Combination of vitamin C and zinc gluconate prevented vanadium-induced tight junction leakage of MDCK cell monolayer

The tight junction disorder plays an important role in the pathological process of many chronic diseases, and is becoming a major concern for the clinical application of metal drugs, i.e. anti-diabetic vanadium compounds. The development of novel tight junction protecting agents has thus been a major research focus. Since oxidative stress is the primary cause for vanadium toxicity, the present work tested the protective effects of zinc gluconate （Zn2＋） alone and when combined with vitamin C （VC） on the vanadium compound （VO（acac）z.）-mediated paracellular leakage of MDCK cells. The experimental results showed that VO（acac）2_ treatment significantly increased the paracellular permeability of MDCK monolayer. Zn2＋ alone showed no protective effects and VC ameliorated tight junction leakage of MDCK cells when given in the basal chamber. Interestingly, unilateral treatment with the combination of Zn2＋ and VC effectively prevented the increase of paracellular permeability. In addition, the combination of zinc and VC down-regulated the levels of reactive oxygen species in both the control and VO（acac）2-treated MDCK cells and caused the elevation of intracellular Ca2＋; both effects were beneficial for the maintenance of integrity of intercellular tight junction. Our results provided a simple but very effective method of preventing the metal toxicity for clinical aoNication of anti-diabetic vanadium compounds.

In vivo rapid fluorescence imaging of Alzheimer's disease through accurate target bio-marking of zinc gluconate

Alzheimer's disease(AD) is a progressive and age-related irreversible neurodegenerative disease. When AD occurs, the relevant amount of zinc ions in brain considerably changes. In this contribution, we have explored the possibility of in vivo rapid fluorescence imaging of AD through accurate targeting biomarker of zinc gluconate. By using the 3- and 6-month-old Alzheimer's model mice(AD-1) as the experimental models, our observations demonstrate that zinc gluconate molecules could pass through the blood–brain barrier and then produce hippocampus region-specific accumulation of fluorescent zinc nanoclusters in vivo, thus allowing kinetically controlled selective imaging of AD by fluorescence bioimaging.

Evaluation of intratesticular chlorhexidine gluconate for chemical contraception in dogs

Objective:To investigate the contraceptive effect of intratesticular injection of chlorhexidine gluconate in dogs and compare it with that of zinc gluconate neutralized with arginine.Methods:Twenty-four sexually mature male mongrel dogs were randomly divided by replicate into four groups(n=6 per group).GroupⅡreceived intra-testicular injection of 2 mL zinc gluconate(10 mg/mL)neutralized with arginine.GroupⅡreceived intratesticular injection of 2 mL chlorhexidine gluconate(5%w/v).GroupⅢreceived intratesticular injection of 2 mL chlorhexidine gluconate(4%w/v).GroupⅣdid not receive any treatment and served as the control group.Testicular morphometry was conducted on day 0,7,15 and 30 after treatment.Semen was collected and evaluated on day 0 and 30.Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance.Results:There was no difference in the mean values of various parameters between dogs treated with zinc gluconate and those treated with chlorhexidine gluconate at any of the time points.In dogs treated with zinc gluconate or chlorhexidine gluconate,there was a significant increase in the testicular morphometric parameters on day 7 followed by a significant reduction thereafter(day 15 and 30).In contrast,there was no change in any of the parameters in the control untreated dogs during the course of the study.Compared to the pre-treatment values,the mean scrotal circumference and the mean paired testicular volume and testicular weight on day 30 were significantly lower in the treated dogs.Semen samples collected on day 30 from treated dogs were found to be azoospermic,whereas no change in semen quality was observed in the control untreated dogs.Conclusions:Intratesticular injection of chlorhexidine gluconate(5%w/v and 4%w/v)is equally as effective as zinc gluconate neutralized with arginine for chemical contraception in dogs.