Anti-tumor effect of cimetidine via inhibiting angiogenesis factors in N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine-induced mouse and rat bladder carcinogenesis.

The aim of this study was to assess the anti-tumor effect and mechanisms of cimetidine in N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine (BBN)-induced bladder carcinogenesis model. Sixty-three male BALB/c mice and 67 male Wister rats were treated with BBN and cimetidine to examine the anti-tumor effect of cimetidine. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived endothelial growth factor (PDECGF), and E-selectin were examined to compare their expression in the tumor tissues. In mice, the tumor growth was reduced by cimetidine (p=0.011). The expression of PDECGF was reduced in the cimetidine-treated group (p=0.016). In rats, treatment of cimetidine reduced tumor growth (p=0.0001). Moreover, the expression of VEGF and PDECGF was reduced (p=0.02 and <0.001, respectively). The expression of E-selectin did not correlate with the tumor growth in either mice or rats. In mice, long-term cimetidine treatment proved very effective for inhibiting the tumor growth, but in rats, BBN after treatment with cimetidine showed the least tumor growth-inhibitory effect. In conclusion, cimetidine may have an inhibitory effect on tumor growth in bladder carcinogenesis via reducing the expression of angiogenesis factors including VEGF and PDECGF.

Hypertonic saline resuscitation reduces apoptosis and tissue damage of the small intestine in a mouse model of hemorrhagic shock.

The effect of hypertonic saline resuscitation on intestinal damage and the incidence of apoptosis after hemorrhagic shock were investigated. After anesthesia, male BALB/c mice weighing 24-34 g were hemorrhaged to the mean arterial pressure of 40 +/- 5 mmHg for 90 min. Animals were randomly assigned to four groups: 1) resuscitation with 4 mL/kg of 7.5% NaCl (hypertonic saline; HS) + shed blood (SB); 2) resuscitation with two times the volume of shed blood of lactated Ringer's solution (2LR) + SB; 3) sham (catheter only); or 4) control (no treatment). Intestinal damage was graded based on the extent of the vacuolation at the basal area of the intestinal villi. Apoptosis of the small intestines was examined with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine 5-triphosphate nick-end labeling method and with DNA laddering. Caspase-3 activation, heat shock protein (HSP) 70, and HSP40 were assessed by western blotting. Apoptosis of the small intestine and intestinal damage were significantly lower (P < 0.01) in the HS+SB group compared with the 2LR+SB group 2 h and 6 h after hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation, respectively. This corresponded with more DNA fragmentation in the small intestine of the 2LR+SB group compared with the HS+SB group 2 h after hemorrhage and resuscitation. In addition, we observed less caspase-3 activation in the small intestine of the HS+SB group compared with the 2LR+SB group at 2 h after resuscitation. The content of HSP40 and HSP70 in the HS+SB group was similar to that in controls, but slightly decreased in the 2LR+SB group. HS resuscitation reduced intestinal damage and apoptosis after hemorrhagic shock, suggesting that HS resuscitation may improve the outcome after hemorrhagic shock by reducing apoptosis and damage to the small intestine.