ABSTRACT
@#【Objective】To observe whether berberine can inhibit vascular smooth muscle cells（VSMC）proliferation induced by mechanical strength stress and to investigate the role of MAPK pathway in it.【Methods】The cultured VSMC were divided into 4 groups：negative control group（NC group），stretch stress group（SS group），berberine pretreated and stretch stress stimulation group（BBR+SS group），and berberine group. In NC group，phosphate buffer saline was used as a negative control；in SS group，stretch stress was given to VSMC；in BBR+SS group，VSMC were pretreated with berberine for 1 hour and then exposed to stretch stress；in BBR group，VSMC were treated only with berberine for 1 hour and cultured in serum- free DMEM afterwards. We collected VSMC in each group ，detected and analyzed their MAPK phosphorylation，proliferation and migration by using Western blotting，immunofluorescence and wound-healing assay respectively. 【Results】 Compare with NC group，stretch stress markedly induced VSMC proliferation and migration ，which could be inhibited significantly by berberine. Stretch stress obviously increased phosphorylation of MAPK （ERK，JNK，p38），which could be inhibited by berberine in a concentration dependent manner. 【Conclusion】 Berberine inhibits hypertension-induced proliferation and migration of VSMC through MAPK pathway. The results revealed the new use and mechanism of berberine，and provided important data for further study on the prevention and treatment of vascular remodeling caused by abnormal increase of mechanical stress in hypertension.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the in vitro effect on control of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and its mechanism in mice by blockade of CD137-CD137L pathway.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Responder spleen cells from BALB/c donor mice (H-2(d)) were incubated with stimulator spleen cells from C57BL/6 ( H-2(b)) recipient mice, with or without anti-CD137L mAb. Lethally irradiated C57BL/6 mice were transplanted with donor bone marrow cells plus primary MLC spleen T cells. Group A (Allo-BMT control group): allo-BMT mice not receiving any prevention measures for GVHD. Group B (CsA + MTX control group): CsA and MTX given to C57BL/6 mice after transplantation. Group C (experimental group): donor spleen cells from BALB/c mice treated with anti-CD137L mAb. The percentages of CD3+ CD8+ T and CD3+ CD4+ T cells in the three groups were detected by flow cytometry, and the level of cytokines (IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-10, IL-4) by RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The incidence of GVHD in group C was 70%, while in group A and group B were 100%. The survival rate was higher and the median survival time was longer of group C than that of group A and B (P < 0.01). All mice in group A died of aGVHD within 15 ds, while 30% of mice in group C survived more than 30 ds. Symptoms and histological signs of GVHD in group C were the mildest among the three groups. The percentage of CD3+ CD8+ T cells and the levels of IFN-gamma were significantly lower (P < 0.01), and the levels of IL-10 were significantly higher in group C than those in group A and B (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Treatment of donor T cells with anti-CD137L mAb in vitro may relieve GVHD, thereby improve the survival time and survival rate, which maybe related to increasing Th1 cytokine (IFN-gamma) and decreasing Th2 cytokine (IL-10) as well as reducing CD3+ CD8+ T cells.</p>