Network Meta-analysis of efficacy and safety of oral Chinese patent medicines combined with conventional western medicine in treatment of hypertension / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to systematically evaluate the effect of oral Chinese patent medicines on hypertension with network Meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trials on the treatment of hypertension with oral Chinese patent medicine combined with conventional western medicine were retrieved from China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, EMbase, and Cochrane Library(from establishment of the database to August 2021). Two researchers independently screened the articles, extracted the data, and evaluated article quality. Then R 4.1.0 was employed for data analysis. Finally, 195 eligible articles were screened out, involving 22 546 patients and 18 oral Chinese patent medicines. The results of the network Meta-analysis are as follows. In terms of reducing systolic blood pressure(SBP) and diastolic blood pressure(DBP), Xuesaitong, Qiangli Dingxuan Tablets, Songling Xuemaikang Capsules combined with conventional western medicine are superior. In improving blood lipids, the overall effects of Xinmaitong Capsules, Compound Xueshuantong Capsules, Ginkgo Folium preparations, Yindan Xinnaotong Soft Capsules, and Naoxintong Capsules combined with conventional western medicine are outstanding. In terms of regulating endothelial function, Yindan Xinnaotong Soft Capsules, Xinmaitong Capsules, Zhenju Jiangya Tablets, Compound Danshen Dripping Pills, Xuesaitong with conventional western medicine have certain advantages. As for the safety, the incidence of adverse reactions of conventional western medicine combined with oral Chinese patent medicines is lower than that of conventional western medicine alone. In summary, compared with conventional western medicine alone, the 18 oral Chinese patent medicines combined with conventional western medicine in the treatment of hypertension show advantages in improving blood pressure, blood lipids, and endothelial function. Among them, Xuesaitong, Qiangli Dingxuan Tablets, and Songling Xuemaikang Capsules may be the best oral Chinese patent medicines for lowering blood pressure. The conclusion needs to be further verified by more high-quality studies.

Protective effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived microvesicles on glutamate injured PC12 cells / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was aimed to investigate the protective effect of bone mesenchymal stem cell-derived microvesicles (BMMSC-MV) on glutamate injured PC12 cells so as to elucidate the mechanism of the neural damage repair. BMMSC were isolated and purified with density-gradient centrifugation method, BMMSC-MV were harvested from the supernatants of BMMSC by hypothermal ultracentrifugation method. The surface markers of BMMSC reacted against different antibodies were detected by flow cytometry. The morphology features of MV were observed under an electron microscope. Experiment was divided into three groups, one was a control group, and the other two were glutamate-injured group and co-culture group of BMMSC-MV and glutamate-damaged cells respectively. MTT test was used to evaluate the proliferative status of PC12 cells and the AnnexinV-FITC detecting kit and Hoechst33342 were used to detect the apoptosis of PC12 cells in different groups. The results showed that BMMSC isolated from rat bone marrow were highly positive for CD29, CD44 and negative for CD31, CD34 and CD45. The morphology of MV was round and the vesicles were homogenous in size. BMMSC-MV exhibited a protective effect on the excitotoxicity-injured PC12 cells, displaying increase of cell viability, decrease of Annexin-V/PI staining positive and nuclear condensed cells. It is concluded that BMMSC-MV can protect PC12 cells from glutamate-induced apoptosis, suggesting that BMMSC-MV may be a potential candidate for treatment of neurological diseases.This study provides the preliminary experimental and theoretical evidence for use of BMMSC-MV in treatment of neural excited damage.

