Previous studies have demonstrated that a crude extract from Chinese medicinal herbAndrographis Paniculata Nees (APN) could prevent myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury. A refined extract API0134 was studied further. LAD was ligated for 90 min in 20 dogs and then reperfused for 120 min. The animals were randomly divided into 2 groups, API0134 treated group(n = 10), 45 min after ischemia receiving a slow i. v. bolus of 1 mg/kg and then an infusion of 80 μg D kg−1/min for 60 min and control group (n=10) which was given only 5% glucose in saline. Result showed that the hemodynamics in API0134 treated group showed better effects of preventing the increase of the LVEDP and maintaining relatively normal CO as compared with control group. Ischemic ECGs were significantly milder. Malignant arrhythmia did not appear in API0134 treated group. After reperfusion, the infarct size was smaller (5. 06±2. 67% vs 10. 45±3. 11%,P < 0. 01), the damages found in myocardial ultrastructure were significantly milder. It is concluded that API0134 may protect the myocardium from ischemic reperfusion injury.
Protective effects of API0134 on endothelial cells (EC) damaged by oxidatively modified low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) were studied. The results showed that the content of endothelia (ET) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the media of porcine aortic EC incubated with oxLDL were increased and the cGMP was decreased significantly, and the activity of Superoxide dismutase (SOD) was inhibited. The effect of cytotoxicity of oxLDL can be eliminated by API0134. These results suggest that API0134 may protect EC against damages elicited by oxLDL.
The amount and distribution of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in liver at various stages ofSchistosomiasis japonicum- infected mice were immunohistochemically determined by SABC method. The results showed that the amount of TNF-α in liver began to increase at the 8th–12th week after infection, and reached a peak (9 mice reached 2+ grade or higher) 16 weeks after infection, which was higher than the levels 8 weeks after infection (P = 0. 001) and was mainly scattered in and around egg granuloma. At the chronic stage of the infection, the amount of TNF-α in liver decrease not increase with an increased secretion of collagen in liver and development of hepatic fibrosis. On the contrary, FN, LN, type I and II collagen in liver began to rise 8–12 weeks after infection, and were linearly scattered around egg granuloma, reaching a peak (more than 70 % of infected mice reached 3+–4+ grade) at the 20th and 24th week and they became wide, thick arid retiform, and deposited around and in egg granuloma. After administration of recombinant TNF-α to the infected mice, the amount of FN and LN, the size and the inflammatory response of granuloma in liver showed no significant changes as compared with the untreated group at the same stage. However, the amount of type I collagen in liver increased, among which the amount of type I collagen was significantly higher than that in the untreated group at the same stage (P=0. 01), while similar changes were not observed when recombinant TNF-α was administrated to the healthy mice. It is suggested that TNF may play a role in stimulation of fibroblast in liver to proliferate and secrete collagen, but may need to cooperate with some factors.
Anti-murine IL-1α, IL-6 antibodies were intra-peritoneally injected to the lupus-like NZB/W F1 mice of 4 months with the dosage of 10 μg per day for three days and then per month for three months. The mice were killed at the age of 11 months. The results showed that the treatment of the dosage could not absolutely prevent lupus nephritis; it could alleviate proteinuria, obviously reduce the levels of serum IL-1α and inhibit the secretion of IL-1α by celiac macrophage. As to the level of IL-6 and TNF-α no significant change was observed.
The expression of three heat shock proteins (HSPs)-HSP90α, HSP70, HSP27 in cells obtained from 22 patients with leukemia, K562 erythroleukemia cell line, and normal blood cells was observed by means of RNA dot blot analysis. The results showed that the expression of the HSP27 gene was enhanced in 4 cases of acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL), 7 cases of acute nonlymphoid leukemia (ANLL) and 2 cases of myelodysplastic syndrome. (MDS) as compared with that of the normal blood Cells, yet there was no significant difference in the HSP27 expression between the ALL and ANLL cells. The expression of HSP70 in all the 5 ALL and ANLL patients was much lower than that of the normal subjects, except 1 case of ALL and 1 case of MDS, in which the expression was obviously enhanced. All the cases including 11 ANLL, 5 ALL and 1 MDS had higher HSP90α expression than the normal subjects. The enhanced expression pf HSP90α in leukemia cells may be associated with the active and indefinite proliferation of leukemia cells. Our results also suggest that the high expression of the HSP27 gene may not be confined to a specific type of acute leukemia.
