ABSTRACT
The medical fungus Hirsutella sinensis has been used as a Chinese folk health supplement because of its immunomodulatory properties. Our previous studies established the antifibrotic action of Hirsutella sinensis mycelium (HSM) in the lung. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The present study investigates the role of HSM in mediating EMT during the development of pulmonary fibrosis. HSM significantly inhibits bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis by blocking the EMT. In addition, the expression levels of midkine are increased in the lungs of the BLM-induced group. Further analysis of the results indicates that the mRNA level of midkine correlated positively with EMT. HSM markedly abrogates the transforming growth factor β-induced EMT-like phenotype and behavior in vitro. The activation of midkine related signaling pathway is ameliorated following HSM treatment, whereas this extract also caused an effective attenuation of the induction of EMT (caused by midkine overexpression) in vitro. Results further confirm that oral medication of HSM disrupted the midkine pathway in vivo. Overall, findings suggest that the midkine pathway and the regulation of the EMT may be considered novel candidate therapeutic targets for the antifibrotic effects caused by HSM.
Subject(s)
Humans , Bleomycin , Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition , Midkine , Mycelium , Pulmonary Fibrosis/drug therapyABSTRACT
Objective To conduct a joint quality control between domestic dual-head variable-angle NET632 SPECT device and imported device to evaluate the application effectiveness.Methods The domestic NET632 SPECT was marked as the trial device,and the imported Philips Brightview XCT was marked as the comparative device.The same quality control methods were applied to the two devices for both pre-trial quality control and in-trial weekly quality control.The Qc data were recorded and analyzed.Results Static images of a thyroid phantom and tomographic images of a complex performance phantom demonstrated nearly the same image quality.The images from both devices were within acceptable range.The noise and cold-region resolution of the trial devices were slightly worse while the hot-region resolution was slightly better than those of the comparative device.In the weekly QC procedures,slightly worse intrinsic spatial resolution and linearity,and better non-uniformity and energy resolution were observed on the trial device.All QC indices of both devices were within acceptable range.Conclusion The domestic dual-head NET632 SPECT has equivalent performances when compared with the imported device and is worthy applying clinically.
ABSTRACT
Objective To conduct a joint quality control between domestic dual-head variable-angle NET632 SPECT device and imported device to evaluate the application effectiveness.Methods The domestic NET632 SPECT was marked as the trial device,and the imported Philips Brightview XCT was marked as the comparative device.The same quality control methods were applied to the two devices for both pre-trial quality control and in-trial weekly quality control.The Qc data were recorded and analyzed.Results Static images of a thyroid phantom and tomographic images of a complex performance phantom demonstrated nearly the same image quality.The images from both devices were within acceptable range.The noise and cold-region resolution of the trial devices were slightly worse while the hot-region resolution was slightly better than those of the comparative device.In the weekly QC procedures,slightly worse intrinsic spatial resolution and linearity,and better non-uniformity and energy resolution were observed on the trial device.All QC indices of both devices were within acceptable range.Conclusion The domestic dual-head NET632 SPECT has equivalent performances when compared with the imported device and is worthy applying clinically.
ABSTRACT
Halofuginone (HF) is a derivative of dichroine which is the extract of traditional Chinese medicine. It is widely used as an efficient anticoccidial drug. Recent studies have found that HF has unique biological activities, showing great potential capacities in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. In the article, we summarized the therapeutic effects of HF in a variety of autoimmune diseases and its mechanism, providing references for further clinical studies of HF.
ABSTRACT
For medical caliber education and training research-oriented medical students, experimental training of medical genetics was innovated based on typical diseases. In this course, traditionally single experiments were combined in a main line and formed a whole system. Thus, the comprehensive quality and innovation ability of students were trained, as were the practical skills.
ABSTRACT
To accommodate the requirement of quality education and achieve the goal of the 7-year-schooling clinical medicine,experimental training of cell immunology based on pathogen-induced immunology was established in combination with traditional experiment teaching method.In this course,inductive teaching method was used.The independent study and innovation ability of student were trained,which had a better teaching effect.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the hepatoprotective effect of the extract of Terminala catappa leaves (TCE) and the possible mechanisms underlying its protection on acute liver injury induced by D-Galactosamine (D-GalN).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>In vivo: D-GalN-induced liver injury model was used to evaluate the effect of TCE on the activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in mice. Structure of liver was observed and liver mitochondrial swelling was measured following D-GalN injection without or with TCE. In vitro: D-GalN-induced primary cultured hepatocytes injury model was used to value the effect of TCE on cultured hepatocytes. Cell viability was measured by means of MTT assay, and the AST and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in supernatant of cultured cells were investigated also.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>In acute hepatic injury test, with oral pretreatment of TCE, remarkable rises in serum AST and ALT activities (2.95 fold and 3.35 fold) induced by D-GalN were obviously reversed and significant morphological changes were remarkably lessened. In addition, the decrease in sensitivity of mitochondrial swelling to the exotic Ca2+ stimulation induced by D-GalN was also prevented by TCE. In primary cultured hepatocytes of mice, it was found that incubation with TCE could prevent the decrease in cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. It was also found that both the increase in AST level (1.9 fold) and the decrease in SOD activity (48.0%) in supernatant of primary cultured hepatocytes induced by D-GalN could be inhibited by pretreatment of TCE.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TCE has hepatoprotective activity and the mechanisms underlying its protective effect may be related to its antioxidant activity and protection on both hepatocytes and liver mitochondria.</p>