Genistein regulates miR-21 to promote the apoptosis in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells / 药学学报

The research is aimed to investigate the effect of genistein (GEN) on the apoptosis in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW264.7 cells and explore the pharmacological mechanism of GEN anti-atherosclerosis (AS). RAW264.7 cells were activated by LPS, the level of TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA were detected by qRT-PCR, the expression of COX-2 and iNOS were detected by Western blot. RAW264.7 cells were pretreated with GEN for 2 h, and then incubated with LPS for 24 h. After that, CCK8 kit was used for the cell viability, Annexin V-FITC/PI kit for the apoptosis of cell. qRT-PCR was used to detect the level of CHOP, caspase-3 and miR-21. Western blot was used to detect the expression of CHOP and caspase-3. Results showed that LPS (1 000 ng·mL-1) increased the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, COX-2 and iNOS in RAW264.7 cells compared with that in control group. GEN inhibited the cell activity and the level of miR-21, promoted the expression of CHOP and caspase-3 in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. miR-21 up inhibited the expression of CHOP and caspase-3 in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells and this process was reversed by GEN treatment. miR-21 down promoted the expression of CHOP and caspase-3, which were further enhanced by GEN. These results indicate that GEN promotes the apoptosis of RAW264.7 cells activated by LPS through down regulating miR-21 and activating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway.

Association of menopausal specific fat distribution changes with metabolic risk factors / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of menopausal specific fat distribution with metabolic risk factors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred Chinese women including 110 premenopausal women aged 39.7±9.2 y and 90 postmenopausal women aged 55.4±4.6 years were enrolled. Total and regional fat depots including android fat and gynoid fat were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The differences of regional fat depot between pre-and post menopausal women were compared by covariate analysis. The association of regional fat changes with metabolic risk factors were analyzed by logistic models.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Gynoid fat was significantly decreased in postmenopausal women after accounting for total fat changes. After adjusting covariates (including age, BMI, and %BF), the inverse associations of gynoid fat with metabolic risk factors still remained (OR=1.8-3.7,P<0.05). Furthermore, the interaction between menopause and gynoid fat was significantly in all logistic models (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Android fat was increased whereas gynoid fat was decreased after menopause. Opposite to the detrimental effects of android fat, gynoid fat was inversely associated with metabolic risk factors, especially in postmenopausal women.</p>

Application of artificial neural network in predicting tacrolimus concentrations in kidney transplantation recipients / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To establish an artificial neural network (ANN) for predicting tacrolimus concentrations in kidney transplantation recipients. METHODS: Three hundred and twenty-two tacrolimus concentration data from 55 Chinese kidney transplantation recipients were collected. ANN was established after the network parameters were optimized by using momentum method combined with genetic algorithm. Furthermore, the performance of ANN was compared with that of multiple linear regression (MLR). RESULTS: When using the accumulated dose of tacrolimus in the 6 d before TDM as the input factor, the mean prediction error and mean absolute prediction error of ANN were (0.13±1.91) and (1.49±1.22) ng·L-1, respectively. The absolute prediction errors for 87.9% of the test data set were less than 3.0 ng·L-1. The accuracy and precision of ANN were superior to those of MLR. CONCLUSION: The correlation, accuracy and precision of ANN are good enough to predict tacrolimus concentration.

Prediction of blood tacrolimus concentration in liver transplantation recipients by artificial neural network / 药学学报

This study is to establish an artificial neural network (ANN) for predicting blood tacrolimus concentration in liver transplantation recipients. Tacrolimus concentration samples (176 samples) from 37 Chinese liver transplantation recipients were collected. ANN established after network parameters were optimized by using momentum method combined with genetic algorithm. Furthermore, the performance of ANN was compared with that of multiple linear regression (MLR). When using accumulated dose of 4 days before therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of tacrolimus concentration as input factor, mean prediction error and mean absolute prediction error of ANN were 0.02 +/- 2.40 ng x mL(-1) and 1.93 +/- 1.37 ng x mL(-1), respectively. The absolute prediction error of 84.6% of testing data sets was less than 3.0 ng x mL(-1). Accuracy and precision of ANN are superior to those of MLR. The correlation, accuracy and precision of ANN are good enough to predict blood tacrolimus concentration.

Evaluation of a rabbit model of abdominal aorta atherosclerosis / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the methods for non-invasive evaluation of a rabbit model of aorta atherosclerosis model.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixteen male New Zealand rabbits (n=16) were randomized into the experimental group and control group and fed with high-cholesterol diet and normal diet after balloon injury in the abdominal aorta, respectively. Eight weeks later, pathological examination, angiography and surface ultrasonography were carried out to evaluate the plaques in the aorta.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After feeding with high-cholesterol diet for 8 weeks, the weight, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were significantly increased in the rabbits (P<0.001), and atherosclerosis in the abdominal aorta was directly observed using angiography and surface ultrasonography. The rate of vasoconstriction showed significant difference between the experimental group and control group (t=5.921, P=0.000). In the experimental rabbits, the vasoconstriction increased obviously after drug stimulation with high lumen eccentricity index. A significant positive correlation was noted between the lumen eccentricity index and the rate of vasoconstriction (r=0.983, P=0.000).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A rabbit model of abdominal aorta atherosclerosis can be established rapidly by balloon injury and high-cholesterol diet. The aortic wall thickness, lumen diameter and lumen eccentricity index determined by surface ultrasonography can be used to evaluate the validity of the model establishment and the nature of the plaque.</p>

Association of dendritic cell distribution with intima hyperplasia in rats with diabetes mellitus / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of dendritic cell distribution in the peripheral blood, spleen and arterial wall with intimal hyperplasia in rats with diabetes mellitus.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Diabetes mellitus was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin and high-fat feeding for 8 weeks. Peripheral blood, arterial wall and the spleen were collected from the rats to prepare cell suspensions, in which the proportions of dendritic cells and T cells were determined by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The tunica intimal hyperplasia was more obvious in diabetic rats with or without high-fat feeding as compared with that of the control rats (P<0.05), and their dendritic cells decreased significantly in the peripheral blood (P<0.05) but increased in the arterial wall. The percentage of T cells was also increased in the peripheral blood and arterial wall of the diabetic rats.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Changes in the distribution of dendritic cells and T cells are closely associated with intimal hyperplasia in diabetic rats, suggesting the involvement of dendritic cells and T cells in the formation of atherosclerosis.</p>

Peripheral dendritic cell subpopulation changes in patients with coronary artery disease / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the peripheral dendritic cell subpopulation changes in patients with or without coronary artery disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 60 patients with angiographic documented coronary artery disease (CAD) were recruited in this study, including 20 cases with acute myocardial infarction (AMI group), 20 cases with unstable angina(UA group) and 20 patients with stable angina (SA group). Eleven patients with chest pain and without coronary stenosis served as chest pain control (CPS group). Ten cases without heart diseases served as normal control (Normal control group). Numbers of peripheral myeloid dendritic cell (mDC) and plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC) precursors were determined by FACS.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The proportions of mDC precursors were significantly lower in UA group and AMI group (4.7% +/- 2.6%, 5.0% +/- 2.7%) than that in SA, CPS and control groups (11.0% +/- 6.4%, 12.0% +/- 3.9%, 12.3% +/- 3.3%, respectively, all P < 0.001). pDC numbers were similar among groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Reduced circulating mDC subsets in patients with unstable angina and AMI might suggest enhanced mDC recruitment to vulnerable plaques in these patients.</p>