In the present study the bone mineral content (BMC) was measured with a single photoabsorptionmeter in 31 diabetic menopausal females and 45 normal menopausal females, simultaneously the serum level of estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), parathyroid hormon (PTH) and calcitonin (CT) were measured with radioimmunoassay. The results showed, BMC, E2 and CT in diabetic group were significantly lower than in the control group. The serum level of PTH in diabetic group was significantly higher than in the control group. The multiple regressionanalysis showed that chiefly the level of E2 in the diabetic group was closely related with BMC. Serum E2 stimulate directly the osteoblasts for the bone reconstruction and increased the bone tissue sensibility to PTH. CT is the antagonistic hormone of PTH and protects the bone mineralization. Hyperglycemia may cause the damage of ovarium and decreased E2-secretion. The lowered E2 level results in combination with elevated PTH and lowered CT level in serum obviously, in loss of a large amount of bone mineral content and in developing the diabetic osteoporosis.
The effect of “Huoxuequyu” recipe on erythrocyte membrane Ca2+-ATPase activity, Na+-K+-ATPase activity and erythrocyte ultrastructure in rats exposed to passive smoking were observed. The erythrocyte membrane Ca2+-AT-Pase activity and Na+-K+-ATPase activity were found to be decreased in the model group as compared with the control group (P<0. 01,P<0. 01), while no significant difference existed between the treated group and the control group (P > 0. 05). Our results also showed that there were more deformed red blood cells in model group than in control group under TCM and SEM (P<0. 0001). No significant difference was found between control group and treated group (P>0. 05). Furthermore, these findings indicated that “Huoxuequyu” recipe, a prepared natural herbal medicine, may be involved in modulation of the activity of erythrocyte membrane enzymes, thereby protecting erythrocyte membrane, so as to improve the erythrocyte function.
Cell count, LDH, total protein, Clara cell protein (CC16) and lysozyme in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) and serum were determined in rats. 30–50 ppm sulfur dioxide for 4 h, 12 h and 2 week exposure didn’t produce any change of above parameters. 1. 0 ppm, 0. 5 ppn, 0. 38 ppm, 0. 25 ppm and 0. 20 ppm ozone for 7 h exposure tests were performed. CC16, total protein and LDH in BAL had significantly changes in BAL in ozone groups. Only serum CC16 showed significant increase among ozone groups. Both BAL and serum CC16 were of the best exposure-response relationship with ozone concentration. The change of BAL fluid reached high peak 18–24 h after ozone exposure. Serum CC16 seemed to be a valid marker of the distal airway damages caused by air pollutants.
This study was designed to investigate the expression and localization of PDGF, bFGF, EGF, and TGFα in gastric coronary vein of cirrhotic (n = 30) and non-cirrhotic patients (n = 10) using immunohistochemical technique. The strongly positive immunostaining rate were 93 %, 89 %, 70 % and 68 % respectively in cirrhotic patients. The immunostaining was negative in non-cirrhotic patients. The damage to endothelium, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of vascular smooth muscle cells and vascular remodeling were seen in gastric coronary vein of cirrhotic patients. These results suggested that gastric coronary vein could produce growth factor during cirrhosis, the growth factor can act on the vascular function and/or structure via autocrine-paracrine mechanism.
Disturbances of microcirulation followed by an impaired tissue oxygenation contribute significantly to a possible organ dysfunction after liver implantation. This study investigated the influence of the explantation technique on and the possible predictive value of the liver transplant oxygenation. Two different explantation techniques were used. The livers were either explanted as rapidly as possible followed by the careful dissection of the vessels and the bile duct ex situ-rapid perfusion or were completely prepared-in situ perfusion in both groups, the livers were preserved by arterial and porto-venous infusion of ice-cold “UW”-solution. Local partial pressure values were obtained polarographically with miniaturized needle electrodes. The liver oxygenation directly after laparotomy was comparable in both groups. We systematically investigated the potential of liver oxygenation as a predictor of transplant quality.
Following the culture of human red marrow with porous TCP ceramicsin vitro, a large amount culturing marrow cells adhered well to the surface and inner wall of TCP ceramics and spread well over the dish bottom 4 weeks after cultivation. After the compound transplantation of porous TCP ceramics with red marrow into quadriceps femoris muscle of rabbits, a huge amount of new bone and marrow formed in these sites on and in the ceramics 4 weeks after transplantation. These results showed an excellent biocompatibility between TCP ceramics and marrow and an excellent osteogenic effect in the compound transplantation. The mechanism of classification and clinical significance about the compound transplantation were discussed.
From 1989, 15 cases of renal angiomyolipoma (AML) have been diagnosed by ultrasonography, CT scanning and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) at our hospital. In 8 patients with uneven hyperechoes on B-mode ultrasonography (B-US) (8/15) and 7 with low density of fat on CT scanning (7/12) accurate diagnosis was established preoperatively. DSA revealed the “berry-like” pseudoaneurysms in the arterial phase (14 cases), the defined lucent area in the nephrogram phase (10 cases) and the “onion-peel appearances” during venous phases (8 cases), correct diagnosis was achieved in all patients. 8 cases were surgically treated and 7 treated by subselective embolization of renal artery. Effects in all cases were good. The diagnostic value of B-US, CT scanning. DSA and interventional treatment of AML was discussed. It was believed that the diagnosis with DSA was a technique with high specificity, and embolization therapy was simple and effective for AML.
The cytogenetics and clinical stigmata in 5 cases of Turner’s syndrome were studied. Three of them were non-mosaic i(Xq) and two with partial monosome of a X chromosome short are (Xp21). whose DNA replication patterns of inactive X chromosome were analyzed by RBG technique. Results showed that differences between the replication patterns in cases of X chromosome deletion (Xp21) and normal females existed; that the behavior of abnormal X expressed nonrandom inactivation. It was suggested that the phenotype may be closely related with both X chromosome replication pattern and its inactivation behavior, which might be useful in genetic counselling.
Cerebral blood flow of 10 asphyxiated term newborns was continuously measured during the first 7 days of life and compared with that of 10 normal term infants by CDI. Frequency spectrum and blood flow variables in the anterior, middle and posterior cerebral arteries were studied. The results showed evidently lower systolic amplitude in patients than that in normal subjects. End diastolic amplitude was zero in part of vessels, and values of blood flow variables were all lower in day 1 of the life as compared with the control groups. Frequency spectrum recovered to normal patterns in 9 survived infants in day 2, but blood flow variables recovered to normal by day 7. Values of resistance index (RI) rose to 1 in some vessels of moderate hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) infants and stayed at 1 in the severe HIE infants. It is concluded that low CBF plays a key role in brain damage of post-asphyxiated newborns and RI may be an important parameter in the evaluation prognosis.
The changes of globulin and complements in placental villi blood vessels were immunohistochemically studied in pregnancy induced hypertension patients and normal pregnant patients by a randomized, double-blind approach. The immunostaining of IgG, IgE, C3, C4, and 5-HT was seen in the villous blood vessels and the helicine arteries of pregnancy induced hypertensive placental villi. The strong positive rates were 100 %, 90 %, 100 %, 100 % and 90 % in serious pregnancy induced hypertensive patients, accompanied by aggregation of mastocytes and vasculopathy of villous blood vessels and the helicine arteries. It is concluded that the immuno-pathological damage took place in the villous blood vessels and helicine arteries, resulting in vasculopathy and villous regressive changes and that the immunological factors were closely related to pregnancy induced hypertension.