miR-21 protects against lipopolysaccharide-stimulated acute kidney injury and apoptosis by targeting CDK6.

Background: Septic acute kidney injury (AKI) causes a sharp deterioration of renal function, and it is a major reason for mortality in intensive care units. Although miR-21 has been proven to be dysregulated in patients with sepsis, the evidence is scarce concerning its role in mediating cellular apoptosis in AKI.

Methods: Mice were injected intraperitoneally with 10 mg/kg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to establish septic AKI model, miR-21 mimic and inhibitor were used to manipulate the expression of miR-21, the creatinine levels were detected by a creatinine assay kit, the renal cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected by MTT assay, flow cytometry assay and acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) fluorescence staining, the renal function was evaluated by renal histology and tubular injury score, western blot analysis was used to detect the target protein levels.

Effect of cholesterol lowering on stiffness of aortic and femoral arterial walls in rabbits on a high fat diet.

Background: Researches in arterial elasticity have increased over the past few years. We investigated the effects of simvastatin on vascular stiffness in fat fed rabbits by ultrasonography.

Methods: Thirty rabbits were assigned randomly to 3 groups: normal control group (A), the cholesterol group (B), simvastatin group (C: high fat diet for 4 weeks and high fat diet + simvastatin for further 4 weeks).