Baicalin increases connexin 43 expression in striatal astrocytes of rats with Parkinson’s disease / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: In the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease, connexin 43 is an important regulatory protein, and the underlying mechanism of connexin 43 in reducing the damage of dopamine neurons is still unclear. Baicalin has been shown to inhibit the inflammation and oxidative stress of Parkinson’s disease, and can protect dopamine neurons from deformation in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of baicalin on the behavior and the expression of connexin 43 in astrocytes in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease. METHODS: Eighty Sprague-Dawley rats were enrolled. Ten randomly selected rats received no intervention (control group), and Parkinson’s disease was induced by unilateral bisite (median substantia nigra, striatum) lesions using 6-hydroxydopamine stereotaxic apparatus in the remaining rats. The model rats received the treatment of normal saline (model group), 125 mg/kg Madopar, 50 and 100 mg/kg baicalin, respectively, for 28 consecutive days. The changes in rotational behavior were observed by behavioral tests. The number of cells positive for tyrosine hydroxylase was determined by immunohistochemistry. The expression of connexin 43 was detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Behavioral results: there was no rotational behavior in the control group before and after intervention. In the other four groups, the model group rats exhibited rotational behaviors at 5 minutes after apomorphine injection, all were at a speed of 13 r/min before treatment (P ＞ 0.05). Compared with the model group, the number of rotations in the Madopar and high-dose baicalin groups was significantly decreased (P ＜ 0.01). There was no significant difference in the number of cells positive for tyrosine hydroxylase in the nigra between model and low-dose baicalin groups (P ＞ 0.05). The number of cells positive for tyrosine hydroxylase in the Madopar and high-dose baicalin groups was significantly greater than that in the model group (P ＜ 0.01). There was a significant increase in the expression of connexin 43 in the model group compared with the control group (P ＜ 0.01). The expression level did not differ significantly between model and low-dose baicalin groups (P ＞ 0.05). The expression level in the Madopar and high-dose baicalin groups was significantly lower than that in the model group (P ＜ 0.01). In conclusion, 100 mg/kg baicalin can significantly improve the rotational behavior of rats with Parkinson’s disease, significantly increase the number of tyrosine hydrogenase-positive cells, and alleviate the damage of Parkinson’s disease neurons caused by 6-hydroxydopamine. Additionally, baicalin can down-regulate connexin 43 expression in astrocytes of rats with Parkinson’s disease.

Association Analysis of Proteasome Subunits and Transporter Associated with Antigen Processing on Chinese Patients with Parkinson's Disease / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Proteasome subunits (PSMB) and transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) loci are located in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) Class II region play important roles in immune response and protein degradation in neurodegenerative diseases. This study aimed to explore the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of PSMB and TAP and Parkinson's disease (PD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A case-control study was conducted by genotyping SNPs in PSMB8, PSMB9, TAP1, and TAP2 genes in the Chinese population. Subjects included 542 sporadic patients with PD and 674 healthy controls. Nine identified SNPs in PSMB8, PSMB9, TAP1, and TAP2 were genotyped through SNaPshot testing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The stratified analysis of rs17587 was specially performed on gender. Data revealed that female patients carry a higher frequency of rs17587-G/G versus (A/A + G/A) compared with controls. But there was no significant difference with respect to the genotypic frequencies of the SNPs in PSMB8, TAP1, and TAP2 loci in PD patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Chinese females carrying the rs17587-G/G genotype in PSMB9 may increase a higher risk for PD, but no linkage was found between other SNPs in HLA Class II region and PD.</p>

Study of adult insomnia and sleep habits in Bozhou region / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To investigate the prevalence rate of insomnia and its influence factor in adults from Bozhou region,and determine the correlation of sleep hygiene with insomnia in adult population.Methods Eight hundred and three subjects were recruited in the study by multi-stage stratified random sampling from people aged 18 years or more than 18 years.Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS)and sleep hygiene practices scale were used to evaluate the insomnia and its related factors.Results One hundred and ninety-two adults(23.9％)were identified as insomnia with dissatisfaction of sleep quality,shortage of sleep time(＜56.5 h/night)and earlier wake-up than expectation as its main manifestations; and the prevalence rate ofinsomnia in females(98/354,27.7 ％)was significantly higher as compared with that in males(94/449,20.9％,P＜0.05); prepared military personnel enjoyed the highest insomnia rate(37/99,37.3％),followed by freelance/temporaries(55/181,30.4％)with significant difference between these 2 groups(P＜0.05).The correlation analysis between the total scores of AIS and problems of sleep hygiene indicated that such factors as prescription of sleep medication,hunger at bed,drinking in purpose of helping sleeping,and worry about insomnia beofore sleep or at daytime were positively related to the total scores ofAIS(P＜0.05); nap or snooze was negatively related to the total scores of AIS(P＜0.05).Conclusion There is a high proportion of insomnia in prepared military personnel and freelance/temporaries from Bozhou region; poor sleep hygiene habits as prescription of sleep medication,hunger at bed,drinking in purpose of helping sleeping,and worry about insomnia beofore sleep or at daytime can induce insomnia.

Clinic diagnosis and treatment of patients with Cantrell syndrome / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the diagnostic feature, treatment and prognosis of patients with Cantrell syndrome.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical manifestation, diagnosis, operation and follow-up data of 5 patients with Cantrell syndrome were summarized in this retrospective analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The age of the 5 patients was 7 days-76 years, definite diagnosis was made in 3 cases and 2 cases presented feature of incomplete Cantrell syndrome. Three patients with full Cantrell syndrome were correctly diagnosed before operation and confirmed by operation. One patient with incomplete Cantrell syndrome (two-vessel stenosis) received bypass surgery. Another asymptomatic patient with incomplete Cantrell syndrome (apical diverticulum of the left ventricle) does not need operation and is under observation. During follow-up, 1 patient died at 60 months after operation and the remaining 4 patients are alive and well.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>With the development of modern imaging technology, it becomes easy to make correct diagnose Cantrell syndrome before operation. Prognosis is fine post timely operation and related intervention.</p>

Protective mechanism of insulin on paraquat-induced PC12 cells / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To investigate the protective mechanism of insulin on paraquat-induced PC12 cells. Methods Based on the Part (insulin can protect the paraquat-induced PC12 cells), immunoprecipitation and Western blotting were employed to observe the protein expressions of INR Tyr~(1162/1163) and AktSer~(473) in the group of normal PC12 cells, group of insulin interfered PC12 cells, group of PQ-induced PC12 cells and group of PQ combined with insulin interfered PC12 cells, respectively. Results Group of insulin interfered PCI2 cells and group of PQ combined with insulin interfered PC12 cells showed expression of phosphorylation protein INR Tyr~(1162/1163), while the other groups without insulin intervention did not show the expression of that. The expression of phosphorylation protein INR Tyr~(1162/1163) in the group of insulin interfered PC12 cells was higher than that in the group of PQ combined with insulin interfered PC12 cells, but statistical analysis showed no significant difference between the 2 groups (P>0.05). Meanwhile, the expression of phosphorylation protein AktSer~(473) in the group of insulin interfered PC 12 cells was obviously higher than that in the group of PQ combined with insulin interfered PC12 cells (P<0.05). Conclusion The increased expression of phosphorylation protein INR Tyr~(1162/1163) and AktSer~(473) might be one of the clues in proving that insulin may have the protective effect on PC12 cells.

Pramipexole combined with Madopar vs Madopar alone for treatment of Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled clinical trial / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To assess the therapeutic effect and safety ofpramipexole combined with Madopar and Madopar alone in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods This randomized, controlled open-label trial involved 70 PD patients who were randomly assigned to receive pramipexole combined with Madopar (n=35) or Madopar alone (n=35) for 12 consecutive weeks. The therapeutic effect was assessed primarily by the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). The main effect was motor symptoms of UPDRS Ⅲ and activities of daily living of UPDRS Ⅱ. The secondary effect was the changes relative to the baseline levels in the consciousness, behavior, and emotion of UPDRS Ⅰ, the complications of UPDRS Ⅳ and daily Madopar dosage. The safety of the drugs was evaluated according to the adverse reactions. Results Compared to the baseline levels, 12 weeks of treatment with pramipexole combined with Madopar resulted in significantly greater reduction in the total scores ofUPDRS Ⅲ than Madopar alone (11.40 vs 9.26, P<0.05), but the reduction in the total DOI: 10.3760/cma.j .issn. 1671.8925.2009.07.010scores of UPDRS Ⅱ and UPDRS Ⅰ was comparable between the two treatments (4.57 vs 4.50 and 0.66 vs 1.14, respectively, P>0.05). The combined treatment reduced the total score of UPDRS Ⅳ by 0.22 whereas Madopar alone increased the score by 0.06, showing significant difference between the two treatments (P<0.05). The daily Madopar dosage in the combined treatment group was decrease by 163.57 rag, but that in Medopar group increased by 8.57 rag (P<0.05). The frequencies of wearing-off, symptom fluctuation and movement disorder were significantly lower in combined treatment group than in Madopar group. Obvious wearing-off, symptom fluctuation and movement disorder occurred in Madopar group, which were not noted in the combined treatment group but two patients developed sudden sleep, one reported drowsiness, and another exhibited orthostatic hypotension. Conclusion Pramipexole combined with Madopar results in better improvement of the motor symptoms than Madopar alone in PD patients, but they show similar effect on the activities of daily living and consciousness, behavioral and emotional changes. Pramipexole can significantly decrease the daily dose of Madopar and help reduce the complications, suggesting its safety and effectiveness in the treatment of PD, but its adverse effects should be given due attention in clinical application.