Isoacteoside attenuates acute kidney injury induced by severe acute pancreatitis.

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a common acute abdominal disease accompanied by systemic inflammatory response syndrome, which may be complicated by acute kidney injury (AKI). Isoacteoside (ISO) is the active ingredient of Monochasma savatieri Franch. ex Maxim and has been reported to have anti­inflammatory activities. The present study detected the effects of ISO on AKI induced by SAP in rat models, and the underlying mechanism. The optimum dose of ISO for treatment of AKI induced by SAP was determined. The serum levels of TNF­α and IL­6 were estimated using an ELISA. Kidney injury was evaluated by histopathological examination, and the expression levels of nitric oxide were also detected. The expression levels of Toll­like receptor 4 (TLR4) and NF­κB p65 were measured by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. The results revealed that ISO may serve a critical role in ameliorating AKI induced by SAP. These effects may be associated with the TLR4/NF­κB signaling pathway.

[Genomic analysis of DNA-protein interaction by chromatin immunoprecipitation].

Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) is an effective technique to analyze the interactions of DNA binding proteins with the genome in vivo. ChIP coupled with high density microarray (ChIP-chip) or high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-Seq) has generated large amount of data and expected to allow the development of a network describing the cellular transcriptional regulation. Here, we reviewed the ChIP, ChIP-chip, and ChIP-Seq techniques as well as their perspectives. Focus is given to data analysis of ChIP-Seq and the applications of ChIP-chip and ChIP-Seq.

An optimized assay for transcription factor NF-kappaB with dsDNA-coupled microplate.

To develop an EMSA-free assay approach for analyzing the sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins (DBPs), an easy cost-effective dsDNA-coupled plate (dcPlate) was developed in our lab for this purpose. In this paper, the assay conditions of such dcPlate were fully optimized for detecting an important transcription factor, NF-kappaB. The optimized parameters of dcPlate for assay of NF-kappaB were as follows: immobilized DNA probe at the concentration of 25 pmol/100 microL-well, incubation time of 90 min for NF-kappaB binding to dcPlate, primary and secondary antibody concentration of 0.1 microL/100 microL dilution, incubation time of 90 min for primary antibody binding to NF-kappaB, temperature of 25 degrees C for the above process, colorimetric developing time for 30 min. After optimization, the signal was improved three times higher than that from not optimized conditions. The linear colorimetric detection ranges of the purified recombinant NF-kappaB p50 and the cell nuclear extract were from 0.59 to 75 ng/well and 0.313 to 10 microg/well, respectively.

Effects of ω-3 Fatty Acids on Toll-like Receptor 4 and Nuclear Factor κB p56 in the Pancreas of Rats With Severe Acute Pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to determine the effects of ω-3 fatty acids (ω-3FAs) on the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor κB p56 (NF-κBp56) signaling pathway in the pancreas of rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). METHODS: Sixty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: the control, SAP-saline, SAP-soybean oil, and SAP-ω-FA groups. Severe acute pancreatitis was induced by the retrograde infusion of sodium taurocholate into the pancreatic duct. The expression of TLR4 and NF-κBp56 in the pancreas was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. The levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor α in the pancreas were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: Toll-like receptor 4, NF-κBp56, and inflammatory cytokine expression in the pancreas was increased significantly in the SAP group compared with that in the control group (P < 0.05), but was significantly decreased in the ω-3FA group compared with that in the soybean oil group at 24 and 48 hours (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that during the initial stage of SAP ω-3FAs could efficiently lower the inflammatory response by activating the TLR4/NF-κBp56 signaling pathway.

Effects of ω-3 fatty acids on toll-like receptor 4 and nuclear factor-κB p56 in lungs of rats with severe acute pancreatitis.

AIM: To determine the effects of ω-3 fatty acids (ω-3FA) on the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor κB p56 (NF-κBp56) signal pathway in the lungs of rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). METHODS: A total of 56 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, SAP-saline group, SAP-soybean oil group and SAP-ω-3FA group. SAP was induced by the retrograde infusion of sodium taurocholate into the pancreatic duct. The expression of TLR4 and NF-κBp56 in the lungs was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. The levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the lungs were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The expression of TLR4 and NF-κBp56 in lungs and of inflammatory cytokines in serum significantly increased in the SAP group compared with the control group (P < 0.05), but was significantly decreased in the ω-3FA group compared with the soybean oil group at 12 and 24 h (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: During the initial stage of SAP, ω-3FA can efficiently lower the inflammatory response and reduce lung injury by triggering the TLR4/NF-κBp56 signal pathway.

[The research on the quenching of fluorescence spectra of TOP I by iodine anion].

Comparing the fluorescence spectra of tobacco peroxidase I (TOP I) solution and the solutions titrated by iodine anions, the number of binding locus and the binding constant of iodine anion to TOP I were calculated by using the modified Stern-Volmer equation. The mechanism of the quenching of fluorescence spectra and the distribution of tryptophane residues in the TOP I molecule were discussed.

[Study on the spectral characteristics of tobacco peroxidase I with high purity].

Tobacco peroxidase (TOPI) has been purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation and column chromatography, involving ion exchange on DE-52 cellulose, gelfiltration on Sephadex G-75 and ion exchange on DEAE-sephadex A-50. The specific activity of peroxidase purified was 4,826 U/mg. It has been demonstrated by SDS-PAGE as a single band. Its molecular weight (matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectra) and isoelectric point (pI) have been determined to be 21,888.5 and 3.5 respectively. The native enzyme is one of a haemachrome-containing acidic protein and has its soret maximum at 402 nm and alpha and beta bands at 636 nm and 498 nm, respectively. Its characteristic absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra changed in different pH and denaturant. It has its own characteristic absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra.

[UV-Vis absorption spectral characteristics of tobacco peroxidase I from Nicotiana tabacum].

The ultraviolet/visible spectra of TOP I were studied. It was proved that TOP I is an acid enzyme containing it hemochrome as an agon. When the pH reduced, the Soret absorption in UV-Vis region exhibited a blue shift, when pH increased exhibited a red shift. The result of the influence of carbamide, the denaturant, on the spectra showed that TOP I may have a unfolded structural change in the solution, which made the peptide chain completely extend. After adding Fe(III), Fe(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Co(II), Ni(II) and Sn(II) to the apo-TOP I, the UV-Vis spectra changed except for Fe(III), which almost did not change at all. The strongest characteristic absorption peak of the Soret showed a blue shift to different extent and it became weak gradually. The situation of alpha-strip and beta-strip remained unchanged while the relative strength decreased.

Caspase-1 inhibition alleviates acute renal injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis.

AIM: To assess the effect of inhibition of caspase-1 on acute renal injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). METHODS: Forty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: healthy controls (HC, n = 6), SAP rats treated with saline (SAP-S, n = 18), or SAP rats treated with a caspase-1/interleukin (IL)-1ß-converting-enzyme (ICE) inhibitor (SAP-I-ICE, n = 18). SAP was induced by retrograde infusion of 5% sodium taurocholate into the bile-pancreatic duct. HC rats were subjected to identical treatment and surgical procedures without sodium taurocholate. Rats received an intraperitoneal injection of isotonic saline (SAP-S) or the inhibitor (SAP-ICE-I) at 2 and 12 h after induction of acute pancreatitis. Surviving rats were sacrificed at different time points after SAP induction; all samples were obtained and stored for subsequent analyses. The levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) were measured using automatic methods, and serum IL-1ß concentrations were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Intrarenal expression of IL-1ß, IL-18 and caspase-1 mRNAs was detected by RT-PCR. IL-1ß protein expression and the pathologic changes in kidney tissues were observed by microscopy after immunohistochemical or hematoxylin and eosin staining, respectively. RESULTS: The serum levels of BUN and Cr in the SAP-S group were 12.48 ± 2.30 mmol/L and 82.83 ± 13.89 µmol/L at 6 h, 23.53 ± 2.58 mmol/L and 123.67 ± 17.67 µmol/L at 12 h, and 23.60 ± 3.33 mmol/L and 125.33 ± 21.09 µmol/L at 18 h, respectively. All were significantly increased compared to HC rats (P < 0.01 for all). Levels in SAP-ICE-I rats were significantly decreased compared to SAP-S rats both at 12 and 18 h (P < 0.01 for all). Serum IL-1ß levels in the SAP-S group were 276.77 ± 44.92 pg/mL at 6 h, 308.99 ± 34.95 pg/mL at 12 h, and 311.60 ± 46.51 pg/mL at 18 h; all significantly higher than those in the HC and SAP-ICE-I groups (P < 0.01 for all). Intrarenal expression of IL-1ß mRNA was weak in HC rats, but increased significantly in SAP-S rats (P < 0.01). ICE inhibition significantly decreased the expression of IL-1ß and IL-18 mRNAs (P < 0.05 for all vs SAP-S), whereas caspase-1 mRNA expression was not significantly different. Weak IL-1ß immunostaining was observed in HC animals, and marked staining was found in the SAP-S group mainly in renal tubular epithelial cells. IL-1ß immunostaining was significantly descended in SAP-ICE-I rats compared to SAP-S rats (P < 0.05). Caspase-1 inhibition had no effect on the severity of kidney tissue destruction. CONCLUSION: The expression of caspase-1-activated cytokines IL-1ß and IL-18 plays a pivotal role in acute renal injury in rats with experimental SAP. Caspase-1 inhibition improves renal function effectively.

Interrelationship between radiologic findings and prognosis of epilepsy in children with neurocysticercosis

INTRODUCTION: Epileptic manifestations of Neurocysticercosis (NC) appear to depend on number and localization of the cysts. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between CT findings, number of parasites and the evolutive stage of the cysts, and the prognosis of epilepsy in children with NC. METHOD: We studied 28 patients with the parenchymal form of NC, considering: epilepsy duration; seizure frequency before and after AED treatment; seizure control; number of AED and recurrence after AED withdrawal. Clinical information was crossed with the number of lesions and disease activity in univariate comparison. RESULTS: The analysis of the clinical data in relation to the number of lesions and disease activity showed no statistical difference among the variables (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: We conclude that the course of epilepsy due to NC in childhood cannot be based exclusively on the number or stage of the parasites