Graphene oxide triggers toll-like receptors/autophagy responses in vitro and inhibits tumor growth in vivo.

Graphene oxide (GO) is a nanomaterial with burgeoning bioapplications, while autophagy is implicated in cancer therapy. Although induction of autophagy by nanomaterials is reported, the underlying signaling mechanism in cancer cells and how this implicates the potential of GO in cancer therapy remain obscure. Here, it is shown that GO itself can induce the toll-like receptors (TLRs) responses and autophagy in cancer cells and confer antitumor effects in mice.

Phenotypic Characterization of LEA Rat: A New Rat Model of Nonobese Type 2 Diabetes.

Animal models have provided important information for the genetics and pathophysiology of diabetes. Here we have established a novel, nonobese rat strain with spontaneous diabetes, Long-Evans Agouti (LEA) rat derived from Long-Evans (LE) strain. The incidence of diabetes in the males was 10% at 6 months of age and 86% at 14 months, while none of the females developed diabetes.

The effect of taurine on the salt-dependent blood pressure increase in the voltage-dependent calcium channel beta 3-subunit-deficient mouse.

To examine the anti-hypertensive effect of taurine, we studied the effects of taurine on the salt-dependent blood pressure elevation, the electrocardiogram, and plasma catecholamine levels in the voltage-dependent calcium channel beta3-subunit-deficient mouse. In the wild-type mice, chronic high-salt loading (8% NaCl in chow) did not increase the blood pressure, whereas there was a significant increase in the systolic blood pressure in the beta3-subunit-deficient mice given a high-salt diet. Oral supplementation of taurine (3% in drinking water) could attenuate the increase in the blood pressure elicited by the high-salt diet.