Baicalin increases connexin 43 expression in striatal astrocytes of rats with Parkinson’s disease / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: In the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease, connexin 43 is an important regulatory protein, and the underlying mechanism of connexin 43 in reducing the damage of dopamine neurons is still unclear. Baicalin has been shown to inhibit the inflammation and oxidative stress of Parkinson’s disease, and can protect dopamine neurons from deformation in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of baicalin on the behavior and the expression of connexin 43 in astrocytes in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease. METHODS: Eighty Sprague-Dawley rats were enrolled. Ten randomly selected rats received no intervention (control group), and Parkinson’s disease was induced by unilateral bisite (median substantia nigra, striatum) lesions using 6-hydroxydopamine stereotaxic apparatus in the remaining rats. The model rats received the treatment of normal saline (model group), 125 mg/kg Madopar, 50 and 100 mg/kg baicalin, respectively, for 28 consecutive days. The changes in rotational behavior were observed by behavioral tests. The number of cells positive for tyrosine hydroxylase was determined by immunohistochemistry. The expression of connexin 43 was detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Behavioral results: there was no rotational behavior in the control group before and after intervention. In the other four groups, the model group rats exhibited rotational behaviors at 5 minutes after apomorphine injection, all were at a speed of 13 r/min before treatment (P ＞ 0.05). Compared with the model group, the number of rotations in the Madopar and high-dose baicalin groups was significantly decreased (P ＜ 0.01). There was no significant difference in the number of cells positive for tyrosine hydroxylase in the nigra between model and low-dose baicalin groups (P ＞ 0.05). The number of cells positive for tyrosine hydroxylase in the Madopar and high-dose baicalin groups was significantly greater than that in the model group (P ＜ 0.01). There was a significant increase in the expression of connexin 43 in the model group compared with the control group (P ＜ 0.01). The expression level did not differ significantly between model and low-dose baicalin groups (P ＞ 0.05). The expression level in the Madopar and high-dose baicalin groups was significantly lower than that in the model group (P ＜ 0.01). In conclusion, 100 mg/kg baicalin can significantly improve the rotational behavior of rats with Parkinson’s disease, significantly increase the number of tyrosine hydrogenase-positive cells, and alleviate the damage of Parkinson’s disease neurons caused by 6-hydroxydopamine. Additionally, baicalin can down-regulate connexin 43 expression in astrocytes of rats with Parkinson’s disease.

Association Analysis of Proteasome Subunits and Transporter Associated with Antigen Processing on Chinese Patients with Parkinson's Disease / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Proteasome subunits (PSMB) and transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) loci are located in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) Class II region play important roles in immune response and protein degradation in neurodegenerative diseases. This study aimed to explore the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of PSMB and TAP and Parkinson's disease (PD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A case-control study was conducted by genotyping SNPs in PSMB8, PSMB9, TAP1, and TAP2 genes in the Chinese population. Subjects included 542 sporadic patients with PD and 674 healthy controls. Nine identified SNPs in PSMB8, PSMB9, TAP1, and TAP2 were genotyped through SNaPshot testing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The stratified analysis of rs17587 was specially performed on gender. Data revealed that female patients carry a higher frequency of rs17587-G/G versus (A/A + G/A) compared with controls. But there was no significant difference with respect to the genotypic frequencies of the SNPs in PSMB8, TAP1, and TAP2 loci in PD patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Chinese females carrying the rs17587-G/G genotype in PSMB9 may increase a higher risk for PD, but no linkage was found between other SNPs in HLA Class II region and PD.</p>

Clinic diagnosis and treatment of patients with Cantrell syndrome / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the diagnostic feature, treatment and prognosis of patients with Cantrell syndrome.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical manifestation, diagnosis, operation and follow-up data of 5 patients with Cantrell syndrome were summarized in this retrospective analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The age of the 5 patients was 7 days-76 years, definite diagnosis was made in 3 cases and 2 cases presented feature of incomplete Cantrell syndrome. Three patients with full Cantrell syndrome were correctly diagnosed before operation and confirmed by operation. One patient with incomplete Cantrell syndrome (two-vessel stenosis) received bypass surgery. Another asymptomatic patient with incomplete Cantrell syndrome (apical diverticulum of the left ventricle) does not need operation and is under observation. During follow-up, 1 patient died at 60 months after operation and the remaining 4 patients are alive and well.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>With the development of modern imaging technology, it becomes easy to make correct diagnose Cantrell syndrome before operation. Prognosis is fine post timely operation and related intervention.</p>