Protective effect of trans-nerolidol on vascular endothelial cell injury induced by lipopolysaccharides / Efectos protectores del trans-nerolidol en lesiones inducidas por lipopolisacáridos en células endoteliales vasculares

This article aimed to discuss the protection of trans - nerolidol on vascular endothelial cells (ECs) injured by lipopolysac charides. ECs were divided into four groups: normal, model, low and high dose trans - nerolidol treatment groups. The cell survival rate and the contents of NO in the cell culture supernatant were determined. The protein expression and transcript level of pe roxisome proliferator - activated receptor - γ (PPARγ), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were determined by western blotting and RT - PCR respectively. Compared with the normal group, cell livability, protein e xpression and mRNA transcript level of PPARγ and eNOS decreased, NO contents, protein expression and mRNA transcript tlevel of iNOS increased in model group significantly. Compared with model group, all the changes recovered in different degree in treatmen t groups. Hence, it was concluded that trans - nerolidol can alleviate the ECs injuryby the regulation of iNOS/eNOS through activating PPARγ in a dose - dependent manner

Este artículo tiene como objetivo discutir la protección del trans - nerolidol en las células endoteliales vasculares (CE) dañadas por lipopolisacáridos. Las CE se di vidieron en cuatro grupos: normal, modelo, grupos de tratamiento con trans - nerolidol de baja y alta dosis. Se determinó la tasa de supervivencia de las células y los contenidos de óxido nítrico (NO) en el sobrenadante del cultivo celular. La expresión de p roteínas y el nivel de transcripción del receptor activado por proliferadores de peroxisomas - γ (PPARγ), el óxido nítrico sint et asa endotelial (eNOS) y el óxido nítrico sint et asa inducible (iNOS) se determinaron mediante western blot y RT - PCR, respectivamen te. En comparación con el grupo normal, la viabilidad celular, la expresión de proteínas y el nivel de transcripción de PPARγ y eNOS disminuyeron, los contenidos de NO, la expresión de proteínas y el nivel de transcripción de iNOS aumentaron significativam ente en el grupo modelo. En comparación con el grupo modelo, todos los cambios se recuperaron en diferentes grados en los grupos de tratamiento. Por lo tanto, se concluyó que el trans - nerolidol puede aliviar el daño en las CE regulando iNOS/eNOS a través d e la activación de PPARγ de manera dependiente de la dosis.

Placental expression of striatin & endothelial nitric oxide synthase in women with & without pre-eclampsia

Background & objectives: Striatin is a multi-domain scaffolding protein essential for activating endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). However, its role in pre-eclampsia remains use explored. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the association between striatin and eNOS in regulating nitric oxide (NO) production in the placenta of women with and without pre-eclampsia. Methods: Forty pregnant women each without (controls) and with pre-eclampsia (cases) were enrolled in the study. Blood striatin and NO concentrations were detected by the ELISA. Protein expression of striatin, phosphorylated eNOS (peNOS), inducible NOS (iNOS) and phosphorylated NF-?B were measured in the placental tissues by Western blot. Twenty four hour urinary protein and serum urea, uric acid and creatinine were analyzed as an autoanalyzer. Placental histology was analyzed by haematoxylin and eosin staining. Results: Compared to normotensive pregnant women, the levels of serum NO and striatin were decreased in pre-eclamptic women. The protein expression of striatin and peNOS was significantly reduced (P<0.05) while p65NF-?B and iNOS were upregulated considerably (P<0.05) in the placenta of cases compared to controls. Interpretation & conclusions: Our results show for the first time that decreased striatin expression was associated with decreased peNOS protein expression in the placental tissue of pre-eclamptic women. Interestingly, no significant difference was found in blood striatin or NO levels between controls and cases. Thus, therapies that improve placental striatin expression are attractive possibilities, both for prevention as well as treatment of endothelial dysfunction in pre-eclampsia.

The effect of dexmedetomidine on expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in spinal dorsal cord in a rat model with chronic neuropathic pain / O efeito da dexmedetomidina na expressão do óxido nítrico sintase neuronal na medula espinhal dorsal em um modelo rato com dor neuropática crônica

Abstract Background Neuropathic pain typically refers to the pain caused by somatosensory system injury or diseases, which is usually characterized by ambulatory pain, allodynia, and hyperalgesia. Nitric oxide produced by neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the spinal dorsal cord might serve a predominant role in regulating the algesia of neuropathic pain. The high efficacy and safety, as well as the plausible ability in providing comfort, entitle dexmedetomidine (DEX) to an effective anesthetic adjuvant. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of DEX on the expression of nNOS in spinal dorsal cord in a rat model with chronic neuropathic pain. Methods Male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned into three groups: sham operation group (sham), (of the sciatic nerve) operation (CCI) group, and dexmedetomidine (DEX) group. Chronic neuropathic pain models in the CCI and DEX groups were established by sciatic nerve ligation. The thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) was measured on day 1 before operation and on day 1, 3, 7 and 14 after operation. Six animals were sacrificed after TWL measurement on day 7, and 14 days after operation, in each group, the L4-6 segment of the spinal cords was extracted for determination of nNOS expression by immunohistochemistry. Results Compared with the sham group, the TWL threshold was significantly decreased and the expression of nNOS was up-regulated after operation in the CCI and DEX groups. Compared with the CCI grou[, the TWL threshold was significantly increased and the expression of nNOS was significantly down-regulated on day 7 and 14 days after operation in the DEX group. Conclusion Down-regulated nNOS in the spinal dorsal cord is involved in the attenuation of neuropathic pain by DEX.

Resumo Antecedentes A dor neuropática refere-se tipicamente à dor causada por lesões ou doenças do sistema somatossensorial. De modo geral, é caracterizada por dor à ambulação, alodinia e hiperalgesia. O óxido nítrico produzido pela enzima óxido nítrico sintase neuronal (nNOS) na medula espinhal dorsal pode ter um papel predominante na regulação da dor neuropática. A alta eficácia e segurança, bem como a plausível capacidade de proporcionar conforto, faz com que a dexmedetomidina (DEX) seja um adjuvante anestésico eficaz. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o efeito da DEX na expressão de nNOS na medula espinhal dorsal em um modelo de ratos com dor neuropática crônica. Métodos Ratos Sprague Dawley (SD) machos foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em três grupos: grupo de cirurgia simulada (sham), grupo de cirurgia (do nervo ciático; CCI) e grupo dexmedetomidina (DEX). Os modelos de dor neuropática crônica nos grupos CCI e DEX foram estabelecidos por ligadura do nervo ciático. A latência de retirada térmica (TWL) foi medida no dia 1 antes da cirurgia e nos dias 1, 3, 7 e 14 após o procedimento. Seis animais de cada grupo foram eutanasiados após a medida de TWL nos dias 7 e 14 após a cirurgia e o segmento L4-6 da medula espinhal foi extraído para determinação da expressão de nNOS por imuno-histoquímica. Resultados Em comparação ao grupo sham, o limiar de TWL diminuiu significativamente e a expressão de nNOS foi regulada de maneira positiva após a cirurgia nos grupos CCI e DEX. Comparado ao grupo CCI, o limiar de TWL aumentou de forma significativa e a expressão de nNOS caiu significativamente diminuída nos dia 7 e 14 após a cirurgia no grupo DEX. Conclusão A regulação negativa de nNOS na medula espinhal dorsal está envolvida na atenuação da dor neuropática pela DEX.

Phosphorylated PKM2 regulates endothelium-dependent vasodilation in diabetes / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#Endothelium-dependent vasodilation dysfunction is the pathological basis of diabetic macroangiopathy. The utilization and adaptation of endothelial cells to high glucose determine the functional status of endothelial cells. Glycolysis pathway is the major energy source for endothelial cells. Abnormal glycolysis plays an important role in endothelium-dependent vasodilation dysfunction induced by high glucose. Pyruvate kinase isozyme type M2 (PKM2) is one of key enzymes in glycolysis pathway, phosphorylation of PKM2 can reduce the activity of pyruvate kinase and affect the glycolysis process of glucose. TEPP-46 can stabilize PKM2 in its tetramer form, reducing its dimer formation and phosphorylation. Using TEPP-46 as a tool drug to inhibit PKM2 phosphorylation, this study aims to explore the impact and potential mechanism of phosphorylated PKM2 (p-PKM2) on endothelial dependent vasodilation function in high glucose, and to provide a theoretical basis for finding new intervention targets for diabetic macroangiopathy.@*METHODS@#The mice were divided into 3 groups: a wild-type (WT) group (a control group, C57BL/6 mice) and a db/db group (a diabetic group, db/db mice), which were treated with the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution (solvent) by gavage once a day, and a TEPP-46 group (a treatment group, db/db mice+TEPP-46), which was gavaged with TEPP-46 (30 mg/kg) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution once a day. After 12 weeks of treatment, the levels of p-PKM2 and PKM2 protein in thoracic aortas, plasma nitric oxide (NO) level and endothelium-dependent vasodilation function of thoracic aortas were detected. High glucose (30 mmol/L) with or without TEPP-46 (10 μmol/L), mannitol incubating human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) for 72 hours, respectively. The level of NO in supernatant, the content of NO in cells, and the levels of p-PKM2 and PKM2 protein were detected. Finally, the effect of TEPP-46 on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation was detected at the cellular and animal levels.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control group, the levels of p-PKM2 in thoracic aortas of the diabetic group increased (P<0.05). The responsiveness of thoracic aortas in the diabetic group to acetylcholine (ACh) was 47% lower than that in the control group (P<0.05), and that in TEPP-46 treatment group was 28% higher than that in the diabetic group (P<0.05), while there was no statistically significant difference in the responsiveness of thoracic aortas to sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Compared with the control group, the plasma NO level of mice decreased in the diabetic group, while compared with the diabetic group, the phosphorylation of PKM2 in thoracic aortas decreased and the plasma NO level increased in the TEPP-46 group (both P<0.05). High glucose instead of mannitol induced the increase of PKM2 phosphorylation in HUVECs and reduced the level of NO in supernatant (both P<0.05). HUVECs incubated with TEPP-46 and high glucose reversed the reduction of NO production and secretion induced by high glucose while inhibiting PKM2 phosphorylation (both P<0.05). At the cellular and animal levels, TEPP-46 reversed the decrease of eNOS (ser1177) phosphorylation induced by high glucose (both P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#p-PKM2 may be involved in the process of endothelium-dependent vasodilation dysfunction in Type 2 diabetes by inhibiting p-eNOS (ser1177)/NO pathway.

