Effect of an Ilex asprella root decoction on the related genes of lipid metabolism from chronic stress and hyperlipidemic fatty liver in rats / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The gradually increasing changes in a human hyperlipidemic diet along with chronic stress might play an important role in the increased numbers of fatty liver. This study investigated the effects of Ilex asprella root decoction on related genes of lipid metabolism in chronic stress in hyperlipidemic fatty liver in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control group, model control group, simvastatin group, and Ilex asprella root group. To establish chronic stress and hyperlipidemic fatty liver models in rats, the levels of serum lipids, glucose, liver index, insulin (INS), insulin resistant (IR) index, adiponectin, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-pX), glutathione (GSH), liver X receptor (LXR), and sterol responsive element binding protein (SREBP)-1c in rats were measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>When compared to the normal control group, the levels of serum lipids, glucose, liver index, INS, IR index, and GSH in the model control group significantly increased (P < 0.01). The protein levels of LXRα and SREBP-1c increased (P < 0.05), and the serum adiponectin and the SOD and GSH-pX decreased significantly (P < 0.01). When compared to the model control group, the levels of serum lipids, glucose, liver index, INS, IR index, SOD, and GSH-pX in the simvastatin group and Ilex asprella root group increased in varying degrees (P < 0.01 or 0.05); the serum adiponectin and GSH decreased (P < 0.05), while the protein levels of LXRα and SREBP-1c decreased in varying degrees (P < 0.01 or 0.05). When compared to the simvastatin group, the IR index and protein levels of LXRα in the Ilex asprella root group decreased (P < 0.05), and the serum adiponectin and SOD increased (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The Ilex asprella root decoction has some protective effects on regulating the related genes of lipid metabolism caused by chronic stress and hyperlipidemic fatty liver in rats.</p>

In vitro studies on the growth and proliferation characteristics of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study was to investigate the growth and proliferation characteristics of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) isolated by the method of whole bone marrow culture and to explore the effect of cell inoculation density and incubation period on cell proliferation, with an aim to provide multipotential seed cells for preventing from degenerative disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Bone mesenchymal stem cells were isolated by the method of whole bone marrow culture and then cultured in vitro. The cell morphologic features were observed by inverted microscope. The cell surface antigens were identified by flow cytometry. The effect of cell inoculation density and culture period on cell growth and proliferation was explored by analyzing the characteristics of a ten-day cell growth curve in 96-well plates.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Flow cytometry results showed the detection rates for CD29, CD34 and CD45 were 97.68% (7607/7788), 7.93% (661/8340) and 2.76% (215/7788) respectively, which was consistent with the expression characteristics of BMSCs surface antigens. BMSCs became uniform after three cell passages, existing in a typical shape of whirlpool or radial colony. The senescent cells started to appear at 7(th) passage, and more senescent cells were found at 10(th) passage. The growth curve for moderate inoculation density was typically S-shaped. Lag phase was found during the first two days, and logarithm growth phase was in the following three days. Plateau phase started from the 6(th) day and cell numbers decreased slightly from the 8(th) day.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The whole bone marrow culture is an effective way to obtain BMSCs. A moderate inoculation density was more advantageous to cell proliferation, by which more seed cells could be obtained.</p>