Anti-swelling and Analgesic Mechanism of Jianpi Tongluo Prescription from MAPKs Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the anti-swelling and analgesic effects of Jianpi Tongluo prescription （JPTL） and to explore its mechanism initially. MethodA total of 120 ICR mice were divided into normal group， model group， JPTL low-， medium- and high-dose groups （5， 10， 20 g·kg-1） and positive drug （celecoxib， 0.03 g·kg-1） group， with 10 in each group （po，once a day）. Complete freund's adjuvant （CFA） was used to induce the model of chronic inflammatory pain， and xylene-induced ear swelling test， hot plate test and acetic acid writhing test were performed to observe the anti-swelling and analgesic effects of different doses of JPTL in these four acute and chronic models. Further， enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the expressions of prostaglandin E2 （PGE2）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in serum and inflammatory paw of mice with chronic inflammatory pain， and the expressions of aquaporin 1 （AQP1）， aquaporin 3 （AQP3）， cyclooxygenase 1 （COX1）， cyclooxygenase 2 （COX2） and mitogen-activated protein kinases （MAPKs） in inflammatory paw were detected by Western blot， to explore the preliminary mechanism of JPTL. ResultCompared with the conditions in the normal group， there was a significant increase in the ear swelling of xylene-induced model mice， a shortened paw withdrawal latency in the hot plate test （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， JPTL remarkably increased the inhibition rate of xylene-induced ear swelling （P<0.05， P<0.01）， prolonged the latency period of writhing caused by acetic acid and reduced the number of writhing （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with normal group, the degree of feet swelling in chronic inflammatory pain mice was significantly increased， the threshold of mechanical pain was decreased and the threshold of cold pain was increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， the protein contents of AQP1 and AQP3 in inflammatory feet were increased， and the contents of IL-1β， IL-6， TNF-α， PGE2 and COX2 in inflammatory feet were increased in serum and/or inflammatory feet. The protein expression levels of p-p38 MAPK， p-JNK and p-ERK in inflammatory feet were increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， JPTL relieved paw swelling of mice with chronic inflammatory pain， elevated mechanical withdrawal threshold while decreased cold withdrawal threshold， with analgesia lasting for 4 h and the optimal time point for analgesia being 2 h after administration （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， JPTL down-regulated AQP1， AQP3， COX2， p-p38 MAPK， p-JNK and p-ERK in inflammatory paw of mice with chronic inflammatory pain and reduced IL-1β， IL-6， TNF-α， and PGE2 in serum and/or inflammatory paw， but it had no significant effect on COX1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionJPTL has anti-swelling and analgesic effects， and its mechanism is related to inhibiting the production of cytokines and inflammatory mediators via the down-regulation of MAPKs signaling pathway， which provides an experimental basis for the clinical application of JPTL.

Mechanism of Bushen Zhuyun Prescription on Improving Luteal Function of Brown Norway Rats Based on MAPKs Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the possible mechanism of Bushen Zhuyun prescription （BSZYP） to reduce the level of ovarian apoptosis in Brown Norway （BN） rats with luteal phase deficiency （LPD）. MethodFifty SPF female BN rats were randomly divided into a model group， a dydrogesterone group （0.002 g·kg-1）， and a low （4.5 g·kg-1）， a medium （9 g·kg-1）， and a high-dose （18 g·kg-1） BSZYP groups， with ten rats in each group. The rats were administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage， once a day for three estrus cycle. Western blot was used to detected the protein expression levels of c-Jun NH2 terminal kinase （JNK）， extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK）， phosphorylated-ERK （p-ERK）， phosphorylated-JNK （p-JNK）， p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p38 MAPK）， phosphorylated-p38 MAPK （p-p38 MAPK ）， B-cell lymphoma （Bcl-2）， and Bcl-2 associated X protein （Bax） in ovary. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of ERK， JNK， p38 MAPK， Bax， and Bcl-2 in ovary. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the serum progesterone （P） and estradiol （E2） levels. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the ovarian tissue morphology. ResultCompared with the model group， the recovery of estrus cycle of rats in all BSZYP groups had statistical significance after 1-circle administration （P<0.05）. The ovarian tissue morphology in the low-dose BSZYP group was improved， and that in the medium and high-dose BSZYP groups was significantly improved with clear follicle， less vesicular follicle and atretic follicle， and more granular layers. The number of luteum， especially the fresh luteum， in the medium and high-dose groups was increased with smooth edge and large volume. The mRNA expression level of Bcl-2 was increased in all-dose BSZYP groups， while the mRNA expression level of Bax was significantly decreased in all-dose BSZYP group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of JNK and p38 MAPK were significantly decreased in the high-dose BSZYP group （P<0.01）， and the mRNA expression levels of ERK were increased in the low and medium-dose BSZYP groups （P<0.05）. The protein expression level of Bcl-2 was significantly increased in the medium and high-dose BSZYP groups （P<0.01）， and the protein expression level of Bax was significantly decreased in the all-dose BSZYP groups （P<0.01）. No significant difference was observed in the protein expressions of JNK， ERK， and p38 MAPK in the BSZYP groups. The protein expression levels of p-ERK in the ovarian tissues of rats were significantly inoreased in the medium and high-dose BSZYP group （P<0.01）， p-JNK， and p-p38 MAPK in the ovarian tissues of rats were significantly decreased in the medium and high-dose BSZYP group （P<0.01）. The level of E2 was increased in all-dose BSZYP groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the level of P in the medium-dose BSZYP group was increased （P<0.05）. ConclusionBSZYP improved the serum sex hormones， restored the estrous cycle， reduced atretic follicle and vesiculation， and maintained luteal morphology and function of BN rats， so as to improve luteal function and treat luteal phase deficiency. The mechanism of BSZYP may be related to reduce the level of ovarian tissue apoptosis in BN rats by regulating MAPKs signaling pathway.

