Forskolin induced remodeling of lipid droplets in rat adipocytes / 生理学报

Adipose tissue is the main energy reserve of the body. When energy is required, adipocyte triglycerides stored in lipid droplets (LDs) are broken down by lipase, and free fatty acids are released to supply the physiological need. Intracellular LDs are active metabolic organelles in mammalian cells, particularly in adipocytes. The present study was aimed to investigate the morphological changes of LDs and the alternation of LD-associated perilipin family proteins during long-term lipolysis stimulated by forskolin. Primary differentiated adipocytes derived from epididymal fat pads of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were incubated in the presence or absence of 1 μmol/L forskolin for 24 h. Content of glycerol released to the culture medium was determined by a colorimetric assay and served as an index of lipolysis. Morphological changes of LDs were observed by Nile red staining. The mRNA level of perilipin family genes was detected by quantitative real-time PCR. The protein level and subcellular localization were examined by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence staining, respectively. The results showed that forskolin induced sustained lipolysis in differentiated adipocytes. The morphology of LDs changed in a time-dependent manner. Large clustered LDs became gradually smaller in size and eventually disappeared; in contrast, peripheral micro-LDs increased gradually in number until the cytoplasm was filled with numerous micro-LDs. The protein level of the perilipin family proteins showed obvious alternation. Mature adipocytes physiologically expressed a very low level of Plin2 protein, whereas in adipocytes stimulated with lipolytic forskolin, the protein and mRNA levels of Plin2 were significantly increased, and the increased Plin2 was specifically bound to the surface of LDs. During chronic stimulation of forskolin, the mRNA level of Plin3 was unchanged, but the mRNA levels of Plin1, Plin4 and Plin5 were significantly decreased. These results suggest that the morphology of LDs and perilipin family proteins on the surface of LDs are significantly altered during long-term lipolysis stimulated by forskolin, representing a dynamic process of the remodeling of LDs.

Effect of Acupuncture on hs-CRP and IL-6 in Patients with Primary Hypertension Due to Excessive Retention of Dampness-heat / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture on the levels of hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in patients with grade I primary hypertension due to excessive retention of dampness-heat,and discuss the relationship between inflammatory factors and the change of blood pressure.Method Sixty patients with grade I primary hypertension due to excessive retention of dampness-heat were randomized into a treatment group and a control group,30 cases each.The treatment group was intervened by acupuncture with points selected based on syndrome differentiation,and the control group was treated with acupuncture at non-meridian points,for 18 sessions in total.The 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure,and serum hs-CRP and IL-6 levels were compared before and after the treatment.Result After the treatment,the 24-hour systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were significantly changed in the treatment group (P＜ 0.01).There were significant differences in comparing the 24-hour SBP and DBP between the two groups after the treatment (P＜0.05).The serum hs-CRP and IL-6 levels dropped after the treatment in both groups but without statistical significances (P＞0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture is an effective approach in treating primary hypertension due to excessive retention of dampness-heat,and its action mechanism may be associated with the decrease of serum hs-CRP and IL-6 levels.

Effect of low density lipoprotein oxidizing in hyperlipidemia rats after treating with tetrahydrobiopterin / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the oxidative modification effect and its mechanism of low density lipoprotein (LDL) in hyperlipidemia (HL) rats after treating with tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty four 8-week-old male Wistar rats were used, these 54 rats were randomly divided into control group, high fat diet group (HL group), high fat diet and injected BH4 group (HL + BH4 group), and 18 in each group. The BH4 levels of blood fats and blood serum and its metabolites, the aortic reactive oxygen species, the end product malondialdehyde (MDA) and the LDL oxidation level were all determined by killing 6 experimental rats in each group at the first 8, 16, and 24 weeks of age respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Treating with BH4 after 8 and 16 weeks, there was no significant difference in serum lipids among three groups (P > 0. 05); but ROS and MDA decreased significantly (P < 0.01); compared with control and HL groups, the BH4 level of HL + BH4 group increased a lot (P < 0.01); compared with control group, the BH4 content reduced obviously in aortic homogenate of HL group (P < 0.01), but the total petrin levels (TB = BH4 + BH2 + B) had no significant difference (P > 0.05); the serum TBARS formation increased gradually with the increase of week-ages, but compared with HL group, the serum TBARS formation of HL + BH4 group reduced significantly (P < 0. 01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Treating with BH4 can reduced the LDL oxidation, the mechanism may be related to the correct of NOS uncoupling, the reduce of ROS generation and the decrease of LDL lipid peroxidation.</p>

Biomechanical properties of artery in spontaneously hypertensive rats after treating with tetrahydrobiopterin / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>To explore the effect of remodeling and biomechanical properties after chronic treating with tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) in spontaneously hypertensive rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The spontaneously hypertensive rat(SHR) were given with BH4 chronically. The opening angle in the zero-stress state , wall-to-lumen area ratios (W/L) of thoracic aorta and the relationship between pressure and diameter (P-D) of mesenteric artery were measured by computer image analysis in 4, 16, and 26 week-old respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Treating with BH4 chronically from 4 weeks-old in SHR, there was a significant decrease in morphometric parameters of the thoracic aorta and an increase in the zero-stress state of opening angle of elastic artery. The P-D curve of mesenteric artery moved upward.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Treating with BH4 prevented the structure and function of artery from abnormal changing, including to attenuate the resistant vascular hypertrophy and recover the vascular elasticity and expansibility.</p>