Danqi Tablet () Regulates Energy Metabolism in Ischemic Heart Rat Model through AMPK/SIRT1-PGC-1α Pathway / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the cardioprotective effect of Danqi Tablet (DQT, ) on ischemic heart model rats and the regulative effect on energy metabolism through peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α).@*METHODS@#Rat ischemic heart model was induced by ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery. Totally 40 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group, model group, DQT group (1.5 mg/kg daily) and trimetazidine (TMZ) group (6.3 mg/kg daily) according to a random number table, 10 rats in each group. Twenty-eight days after continuous administration, cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography and the structures of myocardial cells were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The level of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in myocardial cells was measured by ATP assay kit. Expressions level of key transcriptional regulators, including PGC-1α, Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and downstream targets of PGC-1α, such as mitofusin 1 (MFN1), mitofusin 2 (MFN2) and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) were measured by Western blot. Expression level of PGC-1α was examined by immunohistochemical staining.@*RESULTS@#The rat ischemic heart model was successfully induced and the heart function in model group was compromised. Compared with the model group, DQT exerted cardioprotective effects, up-regulated the ATP production in myocardial cells and inhibited the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the margin area of infarction of the myocardial tissues (P<0.01). The expressions of PGC-1α, SIRT1 and AMPK were increased in the DQT group (all P<0.05). Furthermore, the downstream targets, including MFN1, MFN2 and SOD2 were up-regulated (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the TMZ group, the expression levels of PGC-1α, MFN1 and SOD2 were increased by DQT treatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#DQT regulated energy metabolism in rats with ischemic heart model through AMPK/SIRT1 -PGC-1α pathway. PGC-1α might serve as a promising target in the treatment of ischemic heart disease.

Transcriptome Sequencing Analysis of Chrysomyia Megacephala Pupae in Different Growing Periods / 法医学杂志

Objective To study the growth regulation, environmental adaption and epigenetic regulation of Chrysomyia Megacephala pupae, in order to obtain the transcriptome data of Chrysomyia Megacephala in different growing periods, and lay the foundation for forensic application. Methods The Chrysomyia Megacephala was cultivated and after pupation, 3 pupae were collected every 24 h from pupation to emergence, and stored at -80 ℃ for later use. High-throughput sequencing was performed by Illumina Hiseq 4000 and Unigenes were obtained. The Unigenes were compared by comparison tool BLAST from NCBI in databases such as NR, STRING, SWISS-PROT （including Pfam）, GO, COG, KEGG in order to obtain the corresponding annotation information. The expression amount of Unigenes obtained by sequencing in Chrysomyia Megacephala in six different growing periods was calculated by FPKM method, and the discrepant genes were screened according to the following standards： the log2 multiple absolute value of FPKM expression amount between two different growing periods must be larger than 1 （log2|FC|>1）, and the false discovery rate must be less than 0.05. Results When the mean temperature was 25.6 ℃, Chrysomyia Megacephala emerged 6 d after they pupated. A total of 43 408 pieces of Unigenes were obtained and their mean length was 905 bp, of which 32 500, 18 720, 13 542, 9 191 and 18 720 pieces were annotated by NR, SWISS-PORT, Pfam, STRING and KEGG databases. According to the discrepant gene analysis of pupae in two different growing periods, the number of genes with variants ranged from 801 to 5 307, and the total number of discrepant genes was 45 676. Conclusion The gene expressions of the transcriptome data of Chrysomyia Megacephala pupae in different growing periods are different. The results provided a good foundation for further research on the transcriptome changes in each period of the pupae of sarcosaprophagous flies and provided the basis for exploring the genes associated with the growth of Chrysomyia Megacephala pupae.

