Effects of total flavonoids of propolis on apoptosis of myocardial cells of chronic heart failure and its possible mechanism in rats / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of total flavonoids of propolis (TFP) on apoptosis of myocardial cells of chronic heart failure and its possible mechanism in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Six male SD rats were randomly selected as normal control group, the remaining rats were made as chronic heart failure (CHF) model by intraperitoneal injection of adriamycin. The rats in the successful model were randomly divided into five groups (n = 6): CHF group, total flavonoids of propolis low dose group (LD group), total flavonoids of propolis middle dose group (MD group), total flavonoids of propolis high dose group (HD group), digoxin group (DIG group). After six week treatment, cardiac function indexes of rats were recorded by signal acquisition system; brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) content in plasma were detected; Myocardial morphological changes and collagen fiber hyperplasia by HE and Masson staining were observed; Myocardial apoptosis was detected with TUNEL method and protein connexin 43(P-Cx43) expression was detected by Western blot method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with NC group, left ventricular systolic pressure(LVSP) and maximal rise/fall velocity of left ventriculad pressure (± dP/dt(max)) absolute value in CHF group were significantly lowered (P < 0.01) while left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was increased significantly (P < 0.01); Contents of plasma BNP, cTnI, TNF-α and IL-6 in the CHF group were significantly improved (P < 0.01). Compared with CHF group, LVSP, ± dP/dt(max) absolute value in MD and HD groups were increased (P < 0.05), and LVEDP was significantly lowered (P < 0.01); LVEDP in LD group was significantly lowered (P < 0.01), changes in LVSP and ± dp/dt(max) absolue value were not obvious (P > 0.05). BNP, cTnI, TNF-α and IL-6 contents in MD and HD groups were significantly reduced (P < 0.01), but those plasma indicator changes were not obvious in LD group (P > 0.05). Western blot showed that P-Cx43 expression in CHF group was significantly higher than that in NC group (P < 0.01) and that in all TFP treatment groups it was decreased compared with CHF group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), among which pairwise comparisons also showed differences (P < 0.05), myocardial apoptosis index (%)(22.62 ± 3.39) in CHF group was higher than that in NC group( 1.12 ± 0.24) (P < 0.01); compared with CHF group, the apoptosis index of myocardial cells (%) in LD,MD and HD groups, (15.79 + 2.8), (9.28 + 2.1) and (4.73 + 1.14) respectively, were significantly lower than those in the CHF group( P < 0.01). The expression level of P-Cx43 positively correlated with the apoptotic index (r = 0. 861, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Total flavonaids of propolis have inhibitory effect on apoptosis of myocardial cells of chronic heart failure induced by adriamycin in rats, and the mechanism may be closely related to the regulation of Cx43 expression, especially the regulatory phosphorylation status.</p>

Analysis of 31 cases coronary intervention / 中国基层医药

Objective To study the effect and prognosis of percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) for pa- tients with coronary artery disease(CAD).Methods Selected coronary angiography was performed in 31 patients with CAD.PTCA and stent implantation were performed in the patients of coronary stenosis(≥75 % in diameter). The effect and prngnosis of coronary interventionary therapy in patients were observed.Results The results of coro- nary angiongraphy suggested there were 18 patiens of coronary stenosis(≥75 % in diameter),PTCA and stent im- plantation were performed in 13 patients.Symptom was relieved greatly after the operation.There were 2 patients of coronary stenosis again,and 5 patients died.Conclusion Selected coronary angiography was an effective way to di- agnose CHD.The coronery interventioned therapy was not only effective in relieving symptom,but also in improving the quality of life of patients with CAD.