Inhibition of the TGF-β/Smad3 signaling pathway by SB431542: A study of the intervention effect of SB431542 on silicotic fibrosis in rats / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective@#To investigate the intervention effect of SB431542, which inhibits the TGF-β/Smad3 signaling pathway, on silicotic fibrosis in rats.@*Methods@#A total of 40 specific pathogen-free Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normal saline control group, model group, SB431542 inhibitor group, and SB431542 inhibitor control group using a random number table, with 10 rats in each group. All rats except those in the normal saline control group were given non-exposed single intratracheal instillation of free silicon dioxide dust suspension 1 mL (50 mg/mL) ; the rats in the SB431542 inhibitor group were given intraperitoneal injection of SB431542 (5 mg/kg) on days 7 and 30 after dust exposure, those in the SB431542 inhibitor control group were given intraperitoneal injection of SB431542 cosolvent (5 mg/kg) on days 7 and 30 after dust exposure, and those in the normal saline control group were given intratracheal instillation of an equal volume of normal saline (5 mg/kg). On day 60 after dust exposure, the paraffin-embedded section of the right upper lobe of lung was collected for HE staining; the left upper lobe of lung was collected to measure the mRNA levels of fibronectin (FN) , collagen type I (COL-I) , and collagen type III (COL-III) by quantitative real-time PCR; the right inferior lobe of lung was collected to measure the protein levels of FN, COL-I, COL-III, phosphorylated Smad3 (p-Smad3) , and Smad3.@*Results@#Compared with the normal saline control group, the model group had nodules with various sizes in lung tissue, with rupture of some alveolar septa, emphysema changes, and pulmonary interstitial fibrosis, as well as significant increases in the mRNA expression of FN, COL-I, and COL-III and the protein expression of FN, COL-I, COL-III, p-Smad3, and Smad3 in lung tissue (P<0.05) . Compared with the SB431542 inhibitor control group, the SB431542 inhibitor group had a relatively complete structure of lung tissue without marked nodules and with a small amount of exudate in alveolar space and the lumen of bronchioles, as well as significant reductions in the mRNA expression of FN, COL-I, and COL-III and the protein expression of FN, COL-I, COL-III, p-Smad3, and Smad3 in lung tissue (P<0.05) . There were no significant differences in the mRNA expression of FN, COL-I, and COL-III and the protein expression of FN, COL-I, COL-III, p-Smad3, and Smad3 between the model group and the SB431542 inhibitor control group (P>0.05) .@*Conclusion@#SB431542 exerts an intervention effect on silicotic fibrosis by blocking the TGF-β/Smad3 signaling pathway and reducing the expression of the downstream fibrosis factors FN, COL-I, and COL-III.

Multiplicity and prevention for patients with hydrocephalus secondary to severe traumatic brain injury after surgery / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the factors for hydrocephalus secondary to severe traumatic brain injury after surgery, and to explore a new theory and guideline for clinical early prevention and treatment for hydrocephalus.
@*METHODS@#The clinical data regarding 107 patients with severe traumatic brain injury, who were admitted to our hospital from June 2010 to June 2013, were analyzed. Logistic multi-factor regression was used to analyze the different factors including ages, gender, the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score before or after surgery, the situation of ventricular system bleeding secondary to surgery, the situation of midbrain aqueduct and ambient cistern before or after surgery, the relationship between early lumbar puncture and the hydrocephalus. The risk and protective factors for postoperative hydrocephalus were discussed.
@*RESULTS@#The results showed that patients with low GCS score in pre/postoperative (OR=0.099, 95%CI: 0.028-0.350)/(OR=0.088, 95%CI: 0.012-0.649), ventricular system bleeding in postoperative (OR=0.168, 95%CI: 0.029-0.979) and dim CT image for midbrain aqueduct and ambient cistern (OR=0.134, 95%CI: 0.038-0.473)/(OR=0.221, 95%CI: 0.055-0.882) are risk factors. Whereas lumbar puncture (OR=75.885, 95%CI: 9.612-599.122) is a protective factor for postoperative hydrocephalus in STBI patients. The secondary hydrocephalus was mainly occurred in 2 weeks and 2 weeks to 3 months after operation. The incidence of the control group that occurred secondary hydrocephalus is higher than that of the lumbar puncture group (P0.05).
@*CONCLUSION@#For patients with stable vital signs, early lumbar puncture could significantly reduce the incidence of secondary hydrocephalus in acute and subacute stage after severe traumatic brain injury.

Altered microRNAs expression profiling in experimental silicosis rats.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 19~24 nt non-coding RNA molecules that regulate expression of target genes at the post-transcriptional level. Evidence indicates that miRNAs play an essential role in physiological and pathological conditions including pulmonary development, inflammation, fibrosis and cancer. The aim of the present study is to investigate the altered miRNAs expression profile in rats with experimental silicosis. We duplicated silicosis rat model, and identify the miRNA expression pattern of silicosis rat with miRNA microarray. Compared with normal lung tissue, fourteen miRNAs were found significantly up-regulated while the other twenty-five down-regulated in silicosis samples. The differential expression of two selected miRNAs was confirmed by stem-loop real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Our results indicate that the 39 altered miRNAs may be involved in lung fibrosis of rats that were exposed to silica dust. Furthermore, the microarray results provide a solid basis for further validation, such as identification of other miRNAs that may be related to inflammation and fibrosis. The findings are paving way for silicosis early prevention, prognosis and possible therapy.

The Effect of Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides on Fibroblast Irradiated by Ultraviolet A / 环境与健康杂志

Objective To explore the protective effects of lycium barbarum polysaccharides(LBP) on fibroblast in vitro irradiated by ultraviolet A(UVA). Methods Taking the primary cultured fibroblast as objects, the fibroblast was irradiated by UVA ( irradiation intensity: 2.4 J/cm2). The fibroblast was randomly divided into six groups, control group, UVA radiated group and four protective groups(0.1 mg/ml LBP, 0.2 mg/ml LBP, 0.4 mg/ml LBP and 0.8 mg/ml LBP). The activities of cell proliferation were measured by MTT methods. The contents of MDA, the activities of SOD in the fibroblasts, and the activities of LDH in the supernatants of fibroblasts were determined by biochemical methods. Results The fibroblasts were irradiated by UVA (irradiation intensity: 2.4 J/cm2),the activities of cell proliferation was decreased,the activities of SOD was decreased too, the content of MDA and LDH increased. Compared with UVA irradiated group,in the given concentration,LBP could improve the activities of cell’s proliferation,improve the activities of SOD and decrease the contents of MDA in the cell, and decrease the content of LDH in the supernatants of cells significantly (P