Preparation and characterization of fenugreek leaf flavonoids and their protective effects against oxidative damage to hepatocytes / 中国中药杂志

The present study investigated the main components of fenugreek(Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) leaf flavonoids(FLFs) and their antioxidant activity. FLFs were prepared and enriched by solvent extraction, and the flavonoids were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry(HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). The protective effect of FLFs against H_2O_2-induced stress damage to L02 hepatocytes was also investigated. Firstly, the cell viability was measured by MTT assay. The oxidative stress injury model was induced by H_2O_2 in L02 cells. The release of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), the content of reduced glutathione(GSH) and malondialdehyde(MDA), and the activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD) and catalase(CAT) were measured by assay kits. Hoechst fluorescence staining was performed to observe the cell apoptosis. The expression levels of c-Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2(ERK1/2), nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2(Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1(HO-1), and their phosphorylated proteins were detected by Western blot. Based on the MS fragment ion information and data in databases, FLFs contained eight flavonoids with quercetin and kaempferol as the main aglycons. The cell viabi-lity assay revealed that as compared with the conditions in the H_2O_2 treatment group, 3.125-25 μg·mL~(-1) FLFs could increase the viability of L02 cells, reduce LDH release and MDA content in a dose-dependent manner, potentiate the activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH, decrease the phosphorylation of JNK and ERK1/2 proteins, and up-regulate the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. The results of fluorescence staining showed that the nucleus of the H_2O_2 treatment group showed concentrated and dense strong blue fluorescence, while the blue fluorescence intensity of the FLFs group decreased significantly. FLFs showed a protective effect against H_2O_2-induced oxidative damage in L02 cells, and the underlying mechanism is associated with the enhancement of cell capability in clearing oxygen free radicals and the inhibition of apoptosis by the activation of the MAPKs/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. The antioxidant effect of fenugreek leaf is related to its rich flavonoids.

Anti-anaphylactic potential of benzoylpaeoniflorin through inhibiting HDC and MAPKs from Paeonia lactiflora / 中国天然药物

Guided by cell-based anti-anaphylactic assay, eighteen cage-like monoterpenoid glycosides (1-18) were obtained from the bioactive fraction of P. lactiflora extract. Among these, compounds 1, 5, 6, 11, 12, 15, and 17 significantly reduced the release rate of β-HEX and HIS without or with less cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the most potent inhibitor benzoylpaeoniflorin (5) was selected as the prioritized compound for the study of action of mechanism, and its anti-anaphylactic activity was medicated by dual-inhibiting HDC and MAPK signal pathway. Moreover, molecular docking simulation explained that benzoylpaeoniflorin (5) blocked the conversion of L-histidine to HIS by occupying the HDC active site. Finally, in vivo on PCA using BALB/c mice, benzoylpaeoniflorin (5) suppressed the IgE-mediated PCA reaction in antigen-challenged mice. These findings indicated that cage-like monoterpenoid glycosides, especially benzoylpaeoniflorin (5), mainly contribute to the anti-anaphylactic activity of P. lactiflora by dual-inhibiting HDC and MAPK signal pathway. Therefore, benzoylpaeoniflorin (5) may be considered as a novel drug candidate for the treatment of anaphylactic diseases.

