MicroRNA-375 promotes 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation through modulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase signalling.

1. Adipocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia are important processes in the development of obesity. To understand obesity and its associated diseases, it is important to elucidate the molecular mechanisms governing adipogenesis.

Angiopoietin-1 protects myocardial endothelial cell function blunted by angiopoietin-2 and high glucose condition.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) on myocardial endothelial cell function under high glucose (HG) condition.

Methods: Mouse heart myocardial endothelial cells (MHMECs) were cultured and incubated under HG (25 mmol/L) or normal glucose (NG, 5 mmol/L) conditions for 72 h. MTT was used to determine cellular viability, and TUNEL assay and caspase-3 enzyme linked immunosorbent assays were used to assay endothelial apoptosis induced by serum starvation.

CHANGES IN microRNA (miR) profile and effects of miR-320 in insulin-resistant 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

1. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play essential roles in many biological processes. It is known that aberrant miRNA expression contributes to some pathological conditions.

Effects and underlying mechanisms of curcumin on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells induced by Chol:MbetaCD.

Proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) contributes to the development of various cardiovascular diseases. Curcumin, extracted from Curcumae longae, has been shown a variety of beneficial effects on human health, including anti-atherosclerosis by mechanisms poorly understood. In the present study, we attempted to investigate whether curcumin has any effect on VSMCs proliferation and the potential mechanisms involved.

Apoptosis induced by diallyl disulfide in human breast cancer cell line MCF-7.

Aim: To investigate the effect of diallyl disulfide (DADS), a component of garlic, on apoptosis in human mammary cancer cell line (MCF-7) and its mechanisms.

Methods: Cytotoxicity was analyzed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays. Morphology of apoptotic cells was detected by acridine orange and ethidium bromide staining.

Effect of Daxx on cholesterol accumulation in hepatic cells.

Aim: To study the effect of Daxx on cholesterol accumulation in hepatic cells.

Methods: Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were fed a normal or high fat diet for 6 wk, and serum lipids and Daxx expression of hepatic tissues were measured by immunoblot assays. HepG(2) cells were transfected with the pEGFP-C1/Daxx or pEGFP-C1 plasmid.

Heat shock protein 90 acts as a molecular chaperone in late-phase activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 stimulated by oxidative stress in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Aim: To investigate whether cytosolic heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) acts as a molecular chaperone on the activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and cell proliferation stimulated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC).

Methods: VSMC were exposed to 1 micromol/L LY83583 (6-anilinoquinoline-5,8-quinolinedione, producer of ROS) for 120 min in the presence or absence of 5 micromol/L geldanamycin, a specific inhibitor of HSP90. Then the total, soluble, and insoluble proteins of the cells were collected.

Probucol mediates vascular remodeling after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty via down-regulation of the ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Although probucol is known to prevent restenosis by regulating vascular remodeling after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, the mechanisms remain unclear. The present study was designed to investigate whether probucol mediates vascular remodeling via the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signalling pathway. A rabbit restenosis model was used, in which the New Zealand white rabbits received angioplasty with a 3.

siRNA-mediated Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl gene silencing sensitizes human hepatoblastoma cells to chemotherapeutic drugs.

1. The aim of the present study was to investigate the changes in chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity of HepG2 cells transfected with Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl siRNA expression vectors. 2.

Anti-apoptotic effects of probucol are associated with downregulation of Daxx expression in THP-1 macrophage.

Aim: To study the relationship between Daxx expression and the antiapoptotic effects of probucol in THP-1 macrophage.

Materials And Methods: Apoptosis of THP-1 derived macrophages was induced by exposure to oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL). The development of apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry analysis and nucleic acid-binding dye acridin orange.

Bcl-XL small interfering RNA enhances sensitivity of Hepg2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells to 5-fluorouracil and hydroxycamptothecin.

Changes in drug sensitivity in Bcl-XL small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfected Hepg2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells were investigated in this study. Bcl-XL siRNA and negative siRNA expression vector were constructed and stably transfected into Hepg2 cells. Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, western blot and immunofluorescence were used to detect the target gene expression at mRNA and protein levels.

[Preparation and identification of monoclonal antibody against human thrombomodulin.].

