An unusual case of lateral vaginal wall leiomyoma: case report

Twenty to thirty percent of women in the reproductive age group are affected with leiomyomas, the most frequent benign tumor of the uterus. Only 300 occurrences of vaginal leiomyomas have been documented, hence they are still a rare condition. Because of their low incidence and wide range of nonspecific clinical symptoms, tumors are assumed to originate from Mullerian smooth muscle cells in the sub-epithelium of the vagina. However, these cells can easily be misdiagnosed. Usually located in the anterior vaginal wall are vaginal leiomyomas. Here, we describe a case of left upper lateral vaginal wall leiomyoma in a 40-year-old multigravida. She presented with pelvic fullness. Cervical fibroid was diagnosed based on physical examination and MRI. Under anesthesia, the tumor was removed vaginally, and histology revealed a vaginal leiomyoma. Vaginal leiomyomas are uncommon tumors; however, they can present with a range of clinical symptoms and be mistakenly classified as cervical fibroid before surgery. The most effective therapy approach seems to be vaginal tumor excision followed by a histological investigation. To raise awareness of the disease and lower the possibility of a misdiagnosis and improper treatment, the current instance was disclosed.

Tumor nasal de músculo liso de comportamiento maligno incierto: informe de un caso / Nasal smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential: A case report

Los tumores de músculo liso que no pueden ser clasificados según su histología como leiomiomas o leiomiosarcomas se denominan tumores de músculo liso de comportamiento maligno incierto. La localización nasal de estos tumores es muy infrecuente y la extensión adecuada de la cirugía para tratar estas neoplasias no está bien definida. Se describe el caso clínico de una adolescente de 16 años, que consultó por padecer un tumor de aspecto vascular en la cavidad nasal derecha y que fue tratada con éxito mediante cirugía intranasal. El diagnóstico histológico fue tumor de músculo liso de comportamiento maligno incierto. Por la rareza de estas neoplasias, su infrecuente localización nasal y la falta de evidencia que soporte cuál debe ser la extensión de la cirugía, es relevante la descripción y discusión del caso clínico.

Smooth muscle tumors that cannot be histologically classified as leiomyomas or leiomyosarcomas are defined as smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential. The location of these tumors in the nose is very rare, and the appropriate surgical extent to manage these neoplasms has not been adequately defined. Here we describe the case of a 16-year-old female adolescent who consulted due to a vascular-like tumor in the right nasal cavity who was successfully treated with intranasal surgery. The histological diagnosis was smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential. Given that these neoplasms are rare, the uncommon location in the nose, and the lack of evidence indicating the extent of surgery, it is relevant to describe and discuss this clinical case.

Study on intercellular communication and key genes of smooth muscle cells in human coronary atherosclerosis based on single cell sequencing technology / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

Objective·To use single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-Seq)technology to interpret the cellular communication landscape of coronary atherosclerosis(CA),and to explore the dominant cell subsets and their key genes.Methods·The GSE131778 data set was downloaded and preprocessed,and quality controlling,dimension reduction clustering and annotation were carried out.Then cell communication analysis was conducted by using CellChat package to identify dominant cell subsets.The FindAllMarker function was used to screen differentially expressed genes(DEGs)between the dominant cell subpopulation and other cell subpopulations,and its protein-protein interaction(PPI)network was constructed.The DEGs ranked in the top five of the Degree algorithm were taken as key genes.Then,the key genes were matched and mined with the cell communication network analyzed by CellChat to obtain the ligand-receptor pairs(L-R)and the signal pathways mediated by the key genes,and the results were visualized.At the same time,the atherosclerosis mouse model was constructed and RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of key genes in carotid atherosclerosis lesions.Results·A total of 11 cell subsets were identified in CA lesions,including smooth muscle cells,endothelial cells,macrophages,monocytes,etc.Cell communication results showed that CellChat detected 70 significant L-R and 26 related signal pathways in 11 cell subsets.Smooth muscle cell was the dominant cell subgroup with the most significant interaction frequency and intensity with other cell subgroups in the active state of communication.The results of DEGs screening showed that there were 206 DEGs between smooth muscle cell subsets and other cell subsets,among which ITGB2,PTPRC,CCL2,DCN and IGF1 were identified as key genes.The results of cell communication mediated by key genes showed that CCL2 and ACKR1 formed L-R and participated in the communication network between smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells through mediating CCL signaling pathway.ITGB2 formed receptor complexes with ITGAM and ITGAX respectively,and then formed L-R with C3 to mediate the complement signal pathway,participating in the communication network among smooth muscle cells,macrophages and monocytes.The validation results of hub genes in animal experiments were consistent with the results of bioinformatics analysis.Conclusion·Smooth muscle cells are the dominant cells in the pathological process of CA,and have extensive communication networks with other cells.They can construct cellular communication networks with endothelial cells,macrophages and monocytes through CCL and complement signaling pathways mediated by CCL2-ACKR1,C3-(ITGAM+ITGB2)and C3-(ITGAX+ITGB2).