Effects of notoginsenoside R1 on AngⅡ induced proliferation of MOVAS cells and AT1R/MAPKs signaling pathway / 上海预防医学

Objective:To investigate the effects of notoginsenoside R1 （NR1） on the proliferation of mice aortic smooth muscle cells （MOVAS cells） induced by angiotensinⅡ （AngⅡ） and the signal pathway of angiotensin Ⅱ type 1 receptor （AT1R） / mitogen activated protein kinases （MAPKs）. Methods:The proliferation of MOVAS cells was detected by BrdU method after AngⅡ induction. Western blot was used to detect the expression of the two main receptors of AngⅡ （AT1R and AT2R） and MAPKs pathway related proteins （ERK， p38， and JNK）. Results:（1） AngⅡ （5 μmol/L） could promote the proliferation of MOVAS cells （P<0.01）. NR1 （50 μmol/L） could inhibit the proliferation of MOVAS cells induced by AngⅡ （P<0.01）. There was no significant difference between control group and NR1 group （P>0.05）. （2） Compared with AngⅡ group， the expression of AT1R protein in AngⅡ+ NR1 group was significantly lower （P<0.05）， but there was no difference in the expression of AT2R protein （P>0.05）. （3） NR1 could significantly inhibit the phosphorylation of ERK， p38 and JNK protein after AngⅡ stimulation （P<0.01）. Conclusion:NR1 can inhibit the proliferation of MOVAS cells induced by AngⅡ， which may be related to down regulating AT1R and inhibiting the activation of MAPKs.

Effect of Sanbi Granules on TLR4/MAPKs/NF-κB Signal Pathway in Type Ⅱ Collagen Induced Arthritis Rats / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the effect of Sanbi granules on type Ⅱ collagen induced arthritis (CIA) rats by regulating the TLR4/MAPKs/NF-κB signal pathway. METHODS: Sixty of Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group (CTL group, n=10), model group (n=10), positive control group (n=10) and low dose of Sanbi group (n=10), middle dose of Sanbi group (n=10), high dose of Sanbi group (n=10). The collagen induced arthritis (CIA) model of rats was adopted and treated for 20 days by intragastric administration from 2 weeks after primary immune. After exposure to sanbi for 35 d, the rats status, paw swelling, arthritis index (AI) and pathological change of synovial tissue were observed. The serum IL-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels were detected by ELISA. And the expressions of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) (p65), p-NF-κB (p65), p38, p-p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), p-ERK1/2, c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), p-JNK mRNA or proteins in synovial tissues were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: At the end of experiment, compared with model group, the paw swelling degree and arthritis index (AI) of CIA rats in DXM group and low, middle, high dose of Sanbi groups were lower (P0.05). Besides, compared with CTL group, TLR4, p-NF-κB (p65), p-p38, p-ERK1/2, p-JNK mRNA and proteins in synovial tissues of CIA rats in model group, DXM group and low, middle, high dose of Sanbi groups were higher (P<0.05). And these mRNAs and proteins in DXM group and low, middle, high dose of Sanbi groups were lower than these in model group, particularly in DXM group and high dose of Sanbi group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: There are significant evidences that Sanbi granules could protect joint synovial tissues injury by down-regulation TLR4/MAPKs/NF-κB signal pathway on CIA rats.

Effect of ibandronate on mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway in rat models of osteoarthritis / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: Mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway participates in the differentiation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, closely related to subchondral bone reconstruction and play a key role in the occurrence and development of osteoarthritis. Bisphosphonates as bone resorption inhibitor is used to treat osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of sodium ibandronate on the knee osteoarthritis in rats, and changes of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. METHODS: The study was approved by the Laboratory Animal Ethical Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of South China University. Thirty female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham, model, and treatment groups. The rats in the latter two groups underwent ovariectomy bilaterally, and anterior cruciate ligament resection, and rats in the sham group received the fatty tissue surrounding the ovaries removed only. After 1 week of surgery, the rats in the treatment group were given intraperitoneal injection of 10 pg/kg sodium ibandronate, rats in the model group were injected with normal saline, and the sham group received no intervention. Twelve weeks late, the rats were killed to perform histological examination of cartticular cartilage and Mankin scores were detected. Micro-CT of subchondral bone and quantitative analysis of the bone microstructure were conducted. The protein and mRNA expression levels of extracellular signal regulated protein kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase in mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway were measured. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The cartilage structure in the model group was significantly damaged, the Mankin score was significantly higher than that in the sham group, and the Mankin score in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the model group (P < 0.01). (2) The bone mineral density, trabecular bone volume ratio, trabecular number in the model group were significantly lower than those in the sham group (P < 0.01), and trabecular separation was higher than that in the sham group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the treatment group had higher bone mineral density, trabecular bone volume ratio, trabecular number, and lower trabecular separation (P < 0.01). (3) The mRNA and protein expression levels of extracellular signal regulated protein kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase in the model group were significantly higher than those in the sham group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and the levels in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the model group (P < 0.05). (4) To conclude, sodium ibandronate may inhibit subchondral bone loss and articular cartilage degeneration in rat models of osteoarthritis by inhibiting extracellular signal regulated protein kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase in mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway.