Protective effects of histone deacetylase 6 specific inhibitor tubastatin A on subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats and the underlying mechanisms / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a serious cerebrovascular disease. Early brain injury (EBI) and cerebral vasospasm are the main reasons for poor prognosis of SAH patients. The specific inhibitor of histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6), tubastatin A (TubA), has been proved to have a definite neuroprotective effect on a variety of animal models of acute and chronic central nervous system diseases. However, the neuroprotective effect of TubA on SAH remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the expression and localization of HDAC6 in the early stage of SAH, and to evaluate the protective effects of TubA on EBI and cerebral vasospasm after SAH and the underlying mechanisms.@*METHODS@#Adult male SD rats were treated with modified internal carotid artery puncture to establish SAH model. In the first part of the experiment, rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: a sham group, a SAH-3 h group, a SAH-6 h group, a SAH-12 h group, a SAH-24 h group, and a SAH-48 h group. At 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after SAH modeling, the injured cerebral cortex of rats in each group was taken for Western blotting to detect the expression of HDAC6. In addition, the distribution of HDAC6 in the cerebral cortex of the injured side was measured by immunofluorescence double staining in SAH-24 h group rats. In the second part, rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: a sham group, a SAH group, a SAH+TubAL group (giving 25 mg/kg TubA), and a SAH+TubAH group (giving 40 mg/kg TubA). At 24 h after modeling, the injured cerebral cortex tissue was taken for Western blotting to detect the expression levels of HDAC6, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining to detect apoptosis, and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining to detect the diameter of middle cerebral artery.@*RESULTS@#The protein expression of HDAC6 began to increase at 6 h after SAH (P<0.05), peaked at 24 h (P<0.001), and decreased at 48 h, but there was still a difference compared with the sham group (P<0.05). HDAC6 is mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of the neurons. Compared with the sham group, the neurological score was decreased significantly and brain water content was increased significantly in the SAH group (both P<0.01). Compared with the SAH group, the neurological score was increased significantly and brain water content was decreased significantly in the SAH+TubAH group (both P<0.05), while the improvement of the above indexes was not significant in the SAH+TubAL group (both P>0.05). Compared with the sham group, the expression of eNOS was significantly decreased (P<0.01) and the expressions of iNOS and HDAC6 were significantly increased (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively) in the SAH group. Compared with the SAH group, the expression of eNOS was significantly increased, and iNOS and HDAC6 were significantly decreased in the SAH+TubA group (all P<0.05). Compared with the SAH group, the number of TUNEL positive cells was significantly decreased and the diameter of middle cerebral artery was significantly increased in the SAH+TubA group (both P<0.05) .@*CONCLUSIONS@#HDAC6 is mainly expressed in neurons and is up-regulated in the cerebral cortex at the early stage of SAH. TubA has protective effects on EBI and cerebral vasospasm in SAH rats by reducing brain edema and cell apoptosis in the early stage of SAH. In addition, its effect of reducing cerebral vasospasm may be related to regulating the expression of eNOS and iNOS.

Mechanism of Flavonoids from Mulberry Leaves on Insulin Resistance and Inflammatory Response in Diabetic Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the glucose-lowering， insulin resistance-improving， and anti-inflammatory effects of flavonoids from mulberry leaves （FML） and explore their underlying mechanism. MethodMale db/db mice aged 6-7 weeks were randomly divided into a model group， a high-dose FML group （1.00 g·kg·d-1）， and a low-dose FML group （0.50 g·kg-1·d-1）. C57BL mice of the same age were assigned to the normal group. After six weeks of intervention， fasting blood glucose （FBG）， serum fasting insulin levels （Fins）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， free fatty acid （FFA）， blood creatinine （SCr）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， and aspartate aminotransferase （AST） levels were measured， and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance （HOMA-IR） was calculated. Superoxide dismutase （SOD）， glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px）， and catalase activities in the liver were measured. Morphological changes in the liver were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. The protein expression of cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2）， inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS）， and nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） in the liver was detected by Western blot. ResultCompared with the model group， the high-dose and low-dose FML groups showed significant reductions in FBG， Fins， HOMA-IR， IL-6， TNF-α， and FFA levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and increased levels of SOD， GSH-Px， and catalase in the liver （P<0.05， P<0.01）. HE staining of the liver in the FML groups showed improved arrangement of hepatocytes， reduced inflammatory cell infiltration， and alleviated cellular steatosis compared with the model group. The protein expression of COX-2， iNOS， and NF-κB in the liver significantly decreased in the FML groups as compared with that in the model group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionFML have glucose-lowering and insulin resistance-improving effect， which may be attributed to their regulation of the NF-κB pathway in the liver of diabetic mice， leading to the suppression of the release of COX-2， iNOS， and inflammatory cytokines， thereby improving the inflammatory state.

Modified Sanpiantang Treats Nitroglycerin-induced Migraine in Rats via p38 MAPK/iNOS Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo decipher the mechanism of modified Sanpiantang in the treatment of nitroglycerin-induced migraine in rats. MethodSeventy-two Wistar rats were randomized into the control， model （nitroglycerin， 10 mg·kg-1）， positive control （rizatriptan， 0.89 mg·kg-1）， and high- （12.96 g·kg-1）， medium- （6.48 g·kg-1）， and low-dose （3.24 g·kg-1） modified Sanpiantang groups. The rat model of migraine was established by intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg·kg-1 nitroglycerin. The behavioral test was carried out to measure the mechanical pain thresholds （MPT） of the periorbital region and hindpaw after successful modeling. The serum levels of nitric oxide （NO）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interferon-γ （IFN-γ）， and interleukin-1β （IL-1β） in rats were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was employed to determine the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis （TNC）. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of iNOS and phospho-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p-p38 MAPK） in the TNC. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was performed to measure the mRNA levels of iNOS， p38 MAPK， and IL-1β in the TNC. ResultCompared with the control group， the model group showed decreased MPT （P<0.01）， elevated serum levels of NO， TNF-α， IFN-γ， and IL-1β （P<0.01）， and up-regulated expression levels of p38 MAPK， iNOS， and IL-1β in the TNC （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， modified Sanpiantang increased the MPT （P<0.05）， and the medium-dose group showed the most significant effect （P<0.01）. In addition， modified Sanpiantang down-regulated the mRNA levels of iNOS， p38 MAPK， and IL-1β and the protein levels of p-p38 MAPK and iNOS in the TNC of migraine rats （P<0.05， P<0.01） and lowered the serum levels of NO， TNF-α， IFN-γ， and IL-1β （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionModified Sanpiantang may treat migraine by down-regulating the expression of pro-inflammatory factors such as NO， TNF-α， IFN-γ， and IL-1β in the p38 MAPK/iNOS signaling pathway to reduce the neurogenic inflammation.

