Effect of radix paeoniae rubra on expression of p38 MAPK/iNOS/HO-1 in rats with lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of radix paeoniae rubra (RPR) on expression of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK)/iNOS/HO-1 in rats with lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury and explore the molecular mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty healthy male Wistar rats, weighing 200-250 g, aged 6-8 weeks (mean equal to 7 weeks), provided by the Experimental Center, Medical College, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China, were employed in this study. Under anesthesia with 7% chloraldurat (5 ml/kg body weight) through intraperitoneal injection, the trachea of the rat was exposed and an arterial puncture needle pricked into the trachea via cricothyroid membrane. Then they were randomly divided into five groups: 8 rats receiving 1 ml normal saline through the puncture needle (Group A), 8 receiving 1 ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 2.5 mg/kg, Group B), 8 receiving LPS and RPR (30 mg/kg, pumped through the femoral vein for 2 hours, Group C), 8 receiving RPR 2 hours before dripping LPS (Group D), and 8 receiving hemin (75 micromol/L through intraperitoneal injection) 18 hours before dripping LPS (Group E). After 6 hours of LPS dripping, blood samples were obtained through the carotid artery to perform blood gas analysis, then all the rats were exsanguinated to death and specimens of lung tissues were obtained. The pathomorphological changes of the lung tissues were observed. The expression of p38 MAPK/iNOS/HO-1, the neutrophil ratio, protein content in alveolar irrigating solution and malonaldehyde (MDA) content in the lung tissues were also detected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with Group A, the expression of p38 MAPK, iNOS and HO-1 markedly increased in Groups B, C, D, and E (P < 0.01). But in Groups C, D and E the expression of p38 MAPK and iNOS were significantly lower than that of Group B, while expression of HO-1 was obviously higher than that of Group B (P < 0.05). The protein content, the ratio of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), the content of MDA and the activities of serum NO in Group B were significantly higher than those of Group A (P < 0.01). There was a significant decrease in the level of arterial bicarbonate and partial pressure of oxygen in Group B (P < 0.01). Compared with Group B, these indexes of lung injury were significantly lower while the levels of arterial bicarbonate and partial pressure of oxygen increased significantly in Groups C, D and E (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Under light microscope, the pathological changes induced by LPS were significantly attenuated by RPR and hemin.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The high expression of MAPK plays an important role in lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury. Protective effect of RPR on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury may be related to the inhibition of the abnormal high expression of p38 MAPK/iNOS/HO-1.</p>

effect of h[1] calponin expression on gallstone formation in pregnancy

To explore the effect of h1 calponin mRNA expression on the biliary tract dynamics, and investigate the molecular mechanisms of gallstone formation in pregnancy. This study was carried out in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, and in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Wuhan University School of Medicine, Wuhan, China from July to December 2004. Thirty female guinea pigs were divided randomly into 3 groups, the nonpregnant group [n=10] [group A], the 30 days of pregnancy group [n=10] [group B], and the 60 days of pregnancy group [n=10] [group C]. Animal models of pregnancy were established on pregnant group guinea pigs through feeding animals with one cage according to female versus male as 4:1. The total cholesterol [TC], total bilirubin [TBiL], total bile acid [TBA] in the bile and the serum estradiol [E2], progesterone [Pg] levels were determined respectively. Expression levels of h1 calponin mRNA in gallbladder smooth muscles and Oddi's Sphincter [OS] were evaluated using semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR]. The concentration of TC, TBiL and the serum E2 and Pg were more significantly increasing in group C than that in the other 2 groups. However, the concentration of TBA decreased gradually from group A to group C. Up-regulation of h1 calponin gene expression was observed in the gallbladder smooth muscles in group C, but converse in OS. The h1 calponin might play an important role in inducing dysfunction of extrahepatic biliary tract, bile stasis in gallbladder and gallstone formation in pregnancy