Endothelial progenitor cells with overexpressing angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 reduce monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension in rats / 基础医学与临床

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) with overex-pressed angiotensin converting enzyme 2(ACE2) on rat model of monocrotaline(MCT) induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Methods EPCs were extracted,purified and identified from the very beginning. The lenti-virus vector carrying ACE2 gene was infected with EPCs in order to prepare the ACE2-EPCs. Besides,the expres-sion of ACE2 and proliferation as well as tube function of EPCs were detected before and after the transduction. The SD rat were randomly divided into control group, MCT induced pulmonary arterial hypertension group (PAH group),ACE2 transduction of endothelial progenitor cells group(lenti-ACE2-EPCs group) and endothelial progenitor cells group (EPCs group).The mean pulmonary artery pressure of rats(mPAP) and right ventricular hypertrophy in-dex (RV/LV+S) were determined in third week after the molding;the lung tissue specimens were stained with HE and the pulmonary arterial wall thickness index(TI) as well as area index(AI) were also calculated;The expression levels of ACE2 in lung tissue were detected by Western blot.Results The mPAP,RV/LV+S,TI and AI detected in PAH group in the third week after the molding were signficantly lower than those in control group(P<0.01); The mPAP,RV/LV+S,TI and AI detected in lenti-ACE2-EPCs group in the third week after the molding were markedly lower than those in PAH group and EPCs group (P<0.01); The expression level of ACE2 in lung tissue of lenti-ACE2-EPCs group was significantly higher than that in PAH group (P<0.01);The mPAP,RV/LV+S,TI and AI detected in EPCs group in the third week after the molding were markedly lower than those in PAH group(P<0.01), while higher than that as compared with control group and lenti-ACE2-EPCs group (P<0.01). Conclusions ACE2 overexpression in endothelial progenitor cells(EPCs) can effectively reduce the mean pulmonary arterial pressure in PAH rat models,and the therapeutic effect of ACE2-EPCs is generally better than that of EPCs.

Efficacy observation on rear thigh muscles strain of athletes treated with surrounding needling of electroacupuncture and hot compress of Chinese medicine / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To verify the clinical efficacy on rear thigh muscles strain of athletes treated with surrounding needling of electroacupuncture and hot compress of Chinese medicine.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-six cases were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 43 cases in each one. In the observation group, surrounding needling of electroacupuncture and hot compress of Chinese medicine were used at Ashi points around the local affected area of rear thigh muscles. In the control group, conventional needling method and local cupping were applied at Chengfu (BL 36), Yinmen (BL 37), Weizhong (BL 40), etc. The treatment was given once a day. Ten treatments made one session. Two sessions were required. The score of rear thigh muscles pain, swelling and tenderness, walking function recovery and the total score were compared before and after treatment between two groups. The efficacy was compared between two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The score of pain, swelling and tenderness, walking function recovery and the total score were reduced obviously after treatmeat in two groups (all P < 0.01), and the improvements in the observation group were superior to those in the control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The cured and remarkably effective rate was 83.7% (36/43) in the observation group, which was better than 60.5% (26/43) in the control group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The efficacy of the surrounding needling of electroacupuncture and the hot compress of Chinese medicine is significant on rear thigh muscles strain for the athletes, which is superior to that of the conventional needling method and cupping in terms of the improvements in the symptoms and physical signs as well as the recovery of the walking function.</p>

Therapeutic effect of an injectable sustained-release sinomenine hydrochloride and sodium hyaluronate compound in a rabbit model of osteoarthritis / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>While intra-articular injection of sinomenine hydrochloride has a therapeutic effect on osteoarthritis, it has a short half-life, and is thermolabile and photolabile. The aim of this research was to evaluate the sustained-release of sinomenine hydrochloride from an injectable sinomenine hydrochloride and sodium hyaluronate compound (CSSSI) and its therapeutic effect in a rabbit model of osteoarthritis following intra-articular injection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>An injectable compound consisting of 1% sodium hyaluronate and 2.5% sinomenine hydrochloride was prepared and kept as the experiment group, and 2.5% sinomenine hydrochloride was prepared and kept as the control group. The cumulative mass release was measured at different time points in each group in vitro. Sixty-five male Zelanian rabbits were randomly divided into five groups: 15 (30 knees) each for the control, sodium hyaluronate, sinomenine hydrochloride, and CSSSI groups respectively, and five (10 knees) for the modeling group. Papain was injected into both knees of each rabbit for model establishment. Subsequently, 0.2 ml of the corresponding drugs was injected into the articular cavities of the remaining experiment groups, while the control group was treated with 0.2 ml normal saline. All groups were treated once a week for 4 weeks. Seven days after the last treatment, knees were anatomized to perform pathological observations and Mankin's evaluation of the synovium. Four groups were compared using the SPSS 13.0 software package.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the in vitro sustained-release experiments, 90% of the drug was released in the experiment group 360 minutes following the injection. Comparison of the Mankin's evaluations of the four groups illustrated statistical discrepancies (P < 0.05). In further paired comparisons of the CSSSI group vs. modeling control/sodium hyaluronate/sinomenine hydrochloride groups, statistical significance was uniformly obtained. Moreover, sodium hyaluronate and sinomenine hydrochloride treatments showed significant improvement over the modeling control (P < 0.05), whereas sodium hyaluronate vs. sinomenine hydrochloride comparison failed to reach significance (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>CSSSI has a sustained-release effect on sinomenine hydrochloride. Intra-articular injection of CSSSI was significantly better than the sole sodium hyaluronate or sinomenine hydrochloride for the treatment of osteoarthritis in a rabbit model.</p>

Relationship between estradiol and the mitogenic activated protein kinase signal transduction pathway / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To discuss the relationship between estradiol and the mitogenic activated protein kinase signal transduction pathway and the expression of the MAPK in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell-line.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Epithelial growth factor (EGF) and different concentration of estradiol to induce the expression of phosphospecific ERK1/2 (pERK1/2) in MCF-7 cell line was used and the expression of pERK1/2 with western-blotting was detected. Then antiestrogen ICI 182780 and MAPK inhibitor PD98059 to inhibit the expression of pERK1/2 was used. The cell cycle of MCF-7 was detected by FACS.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>EGF could significantly induce the expression of pERK1/2. Estradiol could also induce the expression of pERK1/2, but the intensity was less than the induction of EGF. The percentage of cells in the G(2)/M cell cycle after estradiol induction increased (18.38%) compared to the control group (10.52%) (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>MAPK is an important regulatory signal in breast cancer. Its measurement in breast cancer tissues provides information about the degree of activation of various growth factor pathways. This molecule may also provide a molecular target for compounds designed to block cell proliferation.</p>