Analgesic mechanism of cinobufagin in rats with bone cancer pain / 中草药

Objective: To investigate the analgesic mechanism of cinobufagin in rats with bone cancer pain. Methods: Female SD rats meeting the conditions of pain threshold were selected to construct cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) model. On the 7th day after modeling, the sham group and the model group were administrated by saline, while the treatment groups were administrated with the low, medium and high concentrations of cinobufagin for consecutive 7 d. The pain behavior (mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal pain threshold) was tested before modeling and after modeling, and single injection of cinobufagin after 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 24 h at the first day. The expression of MAPKs protein was detected by Western Blotting, and the content of spinal cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, MCP-1) was detected by ELISA. Results: The mechanical pain threshold and thermal pain threshold were significantly decreased in the model group, compared with the sham group (P 0.05). Protein levels of MAPKs were increased in the model group, while the levels of JNK and p38 were decreased in the cinobufagin group (P 0.05). ELISA results showed that cinobufagin significantly decreased the content of cytokines in the spinal cord, when compared with the model group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Cinobufagin can inhibit the expression of MAPKs proteins in the spinal cord of the rat model with bone cancer pain, ultimately decrease the content of IL-1β, TNF-α, and MCP-1 to alleviate the pain during the process of cancer pain.

Fruitflow，a Water-soluble Tomato Concentrate，Inhibits Platelet Activation，Aggregation and Thrombosis by Regulating the Signaling Pathway of PI3K/Akt and MAPKs / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

@#【Objective】Platelet hyper- reactivity plays an important role in thrombosis and cardiovascular diseases. As a dietary supplement，Fruitflow，a water-soluble tomato concentrate，plays an important role in preventing cardiovascular diseases，but the mechanisms have been poorly understood，and there is no direct evidence about the effect of Fruitflow on thrombosis. This study intends to explore the effects of Fruitflow on platelet aggregation，activation and thrombosis in healthy people，and explore its possible mechanism.【Methods】Platelets from healthy men and women were incubated with different concentrations（0，20，40，80 mg/L）of Fruitflow，and the platelet aggregation was measured by platelet aggregometer. Platelet αIIbβ3 activation and fibrinogen binding to the activated platelets was measured by flow cytometry. The thrombosis in FeCl3- induced mesenteric artery thrombosis model in mice was observed by stereoscopic fluorescence microscope. The bleeding time was measured by tail clipping in mice. The total and phosphorylation levels of platelet Akt， Erk1/2 and JNK were determined by Western blotting.【Results】After the stimulation of ADP，Fruitflow could significantly attenuate platelet aggregation in the dose of 20，40，80 mg/L. Compared with that in the control group（43.75±5.91）%， platelet aggregation in the 80 mg/L group decreased to（8.25 ± 4.57）%（P < 0.000 1）. Fruitflow also inhibited the activation of platelet αIIbβ3. Compared with that in the control group（79.36±6.26），the platelet αIIbβ3 in the 80 mg/L group decreased to（65.79±5.73，P < 0.01）. Fruitflow reduced the platelet fibrinogen binding to the activated platelets. Compared with that in the control group（69.34 ± 6.63），platelet fibrinogen binding to the activated platelets in the 80 mg/L group decreased to（56.70±8.86，P < 0.05）. Fruitflow attenuated the thrombosis in FeCl3-induced mesenteric artery thrombosis model. Compared with that in the control group（22.50±4.86），the vessel occlusion in the 80 mg/L group was extended to（39.20 ± 4.61，P < 0.01）. There was no statistical difference between the control group （5.95 ± 0.69） and the 80 mg/L group（5.74 ± 0.76）in bleeding time（P > 0.05）. Fruitflow down- regulated the phosphorylation levels of platelet Akt， Erk1/2 and JNK proteins. Compared with the control group，P- Akt/Akt decreased from 0.97 ± 0.07 to 0.33 ± 0.13（P <0.001），P-Erk1/2/Erk1/2 decreased from 0.89±0.09 to 0.24±0.02（P < 0.01），and P-JNK/JNK decreased from 0.97±0.12 to 0.45±0.04（P < 0.01）in the 80 mg/L group.【Conclusion】Inhibition of platelet PI3K/Akt and MAPKs signaling pathway may be one of the mechanisms that Fruitflow inhibits platelet aggregation ，activation and thrombosis.

