Role of oxidative stress in the apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma induced by combination of arsenic trioxide and ascorbic acid.

AIM: The present study was designed to determine the possible pathway underlying the enhancement of apoptosis induced by the combined use of arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) and ascorbic acid (AA). METHODS: The level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by means of flow cytometry analysis with an oxidation-sensitive fluorescent probe (6-carboxy-2',7' dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate) uploading. The activity of glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were detected by biochemical methods. The mitochondrial membrane potential was measured by flow cytometry analysis with rhodamine 123 staining. Bcl-2, Bax, and p17 subunit of caspase-3 were analyzed using the Western blot method. The apoptosis rate was determined by flow cytometry with annexin-V/propidium iodide staining. RESULTS: Compared with As(2)O(3) (2.0 micromol/L) treated alone, As(2)O(3) (2.0 micromol/L) in combination with AA (100 micromol/L) decreased intracellular GSH content from 101.30+/-5.76 to 81.91+/-3.12 mg/g protein, and increased ROS level from 127.61+/-5.12 to 152.60+/-5.88, which was represented by the 2, 7-dichlorofluorescein intensity. The loss of mitochondria membrane potential was increased from 1269.97+/-36.11 to 1540.52+/-52.63, which was presented by fluorescence intensity. The p17 subunit of caspase-3 expression was increased approximately 2-fold. However, SOD and GPx depletion and the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax were equal to that of As2O3 treated alone (P>0.05). When the ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, was added to As(2)O(3) and AA combined treatment group, the apoptosis rate decreased from 15.60 %+/-1.14% to 9.48%+/-0.67%, and the ROS level decreased from 152.60+/-5.88 to 102.77+/-10.25. CONCLUSION: AA potentiated As(2)O(3)-induced apoptosis through the oxidative pathway by increasing the ROS level. This may be the result of depleting intracellular GSH. It may influence the downstream cascade following ROS, including mitochondria depolarization and caspase-3 activation. However, SOD and GPx depletion and the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax influenced by As(2)O(3) was not found to be potentiated by AA.

Roles of nitric oxide in protective effect of berberine in ethanol-induced gastric ulcer mice.

AIM: To investigate the protective effects of berberine on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice. METHODS: Gastric ulcers were induced by oral ingestion of ethanol. Nitric oxide (NO) content was measured, and mRNA expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: The ulcer index (UI) at 1 h, 2 h, 3 h and 6 h after oral administration of ethanol was 23.8+/-1.4, 23.3+/-2.2, 22.3+/-1.2 and 20.8+/-1.1, respectively. The UI in the berberine-treated groups (5 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) was less than the control group. The content of NO in the control group was 73.3+/-7.3 microL/L, 94.0+/-9.2 microL/L, 109.6+/-6.4 microL/L and 138.2+/-10.2 microL/L in gastric juice and 5.8+/-1.1 micromol/g protein, 8.3+/-1.1 micromol/g protein, 9.8+/-1.1 micromol/g protein and 11.9+/-1.2 micromol/g protein in gastric tissue at 1 h, 2 h, 3 h and 6 h, respectively, after the oral administration of ethanol. The content of NO in the berberine-treated groups (5 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) was higher than the control group at 1 h after the oral administration of ethanol (P<0.05), and was lower at 6 h (P<0.05). Analysis by RT-PCR showed that expression of eNOS was inhibited but iNOS expression was enhanced by ethanol. However, the expression of eNOS could be enhanced and iNOS expression could be inhibited by berberine (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Berberine could significantly protect gastric mucosa from damage by ethanol. This effect may be related to the increased expression of eNOS mRNA and inhibited expression of iNOS mRNA.

Long-term modifications of blood pressure in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats by gene delivery of rAAV-mediated cytochrome P450 arachidonic acid hydroxylase.

Arachidonic acid cytochrome P-450 (CYP) hydroxylase 4A isoforms, including 4A1, 4A2, 4A3 and 4A8 in the rat kidney, catalyze arachidonic acid to produce 19/20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (20-HETE), a biologically active metabolite, which plays an important role in the regulation of blood pressure. However, controversial results have been reported regarding the exact role of 20-HETE on blood pressure. In the present study, we used recombinant adeno-associated viral vector (rAAV) to deliver CYP 4A1 cDNA and antisense 4A1 cDNA into Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), respectively, to investigate the effects of long-term modifications of blood pressure and the potential for gene therapy of hypertension. The mean systolic pressure increased by 14.2+/-2.5 mm Hg in rAAV.4A1-treated SD rats and decreased by 13.7+/-2.2 mm Hg in rAAV.anti4A1-treated SHR rats 5 weeks after the injection compared with controls and these changes in blood pressure were maintained until the experiments ended at 24 weeks. In 4A1 treated animals CYP4A was overexpressed in various tissues, but preferentially in the kidney at both mRNA and protein levels. In anti-4A1-treated SHR, CYP4A mRNA in various tissues was probed, especially in kidneys, but 4A1 protein expression was almost completely inhibited. These results suggest that arachidonic acid CYP hydroxylases contribute not only to the maintenance of normal blood pressure but also to the development of hypertension. rAAV-mediated anti4A administration strategy has the potential to be used as targeted gene therapy in human hypertension by blocking expression of CYP 4A in kidneys.

[Protective effects of 1-(2,6-dimethylphenoxy)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenylethylamino) propane hydrochloride(DDPH) on brain ischemia injury in rats].