Cardioprotective effects of Qishen Granule () on sarcoplasmic reticulum Cahandling in heart failure rats / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the effects of Qishen Granule (, QSG) on sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Cahandling in heart failure (HF) model of rats and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HF rat models were induced by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation surgery and high-fat diet feeding. Rats were randomly divided into sham (n=10), model (n=10), QSG (n=12, 2.2 g/kg daily) and metoprolol groups (n=12, 10.5 mg/kg daily). The therapeutic effects of QSG were evaluated by echocardiography and blood lipid testing. Intracellular Caconcentration and sarco-endoplasmic reticulum ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) activity were detected by specifific assay kits. Expressions of the critical regulators in SR Cahandling were evaluated by Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HF model of rats developed ventricular remodeling accompanied with calcium overload and defective Carelease-uptake cycling in cardiomyocytes. Treatment with QSG improved contractive function, attenuated ventricular remodeling and reduced the basal intracellular Calevel. QSG prevented defective Caleak by attenuating hyperphosphorylation of ryanodine receptor 2, inhibiting expression of protein kinase A and up-regulating transcriptional expression of protein phosphatase 1. QSG also restored Cauptake by up-regulating expression and activity of SERCA2a and promoting phosphorylation of phospholamban.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>QSG restored SR Cacycling in HF rats and served as an ideal alternative drug for treating HF.</p>

Complementary application of HSCCC and semi-preparative HPLC for rapid separation of phenylethanoid glycosides from penstemon digitalis / 中草药·英文版

Objective: Echinacoside and verbascoside are known for their excellent neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative activities, therefore large amount of pure compounds are urgently needed as authentic standards for various in vivo and in vitro studies. Nowadays, they are abundenty extracted from endangered Cistanche spp. Phytochemical studies revealed that Penstemon spp., comprising about 280 species, were rich natural sources for the exploitation and large scale preparation of phenylethanoid glycosides. Thus, rapid isolation and purification of various phenylethanoid glycosides from Penstemon spp. were necessary. Methods: The crude extract of P. digitalis was first enriched by AB-8, and then the high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) combined with semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was adopted to isolate and purify echinacoside and verbascoside. Results: Eventually, verbascoside (67.2 mg) with the purity of 92.6% and echinacoside (3.96 mg) with the purity of 98.9% were obtained from 5 g powdered leaves of P. digitalis. Conclusion: The present mode of HSCCC coupled with semi-preparative HPLC could be a powerful method for the rapid isolation and purification of other phenylethanoid glycosides. © 2013 Tianjin Press of Chinese Herbal Medicines.

Correlation of CD82 and hTERT expressions and HPV infection with penile cancer / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the correlation of the expressions of CD82 and hTERT and HPV infection with the clinical pathological features of penile cancer and identify their prognostic significance in the lymphatic metastasis of the disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 44 patients underwent partial or radical penectomy and lymph node dissection. The expressions of CD82 and hTERT were determined by immunohistochemistry, and HPV infection was detected by PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rates of CD82, hTERT, and HPV DNA in penile carcinoma were 47.7%, 38.6% and 25.9%, respectively. The amplified HPV DNA was HPV-16. The pathological stage and hTERT expression were positively correlated with inguinal lymph node metastasis of penile cancer (P = 0.032, P = 0.041), and so was the pathological stage with the expression of CD82 (P = 0.045), but neither the pathological stage, nor the expression of CD82 or the positive rate of HPV DNA showed any correlation with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.627, P = 0.094, P = 0.633).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The pathological grade and hTERT expression are independent prognostic factors for lymph node metastasis in penile carcinoma. These features help the prognosis and identification of the patient at the risk of nodal metastasis.</p>

Gene expression profiling study of HPV-16 positive and HPV-negative esophageal squamous cell carcinoma / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the difference in gene expression between human papillomavirus (HPV)16-positive and HPV-negative esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC) .</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eight HPV 16-positive and seven HPV-negative ESCC specimens were evaluated by PCR. The samples were then determined for gene expression profiling using Solexa Sequencing Chip followed by bioinformatics analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 796 differentially expressed genes between HPV 16-positive and HPV-negative ESCC were observed. Among them, 366 were up-regulated while 430 were down-regulated. Functional classification and pathway analysis showed that the functions of these genes were mostly related to tumor morphology, immune, and inflammatory response, cellular growth and proliferation and cellular movement. Of these, factors related to immune and inflammation were the most representative.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Differences in immunologic factors may be associated with HPV infection in esophageal cancer.</p>