To produce specific monoclonal antibody (McAb) against human thrombomodulin (hTM), the full-length hTM cDNA-expressing plasmid pThr402 was transfected into CHO cells by Lipofectamine 2000 reagent. The hTM-expressing CHO cells, which was confirmed by flow cytometry and Western blot, were obtained by G418 selection. Then the McAb against hTM was prepared with classic hybridoma technique.

Bcl-2 siRNA induced apoptosis and increased sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil and HCPT in HepG2 cells.

To investigate the changes in drug sensitivity of Bcl-2 siRNA transfected HepG2 cells. Bcl-2 siRNA and negative siRNA expression vector were constructed and stably transfected into HepG2 cells. RT-PCR and Immunofluorescence were used to detect the target gene expression.

[Effect of pravastatin on cholesteryl esters in foam cells and the relation with caveolin-1].

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of pravastatin on cholesteryl esters in foam cells of murine macrophages and the relation with caveolin-1. RAW 264.7 murine macrophages were coincubated with 80 mg/L oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and pravastatin (0~100 mumol/L) respectively for 24 h.

High density lipoprotein 3 inhibits oxidized low density lipoprotein-induced apoptosis via promoting cholesterol efflux in RAW264.7 cells.

Aim: To investigate the protective effect of high density lipoprotein 3 (HDL3) on oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced apoptosis in RAW264.7 cells.

Methods: RAW264.

Silencing of Bcl-XL expression in human MGC-803 gastric cancer cells by siRNA.

To investigate the inhibitory effect of the Bcl-XL small interfering RNA (siRNA) on Bcl-XL gene expression in the human gastric cancer cell line MGC-803, green fluorescent protein (GFP) siRNA was constructed and transfected into MGC-803 cells, together with GFP expression vector pTrace SV40. GFP expression levels were observed using fluorescence microscopy. Bcl-XL siRNA and negative siRNA were then constructed and stably transfected into MGC-803 cells.

Phytoestrogen genistein supplementation increases eNOS and decreases caveolin-1 expression in ovariectomized rat hearts.

This study examined whether genistein influences the production of nitric oxide (NO) and expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and the modulators of eNOS activity in ovariectomized (OVX) rat hearts. Female mature Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to bilateral ovariectomy, OVX rats were randomly divided into four groups: 17beta-estradiol (0.1 mg/kg, s.

Identification of peptides inhibiting adhesion of monocytes to the injured vascular endothelial cells through phage-displaying screening.

Using oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-injured vascular endothelial cells (ECs) as target cells, peptides specifically binding to the injured ECs were screened from a phage-displaying peptide library by using the whole-cell screening technique after three cycles of the adsorption-elution-amplification procedure. Positive phage clones were identified by ELISA, and the inserted amino acid sequences in the displaying peptides were deduced from confirmation with DNA sequencing. The adhesion rate of ECs to monocytes was evaluated by cell counting.

Onychin inhibits proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells by regulating cell cycle.

Aim: To investigate the effects of onychin on the proliferation of cultured rat artery vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the presence of 10% new-born calf serum (NCS).

Methods: Rat VSMCs were incubated with onychin 150 micromol/L or genistein 10 micromol/L in the presence of 10% NCS for 24 h. The proliferation of VSMCs was measured by cell counting and MTS/PMS colorimetric assays.

[Cyclosporin A inhibits the adhesion of neutrophil with ECV-304 induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation via ROS-Cyclophilin A-ERK1/2 pathway].

To investigate the inhibition of cyclosporin A (CsA) on neutrophil adhesion to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs, ECV-304) induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation and further explore its mechanism, a 1 h hypoxia/4 h reoxygenation model was reproduced using ECV-304. The adhesion rate of neutrophils to ECV-304 was determined by measuring the activity of endogenous hexosaminidase. The expression of endothelial cell adhesion molecules of E-selectin and ICAM-1 was measured by flow cytometry.

[Screening anti-adhesion polypeptides from phage peptide library].

Aim: To screen the active peptides which can suppress adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells(ECs) from a random peptide phage library.

Methods: The ECs injured by oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) 100 mg/L was used as target cells and polypeptides specifically binding to the injured ECs were isolated from the phage-displayed peptide library. The positive clones were characterized by ELISA, and the amino acid sequences of the peptides were deduced by DNA sequencing.