Long-term chemogenetic activation of M1 glutamatergic neurons attenuates the behavioral and cognitive deficits caused by intracerebral hemorrhage.

Acute spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a life-threatening disease. It is often accompanied by severe neurological sequelae largely caused by the loss of integrity of the neural circuits. However, these neurological sequelae have few strong medical interventions. Designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) are important chemogenetic tools capable of precisely modulating the activity of neural circuits. They have been suggested to have therapeutic effects on multiple neurological diseases. Despite this, no empirical research has explored the effects of DREADDs on functional recovery after ICH. We aimed to explore whether the long-term excitation of glutamatergic neurons in primary motor cortex (M1) by DREADD could promote functional recovery after ICH. We used CaMKII-driven Gq/Gi-DREADDs to activate/inhibit M1 glutamatergic neurons for 21 consecutive days, and examined their effects on behavioral and cognitive deficits caused by ICH in a mouse model of ICH targeting striatum. Long-term chemogenetic activation of the M1 glutamatergic neurons increased the spatial memory and sensorimotor ability of mice suffering from ICH. It also attenuated the mitochondrial dysfunctions of striatal neurons by raising the ATP levels and mitochondrial membrane potential while decreasing the 8-OHdG levels. These results strongly suggest that selective stimulation of the M1 glutamatergic neurons contributes to functional recovery after ICH presumably through alleviation of mitochondrial dysfunctions.

Oxidative stress promotes myocardial fibrosis by upregulating KCa3.1 channel expression in AGT-REN double transgenic hypertensive mice.

The intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (KCa3.1) channels play a pivotal role in the cardiac fibroblast proliferation and inflammatory reaction during the progression of myocardial fibrosis. However, the relationship between KCa3.1 expression and oxidative stress, the important factor of promoting fibrosis, has not been clearly established. This study was designed to investigate whether the role of oxidative stress in promoting myocardial fibrosis is related to KCa3.1 channel by using biochemical approaches. It was found that mean blood pressure, plasma Ang II level, and myocardium malondialdehyde (MDA) content of angiotensinogen-renin (AGT-REN) double transgenic hypertension (dTH) mice were higher than those in wild-type (WT) mice of the same age (4, 8 and 12 months) and were significantly increased with age. However, plasma Ang (1-7) level and myocardium superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity showed a downward trend and were lower than those of the same-aged WT mice (4, 8 and 12 months). In addition, protein expression of myocardium KCa3.1 channel in 4-, 8-, and 12-month-old dTH mice were significantly higher than that of the same-aged WT mice and gradually increased with age. TRAM-34, a blocker of KCa3.1 channel, and losartan mitigated the myocardial structural and functional damage by inhibiting collagen deposition and decreasing the expression of ß-MHC. After intervention of ROS scavenger N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and NADPH inhibitor apocynin (Apo) in 6-month-old dTH mice for 4 weeks, myocardial oxidative stress level was reduced and KCa3.1 channel protein expression was decreased. Meanwhile, Apo inhibited the myocardium p-ERK1/2/T-ERK protein expression in dTH mice, and after blockage of ERK1/2 pathway with PD98059, the KCa3.1 protein expression was reduced. These results demonstrate for the first time that KCa3.1 channel is likely to be a critical target on the oxidative stress for its promoting role in myocardial fibrosis, and the ERK1/2 pathway may be involved in the regulation of oxidative stress to KCa3.1.

Protective role of ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas in myocardial fibrosis by downregulating KCa3.1 channel via ERK1/2 pathway.

The intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (KCa3.1) channel plays a vital role in myocardial fibrosis induced by angiotensin (Ang) II. However, as the antagonists of Ang II, the effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-angiotensin-(1-7)-Mas axis on KCa3.1 channel during myocardial fibrosis remains unknown. This study was designed to explore the function of KCa3.1 channel in the cardioprotective role of ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas. Wild-type (WT) mice, hACE2 transgenic mice (Tg), and ACE2 deficiency mice (ACE2-/-) were administrated with Ang II by osmotic mini-pumps. As the activator of ACE2, diminazene aceturate (DIZE) inhibited increase of blood pressure, collagen deposition, and KCa3.1 protein expression in myocardium of WT mice induced by Ang II. In Tg and ACE2-/- mice, besides the elevation of blood pressure, Ang II induced transformation of cardiac fibroblast into myofibroblast and resulted in augmentation of hydroxyproline concentration and collagen deposition, as well as KCa3.1 protein expression, but the changes in ACE2-/- mice were more obvious than those in Tg mice. Mas antagonist A779 reduced blood pressure, myocardium fibrosis, and myocardium KCa3.1 protein expression by Ang II in Tg mice, but activation of KCa3.1 with SKA-31 in Tg mice promoted the pro-fibrogenic effects of Ang II. Respectively, in ACE2-/- mice, TRAM-34, the KCa3.1 blocker, and Ang-(1-7) inhibited increase of blood pressure, collagen deposition, and KCa3.1 protein expression by Ang II. Moreover, DIZE and Ang-(1-7) depressed p-ERK1/2/t-ERK increases by Ang II in WT mice, and after blockage of ERK1/2 pathway with PD98059, the KCa3.1 protein expression was reduced in WT mice. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas protects the myocardium from hypertension-induced injury, which is related to its inhibiting effect on KCa3.1 channels through ERK1/2 pathway. Our results reveal that KCa3.1 channel is likely to be a critical target on the ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas axis for its protective role in myocardial fibrosis and changes of KCa3.1 induced by homeostasis of ACE-Ang II-AT1 axis and ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas axis may be a new therapeutic target in myocardial fibrosis.

Therapeutic effects of topical 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic effects of combined 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) on genital warts and the safety. METHODS: One hundred ten patients with genital warts who were treated in our hospital from June 2013 to October 2014 were selected. The warts and affected parts were disinfected with benzalkonium bromide solution, and the warts were covered with absorbent cotton that had already been added freshly prepared 20% ALA solution, packaged and fixed. Then they were wet-dressed in dark, into which ALA solution was added according to the proportion of 5:3:2 every 30 minutes for three consecutive hours. Afterwards, the warts were illuminated by using photodynamic laser apparatus. The clinical outcomes, adverse reactions and recurrence rates were observed. RESULTS: Genital warts were relieved in 107 out of the 110 cases (cure rate: 97.3%). Male patients had significantly better treatment outcomes at the urethral orifice than those in other affected parts. In the 107 patients, the cure rate of male patients was 98.8%, and they were cured after being treated four times. In contrast, female patients, who were cured after 5 times of treatment, had the cure rate of 91.7%. Their cure rates were similar (χ(2)=0, P>0.05), but the males were cured after significantly fewer times of treatment than the females (t=-7.432, P<0.05). Five patients suffered from mild tingling or burning sensation upon dressing at the urethral orifice, and the others were all free from systemic adverse reactions. After illumination, a small portion of the patients had mildly red, swelling, painful affected parts, with mild edema that almost disappeared within three days. Three patients relapsed at the urethral orifice and were then cured after further treatment. CONCLUSION: ALA-PDT can treat genital warts safely with high cure rate and low recurrence rate, particularly working for those of males at the urethral orifice.

[Effect of expression of c-jun N-terminal kinase on neuron autophagy following diffuse brain injury in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect and potential mechanism of expression of c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signal pathway on neuron autophagy after diffuse brain injury (DBI). METHODS: Male Sprague Dawley rats (n = 216) were randomly divided into four groups: DBI group (n = 54), SP600125 intervene group (n = 54), DMSO group (n = 54) and sham operation group (n = 54). DBI rat model was established according to the description of Marmarou DBI. At different time points (1, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h) after operation, the histopathologic changes of neurons in cortex were observed by HE staining method; The expression of p-JNK, p-P53, DRAM and Beclin-1 were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The results showed that under light microscope degenerated and necrotic neurons were observed to be scattered in cortex at 6 h after operation in DBI group, but these changes were low in SP600125 intervene group. Compared with SP600125 intervene group, the expression of p-JNK in DBI group were enhanced obviously at 6, 12 and 24 h (F = 17.902, P < 0.05); the expression of p-P53 in DBI group were enhanced obviously at 12, 24, 48 and 72 h (F = 7.107, P < 0.05); the expression of DRAM in DBI group were enhanced obviously at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h (F = 15.455, P < 0.05); the expression of Beclin-1 in DBI group were enhanced obviously at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h (F = 11.517, P < 0.05). Compared with DBI group, the expression of p-JNK, p-P53, DRAM and Beclin-1 in DMSO group were similar at 1, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h (F = 1.509, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The present results indicate that SP600125 can dramatically improve trauma brain injury from autophagy after DBI and the molecular mechanism is related to the modulation of JNK signal pathway following DBI, while it measures the neuron autophagy by means of intervening JNK signal pathway.

