Role of IL-10 gene polymorphisms in the development of acute pancreatitis.

Recent studies have suggested that chemokines contribute to the initiation and development of acute pancreatitis. We evaluated the relationship between IL-10 gene polymorphisms (-1082A/G and -819T/C) and development of acute pancreatitis in the Chinese population, in order to provide data for screening high-risk Chinese individuals. In total, 182 patients with confirmed cases of acute pancreatitis and 262 control subjects were recruited from the Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital between April 2012 and December 2014. IL-10 gene polymorphisms at positions -1082A/G and -819T/C were examined using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Through multiple-logistic regression analysis, the GG genotype in IL-10 -1082A/G could influence the susceptibility to acute pancreatitis compared to the AA genotype, and the adjusted OR (95%CI) was 2.68 (1.34-5.39) (P = 0.002). Individuals who carried the AG+GG genotype of IL-10 -1082A/G were associated with greater risk for acute pancreatitis compared to the wide-type genotype, and the adjusted OR (95%CI) was 1.64 (1.09-2.46). However, no significant difference in susceptibility to acute pancreatitis was found between the IL-10 gene polymorphism at -819T/C. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the IL-10 -1082A/G gene polymorphism contributes to the development of acute pancreatitis.

ERKs and mitochondria-related pathways are essential for glycyrrhizic acid-mediated neuroprotection against glutamate-induced toxicity in differentiated PC12 cells

The present study focuses on the neuroprotective effect of glycyrrhizic acid (GA, a major compound separated from Glycyrrhiza Radix, which is a crude Chinese traditional drug) against glutamate-induced cytotoxicity in differentiated PC12 (DPC12) cells. The results showed that GA treatment improved cell viability and ameliorated abnormal glutamate-induced alterations in mitochondria in DPC12 cells. GA reversed glutamate-suppressed B-cell lymphoma 2 levels, inhibited glutamate-enhanced expressions of Bax and cleaved caspase 3, and reduced cytochrome C (Cyto C) release. Exposure to glutamate strongly inhibited phosphorylation of AKT (protein kinase B) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs); however, GA pretreatment enhanced activation of ERKs but not AKT. The presence of PD98059 (a mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase [MEK] inhibitor) but not LY294002 (a phosphoinositide 3-kinase [PI3K] inhibitor) diminished the potency of GA for improving viability of glutamate-exposed DPC12 cells. These results indicated that ERKs and mitochondria-related pathways are essential for the neuroprotective effect of GA against glutamate-induced toxicity in DPC12 cells. The present study provides experimental evidence supporting GA as a potential therapeutic agent for use in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

ERKs and mitochondria-related pathways are essential for glycyrrhizic acid-mediated neuroprotection against glutamate-induced toxicity in differentiated PC12 cells.

The present study focuses on the neuroprotective effect of glycyrrhizic acid (GA, a major compound separated from Glycyrrhiza Radix, which is a crude Chinese traditional drug) against glutamate-induced cytotoxicity in differentiated PC12 (DPC12) cells. The results showed that GA treatment improved cell viability and ameliorated abnormal glutamate-induced alterations in mitochondria in DPC12 cells. GA reversed glutamate-suppressed B-cell lymphoma 2 levels, inhibited glutamate-enhanced expressions of Bax and cleaved caspase 3, and reduced cytochrome C (Cyto C) release. Exposure to glutamate strongly inhibited phosphorylation of AKT (protein kinase B) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs); however, GA pretreatment enhanced activation of ERKs but not AKT. The presence of PD98059 (a mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase [MEK] inhibitor) but not LY294002 (a phosphoinositide 3-kinase [PI3K] inhibitor) diminished the potency of GA for improving viability of glutamate-exposed DPC12 cells. These results indicated that ERKs and mitochondria-related pathways are essential for the neuroprotective effect of GA against glutamate-induced toxicity in DPC12 cells. The present study provides experimental evidence supporting GA as a potential therapeutic agent for use in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

In vivo osteogenic activity of bone marrow stromal stem cells transfected with Ad-GFP-hBMP-2.

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) in bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs) and the in vivo and in vitro osteogenic activity of BMSCs transfected with the adenovirus plasmid, Ad-GFP-hBMP-2. The Ad-GFP-hBMP-2 plasmid was packaged and transfected into rabbit BMSCs to determine the transfection rate. The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities of Ad-GFP-hBMP-2-transfected BMSCs (experimental group) and untransfected BMSCs (control group) were detected. In situ hybridization of type I collagen and Western blot were used to determine the BMP-2 gene and protein expressions. The transfected and untransfected BMSCs were respectively inoculated into nude mice to observe in vivo osteogenesis. The decalcified bovine cancellous bone scaffold was respectively combined with transfected and untransfected BMSCs and implanted into ulnar defects in rabbits to repair the bone. The adenovirus titer was 1.2x10(10) pfu/mL. Green fluorescent protein expression appeared 48 h after transfection with the adenovirus plasmid, and the transfection rate was 71.1%. The ALP activity was higher in the experimental group than the control group at each time point after transfection. The gene and protein expressions of BMP-2 were higher in the experimental group than the control group. The positive rates of in vivo osteogenesis in the experimental and control groups were 90% and 40%, respectively. The bone defect repair effects differed markedly between the two groups. The BMP-2 gene can be highly expressed in BMSCs to successfully induce osteogenic differentiation. BMSCs can be used as seed cells for bone tissue engineering.

Construction of an adenoviral expression vector carrying FLAG and hrGFP-1 genes and its expression in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

The aim of this study was to construct an adenoviral expression vector for vascular endothelium growth factor 121 (VEGF121)-FLAG and humanized Renilla reniformis green fluorescent protein (hrGFP-1) genes, and to observe their expressions in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Using pTG19T-VEGF121 as a template, polymerase chain reaction technology was adopted to mutate the VEGF121 gene by removing the stop codon and inserting NotI and XhoI restriction sites both before and after the gene sequences. The resultant gene was then subcloned into a pMD19-T plasmid, the pMD19-T-VEGF121 and pShuttle-CMV-IRES-hrGFP-1 plasmids were double-digested, and small and large fragments were linked after gel recovery to complete the construction of recombinant adenovirus vectors. After titer determination, the recombinant adenovirus vectors were used to affect rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, and fluorescence intensity was observed under fluorescence microscopy. Enzyme digestion identification and sequencing confirmed that the recombinant plasmids were successfully constructed, and observations under fluorescence microscopy showed significant expression of green fluorescent protein in recombinant adenovirus-infected bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. The constructed adenoviral gene expression vectors carrying VEGF121-FLAG and hrGFP-1 can be expressed in eukaryotic cells, which may be used for gene therapy of ischemic disorders.