Promoting effect of thrombin on proliferation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells and its mechanisms / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was aimed to investigate the growth-promoting activity of thrombin on mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and its mechanisms. Human bone marrow MSC were cultured in serum-free medium supplemented with graded concentrations of thrombin, and the proliferation status of MSC was detected by MTT test. The expression levels of protease-activated receptors (PAR) and c-MYC gene were detected by PCR. Activated Akt signaling pathway was revealed by Western blot, and specific inhibitors of the signaling pathways were used to confirm the effects. The results showed that thrombin stimulated MSC proliferation in a dose-dependent manner; the minimal concentration of thrombin for stimulating MSC growth was 0.5 U/ml, and the promoting effect reached its maximum when thrombin at a dose of 8 U/ml was employed. PCR results showed that MSC expressed the two types of PAR1 and PAR2. After PAR1 was blocked with a specific inhibitor SCH79797, the growth-promoting effect of thrombin was inhibited, while this phenomenon was not observed when MSC were exposed to FSLLRY-NH2, a specific inhibitor for PAR2. Further experiments showed that after exposure to thrombin, the AKT signaling pathway in MSC was promptly activated, and c-MYC expression was greatly up-regulated. Meanwhile, when LY294002, a specific AKT inhibitor, was added into the culture medium, the up-regulation of c-MYC expression was reduced, accompanied by the low rate of MSC growth. It is concluded that thrombin can stimulate MSC proliferation by eliciting PAR1-mediated AKT activation and subsequent up-regulation of c-MYC expression.

Analysis of T lymphocyte absolute number and function in the early phase after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was purposed to investigate the immune reconstitution of T-cells in patients who received haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (hiHSCT). The peripheral blood was harvested from 22 patients before transplantation and at month 1, 3, 6 after hiHSCT. The proportions of T lymphocyte subtypes including CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), CD45RO(+), and CD45RA(+)CD62L(+) were analyzed by flow cytometry, followed by the calculation of T cell numbers according to the amounts of peripheral blood leukocytes. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) value in CD4(+) T cells was measured by ImmuKnow method to evaluate the function of lymphocytes. The results showed that the CD3(+) cell absolute value before transplantation was 833.75 ± 359.84/µl, but those values at month 1, 3, 6 after transplantation were 318.87 ± 266.71/µl, 1006.76 ± 512.32/µl and 1296.38 ± 958.77/µl respectively. The CD4(+) cell absolute value before transplantation was 336.99 ± 211.11/µl, but such values at month 1, 3, 6 after transplantation were 45.89 ± 44.21/µl, 142.97 ± 114.85/µl, and 181.78 ± 120.61/µl respectively. The CD8(+) cell absolute value before transplantation was 430.21 ± 159.48/µl, but those values at month 1, 3, 6 after transplantation were 230.44 ± 195.89/µl, 621.64 ± 318.83/µl, and 823.07 ± 633.55/µl respectively. The CD4(+)CD45RO(+) memory T cell absolute value before transplantation was 227.44 ± 73.34/µl, but such values at month 1, 3, 6 after transplantation were 43.47 ± 43.40/µl, 138.69 ± 110.17/µl, 147.73 ± 82.94/µl respectively. The CD8(+)CD45RO(+) memory T cell absolute value before transplantation was 212.70 ± 98.48/µl, but such values at month 1, 3, 6 after transplantation were 184.76 ± 168.65/µl, 445.90 ± 252.50/µl, 519.80 ± 475.53/µl respectively. CD4(+)CD45RA(+)CD62L(+) naive T cell number before transplantation was 68.94 ± 59.74/µl, but such cell numbers at month 1, 3, 6 after transplantation decreased to 2.44 ± 2.93/µl, 3.14 ± 3.48/µl, 23.22 ± 38.38/µl respectively. The CD8(+)CD45RA(+)CD62L(+) naive T cell absolute value before transplantation was 124.82 ± 60.95/µl, but those values at month 1, 3, 6 decreased to 19.37 ± 17.71/µl, 76.63 ± 50.85/µl, and 114.49 ± 174.29/µl respectively. The ATP value in CD4(+) T cells decreased to 210.19 ± 119.37 ng/ml at month 1 after transplantation and increased to 280.62 ± 110.03 ng/ml at month 3, and 357.28 ± 76.18 ng/ml at month 6 after transplantation. It is concluded that CD8(+) memory T cell reconstruction contributes critically to T cell recovery early after hiHSCT, while the thymic output function remains low. However, T cell function recovers to normal range at month 3 after transplantation.