Acute kidney injury in traumatic brain injury intensive care unit patients.

BACKGROUND: The exact definition of Acute kidney injury (AKI) for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) is unknown. AIM: To compare the power of the "Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss of kidney function, and End-stage kidney disease" (RIFLE), Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN), Creatinine kinetics (CK), and Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) to determine AKI incidence/stage and their association with the in-hospital mortality rate of patients with TBI. METHODS: This retrospective study collected the data of patients admitted to the intensive care unit for neurotrauma from 2001 to 2012, and 1648 patients were included. The subjects in this study were assessed for the presence and stage of AKI using RIFLE, AKIN, CK, and KDIGO. In addition, the propensity score matching method was used. RESULTS: Among the 1648 patients, 291 (17.7%) had AKI, according to KDIGO. The highest incidence of AKI was found by KDIGO (17.7%), followed by AKIN (17.1%), RIFLE (12.7%), and CK (11.5%) (P = 0.97). Concordance between KDIGO and RIFLE/AKIN/CK was 99.3%/99.1%/99.3% for stage 0, 36.0%/91.5%/44.5% for stage 1, 35.9%/90.6%/11.3% for stage 2, and 47.4%/89.5%/36.8% for stage 3. The in-hospital mortality rates increased with the AKI stage in all four definitions. The severity of AKI by all definitions and stages was not associated with in-hospital mortality in the multivariable analyses (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Differences are seen in AKI diagnosis and in-hospital mortality among the four AKI definitions or stages. This study revealed that KDIGO is the best method to define AKI in patients with TBI.

Low-dose metformin treatment in the subacute phase improves the locomotor function of a mouse model of spinal cord injury.

Metformin, a first-line drug for type-2 diabetes, has been shown to improve locomotor recovery after spinal cord injury. However, there are studies reporting no beneficial effect. Recently, we found that high dose of metformin (200 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) and acute phase administration (immediately after injury) led to increased mortality and limited locomotor function recovery. Consequently, we used a lower dose (100 mg/kg, i.p.) metformin in mice, and compared the effect of immediate administration after spinal cord injury (acute phase) with that of administration at 3 days post-injury (subacute phase). Our data showed that metformin treatment starting at the subacute phase significantly improved mouse locomotor function evaluated by Basso Mouse Scale (BMS) scoring. Immunohistochemical studies also revealed significant inhibitions of microglia/macrophage activation and astrogliosis at the lesion site. Furthermore, metformin treatment at the subacute phase reduced neutrophil infiltration. These changes were in parallel with the increased survival rate of spinal neurons in animals treated with metformin. These findings suggest that low-dose metformin treatment for subacute spinal cord injury can effectively improve the functional recovery possibly through anti-inflammation and neuroprotection. This study was approved by the Institute Animal Care and Use Committee at the University of Texas Medical Branch (approval No. 1008041C) in 2010.

Clinical diagnosis of severe COVID-19: A derivation and validation of a prediction rule.