The diagnostic value of MRI in invasive lesions originating from uterine smooth muscle / 实用放射学杂志

Objective To analyze the MRI findings of invasive lesions originating from uterine smooth muscle,and to improve the preoperative accurate diagnosis ability.Methods A total of 29 patients with invasive tumors originating from uterine smooth muscle and confirmed by surgery and pathology were selected and divided into benign group and malignant group.The shape of the lesion and the signal characteristics of MRI sequences were analyzed retrospectively,the apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)values of solid components of lesions were measured,and the ADC values of different tumors were compared.Independent sample t test was used for statistical analysis.Results A total of 26 cases were correctly diagnosed by MRI,and the diagnostic accuracy rate was 89.7%.Eighteen cases of intravenous leiomyomatosis(IVL)had a history of uterine fibroid,extrauterine lesions showed sausage or nodular-shaped with slightly higher signal on T2WI,equi signal on T1WI and diffusion weighted imaging(DWI),dynamic enhanced scanning sequence showed synchronous enhancement with myometrium of uterus;Two cases of leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminate(LPD)had a history of uterine fibroid,solid cystic masses were found in the uterus,solid components showed equivalent or slightly higher signal on T2WI,equi signal on T1WI,equivalent or slightly higher signal on DWI,multiple solitary nodules were found in pelvic wall,uterus and rectum fossa,mesentery and omental sac,with uniform signal and clear boundary,equi signal on T2WI,T1WI and DWI,dynamic enhanced scanning sequence showed synchronous enhancement with myometrium of uterus,strengthening uniform;Of the 9 cases of leiomyosarcoma,8 cases showed solid cystic masses with T1WI high signal bleeding focus,solid components showed slightly higher signal on T2WI,equi signal on T1WI,obvious higher signal on DWI,the boundary of the mass was unclear,and the enhancement was uneven after enhancement;There were 20 cases in benign group,including 18 cases of IVL and 2 cases of LPD,the mean ADC values were(1 357.06±74.55)×10-3mm2/s,the malignant group was leiomyosarcoma,the mean ADC values were(849.56±22.80)×10-3mm2/s,there were statistical difference between the groups(P<0.05).Conclusion The MRI findings of invasive tumors originating from uterine smooth muscle are dif-ferent,the measurement of ADC value can be used as a quantitative diagnostic basis for benign and malignant determination.

LncRNA SENCR targeted miR-206 regulates proliferation and apoptosis of human vascular smooth muscle cells of aortic dissection tissues / 实用医学杂志

Objective To investigate the expression of lncRNA SENCR in aortic dissection(AD)tissues of AD patients and its effect on and mechanism in the proliferation apoptosis of human vascular smooth muscle cells(HVSMCs).Methods HE staining was done to detect the pathological changes of AD tissues.Fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)and RT-qPCR were used to determine the expression of SENCR in the AD tissue and HVSMCs and the expression of SENCR and miR-206 in the tissues,respectively.HVSMCs were cultured and trans-fected with pcDNA3.1-SENCR overexpression plasmids,or pcDNA3.1 blank plasmid.Then cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected by CCK-8 method and Annexin V/PI double staining flow cytometry assay,respectively.Double luciferase report verified the targeting relationship between SENCR and miR-206.Results SENCR was mainly located in the cytoplasm and nucleus of HVSMCs.Compared with the normal tissue,the expression of SENCR in the AD tissues was down-regulated(P＜0.01),but the expression of miR-206 was up-regulated(P＜0.01).Overexpressed SENCR decreased the cell proliferation of HVSMCs(P＜0.01),but significantly increased the cell apoptosis of HVSMCs(P＜0.01).SENCR could target and negatively regulate miR-206.Conclusion The expression of SENCR is down-regulated in AD tissues,and overexpressed SENCR may inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of HVSMCs by targeting down-regulated miR-206.

Effects of Polydatin on Proliferation and Apoptosis of Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells in Neonatal Rats with Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension by Regulating YAP1/TAZ Signaling Pathway / 华中科技大学学报(医学版)

Objective To investigate the effects of polydatin(PD)on the proliferation and apoptosis of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells(PASMCs)in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension(HPH)neonatal rats,and its mechanism of action.Methods Neonatal rats were randomly separated into six groups:control group,model group,low dose PD group,medium dose PD group,high dose PD group,and high dose PD+Hippo pathway inhibitor(high dose PD+XMU-MP-1)group,with 10 rats in each group.After 2 weeks of hypoxia treatment,the right ventricular systolic blood pressure(RVSP)and right ventricular hypertro-phy index(RVHI)of rats in each group were measured.Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was applied to observe pathological changes in lung tissue,and the percentage of pulmonary artery wall thickness to total thickness(WT)and the percentage of wall area to total area(WA)were calculated.Neonatal rat PASMCs were separated from each group,which were divided into NC group,hypoxia group,low dose PD group,medium dose PD group,high dose PD group,and high dose PD+XMU-MP-1 group.Cell counting kit 8(CCK-8)and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine(EdU)were applied to detect cell proliferation.Flow cytometry was applied to detect cell apoptosis.Western blot was applied to detect the expression of Yes-associated protein 1(YAP1),tran-scriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif(TAZ),mammalian sterile 20-like kinase 1(MST1),B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2),and Bcl-2 associated protein(Bax)in lung tissue and PASMCs.Results Compared with the control group,the pulmonary artery wall in the model group was significantly thickened,lumen was narrowed,and protein expressions of RVSP,RVHI,WT％,WA％,YAP1,MST1 and TAZ were significantly increased(all P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,pulmonary artery thickening and lumen enlargement were observed in the low,medium and high dose PD groups,and the protein expressions of RVSP,RVHI,WT％,WA％,YAP1,MST1 and TAZ were significantly decreased,which showed a dose-dependent relationship(all P＜0.05).The effect could be reversed by XMU-MP-1.Compared with the NC group,the cell A450nm value,EdU positive rate,the protein expression of YAP1,MST1,TAZ and Bcl-2 in the hydropoxia group were significantly increased.The apoptosis rate and the expression of Bax protein were obviously reduced(all P＜0.05).Compared with the hypoxia group,the cell A450nm value,EdU positive rate,the protein expression of YAP1,MST1,TAZ and Bcl-2 in the low,medium and high dose PD groups were obviously reduced.The apoptosis rate and the expression of Bax were significantly increased,which showed a dose-depend-ent relationship(all P＜0.05).The effect could be reversed by XMU-MP-1.Conclusion PD may inhibit the proliferation of PASMCs in HPH neonatal rats and promote apoptosis by inhibiting YAP1/TAZ signaling pathway.

