[Relationship between inorganic elements in rhizosphere soil and rhizome radial striations in Ligusticum chuanxiong].

The study is aimed to reveal the fluctuation of the inorganic elements in the rhizosphere soil of Ligusticum chuanxiong during their whole growth period, and explore the relationship between that fluctuation and the formation of radial striations character in the rhizomes. During the cultivation period of L. chuanxiong, the rhizosphere soil samples were taken regularly, and the content of 26 inorganic elements were determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry(XRF).

Triptolide interrupts rRNA synthesis and induces the RPL23‑MDM2‑p53 pathway to repress lung cancer cells.

Lung cancer has one of the highest mortalities of any cancer worldwide. Triptolide (TP) is a promising tumor suppressor extracted from the Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii. Our previous proteomics analysis revealed that TP significantly interfered with the ribosome biogenesis pathway; however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains poorly understood.

Cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant disrupts nicotine reward-associated memory in rats.

Exposure to cues previously associated with drug intake leads to relapse by activating previously acquired memories. Based on previous findings, in which cannabinoid CB(1) receptors were found to be critically involved in specific aspects of learning and memory, we investigated the role of CB(1) receptors in nicotine reward memory using a rat conditioned place preference (CPP) model. In Experiment 1, rats were trained for CPP with alternating injections of nicotine (0.

Inhibition of PKMzeta in nucleus accumbens core abolishes long-term drug reward memory.

During abstinence, memories of drug-associated cues persist for many months, and exposure to these cues often provokes relapse to drug use. The mechanisms underlying the maintenance of these memories are unknown. A constitutively active atypical protein kinase C (PKC) isozyme, protein kinase M ζ (PKMζ), is required for maintenance of spatial memory, conditioned taste aversion, and other memory forms.

Over-expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 protects against H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Aim: To construct an eukaryotic expression vector containing the aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) gene, and determine whether transfection with the ALDH2 gene can provide protection against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative damage, as well as attenuate apoptosis or cell death in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Methods: The ALDH2 gene was cloned from human hepatocytes by RT-PCR. The eukaryotic expression vector containing the gene was constructed and then transfected into PBMCs via liposomes.

In vitro synergistic cytotoxic effect of triptolide combined with hydroxycamptothecin on pancreatic cancer cells.

Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease characterized by low sensitivity to conventional chemotherapeutic treatment that has a poor prognosis. Therefore, novel effective chemotherapeutic regimens need to be developed. In this study, we analyzed the combined cytotoxic effect of triptolide and hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) on pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1 by using 3-(4.

Nucleus accumbens core mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway is critical for cue-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking in rats.

Relapse to drug seeking was studied using a rodent model of reinstatement induced by exposure to drug-related cues. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a serine/threonine protein kinase that regulates cell growth and survival by controlling translation in response to nutrients and growth factors, has been demonstrated to be involved in neuronal adaptations that underlie drug addiction and learning and memory. We investigated the potential role of the mTOR signaling pathway in relapse to cocaine seeking by using the cue-induced reinstatement model in self-administering rats.

Basolateral amygdala cdk5 activity mediates consolidation and reconsolidation of memories for cocaine cues.

Cocaine use and relapse involves learned associations between cocaine-associated environmental contexts and discrete stimuli and cocaine effects. Initially, these contextual and discrete cues undergo memory consolidation after being paired with cocaine exposure. During abstinence, cocaine cue memories can undergo memory reconsolidation after cue exposure without the drug.

Effects of cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant in consolidation and reconsolidation of methamphetamine reward memory in mice.

Rationale: Previous studies have shown that cannabinoid CB1 receptors play an important role in specific aspects of learning and memory, yet there has been no systematic study focusing on the involvement of cannabinoid CB1 receptors in methamphetamine-related reward memory.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine whether rimonabant, a cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist, would disrupt the consolidation and reconsolidation of methamphetamine-related reward memory, using conditioned place preference paradigm (CPP).

Materials And Methods: Separate groups of male Kunming mice were trained to acquire methamphetamine CPP.

Central amygdala extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway is critical to incubation of opiate craving.

Cue-induced drug-seeking in rodents progressively increases after withdrawal from operant self-administration of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and alcohol, a phenomenon termed "incubation of drug craving." Here, we used the opiate drug morphine and explored whether incubation of drug craving also occurs in a pavlovian conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure in which rats learn to associate drug effects with a distinct environmental context. We also explored the role of amygdala extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in this incubation.