Exogenous spermine inhibits the proliferation of human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells caused by chemically-induced hypoxia via the suppression of the ERK1/2- and PI3K/AKT-associated pathways.

Pulmonary vascular remodeling is a significant pathological feature of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH), while pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation plays a leading role in pulmonary vascular remodeling. Spermine (Sp), a polyamine, plays a critical role in periodic cell proliferation and apoptosis. The present study was conducted to observe the association between hypoxia-induced PASMC proliferation and polyamine metabolism, and to explore the effects of exogenous Sp on PASMC poliferation and the related mechanisms.

[Decreased expression of calcium-sensing receptor involved in the progression of diabetic cardiomyopathy].

Objective: To observe the dynamic expression of calcium-sensing receptor(CaSR) in myocardium of diabetic rats.

Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups including control, diabetic-4 week and diabetic-8 week groups(n = 10). The type 2 diabetes mellitus models were established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 30 mg/kg) after high-fat and high-sugar diet for one month.

Involvement of calcium-sensing receptors in hypoxia-induced vascular remodeling and pulmonary hypertension by promoting phenotypic modulation of small pulmonary arteries.

Phenotype modulation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) plays an important role during hypoxia-induced vascular remodeling and pulmonary hypertension (PAH). We had previously shown that calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) is expressed in rat PASMCs. However, little is known about the role of CaSR in phenotypic modulation of PASMCs in hypoxia-induced PAH as well as the underlying mechanisms.

[The protective effect of DR2 activation on hypoxia/reperfusion injury in the neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and related mechanism].

Objective: To observe the effect of dopamine receptor (DR2) activation on hypoxia/reperfusion injury (HRI) in the neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, and to explore its mechanism.

Methods: The hypoxia/reperfusion (H/R) injury model was established in primarily cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, and randomly assigned: control, H/R, bromocriptine (Bro) and haloperidol (Hal) groups. The cell apoptosis was detected using inverted microscope, transmission electron microscope and flow cytometry (FCM).

Expression of HMGB1 and RAGE in rat and human brains after traumatic brain injury.

Background: Increasing evidence suggests that an inflammatory reaction contributes to the secondary brain injury that plays a critical role in the clinical outcome of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Recently, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) has been identified as a key cytokine in the inflammatory reaction and may represent a new target for the treatment of TBI. However, the expression of HMGB1 during this injury process has not yet been studied.

Small interfering RNA against the 2C genomic region of coxsackievirus B3 exerts potential antiviral effects in permissive HeLa cells.

Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is the most important causal agent of viral heart muscle disease, but no specific antiviral drug is currently available. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) has been used as an antiviral therapeutic strategy via posttranscriptional gene silencing. In this study, eleven siRNAs were designed to target seven distinct regions of the CVB3 genome including VP1, VP2, VP3, 2A, 2C, 3C, and 3D.

[Immunohistochemical expression of HO-1 in traumatic human brain tissue].

Objective: To investigate the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) at different intervals and to provide evidence for estimation on injury intervals after brain contusion in human.

Methods: Twenty-four patients died of serious brain injury were assigned as injury group and 4 patients died of non-brain injury were served as control group. HO-1 expression was analyzed in brain tissue at different time intervals (3 h, 6-9 h, 12-24 h, 36 h-3d, 5-8d, 17-20d) by immunohistochemistry and auto-image analysis system.