QingBai decoction regulates intestinal permeability of dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis through the modulation of notch and NF-κB signalling.

OBJECTIVE: Chinese Herb QingBai decoction (QBD) has been approved affective in the treatment of IBD patients in clinic. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. We aim to investigate the effect of QBD on the mouse model of ulcerative colitis and its possible mechanism. METHODS: C57/bL mice were given 5% DSS to induce colitis and were divided as QBD and mesalazine group. Weight, faeces and mental status were recorded each day and the histopathological changes (goblet cells etc) of the colon were observed after sacrificed. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran 4000 was measured to reflect the intestinal mucosal permeability. In addition, cell junction-related proteins and possible signal pathways were investigated. RESULTS: QingBai decoction could significantly alleviate the inflammation and the protection effect of colitis is comparable as those in mesalazine enema group. It was found that the permeability reduced significantly with QBD treatment vs the control group, while no significant difference between the mesalazine and QBD groups. QBD treatment could upregulate the expression of tight junction complex（ZO-1, claudin-1 and occludin）and muc-2 expression. It significantly reduced the production and secretion of serials proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, Kc and TNF-α) compared with the control group. Meanwhile, NF-κB and Notch pathways were regulated. CONCLUSION: QingBai decoction can effectively alleviate intestinal inflammation and mucosal barrier function in colitis mice, and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of inflammatory cascade as well as enhanced mucus layer barrier and mechanical barrier function by NF-κB and Notch signalling.

Polymorphisms in NADPH oxidase CYBA gene modify the risk of ESRD in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) was defined as start of renal replacement therapy or death due to kidney disease. However, death due to acute kidney injury was not included. It typically occurs when chronic renal failure progresses to a point where the kidneys are permanently functioning at less than 10% of their capacity. Oxidative stress (OS) plays a crucial role in ESRD. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) is one of the most important enzymes during oxidative stress. Cytochrome b light chain (CYBA), encoded by a polymorphic gene, which is a critical component of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)/NADPH oxidase system and plays an important role in electron transport and superoxide anion production, is located on chromosome band 16q24 and has six exons spanning almost 7.76 kb of genomic DNA. CYBA gene polymorphisms can influence the activity of NADPH oxidase. To evaluate the association between CYBA gene polymorphisms and ESRD, we genotyped five CYBA polymorphisms using TaqMan allelic discrimination assay on DNA samples from 306 healthy controls and 332 patients with ESRD. Our results suggested that rs1049255 polymorphism of CYBA modified the risk of ESRD (p = 0.019; OR = 0.625; 95%CI = 0.424-0.921). GG genotype and G allele might be a protective factor against the risk of ESRD, especially in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis.

Relation between development of cardiovascular disease and the C242T CYBA polymorphism of the NADPH oxidase in ESRD patients.

BACKGROUND: The development of cardiovascular disease in ESRD patients is considered to be associated with oxidative stress. NAD(P)H oxidase has attracted attention as mechanisms of generating oxidative stress. We investigated the relation between the genotype of the C242T CYBA polymorphism of the NADPH oxidase and the development of cardiovascular disease in ESRD patients. METHODS: A total of 289 ESRD patients were recruited and allocated to one of the two groups: patients without cardiovascular disease (group N; n=192) and patients developing cardiovascular disease (group D; n=97). The C242T CYBA polymorphism was determined by RFLP-PCR methods. RESULTS: The frequency of the C242T CT+TT genotype was significantly lower in group D than in group N (9.1 vs. 20.2%). In multiple Logistic regression analysis, systolic blood pressure, smoking history and this gene polymorphism were shown to be independent variables for the development of cardiovascular disease in ESRD patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that assessment of the C242T CYBA polymorphism of the NADPH oxidase may be useful in identifying the risk for developing cardiovascular disease in ESRD patients.

