Effect of cholinesterase inhibitor galanthamine on circulating tumor necrosis factor alpha in rats with lipopolysaccharide-induced peritonitis / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The nervous system, through the vagus nerve and its neurotransmitter acetylcholine, can down-regulate the systemic inflammation in vivo, and recently, a role of brain cholinergic mechanisms in activating this cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway has been indicated. Galanthamine is a cholinesterase inhibitor and one of the centrally acting cholinergic agents available in clinic. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of galanthamine on circulating tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in rats with lipopolysaccharide-induced peritonitis and the possible role of the vagus nerve in the action of galanthamine.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rat models of lipopolysaccharide-induced peritonitis and bilateral cervical vagotomy were produced. In the experiment 1, the rats were randomly divided into control group, peritonitis group, and peritonitis groups treated with three dosages of galanthamine. In the experiment 2, the rats were randomly divided into sham group, sham plus peritonitis group, sham plus peritonitis group treated with galanthamine, vagotomy plus peritonitis group, and vagotomy plus peritonitis group treated with galanthamine. The levels of plasma TNF-alpha were determined in every group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The level of circulating TNF-alpha was significantly increased in rats after intraperitoneal injection of endotoxin. Galanthamine treatment decreased the level of circulating TNF-alpha in rats with lipopolysaccharide-induced peritonitis, and there was significant difference compared with rats with lipopolysaccharide-induced peritonitis without treatment. The 3 mg/kg dosage of galanthamine had the most significant inhibition on circulating TNF-alpha level at all the three tested doses. Galanthamine obviously decreased the TNF-alpha level in rats with lipopolysaccharide-induced peritonitis with sham operation, but could not decrease the TNF-alpha level in rats with lipopolysaccharide-induced peritonitis with vagotomy.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Cholinesterase inhibitor galanthamine has an inhibitory effect on TNF-alpha release in rats with lipopolysaccharide-induced peritonitis, and the vagus nerve plays a role in the process of the action of galanthamine.</p>

Proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in adult rats after cerebral infarction / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in adult rats after cerebral infarction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Models of cerebral infarction in rats were made and the time-course expression of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), Musashi1, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN) were determined by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining. BrdU and Musashi1 were used to mark dividing neural stem cells. GFAP and NeuN were used to mark differentiating neural stem cells.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with controls, the number of BrdU-labeled and BrdU-labeled with Musashi 1-positive cells increased strikingly 1 day after cerebral infarction; approximately 6 fold with a peak 7 days later; markedly decreased 14 days later, but was still elevated compared with that of controls; decling to the control level 28 days later. The number of BrdU-labeled with GFAP-positive cells nearly remained unchanged in the hippocampus after cerebral infarction. The number of BrdU-labeled with NeuN-positive cells increased strikingly 14 days after cerebral infarction, reached maximum peak in the hippocampus 28 days after cerebral infarction in rats.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Cerebral infarction stimulate proliferation of inherent neural stem cells and most proliferated neural stem cells differentiate into neurons.</p>