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BACKGROUND: Low-frequency ultrasound combined with Tongluo Zhitong herbs can effectively relieve pain and improve joint function of patients with osteoarthritis, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of low-frequency ultrasound combined with Tongluo Zhitong herbs on urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and inflammatory cytokines of osteoarthritis rabbits and the related mechanisms.METHODS: Forty rabbits were randomly divided into four groups: normal, model, control, and experimental groups. The normal group was treated with normal feeding, not for any processing. For the other three groups, papain was injected into the rabbit knee articular cavity to establish osteoarthritis models. One week later, the experimental group was treated with low frequency ultrasound combined with Tongluo Zhitong herbs for 3 weeks, the control group treated with the same volume of normal saline, and the model group received no intervention. The levels of inflammatory cytokines in the serum and synovial fluid were measured, the histological changes of synovial tissues and articular cartilage were evaluated using Mankin's score, and the expression levels of uPA and its receptor were determined by western blot assay.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The levels of inflammatory cytokines in the model group were significantly higher than those in the normal and experimental groups (P 0.05). Compared with the model group, in the experimental group, the expression levels of uPA and its receptor were significantly downregulated,and the expression of uPA inhibitor was notably upregulated. These data show that low-frequency ultrasound combined with Tongluo Zhitong herbs attenuates inflammatory reaction in the synovial tissues, by inhibiting the formation of joint fluid and production of inflammatory cytokines, which is an effective treatment for knee osteoarthritis.
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Objective To investigate the relationship between serum pregnancy associated plasma protein A (PAAA‐A) ex‐pression and gene polymorphism with the severity of coronary lesions in the patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) .Methods Ninety‐eight patients with CHD in the Nanyang Municipal Central Hospital were selected as the observation group and divided into single vessel lesion group and multiple vessel lesion group according to coronary angiographic results .Ninety‐eight individuals un‐dergoing healthy physical examination were selected as the control group .The venous blood was collected at the visiting hospital in the observation group and at the physical examination in the control group for detecting the serum PAPP‐A protein level by ELISA .PAPP‐A gene and IVS6+ 95 polymorphism were analyzed by adopting polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR‐RELP) .Results Compared with the control group ,peripheral blood PAPP‐A protein level in the obser‐vation group was significantly increased(P<0 .05) ,moreover the PAPP‐A protein level in the multiple vessel lesion group was sig‐nificantly higher than that of the single vessel lesion group (P<0 .05) .The peripheral blood PAPP‐A level was positively correlated with the severity of CHD .Three genotypes existed in PAPP‐A gene IVS6+95 locus ,including CG heterozygous ,homozygous CC and GG homozygous type .The CC homozygous allele frequency in the patients with multiple vessel lesion was higher than that in the patients with single vessel lesion (P<0 .05) .Conclusion The PAPP‐A protein level and IVS6+95 polymorphism have a close relation with the severity of coronary lesions in patients with CHD .CC genotype may be one of genetic susceptibility gene markers in the patients with CHD .
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Objective To evaluate the role of protein kinase Cα( PKCα)?nuclear factor E2?related factor 2 ( Nrf2)?heme oxygenase?1 ( HO?1) signaling pathway on endotoxic shock?induced acute lung injury ( ALI) in rabbits. Methods Thirty healthy male New Zealand white rabbits, aged 2 months, weighing 2?0-2?5 kg, were randomly divided into 3 groups ( n=10 each) using a random number table: normal control group ( group C);ALI group ( group ALI);PKCα inhibitor chelerythrine group ( group CHE) . In group CHE, chelerythrine 8 mg∕kg ( in 0?5 ml of DMSO) was injected intraperitoneally, and 30 min later, LPS 5 mg∕kg ( in 2 ml of normal saline) was injected via the auricular vein to induce ALI in ALI and CHE groups. The rabbits were then sacrificed at 6 h after injection of LPS or normal saline, and the lungs were removed for examination of the pathological changes which were scored and for determination of wet∕dry lung weight ratio ( W∕D ratio) , and the expression of Nrf2 and HO?1 protein and mRNA. Results Compared with group C, the pathological score and W∕D ratio were significantly increased, and the expression of Nrf2 and HO?1 protein and mRNA was up?regulated in ALI and CHE groups. The pathological score and W∕D ratio were significantly higher, and the expression of Nrf2 and HO?1 protein and mRNA was lower in group CHE than in group ALI. Conclusion The PKCα?Nrf2?HO?1 signaling pathway is one of the endogenous protective mechanisms underlying endotoxic shock?induced ALI in rabbits.
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Objective To compare the performance of two commercially available ELISA kits for detection of diphtheria IgG antibody to provide data for the proper kit choice. Methods Thirty-three serum samples from staff of the capital airdrome and two standard sera were tested for the evaluation of the kits.Commercial ELISAs were compared with respect to their reproducibility(intra-assay variation and inter-assay variation)and accuracy.Results For the detection of standard serum,intra-assay variation(Coefficient of Variation,CV)was 13.5507% for IBL kit and 5.9541% for Virion kit,the inter-assay variation(CV)was 9.9890% for IBL and 2.4728% for Virion kit.For the serum sample,intra-assay variation(CV)was 14.5270% for IBL and 11.0612% for Virion,the inter-assay variation(CV)11.0039% for IBL and 8.1506% for Virion kit.For the detection of standard serum,inter-assay variation(CV)was 9.9890% for IBL and 2.4728% for Virion.The accuracy was analyzed by variation between the actual concentration and measured concentration of standard serum,the CV was 17.6889% for IBL and 1.3966% for Virion.Conclusion The intra-assay and inter-assay variation of the two kits are generally acceptable(CV