A tea/vanadate decoction delivered orally over 14 months to diabetic rats induces long-term glycemic stability without organ toxicity.

Vanadium can induce potent hypoglycemic effects in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus animals, but toxic adverse effects have inhibited the translation of these findings. Administration of vanadate in a black tea decoction has shown impressive hypoglycemic effects without evidence of toxicity in short-term studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypoglycemic action and the toxic adverse effects of a tea/vanadate (T/V) decoction in diabetic rats over a 14-month treatment period.

A novel hypoxia-inducible spliced variant of mitochondrial death gene Bnip3 promotes survival of ventricular myocytes.

Rationale: Alternative splicing provides a versatile mechanism by which cells generate proteins with different or even antagonistic properties. Previously, we established hypoxia-inducible death factor Bnip3 as a critical component of the intrinsic death pathway.

Objective: To investigate alternative splicing of Bnip3 pre-mRNA in postnatal ventricular myocytes during hypoxia.

Antagonism of E2F-1 regulated Bnip3 transcription by NF-kappaB is essential for basal cell survival.

The transcription factor E2F-1 drives proliferation and death, but the mechanisms that differentially regulate these divergent actions are poorly understood. The hypoxia-inducible death factor Bnip3 is an E2F-1 target gene and integral component of the intrinsic mitochondrial death pathway. The mechanisms that govern Bnip3 gene activity remain cryptic.

Dissecting apoptosis and intrinsic death pathways in the heart.

The limited regenerative capacity of postnatal ventricular myocytes coupled with their meager ability for genetic manipulation has presented a major technical obstacle for deciphering apoptosis initiation and execution signals in the heart. In this report, we describe the technical approaches used to study the intrinsic death pathways in postnatal ventricular myocytes during acute hypoxic injury. Discussed are methods for hypoxia, recombinant adenovirus-mediated gene transfer, cellular viability assays using the vital dyes calcein acetomethoxyester and ethidium homodimer-1, analysis of nuclear morphology by use of Hoechst dye 33258, and assessment of the state of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore.

Short-term bioaccumulation of vanadium when ingested with a tea decoction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Sodium orthovanadate suspended in a lichee black tea decoction effectively regulates blood glucose levels in rats with insulin-dependent, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. The primary advantage of vanadate delivery with the tea decoction over conventional systems that use water suspensions of vanadate is a significant reduction in the toxic side effects of vanadate. It is unknown if the tea alters the bioavailability of vanadate.