Eugenol Possesses Colitis Protective Effects: Impacts on the TLR4/MyD88/NF-[Formula: see text]B Pathway, Intestinal Epithelial Barrier, and Macrophage Polarization.

Eugenol (EU) has been shown to ameliorate experimental colitis due to its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactivities. In this study, DSS-induced acute colitis was established and applied to clarify the regulation efficacy of EU on intestinal barrier impairment and macrophage polarization imbalance along with the inflammatory response. Besides, the adjusting effect of EU on macrophages was further investigated in vitro. The results confirmed that EU intervention alleviated DSS-induced colitis through methods such as restraining weight loss and colonic shortening and decreasing DAI scores. Microscopic observation manifested that EU maintained the intestinal barrier integrity in line with the mucus barrier and tight junction protection. Furthermore, EU intervention significantly suppressed the activation of TLR4/MyD88/NF-[Formula: see text]B signaling pathways and pro-inflammatory cytokines gene expressions, while enhancing the expressions of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Simultaneously, WB and FCM analyses of the CD86 and CD206 showed that EU could regulate the DSS-induced macrophage polarization imbalance. Overall, our data further elucidated the mechanism of EU's defensive effect on experimental colitis, which is relevant to the protective efficacy of intestinal barriers, inhibition of oxidative stress and excessive inflammatory response, and reprogramming of macrophage polarization. Hence, this study may facilitate a better understanding of the protective action of the EU against UC.

[Effect and mechanism of acupoint injection on influenza A virus induced pneumonia in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect and mechanism of acupoint injection with 0.1% vitamin C+vitamin B complex solution (VC+VBCo) at "Tiantu" (CV 22), "Quchi" (LI 11) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) in mouse model of pneumonia induced by influenza A virus (A/PR/8/34 [H1N1], PR8). METHODS: Sixty male ICR mice were randomized into 6 groups, i.e. control group, model group, acupoint injection group, intraperitoneal injection group, non-target point group and ribavirin group, 10 mice in each one. Except the control group, the pneumonia models were induced by slow nasal dripping PR8 virus in the other groups. On the 2nd day of experiment, VC+VBCo solution, 40 µL was injected at "Tiantu" (CV 22), "Quchi" (LI 11, left) and "Zusanli" (ST 36, left) in the acupoint injection group; VC+VBCo solution, 120 µL was injected intraperitoneally in the intraperitoneal injection group; VC+VBCo solution, 40 µL was injected at non-target acupoints (0.5 cm away from "Tiantu" [CV 22] to the left side, "Quchi" [LI 11, left] and "Zusanli" [ST 36, left]) in the non-target point group; and ribavirin solution, 120 µL was injected intraperitoneally in the ribavirin group. The intervention was delivered once daily, for consecutive 7 days. Three parallel experiments were undertaken. The mean death rate and survival time were assessed in each group, the body mass and lung index were compared among groups. Using HE staining, the morphology of lung tissue was observed; and with real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, viral load in lung tissue was detected. The concentrations of inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor α [TNF-α], interleukin [IL]-1ß, IL-10) were detected in lung tissue of each group using ELISA; and those of oxidative stress markers (superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px], malondialdehyde [MDA]) were detected with chemiluminescence method. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the body mass was decreased and lung index was increased in the model group (P<0.01). In comparison with the model group, body mass was increased in the acupoint injection group (P<0.05), lung index was reduced in the acupoint injection group the and ribavirin group (P<0.05); the mean death rate was decreased and the mean survival time prolonged in the mice of the acupoint injection group (P<0.01, P<0.05); and the mean death rate was reduced in the mice of the ribavirin group (P<0.05). In the model group, the alveolar structure was not integral, the alveolar septum was thickened, inflammatory cells were infiltrated and red blood cells exudated seriously (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, in the acupoint injection group and the ribavirin group, the alveolar structure was integral, the thickened alveolar septum was alleviated; and the infiltration of inflammatory cells and the exudation of red blood cells were reduced remarkably. The viral load was reduced in the mice of the ribavirin group when compared with the model group (P<0.01). Compared with the control group, the concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1ß and MDA in lung tissue were increased and those of IL-10, SOD and GSH-Px were reduced in the model group (P<0.01). In the acupoint injection group and the ribavirin group, the concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1ß and MDA were reduced in lung tissue and those of IL-10, SOD and GSH-Px were increased (P<0.05, P<0.01) when compared with the model group. CONCLUSION: Acupoint injection with VC+VBCo solution may alleviate inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in lung tissue of the PR8-induced pneumonia mice, improve survival rate and prolong the survival time in the case of no effect of the viral load.