Study on the Inhibitory Effects of Lupeol on the Proliferation of Human Breast Cancer MCF- 7 Cells by MAPKs Signaling Pathway / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE： To investigate inhibitory effects of lupeol on the proliferation of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and its possible mechanism. METHODS： Taking MCF-7 cells as research object， MTT assay was used to detect the proliferation of MCF-7 cells after treated with different doses of lupeol （7.5， 15， 30， 60， 90 mg/L） for 24 h. Survival rate and IC50 of MCF-7 cells were calculated. The inverted microscope and cell cloning experiment were used to observe and detect the morphological characteristics of MCF-7 cells and clonal colony formation after treated with different doses of lupeol （15， 30， 60 mg/L） for 24 h. The rate of clonal colony formation was calculated. MTT method and Western blotting assay were used to detect the proliferation of MCF-7 cells and the expression of related regulatory proteins （ERK1/2， p-ERK1/2， JNK， p-JNK， p38 MAPK， p-p38 MAPK） after additionally treated with MAPKs signaling pathway-related regulation protein inhibitors PD98059， SP600125 and SB203580. RESULTS： After treated with 15， 30， 60， 90 mg/L lupeol， survival rates of MCF-7 cells were decreased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. IC50 value of the compound was 52.94 mg/L. After treated with 15， 30， 60 mg/L lupeol， the morphological characteristics of cells in each group changed， and the phenomena of cell exfoliation， floating， solid shrinkage， roundness， volume reduction and necrosis were observed. The formation of clonal colony decreased and the rate of clonal colony formation decreased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. When lupeol used alone， compared with control group， survival rate （60 mg/L lupeol）of MCF-7 cells was decreased significantly； the expression of p-ERK1/2 （15， 30， 60 mg/L lupeol）， p-JNK （30， 60 mg/L lupeol） and p-p38 MAPK （30， 60 mg/L lupeol） were increased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. After additional use of relevant inhibitors， compared with 60 mg/L lupeol group， survival rates of MCF-7 cells in combination groups were increased significantly， while relative expression of p-ERK1/2， p-JNK and p-p38 MAPK were decreased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS： Lupeol can inhibit the proliferation of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells， the mechanism of which may be related to the phosphorylation of MAPKs signaling pathway-related regulatory proteins.

Involvement of mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and MAPKs/NF-κ B inflammatory pathway in the neuroprotective effect of atractylenolide III in corticosterone-induced PC12 cells / 中国天然药物

Atractylenolide III (ATL-III), a sesquiterpene compound isolated from Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, has revealed a number of pharmacological properties including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer activity, and neuroprotective effect. This study aimed to evaluate the cytoprotective efficiency and potential mechanisms of ATL-III on corticosterone injured rat phaeochromocytoma (PC12) cells. Our results demonstrate that ATL-III increases cell viability and reduces the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The results suggest that ATL-III protects PC12 cells from corticosterone-induced injury by inhibiting the intracellular Ca overloading, inhibiting the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and modulating the MAPK/NF-ΚB inflammatory pathways. These findings provide a novel insight into the molecular mechanism by which ATL-III protected the PC12 cells against corticosterone-induced injury for the first time. Our results provide the evidence that ATL-III may serve as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of depression.

