Effect of total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf on myocardial cell apoptosis and Wnt/β-catenin/PPARγ pathway in arrhythmic rats / 中国中药杂志

This paper aimed to investigate the effect of total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf on myocardial cell apoptosis and Wnt/β-catenin/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ(PPARγ) pathway in arrhythmic rats. SD rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, a low-dose(20 mg·kg~(-1)) group of total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf, a medium-dose(40 mg·kg~(-1)) group of total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf, a high-dose(80 mg·kg~(-1)) group of total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf, a propranolol hydrochloride(2 mg·kg~(-1)) group, with 12 rats in each group. Except the control group, rats in other groups were prepared as models of arrhythmia by sublingual injection of 1 mL·kg~(-1) of 0.002% aconitine. After grouping and intervention with drugs, the arrhythmia, myocardial cells apoptosis, myocardial tissue glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px), catalase(CAT), malondialdehyde(MDA), serum interleukin-6(IL-6), prostaglandin E2(PGE2) levels, myocardial tissue apoptosis, and Wnt/β-catenin/PPARγ pathway-related protein expression of rats in each group were measured. As compared with the control group, the arrhythmia score, the number of ventricular premature beats, ventricular fibrillation duration, myocardial cell apoptosis rate, MDA levels in myocardial tissues, serum IL-6 and PGE2 levels, Bax in myocardial tissues, and Wnt1 and β-catenin protein expression levels increased significantly in the model group, whereas the GSH-Px and CAT levels, and Bcl-2 and PPARγ protein expression levels in myocardial tissues reduced significantly. As compared with the model group, the arrhythmia score, the number of ventricular premature beats, ventricular fibrillation duration, myocardial cell apoptosis rate, MDA leve in myocardial tissues, serum IL-6 and PGE2 levels, Bax in myocardial tissues, and Wnt1 and β-catenin protein expression levels reduced in the drug intervention groups, whereas the GSH-Px and CAT levels and Bcl-2 and PPARγ protein expression levels in myocardial tissues increased. The groups of total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf were in a dose-dependent manner. There was no significant difference in the levels of each index in rats between the propranolol hydrochloride group and the high-dose group of total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf. The total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf inhibit the activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway, up-regulate the expression of PPARγ, reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory damage in myocardial tissues of arrhythmic rats, reduce myocardial cell apoptosis, and improve the symptoms of arrhythmia in rats.

Effect of Aralia echinocaulis containing serum on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway of primary osteoblast / 中国中药杂志

This paper was aimed to investigate the effect of Aralia echinocaulis containing serum on expression of β-catenin, Wnt-1, Frizzed-2, TCF and Axin in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway of primary osteoblasts. SD healthy female rats (n=80) were used to make A. echinocaulis containing serum by gastric perfusion for seven days with distilled water, A. echinocaulis decoction high dosage, middle dosage, and low dosage. In vitro, primary osteoblasts were cultured and identified. The third generation primary osteoblasts were taken and cultured for 48 h, then cells were treated with the different drug serums for 10 days and calcified nodules were counted by alizarin red staining. The cells were collected after treatment for 48 h and the expression levels of β-catenin, Wnt-1, Frizzled-2, TCF and Axin were detected by Real-time PCR and Western blot. The results suggested that the in vitro cells were primary osteoblasts; and after treatment, various doses groups could promote the mineralization ability of primary osteoblasts, up-regulate the mRNA and protein expression levels of β-catenin, Wnt-1, Frizzled-2, and TCF, and down-regulate the mRNA and protein expression levels of Axin. These findings indicated that A. echinocaulis containing serum can enhance the differentiation and proliferation of osteoblasts by regulating the expression levels of β-catenin, Wnt-1, Frizzled-2, TCF and Axin in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway of primary osteoblasts.

The roles of CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells and Foxp3 mRNA expression in the subjects with and without responses to hepatitis B virus vaccination / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To investigate the internal links between immune responses and Tregs and cytokine by the expression of T regulatory cells (Tregs), Foxp3 mRNA of different response groups and the detection of cytokine secretion after hepatitis B vaccination.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Blood samples were collected in different response groups. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of Foxp3 mRNA of peripheral blood mononuclear cells; The surface markers CD4 and CD25 in peripheral-blood mononuclear cells were determined by flow cytometry; ELISA tests were used to detect the production level of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, IL -4, IL-12, IL-18 stimulated by HBsAg and (IFN) gamma.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Foxp3 expressions in response group and non-response group were higher before or after PHA and HBsAg were stimulated. Differences were statistically significant (P value less than 0.05) ; (2) In peripheral blood, the percentage of CD4+CD25+ Treg of CD4+ T cells in response group (0.59%+/-0.46%) was obviously lower than those in control group (1.30%+/-1.44%) ; (3) Peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated by PHA and HbsAg in each group, the concentration of IFNgamma in non-response group [(11.00+/-9.03) IU/ml] was markedly lower than those in response group [(38.88+/-28.16) IU/ml],and differences were statistically significant (P value less than 0.01); (4) In PHA- or HBsAg-stimulated peripheral-blood mononuclear cells, the concentrations of IL-18, IL-4 and IL-12 had no significant difference.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>To some extent, CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells may be involved in negative regulation of the immune responses to HBV vaccination. Immune non-response to HBV vaccination may be connected to insufficient secretion of IFNgamma; There was no correlation between the titer of anti-HBs and the expressions of IFNgamma and CD4+CD25+ Foxp3.</p>

Expression of HOXC13 in ameloblastoma / 中华口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the expression of HOXC13 mRNA in ameloblastoma (AB), and to investigate its biological significance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HOXC13 mRNA was examined in 47 cases of AB (primary AB 29 cases, recurrent AB 14 cases, malignant AB 4 cases). 2 cases of fibrous dysplasia of bone, 10 cases of keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT) and 7 cases of normal oral mucosa were selected as control.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rates of HOXC13 mRNA in AB, KCOT, and normal oral mucosa were 97.9% (46/47), 7/10 and 3/7, respectively. There was a significant difference among AB, OKC and normal mucosa (chi(2) = 21.665, P = 0.001). For HOXC13, the keratinizing cells and granulizing cells in AB were negative, some fibroblasts were positive, 2 cases of fibrous dysplasia of bone were positive.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>HOXC13 was highly expressed in AB. The expression of HOXC13 mRNA in AB had heterogeneity, which could improve the epithelial proliferation, and its loss may lead to the cornification and degeneration of epithelial cells.</p>

Effect of asymmetric dimethylarginine on the activation of hepatic stellate cells and its mechanism / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, on the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and its mechanism.@*METHODS@#Primary HSCs isolated from SD rats were cultured and treated with different concentrations (1, 3 or 10micromol/L) of ADMA for various periods (12 approximately 48h). Expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and synthesis of type-I collagens in HSC were determined. Messenger RNA levels of the transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta(1)) in the HSCs were determined using RT-PCR. Intracellular reactive oxidant species (ROS) production was measured using oxidant-sensitive fluorescent indicator. Activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) was detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA).@*RESULTS@#ADMA could increase alpha-SMA-positive cells ratio and Type I collagens production of HSCs in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, concomitant with the increase of the TGF-beta(1) mRNA level. Treatment with ADMA (10micromol/L) significantly increased the intracellular ROS production and activated NF-kappaB. Such effects of ADMA on the level of TGF-beta(1) mRNA could be markedly attenuated by pretreatment with antioxidant pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (25micromol/L).@*CONCLUSION@#ADMA can induce the HSC activation by increasing TGF-beta(1) expression through ROS-NF-kappaB-dependent pathway. Therefore, ADMA should be a novel and endogenous activator of HSC, which may be involved in the development of liver fibrosis.