Vitexin protects against cardiac hypertrophy via inhibiting calcineurin and CaMKII signaling pathways.

Vitexin is a flavone glycoside isolated from the leaf of Crataeguspinnatifida Bunge, the utility of which has been demonstrated in several cardiovascular diseases. However, its role in cardiac hypertrophy remains unclear. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether vitexin prevents cardiac hypertrophy induced by isoproterenol (ISO) in cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes in vitro and pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy in mice in vivo.

Inhibition of 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate-induced rat atrial ectopic activity by anti-arrhythmic drugs.

Background/aims: 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB) provokes spontaneous mechanical activity in isolated rat left atria. The present study is to characterize 2-APB-induced ectopic activity in rat atria and to investigate the inhibition of 2-APB-induced ectopic activity by anti-arrhythmic drugs.

Methods: 2-APB-induced ectopic activity was measured through an isometric force transducer connected to a multichannel acquisition and analysis system.

[Regularity of sugar-uptake in human red blood cells].

Lyophilization of human red blood cells has important significance in clinical application. Some sugars, especially trehalose, can be more tolerant of some organism or cells to dry environments, But, how to bring sugars into cells is a challenge. This study was aimed to investigate the regularity of sugar-uptake in human red blood cells.