Berberine Prolongs Mouse Heart Allograft Survival by Activating T Cell Apoptosis via the Mitochondrial Pathway.

Berberine, which is a traditional Chinese medicine can inhibit tumorigenesis by inducing tumor cell apoptosis. However, the immunoregulatory of effects berberine on T cells remains poorly understood. Here, we first examined whether berberine can prolong allograft survival by regulating the recruitment and function of T cells. Using a major histocompatibility complex complete mismatch mouse heterotopic cardiac transplantation model, we found that the administration of moderate doses (5 mg/kg) of berberine significantly prolonged heart allograft survival to 19 days and elicited no obvious berberine-related toxicity. Compared to that with normal saline treatment, berberine treatment decreased alloreactive T cells in recipient splenocytes and lymph node cells. It also inhibited the activation, proliferation, and function of alloreactive T cells. Most importantly, berberine treatment protected myocardial cells by decreasing CD4+ and CD8+ T cell infiltration and by inhibiting T cell function in allografts. In vivo and in vitro assays revealed that berberine treatment eliminated alloreactive T lymphocytes via the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, which was validated by transcriptome sequencing. Taken together, we demonstrated that berberine prolongs allograft survival by inducing apoptosis of alloreactive T cells. Thus, our study provides more evidence supporting the potential use of berberine in translational medicine.

Effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on the damage to human endometrial stromal cells induced by hydrogen peroxide.

Previous studies have shown that Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) serve an important role in antioxidant activity to protect the cells and tissues. However, the specific mechanism of LBPs in the prevention of endometrial damage remains to be elucidated. Using morphological observation, cell proliferation assay, the detection of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in cell culture supernatant fluid, the detection by western blot analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction of the mRNA and protein expression levels of caspase­3 and Bcl­2 in endometrial stromal cells (ESCs), it was demonstrated that, in vitro, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced death of ESCs, increased the content of MDA and decreased the activity of SOD, and decreased the expression of Bcl-2 and increased the expression of caspase­3. LBPs can inhibit H2O2­induced cell death of ESCs, decrease the content of MDA in ESCs and increase the activity of SOD, as well as increasing the expression of Bcl­2 and decreasing the expression levels of caspase­3. These findings suggested that LBPs can inhibit H2O2­induced apoptosis of EECs and that LBPs are able to offer a significant protection against oxidative stress to ESCs.

[Effect of the Combination of Xiyanping and Cefazolin on the Function of Neutrophils in Mice].

Xiyanping is used to treat infectious diseases with antibiotics in clinic. The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanism of Xiyanping through studying the effect of the combination of Xiyanping with Cefazolin on the chemotaxis and phagocytic function of peripheral blood neutrophils in mice. Ten healthy mice were in control group. Forty healthy mice in experimental group were infected with staphylococcus aureus, and were randomly divided further into four groups, i. e. model group, Xiyanping group, Cefazolin group and combination group (Xiyanping with Cefazolin). Mice in the control group and model group were given normal saline (NS) through abdomen while those in other groups were given Xiyanping, Cefazolin, and Xiyanping with Cefazolin, respectively. The chemotaxis of peripheral blood neutrophils was detected with the transwell method, and the phagocytic function of peripheral blood neutrophils was analyzed with flow cytometry (FCM). In the present study, there was no significance on the chemotactic index of peripheral blood neutrophils in all the groups (P > 0.05). The actual phagocytotic rate and index of peripheral blood neutrophils in the blank group, Xiyanping group, and the combination group were significantly higher than those of the model group and Cefazolin group (P < 0.05). However, those were not significant in the blank group, Xiyanping group, and the combination group (P > 0.05) or between the model group and Cefazolin group (P> 0.05). Our results suggested the combination of Xiyanping and Cefazolin could enhance the therapeutic effect by improving the phagocytic function of peripheral blood neutrophils.

[Changes of sperm chromatin in oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia syndrome patients after treated by integrated Chinese and Western medicine].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes of sperm chromatin in patients with oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia (OAT) syndrome after treated by integrated Chinese and Western medicine. METHODS: Sixty patients with OAT syndrome were treated by integrated Chinese and Western medicine for 3 months. Their sperm samples were collected before and after the treatment, subjected to acridine orange staining and analyzed by fluorescent microscopy, flow cytometry and sperm routine detection. RESULTS: Significant differences were shown in the master-group sperm signals (P < 0.01) and at and COMPalphat (P < 0.05) by flow cytometry, as well as in the green and the red groups (P < 0.05) by fluorescent microscopy before and after the treatment. Changes in sperm concentration, motility, vitality and deformity were noted after the treatment, with statistic difference between pre- and post-treatment (P < 0.05) except in forward sperm concentration. CONCLUSION: Treatment by integrated Chinese and Western medicine can improve sperm chromatin in patients with OAT syndrome. Flow cytometry, along with fluorescent microscopy and sperm routine detection, plays an important role in the evaluation of male infertility therapy.