Effect of salviae miltiorrhizae and ligustrazine hydrochloride injection on axonal regeneration and nerve growth factor expression in a rat model of sciatic nerve injury

BACKGROUND： Studies have shown that both salviae miltiorrhizae and ligustrazine can promote protein expression of nerve growth factor （NGF） and regeneration of peripheral nerve. OBJECTIVE： To verify the effect of salviae miltiorrhizae and ligustrazine hydrochloride injection on axonal regeneration and NGF protein expression in a rat model of sciatic nerve injury. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A randomized, controlled, animal experiment was performed at the Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Institute of Bioengineering of Jinan University from July to December 2008. MATERIALS： Salviae miltiorrhizae and ligustrazine hydrochloride injection （containing 20 mg salviae miJtiorrhizae and 100 mg ligustrazine per 100 mL injection） was provided by Guizhou Baite Pharmaceutical, China; salviae miltiorrhizae and ligustrazine decoctions （containing 1 g raw drug per 1 mL decoction） were provided by Guangzhou Baiyunshan Factory for Traditional Chinese Medicine, China; rabbit-anti-rat NGF monoclonal antibody was provided by Beijing Biosynthesis Biotechnology, China. METHODS： A total of 80 healthy, male, Sprague Dawley rats were used to establish a sciatic nerve injury model via neurotomy, and were then randomly assigned to 4 groups： salviae miltiorrhizae and ligustrazine hydrochloride injection group （intraperitoneal injection of 35 mL/kg per day salviae miltiorrhizae and ligustrazine hydrochloride injection）, saIviae miltiorrhizae group （intragastric peffusion of 2 mL salviae miltiorrhizae）, ligustrazine group （intragastric peffusion of 2 mL ligustrazine）, and model group （intraperitoneal injection of 35 mL/kg per day saline）, with 20 rats in each group. Thereafter, rats in each group were then divided into 4 subgroups according to varying time points of 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks post-surgery, with 5 rats in each subgroup. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Axons were quantified using chromotrope 2R-brilliant green and silver staining combined with image analysis to calculate the axonal regeneration rate; NGF expression was detected using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis; toe interspace was measured by behavior at 4 and 8 weeks. RESULTS： With increasing time after sciatic nerve expression, and toe interspace gradually increased njury, the axonal regeneration rate, NGF protein At 4 and 8 weeks post-surgery, axonal regeneration rate and NGF protein expression were significantly increased in the injured tissue of the salviae miltiorrhizae and ligustrazine hydrochloride injection, salviae miltiorrhizae, and ligustrazine groups, compared with the model group （P 〈 0.05 or P 〈 0.01）, and toe interspace was remarkably enlarged （P 〈 0.05 or P 〈 0.01）, especially in the salviae miltiorrhizae and ligustrazine hydrochloride injection group. CONCLUSION： Salviae miltiorrhizae and ligustrazine hydrochloride injection promoted axonal regeneration and NGF protein expression in the injured sciatic nerve, and also enhanced neurofunctional recovery. Its effect was superior to salviae miltiorrhizae or ligustrazine alone.

Eleven influential factors for quality of life in adults with epilepsy

BACKGROUND： Research focused on the quality of life of epileptic patients began only very recently in China; in particular, most research has focused on children, but less on epileptic adults. OBJECTIVE： To survey and analyze 11 influential factors for quality of life in adults with epilepsy by using quality of life epilepsy-31 scale. DESIGN： Cross-sectional study. SETTING： Department of Neurology, First Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University; Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College. PARTICIPANTS： A total of 107 adults with epilepsy for longer than one year were selected from Department of Neurology, First Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University between March 2004 and December 2006. The included patients met the Classification and Diagnostic Criteria of Epileptic Attack published by International Anti-Epilepsy League in 1981, and they provided informed consent. METHODS： General states, including course, attack frequency, marriage status, educational level, occupational types, economic status, attack types, drug types, and drug amount, were recorded. There were seven aspects in the Quality of Life Epilepsy-31 scale, including attack worry, life satisfaction, emotion, vigor/tiredness, drug influence, cognitive function, and social function. The scores positively correlated with the quality of life. Possible influential factors for quality of life were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and multivariate regression analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Course, attack frequency, marriage status, educational level, occupational types, economic status, attack types, drug types, drug amount, age, and sex. RESULTS： A total of 107 epileptic patients were included in the final analysis. Influential factors for quality of life in epileptic adults included attack frequency, educational level, economic status, attack types, drug amount, age, and course of disease （P 〈 0.05）. Among them, attack frequency negatively correlated with attack worry, life satisfaction, emotion, vigor/tiredness, cognitive function, social function, and total scores （P 〈 0.05）; economic status positively correlated with emotion, social function, life satisfaction, and total scores （P 〈 0.05）; educational level positively correlated with attack worry, cognitive function, and total scores （P 〈 0.05）; course of disease negatively correlated with social function （P 〈 0.05）; and age negatively correlated with life satisfaction （P 〈 0.05）. Scores from partial seizures in cognitive function and drug influence were significantly higher than scores of general seizures （P 〈 0.05）, and scores of single drug treatment compared to life satisfaction were also significantly higher than scores of multi-drug treatments （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Attack frequency, attack type, economic status, educational level, drug amount, age, and course of disease are influence factors for quality of life in epileptic adults.

Micro-RNAs Regulate Metabolic Syndrome-induced Senescence in Adipose Tissue-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells of through P16/MAPK Pathway

Background Mesenchymal stem cells(MSC)constitute an important repair system,but may be impaired by exposure to cardiovascular risk factors.Consequently,adipose tissue-derived MSCs from pigs with the metabolic syndrome(Met S)show decreased vitality.A growing number of micro RNAs(mi RNAs)are recognized as key modulators of senescence,but their role in regulating senescence in MSC in Mets is unclear.We tested the hypothesis that Met S upregulates in MSC expression of mi RNAs that can serve as post-transcriptional regulators of senescence-associated(SA)genes.Methods MSCs were collected from swine abdominal adipose tissue after 16 weeks of Lean or Obese diet(n=6 each).Next-generation mi RNA sequencing(mi RNA-seq)was performed to identify mi RNAs up-or down-regulated in Met S-MSC compare to Lean-MSCs.Functional pathway analysis of SA genes targeted by mi RNAs was performed using gene ontology analysis.MSC senescence was evaluated by p16 and p21 immunoreactivity,H2AX protein expression,and SA-beta-Galactosidase activity.In addition,gene expression of p16,p21,MAPK3,and MAPK14 was studied after inhibition of SA-mi R-27b.Results Senescence biomarkers were significantly elevated in Met S MSC.We found the 7 upregulated mi RNAs,including mi R-27b,and 3 downregulated mi RNAs in Met S-MSCs,which regulate 35 SA genes,particularly MAPK signaling.Inhibition of mi R-27b in cultured MSC downregulated p16 and MARP3 genes.Conclusions Met S modulate MSC expression of SA-mi RNAs that may play the role in modulating their senescence,and the p16 pathway in Met S-MSCs senescence is the primary pathway.