CXCL5 participates in carotid plaque formation by inducing vascular calcification / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:CXC motif chemokine 5(CXCL5)is a neutrophil activating peptide derived from epithelial cells,which may be involved in arterial diseases.However,there is yet no report on the effect of CXCL5 in vascular calcification. OBJECTIVE:To explore the role of CXCL5 in the vascular calcification of carotid atherosclerosis(CAS). METHODS:(1)Cytological experiment:Mouse vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs)were divided into five groups:osteogenic medium group,Vector group(vector,blank plasmid transfected into VSMCs),CXCL5 group(CXCL5 plasmid transfected into VSMCs),si-NC group(CXCL5 negative control siRNA transfected into VSMCs),si-CXCL5 group(CXCL5 siRNA transfected into VSMCs),Vector+LY2157299 group and CXCL5+LY2157299 group(LY2157299 transferred into the cells 24 hours after cell transfection).Alizarin red staining,alkaline phosphatase staining,and calcium content determination were performed to evaluate the osteogenic differentiation level of VSMCs.(2)Animal experiment:Forty-eight ApoE-/-mice were randomly divided into four groups(n=12 per group):Con+si-NC group,Con+si-CXCL5 group,CAS+si-NC group and CAS+si-CXCL5 group.Animal models were not prepared in the first two groups,in which si-NC or si-CXCL5 lentivirus was injected into the tail vein;carotid atherosclerosis models were made in the latter two groups,in which si-NC or si-CXCL5 lentivirus was injected into the tail vein.Von Kossa staining and immunohistochemical staining were used to evaluate carotid vascular calcification and the expression of CXCL5 and transforming growth factor-β receptor 1(TGFBR1)in mice. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the CXCL5 group,the protein level of runt-related transcription factor 2(RUNX2)was up-regulated and the level of α-smooth muscle actin was down-regulated,in contrary to the findings in the si-CXCL5 group.In addition,CXCL5 overexpression upregulated the level of TGFBR1,while CXCL5 knockdown inhibited the level of TGFBR1.Compared with the Vector group,the intensity of alizarin red staining,alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium content in the CXCL5 group increased significantly(P<0.05).Compared with the si-NC group,the intensity of alizarin red staining,alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium content in the si-CXCL5 group decreased significantly(P<0.05).When LY2157299 inhibited TGFBR1 expression,the osteogenic differentiation of VSMCs induced by CXCL5 was reduced.Compared with the Con+si-NC group,the expression of CXCL5 protein in the carotid artery and calcification area in the CAS+si-NC group increased significantly(P<0.05).Compared with the CAS+si-NC group,the expression of CXCL5 protein in the carotid artery and vascular calcification area in the CAS+si-CXCL5 group decreased significantly(P<0.05).In addition,compared with the Con+si-NC group,the expression of RUNX2 protein in the carotid artery in the CAS+si-NC group increased significantly(P<0.05),while the expression of α-smooth muscle actin protein decreased significantly(P<0.05).Compared with the CAS+si-NC group,the expression of RUNX2 protein in the carotid artery in CAS+si-CXCL5 group decreased significantly(P<0.05),while the expression of α-smooth muscle actin protein increased significantly(P<0.05).In conclusion,CXCL5 can induce osteogenic transformation of VSMCs by activating the TGFBR1 pathway,and inhibition of CXCL5 expression is effective in improving carotid arterial calcification in CAS mice.

Progress in epigenetic regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell remodeling in the occurrence and development of aortic aneurysms / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Epigenetics,as an important regulation mode of gene expression network,has been proved to play an important role in the occurrence and development of aortic aneurysm mediated by vascular smooth muscle cell remodeling. OBJECTIVE:To review the epigenetic regulation mechanism underlying vascular smooth muscle cell remodeling during the occurrence and progression of aortic aneurysm. METHODS:Related articles published from 1970 to 2022 were retrieved from PubMed,Web of Science and CNKI databases.The keywords were"Aortic aneurysm,Vascular smooth muscle,Smooth muscle cells,Epigenetic,DNA methylation,Histone modification,Non coding RNA"in English and Chinese.Ultimately,we included 71 articles for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Epigenetic modification can influence the occurrence and progression of aortic aneurysm by targeting vascular smooth muscle cell remodeling and extracellular matrix degradation.Targeted epigenetic modification can play a key role in aortic aneurysm treatment,delaying the disease and improving the prognosis.Epigenetic related enzymes,such as DNA methylesterases and histone-modifying enzymes,can influence the progression of aortic aneurysm by regulating vascular smooth muscle cell remodeling,including cell proliferation,migration and apoptosis,and can be used as targets for drug therapy.The research of epigenetic modification on aortic aneurysm is still in the basic research stage and some epigenetic modification mechanisms have not yet been explored.With the development of medical research,targeted epigenetic modification is expected to achieve new breakthroughs in the treatment of aortic aneurysm and clinical transformation.

Proliferation and metabolic patterns of smooth muscle cells during construction of tissue-engineered blood vessels / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Seed cells are seeded on three-dimensional scaffold materials,and three-dimensional culture in bioreactors is a common in vitro tissue engineering culture method,but the changes in cell proliferation and metabolic patterns in bioengineered blood vessel construction are still unclear. OBJECTIVE:To explore the metabolic changes of cells such as oxygen consumption and their causes during the whole process of biological vascular tissue construction by in vitro bioreactor. METHODS:The self-built vascular bioreactor system was used as the platform;bovine vascular smooth muscle cells were used as the seed cells,and a conventional CO2 incubator provided the external gas environment for the cultivation process.Seed cells were seeded on a tubular porous polyglycolic acid scaffold material for three-dimensional culture,and the whole process included a one-week resting period and a seven-week pulsating tensile stress stimulation loading period.A non-invasive monitoring system was built,and the optical dissolved oxygen patch method was used to monitor the changes of dissolved oxygen in the culture solution in the reactor,and the glucose consumption and lactic acid production were measured by regular sampling.CCK-8 assay was used to determine the proliferation of smooth muscle cells on polyglycolic acid three-dimensional scaffold materials.Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidation state and reduction state ratio(NAD+/NADH)was utilized to understand cell proliferation and metabolism in the early stage of culture.RT-qPCR and western blot assay were applied to detect the expression of proliferation-related genes(Ki67)and glycolysis-related genes(GLUT-1,LDHA). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The dissolved oxygen level in the culture solution was(4.314±0.380)mg/L from the cell injection to the end of the resting period(the first week),and gradually stabilized at(1.960±0.866)mg/L after the tensile stress stimulation(the last seven weeks);the two had significant changes(P<0.05).(2)The ratio of glucose consumption to lactic acid production in the cell culture medium YL/G increased rapidly after the cells were injected,and the highest value was above 1 on the fifth day,and then slow down to 0.5(The mean value of YL/G in the resting period was 0.89 and the mean value in the pressurized period was 0.57,P<0.05).(3)CCK-8 assay results showed that A450 value gradually increased after the cells were injected,and reached the highest value on the fifth day,reaching 3.17,and then slowly decreased.At the same time,it was found that Ki67 mRNA was up-regulated on the third day of culture,and then declined.The expression level of Ki67 protein was higher from the third day to the fifth day.(4)The detection of NAD+/NADH showed that the increase was obvious from the fifth to the seventh day after the injection of cells,and the expression of glycolysis-related genes(GLUT-1 and LDHA)was up-regulated and changed synchronously,and the relative expression was higher in the first five days.(5)The results showed that the tissue-engineered blood vessels were constructed using the vascular bioreactor and the smooth muscle cells in the early stage mainly proliferated and exhibited a metabolic feature of low oxygen consumption.The metabolic characteristics of high oxygen consumption were observed during the pulsatile tensile stress stimulation stage.

RAS-selective lethal small molecule 3 inhibits the fibrosis of pathological scar fibroblasts / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Abnormal extracellular matrix accumulation and excessive proliferation of fibroblasts are the main manifestations of pathological scars.Excessive proliferation of fibroblasts leads to the production of large amounts of collagen-based extracellular matrix.Therefore,to investigate the role of fibroblast fibrosis in the formation of pathological scar will provide a new idea for revealing the mechanism of pathological scar and biological therapy. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of RAS-selective lethal small molecule 3(RSL3)on the fibrosis of human pathological scar fibroblasts. METHODS:Then cases of pathological scar tissue and normal skin tissue samples from the same individuals,provided by the Department of Burn Plastic Surgery,General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University,were collected.Fibroblasts of human pathological scar and human normal skin were extracted and used in the following experiments.The general condition of the pathological scar tissue and the normal skin tissue was detected by hematoxylin-eosin staining.The appearance of fibroblasts from pathological scar and normal skin were observed by inverted microscope.The fibroblasts were verified by immunofluorescence assay.The cells were treated with different concentrations of RSL3(1,3,5,7,9,11,13 μmol/L).The inhibitory concentration of RSL3 on fibroblasts was detected by cell counting kit-8.Control group(without treatment)and RSL3 intervention group(treated with 7 μmol/L RSL3 for 24 hours)were set up.The mRNA and protein expressions of glutathione peroxidase 4,type Ⅰ collagen,type Ⅲ collagen and α-smooth muscle actin were detected by Qrt-PCR and western blot,respectively.Level of malondialdehyde in cells was detected.The residual scratch area was measured by cell scratch test after 24 hours to calculate the percentage of residual scratch area. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 in the pathological scar group was higher than that in the normal skin group(Mrna:t=3.252,P<0.01;protein:t=5.075,P<0.01).The expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 in the pathological scar fibroblast group was higher than that in the normal skin fibroblast group(Mrna:t=10.32,P<0.01;protein:t=26.22,P<0.01).Compared with the control group,the expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 was decreased(Mrna:t=2.798,P<0.05;protein:t=4.643,P<0.01),the content of malondialdehyde was increased(t=2.917,P<0.05),the expression of type Ⅰ collagen(Mrna:t=15.84,P<0.01;protein:t=4.610,P<0.01),type Ⅲ collagen(Mrna:t=28.86,P<0.01;protein:t=7.713,P<0.01)and α-smooth muscle actin(Mrna:t=2.671,P<0.05;protein:t=7.417,P<0.01)were decreased in the RSL3 intervention group.Compared with the control group,the migration ability was weakened in the RSL3 intervention group(t=14.06,P<0.01).To conclude,RSL3 can inhibit the expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 and then inhibit the ability of fibrosis and migration of pathological scar fibroblasts.