Iron-Catalyzed Intramolecular Amination of Aliphatic C-H Bonds of Sulfamate Esters with High Reactivity and Chemoselectivity.

It is challenging to develop simple and low cost catalytic systems while maintaining high reactivity and selectivity. An iron-catalyzed intramolecular C-H amination of sulfamate esters using simple and cheap ligands is reported with general substrate scope (31 examples, up to 95% yield). The addition of second ligand, bipyridine, is able to accelerate the reaction and increase the yield. The ready availability of these iron catalysts provides a promising approach to selective introduction of nitrogen into hydrocarbon feedstock.

Whole-scale neurobehavioral assessments of photothrombotic ischemia in freely moving mice.

BACKGROUND: Neurobehavioral assessments have been considered as an essential component of preclinical research in ischemic stroke. However, real-time neurobehavioral evaluation is seldom applied during ischemia induction as it is usually accompanied with anesthesia. NEW METHOD: We induced photothrombosis in freely moving mice after one-week recovery from cannula implantation surgeries. After rose bengal (RB) injection (100 mg/kg, i.p.), photothrombosis was induced in freely moving mice by 473 nm laser irradiation through the cannulas implanted into unilateral primary motor cortex beforehand. Mice received nimodipine (15 mg/kg, i.p.), a widely used anti-ischemic agent, or vehicle before irradiation. Motor coordination and equilibrium were evaluated by rotarod and rung walk tests throughout the whole process of ischemia. Endurance capacity was assessed by treadmill at 1 day and 7 days after irradiation. Mice were decapitated at different time points post irradiation for TTC (2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride) staining. RESULTS: Consistent with the results of TTC staining, motor deficits firstly occurred at 15-min post irradiation and aggravated 1-day later, while the capacity improved 3-days later and partially recovered 7-days post irradiation. And, the recovery process was accelerated by nimodipine application. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: This method established a precise linkage between focal brain ischemia development and neurobehavioral deficits throughout a full scale of photothrombosis, which avoided the confounding factors of anesthetics and surgeries on neurobehavioral assessments, as infarct was induced in freely moving mice. CONCLUSIONS: This method with high temporal and spatial resolution will be an optimal model for neurobehavioral evaluation in preclinical anti-ischemic drug screening.

[Study on clonal evolution of monosomy 7 in patients with aplastic anemia by interphase- fluorescence in situ hybridization].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clonal evolution of monosomy 7 in patients with aplastic anemia (AA). METHODS: Monosomy 7 (-7) in 81 AA patients with normal karyotype at diagnosis and 46 AA treated with immunosuppressive therapy (IST) and more than 6 months of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhuG-CSF) were detected by interphase- fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) retrospectively. RESULTS: There were 5.4% - 7.6% of -7 cells in 11 (13.6%) of 81 patients at diagnosis, the survival and response rate to IST in -7 positive patients did not differ significantly from that in -7 negative patients (P = 0.481, 0.865); -7 cells disappeared after IST in all of the 11 patients including 5 received long-term rhuG-CSF therapy, and none of them evolved to myelodysplastic syndromes/acute myeloid leukemia (MDS/AML) at a median follow-up of 44 months. Serial assessments of -7 clones were performed in 46 patients, none of whom detected -7 clones 3-6 months after IST, but -7 recurrence in 5 patients 12 - 15 months after IST. At a median follow-up of 48 months, FISH identified 6 patients with -7 clones while the conventional cytogenetic analysis (CCA) recognized in 5. Moreover, the first demonstration of -7 by FISH was 3 - 18 months earlier than that by CCA. All of the 6 patients with FISH detected -7 evolved to MDS/AML with -7 and four of them were retrospectively analysed for in samples at -7 diagnosis of AA, but none of them was positive. CONCLUSIONS: Monosomy 7 exists in a part of AA patients, but the preexisting -7 cells seems neither associated with fatality nor evolvation to MDS/AML. rhuG-CSF might facilitate the expansion of -7 clones; It is necessary to monitor -7 in AA, especially when received long-term rhuG-CSF therapy.

[A comparative cytogenetic analysis in large scale between adult and childhood patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

This study was purposed to comparatively analyze the cytogenetic characteristics between 566 cases of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (aALL) and 586 cases of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (cALL). The cytogenetic analysis of all the patients was performed, and the FISH detection for partial patients was carried out. The result showed that the difference of chromosome abnormality between cALL and aALL was statistically significant. The percentage of abnormal karyotypes in aALL was 62.0%, including mainly t(9;22)(q34;q11), hypodiploidy, hyperdiploidy (47 - 50), abn(6q), abn(9p) and -7, most of which conferring an unfavorable prognosis. The percentage of abnormal karyotypes in cALL was 39.2%, composed mainly of high hyperdiploidy, hypodiploidy, TEL/AML1(+), +8, hyperdiploidy (47 - 50) and +21, etc, most of which conferring a favorable prognosis. The incidences of abnormal karyotypes, total hypodiploidy, total hyperdiploidy (47 - 50), t(9;22)(q34;q11), -7, abn(7q), abn(14q32) and +Ph in aALL were significantly higher than those of cALL (p < 0.05), whereas the incidences of normal karyotype (N), high hyperdiploidy, +8, +21*2 and TEL/AML1(+) in cALL were significantly higher than those of aALL (p < 0.05). 20.5% of aALL were Ph+ aALL, with 63.8% of which being with additional abnormalities, composed mainly of +Ph, -7, i (9q+), 9p-, +8, +21, +X, 6q-, abn(14q32) and +14. In contrast, only 4.4% of cALL were Ph+ aALL, with 42.3% of which being with additional abnormalities, including mainly abn(9p), abn(7p), -7, 17p- and +21. It is concluded that almost every chromosome is involved in the numerical and structural abnormalities and complex karyotypes are common. The significant difference of chromosome abnormality exists between aALL and cALL.

[Detection of bcr/abl fusion gene by dual color-dual fusion fluorescence in situ hybridization].

This study was aimed to investigate the sensitivity and clinical application of interphase-dual-color and dual-fusion fluorescence in situ hybridization (DC-DF-FISH). The bcr/abl fusion gene was detected by FISH with dual-color and dual-fusion bcr/abl DNA probe in interphase cells of bone marrow from 1295 specimens. Retrospective analysis for the cases was performed by the means of conventional cytogenetic analysis (CCA) and FISH. The results indicated that in 1295 specimens from 539 patients, 456 specimens were positive involved in 310 patients, the karyotypes of 18 patients were normal, 5 patients failed to karyotyping analysis. About 75.5% (234/310) of positive patients displayed the typical DC-DF-FISH signal pattern, 76 patients showed atypical DC-DF-FISH signal patterns, 66 cases out of which showed variant signal, 16 patients displayed typical variant signals (1Y2G2R), 50 patients displayed deletion ABL and/or BCR signal. In 213 patients, the negative rate was 60% (128/213) after the treatment, 12 patients were sometimes negative and sometimes positive during the process of the treatment. It is concluded that DC-DF-FISH can be used to detect karyotypes with masked or variant Ph, gene deletion and minor residual disease (MRD) in process of treatment. The dual-color FISH technique is a much more sensitive and accurate tool for monitoring MRD and monitoring relapse, which is a necessary supplement to CCA.