BACKGROUND: The widespread coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, early risk identification of critically ill patients remains crucial. AIM: To develop predictive rules at the time of admission to identify COVID-19 patients who might require intensive care unit (ICU) care. METHODS: This retrospective study included a total of 361 patients with confirmed COVID-19 by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction between January 19, 2020, and March 14, 2020 in Shenzhen Third People's Hospital. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to develop the predictive model. The performance of the predictive model was externally validated and evaluated based on a dataset involving 126 patients from the Wuhan Asia General Hospital between December 2019 and March 2020, by area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC), goodness-of-fit and the performance matrix including the sensitivity, specificity, and precision. A nomogram was also used to visualize the model. RESULTS: Among the patients in the derivation and validation datasets, 38 and 9 participants (10.5% and 2.54%, respectively) developed severe COVID-19, respectively. In univariate analysis, 21 parameters such as age, sex (male), smoker, body mass index (BMI), time from onset to admission (> 5 d), asthenia, dry cough, expectoration, shortness of breath, asthenia, and Rox index < 18 (pulse oxygen saturation, SpO2)/(FiO2 × respiratory rate, RR) showed positive correlations with severe COVID-19. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, only six parameters including BMI [odds ratio (OR) 3.939; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.409-11.015; P = 0.009], time from onset to admission (≥ 5 d) (OR 7.107; 95%CI: 1.449-34.849; P = 0.016), fever (OR 6.794; 95%CI: 1.401-32.951; P = 0.017), Charlson index (OR 2.917; 95%CI: 1.279-6.654; P = 0.011), PaO2/FiO2 ratio (OR 17.570; 95%CI: 1.117-276.383; P = 0.041), and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (OR 3.574; 95%CI: 1.048-12.191; P = 0.042) were found to be independent predictors of COVID-19. These factors were found to be significant risk factors for severe patients confirmed with COVID-19. The AUROC was 0.941 (95%CI: 0.901-0.981) and 0.936 (95%CI: 0.886-0.987) in both datasets. The calibration properties were good. CONCLUSION: The proposed predictive model had great potential in severity prediction of COVID-19 in the ICU. It assisted the ICU clinicians in making timely decisions for the target population.

Increased phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase in the medial prefrontal cortex of the single-prolonged stress rats.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the change of phosphorylated p44/42 extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK1/2) and c-fos expression induced by single-prolonged stress (SPS) in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and to determine whether extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway plays a role in SPS. Before exposure to SPS, Wistar rats were bilaterally infused with PD98059, inhibitor of ERK, into the mPFC. Animals were then tested in the open field (OF), elevated plus-maze (EPM), and Morris water maze (MWM). Brains were removed for immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting of pERK1/2. And reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was employed to detect the c-fos mRNA, a member of immediate early genes (IGEs) family. SPS exposure resulted in pronounced anxiety-like behavior compared to control animals. SPS-exposed animals also displayed marked learning and spatial memory impairments. PD98059 significantly ameliorated anxiety-like behavior, learning, and spatial memory impairments. Expression of pERK1/2 in mPFC was significantly increased after rats were exposed to SPS, and the increase induced by SPS was significantly abolished by PD98059. The results of RT-PCR showed that the expression of c-fos mRNA had a significant increase in SPS rats compared with control rats, and the increase was significantly abolished by PD98059. The results suggest that pERK1/2 may be related to signal transduction pathway in single-prolonged stress.