AIM: To study the effects of 1-(2,6-dimethylphenoxy)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenylethylamino) propane hydrochloride(DDPH) on brain ischemia injury in rats. METHODS: By using the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) induced by nylon surgical thread inserted through the internal carotid artery into the anterior cerebral artery in rats, the effects of DDPH on neuron defects(ND) and infarct size(IS) were investigated. Using incomplete cerebral ischemia in rats, the effects of DDPH on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in brain tissue and pathological changes in rats were studied. RESULTS: DDPH at the dose of 10 mg.kg-1 i.p. 30 min before ischemia decreased the ND 3 h after ischemia. The IS declined 24 h after ischemia as well. Meanwhile, DDPH was found to increase SOD activity and reduce the MDA content, as well as mitigate pathological damage, of neuron after brain ischemia in rats. CONCLUSION: DDPH showed protective effects on brain ischemia, probably related to its properties of calcium antagonistic effect and increasing the activity of superoxide dismutases.

Cardiovascular pharmacological effects of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid derivatives.

Tetrandrine, dauricine, daurisoline and neferine are bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid derivatives isolated from Chinese traditional medicine and herbs. The cardiovascular pharmacological effects and the mechanism of actions of these compounds were reviewed. Tetrandrine isolated from Stephania tetrandra S Moore possesses antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic effects. The antihypertensive effects of tetrandrine have been demonstrated in experimental hypertensive animals and in hypertensive patients. Recent studies showed that in addition to its calcium antagonistic effect, tetrandrine interacted with M receptors. Modulation by M receptor is one of the pharmacological mechanisms of cardiovascular effects of tetrandrine. Dauricine and daurisoloine were isolated from Menispermum dauricum DC. The antiarrhythmic effects of dauricine have been verified in different experimental arrhythmic models and in cardiac arrhythmic patients. Dauricine blocked the cardiac transmembrane Na+,K+ and Ca2+ ion currents. Differing from quinidine and sotalol, which exhibited reverse use-dependent effect, dauricine prolonged APD in a normal use-dependent manner in experimental studies. The antiarrhythmic effect of daurisoline and neferine which is an alkaloid isolated from Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn, and their mechanisms of actions have also been studied. The antiarrhythmic effect of daurisoline is more potent than that of dauricine.

Inhibitory effects of DDPH on two components of delayed rectifier potassium current in guinea pig ventricular cells.

AIM: To study the effects of 1-(2,6-dimethylphenoxy)-2-(3,4-dimethoxy-phenyl-ethylamino) propane hydro-chloride (DDPH) on the rapidly activating component (I(Kr)), and the slowly activating component (I(Ks)) of the delayed rectifier potassium current (I(K)) in guinea pig ventricular myocytes. METHODS: Whole-cell patch clamp recording techniques. RESULTS: DDPH (0.1-100 micromol/L) blocked the I(Kr) in a concentration-dependent manner. The IC50 (micromol/L) was 6.1 (95 % confidence limits: 2.8-13.5). IC50 (micromol/L) of DDPH blocking I(Ks) was 12.5 (95 % confidence limits: 4.8-32.2). DDPH (10 micromol/L) did not affect activation time constants and the voltage-dependent activation of both I(Kr) and I(Ks), the half-activation voltage (V1/2, mV) and slope factor (k, mV) were I(Kr): -23.5+/-2.4 and 8.1+/-2.2 [in presence of DDPH, P >0.05, compared with control, V1/2 (-21.7+/-0.8) and k (5.9+/-0.8)]; I(Ks): 27.1+/-0.7 and 16.6+/-0.8 [in presence of DDPH, P >0.05, compared with control, V1/2 (27.0+/-0.8) and k (14.9+/-0.9)]. DDPH slightly increased the deactivation time-constant of I(Kr) ( r) and I(Ks) ( s) at low concentration (<10 micromol/L). The inactivation of I(Kr) was significantly accelerated by DDPH. CONCLUSIONS: DDPH inhibited both I(Kr) and I(Ks). The blockade was not due to its influence on activation, but the process of deactivation. The blocking of I(Kr) by DDPH was further associated with its acceleration the channel inactivation.

Arachidonate CYP hydroxylases of kidney contribute to formation of hypertension and maintenance of blood pressure.

AIM: To investigate the relationship of kidney-specific expression of cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 4A1 and the blood pressure. METHODS: The specific sense and antisense CYP4A1 cDNA was administered respectively with the help of eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1 to the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats via sublingual vein (2 mg/kg). The systolic blood pressure of rats was assessed by the tail- cuff method, and the relative tissue expression of CYP4A1 was analyzed by Western blot and Northern blot at RNA and protein levels in the brain, heart, lung, liver, and kidney of control, sense, and anti-sense CYP4A1 cDNA-treated rats. RESULTS: Two weeks after the injection of the sense and antisense CYP4A1 cDNA recombinants respectively, the mean systolic pressure of the transgenic rats increased by 1.8 kPa +/- 0.3 kPa (13.2 mmHg +/- 2.5 mmHg) or decreased by 1.7 kPa +/- 0.3 kPa (13.0 mmHg +/- 2.2 mmHg) compared with control. At the levels of transcription and translation, the Northern and Western blots all demonstrated that CYP4A1 preferentially overexpressed in the kidney. CONCLUSION: The administration of sense and antisense CYP4A1 cDNA induced hypertension and hypotension, respectively, which indicated that renal arachidonate hydroxylase contributed to the formation of hypertension and maintenance of blood pressure in normotensive rats.