ABSTRACT
AIM:To explore the effect of sitagliptin (SLT) on cardiomyocyte pyroptosis induced by type 2 dia-betes mellitus (T2DM) and the underlying mechanism. METHODS:The T2DM rat model was established by high-fat diet and intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (35 mg/kg). The model rats were treated with SLT at 3, 10 and 30 mg/kg and nicotinamide [NAM; an non-specific inhibitor of sirtuin (SIRT) family] at 500 mg/kg for 4 weeks. Fasting blood glu-cose was measured, and the tissue proteins were determined by the methods of Western blot and immunochemistry. RE-SULTS:Compared with control group, the pyroptosis of cardiomyocytes and NLRP3 expression were significantly induced, while the protein level of SIRT3 was downregulated by T2DM (P<0.05). SLT inhibited the pyrpotosis of diabetic rat car-diomyocytes, downregulated the expression of NLRP3, and upregulated the expression of SIRT3 in a dose-dependent man-ner (P<0.05). All the function of SLT (30 mg/kg) was reversed by the treatment with NAM (500 mg/kg). Compared with control group, the pyroptosis of cardiomyocytes and NLRP3 expression were significantly induced, while the protein level of SIRT3 was not regulated by NAM (500 mg/kg). CONCLUSION:SLT exerts the inhibitory effect on the pyropto-sis of cardiomyocytes induced by diabetes, and the mechanism is related to the SIRT3/NLRP3 signaling pathway.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses regarding acupuncture intervention for stroke and the primary studies within them.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two researchers searched PubMed, Cumulative index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, Cochrane, Allied and Complementary Medicine, Ovid Medline, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and Traditional Chinese Medical Database to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses about acupuncture for stroke published from the inception to December 2016. Review characteristics and the criteria for assessing the primary studies within reviews were extracted. The methodological quality of the reviews was assessed using adapted Oxman and Guyatt Scale. The methodological quality of primary studies was also assessed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Thirty-two eligible reviews were identified, 15 in English and 17 in Chinese. The English reviews were scored higher than the Chinese reviews (P=0.025), especially in criteria for avoiding bias and the scope of search. All reviews used the quality criteria to evaluate the methodological quality of primary studies, but some criteria were not comprehensive. The primary studies, in particular the Chinese reviews, had problems with randomization, allocation concealment, blinding, dropouts and withdrawals, intent-to-treat analysis and adverse events.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Important methodological flaws were found in Chinese systematic reviews and primary studies. It was necessary to improve the methodological quality and reporting quality of both the systematic reviews published in China and primary studies on acupuncture for stroke.</p>