[Effect of edaravone on extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 pathway following severe traumatic brain injury in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the protective effect of edaravone on severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its potential mechanism. METHODS: Two hundred and seventy-three male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided randomly into four groups: control group (n=45), model group (n=88), low-dose edaravone treatment group (n=72), high-dose edaravone treatment group (n=68). TBI rat model was reproduced by weight-dropping injury. One, 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours after injury, changes in brain tissue were observed with light and electron microscopy. The expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) was determined by Western blotting. The rate of neuron apoptosis was observed with immunohistochemistry and terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. Learning and memory function assessments were performed with Morris water maze from 7th day to 10th day after injury. RESULTS: Compared with control group, a part of neurons in hippocampus displayed histopathologic changes denoting necrosis 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours after injury. The p-ERK1/2 expression level (pg/unit) increased 1, 6, 24, 48 hours after injury (2.05 + or - 0.40, 4.40 + or - 0.96, 6.70 + or - 0.87, 3.67 + or - 0.28 vs. 0.40 + or - 0.04, 0.41 + or - 0.05, 0.43 + or - 0.06, 0.40 + or - 0.03), and the number of apoptotic cells increased 6, 24, 48, 72 hours after injury (9.60 + or - 2.69, 12.68 + or - 2.99, 16.94 + or - 3.92, 25.82 + or - 4.61 vs. 2.42 + or - 0.38, 2.58 + or - 0.57, 2.74 + or - 0.56, 2.61 + or - 0.58); latent period to find the safety platform (s) was significantly prolonged (119.8 + or - 25.0, 105.6 + or - 24.5, 98.5 + or - 21.8, 92.0 + or - 19.5 vs. 49.5 + or - 7.5, 32.7 + or - 6.3, 25.8 + or - 6.5, 24.8 + or - 5.5, all P<0.05). After treatment with edaravone, the degree of morphological injury, p-ERK1/2 level and number of apoptotic neurons decreased, latent period to find the safety platform was significantly shortened (in low-dose edaravone treatment group, p-ERK1/2 expression level at 6, 24, 48 hours was 2.46 + or - 0.22, 4.00 + or - 0.84, 2.38 + or - 0.32, and in high-dose edaravone treatment group was 1.67 + or - 0.15, 1.86 + or - 0.38, 1.27 + or - 0.28; in low-dose edaravone treatment group, the apoptotic cells at 6, 24, 48, 72 hours was 5.20 + or - 1.23, 7.10 + or - 1.72, 9.54 + or - 1.36, 14.12 + or - 3.19, and in high-dose edaravone treatment group was 3.40 + or - 0.49 , 4.39 + or - 0.73, 5.02 + or - 1.12, 8.78 + or - 2.16; in low-dose edaravone treatment group, latent period to find the safety platform at 7-10 days was 94.8 + or - 22.8, 65.2 + or - 19.0, 62.0 + or - 16.7, 59.5 + or - 15.6, and in high-dose edaravone treatment group it was 81.5 + or - 20.7, 55.4 + or - 18.5, 40.0 + or - 12.3, 32.2 + or - 11.0, all P<0.05). High-dose edaravone showed a better effect (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Edaravone gives good therapeutic effect on severe TBI, and the molecular mechanism is related to attenuation of ERK1/2 pathway and neuronal apoptosis following severe brain trauma.

Virus load and virus shedding of SARS-CoV-2 and their impact on patient outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Understanding a virus shedding patterns in body fluids/secretions is important to determine the samples to be used for diagnosis and to formulate infection control measures. AIM: To investigate the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) shedding patterns and its risk factors. METHODS: All laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 patients with complete medical records admitted to the Shenzhen Third People's Hospital from January 28, 2020 to March 8, 2020 were included. Among 145 patients (54.5% males; median age, 46.1 years), three (2.1%) died. The bronco-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) had the highest virus load compared with the other samples. The viral load peaked at admission (3.3 × 108 copies) and sharply decreased 10 d after admission. RESULTS: The viral load was associated with prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) duration. Patients in the ICU had significantly longer shedding time compared to those in the wards (P < 0.0001). Age > 60 years [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.6; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.4-0.9] was an independent risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 shedding, while chloroquine (HR = 22.8; 95%CI: 2.3-224.6) was a protective factor. CONCLUSION: BALF had the highest SARS-CoV-2 load. Elderly patients had higher virus loads, which was associated with a prolonged ICU stay. Chloroquine was associated with shorter shedding duration and increased the chance of viral negativity.

Association between fibroblast growth factor 21 and bone mineral density in adults.

PURPOSE: Animal-based studies have reported a decrease in bone mass resulting from high level of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21). However, the correlation between plasma FGF21 levels and bone mineral density (BMD) is paradoxical in previous human-based studies, and the associations between FGF21 gene polymorphisms and BMD haven't been reported yet. Therefore, here, we evaluated plasma FGF21 levels with sufficient study samples, and performed genetic association test to reveal the physiological and genetic role of FGF21 on BMD in adults. METHODS: Plasma and genetic samples containing 168 and 569 Han Chinese subjects, respectively, were employed in this study. Fasting plasma FGF21 levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Regional BMD values were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Five variants of FGF21 gene were successfully genotyped. RESULTS: Physiological association suggested that plasma FGF21 levels were inversely correlated with BMD in femoral neck (Neck-BMD: P = 0.039) and Ward's triangle (Ward's-BMD: P = 0.002) of hip region. A FGF21 gene variant, rs490942, was significantly associated with the increase of Ward's-BMD in total (P = 0.027) and female (P = 0.016) cohorts, as well as Neck-BMD in female cohort (P = 7.45 × 10-3). Meanwhile, eQTL results indicated that this SNP was related to the decreased level of FGF21 gene expression. CONCLUSIONS: Taking together from both physiological and genetic levels, we suggest that FGF21 is inversely associated with regional BMD. And we haven't observed sex-specific effect in this study.

Therapeutic effects of conditioned medium from bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells on epithelial-mesenchymal transition in A549 cells.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic lung disease. The transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1)/Smad3 signaling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been shown to be a modulator of the molecular aspects of the fibrosis pathway. However, it is still unknown as to whether the conditioned medium from BMSCs (BMSCs-CM) inhibits the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. This study confirmed the hypothesis that BMSCs-CM exerts an anti-fibrotic effect on human type II alveolar epithelial cells (A549) by suppressing the phosphorylation of Smad3. We used the A549 cells in vitro to detect morphological evidence of EMT by phase-contrast microscopy. These cells were randomly divided into 4 groups as follows: the control group, the TGF-ß1 group, the SIS3 (specific inhibitor of Smad3) group and the BMSCs-CM group. The immunofluorescence method was used to determined the location of E-cadherin (E-calcium mucins; E-cad), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and p-Smad3. The expression levels of E-cad, CK8, α-SMA, vimentin, p-Smad3, Snail1, collagen I (COLI) and collagen III (COLIII) were detected by western blot analysis. Following exposure to TGF-ß1, the A549 cells displayed a spindle-shaped fibroblast-like morphology. In accordance with these morphological changes, the expression levels of E-cad and CK8 were downregulated, while the expression levels of α-SMA and vimentin were upregulated. Along with this process, the expression levels of p-Smad3, Snail1, COLI and COLIII were increased. However, the cells in the BMSCs-CM group and SIS3 group exhibited a decrease in the levels of α-SMA and vimentin (which had been upregulated by TGF-ß1), and an increase in the levels of E-cad and CK8 expression (which had been downregulated by TGF-ß1). On the whole, these results indicated that BMSCs-CM suppressed the EMT which might be associated with TGF-ß1/Smad3. This study provides the theoretical basis for the research of the mechanisms responsible for pulmonary disease.

Rhein lysinate protects renal function in diabetic nephropathy of KK/HlJ mice.

The purpose of the present study was to assess the protective effects of rhein lysinate (RHL) in a KK/HlJ mouse model of diabetic nephropathy (DN) and to explore its mechanism of action. A total of 4 groups were established: C57BL/J control, the KK/HlJ model and 25 and 50 mg/kg/day RHL-treated KK/HlJ groups. The KK/HlJ mouse model of DN was established by streptozotocin injection, followed by maintenance on a specific diet. The albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) was determined at 5 weeks and at 16 weeks, the kidneys were harvested, and morphological examination and immunohistochemical analysis were performed. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) activities in the kidneys were measured using appropriate assay kits. The expression of inflammatory factors and associated proteins was analyzed using western blot analysis. At 5 weeks, the levels of ACR in KK/HlJ mice were increased, which was inhibited by treatment with RHL. Treatment with RHL (50 mg/kg/day) decreased the body weight of KK/HlJ mice. Compared with the C57BL/J control, the KK/HlJ model mice had a significantly lower activity of SOD and GSH-px in the kidneys, but had significantly higher levels of MDA. Treatment of KK/HlJ mice with RHL significantly increased the activities SOD and GSH-px, and reduced the MAD level in the kidneys. Renal tubular epithelial cell edema was observed in KK/HlJ mice but not in C57BL/J mice. RHL decreased the incidence of renal tubular epithelial cell edema and significantly decreased the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 as well as the expression and phosphorylation of NF-κB in the kidneys. Therefore, DN is associated with the expression of inflammatory factors, renal tubular epithelial cell edema and renal dysfunction in KK/HlJ mice. RHL improves renal function by decreasing kidney inflammation.

[Inhibition of N-acetyl-L-cysteine on expressions of matrix metalloproteinases increased by exposure to silicon dioxide in lung fibroblasts in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of N-acetyl L-cysteine (NAC) on expressions of matrix metalloproteinases-2, 9 (MMP-2, MMP-9) in lung fibroblasts of SiO(2) exposed rats. METHODS: Seventy-five Wistar rats were divided randomly into three groups. The control group was administered with normal Saline. The model group and the interventional group were administered with SiO(2), and the interventional group was administered with NAC before SiO(2) was administered. Lung fibroblasts were isolated on day 1, 3, 7, 14, 28 after exposure to SiO(2). The expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were evaluated by Immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR. RESULTS: (1) The expressions of protein and mRNA of MMP-2 in the model group were higher than that in the control group on all days after exposure to SiO(2) (P < 0.01). The expression of protein of MMP-9 was higher than the control group on day 1, 3, 7, and mRNA was higher on day 1, 3 (P < 0.01). (2) The expression of protein of MMP-2 in the interventional group was lower than the model group on all days, higher than the control group on day 3, 7, 14, 28, and the expression of mRNA was higher than the control group, lower than the model group, on all days (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The expression of protein of MMP-9 in the interventional group was lower than the model group on day 1, 3, 7, but higher than the control group on day 3, 7, and mRNA was lower than the model group on days 1, 3, higher than the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: NAC inhibits the expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9 in lung fibroblasts.

Effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells on the autophagic activity of alveolar macrophages in a rat model of silicosis.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on the expression of the autophagy-associated proteins, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC-3) and autophagy-related gene Beclin-1 (Beclin-1), in alveolar macrophages (AMs) in a rat model of silicosis. Furthermore, the study investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of BMSC treatment. A population of 60 adult female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were allocated at random into three groups, namely the control, model and BMSC treatment groups (n=20 per group). BMSCs were isolated from five male SD rats (age, 6-8 weeks) and cultured in vitro. The silicosis model was established using a single 1.0-ml infusion of silicon dioxide suspension administered via non-exposed tracheal intubation. Rats in the BMSC treatment group received a 1.0-ml transplantation of BMSCs (1×106/ml). The rats were sacrificed on days 1, 7, 14 and 28 after modeling, and AMs were extracted from the rats using bronchoalveolar lavage. Third-generation BMSCs were identified using flow cytometry with fluorescein isothiocyanate staining, and the morphological characteristics of the AMs were observed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expression levels of LC-3 and Beclin-1 were determined using immunocytochemistry sand western blot analysis. The expression levels of LC-3 and Beclin-1 were found to be increased at all the time points in the model group. LC-3 and Beclin-1 levels began to increase at day 1, peaked at day 14 and decreased after day 28; however, the levels remained elevated compared with the basal expression levels. The AMs of the BMSC treatment group exhibited significantly alleviated pathological symptoms compared with the model group AMs, as indicated by significantly decreased expression levels of LC-3 and Beclin-1 at each time point. Therefore, the results indicated that autophagy was promoted in the AMs of the silicosis model rats. Furthermore, treatment with BMSCs was demonstrated to reduce the expression levels of LC-3 and Beclin-1, subsequently inhibiting autophagic activity and mitigating the damage associated with silicosis.

Resveratrol attenuates neuronal autophagy and inflammatory injury by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in experimental traumatic brain injury.

Previous research has demonstrated that traumatic brain injury (TBI) activates autophagy and a neuroinflammatory cascade that contributes to substantial neuronal damage and behavioral impairment, and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is an important mediator of this cascade. In the present study, we investigated the hypothesis that resveratrol (RV), a natural polyphenolic compound with potent multifaceted properties, alleviates brain damage mediated by TLR4 following TBI. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats, subjected to controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury, were intraperitoneally injected with RV (100 mg/kg, daily for 3 days) after the onset of TBI. The results demonstrated that RV significantly reduced brain edema, motor deficit, neuronal loss and improved spatial cognitive function. Double immunolabeling demonstrated that RV decreased microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), TLR4­positive cells co-labeled with the hippocampal neurons, and RV also significantly reduced the number of TLR4­positive neuron­specific nuclear protein (NeuN) cells following TBI. Western blot analysis revealed that RV significantly reduced the protein expression of the autophagy marker proteins, LC3II and Beclin1, in the hippocampus compared with that in the TBI group. Furthermore, the levels of TLR4 and its known downstream signaling molecules, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and the inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1ß and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were also decreased after RV treatment. Our results suggest that RV reduces neuronal autophagy and inflammatory reactions in a rat model of TBI. Thus, we suggest that the neuroprotective effect of RV is associated with the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Neuroprotective effects of resveratrol against traumatic brain injury in rats: Involvement of synaptic proteins and neuronal autophagy.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) involves primary and secondary injury cascades that underlie delayed neuronal dysfunction and death, leading to long­term cognitive deficits, and effective therapeutic strategies targeting neuronal death remain elusive. The present study aimed to determine whether the administration of resveratrol (100 mg/kg) was able to significantly enhance functional recovery in a rat model of TBI and whether resveratrol treatment was able to upregulate synaptic protein expression and suppress post­TBI neuronal autophagy. The results demonstrated that daily treatment with resveratrol attenuated TBI­induced brain edema and improved spatial cognitive function and neurological impairment in rats. The expression of synaptic proteins was downregulated following TBI and this phenomenon was partly reversed by treatment with resveratrol. In addition, resveratrol was observed to significantly reduce the levels of the autophagic marker proteins, microtubule­associated protein light chain 3­II and Beclin1, in the hippocampus compared with the TBI group. Therefore, these results suggest that resveratrol may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for TBI, and that this protection may be associated with the upregulation of synaptophysin, postsynaptic density protein 95 and the suppression of neuronal autophagy.

Antitumor activity of rhein lysinate against human glioma U87 cells in vitro and in vivo.

In previous studies, we demonstrated that rhein lysinate (RHL), the salt of rhein and lysine that is easily dissolved in water, inhibited the growth of tumor cells derived from breast and ovarian cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, cervical cancer and lung carcinoma. Based on these observations, human glioma U87 cells and a xenograft model in BALB/c nude mice were used to examine the antitumor activity of RHL against human glioma. Notably, RHL statistically significantly suppressed the growth of human glioma U87 xenografts in BALB/c nude mice. In vitro, there was a significant reduction in cell proliferation after treatment with RHL in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The overall growth inhibition was correlated with the increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cell apoptosis. The apoptosis- and cell cycle-related proteins including BAX and Bim were increased, whereas Bcl-2 and cyclin D were decreased in the RHL-treated cells. The results demonstrated that RHL is highly effective against the growth of human glioma U87 xenografts in BALB/c nude mice. The potent antitumor activity of RHL may be mediated through downregulation of Bcl-2 and cyclin D expression and upregulation of BAX and Bim expression.

Remote ischemic precondition prevents radial artery endothelial dysfunction induced by ischemia and reperfusion based on a cyclooxygenase-2-dependent mechanism.

Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) and remote ischemic precondition (RIPC) are resistance to ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. They have common protective mechanism. Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 participate in the mechanism of IPC. So, the purpose of this study was to determine whether RIPC protects endothelial function of radial artery in human against IR and whether COX-2 involves in this effect. Endothelial IR injury was induced by arm ischemia (20 min) and reperfusion. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the radial artery was measured before and after IR. RIPC (three 5-min cycles of ischemia of the contralateral arm) was applied immediately and 24 h before IR. All volunteers received the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (200 mg orally twice daily) for 5 days. On day 6, all subjects experienced the same studies as described. FMD was reduced by IR without administration of RIPC (P<0.0001). RIPC prevent this impairment of FMD immediately (P=NS) and at 24 h (P=NS). Nevertheless, the COX-2 inhibiter abolished protective effect of RIPC at 24 h (P=NS), but not immediately (P=0.001). After administration of the COX-2 inhibiter, post-IR FMD after RIPC performed immediately had significant increase than after RIPC performed at 24 h (P=0.001) and without administration of RIPC (P=0.003). The COX-2 inhibiter made post-IR FMD evidently decrease after RIPC performed at 24 h (P=0.002). RIPC prevents radial artery endothelial dysfunction induced by IR. This protective effect of RIPC in the late phase is mediated by a COX-2-dependent mechanism.