YQWY decoction reverses cardiac hypertrophy induced by TAC through inhibiting GATA4 phosphorylation and MAPKs / 中国天然药物

To investigate the effect of Yiqi Wenyang (YQWY) decoction on reversing cardiac hypertrophy induced by the transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Wistar rats aged 7-8 weeks were subjected to TAC surgery and then randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 5/group): Sham group, TAC group, low-dose group and high dose group. After 16-week intragastric administration of YQWY decoction, the effect of YQWY decoction on alleviating cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was examined by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), hematoxylin/eosin (HE), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot (WB), immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF), respectively. The results showed significant differences in left ventricle volume-diastole/systole (LV Vol d/s), N-terminal pro-B-type brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) (P < 0.01), Ejection Fraction (EF), LV mass and fractional shortening (FS) (P < 0.05) between YQWY-treated group and TAC group. HE and WGA staining showed that treatment with YQWY decoction dramatically prevented TAC-induced cardiomycyte hypertrophy. Moreover, the results of WB, IHC and IF indicated that administration of YQWY could suppress the expressions of cardiac hypertrophic markers, which included the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), BNP and myosin heavy chain 7 (MYH7) (P < 0.05) and inhibit phosphorylation of GATA binding protein 4 (P-GATA4) (P < 0.05), phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (P-ERK) (P < 0.05), phosphorylation of P38 mitogen activated protein kinase (P-P38) (P < 0.05) and phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (P-JNK) (P < 0.05). Thus, we concluded that YQWY decoction suppressed cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and reversed the impaired heart function, and the curative effects of YQWY decoction were associated with the decreased phosphorylation of GATA4 and mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs), as well as the reduced expression of the downstream targets of GATA4, including ANP, BNP, and MYH7.

Transduced Tat-aldose Reductase Protects Hippocampal Neuronal Cells against Oxidative Stress-induced Damage

Aldose reductase (AR) protein, a member of the NADPH-dependent aldo-keto reductase family, reduces a wide range of aldehydes and enhances cell survival by inhibition of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is known as one of the major pathological factor in ischemia. Since the precise function of AR protein in ischemic injury is fully unclear, we examined the function of AR protein in hippocampal neuronal (HT-22) cells and in an animal model of ischemia in this study. Cell permeable Tat-AR protein was produced by fusion of protein transduction domain in Tat for delivery into the cells. Tat-AR protein transduced into HT-22 cells and significantly inhibited cell death and regulated the mitogen-activate protein kinases (MAPKs), Bcl-2, Bax, and Caspase-3 under oxidative stress condition. In an ischemic animal model, Tat-AR protein transduced into the brain tissues through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and drastically decreased neuronal cell death in hippocampal CA1 region. These results indicate that transduced Tat-AR protein has protective effects against oxidative stress-induced neuronal cell death in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that Tat-AR protein could be used as potential therapeutic agent in ischemic injury.

Discovery of synergistic anti-inflammatory compound combination from herbal formula GuGe FengTong Tablet / 中国天然药物

Multi-components in herbal formulae exert holistic effects in synergistic or additive manners. However, appropriate strategies and supportive evidences are still lacking to uncover the synergistic or additive combinations. The present investigation aimed at seeking a screening strategy to identify the targeted combinations in GuGe FengTong Tablet (GGFTT), an herbal formula. Two compounds, belonging to different chemical classes, were combined with different concentration ratios and their anti-inflammation effects were investigated. The most significant anti-inflammatory combinations were evaluated by combination index (CI) method (additive effect, CI = 1; synergism, CI 1). The modulating effects of candidate combinations on pro-inflammatory cytokines and MAPKs signaling pathway were also detected. Two combinations, "biochanin A + 6-gingerol" (Bio-6G) and "genistein + 6-gingerol" (Gen-6G), showed synergistic effects (CI < 1), and Bio-6G was selected for further study. Compared with single compound, Bio-6G could synergistically inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) and the activation of MAPKs signaling pathway in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The combined results showed that Bio-6G was a synergistic anti-inflammatory combination in GGFTT. Our results could provide a useful strategy to screen the synergistic combinations in herbal formulae.

Discovery of synergistic anti-inflammatory compound combination from herbal formula GuGe FengTong Tablet / 中国天然药物

Multi-components in herbal formulae exert holistic effects in synergistic or additive manners. However, appropriate strategies and supportive evidences are still lacking to uncover the synergistic or additive combinations. The present investigation aimed at seeking a screening strategy to identify the targeted combinations in GuGe FengTong Tablet (GGFTT), an herbal formula. Two compounds, belonging to different chemical classes, were combined with different concentration ratios and their anti-inflammation effects were investigated. The most significant anti-inflammatory combinations were evaluated by combination index (CI) method (additive effect, CI = 1; synergism, CI 1). The modulating effects of candidate combinations on pro-inflammatory cytokines and MAPKs signaling pathway were also detected. Two combinations, "biochanin A + 6-gingerol" (Bio-6G) and "genistein + 6-gingerol" (Gen-6G), showed synergistic effects (CI < 1), and Bio-6G was selected for further study. Compared with single compound, Bio-6G could synergistically inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) and the activation of MAPKs signaling pathway in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The combined results showed that Bio-6G was a synergistic anti-inflammatory combination in GGFTT. Our results could provide a useful strategy to screen the synergistic combinations in herbal formulae.

Mechanism Identification Of Ficus Deltoidea Aqueous Extract In Rat Uterine Contractions / Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia

Ficus deltoidea or ‘mas cotek,’ is a uterotonic herb traditionally consumed by women to improve menstrual circulation,assist labour, remove retained placenta and treat postpartum bleeding. The aim of the study was to elucidate the mechanismof F. deltoidea in uterine contraction. Crude extracts from 2 different variants of F. deltoidea were used in the study; F.deltoidea var. Deltoidea (FDD) and F. deltoidea var. Angustifolia (FDA). This study was conducted ex vivo on the strips ofisolated rats uterus treated with either FDD or FDA aqueous extract with increasing concentrations ranging from 10 µg/ml until 1280 µg/ml at time intervals of 5 minutes between doses. The frequency and intensity of the uterine contractionswere monitored via Powerlab software. Maximum contractions for both extracts were identified, recorded and the uterinestrips samples at maximum contraction were selected and homogenized in order determine the role of prostaglandinF2α (PGF2α) in the mechanism of uterine contraction. Other than that, phosphorylated 42/44 (p42/44) of mitogenactivated protein kinase (MAPK) expression was also detected via immunoblotting. The results showed that the maximumcontraction induced by FDD was at the concentration of 320 µg/ml, whereas for FDA was at 960 µg/ml. Both FDD andFDA increased the intensity of uterine strips contractions and there were notable trend of increased PGF2α expression aswell. Further analysis revealed that the uterine contractions involved the MAPK pathway through the phosphorylation ofp42/44 protein. In conclusion, Ficus deltoidea of both variants have the ability to stimulate uterine contraction throughthe mechanism of MAPK pathway.

Aloin induces apoptosis regulating the activation of MAPKs signaling pathway in human gastric cancer cells / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of aloin on apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells and explore the molecular mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Gastric cancer MKN-28 and HGC-27 cells were cultured routinely in 1640 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and 10% non-essential amino acids (for HGC-27 cells) and treated with different concentrations of aloin for different durations. The cell viability, cell nuclear morphology, and apoptotic rate of the cells were detected using CCK-8 assay, DAPI staining and AnnexinV-FITC/PI, respectively; Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of PARP, procaspase 3 and the phosphorylation of p38, ERK and JNK. The cells were treated with specific inhibitors of p38, ERK and JNK, and the inhibitory effects on these pathways were detected with Western blotting; DAPI staining was used to detect the effects of inhibitors on apoptosis of gastric cancer cells.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Aloin dose-dependently inhibited the viability and induced apoptosis of HGC-27 and MKN-28 cells. Alion treatment obvious enhanced the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK but decreased ERK phosphorylation in the cells. Blocking ERK activation with the ERK inhibitor obviously enhanced aloin-induced cell apoptosis, where inhibiting p38 and JNK activation partly reversed alion-induced apoptosis in the cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Aloin induces apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells by activating p38 and JNK signaling pathways and inhibiting ERK signaling pathway.</p>

Chrysin promotes SMMC-7721 cell apoptosis by regulating MAPKs signaling pathway / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of chrysin in inducing apoptosis of human hepatic carcinoma cells and explore the possible mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Human hepatic carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells treated with DMSO or chrysin at different concentrations (5-200 μg/mL) were examined for changes in the cell proliferation using CCK-8 assay. The morphological changes of SMMC-7721 cells were observed in response to treatment with 5, 10, or 20 μg/mL chrysin, and the changes in the cell nuclei were observed using DAPI nuclear staining. Annexin Ⅴ-FITC/PI flow cytometry was used to determine the cell apoptosis rate. The changes in the apoptosis-related proteins (PARP and caspase-3) and MAPKs signal pathway were detected with Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Chrysin treatment obviously suppressed the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells in a dose-dependent manner below the concentration of 60 μg/mL. Chrysin (20 μg/mL) also caused significantly increased cell apoptosis and significant cleavage of PARP and caspase-3. Chrysin significantly activated MAPKs signaling pathway in a time-and dose-dependent manner, with the peak activation level occurring at 15 min. Pretreatment of the cells with specific inhibitors of the MAPKs pathway obviously inhibited the effect of chrysin in inducing cell apoptosis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Chrysin inhibits the proliferation and promotes apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells by regulating the activation of MAPKs signaling.</p>

Immunomodulating activity of Sargassum horneri extracts in RAW264.7 macrophages / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: Sargassum horneri (S. horneri) is a species of brown macroalgae that is common along the coast of Japan and Korea. The present study investigated the immuno-modulatory effects of different types of S. horneri extracts in RAW264.7 macrophages. METHODS: S. horneri was extracted by three different methods, hot water extraction, 50% ethanol extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction. Cell viability was then measured by MTT assay, while the production levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and nitric oxide (NO) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Griess assay, respectively. The expression and activation levels of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) were examined by western blot analysis. RESULTS: The three different S. horneri extracts were nontoxic against RAW 264.7 cells up to 50 µg/mL, among which treatment with hot water extract (HWE) of S. horneri significantly enhanced the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and NO in a dose-dependent manner. Hot water extract of S. horneri also increased the expression level of iNOS, suggesting that up-regulation of iNOS expression by HWE of S. horneri was responsible for the induction of NO production. In addition, treatment of RAW 264.7 macrophages with HWE of S. horneri increased the phosphorylation levels of ERK, p38 and JNK. Furthermore, the activation and subsequent nuclear translocation of NF-κB was enhanced upon treatment with HWE of S. horneri, indicating that HWE of S. horneri activates macrophages to secrete TNF-α, IL-6 and NO and induces iNOS expression via activation of the NF-κB and MAPKs signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these findings suggest that HWE of S. horneri possesses potential as a functional food with immunomodulatory activity.

Mecanismos de resitência as antraciclinas e a citarabina em leucemia mielóide aguda / [Mechanisms of resistance to anthracyclines and cytarabine in leukemia acute myeloid]

A leucemia mielóide aguda (LMA) é uma doença heterogênea em relação às características citogenéticas, moleculares, resposta ao tratamento, sobrevida global e livre de doença. A maioria dos pacientes apresenta recidiva precoce e evolui para o óbito devido à resistência à quimioterapia. O tratamento atual, baseado na associação das antraciclinas Idarrubicina (IDA) ou Daunorrubicina (DNR) com a Citarabina (Ara-c), se mantém por mais de 40 anos apesar dos resultados insatisfatórios. Objetivos: Avaliar os mecanismos de resistência aos quimioterápicos IDA, DNR e Ara-c, em linhagens celulares e em amostras de pacientes com LMA. Metodologia e Resultados: O perfil de resistência das linhagens HL60, Kasumi e U937 foi comparado por imunofenotipagem, citogenética, expressão e atividade das proteínas transportadoras de efluxo: glicoproteína P (Pgp), MRP1 e BCRP e expressão de proteínas envolvidas com a evasão da apoptose. Para avaliar a sensibilidade aos quimioterápicos foram utilizados o ensaio de viabilidade celular (MTT), fragmentação do DNA e ativação de caspase 3. As linhagens celulares foram comparadas, entre si em relação à sensibilidade e resistência aos fármacos. A IDA foi mais eficiente em reduzir a viabilidade celular na linhagem HL60, a IDA e a DNR na linhagem Kasumi, sendo o Ara-c o mais eficiente em reduzir a viabilidade na linhagem U937. O perfil de resistência da linhagem HL60R foi analisado através de um array de proteínas fosforiladas, onde encontramos diversas vias de sinalização inibidas na linhagem resistente como a via de sinalização das MAPKs JNK e p38, importantes para o processo de indução de apoptose pelos quimioterápicos. Foi verificado que a ativação de tais vias de sinalização pelos quimioterápicos esta diminuída nas linhagens de LMA resistentes em comparação com as linhagens sensíveis. As vias de sinalização de JNK e p38 nas linhagens de LMA foram inibidas com RNA de interferência. Tal inibição resultou na redução da sensibilidade aos quimioterápicos na linhagem Kasumi e U937, aumento da expressão da Pgp e do miR-27a. A análise das amostras de pacientes com LMA mostrou alta expressão do miR-27a quando comparadas com as amostras dos doadores saudáveis. No entanto, a expressão do miR-27a apresentou baixa correlação com a Ppg e diferenças na sobrevida global apenas em 12 meses após o tratamento. A técnica do CRISPR foi utilizada para editar/silenciar os genes JNK e p38 a fim de corroborar os resultados com o silenciamento. Nossos dados sugerem que alterações na fosforilação das MAPKs JNK e p38, envolvidas no processo de indução de apoptose, estão associadas à resistência aos quimioterápicos na LMA.