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Atherosclerosis retains the leading position among the causes of global morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in the industrialized countries. Despite the continuing efforts to investigate disease pathogenesis and find the potential points of effective therapeutic intervention, our understanding of atherosclerosis mechanisms remains limited. This is partly due to the multifactorial nature of the disease pathogenesis, when several factors so different as altered lipid metabolism, increased oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation act together leading to the formation and progression of atherosclerotic plaques. Adequate animal models are currently indispensable for studying these processes and searching for novel therapies. Animal models based on rodents, such as mice and rats, and rabbits represent important tools for studying atherosclerosis. Currently, genetically modified animals allow for previously unknown possibilities in modelling the disease and its most relevant aspects. In this review, we describe the recent progress made in creating such models and discuss the most important findings obtained with them to date.
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Humans , Animals , Mice , Rabbits , Rats , Disease Models, Animal , Atherosclerosis/physiopathology , Animals, Genetically Modified , Disease ProgressionABSTRACT
Objective:To construct the rat models of orthotopic bladder cancer induced by N-methyl-nitrosourea (MNU),and to evaluate the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)in the noninvasive diagnosis of the bladder cancer model.Methods:Sixty femail SD rats were divided into experiment group (n=45)and control group (n=15).The rats experiment group were induced with MNU (2 mg per rat)by intravesical administration every other week,for 4 times.Meantime,the rats in control group were treated with normal saline (0.2 mL per rat)by intravesical administration.At the end of the 14th week,all rats were examined by MRI and the pathological changes of bladder tissue were detected.Results:In experiment group,43 rats were alived and 2 rats were died at the end of the 14th week;the survial rate was 95.6% and the death rate was 4.4%;the abnormal signals were found in each of 43 rats by MRI which manifested as bladder tumor, and the same results were identified by pathology;the tumor formation rate was 100%.In control group,14 rats were alived and 1 rat was died at the end of the 14th week;the survival rate was 93.3%,and the death rate was 6.7%;there was no abnormal signal in the MRI examination and no bladder cancer in the pathological examination;the tumor formation rate was 0.The tumor formation rates of bladder cancer of the rats in two groups had significant difference (P 0.05).Conclusion:The method to establish the rat models of orthotopic bladder cancer induced by MNU is simple and reliable;the results of MRI are consistent with the pathological results and MRI examination is a reliable diagnostic method concerning this model.
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Objective: To establish a mice model of congenital heart disease transposition of great arteries in order to provide a research reference for the occurrence and development of transposition of great arteries. Methods: A total of 20 pregnant ICR mice at 8-10 weeks of age were divided into 2 groups: Control group, the mice received a single dose of DMSO 70 mg/kg at 8.5 days of gestation,n=5 and Experiment group, the mice received a single dose of all-trans retinoic acid 70 mg/kg at 8.5 days of gestation,n=15. All animals were treated for 18 days and then the embryos were taken to observe cardiac morphology under stereomicroscope. Results: Compared with Control group, Experiment group had obviously increased occurrence rates of premature delivery, abortion and embryo absorption, and 61.2% phenotype for transposition of great arteries; meanwhile, combining with non-heart defect phenotypeas exophthalmos and spinal malformation. Conclusion: All-trans retinoic acid may induce transposition of great arteries in mice embryos, which is a feasible animal model in experimental research.
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BACKGROUND:Increasing attention has been paid on the role of advanced glycation end products in bone tissue. Glucose metabolic disorder is one of the main reasons for the increase of advanced glycation end products. OBJECTIVE:To observe the change of advanced glycation end products expressed in type 2 diabetes rats, and to investigate the relationship between impaired fracture healing and change of advanced glycation end products expression in vivo. METHODS:Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly and equal y divided into two groups:control group (normal feeding) and experimental group (high fat and sucrosum diet feeding to establish type 2 diabetes model). After diabetes models were established, the model of distraction osteogenesis in the left tibiae of al the rats was produced. Distraction was given 0.3 mm per day and continued for 14 days. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After the traction was complete, cal us formation in distraction gap was obviously reduced in experimental group compared with control group by X-ray examination. The array of microcolumn formation was disordered and the area of primary matrix front was catachromasis by histology examination. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results showed that, the level of advanced glycation end products was obviously elevated (P<0.01) while osteocalcin was obviously reduced (P<0.01) in experimental group in comparison with control group. The formation of distraction cal us was impaired in the process of fracture healing and blood of type 2 diabetes rats. The increase of advanced glycation end products may be one of the reasons that cause impaired fracture healing in diabetic rats.
