ABSTRACT
Aim To evaluate the hypolipidemic effect of the total phenylpropanoid glycosides extracted from Ligustrum robustum (Roxb.) Blume (LRTPG) on hyperlipidemic golden hamsters and explore its regulatory effect on intestinal flora. Methods Sixty hamsters were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, a positive drug group, LRTPG-L group, LRTPG-M group, and LRTPG-H group. After the successful induction of the model by high-fat diet, the animals were continuously administered for four weeks, and their blood lipids and liver lipids were detected. The formed feces from the colorectal region of the hamsters in the control group, model group and LRTPG-H group were collected for 16S rDNA sequencing. Results LRTPG reduced serum TG, TC, LDL-C and liver TG, TC concentrations significantly in hyperlipidemic hamsters. The results of the intestinal microbiota sequencing showed that compared to the control group, LRTPG significantly decreased the relative abundance of the phylum Firmicutes and increased the relative abundance of the phylum Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia (P < 0.01) at the phylum level. At the family level, LRTPG significantly increased the relative abundance of Christensenellaceae, Peptococcaceae, and Verrucomicrobiaceae (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). At the genus level, LRTPG significantly increased the relative abundance of Oscillospira, Oscillibacter, Flavonifractor and Akkermansiaceae (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). These changes in the flora were beneficial to the hypolipidemic effect of LRTPG. Conclusion LRTPG may exert its hypolipidemic effect by improving the intestinal flora disorder caused by a high-fat diet in golden hamsters.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:To study the preventive effect of resveratrol on model mice and improvement effect on model golden hamsters (shorter for hamsters) with hyperlipidemia. METHODS:Hyperlipidemia animal models were induced by using high-fat and high-cholesterol diet. Mice and hamsters were both randomly divided into model group and resveratrol low-dose, medi-um-dose,high-dose groups(40,80,160 mg/kg for mice,25,50,100 mg/kg for hamsters),10 in each group. 10 corresponding animals were selected as normal control group. Except that normal control group was fed normal diet and intragastrically administrat-ed normal saline,other mice were intragastrically administrated relevant medicines when fed high-fat and high-cholesterol diet;oth-er hamsters were firstly modeled for 2 weeks and intragastrically administrated relevant medicines after modeling. High-fat and high-cholesterol diet was fed during administration. It was administrated for 4 weeks. Total cholesterol(TC)and low density lipo-protein cholesterol(LDL-C)levels in serum of mice and hamsters were detected every week. After 4 weeks,pre-protein converting enzyme subtilisin 9(PCSK9)mRNA and protein expression,microRNA-27a(miRNA-27a)expression in serum of mice and ham-sters,and low density lipoprotein receptor(LDLR)protein expression in liver tissue of mice were detected. RESULTS:Compared with normal control group,the TC,LDL-C,PCSK9 mRNA and protein,miRNA-27a levels of mice in model group were obvious-ly increased after 2 weeks of administration (P<0.05);LDLR protein level in liver tissue was obviously decreased (P<0.05). TC,LDL-C,PCSK9 mRNA and protein,miRNA-27a levels of hamsters in model group were obviously increased (P<0.05). Compared with model group,above-mentioned indexes of mice and hamsters in each administration group were obviously im-proved(P<0.05),which were positively correlated with dose. CONCLUSIONS:Resveratrol has preventive effect on model mice and improvement effect on model golden hamsters with hyperlipidemia. The mechanism may be down-regulating miRNA-27a ex-pression and PCSK9 protein expression in serum,to increase LDLR protein level in liver tissue,and finally reduce LDL-C level.
ABSTRACT
Rocio virus (ROCV) is an encephalitic flavivirus endemic to Brazil. Experimental flavivirus infections have previously demonstrated a persistent infection and, in this study, we investigated the persistence of ROCV infection in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). The hamsters were infected intraperitoneally with 9.8 LD50/0.02 mL of ROCV and later anaesthetised and sacrificed at various time points over a 120-day period to collect of blood, urine and organ samples. The viral titres were quantified by real-time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The specimens were used to infect Vero cells and ROCV antigens in the cells were detected by immunefluorescence assay. The levels of antibodies were determined by the haemagglutination inhibition technique. A histopathological examination was performed on the tissues by staining with haematoxylin-eosin and detecting viral antigens by immunohistochemistry (IHC). ROCV induced a strong immune response and was pathogenic in hamsters through neuroinvasion. ROCV was recovered from Vero cells exposed to samples from the viscera, brain, blood, serum and urine and was detected by qRT-PCR in the brain, liver and blood for three months after infection. ROCV induced histopathological changes and the expression of viral antigens, which were detected by IHC in the liver, kidney, lung and brain up to four months after infection. These findings show that ROCV is pathogenic to golden hamsters and has the capacity to cause persistent infection in animals after intraperitoneal infection.
Subject(s)
Animals , Cricetinae , Female , Antibodies, Viral/blood , Flavivirus Infections/virology , Flavivirus/immunology , Viremia/virology , Disease Models, Animal , Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect , Flavivirus Infections/immunology , Flavivirus Infections/pathology , Immunohistochemistry , Mesocricetus , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , RNA, Viral/analysisABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effects of Colera Toxin(CTx) on the regeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) after distal axotomy in adult hamsters. Method After transecting the optic nerve(ON) intracranically,an autologus sciatic nerve (attached graft,AG) was removed and connected to the proximal stump of the ON.CTx was injected and/or a 2mm segment of sciatic nerve(SN) was inserted intravitreally.Animals were divideded into six groups:control group 1(AG group) and control group 2(solution group);AG+SN group;AG+CTx group;AG+SN+CTx group;effect and dosage group.Animals in the former five groups were allowed to survive for 4-6 weeks respectively.Granular blue fluorescent retrograde labeling method was used to measure the quantity of regenerating RGCs of control and experiment animals. Results The mean number of regenerating RGCs in AG+CTx groups were increased and significantly higher than those in control group 1 and control group 2 at each time point(P
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effects of Cholera Toxin(CTx)on the cAMP level and the survival as well as the apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) after distal axotomy of the optic nerve.Method After transecting the optic nerve intracranially, CTx was injected intravitreally. Fluorescent retrograde tracing method and TUNEL(TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling)technique were used to show the surviving RGCs and the apoptotic cells in the ganglion cell layer. The Brown's radioimmunoassay method was used to measure the cAMP level of the retina. Result The cAMP level of the normal retina was 6.22?2.02pmol/g/retina. The mean density of RGCs in the normal retina was 2 192?66/mm 2 and it decreased to 1 520?116/mm 2、736?39/mm 2 and 466?53/mm 2 at 1W、2W and 3W respectively after distal axotomy. The densities of RGCs in the distal axotomy groups treated with CTx and killed at 1W、2W and 3W were 1 642?122/mm 2、1 091?107/mm 2、 748?35/mm 2 respectively and were significantly higher than those of distal axotomy group without CTx treatment. Conclusions The results show that CTx can elevate cAMP level of the retina and promote the survival of RGCs and inhibit the apoptosis of RGCs after distal axotomy of the optic nerve in adult hamsters.