Biosynthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles and their potential synergistic effect on alloxan induced oxidative stress conditions during cardiac injury in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Cistus incanus leaf extract was used to biologically synthesize Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs). The characteristic UV-vis spectral band of CuO NPs found at 290 nm revealed the successful formation of CuO NPs. By the analysis of TEM and SEM, it is confirmed that the obtained CuO NPs were in spherical structure. By the analysis of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, it is evident that the absorption peak was situated at a position of about 480 cm-1 of wavenumber, which is typically considered as an extremely pure CuO NPs. The images of Transmission Electron Microscopy exhibited that the formed CuO NPs were in the size of about 15-25 nm and were relatively uniform in distribution. When related with the treatment of nanomaterials only, the synergistic interaction among CuO NPs and oxidative stress conditions considerably decreased the cardiac-related function catalogs, which includes pathological progressions of myocardium along with an obvious rise in the levels of creatine kinase-MB and cardiac troponin I. When compared to the void reaction of micro-CuO and cardiac operations in alloxan-injected rats, aggravation in the conditions of oxidative stress could be playing a significant part in the heart injury after dual exposing CuO NPs and alloxan. By these results, it is confirmed that the conditions of oxidative stress improved the contrary effects of CuO NPs to the heart, signifying that the utilization of nanomaterials in conditions of stress such as, in the delivery of drug, required to be cautiously monitored.

Schizandrin protects H9c2 cells against lipopolysaccharide-induced injury by downregulating Smad3.

Schizandrin is a major bioactive constituent of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The objective of this study was to explore the potential effects of schizandrin on a cell model of myocarditis. The H9c2 cells were treated with schizandrin alone or in combination with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), after which, cell survival, migration, and the release of inflammatory cytokines were assessed. Moreover, downstream effectors and signaling pathways were studied to reveal the possible underlying mechanism. As a result, LPS stimulation induced significant cell damage as cell viability was repressed and the apoptosis was induced. In the meantime, LPS promoted the release of proinflammatory cytokines including interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), IL-8, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) while repressing the release of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Schizandrin could promote H9c2 cell migration and long-term treatment (7 days) enhanced cell viability. More interestingly, pretreatment with schizandrin attenuated LPS-induced cell loss and inflammatory response. Besides this, Smad3 was a downstream effector of schizandrin. The beneficial effects of schizandrin on the H9c2 cells were attenuated when Smad3 was overexpressed. Moreover, the silencing of Smad3 deactivated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathways. This study preliminarily demonstrated that schizandrin prevented LPS-induced injury in the H9c2 cells and promoted the recovery of myocardial tissues by enhancing cell viability and migration. Schizandrin conferred its beneficial effects possibly by downregulating Smad3 and inhibiting the activation of JNK and NF-κB pathways.

Notoginsenoside R1 up-regulates microRNA-132 to protect human lung fibroblast MRC-5 cells from lipopolysaccharide-caused injury.

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia is a common lung disease in children with high fatality rate. Notoginsenoside R1 (NGR1) is the main active component extracted from the roots of Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H. Chen (Araliaceae). Here, we carefully explored the potential anti-inflammatory and protective effects of NGR1 on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lung fibroblast MRC-5 cell injury. METHODS: Viability and apoptosis of MRC-5 cells after different treatment or transfection were respectively assessed using CCK-8 assay and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining. The expression levels of microRNA-132 (miR-132), IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α in MRC-5 cells were measured using qRT-PCR. MicroRNA transfection was conducted to reduce the expression level of miR-132. Western blotting was used to analyze the protein expression levels of key factors involving in cell proliferation, apoptosis, NF-κB pathway and JNK pathway. RESULTS: LPS treatment caused MRC-5 cell proliferation inhibition, apoptosis and over-production of inflammatory cytokines. NGR1 treatment had no significant effects on MRC-5 cell proliferation, apoptosis and production of inflammatory cytokines, but protected MRC-5 cells from LPS-caused cell proliferation inhibition, apoptosis and over-production of inflammatory cytokines. In addition, NGR1 increased the expression level of miR-132 in MRC-5 cells. Knockdown of miR-132 reversed the protective effects of NGR1 on LPS-treated MRC-5 cells. Furthermore, NGR1 attenuated LPS-activated NF-κB and JNK pathways in MRC-5 cells via up-regulation of miR-132. CONCLUSION: This research confirmed the protective roles of NGR1 in lung fibroblast cell inflammatory injury. NGR1 protected MRC-5 cells from LPS-caused inflammatory injury through up-regulating miR-132 and then inactivating NF-κB and JNK pathways.

Expression of DACT1 in children with asthma and its regulation mechanism.

The aim of the present study was to detect DACT1 expression levels in the lungs of children with asthma, and to investigate its role and molecular mechanisms in regulating the expression of inflammatory factors in RAW264.7 cells. DACT1, DACT2 and DACT3 expression was analyzed in biopsy specimens from 10 cases of newly diagnosed children with asthma and 10 healthy controls by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and their expression was confirmed in RAW264.7 cells. DACT1 expression was silenced by small interfering RNA or enhanced by transfection of pcDNA-3.1-DACT1 in RAW264.7 cells, and expression of ß-catenin and inflammatory factors, interleukin (IL) 5, IL6 and IL13, was analyzed. Nuclear translocation of ß-catenin was detected by western blot analysis, and the effect of DACT1 on ß-catenin was investigated with rescue experiments. Regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway by DACT1 and ß-catenin was analyzed in RAW264.7 cells after recombinant Wnt5A stimulation. DACT1, DACT2 and DACT3 were significantly upregulated in specimens from children with asthma compared with controls (P<0.05) and the expression of DACT1 was significantly more increased compared with DACT2 and DACT3 (P<0.05). Inhibition of DACT1 expression significantly suppressed IL5, IL6 and IL13 mRNA expression levels compared with the control (P<0.05), while upregulated DACT1 expression significantly increased IL5, IL6 and IL13 mRNA expression (P<0.05). DACT1 inhibited the expression and nuclear translocation of ß-catenin, while overexpression of ß-catenin significantly inhibited the biological function of DACT1 (P<0.05). Overexpression of ß-catenin also significantly suppressed the upregulation of IL5, IL6 and IL13 mRNA induced by pcDNA3.1-DACT1 transfection (P<0.05). Following the addition of Wnt5A, overexpression of DACT1 inhibited the expression and nuclear translocation of ß-catenin, and upregulated IL5, IL6 and IL13 mRNA expression. In conclusion, DACT1 was indicated to be upregulated in lung tissues from children with asthma, which could induce higher pro-inflammatory factor expression. DACT1 may act via inhibiting the expression and nuclear translocation of ß-catenin, a factor in the Wnt signaling pathway. The present results suggested that DACT1 may be a potential target for the treatment of asthma.

[Correlation Study between Electronic Bronchus Mirror and Chinese Medical Syndrome TVDinci of Mycoplasma pneumonia Children].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation between electronic bronchus mirror and Chinese medical syndrome typing of Mycoplasma pneumonia children. METHODS: Totally 198 Mycoplasma pneumonia children inpatients were assigned to three syndrome types according to Chinese medical syndrome typing and self-formulated typing standards of electronic bronchus mirror, i.e., Fei-qi accumulation of damp and heat syndrome, Fei-qi accumulation of toxicity and heat syndrome, deficient vital qi leading to lingering of pathogen syndrome. The correlation between electronic bronchus mirror and Chinese medical syndrome typing was explored. RESULTS: As for comparison between electronic bronchus mirror and Chinese medical syndrome typing, Kappa value (K^) was 0.645 and Spearman coefficient correlation (r) was 0.653 (P < 0.01) for Fei-qi accumulation of damp and heat syndrome; K^ was 0.724 and r(s) was 0.727 (P < 0.01) for Fei-qi accumulation of toxicity and heat syndrome; K^ was 0.506 and r(s) was 0.515 (P < 0.01) for deficient vital qi leading to lingering of pathogen syndrome. CONCLUSION: Chinese medical syndrome typing of Mycoplasma pneumonia children was moderately in line with inspection typing under electronic bronchoscope with significant correlation.