Expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin in scar tissue and its relationship with apoptosis

AIM: To examine the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin in scar tissue, and observe the phenomenon of apoptosis and its involvement in the process of pathological scarring and the presence of myofibroblasts or absence of cell in the dermis. To investigate the potential role of reparative cell apoptosis in hyperplastic scar formation. METHODS: The samples of scar were obtained from post-burn patients undergoing plastic operation in our burn unit recently, and the samples of control came from skin donor site of the same patient correspondingly. TUNEL assays were performed to evaluate the number of apoptotic cells in scar versus normal skin. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry staining technique were employed to determine the expression of different dermis cells markers in scar tissue and normal skin. RESULTS: There existed evident difference in apoptotic cells in the dermis between scars tissue and normal human skin. The expression positive cells were much more in hyperplastic scars than that in normal human skin; the apoptotic cells of proliferative stage were slight more than that of mature stage. However, in proliferative stage, the number of apoptotic cells was higher for the combination of hyperplastic scar than normally healed flat scars. But in mature stage, no obviously difference was detected between hyperplastic scar and normally healed flat scar. The monoclonal anti-α smooth muscle actin (ASMA) expression was significantly stronger in proliferative stage than that of mature stage. CONCLUSIONS: With reconstitution of dermal tissue, myofibroblasts containing alpha-SM actin disappear under normal wound healing, probably as a result of apoptosis. The myofibroblast play a critical role in wound closure and in the pathologic sequelae of healing.     

Effect of Jiawei Sini Decoction on glucocorticoid receptor in thymocytes of chronic psychological stress rats

AIM: To observe the effect of Jiawei Sini Decoction (JWSND) on glucocorticoid receptor (GCR) in thymocytes of chronic psychological stress rats. METHODS: The rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, control group (C), model group (M), group treated by JWSND C₁, group treated by ginsenosides C₂. The number of thymocyte GCR sites and the GCR nuclear thanslocation rate were detected by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, in the model group, the thymocyte weight index lowered significantly ( P<0.05 ), and the GCR nuclear thanslocation rate was increased significantly ( P<0.01 ), but the number of thymocyte GCR sites was unchanged. Compared with the model group, thymus gland weight indexes of C₁ and C₂ were increased significantly ( P<0.05 ), while the GCR nuclear thanslocation rate lowered significantly ( P<0.01 ). Moreover, no significant difference was found in all indexes between C₁ and control group. CONCLUSION: The inhibitory effect of glucocorticoid on the thymus could be significantly reversed by JWSND via suppressing the thanslocation of GCR from cytoplasm to nucleus in chronic psychological stress rats.     

Effects of riboflavin and ascorbic acid on apoptosis and proliferative inhibition of mouse thymocytes induced by deoxynivalenol in vivo

AIM: To explore the effects of riboflavin and ascorbic acid on the apoptosis induced by deoxynivalenol(DON) in mouse thymocytes. METHODS: The effects of riboflavin and ascorbic acid on the apoptosis and proliferation inhibition of thymocytes induced by DON in KM mice were studied with animal experiment, DNA agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometric DNA content analysis. RESULTS: Apoptosis rate of thymocytes in DON (4 mg/kg) treated group was13.73%±15.3% The percentages of apoptosis in riboflavin (1.25 mg/kg-10mg/kg) and ascorbic acid (25 mg/kg-100mg/kg) pretreated thymocytes groups were significantly lower than that in DON group (P <0.05). The result of DNA agarose gel electrophoresis showed that the characteristic ladder pattern of apoptosis was found in DON-treated thymocytes, but not in control and riboflavin pretreatment and ascorbic acid pretreatment groups The significant differences in proliferation index were not found among DON-treated thymocytes and riboflavin and ascorbic acid-pretreated thymocytes CONCLUSION: Pretreatment with riboflavin and ascorbic acid inhibit apoptosis of mouse thymocytes induced by DON in certain extent and have no effect on proliferation inhibition by DON.     