Effects of acupuncture at Houxi(SI3)and Huantiao(GB30)on NF-κB/iNOS/NO pathway in lumbar disc herniation model rats / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective:To observe the effects of acupuncture at Houxi(SI3)and Huantiao(GB30)on the expression levels of nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB),inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS),and nitric oxide(NO)of NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway in L5 spinal nerve root of lumbar disc herniation(LDH)model rats and explore the mechanism of acupuncture in LDH treatment.Methods:Forty specific-pathogen-free healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group,a model group,acupuncture group 1,and acupuncture group 2,with 10 rats in each group.The non-compression nucleus protrusion model was made by puncturing L4-L5 spinous process space and injecting autologous nucleus suspension.Acupuncture at bilateral Shenshu(BL23),Dachangshu(BL25),and Weizhong(BL40)was carried out in acupuncture group 1,and acupuncture at bilateral Houxi(SI3)and Huantiao(GB30)in acupuncture group 2.All rats were treated with balanced reinforcing and reducing needling manipulations,and the needles were retained for 30 min/time with one episode of needling manipulation every 10 min,once a day,14 times in total.The threshold value of paw withdrawal pain was measured by a thermal stimulation pain instrument;the serum NF-κB,iNOS,and NO levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The pathomorphological changes of spinal nerve roots were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining;quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect iNOS mRNA expression in spinal nerve roots;the NF-κB and iNOS protein expression in spinal nerve roots was detected by the immunofluorescence method.Results:Compared with the sham operation group,the threshold of paw withdrawal pain in the model group was decreased,and the expression levels of serum NF-κB,iNOS,and NO were increased;HE staining showed many degenerated and dissolved Schwann cells in spinal nerve roots with vacuolar changes;meanwhile,the expression levels of NF-κB and iNOS proteins,and the iNOS mRNA in spinal nerve roots were increased.Compared with the model group,the paw withdrawal pain thresholds in acupuncture group 1 and acupuncture group 2 were increased,and the increase in acupuncture group 2 was greater(P<0.05);the expression levels of serum NF-κB,iNOS,and NO in acupuncture group 1 and acupuncture group 2 were decreased,especially in acupuncture group 2(P<0.01);the vacuolar changes of spinal nerve roots,and the degeneration and lysis of Schwann cells in acupuncture group 1 and acupuncture group 2 were decreased,which were more obvious in acupuncture group 2;the NF-κB and iNOS protein expression and the iNOS mRNA expression levels in spinal nerve roots of acupuncture group 1 and acupuncture group 2 were decreased,especially in acupuncture group 2(P<0.01).Conclusion:Acupuncture at Houxi(SI3)and Huantiao(GB30)can improve the morphology of spinal nerve roots,inhibit the NF-κB and iNOS protein expression levels in spinal nerve roots and the serum NO level,and relieve the pain caused by inflammation of spinal nerve roots,which may be one of the mechanisms of acupuncture in LDH treatment.

Effect of Xileisan temperature-sensitive gels on endothelial nitric oxide synthase, vascular endothelial growth factor A and tumor necrosis factor-α expression in rats with bleeding internal hemorrhoids / 预防医学

Objective@#To investigate the effect of Xileisan temperature-sensitive gels on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression in rats with bleeding internal hemorrhoids, so as to provide insights into the illustration of the pathogenesis of internal hemorrhoid hemorrhage. @*Methods@#Thirty six-week-old SPF-graded rats of the SD strain were randomly divided into the normal group, model group and Xileisan temperature-sensitive gel group, of 10 rats in each group (half male and half female). Cotton balls were soaked with 0.16 mL of croton oil mixture and then inserted into the anus of rats in the model group and Xileisan temperature-sensitive gel group for 10 s. After 6 h when the rectal mucosa tissues presented remarkable swelling, the perianal mucosa was rubbed repeatedly with a rough glass rod until the glass rod was bloody. Following successful modeling, rats in the Xileisan temperature-sensitive gel group was given rectal administration of Xileisan temperature-sensitive gel at a dose of 0.5 mL/d, while animals in the normal group and model group were given rectal administration of the blank gel at the same dose. Following administration for 7 successive days, rats were sacrificed, and the hemorrhoids tissues were collected for pathological examinations. The eNOS, VEGF-A and TNF-α expression was determined using immunohistochemistry and compared among groups.@*Results@#Compared with the normal group, the rat hemorrhoids mucosa showed inflammatory changes in the model group, with submucosal congestion and edema, blood vessel congestion and dilation, and visible new blood vessels, and remarkable improvements were seen in the hemorrhoid mucosal inflammation in the Xileisan temperature-sensitive gel group. There were significant differences in the integrated option density (IOD) of eNOS and VEGF-A expression in rat hemorrhoids tissues among the three groups (P<0.05), and no gender-specific differences were seen (P>0.05). The IOD values of eNOS (45.84±13.66) and VEGF-A expression (45.89±9.06) were higher in rat hemorrhoids tissues in the model group than in the normal group (23.11±5.64 and 27.91±11.65) and the Xileisan temperature-sensitive gel group (27.41±8.89 and 33.44±6.20) (P<0.05), while no significant differences were detected in the IOD of TNF-α expression in rat hemorrhoids tissues among the three groups (P>0.05).@*Conclusion@#Xileisan temperature-sensitive gel may alleviate inflammation and internal hemorrhoids hemorrhage through inhibiting eNOS and VEGF-A expression in rat hemorrhoids tissues.