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 mediated homocysteine promotes vascular calcification / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:There is an internal relationship between hyperhomocysteinemia and vascular calcification.However,the pathogenesis of hyperhomocysteinemia promoting vascular calcification is still unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the role of bone morphogenetic protein-2 in hyperhomocysteinemia-induced vascular calcification. METHODS:Human carotid wax samples were divided into a calcified group(n=29)and a non-calcified group(n=13)according to the presence or absence of calcified plaque.Sixteen ApoE-/-mice were randomly divided into a control group and a hyperhomocysteinemia group,with 8 mice in each group.Bone morphogenetic protein-2 vector was used to transfect rat thoracic artery smooth muscle A7r5 cells,and gradient concentration of homocysteine(50,100,200,and 400 μmol/L)was utilized to treat A7r5 cells.Calcification was detected by alizarin red staining and hematoxylin-eosin staining.The interaction of bone morphogenetic protein 2 with Runt-related transcription factor 2 was detected by immunofluorescence,and the expressions of bone morphogenetic protein 2,Runt-related transcription factor 2,and α-smooth muscle actin were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Human carotid artery tissue staining revealed that compared with the non-calcification group,inflammatory cells increased and calcification positive rate increased in the calcification group(P<0.05).Compared with the non-calcification group,the expressions of bone morphogenetic protein-2 and Runt-related transcription factor 2 were up-regulated,and the expression of α-smooth muscle actin was decreased in the calcification group(all P<0.05).(2)The staining of mouse arterial specimens exhibited that,the positive rate of calcified area in the hyperhomocysteinemia group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.05);serum homocysteine level in the hyperhomocysteinemia group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the expressions of bone morphogenetic protein-2 and Runt-related transcription factor 2 were up-regulated,and the expression of α-smooth muscle actin was decreased in the hyperhomocysteinemia group(all P<0.05).(3)A7r5 cell culture analysis demonstrated that with the increase of homocysteine concentration gradient,the degree of calcification,the content of bone morphogenetic protein-2 and Runt-related transcription factor 2 protein in A7r5 cells increased(P<0.05),and the content of α-smooth muscle actin protein decreased(P<0.05).(4)The A7r5 cell culture analysis of overexpressed bone morphogenetic protein 2 showed that the calcification degree of the overexpressed bone morphogenetic protein 2 group was increased compared with the corresponding control group,the β-sodium glycerophosphate group,and the homocysteine group.RUNt-related transcription factor 2 expression up-regulated(P<0.05)and α-smooth muscle actin expression down-regulated(P<0.05).(5)The expression of bone morphogenetic protein 2 increased in A7r5 cells cultured with homocysteine in calcified medium,and the expression of Runt-related transcription factor 2 increased with the increase of bone morphogenetic protein 2 expression.(6)The results confirm that bone morphogenetic protein-2 is a key target gene in the regulation of smooth muscle cell phenotypic transformation resulting in vascular calcification by hyperhomocysteinemia.Targeted regulation of bone morphogenetic protein-2 reduces hyperhomocysteinemia-induced vascular calcification.

The construction of rat intestinal smooth muscle collagen band and evaluation of periodic stretching culture in vitro / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:The in vitro construction of intestinal smooth muscle layer,as an important component of the intestinal wall,has attracted much attention in the bionic construction of tissue-engineered intestinal canal. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effects of cyclic mechanical stretching on the growth activity of intestinal smooth muscle cells and the expression of functional genes within collagen strips. METHODS:The collagen band culture system of intestinal smooth muscle cells was constructed using a self-designed collagen strip stretching culture device with self-made rat tail collagen as a scaffold and primary rat intestinal smooth muscle cells as seed cells.EthD-1/Calcein-AM cell activity staining,magenta staining,cytoskeleton-Ki67 immunofluorescence staining were used to observe the growth activity and proliferation of the cells,and quantitative RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of desmin,α-sma,and vimentin functional genes. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The collagen band culture system of intestinal smooth muscle cells was successfully constructed,and intestinal smooth muscle cells in the band had good cell activity.The number of Ki67 positive cells increased and desmin,α-sma and vimentin were significantly overexpressed under cyclic stretching and dynamic culture conditions(P＜0.001).To conclude,mechanical stimulation is beneficial to maintain the growth phenotype of smooth muscle cells and promote their functional differentiation during three-dimensional culture in vitro.

Mechanism of CD137 signal regulating P53/P21 pathway to promote senescence of vascular smooth muscle cells / 中华老年心脑血管病杂志

Objective To explore the mechanism by which CD137 signal regulates the aging of vas-cular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs).Methods Thirty 8-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were ran-domly divided into a young group(8 weeks old)and an aged group(80 weeks old),with 30 mice in each group.After corresponding periods of feeding,the mice were euthanized,and the plasma and aortic blood vessels were isolated.In the cell experiments,normal VSMCs were divided into a control group,bleomycin(BLM)group,combined agonist group,and combined inhibitor group.The cellular senescence level of VSMCs was assessed using a cellular senescence β-galactosidase staining kit.Western blotting and PCR were employed to examine the expression of senescence-related proteins in tissues and cells,while ELISA was utilized to measure the expression of senes-cence-related inflammatory factors.Results The expression of CD137 and γ-H2AX in the aorta was significantly higher,while that of PCNA was obviously lower in the aged group than the young group(P＜0.05).The plasma level of CD137 was notably higher in the aged group than the young group(154.0±4.1 pg/ml vs 98.0±2.3 pg/ml,P＜0.05).Compared with the normal control group,there were significantly more aged VSMCs in the BLM group(P＜0.05).While,treatment of combined agonist resulted in larger amount of aged VSMCs when compared with the BLM group(P＜0.05),which was reversed by combined inhibitor treatment(P＜0.05).The levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β were significantly elevated in the BLM group than the normal control group(P＜0.05).The combined agonist group had even higher levels of TNF-α,IL-6,and IL-1βthan the BLM group(P＜0.05),but the levels were decreased in the combined inhibitor group(P＜0.05).Compared with the normal control group,the expression of Bcl-2,γ-H2AX,P53,and P21 were significantly increased in the BLM group,combined agonist group,and combined inhibi-tor group,while that of PCNA was significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with the BLM group,the expression of P53 and P21 in the combined agonist group showed an increase(P＜0.05),and the expression of P53 was significantly decreased in the combined inhibitor group(P＜0.05).Conclusion CD137 signal regulates the P53/P21 pathway to promote VSMC aging.

Effect of salvianolic acid B on inflammatory responses of vascular smooth muscle cells in septic mice: role of circACTA2 / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the effect of Salvianolic acid B (Sal B) on the inflammatory responses of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in septic mice and the role of circACTA2.Methods:In vivo experiment Eighty-one healthy male C57BL/6 mice, aged 6-8 weeks, were divided into 3 groups ( n=27 each) by a random number table method: sham operation group, sepsis group and Sal B group. Sepsis model was developed by cecal ligation and puncture. After sucessful preparation of the model, Sal B 7 mg/kg/d was intraperitoneally injected once a day for 2 consecutive days in Sal B group. Twenty mice in each group were randomly selected to measure systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and whole blood lactic acid (Lac) and to record the survival within 7 days after developing the model. Seven mice in each group were randomly selected at 48 h after developing the model, and the arterial vascular tissues were collected for determination of the expression of interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) (by immunofluorescence staining), expression of IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and IL-6 protein and mRNA (by Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively), and expression of circACTA2 (by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction). Cell experiment Mouse VSMCs were cultured and divided into 6 groups ( n=3 each) by a random number table method: control group (C group), lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group, Sal B group, si-circACTA2+ C group, si-circACTA2+ LPS group, and si-circACTA2+ Sal B group. The cells were incubated for 24 h with LPS (final concentration 1 μg/ml) in LPS group and with LPS (final concentration 1 μg/ml) and Sal B (final concentration 5 μmol/L) in Sal B group. VSMCs were transfected with si-circACTA2 only in si-circACTA2+ C group. At 24 h after transfection of si-circACTA2 into VSMCs, the cells were incubated with LPS (final concentration 1 μg/ml) in si-circACTA2+ LPS group and with LPS (final concentration 1 μg/ml) and Sal B (final concentration 5 μmol/L) for 24 h in si-circACTA2+ Sal B group. The expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 protein and mRNA was detected using Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and the expression of circACTA2 was determined by the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results:In vivo experiment Compared with sham operation group, SBP, DBP and MAP were significantly decreased, the concentrations of whole blood Lac were increased, 7-day survival rate was decreased, the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 protein and mRNA in arterial vascular tissues was up-regulated, circACTA2 expression was down-regulated ( P<0.05), and the fluorescence of IL-1β was enhanced in sepsis group. Compared with sepsis group, SBP, DBP and MAP were significantly increased, whole blood Lac concentrations were decreased, 7-day survival rate was increased, the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 protein and mRNA in arterial vascular tissues was down-regulated, the expression of circACTA2 was up-regulated ( P<0.05), and the fluorescence of IL-1β was weakened in Sal B group. Cell experiment Compared with group C, the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 protein and mRNA was significantly up-regulated, and the expression of circACTA2 was down-regulated in LPS group ( P<0.05). Compared with LPS group, the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 protein and mRNA was significantly down-regulated, and the expression of circACTA2 was up-regulated in Sal B group ( P<0.05). Compared with si-circACTA2+ C group, the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 protein and mRNA was significantly up-regulated in si-circACTA2+ LPS group ( P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 protein and mRNA between si-circACTA2+ LPS group and si-circACTA2+ Sal B group ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Sal B can reduce the inflammatory responses of VSMCs, and the mechanism may be related to promoting the expression of circACTA2 in septic mice.

