Regulatory Effect and Mechanism of Yichang Sanjie Granules on Intestinal Flora and Immune Function in Mice with Colon Cancer / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To observe the regulating effect and mechanism of Yichang Sanjie Granules on intestinal flora and immune function in mice with colon cancer.Methods Sixty mice were randomly divided into six groups,i.e.,the normal group,the model group,the low-,medium-and high-dose groups of Yichang Sanjie Granules,and the overexpression of melanoma absent gene 2(AIM2)plasmid(pcDNA-AIM2)intervention group,with 10 mice in each group.Colorectal cancer model was prepared by oxidized azomethine(AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)induction method in all groups except normal group.After drug administration,the survival curves of mice in each group were plotted and the tumor volume was calculated;serum levels of immunoglobulin(Ig)G,IgM,interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-18 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA);peripheral blood levels of CD3+,CD4+,CD8+ T cells were detected by flow cytometry;the splenic index was determined;Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to observe the pathological changes in colon tissues;16S-rDNA intestinal flora sequencing was used to detect the α-diversity of intestinal flora and the structure of intestinal flora communities;and protein immunoblotting(Wetsern Blot)was used to detect the protein expressions of AIM2,apoptosis-associated speckled-like protein containing a CARD(ASC),and cystatinase-1(caspase-1)in colon tissues.Results Compared with the normal group,the survival rate,serum levels of IgG and IgM,peripheral blood levels of CD3+ and CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ ratio,protein expression levels of colon tissue AIM2,ASC and caspase-1 in the model group were significantly decreased,and the tumor volume,serum levels of IL-1β and IL-18,peripheral blood level of CD8+,and splenic index were significantly increased(all P＜0.05),and the HE staining results showed the characteristic manifestations of colon cancer;compared with the model group,the survival rate,serum levels of IgG and IgM,peripheral blood levels of CD3+ and CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ ratio,protein expression levels of colon tissue AIM2,ASC and caspase-1 in the low-,medium-and high-dose groups of Yichang Sanjie Granules and the pcDNA-AIM2 group were significantly increased,and the tumor volume,serum levels of IL-1β and IL-18,level of peripheral blood CD8+,and splenic index were significantly decreased(all P＜0.05),and the HE staining results showed the manifestations of colon cancer were improved.Compared with the normal group,the Observed index,Chao1 index,Shannon index,the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes,Proteobacteria,Muribaculaceae,Lachnospiraceae-NK4A136group,and Ruminiclostridium in the model group were significantly decreased,while the relative abundance of Firmicutes,Actinobacteria,Patescibateria,Lactobacillus,Odoribacter,Alistipes,Ruminococcaceae-uncultured and Bacteroides was increased in the model group(P＜0.05);compared with the model group,the Observed index,Chao1 index,Shannon index,the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes,Proteobacteria,Muribaculaceae,Lachnospiraceae-NK4A136group and Ruminiclostridium were significantly increased,and the relative abundance of Firmicutes,Actinobacteria,Patescibateria,Lactobacillus,Odoribacter,Alistipes,Ruminococcaceae-uncultured and Bacteroides was decreased in the low-,medium-and high-dose groups of Yichang Sanjie Granules and the pcDNA-AIM2 group(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Yichang Sanjie Granules can increase autoimmunity and improve intestinal flora structure in mice with colon cancer,and its mechanism is related to the activation of AIM2 inflammatory vesicles.

Abnormal intrinsic brain activity in amnestic mild cognitive impairment revealed by amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Previous studies have shown that brain functional activity in the resting state is impaired in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. However, alterations in intrinsic brain activity patterns in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients are poorly understood. This study aimed to explore the differences in regional intrinsic activities throughout the whole brain between aMCI patients and controls.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In the present study, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed on 18 amnestic MCI (aMCI) patients, 18 mild AD patients and 20 healthy elderly subjects. And amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method was used.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with healthy elderly subjects, aMCI patients showed decreased ALFF in the right hippocampus and parahippocampal cortex, left lateral temporal cortex, and right ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vMPFC) and increased ALFF in the left temporal-parietal junction (TPJ) and inferior parietal lobule (IPL). Mild AD patients showed decreased ALFF in the left TPJ, posterior IPL (pIPL), and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared with aMCI patients. Mild AD patients also had decreased ALFF in the right posterior cingulate cortex, right vMPFC and bilateral dorsal MPFC (dMPFC) compared with healthy elderly subjects.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Decreased intrinsic activities in brain regions closely related to episodic memory were found in aMCI and AD patients. Increased TPJ and IPL activity may indicate compensatory mechanisms for loss of memory function in aMCI patients. These findings suggest that the fMRI based on ALFF analysis may provide a useful tool in the study of aMCI patients.</p>

Resting-state brain default mode network in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease: an functional MRI study / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To explore the activity of brain default mode network (DMN) in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) by resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and investigate its possible neural mechanism. Methods Twenty-four patients with mild AD,admitted to our hospital from January 2009 to June 2010,and 25 normal controls (NCs) were chosen in this study.All subjects were examined by Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (DRS) and fMRI.Resting-state whole brain data were analyzed by amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) with two-sample t test and the brain regions in mild AD patients having significantly different ALFF comparing to NCs were observed. Results As compared with that in NCs,the memory function in mild AD patients was seriously impaired (P＜0.05).As compared with NCs,mild AD patients showed significantly decreased ALFF in the posterior cingulate cortex,ventral medial prefrontal cortex and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex, which were closely relevant to the memory (P＜0.05). Conclusion AD patients show significantly decreased active intensity of some DMN nodes that relate to memory in resting state; DMN abnormalities play an important role in early memory impairment of AD patients.

Functional MRI study of mild Alzheimer's disease using amplitude of low frequency fluctuation analysis / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Previous studies have shown that the functional brain activity in the resting state is impaired in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. However, most studies focused on the relationship between different brain areas, rather than the amplitude or strength of the regional brain activity. The purpose of this study was to explore the functional brain changes in AD patients by measuring the amplitude of the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI) signals.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty mild AD patients and twenty healthy elderly subjects participated in the fMRI scan. The amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was calculated using REST software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the healthy elderly subjects, the mild AD patients showed decreased ALFF in the right posterior cingulate cortex, right ventral medial prefrontal cortex, and in the bilateral dorsal medial prefrontal cortex. No brain region with increased ALFF was found in the AD group compared with the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The reduced activity in the posterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex observed in the present study suggest that the functional abnormalities of those areas are at an early stage of AD. The ALFF analysis may provide a useful tool in fMRI study of AD.</p>

Zusanli (ST 36) acupuncture enhances immunologic function and cerebral function / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To explore the central mechanism of acupuncture in regulating immune function by composite analysis of immune-related indexes in peripheral blood and functional MRI (fMRI) signal changes after acupuncturing Zusanli (ST36) acupoint. Methods Thirteen healthy adult volunteers were divided into the true acupoint group (n=13) and the false acupoint group (n=8, who also participated in the true acupoint group). The true accupoint group used the Zusanli acupoint. Peripheral blood was drawn 5 min before the needling and 30 min after removing the needling for detection of the immune-related indexes. The fMRI was performed during acupuncture, and fMRI data obtained were analyzed by SPM2 software. Results The numbers of CD4, CD4/CD8 and NK cells after acupuncture increased significantly as compared with those before the needling in the true acupoint group (P<0.05), while no significant changes were noted in the false acupoint group (P>0.05). The fMRI showed that acupuncture on the Zusanli activated the left hypothalamus, bilateral head of the caudate nucleus, anterior cingulate cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, paracentral lobule, middle temporal gyrus, middle frontal gyms and cerebellar hemisphere; acupuncturing the false acupoint only activated the paracentral lobule and cerebellar hemisphere. Conclusion The regulatory action of acupuncturing the Zusanli acupoint on immune function is closely related to the Center-specific brain regions.

Deactivation of medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate cortex in anxiety disorders / 中华放射学杂志

Objective We used blood oxygenation level dependent-functional MR imaging(BOLD- fMRI)to explore the characteristics of deactivation patterns in patients with anxiety disorders and the underlying neural mechanism of this disease.Methods Ten patients and ten healthy controls participated the experiments.All subjects performed the trait portion of the State-Trait anxiety Inventory(STAI-T)prior to the fMRI scans.The subjects underwent noninvasive functional magnetic resonance imaging while listening actively to emotionally neutral words alternating with no words(experiment 1)and threat related-words alternating with emotionally neutral words(experiment2).During fMRI scanning,subjects were instructed to closely listen to each stimuli word and to silently make a judgment of the word's valence.Data were analyzed with statistical parametric mapping(SPM 99).Individual and group analysis were conducted.Results Mean STAI-T score was significantly higher for patients group than that of controls(58?8 for patients group and 33?5 for controls,t=8.3,P

The comparative study of MRI appearances of ovarian thecoma with pathologic findings / 中华放射学杂志

Objective To analyze and compare the MRI appearances of ovarian thecoma with pathologic findings in order to improve the knowledge of the disease.Methods Nineteen cases of ovarian thecoma confirmed by histopathology were analyzed.MRI morphological characteristics and signal intensity of the lesions were observed and compared with findings of pathomorphology.Correlation analysis between tumor size and amount of ascites was made.Results Ovarian thecoma displayed iso-or hypointense signal on T_1WI and significant hypointensity in the focal lesion on T_2WI.Hyperintensity occurred when cystic degeneration of the lesions existed.Fibrous septation was detected in some lesions.After enhancement,most lesions showed mild early enhancement with slight increase on the delayed phase.Pathological necrosis and cystic degeneration were seen in 9 cases which corresponded to the number and shape of the cystic lesions on MRI.A large amount of collagen hyperplastic was found between the oncocytes microscopically in 15 cases, which displayed significant hypointensity in the focal lesion on T_2WI;another 4 cases showed relatively less amounts of collagen hyperplastic and more oncocytes,which appeared moderate intensity in the focal leisom on T_2WI.The amount of ascites was not significantly correlated with the lesion size(r=0.43,P=0.10). Conclusions Hypointensity on T_2WI and mild enhancement pattern due to poor blood supply are the characteristics of ovarian thecoma.The MR findings can reflect the pathologic features of the tumor,which is helpful in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis.