ABSTRACT
The alveolar capillary endothelial barrier is mainly composed of alveolar capillary endothelial cells and alveolar epithelial cells. The destruction of this barrier and the continuous infiltration of inflammatory cells have been considered to play an important role in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute lung injury, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, it is of great significance to understand the mechanism of alveolar capillary endothelial barrier regulation. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingolipid metabolite produced by sphingosine kinase. A large number of studies have shown that S1P not only regulates immune cell transport, but also plays important roles in regulating cell apoptosis, vascular endothelial barrier, and alveolar epithelial barrier. S1P exerts different regulatory effects on alveolar capillary endothelial barrier by activating S1P1 and S1P3. Activation of S1P1 on the alveolar capillary endothelial cells by S1P mediates barrier protection, while the barrier can be broken when S1P3 is stimulated by S1P. S1P can also regulate alveolar epithelial barrier. By activating S1P3 on the alveolar epithelial cells, S1P leads to epithelial barrier damage, which makes interstitial proteins and body fluids infiltrate into alveolar space and causes pulmonary edema. Therefore, it may be a target for the treatment of lots of lung diseases by regulating the homeostasis of alveolar capillary endothelial barrier. This paper reviews the research advancement of S1P in alveolar capillary endothelial barrier regulation.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis with diffused endothelial cell proliferation (DEP-HSPN) in children. Methods Data of 8 DEP-HSPN cases in Nanjing Children's Hospital within recent ten years were retrospectively reviewed. The clinicopathological features, efficacy and prognosis were compared between DEP-HSPN cases and 48 cases of non-DEP-HSPN. Non-DEP-HSPN cases were divided into two groups according to the clinical classification or the pathological classification.Results (1) In DEP-HSPN, HSP developed nephritis within 4 to 15 days after the initial onset of purpuric rashes. Hematuria was present in all the 8 patients. The main clinical manifestation of DEP-HSPN was nephritic-nephrotic syndrome (4 cases), nephrotic level proteinuria (3 cases) and acute nephritic syndrome (1 case). Four cases had macrohematuria. Six cases had abdominal symptoms and two cases had arthritis. Pathology of all the cases showed grade Ⅲ-b lesion with diffused endocapillary proliferation and segmental necrotizing lesion of the capillary wall, always accompanied with intraglomerular inflammatory cell infiltration. Crescent was found in 4 cases. (2)Compared to non-DEP-HSPN grades Ⅲ, DEP-HSPN showed a shorter course of disease.Macrohematuria, heavy proteinuria, nephritic-nephrotic syndrome, and segmental necrotizing lesion of capillary wall were more common in DEP-HSPN. Compared to non-DEP-HSPN with nephrotic level proteinuria, DEP-HSPN had a lower rate of crescent. (3) Methylprednisolone pulse therapy in early stage, then prednisone combined with cyclophosphamide were used in the treatment of DEP-HSPN.After an average follow-up period of seven months, one patient showed complete remission, five showed persistent microhematuria, and two showed persistent microhematuria accompanied with minor proteinuria. No significant difference of prognosis was found between DEP-HSPN and nonDEP-HSPN. Conclusions DEP-HSPN has an acute onset. The main clinical manifestation of DEP-HSPN is nephritic-nephrotic syndrome and nephrotic level proteinuria, always accompanied with macrohematuria. Immunosuppressant treatment in the early stage of disease is effective for a short-term outcome.
ABSTRACT
Aim To study the effect of cyclosporin A and tetrand ri ne on P-glycoprotein (P-gp)of bovine brain capillary endothelial cell. M ethods The fluorescent dye, rhodamine-123 (Rh-123) was used to evaluate t he functional activity of the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) efflux transport system in primary cultured bovine brain capillary endothelial cell (BCEC) monolayer. Results Rhodamine-123 accumulation was increased significantly in monola yer treated with the P-gp modifying agent, cyclosporin A and tetrandrine. Conclusion The observation suggests that this Rh-123 method is sens itive, stable to evaluate the function of P-gp of blood-brain barrier (BBB). R h-123 accumulation is also increased by tetrandrine in dose-dependent manner.
ABSTRACT
There have been many theories for pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. However,no one theory can explain all of the pathogenesis. That means many factors contribute to the pathogenesis of the diabetic retinopathy. Many studies have shown the retinal changes in long-term hyperglycemia, yet relatively few in short-term hyperglycemia. To study the changes of the retinal capillary and retinal pigment epithelium in diabetic retinopathy, we measured the thickness of the basement membrane of the retinal capil-lary endothelial cells in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. An morphological alterations of the retinal pigment epithelium were also examined on the 2 month-old diabetic rats. The measurement was made using 0.1 mm calibrated ruler overlaying the electron micrograph with a transparent plastic sheet on which 20 radiating lines were etched exactly 18 .apart. The SPSS and Instat program were used for statistical evaluation of the data. Comparing with the control, the increase of the thickness of the endothelial basement membrane at the 2 month-old diabetic rats was statistically significant (p<0.05). Cytoplasmic alterations such as vacuolization of capillary endothelium, changes in mitochondria and increasement of capillary endothelialcytoplasm were more prominent in diabetic rats than in control rats. Basal infoldings of retinal pigment epithelium appeared to be more frequent and deeper in diabetic rats than in control rats.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Infant , Rats , Basement Membrane , Capillaries , Cytoplasm , Diabetic Retinopathy , Endothelial Cells , Endothelium, Vascular , Hyperglycemia , Mitochondria , Plastics , Retina , Retinal Pigment Epithelium , RetinaldehydeABSTRACT
Ultrastructural changes of the retinal capillary basement membrane in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats Cho, Hokyun, M.D., Lee, Dohyung, M.D. We studied the changes of the retinal capillary in diabetic retinopathy. We measured the thickness of the basement membrane of the retinal capillary endothelial cells and the capillary pericytes using streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and the results were compared with that of normal control rats. And also an morphological lterations of the retinal capillary were examed on the prediabetes and 3, 7 month-aged diabetic rats. The basement membrane thickness was measeured with 0.1mm calibrated ruler overlaying the electron micrograph with a transparent plastic sheet on which were etched 20 radiating lines exactly 18degree apart. The SPSS and Instat program were used for statistical evaluation of the data. An age related increase of the basement membrane of the capillary pericyte and endothelial cell was evident in both diabetic and control group. It was more prominent in the pericyte basement membrane of diabetic rats (diabetic rats 112.5%, control 62.5%). Comparing the age related thickening of the pericyte basement membrane and endothelial basement membrane, the increase of the thickness of the pericyte basement membrane at 7 month-aged diabetic rats was statistically significant(p<.0005). Some degenerative changes of the basement membrane itself and cytoplasmic degeneration of the endothelial cell and pericyte were visible, and those were more prominent in diabetic rats. Some capillary endothelial cell shows thinning in 7 month-aged diabetic rats.