Kudiezi Injection(®) Alleviates Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption After Ischemia-Reperfusion in Rats.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to examine the effect of KDZ, on the BBB disruption in rat underwent MCAO and reperfusion. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (260-280 g) were subjected to 60 minutes MCAO followed by reperfusion. KDZ (4 mL/kg) was administrated before ischemia. The Evans blue extravasation, albumin leakage, brain water content, TJ proteins, caveolin-1, p-caveolin-1, Src, and p-Src were evaluated. Neurological scores, cerebral infarction, and CBF were assessed. The binding affinity of KDZ to Src was examined. RESULTS: I/R evoked a range of insults including Evans blue extravasation, albumin leakage, brain water content increase, CBF decrease, cerebral infarction, and neurological deficits, all of which were attenuated by KDZ. Meanwhile, KDZ inhibited TJ proteins down-expression, expression of caveolin-1, phosphorylation of caveolin-1 and Src after I/R. In addition, SPR revealed binding of KDZ to Src with high affinity. CONCLUSIONS: KDZ protects BBB from disruption and improves cerebral outcomes following I/R via preventing the degradation of TJ proteins, caveolin-1 expression, and inhibiting p-caveolin-1 and p-Src, which were most likely attributable to the ability of its main ingredients to bind to Src and inhibit its phosphorylation.

Association of serum omentin-1 levels with coronary artery disease.

AIM: Omentin-1, a novel adipokine expressed in visceral adipose tissue, is negatively correlated with insulin resistance and obesity. Decreased omentin-1 expression has been found in many chronic inflammatory diseases. However, the role of omentin-1 in coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been elucidated. The aim of the present study was to determine whether serum concentration of omentin-1 was independently associated with CAD. METHODS: One hundred and fifty five patients with CAD were divided into two groups: acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and stable angina pectoris (SAP). A total of 52 healthy participants served as controls. Serum concentrations of omentin-1 and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured using ELISA. The association of omentin-1 with CAD and cardiovascular disease risk factors was evaluated. RESULTS: Serum omentin-1 levels were lower in patients with ACS or SAP compared with controls (ACS, 113.08±61.43 ng/mL; SAP, 155.41±66.89 ng/mL; control, 254.00±72.9 ng/mL; P<0.01). Patients with ACS also had lower serum concentrations of omentin-1 compared with patients with SAP (P<0.01). Serum concentration of omentin-1 was negatively correlated with body mass index (r=-0.17, P<0.05) and serum IL-6 concentration (r=-0.19, P<0.05). Furthermore, multiple logistic regression analysis showed that serum omentin-1 concentrations were independently correlated with CAD. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that serum concentrations of omentin-1 are related to CAD.

Refractory hypotension induced by Sheehan syndrome with pituitary crisis: A case report.

The present study reported on an unusual case of refractory hypotension induced by Sheehan syndrome with pituitary crisis and explored the causes and treatment of hypotension in hypopiptuitarism. Refractory hypotension is a rare and severe complication of longstanding hypopituitarism induced by Sheehan syndrome with pituitary crisis. A 48-year-old Chinese woman with pituitary crisis due to Sheehan syndrome developed refractory hypotension and received longstanding vasopressor blood pressure support and hormone replacement therapy. Besides normalized blood pressure, echocardiography over 3 months revealed partial reversibility of her cardiac function with hormone replacement therapy. Consistent numerous studies reviewed, hormone replacement therapy may improve cardiac function in patients with cardiomyopathy linked to Sheehan syndrome. A retrospective study of 77 cases with hypopituitarism encountered at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University (Jinan, China) was also performed and the incidence rate of hypotension was analyzed, revealing that the present case was the first of refractory hypotension induced by Sheehan syndrome with pituitary crisis at this institution in 16 years.