Effects of PD98059 on the differentiation from mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblasts

AIM: To investigate the effects of PD98059 on the differentiation from mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblasts.METHODS: hMSC were separated from human marrow and expanded in cuture medium. hMSC were induced with dexamethasone, β-glycerophosphate, vitamin C which acted as osteoblast differentiation inducer. PD98059 was added into the osteoblasts induction medium. The cells were assayed with cell morphology, alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity and calcium deposition. RESULTS: The isolated cultured MSC comprised a single phenotypic population and displayed a fibroblast-like morphology. After induced with osteoblasts induction medium, the cells showed changes in cell morphology from spindle-shape to cuboidal and polygonal. The AP activity increased gradually and reached the peak in 12 days, then decreased. Many scattered tangerice calcium nodes were observed. PD 98059 significantly inhibited AP activity and calcium deposition in a dose-dependent manner. A striking observation of the present study was that a few adipocytes appeared in cultures that were treated with PD 98059 and osteogenic differentiation medium. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that osteogenic diferentiation from the hMSCs was related to the activation of the ERK.     

Activation of renal tubular epithelial cells by monocytes/macrophages and the relative mechanisms

AIM: To observe the direct effects of peripheral blood monocytes/macrophages (MO/MAC) on renal tubular epithelial cells (RTEC),and further probe into the possible mechanisms. METHODS: Conditioned medium(M-CM) of human peripheral blood MO/MAC was collected and added to HK-2,a human renal proximal tubular cell line.After incubation with M-CM for 24 hours,HK-2 cells were detected for DNA synthesis by [³H]-TdR incorporation,osteopontin (OPN) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression by Western blot,and fibronectin(FN) secretion by ELISA.Furthermore,anti-TGFβ₁ neutralizing antibody and interlukin-10(IL-10) were used separately to antagonize the effects of M-CM on HK-2 cells. RESULTS: ①DNA synthesis,α-SMA expression and FN secretion were all increased in HK-2 cells when incubated with M-CM.②When adding with anti-TGFβ₁ neutralizing antibody (5 mg/L) in the M-CM,the degree of upregulation of α-SMA and FN in HK-2 cells was much lower than that stimulated by M-CM alone.③M-CM added with IL-10 (20 μg/L) had a weaker ability to induce the increasing in α-SMA expression and FN excretion in HK-2 cells, compared with M-CM itself alone.M-CM from MO/MAC preincubated with IL-10 caused a lower upregulation of α-SMA expression in HK-2 cells than M-CM from non-preincubated MO/MAC. CONCLUSION: MO/MAC can directly induce proliferation,transdifferentiation and extracellular matrix secretion in RTEC.TGFβ₁ and proinflammatory cytokines secreted by MO/MAC might be involved in the aboveeffects.     

Effects of platelet-derived growth factor on DNA and collagen protein synthesis in human vascular fibroblasts

AIM: To investigate the effects of platelet-derived growth factor on DNA and collagen protein synthesis in human vascular fibroblasts. METHODS: In the present experiment, the human vascular fibroblasts were cultured and effects of platelet-derived growth factor-BB on DNA and collagen protein synthesis in human vascular fibroblasts were observed by using [³H]-TdR incorporation and [³H]-proline incorporation in vitro. RESULTS: Platelet-derived growth factor-BB significantly promoted NDA synthesis and collagen protein synthesis of quiescent human vascular fibroblasts, with a maximal response at a concentration of 30μg·L^-1at 24 h and 36 h, respectively. CONCLUSION: Platelet-derived growth factor-BB promotes DNA and collagen protein synthesis in cultured human vascular fibroblasts.     

