Protective effect of excretory-secretory proteins from Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae against myocardial injury in septic mice / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the protective effect of excretory-secretory proteins from Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae (Ts-MES) on sepsis-induced myocardial injury in mice.@*METHODS@#Eighty male BALB/C mice were randomized equally into sham-operated group, myocardial injury group, Ts-MES treatment group and dexamethasone treatment group. In the latter 3 groups, sepsis-induced myocardial injury models were established by cecal ligation and perforation; the sham operation was performed by exposure of the cecum without ligation or perforation. Forty minutes after the operation, the mice were given intraperitoneal injections 150 μL PBS, 20 μg TS-MES or 0.3 mg/kg dexamethasone as indicated. At 12 h after the operation, 6 mice were randomly selected from each group for echocardiography, and 8 mice were used for observing the survival rate within 72 h. The remaining 6 mice were examined for myocardial pathologies with HE staining and serum levels of NTPro-BNP and cTnI with ELISA; the expressions of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10 and TGF-β in the serum and myocardial tissue were detected using ELISA and qRT-PCR.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the sham-operated mice, the septic mice showed significantly decreased cardiac function indexes (LVEF, LVFS, and E/A) with lowered survival rate within 72 h (P < 0.001) and significantly higher myocardial injury scores and serum levels of NTPro-BNP and cTnI (P < 0.01). Treatment with TS-MES significantly improved the cardiac function and 72-h survival rate (P < 0.05) and lowered the myocardial injury scores and serum levels of NTPro-BNP and cTnI (P < 0.05) in the septic mice. Compared with the sham-operated mice, the septic mice had obviously increased TNF-α and IL-6 levels in the serum and myocardial tissue (P < 0.001), which were significantly lowered by treatment with TS-MES (P < 0.05). TS-MES and dexamethasone both increased the levels of IL-10 and TGF-β in the septic mice, but the changes were significant only in TS-MES-treated mice (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Ts-MES are capable of protecting against myocardial injury in septic mice by reducing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhancing the levels of regulatory cytokines.

Effect of Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 on Adherence Between Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Endothelial Progenitor Cells / 中国实验血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) on the adherence between mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>MSC and EPC were isolated, cultured and expanded from the 6-8 weeks aged C57BL/6 murine bone marrow by in vitro. Immuno-fluorescence was used to detect the expression of ICAM-1 in MSC group, EPC group and co-cultured MSC and EPC group. The mRNA and protein levels of ICAM-1 were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively, then, the ICAM-1 adherence between MSC and EPC was observed by adding different concentration of neutralizing antibody.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of ICAM-1 on surface of MSC and EPC could be detected by cell immunofluorescence method. According to results of the semiquantitative fluorescene detection, the fluorescence strength of MSC+EPC co-cultured group (89.02 ± 24.52) was higher than that of MSC group (31.25 ± 2.95) and EPC group (34.32 ± 5.02), and there was statistical difference between them (P < 0.01), but there was no obvious difference between MSC group and EPC group (P > 0.05). RT-PCR detection showed that the expression levels of ICAM-1 in MSC+EPC co-cultured group were higher than that in MSC group and that in EPC group (P < 0.01), and expression level of ICAM in EPC group was higher than that in MSC group (P < 0.01). Western blot detection showed that the expression level of ICAM-1 protein in MSC+EPC co-cultured group (0.33 ± 0.4) was higher than that in MSC group (0.11 ± 0.01) (P < 0.05) and than that in EPC group (0.19+0.02) (P < 0.05), However, the expression level of ICAM-1 protein in EPC group was higher than that in MSC group (P < 0.05). The test of different concentrations against neutralizing antibody showed that with the increasing of concentration of ICAM-1 neutralizing antibody, the adhesion capability of MSC and EPC was gradually decreasing.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The ICAM-1 can mediate the adherence process between MSC and EPC.</p>

Pericyst may be a new pharmacological and therapeutic target for hydatid disease / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Most hydatid cysts with calcified walls are biologically and clinically silent and inactive. Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) plays a critical role in the calcification process of cells. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of modulating TGF-β1 signaling on the calcification of hydatid cysts.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Pericyst cells isolated from hepatic hydatid cysts were cultured with osteogenic media. These cells were assessed for alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralization capacity using Alizarin Red staining. Cells were also treated with recombinant human TGF-β1 and TGF-β inhibitor, and the expression profiles of osteoblast markers (RUNX2, osterix, and osteocalcin) were analyzed using Western blotting. The effects of inhibiting TGF-β1 signaling on calcification of pericyst walls were assessed using different doses of TGF-β inhibitor for 7 weeks in a preclinical disease model of liver cystic echinococcosis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Cells within the pericyst displayed high levels of alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralized nodule formation, as induced by osteogenic media. These activities, as well as expression profiles of osteoblast markers (RUNX2, osterix, and osteocalcin) could be inhibited by addition of recombinant human TGF-β1 (rhTGF-β1) and enhanced by TGF-β inhibitor. In the animal model of cystic echinococcosis, inhibition of TGF-β1 signaling increased calcification of the pericyst wall, which was associated with decreased cyst load index and lower viability of protoscoleces.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Cells within the pericysts adopt an osteoblast-like phenotype and have osteogenic potential. Inhibition of TGF-β1 signaling increases hydatid cyst calcification. Pharmacological modulation of calcification in pericysts may be a new therapeutic target in the treatment of hydatid disease.</p>