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Objective:To explore the value of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in evaluating the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HOT) in treating spinal cord injury.Methods:The modified Allen′s method was used to induce a traumatic spinal cord injury in 30 rats who were then divided randomly into an injured group and a treatment group, each of 15. The treatment group was given HOT twice a day for 3 days, then once a day for a total of 4 weeks. The injured group did not receive HOT. DTI was performed (along with Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) evaluation) at 0h, 6h, 24h, as well as 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after the operation. Two-factor repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to analyze any differences in the DTI results: the fractional anisotropy, mean apparent diffusivity, radial diffusivity and axial diffusivity, as well as the BBB scores. LSD t-tests were performed to analyze the significance of the differences at different time points.Results:At each time point after 24h the average FA value of the treatment group was significantly higher than the injured group′s average, while its average MD and RD values were significantly lower. Beyond 14 days the average AD value of the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the injured group. The treatment group′s average BBB score was also significantly higher at all the time points beyond 3 days.Conclusions:DTI results can evaluate spinal cord function and provide valuable information for the dynamic assessment of hyperbaric oxygen therapy after a traumatic spinal cord injury, and the therapy promotes the recovery of motor function, at least in rats.
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Objective@#To investigate the effects and the potential mechanism of shikonin on rat random flaps.@*Methods@#Seventy-two wistar male rats in grade SPF were randomly divided into negative control group, tetramethylpyrazine group (TMP group) or shikonin treatment group. The random skin flap sized 8 cm×2 cm, with a cephalic based pedicle, was performed on the back of the rat. Each group was administered accordingly by intraperitoneal injection once per day for 7 days: shikonin treatment group (1 mg/kg), TMP group (10 mg/kg) and control group (1 ml/kg). Morphological changes of skin flaps were observed by HE staining. The positive expression of iNOS and COX-2 in skin flap tissues after operation were detected by immunofluorescence staining. The serum contents of TNF-α and IL-6 were detected by ELISA.@*Results@#Inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammatory reaction of flap was more severe in control group at different time points after operation. The number of inflammatory cells in shikonin treatment group and TMP group were significantly decreased, compared with controls (P<0.01). The decrease of the inflammatory cell numbers in shikonin treatment group was more significant. The proliferation of granulation tissue and fibroblast in skin flap was obvious, and the survival rates of the skin flap were significantly increased in shikonin treatment group and TMP group (both P<0.01). The numbers of iNOS or COX-2 positive cells in shikonin treatment group and TMP group were significantly decreased, when compared with controls (both P<0.01). Compared with TMP group, the numbers of iNOS and COX-2 positive cells in shikonin treatment group were significantly decreased (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively)in early period after operation. Compared with the control group, serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in shikonin treatment group and TMP group were significantly decreased (all P<0.01). The shikonin treatment group developed more significant reduce.@*Conclusions@#Shikonin can significantly improve inflammatory response of skin flap in rats, which might be related to inhibiting the expression of iNOS and COX-2, decreasing serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 , and reducing the release of inflammatory cytokines .
ABSTRACT
Objective To quantify the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α),caspase-8 and caspase-3 in lichen planus (LP) lesions,and to investigate their significance.Methods Skin samples were collected from the lesions of 20 patients with LP and normal skin of 20 healthy human controls.Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expressions of TNF-αt,caspase-8 and caspase-3,and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) technique to evaluate the apoptosis in keratinocytes,in these samples.Results The expression levels (expressed in integrated optical density,IOD)of TNF-α,caspase-8 and caspase-3 were (12.58 ± 2.33) × 103,(11.69 ± 3.52) × 103 and (11.45 ± 2.82) × 103 respectively in LP lesions,significantly higher than those in the normal skin ((5.12 ± 1.78) × 103,(3.87 ± 3.36)× 103,(4.76 ± 1.93) × 103,t =11.38,7.19,8.76,respectively,all P ＜ 0.01).Elevated apoptosis index was noted in keratinocytes from LP lesions compared with those from normal skin (71.35 ± 7.93 vs.33.62 ± 8.75,t =14.29,P ＜ 0.01).In LP lesions,the expressions of both TNF-α and caspase-8 were positively correlated with the apoptosis index of keratinocytes (r =0.72,0.75,respectively,both P ＜ 0.01) and the expression of caspase-3 (r =0.68,0.73,respectively,both P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion The up-regulated expressions of TNF-α,caspase-8 and caspase-3 may participate in the apoptosis in keratinocytes in LP.