Efficacy on rabbits with arrhythmia: needling acupoint of Neiguan (PC6) at shallow or deep depth, and retaining needles for 10, 20, or 30 min.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of Neiguan (PC6) acupuncture at different depths and retention time on arrhythmia duration, myocardial tissue morphology, mRNA expression level of L-type calcium channel α1C subunit and Ca2 + -Mg2 + -AtPase activity in tachirrhythmia model of rabbits. METHODS: The tachyarrhythmia model was made by intravenous injection of barium chloride into the ears of rabbits. A total of 56 healthy adult male New Zealand big-eared white rabbits, apply the random number table method, divided into normal control group (group A), model group (group B), shallow needling Neiguan (PC6) 10 min group (group C), shallow needling Neiguan (PC6) 20 min group (group D), shallow needling Neiguan (PC6) 30 min group (group E), deep needling Neiguan (PC6) 10 min group (group F), deep needling Neiguan (PC6) 20 min group (group G), deep needling Neiguan (PC6) 30 min group (group H), 7 animals in each group. Electrocardiograms were used to collect the duration of arrhythmia; hematoxylin-eosin staining method was performed on myocardial tissue, RT-PCR tested the expression of α1C subunit mRNA, and the activity of Ca2 + -Mg2 + -ATPase were quantified by phosphorus determination method. RESULTS: The duration of arrhythmia in each acupuncture treatment group was shortened to varying degrees. Compare to the model group, the tissue damage from barium chloride inducing was improved in the acupuncture group. Compared to the model group, except for group E, most treatment groups had varying degrees of improvement with significantly down-regulated L-type calcium channel α1C subunit mRNA expressions level and increased Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase activity. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) with different depths and retention time can reduce the duration of arrhythmia induced by barium chloride relatively, improve the induced pathological changes, down regulate L-type calcium channel α1C subunit mRNA expressions level and increase Ca2 + -Mg2 + -ATPase activity. Both the shallow and deep tissues of Neiguan (PC6) may be involved in transmitting acupuncture information. There is an optimal induction period for shallow needling at Neiguan (PC6) to reach the best therapeutic effect.

Expression Profile of Osteoclasts Following the Stimulation With Interleukin-23 in Mice.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to analyze the expression profile of osteoclasts (OCs) following the stimulation with interleukin 23 (IL-23) in mice, which would imply the underlying effects of IL-23 on the function of OCs in inflammatory arthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mature OCs were induced from bone marrow mononuclear cells of 5 male mice (age 6 weeks; weighing 18-20 g) in the presence of macrophage-colony stimulating factor (50 ng/mL) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (30 ng/mL) in vitro. The Agilent SurePrint G3 Mouse GE V2.0 Microarray was used to analyze the gene expression profile of OCs stimulated with IL-23 (30 ng/mL) or vehicle. The four major IL-23-modulated genes were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis. RESULTS: The expression levels of 23 genes were up-regulated and 32 genes were down-regulated by IL-23 stimulation (fold change ≥1.5 and p value <0.05). Among them, there were 37 genes with assigned gene symbols. Gene ontology analysis showed that the IL-23-regulated messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs) were related to positive regulation of leukocyte chemotaxis, chemokine-mediated signaling pathway and C-X-C chemokine receptors binding. The pathway analysis showed that the IL-23-regulated mRNAs were related to chemokine signaling pathway and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction. The significant up-regulation of chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2 induced by IL-23 was confirmed by qPCR. In addition, there were 18 long non-coding RNAs that were regulated by IL-23, while their function needs to be confirmed in the future. CONCLUSION: Expression levels of genes related to chemotaxis in OCs were up-regulated by IL-23 in mice, which imply that IL-23 may facilitate chemotaxis of OCs in inflammatory arthritis.

Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs Are Unlikely to Inhibit Radiographic Progression of Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Systematic Review.

Objective: To clarify if non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) could retard the disease progression of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods: A systematic search of Embase, Pubmed, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CCRCT) databases was conducted. Structural damage of AS was evaluated using spinal radiographs to assess modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score (mSASSS). Results: Five full-text papers (from 2 prospective and 2 retrospective studies) were included. Of the 4 studies deemed relevant, 3 reported no significant inhibition of spinal progression in AS patients treated continuously with NSAIDs, as determined by radiograph over 2-3 years. Only the 1st prospective randomized trial demonstrated that 2-year continuous use of celecoxib reduced mean changes in mSASSS of AS patients compared with on-demand treatment. However, the dosage difference of celecoxib between the two groups in the study seemed to be too small to elicit such differences in radiographic progression, while the therapy did not elicit any differences in disease activity, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels or global pain. Of the 3 studies that reported radiographic progression in the subgroup with elevated CRP, only post-hoc analysis of the 1st randomized study revealed that the patients treated continuously with NSAIDs had less radiological progression than those using on-demand NSAIDs. In 2 studies that reported radiographic progression in the patient subgroup with baseline syndesmophytes, both reported that there was no significant inhibition of progression of mSASSS in patients who had received continuous NSAID treatment compared with patients given on-demand NSAIDs. Conclusion: The available evidence suggests that NSAIDs are unable to delay radiographic progression of AS even in patients with elevated CRP levels.

Antityrosinase and antioxidant properties of mung bean seed proanthocyanidins: Novel insights into the inhibitory mechanism.

This study investigated the structure, antioxidant activity, antityrosinase activity and mechanism of proanthocyanidins from mung bean seed [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]. The structural composition were characterized by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), electrospray ionization-full-mass spectrometry (ESI-Full-MS), and high-pressure liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS) techniques. The mung bean seed proanthocyanidins were composed of procyanidins, prodelphinidins, and their rhamnosides. According to enzyme kinetic analysis, these compounds were potent, reversible, and mixed-type inhibitors of tyrosinase. They inhibited the enzyme activity by interacting with enzyme as well as substrates. The results of molecular docking showed that the interaction between mung bean seed proanthocyanidins and tyrosinase was driven by hydrogen bond, hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. In addition, mung bean seed proanthocyanidins were demonstrated as powerful antioxidants. Therefore, this study confirmed a novel tyrosinase inhibitor and would lay a scientific foundation for their utilization in pharmaceutical and food industries.

Different Modulatory Effects of IL-17, IL-22, and IL-23 on Osteoblast Differentiation.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the expressions of IL-17, IL-22, and IL-23 receptors in four osteoblast models and the effects of IL-17, IL-22, and IL-23 on osteoblasts. METHODS: Gene expression levels of receptors, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OCN), and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx-2), were evaluated by RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR. Proliferative responses and cell cycle analysis were detected by a CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. ALP activity and ALP mass were detected by an ALP activity assay and ALP staining, respectively. RESULTS: In primary osteoblasts, only the IL-17 receptor was expressed. In C2C12, MC3T3-E1, and Saos-2 cells, the genes of IL-17, IL-22, and IL-23 receptors were not detectable. None of IL-17, IL-22, and IL-23 had an obvious effect on the proliferation of primary osteoblasts, but IL-17 exhibited an inhibitory effect on the gene expression of ALP, OCN, and Runx-2. The ALP activity and ALP mass of primary osteoblasts were downregulated by IL-17 treatment in a dose-dependent manner, and IL-17 failed to inhibit BMP-2-induced phosphorylation of Smad. CONCLUSION: Primary osteoblasts constitutively express IL-17 receptors, but none of C2C12 cells, MC3T3-E1 cells, and Saos-2 cells express any receptors for IL-17, IL-22, and IL-23. IL-17 inhibits BMP-2-induced osteoblast differentiation via the BMP/Smad-independent pathway.