Adventitial Collagen Cross-Linking by Glutaraldehyde Reinforcing Human Saphenous Vein - Implication for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

ABSTRACT Introduction: A weak venous wall is one of the major reasons contributing to vein graft failure after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We investigated whether adventitial collagen cross-linking by glutaraldehyde reinforces venous wall, preserving the endothelium of veins during high-pressure distention. Methods: Human saphenous veins (SVs) were collected from 40 patients undergoing CABG, and adventitia cross-linking was performed with 0.3% glutaraldehyde for five minutes. The cross-linked SVs were accessed by biodegradation assay, immunofluorescent staining, and tensile test. Native SVs and cross-linked SVs from another 20 patients received the 200 mmHg pressure distention for two minutes. Pressure-induced injury of SVs were accessed by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Results: Time to digestion was 97±13 minutes for native SVs and 720±0 minutes for cross-linked SVs (P<0.05). After adventitial cross-linking, the collagen I fibres of the vein remarkably presented with compact and nonporous arrangement. In the high-stretch region (stretch ratio 1.4-1.8), the Young's elastic modulus of stress-stretch ratio curve in cross-linked SVs was larger than that in native SVs (13.88 vs. 5.83, P<0.05). The cross-linked SVs had a lower extent of endothelial denudation without fibre fracture during high-pressure distension than native SVs. Comparing with the non-cross-linked SVs, the percentage of endothelial nitric oxide synthase staining length on the endothelium of cross-linked SVs was significantly preserved after high-pressure distension (85.2% vs. 64.7%, P<0.05). Conclusion: Adventitial collagen cross-linking by glutaraldehyde reinforced venous wall by increasing stiffness and decreasing extensibility of SVs and mitigated the endothelial damage under high-pressure distension.

Ficus carica hairy roots: In vitro anti-leishmanial activity against Leishmania major promastigotes and amastigotes

Objective: To investigate the biochemical capacity, and in vitro inhibitory effects of hairy roots from two cultivars of Ficus carica L. (Sabz and Siah) on Leishmania major promastigotes and amastigotes. Methods: In the hairy roots, the activity of antioxidant enzymes compared to normal leaves and roots, and the presence of some phenolic compounds in comparison with fruits were investigated. The IC 50 values of hairy roots in promastigotes was determined by tetrazolium-dye 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and trypan blue assays. By calculating the infectivity index of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), the leishmanicidal activity (IC 50 values) of hairy roots for amastigotes was estimated. The effects of hairy roots (IC 50 values) treatment on the levels of IFN-γ and iNOS expression, intracellular reactive oxygen species, and iNOS protein expression in infected-PBMCs were determined. Results: Based on antioxidant enzyme assays and high performance liquid chromatography analysis, hairy roots exhibited high antioxidant capacity and contained high levels of phenolic compounds. According to the results of tetrazolium-dye 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and trypan blue assays, the hairy root extracts of both cultivars showed considerable dose-dependent inhibitory effects against Leishmania major promastigotes. Depending on the concentration and exposure time, treatment of infected-PBMCs with hairy root extracts caused the generation of a significant reactive oxygen species, up-regulation of IFN-γ and iNOS genes expression, and high value of iNOS protein compared to controls. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that the hairy roots of Ficus carica can be considered as a promising natural source of antileishmanial agents.

Identification of potential anti-pneumonia pharmacological components of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma after the treatment with Gan An He Ji oral liquid / 药物分析学报

Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,a traditional Chinese medicine also known as Gan Cao(GC),is frequently included in clinical prescriptions for the treatment of pneumonia.However,the pharmacological com-ponents of GC for pneumonia treatment are rarely explored.Gan An He Ji oral liquid(GAHJ)has a simple composition and contains GC liquid extracts and paregoric,and has been used clinically for many years.Therefore,GAHJ was selected as a compound preparation for the study of GC in the treatment of pneumonia.We conducted an in vivo study of patients with pneumonia undergoing GAHJ treatments for three days.Using the intelligent mass spectrometry data-processing technologies to analyze the meta-bolism of GC in vivo,we obtained 168 related components of GC in humans,consisting of 24 prototype components and 144 metabolites,with 135 compounds screened in plasma and 82 in urine.After analysis of the metabolic transformation relationship and relative exposure,six components(liquiritin,liquiritigenin,glycyrrhizin,glycyrrhetinic acid,daidzin,and formononetin)were selected as potential effective components.The experimental results based on two animal pneumonia models and the in-flammatory cell model showed that the mixture of these six components was effective in the treatment of pneumonia and lung injury and could effectively downregulate the level of inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS).Interestingly,glycyrrhetinic acid exhibited the strongest inhibition on iNOS and the highest exposure in vivo.The following molecular dynamic simulations indicated a strong bond between glycyrrhetinic acid and iNOS.Thus,the current study provides a pharmaceutical basis for GC and reveals the possible corresponding mechanisms in pneumonia treatment.

Nitric oxide regulates adhesiveness, invasiveness, and migration of anoikis-resistant endothelial cells

Anoikis is a type of apoptosis that occurs in response to the loss of adhesion to the extracellular matrix (ECM). Anoikis resistance is a critical mechanism in cancer and contributes to tumor metastasis. Nitric oxide (NO) is frequently upregulated in the tumor area and is considered an important player in cancer metastasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of NO on adhesiveness, invasiveness, and migration of anoikis-resistant endothelial cells. Here, we report that anoikis-resistant endothelial cells overexpress endothelial nitric oxide synthase. The inhibition of NO release in anoikis-resistant endothelial cells was able to decrease adhesiveness to fibronectin, laminin, and collagen IV. This was accompanied by an increase in cell invasiveness and migration. Furthermore, anoikis-resistant cell lines displayed a decrease in fibronectin and collagen IV protein expression after L-NAME treatment. These alterations in adhesiveness and invasiveness were the consequence of MMP-2 up-regulation observed after NO release inhibition. The decrease in NO levels was able to down-regulate the activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) protein expression. ATF3 represses MMP-2 gene expression by antagonizing p53-dependent trans-activation of the MMP-2 promoter. We speculate that the increased release of NO by anoikis-resistant endothelial cells acted as a response to restrict the MMP-2 action, interfering in MMP-2 gene expression via ATF3 regulation. The up-regulation of nitric oxide by anoikis-resistant endothelial cells is an important response to restrict tumorigenic behavior. Without this mechanism, invasiveness and migration potential would be even higher, as shown after L-NAME treatment.

Relationship between inducible nitric oxide synthase and delayed encephalopathy in carbon monoxide poisoning / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To observe the relationship between inducible carbon monoxide synthase (iNOS) and delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide poisoning (DEACMP), and explore its mechanism of action in DEACMP.Methods:This study was designed as prospective cohort study. Patients with acute carbon monoxide poisoning who met the diagnostic criteria and were admitted to Emergency Intensive Care Unit(EICU) of our hospital from June 2019 to June 2021 were selected as subjects. Patients were divided into the DEACMP group and non-DEACMP group according to the occurrence of DEACMP. Serum samples were collected on the first 24 h after admission and on day 7 and 14 after admission, and the serum nitric oxide (NO), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), inducible carbon monoxide synthase (iNOS), and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) level were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The generalized estimating equation was used to estimate the difference of NO, nNOS, iNOS and eNOS between DEACMP and non-DEACMP patients.Results:A total of 78 patients with carbon monoxide poisoning were included in our study finally, including 49 (62.82%) males and 29 (37.18%) females, with an average age of (53.96±14.95) years, 20 (25.64%) patients with DEACMP, and 1 (1.28%) death. Univariate analysis showed that patients with DEACMP had an average increase of 3 h (95% CI: 1.00, 5.00) in carbon monoxide exposure time and a 5-point decrease in GCS score (95% CI: 1.00, 6.00) than the patients without DEACMP, and the proportion of patients with severe carbon monoxide poisoning in the DEACMP group was higher than that of the non-DEACMP group (90.00% vs. 32.76%). According to the analysis of generalized estimation equation, on day 7 and 14 after admission, Compared with non-DEACMP patients, neither by performing unadjusted nor adjusted analysis with the iNOS of DEACMP patients was significantly higher than that in non-DEACMP patients regardless of whether exposure time, GCS score, coma time or severity of carbon monoxide poisoning were adjusted or not ( P <0.01 or P <0.05). Except for the level of nNOS in the GEE model adjusted with carbon monoxide exposure time, the levels of NO, nNOS and eNOS showed no significant difference between DEACMP and non-DEACMP patients ( P >0.05). Conclusions:The expression of iNOS level is increased in DEACMP patients, and its continuous expression may be involved in the pathogenesis of DEACMP.

Fasudil alleviates lung injury via targeting Rhoa/ROCK signal pathway in septic mice / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To determine the protective effect of fasudil on acute lung injury in septic mice.Methods:Forty-five 4-6-week-old male C57BL mice were randomly(random number) assigned to three groups ( n=15 each group): control group, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group and Fasudil intervention group (FAS+LPS). Acute lung injury model of septic mice was established with an intraperitoneal injection and intratracheal infusion of LPS. The mice in the FAS+LPS group were injected with fasudil hydrochloride intraperitoneally 30 min before intraperitoneal LPS injection and 1 h after intratracheal LPS infusion, respectively. All mice were sacrificed at 4 h after modeling, and lung tissues were collected. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was preformed to observe the morphological changes in the lung tissue. The wet /dry weight (W/D) ratio, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in the lung tissues were detected. Caspase-3 expression was examined by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Western blot was employed to detect the expression of RhoA, ROCK1, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and p-eNOS. Results:Inflammatory cell infiltration and erythrocyte exudation were significantly reduced, and the degree of interstitial oedema and derangement of alveolar structure appeared in a decreasing degree after FAS intervention. Compared with the LPS group, the W/D ratio, MDA content, MPO activity and the expression of Caspase-3 in the FAS+LPS group were significantly reduced (all P<0.01). Meanwhile, the expression of RhoA and ROCK1 of the LPS group were obviously higher than those in the control group ( P<0.05), and p-eNOS was obviously lower than that in the control group ( P<0.05). Furthermore, the expression of RhoA and ROCK1 of the FAS+LPS group were obviously lower than those in the LPS group, and p-eNOS was obviously higher than that in the LPS group. There was no significant difference on the expression of eNOS among the three groups. Conclusions:Fasudil can alleviate the degree of inflammatory cell infiltration, reduce apoptosis in lung tissue, inhibit the RhoA/ROCK1 signaling activity, and promote the phosphorylation expression of eNOS in septic mice.

Mechanism of Yiyuan Qiwei Pills in Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus-induced Erectile Dysfunction / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the therapeutic effect of Yiyuan Qiwei pills （YYQW） on diabetes mellitus-induced induced erectile dysfunction （DMED） in rats and explore its regulation on the nitric oxide （NO）-cyclic guanosine monophosphate （cGMP） signaling pathway. MethodFifty-five healthy SD male rats of clean grade aged 2-3 months underwent intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin （STZ） to induce the DMED model， and another 10 healthy SD male rats of clean grade aged 2-3 months were assigned to the control group. The model rats were randomly divided into a model group， a sildenafil group （5 mg·kg-1， ig）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose YYQW groups （1.5， 3.0， 6.0 g·kg-1， ig）. The rats in the model group and the control group were given normal saline by gavage at 10 mL·kg-1， once a day for two months. After intervention， the penile erectile function of rats in each group was measured by a pressure detection system. The pathological changes and ultrastructure of penile corpus cavernosum were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and transmission electron microscopy， respectively. The level of NO in the corpus cavernosum was detected by nitrate reductase. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the levels of cGMP and advanced glycation end products （AGEs）. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase （eNOS）， neurogenic nitric oxide synthase （nNOS）， total nitric oxide synthase （NOS）， and phosphodiesterase type5 （PDE5） in rat penile tissues. The expression of above proteins was detected by Western blot. ResultCompared with the control group， the model group showed decreased intracavernous pressure （ICP）， NO， and cGMP levels， reduced mRNA and protein expression of nNOS and NOS， and increased PDE5 mRNA and protein expression （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the sildenafil group and the YYQW groups displayed increased ICP， NO， and cGMP levels， elevated mRNA and protein expression levels of nNOS and NOS， and reduced PDE5 mRNA and protein expression levels （P<0.05）. There were no pathological changes in the tissues and cell ultrastructure of the corpus cavernosum in the control group， while serious pathological changes were observed in the model group. Additionally， the sildenafil group and the YYQW groups were superior to the model group， the optimal effect was observed in the high-dose YYQW group. ConclusionYYQW can improve the penile erectile function of DMED rats and reduce the pathological damage of corpus cavernosum. The mechanism may be related to the promotion of nNOS and NOS expression， the inhibition of PDE5 expression， and the activation of the NO/cGMP signaling pathway.

Mechanism of Yiyuan Qiwei Pills in Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus-induced Erectile Dysfunction / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the therapeutic effect of Yiyuan Qiwei pills （YYQW） on diabetes mellitus-induced induced erectile dysfunction （DMED） in rats and explore its regulation on the nitric oxide （NO）-cyclic guanosine monophosphate （cGMP） signaling pathway. MethodFifty-five healthy SD male rats of clean grade aged 2-3 months underwent intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin （STZ） to induce the DMED model， and another 10 healthy SD male rats of clean grade aged 2-3 months were assigned to the control group. The model rats were randomly divided into a model group， a sildenafil group （5 mg·kg-1， ig）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose YYQW groups （1.5， 3.0， 6.0 g·kg-1， ig）. The rats in the model group and the control group were given normal saline by gavage at 10 mL·kg-1， once a day for two months. After intervention， the penile erectile function of rats in each group was measured by a pressure detection system. The pathological changes and ultrastructure of penile corpus cavernosum were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and transmission electron microscopy， respectively. The level of NO in the corpus cavernosum was detected by nitrate reductase. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the levels of cGMP and advanced glycation end products （AGEs）. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase （eNOS）， neurogenic nitric oxide synthase （nNOS）， total nitric oxide synthase （NOS）， and phosphodiesterase type5 （PDE5） in rat penile tissues. The expression of above proteins was detected by Western blot. ResultCompared with the control group， the model group showed decreased intracavernous pressure （ICP）， NO， and cGMP levels， reduced mRNA and protein expression of nNOS and NOS， and increased PDE5 mRNA and protein expression （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the sildenafil group and the YYQW groups displayed increased ICP， NO， and cGMP levels， elevated mRNA and protein expression levels of nNOS and NOS， and reduced PDE5 mRNA and protein expression levels （P<0.05）. There were no pathological changes in the tissues and cell ultrastructure of the corpus cavernosum in the control group， while serious pathological changes were observed in the model group. Additionally， the sildenafil group and the YYQW groups were superior to the model group， the optimal effect was observed in the high-dose YYQW group. ConclusionYYQW can improve the penile erectile function of DMED rats and reduce the pathological damage of corpus cavernosum. The mechanism may be related to the promotion of nNOS and NOS expression， the inhibition of PDE5 expression， and the activation of the NO/cGMP signaling pathway.

Involvement of ET-1/eNOS in the ameliorating effect of electroacupuncture on cardiac dysfunction in rats with spontaneously hypertensive / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Neiguan" (PC 6) on cardiac function of ventriculus sinister in rats with spontaneously hypertensive (SHR), and to explore the mediation effect of endothelin-1 (ET-1)/endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS).@*METHODS@#Six 12-week-old male Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were taken as the normal group. Eighteen 12-week-old SHR were randomly divided into a model group, an EA group and a sham EA group, 6 rats in each group. The rats in the EA group were treated with EA (disperse-dense wave, 2 Hz/15 Hz in frequency, 1 mA in current intensity) at "Neiguan" (PC 6), 30 min each time, once a day for 8 weeks. The rats in the sham EA group were treated with superficial needling at "Neiguan" (PC 6) with no electrical stimulation applied. After treatment, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) were tested by echocardiographic analysis. The left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), heart rate (HR), the maximum rate of increase/decrease of left ventricular pressure (±dp/dtmax) were detected. The serum content of ET-1 was detected by ELISA. Western blot was used to evaluate the expression of ETAR, eNOS in myocardial tissue of left ventricular.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the normal group, LVEF, LVFS, +dp/dtmax/LVSP and -dp/dtmax/LVSP were decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05), while LVSP, LVEDP, +dp/dtmax and -dp/dtmax were increased (P<0.01) in the model group. Compared with the model group, LVEF, LVFS, +dp/dtmax/LVSP and -dp/dtmax/LVSP were increased (P<0.01, P<0.05), and LVSP and LVEDP were decreased (P<0.01) in the EA group. Compared with the normal group, the serum content of ET-1 and the expression of ETAR in myocardial tissue were increased (P<0.01), whereas expression of eNOS was decreased (P<0.01) in the model group. Compared with the model group, the serum content of ET-1 and the expression of ETAR in myocardial tissue were decreased (P<0.05), whereas expression of eNOS was increased (P<0.05) in the EA group.@*CONCLUSION@#EA intervention may alleviate hypertensive cardiac function damage by up-regulating the expression of eNOS protein in myocardial tissue, down-regulating the serum content of ET-1 and the expression of ETAR protein in myocardial tissue.

Human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation could improve diabetic intracavernosal pressure / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) secrete various cytokines with angiogenic and neuroprotective effects. This study aimed to assess the effects of human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly-derived MSCs (hWJ-MSCs) on diabetes-related intracavernosal pressure (ICP) impairment in rats. hWJ-MSCs were isolated from human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly and transplanted into the corpus cavernosum of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats by unilateral injection. The erectile function was evaluated at 4 weeks, as well as the expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1). STZ-induced diabetic rats showed impaired ICP, which was significantly improved by hWJ-MSC treatment. VEGF, eNOS, IGF1, and bFGF expression levels were higher in hWJ-MSC injection sites than those in control ones in STZ-induced diabetic rats. These results suggest that hWJ-MSC transplantation might improve diabetic erectile dysfunction through increased production of paracrine growth factors, highlighting a novel potential therapeutic option for erectile dysfunction.

Effect of catheterin-related antimicrobial peptides on the high glucose induced cardiac microvascular endothelial cell injury / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of catheterin-related antimicrobial peptides(CRAMP)on the damage of cardiac microvascular endothelial cells induced by high glucose.Methods:Adult mouse heart microvascular endothelial cells were isolated and cultured.A model of microvascular endothelial cell injury was established by high glucose culture.The endothelial cells were randomly divided into 4 groups as the following.In the control group, 27.5 mmol/L mannitol was given as isoosmotic control as compared with the high glucose group.In the high glucose group(HG group), cells were cultured with 33.3 mmol/L high glucose for 48 h, and then treated without CRAMP.In 0.15 mg/L CRAMP treatment group, cells were cultured with 33.3 mmol/L high glucose for 48 h, followed by 0.15 mg/L CRAMP treatmen for 24 h. In the 0.5 mg/L CRAMP treatment group, cells were cultured with 33.3 mmol/L high glucose treatment for 48 h, and then treated with 0.5 mg/L CRAMP for 24 h. Cell proliferation was examined by staining with CKK-8 cell counting kit.The secretion of inflammatory factors in microvascular endothelial cells was detected by ELISA kit.Reactive oxygen species assay kit detects the level of reactive oxygen species in cells.Cell apoptosis was detected by apoptosis kit.Tubule formation and tubule number were measured by cells cultured on the matrix glue membrane, then detected by microscopic observation.The nitric oxide(NO)test kit measures levels of NO.The expression of nitric oxide synthase(eNOS)was detected by western blotting.Results:The cell proliferation activity was significant lower in the HG group than in control group[(52.2±5.4)% vs.(100.0±7.3)%]. The cell proliferation activity was higher in the 0.15 and 0.5 mg/L CRAMP groups than in the HG group[(72.0±3.4)% vs.(52.2±5.4)%; and(84.2±5.8)% vs.(52.2±5.4)%( F=75.300, P<0.001)]. The expression of tumor necrosis factor-α was significantly higher in the HG group than in the control group and in 0.5 mg/L CRAMP group[HG group of(239.1±32.1)μg/L, the control of(22.1±3.7)μg/L, 0.5 mg/L CRAMP of(84.6±9.4)μg/L]( F=197.300, P<0.001). The level of reactive oxygen species was significantly higher in the HG group than in control group and in 0.5 mg/L CRAMP group[(20.8±2.4)in HG group, (4.8±1.7)in control group, (10.2±1.5)in CRAMP group]( F=105.700, P<0.001). The number of apoptotic cells was significantly higher in the HG group than in control group and in 0.5 mg/L CRAMP group[(21.2±3.1)% in HG group, (2.2±0.6)% in control group(9.5±1.2)% in CRAMP group]( F=141.900, P<0.001). The length and number of tubules were lower in the HG group than in control group and in CRAMP group[for the length: (87.8±9.1)μm in HG group, (337.0±37.2)μm in control group(206.5±16.3)μm in CRAMP group( F=160.800, P<0.001); for the number: (9.1±1.9)in HG group, (22.0±3.4)in control group, (16.8±2.2)]in CRAMP group( F=36.200, P<0.001)]. The level of NO was lower in the HG group than in control group and in CRAMP group[(0.25±0.05)in HG group, (1.05±0.16)in control group, (0.75±0.06)in CRAMP group( F=83.200, P<0.001)]. The protein expression and mRNA levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS)were lower in the HG group than in the control group and in CRAMP group[for eNOS protein: (0.07±0.03)in HG group, (0.81±0.05)in control group, (0.54±0.07)in CRAMP group, F=275.700, P<0.001; and for eNOS mRNA: (0.11±0.07)in HG group, (1.00±0.22)in control group, (0.57±0.12)in CRAMP group, F=50.600, P<0.001]. Conclusions:CRAMP protein can inhibit the damage of cardiac microvascular endothelial cells by increasing eNOS-mediated NO signal pathway.