Emerging protective roles of shengmai injection in septic cardiomyopathy in mice by inducing myocardial mitochondrial autophagy via caspase-3/Beclin-1 axis.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis, a life-threatening systemic syndrome related to inflammatory response, usually accompanied by major organ dysfunctions. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the role by which Shengmai injection (SMI) acts to septic cardiomyopathy. METHODS: Initially, the induced mice with septic cardiomyopathy were treated with SMI or normal saline (NS) with oe-caspase-3, and HL-1 cells were treated with oe-Beclin-1 and oe-caspase-3 and then cultured with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Subsequently, we measured the cardiac troponin I (cTnI) level, and expression of mitochondrial autophagy protein (parkin and pink1) and myocardial cell autophagy-related proteins (LC3-II and LC3-I). Additionally, we identified the cleavage of Beclin-1 by caspase-3 and detected the changes of mitochondrial membrane potential, level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and apoptosis of myocardial cells in myocardial tissues of mice. RESULTS: It has been demonstrated that SMI contributed to the increase of myocardial mitochondrial autophagy, reduction of cTnI level, and elevation of mitochondrial membrane potential in septic cardiomyopathy mice. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that caspase-3 promoted cleavage of Beclin-1 and release of ROS, whereas repressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mitochondrial autophagy. Furthermore, the facilitation of myocardial mitochondrial autophagy and protection of myocardial mitochondria by SMI through inhibition of cleavage Beclin-1 by caspase-3 in septic cardiomyopathy mice were also proved by in vivo experiments. CONCLUSION: Taken together, SMI could protect myocardial mitochondria by promoting myocardial mitochondrial autophagy in septic cardiomyopathy via inhibition of cleavage of Beclin-1 by caspase-3. Our study demonstrates that SMI could represent a novel target for treatment of septic cardiomyopathy.

[Medicinal plant new records in Chongqing].

By the fourth survey of Chinese medicinal resources, new medicinal plants records of 1 family, 2 genera and 6 species were reported in Chongqing.They are Annonaceae, Fissistigma, Monochasma, Sophora tonkinensis, Fissistigma retusum, Monochasma sheareri, Primula ranunculoids, Chirita pinnatifida and Hylotelephium sieboldii.All the voucher specimens are preserved in Herbarium of Chongqing Institute of Medicinal Plant Cultivation.

[Distribution and Community Characteristics or Epimedium myrianthum in Chongqing].

OBJECTIVE: To make clear the distribution area in Chongqing and community characteristics of Epimedium myrianthum, in order to provide evidence for sustainable utilization of resources. METHODS: Based on field investigation, recorded the GPS, and used the quadrat method to observe and analyze the abundance, frequentness and importance value of Epimedium myrianthum in the seven well-concentrated sample plots of different habitats. RESULTS: Epimedium myrianthum distributed in Changshou County, Dianjiang County, Zhongxian County and Fengdu County of Chongqing at present. The altitude of its distribution areas ranged from 351~663 m. The types of its habitats included coniferous forest, broad-leaved forest and bamboo forest. The plants in these communities were composed of 56 species belonging to 48 genera,33 families. Among associated plants, the dominant species of tree layer were Bambusa distegia, Quercus variabilis , Cupressusfunebris etc. The dominant species of shrub layer were Pittosporum illicioides, Loropetalum chinense, Myrsine africana, Ardisia japonica, Smilax china etc. The dominant species of field layer were Iris japonica, Miscanthus floridulus, Veronicastrum longispicatum, Carex lancifolia, Epimedium myrianthum etc. Species abundance index of D was between 1.1143 to 3.7781 in seven populations,the species in these communities were relatively less,and the numbers of individuals were relatively more. Compared with others, the population of the 3rd and 6th had relatively low index of H' (Shannon-wiener index) and E (Pielou index). The distribution of these species in the community was obviously uneven. The D value,H' value and E value of tree layer species richness were lower than those of shrub layer and field layer, the species diversity was worse. CONCLUSION: It is suggested to incorporate Epimedium myrianthum in the new edition of Chinese Pharmacopeia.

Global warming preceded by increasing carbon dioxide concentrations during the last deglaciation.

The covariation of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) concentration and temperature in Antarctic ice-core records suggests a close link between CO(2) and climate during the Pleistocene ice ages. The role and relative importance of CO(2) in producing these climate changes remains unclear, however, in part because the ice-core deuterium record reflects local rather than global temperature. Here we construct a record of global surface temperature from 80 proxy records and show that temperature is correlated with and generally lags CO(2) during the last (that is, the most recent) deglaciation. Differences between the respective temperature changes of the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere parallel variations in the strength of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation recorded in marine sediments. These observations, together with transient global climate model simulations, support the conclusion that an antiphased hemispheric temperature response to ocean circulation changes superimposed on globally in-phase warming driven by increasing CO(2) concentrations is an explanation for much of the temperature change at the end of the most recent ice age.

c-erbB2 and c-myb induce mouse oocyte maturation involving activation of maturation promoting factor.

Proto-oncogenes are involved in cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation. In the present study, we investigated the roles and mediating pathways of proto-oncogenes c-erbB(2) and c-myb in mouse oocyte maturation by RT-PCR, real-time quantitative PCR, western blot, and recombinant proto-oncogene protein microinjection. Results showed that both c-erbB(2) and c-myb antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (c-erbB(2) ASODN and c-myb ASODN) inhibited germinal vesicle breakdown and the first polar body extrusion in a dose-dependent manner. However, microinjection of recombinant c-erbB(2) or c-myb protein into germinal vesicle stage oocytes stimulated oocyte meiotic maturation. In addition, the expression of c-erbB(2) and c-myb mRNA was detected in oocytes; and c-erbB(2) ASODN and c-myb ASODN inhibited c-erbB(2) mRNA and c-myb mRNA expression, respectively. Maturation promoting factor (MPF) inhibitor roscovitine did not affect the expression of c-erbB(2) mRNA and c-myb mRNA, but blocked the effects of recombinant c-erbB(2) and c-myb protein-induced oocyte maturation. Further, cyclin B1 protein expression in oocytes was remarkably inhibited by c-erbB(2) ASODN, c-myb ASODN, and roscovitine. Nonsense tat ODN had no effect on the expression of c-erbB(2), c-myb, and cyclin B1. These results suggest that c-erbB(2) and c-myb may induce oocyte maturation through mediating a pathway involving the activation of MPF.

Seasonal characteristics of the Indian Ocean Dipole during the Holocene epoch.

The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)--an oscillatory mode of coupled ocean-atmosphere variability--causes climatic extremes and socio-economic hardship throughout the tropical Indian Ocean region. There is much debate about how the IOD interacts with the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Asian monsoon, and recent changes in the historic ENSO-monsoon relationship raise the possibility that the properties of the IOD may also be evolving. Improving our understanding of IOD events and their climatic impacts thus requires the development of records defining IOD activity in different climatic settings, including prehistoric times when ENSO and the Asian monsoon behaved differently from the present day. Here we use coral geochemical records from the equatorial eastern Indian Ocean to reconstruct surface-ocean cooling and drought during individual IOD events over the past approximately 6,500 years. We find that IOD events during the middle Holocene were characterized by a longer duration of strong surface ocean cooling, together with droughts that peaked later than those expected by El Niño forcing alone. Climate model simulations suggest that this enhanced cooling and drying was the result of strong cross-equatorial winds driven by the strengthened Asian monsoon of the middle Holocene. These IOD-monsoon connections imply that the socioeconomic impacts of projected future changes in Asian monsoon strength may extend throughout Australasia.

[An experimental study on the prevention and treatment of postburn intestinal injury and bacterial translocation by Sijunzi decoction in scalded rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of traditional Chinese herbal medicine Sijunzi decoction on amelioration of postburn intestinal injury in scalded rats. METHODS: One hundred and eighty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, i.e. scald and treatment (T), scald control (S) and normal control (C) groups. The rats in T group were gavaged with the decoction consisting of tangshen, tuckahoe, large head atractylodes rhizome, glycyrrhizic and rhubarb in a dose of 2 ml twice daily, while the rats in C group were just gavaged with the same amount of distilled water. The rats were sacrificed according to the scheduled postburn observation timepoints. The contents of TNF, NO, MDA and ATPase activity in rat plasma and the intestinal mucosa and the S-IgA content in the intestinal mucus were determined respectively. The changes in histopathology of intestinal mucosa were observed. The samples from internal organ tissue and blood were obtained for bacterial culture. RESULTS: The contents of TNF, NO and MDA in the intestinal mucosa tissue and the rat plasma in scalded rats were lowered significantly by Sijunzi decoction. Furthermore, S-IgA secretion from intestinal mucous cells was maintained by Sijunzi decoction. T cell count was recovered and intestinal mucous barrier injury were lessened, and the bacterial positive rate in the internal organs was decreased. CONCLUSION: Traditional Chinese herbal medicine Sijunzi decoction might be helpful in alleviation of postburn intestinal injury and in the prevention of intestinal bacterial translocation.