Urotensin II and urantide exert opposite effects on the cellular components of atherosclerotic plaque in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

Increasing levels of plasma urotensin II (UII) are positively associated with atherosclerosis. In this study we investigated the role of macrophage-secreted UII in atherosclerosis progression, and evaluated the therapeutic value of urantide, a potent competitive UII receptor antagonist, in atherosclerosis treatment. Macrophage-specific human UII-transgenic rabbits and their nontransgenic littermates were fed a high cholesterol diet for 16 weeks to induce atherosclerosis. Immunohistochemical staining of the cellular components (macrophages and smooth muscle cells) of aortic atherosclerotic lesions revealed a significant increase (52%) in the macrophage-positive area in only male transgenic rabbits compared with that in the nontransgenic littermates. However, both male and female transgenic rabbits showed a significant decrease (45% in males and 31% in females) in the smooth muscle cell-positive area compared with that of their control littermates. The effects of macrophage-secreted UII on the plaque cellular components were independent of plasma lipid level. Meanwhile the wild-type rabbits were continuously subcutaneously infused with urantide (5.4 µg· kg-1· h-1) using osmotic mini-pumps. Infusion of urantide exerted effects opposite to those caused by UII, as it significantly decreased the macrophage-positive area in male wild-type rabbits compared with that of control rabbits. In cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells, treatment with UII dose-dependently increased the expression of the adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and ICAM-1, and this effect was partially reversed by urantide. The current study provides direct evidence that macrophage-secreted UII plays a key role in atherogenesis. Targeting UII with urantide may promote plaque stability by decreasing macrophage-derived foam cell formation, which is an indicator of unstable plaque.

Comparison of entecavir and adefovir for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

The results of several new clinical trials that compared the effectiveness of entecavir (ETV) treatment with that of adefovir (ADV) treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) were published in recent years. However, the numbers of patients included in these clinical trials were too small to draw a clear conclusion as to whether ETV is more effective than ADV. Therefore, a new meta-analysis was needed to compare ETV with ADV for the treatment of CHB. A search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CCTR), MEDLINE, the Science Citation Index, Embase, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and the Wanfang Database for relevant studies published between 1966 and 2010 was performed. Trials comparing the use of ETV and ADV for the treatment of CHB were assessed. Of the 2,358 studies screened, 13 randomized controlled clinical trials comprising 1,230 patients (ETV therapy, 621; ADV therapy, 609) were analyzed. The serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA clearance rate obtained in patients treated with ETV was significantly higher than that in patients treated with ADV at the 24th and 48th weeks of treatment (24 weeks: 59.6% vs. 31.8%, relative risk [RR], 1.82, 95% CI: 1.49-2.23; 48 weeks: 78.3% vs. 50.4%, RR, 1.61, 95% CI: 1.32-1.96). The serum HBeAg clearance rate, the HBeAg seroconversion rate, and the ALT normalization rate obtained for patients treated with ETV were also higher than the corresponding values for patients treated with ADV at the 48th week of treatment. The safety profiles were similar between patients treated with ETV and those treated with ADV. The evidence reviewed in this meta-analysis suggests that patients with hepatitis B have a greater likelihood of achieving a viral response and a biomedical response when treated with ETV than when treated with ADV.

Comparison of entecavir and adefovir for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B

The results of several new clinical trials that compared the effectiveness of entecavir (ETV) treatment with that of adefovir (ADV) treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) were published in recent years. However, the numbers of patients included in these clinical trials were too small to draw a clear conclusion as to whether ETV is more effective than ADV. Therefore, a new meta-analysis was needed to compare ETV with ADV for the treatment of CHB. A search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CCTR), MEDLINE, the Science Citation Index, Embase, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and the Wanfang Database for relevant studies published between 1966 and 2010 was performed. Trials comparing the use of ETV and ADV for the treatment of CHB were assessed. Of the 2,358 studies screened, 13 randomized controlled clinical trials comprising 1,230 patients (ETV therapy, 621; ADV therapy, 609) were analyzed. The serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA clearance rate obtained in patients treated with ETV was significantly higher than that in patients treated with ADV at the 24th and 48th weeks of treatment (24 weeks: 59.6% vs. 31.8%, relative risk [RR], 1.82, 95% CI: 1.49-2.23; 48 weeks: 78.3% vs. 50.4%, RR, 1.61, 95% CI: 1.32-1.96). The serum HBeAg clearance rate, the HBeAg seroconversion rate, and the ALT normalization rate obtained for patients treated with ETV were also higher than the corresponding values for patients treated with ADV at the 48th week of treatment. The safety profiles were similar between patients treated with ETV and those treated with ADV. The evidence reviewed in this meta-analysis suggests that patients with hepatitis B have a greater likelihood of achieving a viral response and a biomedical response when treated with ETV than when treated with ADV.

[Meta-analysis on peginterferon plus ribavirin in treatment of hepatitis C virus genotype 1 or 4 infection in HIV patients].

OBJECTIVE: To perform a Meta-analysis on peginterferon with interferon in treatment of HIV patients coinfected with refractory genotype HCV. METHODS: A literature search of Medline was conducted to identify eligible randomized controlled trials. Meta analysis was conducted to evaluate peginterferon and interferon in treatment of coinfected HCV genotype 1 or 4 in HIV patients. RESULT: Six trials of 88 matched the selection criteria. Total 1,131 patients with coinfection of HCV genotype 1 or 4 and HIV were included. Sustain viral response was higher in patients treated with peginterferon plus ribavirin compared with that of interferon plus ribavirin (26 % compared with 8 %) or peginterferon alone (26 % compared with 13 %). Severe adverse effects and withdrawal rates were similar for patients treated with peginterferon and patients treated with interferon. CONCLUSION: Peginterferon plus ribavirin in treatment of patients with coinfection of genotype 1 or 4 HCV and HIV can achieve higher sustain viral response and the likelihoods of serious adverse effects and withdrawal rates are similar to other therapies.

[Prenatal restraint stress decreases neurogranin expression in rat offspring hippocampus].

Neurogranin, a neuron-specific postsynaptic protein, has been considered to play an important role in synaptic plasticity and learning and memory. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of prenatal restraint stress on neurogranin expression in rat offspring hippocampus. Pregnant rats were given a restraint stress (3 times a day for 7 d, 45 min each time) at the late stage of gestation except that in the control group. The offspring rats were divided into four groups: female control group, male control group, female stress group and male stress group. Expression of neurogranin was determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The results showed that neurogranin-positive immunostaining was detected in all areas of the hippocampus. The staining density was stronger in the CA1 and CA3 regions than that in the dentate gyrus (DG) region. Western blot assay showed that neurogranin protein level in female and male prenatal stressed offspring was significantly lower than that in the controls (P<0.01). Neurogranin level was significantly lower in the female stress group than that in the male stress group, whereas there was no significant gender difference in the control group. Immunohistochemical data further confirmed these results. The present study provides evidence that prenatal restraint stress induces gender-dependent decrease in neurogranin expression in the offspring hippocampus. The prenatal restraint stress-induced decrease in neurogranin expression in the hippocampus might be associated with the deficit in spatial learning and memory reported previously.