Emodin and baicalein inhibit pancreatic stromal derived factor-1 expression in rats with acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND: Stromal derived factor-1 (SDF-1) is an efficacious leukocyte chemoattractant, which can attract lymphocytes and mononuclear cells from bloodstream into the site of inflammation. Emodin., an anthraquinone derivative from Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, and baicalein, a flavone from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, both have been reported to possess anti-inflammatory activities. The expression pattern of SDF-1 in experimental acute pancreatitis (AP) and the effect of emodin or baicalein on that are not well defined. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of emodin and baicalein on pancreatic myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity (reflecting leukocyte sequestration) and cytokine production, as well as tissue SDF-1 expression in the setting of AP. METHODS: A :rat model of AP was induced by administration (of 5% sodium taurocholate through the biliopancreatic duct. The level of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and MPO in the pancreas, and serum amylase were tested by immunohistochemistry, ELISA and chromatometry. The expressions of SDF-1 alpha and SDF-1 beta were detected by real-time PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. RESULT: Combination of emodin and baicalein significantly reduced pancreatic TNIP-alpha, IL-6 and MPO, and also inhibited pancreatic SDF-1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: The inhibition of SDF-1 expression by emodin and baicalein might contribute, in part at least, to the amelioration of pancreatic inflammation. The present study also shows benefits of simultaneous treatment of AP.

Effect of pcDNA3.1-vascular endothelial growth factor 165 recombined vector on vascular buds in rabbit vertebral cartilage endplate

Background This study aimed to investigate the effect of pcDNA3.1-vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）165 vector on vertebral cartilage endplate vascular buds and intervertebral discs. Methods Rabbits were randomly assigned to the control and experimental groups with 10 in each. In the experimental group, we anesthetized the rabbits and exposed the front vertebral body. Using the mark of the longitudinal ossature of the front vertebral body of the lumbar vertebrae, we advanced a needle at the central point of the front fourth and fifth lumbar intervertebral discs and injected 20 pl pcDNA3.1-VEGF165. Similarly, in the control group, we injected 20 IJl pcDNA3.1. At 4 and 8 weeks post-injection, we examined the changes of the vertebral cartilage endplate using X-ray radiograph, histology, and scanning electron microscopy. Results The vertebral cartilage endplate calcification and degeneration in the experimental group were less than those in the control group at 8 weeks post-operation. The average number and diameter of vascular buds obviously increased in the experimental group at 4 and 8 weeks post-operation. The number of vascular buds and the diameter in the region of the inner annulus increased when compared to those in the area near the nucleus pulposus. Conclusions The pcDNA3.1-VEGF165 plasmid can increase the average number and diameter of vascular buds and decelerate intervertebral disc degeneration.

Expression of ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase-1 in end-plate chondrocytes with transforming growth factor beta 1 siRNA interference by cyclic mechanical tension

Background Ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase （ENPP）-I is a membrane-bound protein that catalyzes the hydrolysis of extracellular nucleoside triphosphates to monophosphate and extracellular inorganic pyrophosphate （ePPi）. Mechanical stimulation regulates ENPP-1 expression. This study sought to investigate the changes in ENPP-1 expression after stimulation using cyclic mechanical tension （CMT）.

Effects of electroacupuncture on the expressions of neuroal nitric oxide synthase and astrocyte in dentate gyrus of rats with Parkinson's disease

Objective To observe the changes in the expression of neuroal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in dentate gyrus (DG) of rats with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and effects of electroacupuncture (EA) .Methods On the 7th day of

Conventional MRI texture analysis of peritumoral edema in the differential diagnosis of glioblastoma and solitary metastatic brain tumor

Objective To investigate the value of conventional MR texture analysis of peritumoral edema in differentiating glioblastoma and solitary metastatic brain tumor.Methods Forty patients with brain glioma and forty patients with brain metastases confirmed by pathology or clinic were enrolled.All patients underwent conventional MRI scan and enhanced examination,including axial T1WI,T2WI,fluid attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR)and enhanced T1WI.The ROI was manually outlined by MaZda software in the most obvious level of 4 sequences of peritumoral edema and the texture features were extracted,including mean,variance,skewness,kurtosis,1 percentile,10 percentile,50 percentile,90 percentile,99 percentile.Independent sample t-test(in case of normality and variance homogeneity test)or rank sum test(in case of not satisfying normality and homogeneity of variance)was used to compare the differences of the histogram parameters and to make meaningful parameters based on logistic regression modeling and drawing the receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC curve)to evaluate the differential diagnosis efficacy.Results Through the preliminary feature screening,skew of FLAIR(SkewF LAIR)for glioblastomas was-0.358±0.432,respectively,while for solitary metastatic brain tumor,the statistics was-0.648±0.503.The results showed statistically significant difference(t=7.574,P=0.006).The differences between the kurtosis(KurtF LAIR)were also proven to be statistically significant(Z=4.360,P=0.037),with-0.384(-0.798,0.049)for glioblastomas and-0.089(-0.456,0.613)for solitary metastasis brain tumor.The sensitivity of the corresponding logistic regression differential diagnosis model was 77.5%,specificity was 94.3%,and area under the curve(AUC)was 0.85.Conclusion Conventional MRI texture analysis of peritumoral edema provides reliable and quantified objective basis for the differential diagnosis of glioblastoma and solitary metastasis.