Relationship between expression of somatostatin and DNA ploidy in breast cancer

AIM: To investigate the relationship between somatostatin and the pathologic type, estrogen receptor,DNA ploidy of nuclei in tumor cells of breast cancer.METHODS: 67 cases of primary breast cancer and 25 cases of benign breast tumor were examined by immunohistochemical stretomyces avidin peroxidase method. 26 cases of breast cancer selected at random were analyzed by flow cytometry.RESULTS: Somatostatin expressed significantly higher in low malignant breast cancer than that in high malignant breast cancer (P<0.05). Most of cancers with positive staining of somatostatin were diploidy,most of cancers with negative staining were aneuploidy,there had significant difference between two groups (P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Somatostatin may delay the progress of breast cancer,and somatostatin levels in cancer tissues may become a useful indicator for assessing prognosis of patients with breast cancer.     

Effects of nitric oxide on hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic rats induced by LPS

AIM: To investigate the effects of nitric oxide (NO) on hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic rats induced by LPS. METHODS: The cirrhotic model of rats was established by complex pathogeny. Since the end of the 8 th week, the rats were intragastrically-infused with 0.9% salt, L-arginine(L-arg) and LNNA respectively for 2 weeks.The hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic rats were induced by 3 mg/kg LPS (ip) 4 hours before the rats were sacrificed. RESULTS: The normal behaviors and electroencephalograph were appeared in L-arg group. LNNA group showed hepatic encephalopathy. The content of NO₂^-/NO₃^- of brain tissue was markedly higher in L-arg group than LNNA group(P<0.05), but the content of histamine in brain tissue was lower in L-arg group than LNNA group(P<0.05). There was a negative correlation between the content of histamine in brain tissue and the content of NO₂^-/NO₃^- of brain tissue. CONCLUSION: NO can prevent hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic rats induced by LPS.     

Effects of carvedilol,cilazapril and their combination on left ventricular remodeling after acute myocardial infarction in rats

AIM:To compare the effects of carvedilol, cilazapril and their combination on left ventricular remodeling(LVRM) after acute myocardial infarction(AMI) in rats. METHODS: Twenty-four hours after AMI operation, 100 surviving rats were randomly assigned to: ①AMI control(n= 25), ②AMI+carvedilol(1 mg·kg^-1 ·d^-1, n= 25)(C1), ③AMI+cilazapril(1 mg·kg^-1 ·d^-1, n= 25)(Z1), and ④ AMI+combination(n= 25) groups. Sham-operated group(n= 17) were selected randomly. After 4 weeks of therapy with the drugs gastric gavage, hemodynamic and pathological studies were performed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in MI size among the four AMI groups(all P> 0.05) Left ventricular(LV) end diastolic pressure(LVEDP), volume(LVV), weight(LVW) and septal thickness(STh) were all higher and left ventricular pressure maximal rate of rise and fall(±d p /d t) were lower(all P< 0.01) in AMI group than sham-operated group. The LVEDP, LVV, LVW and STh were all lower and ±dp /dt were higher in Z1, C1, and combination groups than those in AMI group(P< 0.05, P< 0.01), with LVEDP and STh were more lower in the combination group than in the two monotherapy group(P< 0.05, P< 0.01), but there were no significant differences in other variables among the three therapy groups. CONCLUSION: Carvedilol, cilazapril and their combination all can prevent from LVRM after AMI in rats, improve hemodynamics and LV function, with the combination superior.     

Expression of undulin in experimental rat liver fibrosis

AIM: To observe the expression of undulin (Un) in liver tissue and to clarify the diagnostic significance of serum Un in experimental rat liver fibrosis. METHODS: Rat liver fibrosis was induced by carbon tetrachloride. The expression of Un in liver tissue was detected by immunohistochemical method. Serum Un levels was measured by enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Expression of Un increased in fibrotic liver than normal liver, and it was mainly distributed in portal tract stroma, central veins and fibrotic septa in fibrotic liver. Also, the level of serum Un was significantly higher in fibrotic liver than normal liver. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that Un should be a component of the hepatic extracellar matrix, and its expression could be increased greatly in fibrotic rat liver. Serum Un levels may be used as an indicator in liver fibrosis diagnosis.