A Standardized Extract Improves Endothelial Dysfunction and Attenuates Plaque Development in Hyperlipidemic ApoE-Knockout Mice.

extract (LOE), a traditional herbal medicine used to enhance blood circulation and to reduce inflammation, induced NO-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation, and reduced the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The study investigated whether LOE improves endothelial dysfunction and reduces plaque inflammation and progression by inhibiting ROS generation in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. Eight-week-old apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE) mice fed with a western diet (WD) were randomized into different groups by administering vehicle (0.

β-Catenin expression is associated with cell invasiveness in pancreatic cancer.

Background/aims: This study was tried to determine the role of β-catenin in invasion in pancreatic cancer.

Methods: We analyzed cancer invasiveness according to β-catenin expression in pancreatic cancer cell line. We also investigated the change in cancer invasiveness when β-catenin expression was changed.

Effects of candesartan cilexetil and amlodipine orotate on receptor for advanced glycation end products expression in the aortic wall of Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OETFF) type 2 diabetic rats.

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) plays a key role in the development of vascular inflammation and acceleration of atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes. We investigated the effect of candesartan cilexetil (CDRT) and amlodipine orotate (AMDP) on the expression of RAGE in the aortic walls of Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats and AGE-treated endothelial cells. Twenty five-week-old OLETF rats were randomized to 8 week treatments consisting of CDRT (n = 8), AMDP (n = 8) or saline (control, n = 8).

Imatinib mesylate attenuates myocardial remodeling through inhibition of platelet-derived growth factor and transforming growth factor activation in a rat model of hypertension.

Imatinib mesylate is a specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor that may block the platelet-derived growth factor and transforming growth factor pathways. These pathways are known to provoke fibroblast activation. We evaluated whether imatinib, by inhibiting these pathways, prevents diastolic dysfunction and attenuates myocardial remodeling using spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs).

Decaffeinated green tea extract improves hypertension and insulin resistance in a rat model of metabolic syndrome.

Background: Oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction are closely associated with hypertension and insulin resistance (IR) in metabolic syndrome (MetS). It is still controversial whether green tea extract (GTE) may have blood pressure (BP) lowering effect. Decaffeinated GTE might be presumed to have strong antioxidative effect and BP-lowering effect as compared with catechins.

Selection and characterization of tenascin C targeting peptide.

Since tenascin C is a factor expressed highly in the tumor-associated matrix, it would be a desirable first step for targeting the tumor-specific microenvironment. In fact, a high level of tenascin C expression has been reported in most solid tumors, including lung cancer, colon cancer and glioblastoma. Therefore, the targeted binding of tenascin C in tumor stroma would inhibit tumor metastasis by modulating cancer cell growth and migration.

Cetuximab-conjugated magneto-fluorescent silica nanoparticles for in vivo colon cancer targeting and imaging.

Magneto-fluorescent silica nanoparticles were conjugated with cetuximab for the targeting and imaging of colon cancer. In this study, cetuximab-conjugated magneto-fluorescent nanoparticles (MFSN-Ctx) could specifically target colon cancer cells that expressed EGFR on their cell membranes, and specific fluorescence was detected. MFSN-Ctx produced significant MRI signal changes in a human colon cancer xenograft mouse model.