Effects of lentinan on broiler splenocyte proliferation, interleukin-2 production, and signal transduction.

Lentinan (LEN) is an intensively studied beta-glucan that has been shown to have immunostimulating and antitumor functions. However, it currently is not used in veterinary practice and animal production. This study was conducted to investigate the impacts of LEN on broiler splenocyte proliferation, interleukin-2 (IL-2) production, and to explore its effects on receptor signal transduction by determining signaling molecules, including nitric oxide (NO), cytosolic-free Ca2+, cytosolic cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). The results showed that compared to the control all three measured doses, including 40, 80, and 160 microg/mL LEN, increased splenocyte proliferation and IL-2 production (P < 0.05). Lentinan increased splenocyte NO production and cytosolic-free calcium concentration in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.001). After incubating splenocytes for 20 min, LEN increased intracellular cAMP and cGMP concentrations at a dose of 80 and 160 microg/mL, respectively. However, after incubating the splenocytes for 60 min, LEN had no effect on cytosolic cAMP and cGMP concentration irrespective of the LEN dosage. Those results indicated that LEN had immunostimulatory effects on splenocytes by increasing splenocyte proliferation and IL-2 production and by activating splenocyte receptor signal transduction.

Effects of Chinese herbal polysaccharides on the immunity and growth performance of young broilers.

Two trials were conducted to study the effects of two Chinese herbal polysaccharides [achyranthan (ACH), a low-molecular-weight polysaccharide, and astragalan (APS), a high-molecular-weight polysaccaride] on the immunity and growth performance of young broilers. Trial 1 was a 28-d growth assay, in which 7-d-old broilers (n = 240) were randomly allotted to one of three dietary treatments, with eight replicate pens per treatment and ten chickens per pen. Dietary treatments included a control corn-soy-fishmeal (Treatment 1), a diet with 200 mg/kg APS (Treatment 2), and a diet with 200 mg/kg ACH (Treatment 3). Blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture on Days 7, 14, 21, and 28 for determination of serum parameters, and chickens were killed on Day 28 to measure immune organ indexes. Trial 2 was an in vitro trial to study the effects of different concentrations of polysaccharides on broiler splenocyte functions. In Trial 1, feeding either APS or ACH had no significant effects on growth performance of broilers relative to the control. However, compared to the control, feeding ACH significantly increased microhemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers, bursa of Fabricius index, serum albumin, serum calcium, and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations at Day 28 (P < or = 0.05). In Trial 2, both polysaccharides showed significant immunostimulating effects. They increased NO and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production of splenocytes and enhanced splenocyte proliferation in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Those results indicate that the immunostimulating effects of APS are not as pronounced as those of ACH. Achyranthan showed immunostimulating effects in both the growth assay and in vitro studies. Therefore, ACH may be a Chinese herbal polysaccharide that has the potential to be used as a feed additive to improve broilers' immunity.

Effects of isomalto-oligosaccharides on bowel functions and indicators of nutritional status in constipated elderly men.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate effects of isomalto-oligosaccharides (IO) on the bowel function and nutritional status of elderly men. METHODS: Seven older male subjects participated in this study that consisted of a 30-day control low fiber period followed by a 30-day IO-supplemented (10 g active components) experimental period. Bowel functions such as defecation, enema use and bloating were monitored daily. Fecal characteristics such as wet and dry stool weights, stool moisture, pH and short-chain fatty acid contents were determined on five-day fecal composites collected in each period. Feces were further fractionated into plant, bacterial and soluble fractions to determine the bases for the increase in stool weight. Nutritional status of subjects was assessed with anthropometric parameters, nutrient intake and biochemical measurements. RESULTS: Incorporation of IO significantly increased the defecation frequency, wet stool output and dry stool weight by twofold, 70% and 55%, respectively. Fecal acetate and propionate concentrations significantly increased by nearly two and a half fold with IO supplement. The increase in stool bulk was mainly attributed by increased bacterial mass. Mean serum sodium concentration decreased in the experimental period while other blood characteristics did not change significantly. Anthropometric parameters and nutrient intake remained constant throughout the study. CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of IO effectively improved bowel movement, stool output and microbial fermentation in the colon without any adverse effect observed in this study. Therefore, supplementation of IO into ordinary low fiber diets may be practical in relieving constipation in the elderly population.

[Contents of ten trace elements in Epimedium acuminatum Franch. and its different processed products].

OBJECTIVE: Determine and compare the contents of ten trace elements in crude E. acuminatum and its three different processed products. METHOD: Using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. RESULT: The ten trace elements were found in both the crude drug and its three processed products, and in terms of contents some of the trace elements in all the three processed products are higher than those in the crude drug. CONCLUSION: According to the trace element contents, the three processed products of E. acuminatum have their own advantages. It is thus suggested that thoroughgoing clinical and experimental researches be performed anew for the long-shelved processing methods.

Growth enhancement of fowls by dietary administration of recombinant yeast cultures containing enriched growth hormone.

In present study the methylotrophic yeast, Pichia pastoris, was used to express a recombinant growth hormone (rGH) gene of swine. A synthetic secretion cassette was constructed using the promoter of the alcohol oxidase1 gene (AOX1), and a alpha-factor signal peptide. After electroporatic transformation and zeocin selection, several clones exhibited high levels of rGH protein expression constituting more than 20% of total yeast protein. Over 95% of rGH was shown to be export into the culture supernatant. Yeast transformant containing the highest recombinant growth hormone level (rGH yeast) and native GS115 Pichia pastoris (non-rGH yeast, as a control) were separately cultured, harvested and adsorbed by wheat bran. Yeast cultures of four dosages (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4%) were mixed respectively with chick basal diet and fed to simulated country chickens for 9 weeks. The results showed that, when compared to control chicks, the percentage of body weight gain was improved significantly (P<0.05) in chicks fed with diets containing 0.1 or 0.2% rGH-rich yeast culture at brooding stage, and in chicks fed with 0.4% rGH-rich yeast culture at growing stage. The average weight gain in rGH yeast treated groups for the full-term (0 to 63d) and short term (43 to 63d) of growth were 10.6 and 9.4%, respectively, better than the non-rGH yeast control group. These experimental data suggest that the use of rGH-containing yeast as a supplement in fed provided an alternative approach for growth improvement in simulated country chickens.

[Contents of general flavonoides in Epimedium acuminatum Franch. and its differently-processed products].

OBJECTIVE: Determining and comparing the contents of general flavonoides in four kinds of differently-processed products of Epimedium acuminatum. METHOD: Determining the contents by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. RESULT: The contents were found in the following seguence: unprocessed product, clearly-fried product, alcohol-broiled product, salt-broiled product, sheep-fat-broiled product. The average recovery rate was 96.01%, with a 0.74% RSD(n = 5). CONCLUSION: Heating causes the contents of general flavonoides in the processed products to decrease. These processed products are still often used in clinical treatment, for the reason that the adjuvant features certain coordinating and promoting functions. The study is to be pursued further.

Alteration in transcripting the gene encoding the delta-opioid receptor in rat brain is not underlying the development of tolerance to [D-Ala2,D-Leu5] enkephalin.

Previous study has demonstrated that chronic treatment of [D-Ala2,D-Leu5] enkephalin (DADLE) induces profound down-regulation of delta opioid receptor in rat brain. We further examined whether this down-regulation of receptor was due to a decrease in the transcription of gene encoding delta-opioid receptor (DOR-1). Rats received daily i.c.v. injection of DADLE for 1, 3, or 5 days and developed significant tolerance to the antinociceptive effect of DADLE after one-day treatment. We measured the level of mRNA in rat brain tissues using in situ hybridization. No significant changes in the mRNA levels of the cortex, striatum, hippocampus, and thalamus on any examined days were found as compared to those of rats received sham operation only. There is only a transient decrease of DOR-1 mRNA level in midbrain region that occurred after a three-day treatment. Thus, the result of this study did not suggest that alteration in transcription of gene-encoding delta-opioid receptor was responsible for the down-regulation of delta-opioid receptor associated with the development of tolerance to DADLE.

Dexamethasone rapidly increases hypothalamic neuropeptide Y secretion in adrenalectomized ob/ob mice.

A single intracerebroventricular injection of dexamethasone (DEX) rapidly (within 30 min) suppresses brown adipose tissue thermogenesis and increases plasma insulin concentrations in adrenal-ectomized (ADX) ob/ob mice but not in ADX lean mice. Intracerebroventricular neuropeptide Y (NPY) administered intracerebroventricularly causes these same metabolic changes within 30 min in both ob/ob and lean ADX mice. We therefore hypothesized that DEX exerts these rapid-onset metabolic actions in ob/ob mice via a phenotype-specific enhancement of NPY secretion within the central nervous system. In support of this hypothesis, DEX (a type II glucocorticoid receptor agonist) administered intracerebroventricularly selectively lowered NPY concentrations in the whole hypothalamus of ADX ob/ob mice by 35% and in the arcuate nucleus region by approximately 70% within 30 min but not in the brain stem or hippocampus or in any of these regions of lean mice. DEX also functioned in vitro to enhance depolarization-dependent release of NPY from hypothalamic blocks of ADX ob/ob mice but not of ADX lean mice. Thus DEX acts in the hypothalamus of ob/ob mice in a phenotype-specific manner to evoke rapid transport of NPY from cell bodies within the arcuate nucleus to terminal regions including the dorsomedial and ventromedial hypothalamic regions for release.

CPEO and carnitine deficiency overlapping in MELAS syndrome.

Mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome is one of the mitochondrial encephalomyopathies that has distinct clinical features including stroke-like episodes with migraine-like headache, nausea, vomiting, encephalopathy and lactic acidosis. We report a 27-year-old woman who presented with partial seizure, stroke-like episodes including hemiparesis, hemianopia and hemihypethesia, sensorineural hearing loss, migraine-like headache, and lactic acidosis. Brain computed tomographic scan showed encephalomalacia in the right parieto-occipital area and recent hypodensity in the left temporoparieto-occipital area with cortical atrophy. Muscle biopsy revealed ragged-red fibers and paracrystaline inclusions in the mitochondria. Genetic study revealed an A to G point mutation at nucleotide position (np) 3243 of mitochondrial DNA. External ophthalmoplegia and ptosis were also found during two exaggerated episodes in this patient. Therefore, the overlapping syndrome of chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia in the MELAS syndrome is considered in this case. Furthermore, we also found carnitine deficiency in this patient and she was responsive well to steroid therapy. Muscle biopsy also revealed excessive lipid droplets deposits. Therefore, the carnitine deficiency may occur in MELAS syndrome with the A to G point mutation at np 3243. We recommend the steroid or carnitine supplement therapy be applied to the MELAS syndrome with carnitine deficiency.

Alteration of pulse in human subjects by three Chinese herbs.

Human subjects were fed with extract of three Chinese herbs, Panax ginseng, Panax quinquefolium roots and Ganoderma lucidum. Pulse of the radial artery was examined. Our results indicate that each herb has a specific effect on the Fourier components of the pulse, and is in agreement with traditional Chinese medical descriptions.

[Effect of da cheng qi decoction co. on endotoxemia in obstructive jaundice].

The role of da cheng qi decoction co. (DCQDC) in preventing endotoxemia in obstructive jaundice has been investigated. A prospective study was performed on 43 consecutive patients with obstructive jaundice undergoing surgery. 24 patients were given oral DCQDC before operation and were compared with 19 jaundiced control patients and 17 non-jaundiced control patients. The incidence of endotoxemia was reduced in perioperative portal (P less than 0.05) and postoperative systemic (P less than 0.01) blood samples in the DCQDC treated group, and a significant fall of the postoperative 24h creatinine clearance (P less than 0.01) and the plasma fibronectin level (P less than 0.01) occurred in jaundiced controls compared with the DCQDC treated group. DCQDC may reduce endotoxin absorption by a reduction or alteration of gut flora thereby reducing the endotoxin pool available for absorption as well as by a direct effect on endotoxin. Result of this study indicated that DCQDC had a beneficial effect on endotoxemia or outcome in obstructive jaundice.

[Treatment of chemotherapy-induced leukocytopenia with acupuncture and moxibustion].

The effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on 376 cases of chemotherapy-induced leukocytopenia was observed in patients with malignant tumors in the intermediary and advanced stages. Findings revealed that the total effect in 121 cases (88.4%) occurred in the group treated with acupuncture and moxibustion with warming needle; while the total effect in 221 cases (90.9%) was in the group treated with moxibustion with ignited moxa cone. A comparison made between the 2 groups showed no significant difference (P greater than 0.05). The total effective rate was 38.2% when compared with the control group using batylalcohol and pentoxyl and so the difference was significant (P less than 0.01). Analysis found that with patients having higher basic WBC value, the effect would be higher. Conversely, those who had lower basic value in their WBCs, the expected effect would be lower. These findings suggest that acupuncture and moxibustion in raising the effect on the white cells were influenced by the extent to which the bone marrow was inhibited, having no relevance to the kind of disease, the chemotherapy regime, and the treatment course which the patient was in.

Immunomopharmacological effects of polysaccharides from Acanthopanax senticosus on experimental animals.

Polysaccharides PES isolated from a common Oriental herb Acanthopanax senticosus were found to have a wide spectrum of immunomodulatory activities on experimental animals. The potential usefulness of these polysaccharides is suggested in the observations that PES inhibited transplanted tumor growths and ameliorated toxicities of the toxic substances in experimental animals. Of most interest is the observations that they suppressed human TB propagation in mice and guinea pigs, as evaluated by lymph node responses and OT skin tests in the guinea pig model, and the quantitation of the TB in the lungs in the mouse model.

[A probe into the relation of the effects of Chinese medicine and four trace elements].

The authors have analysed the relationship between the virtue of 176 kinds of Chinese medicine and the content of four trace elements, as well as the relationship between the virtue of these medicines and the proportion of contents of these trace elements. The result shows that the virtue of Chinese medicine has something to do with the contents of Mn and Zn, and with the proportion of contents of Fe, Mn and Zn.

Molecular cloning of DNA complementary to rat L-type pyruvate kinase mRNA. Nutritional and hormonal regulation of L-type pyruvate kinase mRNA concentration.

Rat liver L-type pyruvate kinase mRNA was enriched from total polysomes by immunoprecipitation with a specific antibody and Staphylococcus aureus cells. Double-stranded cDNA synthesized from the enriched mRNA was inserted into the PstI site of pBR322, and the resultant recombinant DNA molecules were used to transform Escherichia coli. Three clones containing DNA complementary to L-type pyruvate kinase mRNA were identified by colony hybridization, hybrid-selected translation, and dot blot hybridization. A partial restriction endonuclease map of cDNA inserts was constructed covering about 1.86 kilobase pairs. The cDNA insert of recombinant plasmid pLPK-14 was used as a hybridization probe to quantitate L-type pyruvate kinase mRNA in rat liver after various treatments. The level of hybridizable L-type enzyme mRNA was markedly increased by a high carbohydrate diet. Diabetes greatly reduced the mRNA level in the liver of rats maintained on a high carbohydrate diet, but insulin administration resulted in restoration of the mRNA level to normal within 24 h. These changes were approximately proportional to the changes in the level of translatable L-type pyruvate kinase mRNA. Thus, we conclude that nutritional and hormonal regulation of synthesis of hepatic L-type pyruvate kinase occurs at the pretranslational level.