Antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin LL-37 preserves intestinal barrier and organ function in rats with heat stroke.

Global warming increases the incidence of heat stroke (HS) and HS causes the reduction of visceral blood flow during hyperthermia, leading to intestinal barrier disruption, microbial translocation, systemic inflammation and multiple organ failure. Cathelicidin LL-37 exhibits antimicrobial activities, helps innate immunity within the gut to maintain intestinal homeostasis, and augments intestinal wound healing and barrier function. Thus, we evaluated the effects and possible mechanisms of cathelicidin LL-37 on HS.

Stimulation of angiotensin II type 2 receptor attenuates organ injury in rats with polymicrobial sepsis.

Background: Both inflammation and oxidative stress contribute to the pathogenesis of sepsis and its associated organ damage. Angiotensin-(1-7), acting through the Mas receptor and angiotensin II-type 2 receptors (AT2R), could attenuate organ dysfunction and improve survival in rats with sepsis. However, the role of AT2R in inflammation and oxidative stress in rats with sepsis is unclear.

Olmesartan Ameliorates Organ Injury and Mortality in Rats With Peritonitis-Induced Sepsis.

Introduction: Sepsis and related complications lead to high morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. Olmesartan medoxomil (OLM), a nonpeptide angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, has antiinflammatory and antioxidative effects in various experimental animal models. The present study aimed to investigate whether OLM protects against sepsis in a clinically relevant model of polymicrobial sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP).

Mangiferin induces immune responses and evaluates the survival rate in WEHI-3 cell generated mouse leukemia in vivo.

Mangiferin is a naturally occurring polyphenol, widely distributed in Thymeraceae families, and presents pharmacological activity, including anti-cancer activities in many human cancer cell lines. Mangiferin has also been reported to affect immune responses; however, no available information concerning the effects of mangiferin on immune reactions in leukemia mice in vivo. In the present study, we investigated the effects of mangiferin on leukemia WEHI-3 cell generated leukemia BLAB/c mice.

Casticin Inhibits Growth of Xenograft Tumors of Human Oral Cancer SCC-4 Cells.

Background/aim: Casticin, one of the active components of Vitex rotundifolia L., presents biological and pharmacological activities including inhibition of migration, invasion and induction of apoptosis in numerous human cancer cells in vitro. This study aimed to assess the effects of casticin on tumor growth in a human oral cancer SCC-4 cell xenograft mouse model in vivo.

Ouabain induces apoptotic cell death in human prostate DU 145 cancer cells through DNA damage and TRAIL pathways.

Ouabain, a cardiotonic steroid and specific Na /K -ATPase inhibitor, has a potential to induce cancer cell apoptosis but the mechanisms of apoptosis induced by ouabain are not fully understand. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effects of ouabain on human prostate cancer DU 145 cells in vitro. Cell morphological changes were examined by phase contrast microscopy.

Levosimendan mitigates coagulopathy and organ dysfunction in rats with endotoxemia.

Background: In patients with severe sepsis, pro-inflammatory cytokines and subsequent activation of tissue factors trigger a cascade of events that lead to coagulation dysfunction and multiple organ failure. It has been shown that levosimendan has protective effects against tissue injury caused by endotoxin. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of levosimendan on consumptive coagulopathy and organ dysfunction in an endotoxemic animal model induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Genome-wide analysis of HIF-2α chromatin binding sites under normoxia in human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) suggests its diverse functions.

Constitutive functional HIF-2α was recently identified in cancer and stem cell lines under normoxia. In this study, BEAS-2B, a bronchial epithelial cell line, was shown to constitutively express active HIF-2α under normoxia and exhibit markers of pluripotency including Oct-4, Nanog, and sphere formation. Oct-4 expression was reduced after knockdown of HIF-2α under normoxia.

Levosimendan attenuates multiple organ injury and improves survival in peritonitis-induced septic shock: studies in a rat model.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of levosimendan on rodent septic shock induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP).

Methods: Three hours after peritonitis-induced sepsis, male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to receive an intravenous infusion of levosimendan (1.2 μg/kg/min for 10 min and then 0.

Adjuvant potential of selegiline in attenuating organ dysfunction in septic rats with peritonitis.

Selegiline, an anti-Parkinson drug, has antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects. To explore the effect of selegiline on sepsis, we used a clinically relevant animal model of polymicrobial sepsis. Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) or sham operation was performed in male rats under anesthesia.

Effects of small-volume hypertonic saline on acid-base and electrolytes balance in rats with peritonitis-induced sepsis.

Our previous study has demonstrated that hypertonic saline (HS) given at 3 h after cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) surgery alleviates circulatory failure, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and mortality rate in rats. However, only few data exist on the application of HS in acid-base and electrolyte imbalance of sepsis. In addition, early one-dose HS administration seems to have only modest improvement on mortality rate.

Beneficial effects of hyperoncotic albumin on liver injury and survival in peritonitis-induced sepsis rats.

Liver injury/dysfunction developing in patients with sepsis may lead to an increased risk of death. Small-volume resuscitation with hyperoncotic albumin (HA) has been proposed to restore physiologic hemodynamics in hemorrhagic and septic shock. We evaluated whether HA resuscitation could alleviate the development of liver injury/dysfunction in rats with polymicrobial sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP).