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OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the ameliorate effect and underlying mechanism of Xueshuantong for Injection (Lyophilized, , XST) in streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetic retinopathy (DR) rats.@*METHODS@#Diabetes mellitus (DM) model was induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of STZ (60 mg/kg) in Sprague-Dawley rats. Diabetic rats were randomized into 3 groups (n=10) according to a random number table, including DM, XST50 and XST100 groups. XST treatment groups were daily i.p. injected with 50 or 100 mg/kg XST for 60 days, respectively. The control and DM groups were given i.p. injection with saline. Blood glucose level and body weight were recorded every week. Histological changes in the retina tissues were observed with hematoxylin-eosin staining. Apoptosis and inflammation related factors, including cleaved caspase-3, glial fifibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) were detected by Western blot or real-time polymerase chain reaction. Then, the levels of advanced glycation end product (AGE) and its receptor (RAGE) were investigated. Tight junctions proteins (Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Occludin and Claudin-5) of blood-retinal barrier were detected by Western blot. The levels of retinal fifibrosis, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-Smad2/3 signaling pathway were evaluated at last.@*RESULTS@#There was no signifificant difference in the body weight and blood glucose level between XST and DM groups (P>0.05). Compared with the DM group, XST treatment signifificantly increased the retinal thickness of rats (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and suppressed cleaved caspase-3 expression (P<0.01). XST increased the protein expressions of ZO-1, Occludin and Claudin-5 and decreased the mRNA expressions of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Moreover, XST signifificantly reduced the productions of AGE and RAGE proteins in the retina of rats (P<0.05 or P<0.01), suppressed the over-expression of TNF-α, and decreased the elevated level of ICAM-1 in retina of rats (P<0.05 or P<0.01). XST signifificantly reduced the levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), TGF-β1 and phosphorylation of Smad2/3 protein in rats (P<0.05 or P<0.01).@*CONCLUSIONS@#XST had protective effects on DR with possible mechanisms of inhibiting the inflammation and apoptosis, up-regulating the expression of tight junction proteins, suppressing the productions of AGE and RAGE proteins, and blocking the TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling pathway. XST treatment might play a role for the future therapeutic strategy against DR.
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Objective:To investigate the effect of salvianolate lyophilized injection and Xueshuantong injection (lyophilized) on the permeability of blood-brain barrier (BBB) via inhibition of metallomatrix protease（MMPs） in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury rats. Method:The focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion model in rats was built by middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) technique. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) group, edaravone (Eda, 6 mg·kg-1) group, salvianolate lyophilized injection (SLI, 21 mg·kg-1) group, Xueshuantong (XST, 100 mg·kg-1) group and SLI combined with XST (SLI+XST, 21 mg·kg-1+100 mg·kg-1) group. Drugs were injected via tail vein for 2 d, while sham group and I/R group were injected with the same amount of normal saline. Neurological deficit score, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining were assessed 2 d after MCAO/R. The permeability of BBB was observed by the leakage of IgG/CD31. The expressions of Claudin-5，Occludin，collagen-Ⅳ（Col- Ⅳ），Laminin，Fibronectin were observed by immunofluorescence staining，and MMP-2 and MMP-9 were observed by Western blot. Result:Compared with the I/R group, SLI group, XST group and SLI+XST group showed improvements in neurological deficit score, HE staining and Nissl staining. The leakage of IgG was alleviated; The positive expressions of Claudin-5，Occludin，Col-Ⅳ，Laminin，Fibronectin in ischemic penumbra were significantly up-regulated, while the expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were down-regulated. The effect in improving SLI combined with XST was much better than a single factor. Conclusion:Salvianolate lyophilized injection and Xueshuantong injection (lyophilized) can alleviate cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury and exert the synergistic effect when they are used in combination. The mechanisms might be associated with the improvement in the permeability of blood-brain barrier by inhibiting MMPs in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury rats.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the impact of microwave radiation on GC-2spd cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We exposed cultured GC-2spd cells to microwave radiation at the average power densities of 0, 10 and 30 mW/cm2 for 15 minutes and, from I to 24 hours after the exposure, we observed the changes in cell proliferation, histology and ultrastructure, cell apoptosis, and cAMP content by MTIT, light microscopy, electron microscopy, flow cytometry and ELISA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, the GC-2spd cells showed a significant decrease in proliferation ability at 1 -24 hours after 10 and 30 mW/cm2 microwave radiation, except at 12 hours after 30 mW/cm2 radiation (P <0.05 or P <0.01), with reduced length and number of cell enation and increased intra cytoplasm vacuoles. The rate of cell apoptosis (%) was significantly increased in the 10 and 30 mW/cm2 groups at 6 hours (4.56 +/- 2.09 vs 14.59 +/- 1.09 and 8.48 +/- 1.73, P <0.05 or P <0.01) , with agglutination and margin translocation of chromatins and obvious dilation of endo cytoplasmic reticula. The cAMP content (nmol/g) in the GC-2spd cells was remarkably reduced in the 10 and 30 mW/cm2 groups at 6 and 24 hours (2.77 +/-0.24 vs 1.65+/- 0. 17 and 1.96+/-0.10, 3.02 +/-0.47 vs 2.13 +/-0.33 and 1.69 +/-0.27, P <0.05 or P <0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Microwave radiation at 10 and 30 mW/cm2 may cause injury to GC-2spd cells, which is manifested by decreased content of intracellular cAMP, reduced activity of cell proliferation, and increased rate of cell apoptosis.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Mice , Apoptosis , Radiation Effects , Cell Line , Radiation Effects , Cell Proliferation , Radiation Effects , Microwaves , Spermatocytes , Radiation EffectsABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of Xinfuli Granule (XG) on cardiomyocyte apoptosis in rats with adriamycin-induced dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-two male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, i.e., the normal control group, the model group, the irbesartan group, the low dose XG group, the medium dose XG group, and the high dose XG group. The DCM heart failure rat model was established using peritoneal injection of ADR. Equal volume of normal saline was injected to those in the normal control group, once per week for 6 consecutive weeks. The medication was started from the 5th week by gastrogavage. XG was dispensed into 0.5 g/mL suspension with distilled water. The XG was administered at the daily dose of 0.675 g/kg, 1.350 g/kg, and 2.700 g/kg to those in the low dose XG group, the medium dose XG group, and the high dose XG group, respectively. Irbesartan was administered to rats in the irbesartan group at the daily dose of 50 mg/kg. Equal volume of normal saline was administered to those in the normal control group and the model group by gastrogavage, once in the morning for 4 consecutive weeks. Myocardial apoptosis was measured by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), and the expressions of the Bcl-2 and Bax protein of cardiomyocytes were measured by immunohistochemical assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal control group, the cardiomyocyte apoptosis rate and Bax expression level obviously increased, but the expression of Bcl-2 and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio decreased significantly in the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the expression of Bax and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio increased significantly in the high dose XG group and the irbesartan group (P < 0.01). The Bax expression level obviously decreased in all groups except the normal control group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>XG could obviously attenuate cardiomyocyte apoptosis in the adriamycin-induced DCM rats, and reverse the occurrence and development of heart reconstruction. The underlying mechanism might be related to regulating and controlling the expressions of Bax and Bcl-2.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Apoptosis , Cardiomyopathy, Dilated , Doxorubicin , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Pharmacology , Heart Failure , Pathology , Myocytes, Cardiac , Metabolism , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of caffeic acid ester fraction (Caf) from Erigeron breviscapus, mainly composed of dicaffeoylquinic acids (diCQAs), on microglial activation in vitro and focal cerebral ischemia in vivo.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The production of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment in rat primary cultured microglia were measured by Griess reaction or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cell viability of cortical neurons was measured using AlamarBlue reagent. The behavioral tests and the infarct area of brain were used to evaluate the damage to central nervous system in rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of cerebral ischemia. Real time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA in ischemic cerebral tissues.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Caf inhibited the production of NO, TNF-α and IL-1β induced by LPS treatment in primary microglia in a dose-dependent manner. Exposure of cortical neurons to conditioned medium from Caf-treated microglia increased neuronal cell viability (P<0.01) compared with conditioned medium from LPS-treated alone. In MCAO rat model of cerebral ischemia, Caf could significantly improve neurobehavioural performance and reduce percentage infarct volume compared with the vehicle group (P<0.05). Caf could also significantly inhibit the up-regulation of iNOS, TNF-α, and IL-1β gene expressions in ischemic cerebral tissues.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Caf could suppress microglial activation, which may be one mechanism of its neuroprotective effect against ischemia.</p>