Effects of Lumbricus Protein on Phenotypic Transformation of Corporal Cavernous Smooth Muscle Cells and Erectile Dysfunction in Rats with Diabetic Erectile Dysfunction / 中药新药与临床药理

Objective To investigate the effect of Lumbricus protein on the phenotypic transformation of corporal cavernosum smooth muscle cells(CCSMC)and erectile function in diabetic erectile dysfunction(DMED)rats.Methods Sixty male SD rats with normal erectile function were randomly divided into a blank group,a model group,a Sildelafil group(5 mg·kg-1),and a Lumbricus protein low-,medium-,and high-dose group(45,90,and 180 mg·kg-1),with 10 rats in each group.The diabetic rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin(STZ,50 mg·kg-1)combined with high-fat feed feeding;after 8 weeks,the DMED rat model was prepared by neck injection of Apomorphine(APO,100 μg·kg-1).After successful modeling,the rats were administered with a dose of Apomorphine by gavage once a day for 4 weeks.The blood glucose levels and body mass of rats in each group were measured before modeling,on the third day of modeling,and after 4 weeks of drug administration.The intracavernous pressure(ICP)and carotid artery pressure(MAP)were measured by multi-channel physiological recorder,and the ICP/MAP ratio was calculated.The expressions of contractile markers α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),smooth muscle myosin heavy chain(SMMHC)and synthetic markers Collagen I and osteopontin(OPN)in corpus cavernosum were detected by immunohistochemistry.The mRNA expression levels of α-SMA,SMMHC and Collagen I in corpus cavernosum were detected by RT-PCR.The protein expression levels of α-SMA,Desmin,Collagen I and OPN in corpus cavernosum were detected by Western Blot.Results Compared with the blank group,the blood glucose levels of the rats in the model group were significantly increased on the third day of modeling and after 4 weeks of administration(P＜0.01),and the body mass was significantly decreased after 4 weeks of administration(P＜0.01).ICP and ICP/MAP ratio were significantly decreased(P＜0.01).The protein expression levels of α-SMA,SMMHC and Desmin in penile corpus cavernosum were significantly decreased(P＜0.01),and the protein expression levels of Collagen I and OPN were significantly increased(P＜0.01).The mRNA expression levels of α-SMA and SMMHC in corpus cavernosum were significantly decreased(P＜0.01),and the mRNA expression level of Collagen I was significantly increased(P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,there was no significant change in blood glucose and body mass of rats in the administration group(P＞0.05).ICP and ICP/MAP ratio were significantly increased(P＜0.01).The expression levels of α-SMA,SMMHC and Desmin in corpus cavernosum were significantly increased(P＜0.01),while the expression levels of Collagen I and OPN were significantly decreased(P＜0.01).The mRNA expression levels of α-SMA and SMMHC in corpus cavernosum were significantly increased(P＜0.01),and the mRNA expression level of Collagen I was significantly decreased(P＜0.01).Conclusion Lumbricus protein can improve the erectile function of DMED rats,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of CCSMC from'contractile'to'synthetic(proliferative)'transformation.

Effect of menthol on hypobaric hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension in mice and its mechanism / 中国药理学通报

Aim To study the effect of menthol on hypobaric hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension and explore the underlying mechanism in mice. Methods 10 to 12 weeks old wild type (WT) mice and TRPM8 gene knockout (TRPM8

Mechanism of Piezo1 channel activation promoting increase in intracellu-lar calcium concentration of rat coronary smooth muscle cells / 中国病理生理杂志

AIM:To investigate the mechanism of Piezo1 channel activation promoting the increase in intra-cellular Ca2+ concentration([Ca2+]i)of rat coronary artery smooth muscle cells(CASMCs).METHODS:The primary CASMCs of SD rats were cultured,and the expression and subcellular localization of Piezo1 in the cells were observed by immunofluorescence staining.The Piezo1 and stromal interaction molecule 1(STIM1)in CASMCs were knocked down by siRNA transfection,and the expression levels of the proteins were detected by Western blot.Utilizing laser confocal mi-croscopy,the change of[Ca2+]i in CASMCs was detected by Fluo-4 AM fluorescent probes.RESULTS:It was confirmed by immunofluorescence staining that the expression of Piezo1 existed in primary rat CASMCs.Immunofluorescence staining also showed that Piezo1 was co-located with sarco-/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase 2(SERCA2),mitochondrial outer membrane protein TOM20 and nuclear membrane protein lamin B1.Western blot results showed that the protein expres-sion levels of STIM1 and Piezo1 were significantly down-regulated by siRNA transfection(P<0.05).Compared with con-trol group,Yoda1,the agonist of Piezo1,could increase the extracellular Ca2+ influx of CASMCs(P<0.01).However,the Ca2+ influx mediated by Yoda1 was not affected by the inhibition of L-type calcium channels.Treatment with Yoda1 in-creased the intracellular Ca2+ release of CASMCs(P<0.01).However,inhibition of calcium channels on endoplasmic re-ticulum,ryanodine receptor and inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor,did not affect intracellular Ca2+ release mediated by Yoda1.After the Ca2+ in endoplasmic reticulum was emptied using thapsigargin(TG),Yoda1 also mediated the Ca2+ re-lease of other organelles in CASMCs(P<0.01).After inhibition of L-type calcium channels,treatment with store-operated calcium channel(SOCC)inhibitor BTP2 or knockdown of STIM1 led to the decrease in extracellular Ca2+ influx of CASMCs mediated by Yoda1(P<0.01).Treatment with TG increased the release of Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum of CASMCs after knockdown of Piezo1(P<0.05),but the extracellular Ca2+ influx mediated by TG was not affected.After inhibition of L-type calcium channels and SOCC,knockdown of Piezo1 led to the decreases in intracellular Ca2+ release and extracellular Ca2+ influx induced by Yoda1(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:The Piezo1 agonist orchestrates the influx of extracellular Ca2+ by activating Piezo1 channels on the cell membrane and inducing the indirect activation of SOCC.More-over,it facilitates the release of Ca2+ from organelles.Consequently,these pathways synergistically elevate the[Ca2+]i of rat CASMCs.

Mechanism of oxidative stress-AMPK-Cx43-NLRP3 pathway regulating extracellular matrix remodeling of rat gastric smooth muscle cells under high glucose condition / 中国病理生理杂志

AIM:To investigate the regulatory effect of oxidative stress-AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)-connexin 43(Cx43)-nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)pathway on extracellular matrix(ECM)remodeling of gastric smooth muscle cells under high glucose(HG)condition.METHODS:Primary rat smooth muscle cells cultured in vitro were divided into normal glucose group,HG group,HG+NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950(15 nmol/L)group,HG+Cx43 hemichannel blocker GAP19(100 μmol/L)group,HG+AMPK inhibitor Compound C(CC;10 μmol/L)group,and high glucose+antioxidant α-lipoic acid(α-LA;100 μmol/L)group,which were all cultured for 48 h for detection.The protein levels of caspase-1,matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2),NLRP3,Cx43,transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1),TGF-β3,tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1(TIMP-1),purinergic P2X7 receptor(P2X7R)and phosphorylated AMPK(p-AMPK)in the cells were detected by Western blot.The levels of adenosine tri-phosphate,interleukin-1β,collagen type Ⅰ(Col I)and collagen type Ⅲ(Col Ⅲ)in the cell culture medium were deter-mined by ELISA.RESULTS:Compared with HG group,the levels of MMP-2 and TGF-β3 in HG+MCC950 group were decreased(P<0.01),while the levels of TGF-β1 and TIMP-1 were increased(P<0.01).The levels of NLRP3 and cas-pase-1 in HG+GAP19 group were decreased(P<0.01),while the expression of P2X7R was not changed.The levels of NLRP3,caspase-1,P2X7R,total Cx43 and membrane Cx43,and the ratio of membrane Cx43 to cytoplasmic Cx43 were decreased in HG+CC group(P<0.01).The levels of p-AMPK,caspase-1,NLRP3,P2X7R,total Cx43 and membrane Cx43,and the ratio of membrane Cx43 to cytoplasmic Cx43 were decreased in HG+α-LA group(P<0.05).CONCLU-SION:High glucose regulates the content of Col I and Col Ⅲ through the oxidative stress-AMPK-Cx43-NLRP3 pathway,thereby participating in the extracellular matrix remodeling of gastric smooth muscle cells.

Progression of research into the relationship between pyroptosis and atherosclerosis / 中国比较医学杂志

Pyroptosis is a programmed mode of cell death.Activated caspase-1 can induce the occurrence of pyroptosis,promote the release of inflammatory factors,and trigger a violent inflammatory response.Depending on the type of caspase involved,pyroptosis can be divided into a caspase-1-mediated typical inflammasome pathway and a human caspase-4/5(or mouse caspase-11)-mediated atypical inflammasome pathway.In recent years,studies have found that pyroptosis is closely related to the occurrence,development,and prognosis of atherosclerosis.This article reviews the roles and mechanisms of endothelial cells,vascular smooth muscle cells,and macrophage cells in the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis,with the aim of promoting new ideas for research into the pathogenesis,diagnosis,and treatment of atherosclerosis

Research on the mechanism of lipopolysaccharide involvement in regulating uterine contraction during pregnancy through TREK-1 / 安徽医科大学学报

Objective @#To explore the molecular mechanism of lipopolysaccharide ( LPS) on the contraction of pregnant uterine smooth muscle at tissue and cellular levels . @*Methods @#C57BL/6J mice at 16 days of gestation were randomly divided into control group and LPS group . The mice in LPS group were intraperitoneally injected with 20 μg in LPS solution to establish the model of preterm birth , and the mice in control group were intraperitone- ally injected with the same amount of normal saline . Isolated uterine muscle strips were used to detect changes in the contractile function of the tissue , as well as changes in the expression and function of the contraction key signa- ling molecule TWIK-related K + channel 1(TREK-1) . Primary cultured pregnant mouse uterine smooth muscle cells were used to detect the expression of TREK-1 under the regulation of LPS .@*Results @#The contractility of mouse u- terine tissues was significantly enhanced by LPS , and the protein expression of TREK-1 , a key signal for contrac- tion , was significantly reduced , and activation of TREK-1 resulted in a significant down-regulation of the enhanced contractility of mouse uterine tissues in the LPS group . However , there was no significant difference in the expres- sion of TREK-1 protein , which was highly expressed in the smooth muscle of pregnant mice , when LPS acted on the primary uterine smooth muscle cells of pregnant mice .@*Conclusion @#Uterine contractility is enhanced in pregnant mice uterine tissues by inhibiting TREK-1 expression and function in response to LPS , and it may be one of the mechanisms by which LPS induces preterm labor. However , the effect of LPS on TREK-1 on mouse pregnant uter- ine smooth muscle cells may be realized through intercellular signaling and not directly on uterine smooth muscle cells . This further suggests that the animal and histological experiments cannot be completely replaced by isolated cell experiments in the study of inflammatory preterm labor.