Catalpol Prevents Glomerular Angiogenesis Induced by Advanced Glycation End Products via Inhibiting Galectin-3.

Objective: The main characteristics of diabetic nephropathy (DN) at the early stage are abnormal angiogenesis of glomerular endothelial cells (GECs) and macrophage infiltration. Galectin-3 plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of DN via binding with its ligand, advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Catalpol, an iridoid glucoside extracted from Rehmannia glutinosa, has been found to ameliorate vascular inflammation, reduce endothelial permeability, and protect against endothelial damage in diabetic milieu.

Exploring the synergic mechanism of Ligusticum striatum DC. and borneol in attenuating BMECs injury and maintaining tight junctions against cerebral ischaemia based on the HIF-1α/VEGF signalling pathway.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Ligusticum striatum DC., also known as Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. (LCH), is widely used in China for its excellent effect in ischaemic stroke (IS) patients, and borneol (BO) has been confirmed to maintain the blood‒brain barrier (BBB) after stroke.

Catalpol ameliorates endothelial dysfunction and inflammation in diabetic nephropathy via suppression of RAGE/RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway.

Catalpol is an iridoid glycoside compound isolated from the root of Rehmannia glutinosa, which has been reported to be a promising candidate for the treatment of diabetic diseases. The present study aimed at investigating the effects and potential mechanism of catalpol on endothelial dysfunction and inflammation in diabetic nephropathy (DN). We constructed DN mice and advanced glycation end products (AGEs)-induced mouse glomerular endothelial cells (mGECs) injury model.

Radix Rehmanniae and Corni Fructus against Diabetic Nephropathy via AGE-RAGE Signaling Pathway.

Background And Aims: Radix Rehmanniae and Corni Fructus (RC) have been widely applied to treat diabetic nephropathy (DN) for centuries. But the mechanism of how RC plays the therapeutic role against DN is unclear as yet.

Methods: The information about RC was obtained from a public database.

Catalpol ameliorates diabetes-induced testicular injury and modulates gut microbiota.

Aims: To explore the mechanisms of diabetes mellitus (DM)-induced testicular injury caused by modulation of testicular glycolysis and gut microbiota (GM), and evaluation of the efficacy of catalpol in reversing testicular morbidity.

Main Methods: A model of DM-induced testicular injury was established using a high-fat diet in KK-Ay mice. Microbial communities in the feces of mice in normal, model and catalpol (Cat) groups were analyzed by 16S gene sequencing.

Loganin alleviates macrophage infiltration and activation by inhibiting the MCP-1/CCR2 axis in diabetic nephropathy.

Background/aims: The theory of inflammation is one of the important theories in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). We herein aimed to explore whether loganin affected macrophage infiltration and activation upon diabetic nephropathy (DN) by a spontaneous DN mice and a co-culture system of glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) and macrophage cells (RAW264.7) which was induced by advanced glycation end products (AGEs).

3D spheroids generated on carbon nanotube-functionalized fibrous scaffolds for drug metabolism and toxicity screening.

The mechanical and electrical stimuli have a profound effect on the cellular behavior and function. In this study, a series of conductive nanofibrous scaffolds are developed by blend electrospinning of poly(styrene-co-maleic acid) (PSMA) and multiwalled-carbon nanotubes (CNTs), followed by grafting galactose as cell adhesion cues. When the mass ratios of CNTs to PSMA increase up to 5%, the alignment, Young's modulus and conductivity of fibrous scaffolds increase, whereas the average diameter, pore size and elongation at break decrease.

Protective effects of catalpol on diabetes mellitus-induced male reproductive damage via suppression of the AGEs/RAGE/Nox4 signaling pathway.

Aims: Diabetes mellitus (DM)-induced reproductive damage is an important cause of infertility for male DM patients, we herein evaluated the effects of catalpol on diabetic reproductive damage through the suppression of the AGEs/RAGE/Nox4 signaling pathway.

Methods: KK-Ay diabetic reproductive damage mice were administered with catalpol for 8 weeks, the testis/body weight ratio, testicular histopathology, the levels of endogenous hormone and the activity of testicular marker enzymes were determined. In vitro, the GC-2 cell injury model was induced by advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and pretreated with catalpol.

Synergistic protection of tetramethylpyrazine phosphate and borneol on brain microvascular endothelium cells injured by hypoxia.

The combination of tetramethylpyrazine phosphate (TMPP) and borneol (BO) protects against cerebral ischemia. However, the mechanism for their synergistic effect is unclear. In this study, an oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) injured brain model was induced in microvascular endothelium cells (BMECs).

Catalpol ameliorates advanced glycation end product-induced dysfunction of glomerular endothelial cells via regulating nitric oxide synthesis by inducible nitric oxide synthase and endothelial nitric oxide synthase.

Catalpol (Cat.) is an iridoid glucoside extracted from the root of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. In this study, we investigated whether Cat.

Spheroid culture of primary hepatocytes with short fibers as a predictable in vitro model for drug screening.

The establishment of a reliable in vitro liver model for drug screening remains challenging with respect to tethering the growth of hepatocyte spheroids and adapting to the current high-throughput system. In the current study, short fibers are utilized as scaffolds for the generation of size-controlled hepatocyte spheroids that recapitulate in vivo hepatic phenotypes and functions. The spheroid formation is modulated by the length and galactose/RGD grafts of short fibers, and short 50 μm long fibers motivate the spheroid formation with optimal hepatic function.

Tuning the conductivity and inner structure of electrospun fibers to promote cardiomyocyte elongation and synchronous beating.

The key to addressing the challenges facing cardiac tissue engineering is the integration of physical, chemical, and electrical cues into scaffolds. Aligned and conductive scaffolds have been fabricated as synthetic microenvironments to improve the function of cardiomyocytes. However, up to now, the influence of conductive capability and inner structure of fibrous scaffolds have not been determined on the cardiomyocyte morphologies and beating patterns.

Micropatterned coculture of hepatocytes on electrospun fibers as a potential in vitro model for predictive drug metabolism.

The liver is the major organ of importance to determine drug dispositions in the body, thus the development of hepatocyte culture systems is of great scientific and practical interests to provide reliable and predictable models for in vitro drug screening. In the current study, to address the challenges of a rapid function loss of primary hepatocytes, the coculture of hepatocytes with fibroblasts and endothelial cells (Hep-Fib-EC) was established on micropatterned fibrous scaffolds. Liver-specific functions, such as the albumin secretion and urea synthesis, were well maintained in the coculture system, accompanied by a rapid formation of multicellular hepatocyte spheroids.

Spatial distribution and antitumor activities after intratumoral injection of fragmented fibers with loaded hydroxycamptothecin.

There was only a small percentage of drug delivered to tumors after systemic administration, and solid tumors also have many barriers to prevent drug penetration within tumors. In the current study, intratumoral injection of drug-loaded fiber fragments was proposed to overcome these barriers, allowing drug accumulation at the target site to realize the therapeutic efficacy. Fragmented fibers with hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) loaded were constructed by cryocutting of aligned electrospun fibers, and the fiber lengths of 5 (FF-5), 20 (FF-20), and 50μm (FF-50) could be easily controlled by adjusting the slice thickness.

Engineering blood vessels through micropatterned co-culture of vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells on bilayered electrospun fibrous mats with pDNA inoculation.

Although engineered blood vessels have seen important advances during recent years, proper mechanical strength and vasoactivity remain unsolved problems. In the current study, micropatterned fibrous mats were created to load smooth muscle cells (SMC), and a co-culture with endothelial cells (EC) was established through overlaying on an EC-loaded flat fibrous mat to mimic the layered structure of a blood vessel. A preferential distribution of SMC was determined in the patterned regions throughout the fibrous scaffolds, and aligned fibers in the patterned regions provided topological cues to guide the orientation of SMC with intense actin filaments and extracellular matrix (ECM) production in a circumferential direction.

Micropatterned coculture of vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells on layered electrospun fibrous mats toward blood vessel engineering.

A major challenge in vascular engineering is the establishment of proper microenvironment to guide the spatial organization, growth, and extracellular matrix (ECM) productions of cells found in blood vessels. In the current study, micropatterned fibrous mats with distinct ridges and grooves of different width were created to load smooth muscle cells (SMCs), which were assembled by stacking on vascular endothelial cell (EC)-loaded flat fibrous mats to mimic the in vivo-like organized structure of blood vessels. SMCs were mainly distributed in the ridges, and aligned fibers in the patterned regions led to the formation of elongated cell bodies, intense actin filaments, and expressions of collagen I and α-smooth muscle actin in a parallel direction with fibers.

Effects of continuous haemofiltration on serum enzyme concentrations, endotoxemia, homeostasis and survival in dogs with severe heat stroke.

Aim: To examine the effectiveness of continuous haemofiltration as a treatment for severe heat stroke in dogs.

Methods: Dogs were randomly allocated to a control or continuous haemofiltration group (both n=8). Heat stroke was induced by placing anaesthetised dogs in a high temperature cabin simulator.

[Influence of electroacupuncture plus intragastric administration of extract of hypericum perforatum L on ethology and brain microcirculation in depression rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of combined administration of intragastric perfusion of extract of Hypericum Perforatum L (HP-L) and electroacupuncture (EA) of "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Yamen" (GV 15) on behavior and brain microcirculation in depression rats.

Methods: Female SD rats were randomized into control, model, lower-dose of HP-L (lower-dose in short, 10 mg/kg), lower-dose+ EA, higher-dose (20 mg/kg) and higher-dose+ EA groups (n = 10/group). Depression model was established by lonely raising and chronic unpredictable mild stress (tail cramping, water-deprivation, fasting, electrical shock stimulation, etc.

Beneficial effect of Cyclovirobuxine D on heart failure rats following myocardial infarction.

The effect of Cyclovirobuxine D, an active ingredient from Buxus microphylla, was investigated in the potential prevention of cardiac dysfunction in rats with congestive heart failure. Heart failure was induced by left coronary artery occlusion and verified using echocardiography. Cyclovirobuxine D was administered for 30 days (0.

[Pollen combination and paleo-environment of Momoge Lake since 1500 years before].

Based on the pollen combination, 14C dating, and depositional facies analysis of Momoge profile in Zhenlai County, Jilin Province, three pollen belts were divided. The results showed that Momoge Lake was formed by blocked paleo-river course depression 1500 years ago, which included three development stages, i.e.

[The material character of sand dust and analysis on the cause of formation of the sand-dust storm in northeast district in spring of 2002].

The paper analyzed the particle distribution, pollen combination of sand dust storm in northeast district in spring, 2002. It was found that there is abundant pollen, based on pollen combination sand source at new angle can be analyzed, and the distribution laws of the bowling sand and sand dust storm in season, in yearly, in geological periods and mankind historic periods can be explained. The blowing sand and sand dust storm often appeared in geological period and mankind historic period in northeast district, and mainly appeared in winter and in spring and they dropped fluctuationally in fifty years.