Irisin alleviates hyperoxia-induced bronchopulmonary dysplasia through activation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

BACKGROUND: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a common pulmonary injury among premature infants, which is often caused by hyperoxia exposure. Irisin is a novel hormone-like myokine derived mainly from skeletal muscles as well as adipose tissues. Many studies have indicated that Irisin exert a variety of properties against hyperoxia-induced inflammation and oxidative stress (OS). We aimed to evaluate the effects of irisin on hyperoxia-induced lung injury explore the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: BPD model was established after exposing newborn mouse to 85% oxygen. BPD mouse received continuous intraperitoneal injection of irisin at a dose of 25 µg/kg/day. Lung tissues were collected for histological examination at 7 and 14 days after birth. The alveolarization and alveolar vascularization of each animal was assessed. Levels of oxidative stress indicators, and the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in lung tissues were detected at 14 days after birth. RESULTS: Hyperoxia exposure induced a markedly alveolar simplification and a disrupted alveolar angiogenesis, which was ameliorated by irisin treatment. The hyperoxia-induced increase in these oxidative stress indicators was significantly reversed by irisin treatment. The Nrf2/HO-1 pathway is inducted in the hyperoxia-induced BPD mouse model, which is further activated by irisin treatment. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated the beneficial effects of irisin in reducing the OS, enhancing alveolarization, and promoting vascular development through activation of Nrf2/HO-1 axis in a hyperoxia-induced experimental model of BPD.

Selection for Cd Pollution-Safe Cultivars of Chinese Kale (Brassica alboglabra L. H. Bailey) and Biochemical Mechanisms of the Cultivar-Dependent Cd Accumulation Involving in Cd Subcellular Distribution.

Two pot experiments were conducted to compare and verify Cd accumulation capacities of different cultivars under Cd exposures (0.215, 0.543, and 0.925 mg kg-1 in Exp-1 and 0.143, 0.619, and 1.407 mg kg-1 in Exp-2) and Cd subcellular distributions between low- and high-Cd cultivars. Shoot Cd concentrations between the selected low- and high-Cd cultivars were 1.4-fold different and the results were reproducible. The proportions of Cd-in-cell-wall of shoots and roots were all higher in a typical low-Cd cultivar (DX102) than in a typical high-Cd cultivar (HJK), while those of Cd-in-chloroplast or Cd-in-trophoplast and Cd-in-membrane-and-organelle were opposite. The proportions of Cd-in-vacuoles-and-cytoplasm of roots in DX102 were always higher than in HJK under Cd stresses, while there was no clear pattern in those of shoots. These findings may help to reduce health risk of Cd from Chinese kale consumption and explained biochemical mechanisms of cultivar-dependent Cd accumulation among the species.

The cytoplasmic nuclear shuttling of Beclin 1 in neurons with Alzheimer's disease-like injury.

The abnormal expression of the autophagy-related protein Beclin 1 has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains, whereas the precise involvement of Caspase-mediated Beclin 1 cleavage in AD neurons has not yet been fully clarified. In this study, we investigated the distribution of Beclin 1 fragments in neurons with AD-like injury. Our results demonstrated that Beclin 1 was expressed in neurons but not in astrocytes in both neuron-glia co-cultures and in cortical tissue slices. The full length and C-terminal fragments of human Beclin 1 was mainly expressed in cytoplasm, while the N-terminal fragment of Beclin 1 was predominantly localized in nucleus. Compared to amyloid-ß (Aß)42-1 treatment control, exposure of PC12 cells or cortical neurons to Aß1-42 resulted in cell injury, with the appearance of neuritic shortening, reduced nuclear diameter in PC12 cells, beading formation and fragmentation in cortical neurons. A partial nuclear translocation of Beclin 1 was detected in cells incubated with Aß1-42, which could be inhibited by the administration of pan-Caspase inhibitor or Caspase 3 specific inhibitor. Moreover, Beclin 1 mutation at 146/149 sites was resistant to Aß1-42-induced nuclear translocation. The nuclear translocation of Beclin 1 could also been detected in the brains of 12-month-old APPSwe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice. Our findings suggest that after Caspase 3-mediated Beclin 1 cleavage at 146/149 sites, the N-terminal fragments of Beclin 1 may partially translocate into nuclei in neurons subjected to AD-like injury.

Pt2Ag acetylide-doped silica nanoparticles: enabling luminescence of Pt2Ag complexes in water and sensors for highly sensitive detection of cyanide anions.

Two novel luminescent hetero-trinuclear complexes [Pt2Ag(µ-dpppy)2(C≡CC6H4R-4)4](ClO4) (R = H, 1; R = CH3, 2; dpppy = 2,6-bis(diphenylphosphino)pyridine) were synthesized by the self-assembly reaction between [Pt(C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CC6H4R-4)4](2-) and [Ag2(µ-dpppy)3](2+) and characterized by elemental analyses, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and (1)H NMR and (31)P{(1)H} NMR spectroscopy and by X-ray crystallography for complex 2. Two Pt2Ag complexes show strong luminescence in the solid state, but exhibit weak emission in CH2Cl2 solution and in acetonitrile-water (1 : 1, v : v) solution at room temperature. To overcome the limitations of low water solubility and weak emission in solutions, a new kind of luminescent Pt2Ag@SiO2 nanoparticles was prepared by incorporating the new Pt2Ag acetylides into monodisperse silica nanoparticles. It is noted that Pt2Ag@SiO2 nanoparticles exhibit strong luminescence in aqueous solution, and cyanide anions tend to decrease their luminescence intensity in NaHCO3-NaOH buffer solution. Based on this, a novel nanosensor for highly sensitive detection of cyanide anions was developed in the range of 0.1-10.0 µM.

Electrochemiluminescence properties of [Pt2Ag4(C≡CC6H4R)8]n (R = CH3, n = 1; R = H, n = 1 and 2) with amine (TPrA and DBAE) as the coreactant and determination of Sudan I.

Two hexanuclear clusters, [Pt(2)Ag(4)(C≡CC(6)H(4)R)(8)] (R = CH(3), 1; R = H, 2), together with dimer [Pt(2)Ag(4)(C≡CC(6)H(5))(8)](2) (3), have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and (1)H NMR spectroscopy and by X-ray crystallography for 1 and 3. A considerable enhancement of photoluminescence (PL) and a notable red shift in the emission maximum of 1 (λ(max) 600 nm) relative to 2 (λ(max) 545 nm) are observed. Electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) of 1 and 2 in the absence or presence of coreactant tri-n-propylamine (TPrA) or 2-(dibutylamino)ethanol (DBAE) at different working electrodes in different solvents (CH(2)Cl(2), CH(2)ClCH(2)Cl, or CH(3)CN) has been studied. The ECL spectra are identical with the PL spectra, indicating that ECL emissions are also due to a MLM'CT [Pt(d)/π (C≡CC(6)H(4)R-4) → Pt(p(z))/Ag(sp)/π* (C≡CC(6)H(4)R-4)] state modified by Pt···Ag and Ag···Ag contacts. ECL of 1- and 2/amine systems in CH(2)ClCH(2)Cl was produced at the potentials of 1.14-1.19 V vs SCE, notably negatively shifted by about 0.38 V compared to those of the Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)/amine system. In all cases, ECL quantum efficiencies of 2 are higher than those of 1 and on the same order of magnitude as that of the [Ru(bpy)(3)](PF(6))(2)/amine system. It is noted that Sudan I tends to decrease the ECL intensity of the 1/DBAE system in CH(2)ClCH(2)Cl at a platinum working electrode. A new ECL method for the determination of Sudan I was developed with a linear range of 2.5 × 10(-5)-1.0 × 10(-3) M and a detection limit of 8.0 × 10(-6) M based on 3 times the ratio of signal-to-noise.

[Progress in research on anthocyanidin components in Chinese traditional medicine against neoplasm].

Anthocyanidin is a type of the plant pigments distributed very extensively, in traditional Chinese herbal products as well. In this review was introduced the recently progress in the anti-cancer trials of anthocyanidins, including the anti-oxidation, the prevention of DNA strand scission, stimulation of cell differentiation, induction of cell apoptosis, interference of regulation of cell proliferation, anti-angiogenic property etc, and the research of anti-cancer mechanisms of anthocyanidin and its structure-activity relationship, pointed the foreground of research and development of anti-cancer medicine.

[Pharmacokinetic study of intraperitoneal chemotherapy with HCPT].

OBJECTIVE: To study the pharmacokinetic of 10-Hydroxycamptothecin HCPT by intraperitoneal administration. METHOD: Six dogs were given HCPT by intraperitoneal perfusion: HCPT 2 mg x kg(-1), dissolved in 300 mL NS. During the course of experiments, peritoneal fluids and blood were sampled using a standardized protocol. The concentration of HCPT in all samples was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULT: The area under the curve (AUC) of peritoneal fluids was significantly highly as compared to the AUC of femoral vein and portal vein (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These experiments demonstrate that intraperitoneal chemotherapy has significant effect on the pharmacokinetics of IP route of HCPT administration. This method should be a more reasonable chemotherapy for the prevention of recurrence and liver metastasis of gastric cancer, colon cancer and ovary cancer after radical resection.

[Sbudies on the effect of parthenolide on the proliferation of rat vascular smooth muscle cells and the mechanism].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of parthenolide on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cell(VSMC) and its mechanism. METHOD: Vascular smooth muscle cell was cultured, the protein levels of c-fos, c-myc, p15, p16, p18, p19 were measured by Western blot method, cell cycle were examined with flow cytometry, and the DNA synthesis was determined by [3H]-TdR incorporation. RESULT: Parthenolide inhibited protein levels of c-fos, c-myc in a time-dependent manner but didn't affect the protein levels of p15, p16, p18, p19. Flow cytometric DNA analysis revealed that parthenolide increased significantly G0/G1 phase of VSMC and decreased S phase of VSMC in a dose-dependent manner. Parthenolide inhibited [3H]-TdR incorporation in a dose dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Parthenolide may inhibit proliferation of VSMC by inhibiting the expressions of c-fos, c-myc, but not the expressions of p15, p16, p18, p19.

[Effect of Cryptoporus volvatus (Peck) Schear on leukotriene production from polymorphonuclear leukocytes in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study action of Cryptoporus volvatus ferment substance (CVFS) on leukotriene production of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in rats. METHODS: The level of slow reaction substance (SRS) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in rats in vitro were determined with bioassay and HPLC. RESULTS: CVFS 0.9, 2.7 g.kg-1 by ig significantly inhibited SRS and LTB4 production in PMNs in rats in vivo. CONCLUSION: The inhibition effect of CVFS on SRS and LTB4 release may be related to its mechanism of anti-inflammation and anti-asthma.