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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Fritillariae cirrhosae bulbus on airway inflammation and ERK/MAPK signal pathway of asthma model mice, and to explore its possible mechanism of the treatment of asthma. METHODS: The asthma model was induced by egg albumin. A total of 40 model mice were randomly divided into model group (0. 5％ carboxymethyl cellulose, intragastric administration), positive control group (0. 5 mg/kg dexamethasone, intraperitoneal injection), Fritillariae cirrhosae bulbus low-dose and high-dose groups (9. 0, 18. 0 mg/kg, intragastric administration), with 10 mice in each group. Other 10 normal mice were included in normal group (0. 5％ carboxymethyl cellulose, intragastric administration). They were given medicine once a day for consecutive 28 d. After medication, the number of total cells and differential cells (neutrophils, macrophages, lymphocytes and eosinophils) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of mice were counted. The pathological morphology of bronchial smooth muscle in mice was observed under light microscope, and the inflammatory score was scored; the activities of ERK, phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK), p38 MAPK and phosphorylated p38 MAPK (p-p38 MAPK) were measured by ELISA. The protein expression of ERK, p-ERK, p38 MAPK and p-p38 MAPK in lung tissue were determined by Western blot assay. mRNA expression of ERK and p38 MAPK were determined by real time fluorescent quantitative PCR. RESULTS: Compared with normal group, the number of total cells and differential cells in BALF of mice, inflammation score, the activities of p-ERK and p-p38 MAPK in lung tissues were increased significantly of mice in model group (P<0. 01); the protein expression of p-ERK and p-p38 MAPK, mRNA expression of ERK and p38 MAPK were increased significantly in lung tissue of mice in model group (P<0. 01). Compared with model group, above indexes of treatment groups were all improved significantly (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). CONCLUSIONS: Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus can improve airway inflammation in asthma model mice, the mechanisms of which may be related to inhibiting the activation of ERK/MAPK signal pathway.
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BACKGROUND:Numerous studies have shown that mesenchymal stem cel s (MSCs) can effectively attenuate the fibrosis of damaged heart, lung and kidney by secreting various bioactive factors. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the anti-fibrotic therapeutic potential of bone marrow MSCs conditioned media in vitro. METHODS:Normal fibroblasts and hypertrophic scar fibroblasts were treated with bone marrow MSCs conditioned media, then transforming growth factor-βand col agen production were analyzed by ELISA, and mRNA expression level of Smad7 and hydroxyproline content were detected by RT-PCR and colorimetry, respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Bone marrow MSCs conditioned media significantly inhibited the production of both transforming growth factor-βand col agen in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts (P<0. 01), and up-regulated the mRNA expression level of Smad7 (P<0. 01), a major inhibitory regulator in the SMAD family. However, the normal fibroblasts were scarcely influenced by bone marrow MSCs conditioned media. These findings indicate that bone marrow MSCs conditioned media is considered a promising candidate for the treatment of hypertrophic scars, which may provide new theoretical supports to reduce cutaneous scarring.
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Objective To explore the effects of gross saponins of Tribulus terrestris L.on inflammatory reaction and permeability of blood-brain barrier in rats following cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and their potential mechanisms. Methods Sixty SD rats were divided into sham operation group,model control group,gross saponins of Tribulus terrestris L.at low-dose (10 mg?kg-1 )and high-dose groups(30 mg?kg-1 ).Cerebral ischemia -reperfusion model was established with suture emboli method in middle cerebral artery of rats.Neural injury scores,the contents of Evans blue ( EB) and myeloperoxidase( MPO) activities in rat brain were measured 24 hours after the cerebral reperfusion post 2 h ischemia.Content of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in rat brain was detected by ELISA; expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9) in rat brain was determined by Western blot. Results Compared to the model control group,the neurological deficit scores were significantly decreased(P<0.05),MPO activities and EB contents decreased(P< 0.05 or P< 0.01) in the treatment groups.The expression levels of TNF-α were significantly lower in the treatment groups(0.760±0.110) mg?g-1 and (0.670±0.073) mg?g-1 compared to (0.920±0.128) mg?g-1 in the model control group ( P< 0.05 or P< 0.01). The MMP-9 expression levels were (1.770± 0.181)% and(1.480±0.146)%,significantly lower than(2.200±0.186)% in the model control group(P<0.01). Conclusion Gross saponins of Tribulus terrestris L. exert neuroprotective effects on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats through inhibiting the inflammatory reaction and decreasing the permeability of blood-brain barrier,which may be associated with the decrease of the TNF-α content and downregulation of the MMP-9 expression.