Catalpol ameliorates LPS-induced endometritis by inhibiting inflammation and TLR4/NF-κB signaling / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Catalpol is the main active ingredient of an extract from Radix rehmanniae, which in a previous study showed a protective effect against various types of tissue injury. However, a protective effect of catalpol on uterine inflammation has not been reported. In this study, to investigate the protective mechanism of catalpol on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced bovine endometrial epithelial cells (bEECs) and mouse endometritis, in vitro and in vivo inflammation models were established. The Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway and its downstream inflammatory factors were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blot (WB), and immunofluorescence techniques. The results from ELISA and qRT-PCR showed that catalpol dose-dependently reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6, and chemokines such as C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8) and CXCL5, both in bEECs and in uterine tissue. From the experimental results of WB, qRT-PCR, and immunofluorescence, the expression of TLR4 and the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 were markedly inhibited by catalpol compared with the LPS group. The inflammatory damage to the mouse uterus caused by LPS was greatly reduced and was accompanied by a decline in myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. The results of this study suggest that catalpol can exert an anti-inflammatory impact on LPS-induced bEECs and mouse endometritis by inhibiting inflammation and activation of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Expression and Significance of Caspase-3 and Survivin at Different Stages of Hemangioma in Children / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To investigate the expression and significance of Caspase-3 and Survivin at different stages of human hemangioma in children.Methods Fifty-five specimens of hemangioma tissue excised in operation and 8 normal skins removed in operation were harvested from People's Hospital of Gansu Province between Jan.2000 and Dec.2005.The pathologic diagnosis was divided into 3 groups according to Mulliken's standard under microscope:proliferated phase group(n=31),degenerated phase group(n=24),and control group(n=8).All these specimens were examined by immunohisto for Caspase-3 and Survivin expression.Results Caspase-3 positive rate in the proliferative phase and involuting phase were 35.5% and 79.2%,respectively.The positive rate in involuting phase was higher than that that in proliferative phase,the difference between the 2 groups was significant(P=0.045 9).A significant difference was not found between the proliferative phase and normal skin tissue(P=0.057 3).Survivin positive rate in the proliferating and involuting phase were 77.4% and 45.8%,respectively.The positive rate in proliferative phase was higher than that in involuting phase,the difference between the 2 groups was significant(P=0.008 5),the difference in involuting phase and normal skin tissue was not significant(P=0.059 3).Conclusions High level of Caspase-3 expression in vascular endothelial cells in involuting phase in contrast to that in proliferative phase,which indicates that Caspase-3 may play a positive role in the apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells.Survivin may inhibit the apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells in proliferative phase due to it's high expression.Caspase-3 and Surivivin involved in the hemangioma in the regulation of apoptosis.J Appl Clin Pediatr,2009,24(1):51-52