[Prevention of abdominal adhesions in rats by rhynchophylline through inhibition of Smad singnaling pathway].

Postoperative intra-abdominal adhesion is one of the most common complications in the postoperative period. Current remedies are very ineffective to prevent the pathological outcomes except steroid hormones. Rhynchophylline is deemed as a pharmacologically active component from traditional Oriental medicine Uncaria rhynchophylla (Miq.

Dynamic changes in the main regulatory genes of mitochondrial permeability transition pore in Eimeria tenella host cells.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the dynamic changes in the main regulatory genes of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore in E. tenella host cells. Primary chick embryo cecum epithelial cell culture techniques, spectrophotometer technology, Hoechst-Annexin V-PI apoptosis staining and ELISA were used to detect the apoptosis rate and dynamic changes of Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, Bax, Bak, Bid, Bad, HK-II, and ATP content in E.

The effect of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore on apoptosis in Eimeria tenella host cells.

Although the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) is associated with cellular apoptosis and necrosis, its effect in host response to Eimeria infections is not well understood. In an effort to better understand the effect of MPTP on apoptosis in Eimeria tenella host cells, an MPTP inhibitor (cyclosporin A) was used to inhibit MPTP opening in vitro. Cecal epithelial cells from chick embryos, which were either treated or non-treated with cyclosporin A, were used as Eimeria tenella host cells.

Calcium homeostasis in mitochondrion-mediated apoptosis of chick embryo cecal epithelial cells induced by Eimeria tenella infection.

In this study, the process of Eimeria tenella-induced apoptosis and the effect of calcium homeostasis were investigated in chick embryo cecal epithelial cells. In particular, we examined cytochrome c release into the cytoplasm, mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening, and changes in [Ca(2+)]c and apoptosis in host cells. Apoptosis, MPTP opening, cytochrome c release, and [Ca(2+)]c in host cells increased following infection.

Antidepressant activity of astilbin: involvement of monoaminergic neurotransmitters and BDNF signal pathway.

Depression and related mood disorders are among the world's greatest public health problems. Previous studies have demonstrated that astilbin (AST) has broad pharmacological functions which may modulate numerous pathways, such as antioxidant, scavenging free radicals, anti-inflammatory and so on, similarly to some of other flavonoids. In this study, the antidepressant-like effect of AST was investigated using chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model of depression in mice.

Lactuside B decreases aquaporin-4 and caspase-3 mRNA expression in the hippocampus and striatum following cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of lactuside B (LB) on aquaporin-4 (AQP4) and caspase-3 mRNA expression in the hippocampus and the striatum following cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Cerebral I/R injury was established in Sprague-Dawley rats by occluding the middle cerebral artery for 2 h and then inducing reperfusion. Rats in the I/R + LB groups were treated with various doses of LB following reperfusion.

Hyperoside protects cortical neurons from oxygen-glucose deprivation-reperfusion induced injury via nitric oxide signal pathway.

Hyperoside is a flavonoid compound and widely used in clinic to relieve pain and improve cardiovascular functions. However, the effects of hyperoside on ischemic neurons and the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we used an in vitro ischemic model of oxygen-glucose deprivation followed by reperfusion (OGD-R) to investigate the protective effects of hyperoside on ischemic neuron injury and further explore the possible related mechanisms.

Turn-on fluorescent sensor for selective detection of Zn(2+), Cd(2+), and Hg(2+) in water.

A new fluorescent chemosensor based on a helical imide as fluorophore and a cyclen moiety as ionophore was synthesized, which not only showed enhanced fluorescent responses in the presence of Zn(2+), Cd(2+), and Hg(2+) but also could simultaneously and selectively distinguish the three cations in a simulated physiological condition with the help of cysteine as an auxiliary reagent.

[Polymorphism of the 5R-5-hydroxytriptolide].

5R-5-hydroxytriptolide (LLDT-8) is a new drug candidate which is in clinical trial treating rheumatoid arthritis. Polymorph screening of the compound was carried out in this study. Polymorph of LLDT-8 was prepared by evaporative crystallization and antisolvent crystallization methods and was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (p-XRD), infrared spectrometry (IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG).

Age-related synaptic changes in the CA1 stratum radiatum and spatial learning impairment in rats.

1. Age-related impairments in hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and memory are not associated with a loss of neurons, but may be related to synaptic changes. In the present study, we analysed the behavioural performance of adult, middle-aged and old Wistar rats using the Morris water maze, as well as the structure of synapses and the expression of autophosphorylated Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II at threonine 286 (pThr286-alphaCaMKII), a key post-synaptic protein in the CA1 stratum radiatum, in the same rats.

Differential effects of methionine and cysteine oxidation on [Ca2+] i in cultured hippocampal neurons.

Methionine and cysteine residues in proteins are the major targets of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The present work was designed to characterize the impact of methionine and cysteine oxidation upon [Ca(2+)](i) in hippocampal neurons. We investigated the effects of H(2)O(2) and chloramine T(Ch-T) agents known to oxidize both cysteine and methionine residues, and 5, 5'-dithio-bis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB)--a cysteine-specific oxidant, on the intracellular calcium in hippocampal neurons.

[Fluorescence properties of C60-glucocorticoids].

C60 and its derivatives have become a research hotspot because of their unique structures, physical and chemical properties. The fluorescence properties of C60 and its derivatives are an important research embranchment of the fullerene science field. In the present paper the fluorescence properties of C60-glucocorticoids were firstly investigated.

Comparative study of pathological lesions induced by multiwalled carbon nanotubes in lungs of mice by intratracheal instillation and inhalation.

The pathological lesions induced by multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in bronchi and alveoli of mice were studied by intratracheal instillation and inhalation. In instillation groups, the dose was 0.05 mg MWCNTs/mouse.

Reactions of fullerenes with reactive methylene organophosphorus reagents: efficient synthesis of organophosphorus group substituted C60 and C70 derivatives.

Treatment of C70 with cycloalkylaminomethylenebisphosphonates in the presence of NaH gave corresponding C70 dimers 1 in good yield, while the methanofullerenes, C70>CH(PO3Et2) (3) and C70>C(PO3Et2)2 (4) or C60>CH(PO3Et2) (5) and C60>C(PO3Et2)2 (6), were obtained, respectively, by the reaction of C70 or C60 with tetraethyl methylenediphosphonate in the presence of NaH. Diethyl cyanomethylphosphonate reacted with C60 or C70 under similar conditions to afford C60>C(PO3Et2)CN (7) and C70>C(PO3Et2)CN (8). Furthermore, the presence of weak electronic interactions between two fullerene cages of fullerene dimers was demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry.