[Effect of Heshouwuyin on the expression of Cox7a2 protein in testis tissue of exercised-induced fatigue rat].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Heshouwuyin on the expression of cytochrome C oxidase7a2 (Cox7a2) in testis tissue of rats with exercised-induced fatigue. METHODS: Fifty SD rats were divided into normal control group (A group), Heshouwuyin administered normal group (B group), model control group (C group), Heshouwuyin treated group (D group) and Heshouwuyin prevented group (E group) randomly with 10 rats for each. The exercise-induced fatigue models in rats of C, D, E groups were established. The rats in D group were treated with Heshouwuyin [20 g/(kg x d), contained crude drug 9.6 g/mL] for 60 days (during the 42 days of modeling and after the 18 days of modeling). The rats in E group were also treated with Heshouwuyin for 60 days (but before the 18 days of modeling and during the 42 days of modeling). Beckmancoulter Unicel Dxl 800 was used to detect the level of serum testosterone, according to the manufacture's instructions. Western blot and RT-PCR were used to observe the differential expression of Cox7a2. RESULTS: The level of serum testosterone in C group was decreased compared with A group (P < 0.05), which implied the success of modeling. Compared with group A, the level of serum testosterone in B, D, E groups were increased (P < 0.05). Cox7a2 protein was expressed mainly in leydig cell and spermatocyte. Compared with A,B, D, E groups, the expression of Cox7a2 protein and mRNA in C group increased (P < 0.05), and there no significant difference was observed between group A and B, as well as group D and E. CONCLUSION: The expression of Cox7a2 was down-regulated by Heshouwuyin.

[Expression of Sema3A and NP-1 in spinal cord and spared dorsal root ganglion after partial dorsal root rhizotomy of cat].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) and neuropilin 1 (NP-1) in spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion after partial dorsal root rhizotomy. METHODS: 15 adult cats were used for this study and divided into 3 groups: normal control group, 7 d and 14 d postoperative groups (7Th day and 14th day groups) undergoing unilateral partial dorsal root rhizotomy. The L3, L5 and L6 segments of spinal cord and L6 dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in operated side were made into frozen sections. By immunohistochemistry ABC method, the sections of spinal cord were stained with specific Sema3A antibody, and L6 DRG were stained with NP-1 antibody. The mean optical density (OD) of Sema3A immunoreactivity in dorsal horn was measured and the number of NP-1 positive medium-small sized neurons in spared DRG was counted. RESULTS: After partial dorsal root rhizotomy, in L3 segment the expression of Sema3A decreased in 7th day group (0.25 +/- 0. 14) compared with that in normal group(0. 37 +/- 0.87) (P < 0.05), but kept the level along to 14th day group (0.27 +/- 0.09); in L5 segment, the expression of Sema3A decrea sed in 7th day group (0.26 +/- 0.11) (P < 0.05), and then recovered to normal level in 14th day group (0.33 +/- 0.09); in L6 segment, OD values in dorsal horn had no changes to all groups. The number of NP-1 positive medium-small sized neurons in spared DRG (30.85 +/- 10.26) was decreased in 7th day group (P < 0.05), compared with that in normal group (45.06 +/- 12.47), while increased in 14th day group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Changes in the expression of Sema3A in spinal cord and the expression of NP-1 in L6 DRG after partial root rhizotomy may be involved in collateral sprouting of spared root in superficial lamina.

[Expression of CNTF and PDGF in spared dorsal root ganglion after partial dorsal root rhizotomy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) in spared dorsal root ganglion (DRG) after partial dorsal root rhizotomy. METHODS: Twenty adult cats were divided into four groups. Five cats were kept intact in the control group. Fifteen cats were subjected to bilateral root rhizotomy, and on the 3rd day, 7th day and 14th day after operation, they were sacrificed as subjects in the three experiment groups respectively (n=5 per group) and their DRGs (L6) were taken. Immunochemical ABC method was used to detect the distribution of CNTF and PDGF-immunoreactivity neurons in those DRGs. The quantitative analysis was conducted to get the numbers of CNTF, PDGF-positive total, large, and medium-small sized neurons in each group. RESULTS: CNTF, PDGF-immunoreactants were distributed in large and medium-small sized neurons. The numbers of total and medium-small sized CNTF positive neurons were noted to be decreased on the 3rd day after operation (P<0.05), and no difference 7th and 14th days was seen when compared with control (P>0.05), but the large positive neurons showed no difference. The total and medium-small sized PDGF positive neurons were found decreased apparently on the 3rd day and 7th day, but there was no difference on the 14th day as compared with normal level. Large positive neurons displayed no change at every time. CONCLUSION: Partial dorsal root rhizotomy exerts different influence on the expression of CNTF and PDGF for different neurons in spared DRG.

[Changes in expression of SP in spinal lamina II following hemisected spinal cord injury in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the changes in expression of Substance P (SP) in spinal lamina II at different time following hemisected spinal cord injury (hSCI). METHODS: Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into intact group and hSCI group at days 3, 7 and 21. The spinal cords were hemisected between T13 and L1. The animals were sacrificed 3, 7, 21 days after operation. The L3 segments were taken out and sectioned continuously into sections (20 microm). The expression of SP was measured by immunohistochemical ABC method, and the number of SP positive varicosities in lamina II was counted. RESULTS: SP positive varicosities were observed in spinal lamina II. Compared with control group, the number of SP positive varicosities on the injured side apparently increased 3 days after hSCI, but decreased 7 days after operation, then recovered to normal by 21 days after operation. Noteworthily, the number of SP positive varicosities on the intact side was higher than that on the injured side. CONCLUSION: SP, as a neurotransmitter of nociceptive information, may be related to the process of hSCI.

[Expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 in spared dorsal root ganglion after partial dorsal root rhizotomy].

OBJECTIVE: Investigating the expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in dorsal root ganglion after partial dorsal root rhizotomy in spared root. METHODS: Adult cats were used. The study comprised a normal control group (n=5) and three expriment groups (n=5 per group). The unilateral root rhizotomy was performed on the 15 cats of the 3 experiment groups. On the 3rd, 7th and 14th days after partial dorsal rhizotomy, the DRG (L6) of 5 cats per batch were taken and made into frozen sections and were stained under the same condition using specific Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 antibody by ABC method. The Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 positive large-, medium- and small-sized neurons in DRG were counted in the 3 experiment groups and in the normal control group. RESULTS: In the intact animals of the normal control group, the Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 immunoreactants were mainly distributed in medium, small neurons and a few large neurons. The number of Bax positive neurons in spared DRG of the 3rd day group increased apparently as compared with that of the normal control group but decreased apparently in the 14th day group and showed no significant difference when compared versus control (P>0.05). There was no significant difference between the 14th day group and normal control group. Bcl-2 expression in spared DRG displayed no difference among the four groups. The number of Caspase-3 positive neurons in spared DRG of the 3rd day group increased apparently when compared against control (P<0.05), but it was not significantly different from that of the 7th day and 14th day groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Partial dorsal root rhizotomy mainly has an effect on the expressions of Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in medium- and small-sized neurons of spared DRG, the peaks of the expressions may appear 3-7 d after the operation.