Modified Si-Miao-San inhibits inflammation and promotes glucose disposal in adipocytes through regulation of AMP-kinase.

Modified Si-Miao-San (mSMS) is composed of Rhizoma Coptidis, Cortex Phellodendri, Rhizoma Coptidis Semen Coicis and Atractylodes Rhizome. The prescription is used for the management of diabetes and insulin resistance in the clinic. This study aims to investigate its regulation of glucose disposal in adipocytes. Differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes were stimulated with conditioned medium derived from activated macrophages to induce insulin resistance and observed the effects of Mac-CM on insulin-mediated glucose uptake along the insulin receptor substrate-1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Moreover, its regulation of AMPK phosphorylation was also investigated. mSMS enhanced AMPK phosphorylation and promoted basal glucose uptake in adipocytes; mSMS inhibited NF-κB activation by reducing P65 phosphorylation and improved insulin-stimulated IRS-1 tyrosine and Akt phosphorylation, leading to the restoration of insulin-mediated glucose uptake when cells were exposed to inflammatory stimulation. These beneficial effects were diminished in the presence of the AMPK inhibitor compound C. mSMS positively regulated AMPK activity, and this action contributed to improving insulin PI3K signaling by the beneficial regulation of IRS-1 function through inhibition of inflammation in adipocytes.

[Effects of Porphyromonas gingivalis on inflammatory factor secreted by human umbilical vein endothelial cells].

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g) on interleukin-18 (IL-18) and CRP secretion in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). METHODS: Anaeropack method was used for P.g cultivation and then HUVECs were co-cultured with P.g followed by assaying the amount of IL-18 and CRP with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Linear regression and variance analysis were performed with SPSS11.0 software package. RESULTS: The unstimulated HUVECs expressed small amounts of IL-18 and CRP, P.g dose-dependently increased the production of IL-18 and CRP in HUVECs. Elevated IL-18 and CRP were found at 4-hour, then continued to increase at 8-hour, 12-hour and 24-hour after co-cultivation; under the effect of same concentration, the quantity of CRP was significantly higher than that of IL-18 secreted by HUVECs. There was significant different, P<0.05. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that P.g increased the production of IL-18 and CRP in HUVECs in a dose and time dependent manner, elevated IL-18 and CRP may be involved in the regulation of inflammatory both in periodontal disease and formation of atherosclerotic plaque in cardiovascular disease(CVD).