Publication trends in studies examining radix notoginseng as a treatment for ischemic brain injury

Acute ischemic stroke has become a major disease burden with high mortality and morbidity rates. There is a lack of evidence-based medicine confirming the efficacy of common treatments. Panax notoginseng saponins, the main active ingredient of radix notoginseng, have a neuro- protective role in ischemic brain injury, and have been popularized as a maintenance treatment for acute cerebral infarction and its sequelae. We conducted literature searches on the Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Collaboration, CNKI, Wanfang and the China Scientific ＆ Technological Achievements Database and analyzed the experimental and clinical outcomes of studies investigating the use of radix notoginseng in the treatment of ischemic brain injury to improve the understanding of relevant research trends and existing problems. We found that over the past 10 years, China has maintained its interest in Panax notoginseng research, while such studies are scarce on the Web of Science. However, Chinese researchers often focus on the neuroprotective role of radix notoginseng in ischemic brain injury, but there are no large-scale clinical data to confirm its efficacy and safety. There remains a need for more rigorous large-sample randomized controlled clinical trials with long-term follow-up, to determine whether radix notoginseng lowers stroke recurrence and improves patient＇s quality of life.

Effects of glucocorticoid dexamethasone on serum nitric oxide synthase activity and nitric oxide levels in a rat model of lung disease-induced brain injury

In this study, we investigated the effects of dexamethasone, pertussis toxin （a Gi protein inhibitor） and actinomycin （a transcription inhibitor） on serum nitric oxide synthase activity and nitric oxide content in a rat model of lung disease-induced brain injury. High-dose dexamethasone （13 mg/kg） and dexamethasone ＋ actinomycin reduced lung water content, increased serum nitric oxide synthase activity and nitric oxide content, diminished inflammatory cell infiltration in pulmonary alveolar interstitium, attenuated meningeal vascular hyperemia, reduced glial cell infiltration, and decreased cerebral edema. These results demonstrate that high-dose glucocorticoid treatment can reduce the severity of lung disease-induced brain injury by increasing nitric oxide synthase activity and nitric oxide levels.

Neuroprotective effects of ClC-3 chloride channel in glutamate-induced retinal ganglion cell RGC-5 apoptosis

Transforming growth factor β plays a role in regulation of apoptosis in CIC-3 and the Smads signaling pathway, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The present study determined possible signal transduction mechanisms based on CIC-3 expression, which accordingly affected apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells in a glutamate-induced retinal ganglion cell RGC-5 apoptosis model. Results revealed significantly increased cell survival rate and significantly decreased apoptosis rate following apoptosis of CIC-3 cDNA-transfected glutamate-induced retinal ganglion cells. Following inhibition of the CIC-3 chloride channel using RNAi technology, cell survival and apoptosis rates were reversed. In addition, expression of transforming growth factor β2 Smads2, Smads3, Smads4, and Smads7 increased to varying degrees. These results suggest that CIC-3 chloride channel plays a protective role in glutamate-induced apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells, and transforming growth factor β/Smads signal transduction pathways are involved in this process.

PARK1 gene mutation of autosomal dominant Parkinson's disease family

Studies have shown that PARK1 gene is associated with the autosomal dominant inheritance of Parkinson＇s disease. PARK1 gene contains two mutation sites, namely Ala30Pro and Ala53Thr, which are located on exons 3 and 4, respectively. However, the genetic loci of the pathogenic genes remain unclear. In this study, blood samples were collected from 11 members of a family with high prevalence of Parkinson＇s disease, including four affected cases, five suspected cases and two non-affected cases. Point mutation screening of common mutation sites on PARK1 gene exon 4 was conducted using PCR, to determine the genetic loci of the causative gene for Parkinson＇s disease. Gene identification and sequencing results showed that a T base deletion mutation was observed in the PARK1 gene exon 4 of all 11 collected samples. It was confirmed that the PARK1 gene exon 4 gene mutation is an important pathogenic mutation for Parkinson＇s disease.

Neuronal apoptosis and interleukin 1-beta converting enzyme expression in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of mice with ischemia/reperfusion injury

BACKGROUND： Interleukin 1β-converting enzyme （ICE） gene expression can induce neuronal apoptosis. However, the dynamic changes in ICE gene expression and its effects on neuronal apoptosis under cerebral ischemia/reperfusion conditions remain unclear. OBJECTIVE： To observe neuronal apoptosis and changes in ICE gene expression in the frontal cortex and hippocampus following ischemia/reperfusion injury. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A randomized, controlled animal study was conducted at the Laboratory of Experimental Animal Center, the Second Hospital of Jilin University and Central Laboratory, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, China, from November 2008 to September 2009. MATERIALS： The ICE gene primer sequence （TaKaPa Co., Dalian, China）, FACScan Flow cytometer （Becton Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, N J, USA）, and Perkin Elmer GeneAmp PCR system 2400 （Perkin Elmer, Waltham, MA, USA） were used in this study. METHODS： A total of 45 healthy, adult, male, Kunming mice were randomly assigned to normal control （n = 5）, sham surgery （n = 5）, and model （n = 35） groups. The mice in the model group were equally and randomly subdivided into seven subgroups according to various reperfusion time points （1 hour, 1,3, 7, 14, 28, and 42 days）. Animal models of ischemia/reperfusion injury were established by bilateral carotid artery ligation in the model group. The mice in the sham surgery group only received saline perfusion and surgery for carotid artery exposure. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Neuronal apoptosis in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of mice was measured using flow cytometry. The time course of ICE mRNA levels in the frontal cortex and hippocampus were quantified using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS： Neuronal apoptosis in the frontal cortex and hippocampus peaked at 3 days following ischemia/reperfusion injury （P 〈 0.05）. ICE mRNA expression increased in the frontal cortex at 1 day following ischemia/reperfusion injury （P 〈 0.05）, decreased at 3 days, and then peaked at 14 days （P 〈 0.05）. ICE mRNA expression increased in the hippocampus at 3 days following ischemia/reperfusion injury （P 〈 0.05）, peaked at 7 days （P 〈 0.05）, and then decreased gradually to normal levels at 28 days. CONCLUSION： Neuronal apoptosis peaked at 3 days following ischemia/reperfusion injury, and both apoptosis and ICE mRNA levels remained high for 2 weeks after injury. Early apoptosis may result from increased ICE mRNA expression.