Effects of protein kinase C on modulation of vascular endothelium permeability

Protein kinase C pathway is an important intracellular signal transduction pathway. A growing number of evidences showes that activation of PKC influences endothelial cell permeability. In this review, we briefly summarize the effects and regulating pathways of protein kinase C in modulation of vascular endothelium permeability.     

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.     

Protein expression of cyclin D2 and p16 in proliferation and differentiation of cultured cardiac myocytes

AIM:To investigate the protein expression of cyclin D₂ and p16 in proliferation and differentiation of cultured cardiac myocytes.METHODS:One-day-old Sparague-Dawley rats were used. Cardiac myocytes(CM) were collected by a trypsin-dispersal method and cultured. Cell growth line and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) were used to investigate the proliferation of CM. Ultra-thin sections were made to observe the ultrastructure of CM under transmission electron microscope. The expression of cyclin D₂ and p16 in CM were measured using immunocytochemistry and image analysis.RESULTS:①Results of cell growth line and FACS analysis showed that cultured CM could proliferate in the first 3 cultured days, but the ability decreased quickly, concomitant with differentiation. CM was obseved quiescent in cell cycle three days later. The ultrastructure of CM showed the large amount of myofilaments and mitochondrion. ②The protein expression of cyclin D₂ in 3,4,5 day CM group was 0.89 times(P＜0.05),0.80 times (P＜0.05) and 0.56 times (P＜0.01) of that in 1 day group, respectively. The expression of p16 in CM was increased during the culture process, 2,3,4,5 day group were 1.63 times, 1.72 times, 1.99 times and 2.84 times (P＜0.01) of that in 1 day group, respectively.CONCLUSION:Cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes could proliferate during the first 3 days after incubation, but the ability of proliferation decreased, from the fourth day, concomitant with differentiation. Cyclin D₂ and p16 play the key roles in CM postnatal development. Downregulation of cyclin D₂ and upregulation of p16 may induce CM differentiation.     

Antitumor effect of chlorophyllin in vitro

AIM: To study the effect and mechanism of chlorophyllin (CHL) inhibiting HT29 cells. METHODS: IC₅₀ value and growth curve of HT29 cells were detected with MTT method. Apoptosis was detected with Wright-Giemsa staining, FCM and DNA electrophoresis. Telomerase was detected by PCR-ELISA, and protein and mRNA expression of COX-2 gene were detected through RT-PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: CHL inhibited the growth of HT29 in a dose-dependent manner. CHL blocked HT29 cells in G₁ phase but did not induce apoptosis. Different concentration of CHL inhibits the expression of telomerase and COX-2 in HT29 cells. CONCLUSION: CHL inhibited the growth of HT29 cells by inhibiting the expression of telomerase and COX-2 and blocking cells in G₁ phase.     

Expression of CD44s in lung cancer and its significance

AIM: To investigate expression of CD44s in lung cancer and it's clinical significance. METHODS: A total of 117 primary lung cancer from patients were examined for CD44s expression by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: CD44s mostly expressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) but not in small ecll lung cancer (SCLC), and squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) showed much stronger expression of CD44s than adenocarcinoma(ADC)(P＜0.05). In comparison of the lung cancer with/ without lymph node metastasis, the latter showed stronger expression of CD44s(P＜0.01). According to TNM, there was a distinct statistic difference between early stage and advanced stage(P＜0.05). CONCLUSION: CD44s might be a better indicant in histological classification of lung cancer, lymph node metastasis, clinical stage and prognosis.     

Effect of homocysteine on expression of interleukin-8 mRNA and protein in THP-1 macrophages

AIM: To investigate the effect of homocysteine (Hcy) on expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8) mRNA and protein in THP-1-derived macrophages (THP-1 macrophages). METHODS: Cultured THP-1 monocytes were induced to macrophages by 0.1 μmol/L PMA treatment for 72 hours, then the differentiated THP-1 macrophages were incubated with homocysteine (0.01 mmol/L-0.20 mmol/L) for 24 hours, or with 0.10 mmol/L Hcy for various time up to 48 hours. IL-8 protein in THP-1 supernatants was measured by ELISA, and IL-8 mRNA expression was detected by semiquantitive RT-PCR. RESULTS: Compared with control, Hcy significantly increased the expression of IL-8 protein in a concentration-dependent manner. 0.05 mmol/L, 0.10 mmol/L and 0.20 mmol/L Hcy increased IL-8 production by 1.28 fold, 1.32 fold and 1.55 fold, respectively (P＜0.01). IL-8 production were elevated significantly 3 h after treatment with 0.10 mmol/L Hcy. In addition, Hcy also increased IL-8 mRNA expression in a concentration-and time-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Hcy may contribute to atherogenesis by inducing IL-8 expression and secretion in THP-1 macrophages.     

Effects of sodium ferulate on the nonenzymatic glycation and oxidation in kidneys of diabetic rats

AIM: To investigate the blocking effects of sodium ferulate (SF) on the nonenzymatic glycation and oxidation in kidneys of diabetic rats. METHODS: The diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin (STZ) were treated with SF (110 mg/kg) per day for 8 weeks. The renal weight/body weight, clearance rate of creatinine (Ccr), proteinuria, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in renal cortex, and the malonyldialdehyde (MDA), fructosamine (FMN), antioxidant enzymes in serum and renal cortex were measured. The pathologic changes of kidneys were also observed. RESULTS: The levels of Ccr, proteinuria, FMN and AGEs in renal cortex, FMN in serum, and renal weight/body weight in diabetic control group were significantly higher than those in normal control group. In the diabetic control group, there was a highter level of MDA and a lower activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in serum and renal cortex than those in normal control group. Except for FMN in renal cortex, the abnormalities were significantly ameliorated in the treatment group. The pathologic changes was significant in the diabetic control group, which was significantly ameliorated with the treatment of SF. CONCLUSIONS: SF protects the activity of antioxidant enzymes, clears away oxygen radicals and inhibits the deposit of AGEs in kindey, which may be the mechanisms of protecting effects of SF on kindey in diabetic rats.     

Characteristics in the secretion of liver TNF-α induced by infusion of LPS into veins in goats

AIM: To study the role of liver in immune regulation in experimental endotoxemia. METHODS: 17 castrated male goats were subjected to simultaneously installing catheters in jugular, hepatic and portal veins by surgery. Four days later, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was infused in term of three groups as followings: In group ①, LPS of 20 EU (endotoxin unit, EU)·kg^-1 was infused into portal vein; In group ②, LPS of 20 EU·kg^-1 was infused into jugular vein and LPS of 1 500 EU·kg^-1 infused into jugular vein in group ③. Before and after infusion, blood samples were collected from the three veins through the catheters for 8 h.The plasma levels of TNF-α were measured by RIA. RESULTS: In group ①, the plasma TNF-α levels of hepatic and portal vein rose to peak value at 5 h, but that of the jugular vein did not changed. In group ②, the plasma TNF-α levels in hepatic vein rose to peak value at 3 h. The TNF-α levels of jugular vein rose to peak value at 1 h and the one in portal vein enhanced continuously between 0-8 h. In group ③, the plasma TNF-α levels in jugular, hepatic and portal vein rose to significant peaks at 1 h simultaneously. CONCLUSION: During experimental endotoxemia,liver showed different dynamic characteristics in TNF-α secretion according to the pathway and doses of LPS delivery.