[Effect of simvastatin on the reserve of heart function and endothelial function in X-syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the therapeutic effect of simvastatin combined with traditional medicine on patients with X-syndrome, and on the reserve of heart function and endothelial function. METHODS: Forty patients with X-syndrome were recruited from September 2006 to September 2007 and randomly divided into 2 groups (a simvastatin group and a control group). The control group received routine treatment including beta receptor blocker, calcium-channel blocker (CCB) and long active nitrate. The simvastatin group received simvastatin and the routine treatment. The clinical condition and exercise test (TET) were performed before and after the treatment.The levels of triglyeride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein (HDL-C), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) were measured. RESULTS: The frequencies of chest pain in the simvastatin group were lower than those in the control group. The levels of ET-1, ET-1/NO, TG, TC, and LDL-C were significantly decreased in the simvastatin group as compared with the control group after the treatment. The levels of HDL-C and NO were significantly increased in the simvastatin group as compared with the control group after the treatment. The time in TET was significantly increased in the simvastatin group as compared with the control group. The frequencies of chest pain were positively related to the level of ET-1/NO and negatively related to the time in TET. CONCLUSION: Simvastatin is effective for patients with X-syndrome and may improve the endothelial function and the reserve of heart function.

Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme and endothelial Nitric Oxide synthase gene polymorphisms with vascular disease in ESRD patients in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: The effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism and endothelial Nitric Oxide synthase (eNOS) gene G894 --> T on vascular disease in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients was rarely studied previously. We investigated such effect in a Chinese population. METHODS: A total of 153 ESRD patients with vascular disease (88 men and 65 women; mean age +/- SD: 54.0 +/- 13.2) were recruited. Polymerase chain reaction was used to classify the ACE genotypes as II, ID and DD and the eNOS genotypes as GG, GT, and TT. Analyses were performed in ESRD patients with vascular disease (n = 153) and the age-matched controls (n = 148). RESULTS: The frequencies of ACE DD and eNOS TT genotypes and ACE D and eNOS T alleles in ESRD patients with vascular disease were significantly higher than those in the controls (P < 0.05). There was a significant interaction between ACE I/D alleles and eNOS G894 --> T polymorphism: adjusted odds ratio 2.128 (95%CI 1.022-4.434, P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that the etiology of vascular disease in ESRD patients is associated with ACE and eNOS (G894 --> T) gene polymorphisms. Our data also suggest that an interaction effect may exist between ACE (I/D) and eNOS (G894 --> T) polymorphism in increasing the risk of vascular complications in ESRD patients.

[Effect of BST on synapse protein SYT and SYN in the hippocampus of chronic stress depression in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of Baisong tablets (BST) on synapse protein synatotagmin (SYT) and synaptophysin (SYN) of hippocampus in chronic stress depression in rats. METHODS: Twenty eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to 4 groups: a normal control group,a model group,a fluoxetine (FXT) group and a BST group. The normal control rats were fed in a natural environment. Rats of the model, FXT and BST groups were singly housed and given an chronic unpredicted sequence of mild stressors. The distribution and expression differences of SYT and SYN in the hippocampus of rats in different groups were investigated with in situ hybridization and immunoblotting. RESULTS: Expressions of SYT and SYN in the hippocampus of model rats were significantly reduced, compared with that of the normal control (P<0.05); and the expressions of SYT and SYN were significantly increased in the hippocampus of the FXT and BST groups, compared with that of the model group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The expressions of SYT and SYN protein and their mRNA decrease in the hippocampus of stress-model rats. BST can up-regulate their expression.

[Comparative study on two methods of back propagation network test in TCM syndrome typing of depression].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of the two methods of back propagation network (BPN) test on TCM syndrome typing of depression. METHODS: Test was carried out by two methods as following: (1) Cross train-test method: 1731 patients with depression typed to 5 syndrome types were randomly divided into 2 groups, and they were trained and tested in turn; (2) Round-Robin method: Test was conducted in an altered cycle mode, that is, in a cycle, one out of the 1731 patients were selected to be tested, while the others were trained, the next cycle started when the test on the selected patient was finished and another one for test was selected. In this way, one cycle after the other, until all patients had been tested. RESULT: The total training sensitivity of the two methods was 97.9% and 98.2% respectively, and the total testing sensitivity was 72.7% and 74.2% respectively. CONCLUSION: (1) The five TCM syndrome types of depression could be well differentiated by BPN, which is valuable for TCM syndrome typing in certain extent; (2) The sensitivity of Round-Robin method is slightly higher than that of Cross train-test method, but in comparison between them no remarkable significance was shown.