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BACKGROUND:Knee osteoarthritis is characterized by inreversible pathological changes, belonging to arthragia syndrome. The goal of the treatment is to release or relieve symptoms and delay joint degeneration. Jianxi Qianggu Pil is an empirical formula developed by the Third People’s Hospital of Jingzhou, School of Basic Medical Science, Wuhan University, China. This prescription can nourish liver and kidney, eliminate wind and disperse cold, expel wet and dredge the col aterals, consolidate bone and reinforce knee. OBJECTIVE:To observe the protective effect of Jianxi Qianggu Pil on joint cartilage and expression of bone morphogenetic protein 7 in rabbits with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS:A total of 36 New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into three groups, with 12 ones in each. The involved rabbits were applied to establish the model of knee osteoarthritis by using the modified Hulth’s method. At 6 weeks after modeling, the drug group was given 0.1 g/kg Jianxi Qianggu Pil via intragastric administration, while model group and normal control group received equal volume of saline. At 4 weeks after drug administration, rabbit articular cartilage was evaluated with Mankin’s scoring method. The cartilage morphology was observed under electron microscopy, and bone morphogenetic protein 7 expression was detected using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The pathological degeneration degree of articular cartilage in the drug group was significantly lighter, and bone morphogenetic protein 7 expression was significantly higher than the other two groups (P<0.05). Experimental findings indicate that, Jianxi Qianggu Pil can promote the expression of bone morphogenetic protein 7 in articular cartilage of knee osteoarthritis rabbits, thereby promoting articular cartilage regeneration and reducing cartilage deformation or necrosis for the treatment of arthritis.
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BACKGROUND:The early damaged chondrocytes are susceptible to de-differentiate and exert unstable phenotype during the in vitro culture, thus needing some growth factors. OBJECTIVE:To observe the promotion effect of insulin-like growth factor 1 on the in vitro proliferation of chondrocytes in adult rabbits with traumatic arthritis. METHODS:Traumatic arthritis models of adult rabbits were established by using the modified Hulth method. After the models were successful y established, the distal femur and proximal tibia were harvested under sterile conditions, the chondrocytes were cultured. The cultured cells were divided into two groups:control group was cultured with Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium containing 10%fetal bovine serum, while experimental group was cultured with Dulbecco's modified Eagle’s medium containing 100μg/L insulin-like growth factor 1. The effect of insulin-like growth factor 1 on the proliferation of chondrocytes in adult rabbits with traumatic arthritis was determined through the cytomorphology, cellcounting, and cellactivity. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The chondrocytes in adult rabbits with traumatic arthritis were successful y cultured, the majority of cells were mini-cells, presenting smal fusiform, round or polygonal shape. Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that the number of cells in experimental group was higher than that in control group. MTT assay found that the absorbance of cells in experimental group was greater than that in control group (P<0.01). Our findings indicate that, insulin-like growth factor 1 can promote the in vitro proliferation of chondrocytes in adult rabbits with traumatic arthritis.
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BACKGROUND:At present, there are few efficient therapies for infantile hemangioma, and the pathogenesis mechanisms remain unclear. OBJECTIVE:To review the literatures available on the epidemiology, pathophysiology and pathogenesis of infantile hemangioma, to understand the research progress on the pathogenesis of infantile hemangioma, and to provide a reference for developing new drug therapies. METHODS:A computer-based online search was performed in the PubMed database for literatures related to the pathogenesis, physiopathological features and epidemiology data of infantile hemangioma published from January 2009 to February 2014. The subject headings are“hemangioma, capil ary, classification, epidemiology, etiology, embryology, cytology, physiopathology, pathology, immunology, genetics, drug therapy, therapy”. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Accumulating evidence has investigated the occurrence, development and regression of infantile hemangioma. However, no large-scale, multi-central epidemiology data are reported, and there is no theory explaining the pathogenesis of infantile hemangioma completely. Moreover, the relationship between al those theories about the pathogenesis remains unclear. The most important obstacle constraining the research is the lack of ideal animal model of infantile hemangioma. Due to the restrictions of nude mice models, it is imminent to develop new animal models for infantile hemangioma research.
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The current study aimed to analyze the histochemical and morphological characteristics of the levator ani muscle in rats. For this, we used 10 Wistar rats (5 males and 5 females), weighing between 200 and 765g. The animals were dissected fresh and in formalin for the levator ani muscle anatomical observation. Muscle fragments were collected and frozen in n-Hexane previously cooled in liquid nitrogen. Then, the muscles were transferred to a microtome cryostat (HM 505 E Microm), being fixed in metal mounts with the adhesive Tissue Freezing Medium. Histological sections of 6.0um were removed and subjected to HE staining. Other sections were subjected to NADH-TR and SDH reactions. After being dissected and fixed, the architecture of the female pelvic floor revealed the presence of two muscles: iliocaudalis and pubocaudalis. The anatomical inspection in male rats revealed, pronouncedly, the presence of the levator ani muscle: ischiocavernosus and bulbocavernous. We therefore observed a marked anatomical difference between animals of the same species, which does not occur with humans. The HE staining revealed muscular fibers with preserved morphology, contours ranging from polygonal to rounded, acidophilic cytoplasm, one or more peripheral nuclei with rounded shape and dense chromatin aspect. The fibers were organized in fascicles arranged by a dense connective tissue, the perimysium, and each fiber surrounded by the endomysium, composed of loose connective tissue. The sections subjected to NADH-TH and SDH, whose reactions show the activity of oxidative or glycolytic muscle fibers, allowed the identification of the two types of fiber. The fast-twitch fiber shows weaker reactivity, whereas the slow-twitch fiber has small diameter and intense reactivity, especially in the subsarcolemmal, presenting a highly oxidative metabolism. It was found that the pelvic floor muscles in rats are composed primarily by fast-twitch fibers, while in humans they are...
El estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar las características histoquímicas y morfológicas del músculo elevador del ano en ratas. Para esto, se utilizaron 10 ratas Wistar (5 machos y 5 hembras), con un peso entre 200 y 765g. Los animales fueron disecados frescos y en formol para la observación anatómica del músculo elevador del ano. Fragmentos de músculo fueron recogidos y congelados en n-Hexano, previamente enfriado en nitrógeno líquido. Luego, los músculos fueron trasladados a un micrótomo criostato (Microm HM 505 E), fijados en soportes metálicos con adhesivo Tissue Freezing Medium. Cortes histológicos de 6,0 um fueron retirados y sometidos a tinción de H-E. Otras secciones fueron sometidas a las reacciones de NADH-TR y SDH. Después de haber sido disecado y fijado, la arquitectura del suelo de la pelvis de las ratas hembra, reveló la presencia de dos músculos: m. iliocaudalis y m. pubocaudalis. La inspección anatómica de las ratas macho mostró, marcadamente, la presencia del músculo elevador del ano: isquiocavernoso y bulbocavernoso. Por lo tanto, observamos una marcada diferencia anatómica entre los animales de la misma especie, lo que no ocurre con los seres humanos. La tinción HE reveló fibras musculares con morfología conservada, contornos que van desde el esquema poligonal al redondeado, citoplasma acidófilo, uno o más núcleos periféricos con forma redondeada y un aspecto denso de la cromatina. Las fibras se organizaban en fascículos compuestos por un tejido conectivo denso, perimisio, y cada fibra rodeada por el endomisio compuesto por tejido conectivo laxo. En las secciones sometidas a NADH-TH y SDH, cuyas reacciones muestran la actividad oxidativa o glicolítica de las fibras musculares, permitió la identificación de los dos tipos de fibras. Las fibras de contracción rápida muestran más débil reactividad y, las de contracción lenta tienen un diámetro pequeño y reactividad intensa, especialmente en las regiones subsarcolemales, presentando un...
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Female , Rats , Pelvic Floor/anatomy & histology , Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/metabolism , Muscle, Skeletal/anatomy & histology , Histocytochemistry , Models, Animal , Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
Objective To study the DWI characteristics,Bcl-2 gene expression and the relevance of the DWI and Bcl-2 in rabbit models of hepatic VX2 tumors after three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy(3D-CRT).Methods Forty hepatic VX2 tumor models were successfully created.After the tumor grew to more than 1 cm in diameter,28 tumor models were treated with 3D-CRT and then divided into four groups using random number table.The remaining 12 tumor models were used as controls and randomly assigned to each group.MR scanning were performed at different times(1st day,5th day,10 th day,15 th day) for each group respectively.ROIs of the VX2 tumor tissue and normal liver tissue were taken and ADC values measured with calculation of their ratio.Expression of apoptotic Bcl-2 gene was determined by using Rt-PCR method.ADC value with their ratio and the relative gray value of Bcl-2/β-actin were calculated using one dimensional analysis of variance and two samples t-test at different times,compared within the group and between groups.Results On the 1st,5 th,10 th and 15 th day,the ADC ratios of the radiotherapy groups were 0.55±0.13,1.32±0.27,0.96±0.34,0.72±0.17 respectively,the corresponding ADC ratios of control groups were 0.69±0.20,0.78±0.24,0.71±0.23,0.79±0.21.The ratio of ADC values for radiotherapy group and the control group were compared,t value was 1.283(P＞0.05),4.974(P＜0.01),3.191(P＜0.01),0.776(P＞0.05)respectively for each group.On the 1st,5 th,10 th and 15 th day,the Bcl-2 gene relative gray value of the radiotherapy groups were 0.92±0.31,0.56±0.28,0.42±0.24 and 0.31±0.15 respectively,the corresponding Bcl-2 gene relative gray value of control group were 1.18±0.50,1.15±0.43,1.16±0.41,1.46±0.19.The Bcl-2 gene relative gray value for radiotherapy groups and the control groups were compared,with t value 0.987(P＞0.05),3.863(P＜0.01),5.401(P＜0.01),5.894(P＜0.01)respectively.The ADC value ratio and Bcl-2 gene relative gray value correlation analysis showed that there was significant negative correlation(r=-0.493,P＜0.01).Conclusion DWI ADC values can reflect the dynamic changes at the molecular level for hepatic VX2 tumors after radiotherapy at different times.