pharmacokinetics of polysaccharides.

polysaccharides (GUPS) are widely applied in biomedicine and functional food due to their multiple pharmacological activities and low toxicity. Despite their widespread use, the metabolic profile of GUPS remains poorly understood. To address this gap, we developed a quantitative analysis method that involves labeling GUPS with visible fluorescein (5-DTAF) and near-infrared (NIR) fluorescein (Cy7), resulting in stable conjugates with substitution degrees of 0.

Left ventricular long-axis ultrasound strain (GLS) is an ideal indicator for patients with anti-hypertension treatment.

Background: Primary hypertension is one of the most well-known risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Currently, there is still no ideal indicator for left ventricular end-diastolic pressure.

Methods: 73 hypertension patients and 37 healthy people were enrolled in this study.

Niacin regulates apolipoprotein M expression via liver X receptor‑α.

Niacin is currently the most effective drug that increases HDL‑C levels. Apolipoprotein M (ApoM) in humans is mainly found in plasma high‑density lipoprotein (HDL). Little is known about the role played by niacin in ApoM expression.

Expression of apolipoprotein M and its association with adiponectin in an obese mouse model.

The aim of the present study was to explore the association between apolipoprotein M (ApoM) and adiponectin, and the underlying mechanism, via observation of ApoM expression in an obese mouse model. For experiments, mice were randomly distributed into four groups: Control group, obese group, obese group treated with adiponectin, and normal group treated with adiponectin. Body weight, plasma adiponectin, blood glucose and fasting insulin were measured and visceral adipose tissue was weighed at the end of the experiment.

The Influence of Sex on Cardiac Physiology and Cardiovascular Diseases.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death world-wide. Most of treatment strategies were based on studies conducted on male patients. Studies have shown that significant differences exist between the two sexes in the development of CVD.

Correlation Between Apolipoprotein M and Inflammatory Factors in Obese Patients.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to observe apolipoprotein M (ApoM) level in obese patients and to explore its correlation with inflammatory factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total number of 96 participants were recruited and divided into 2 groups: the control group (or healthy group) whose participants had normal body weight (n=58), and the obese group with all its participants diagnosed with obesity (n=38). Data on blood pressure, body weight, height, body mass index, diastolic function of brachial artery endothelium, fasting venous blood glucose, blood lipids, plasmatic ApoM, interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), fasting insulin, and adiponectin levels were collected for both groups.

Protective Effects of Pterostilbene Against Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats.

Pterostilbene (PTB) has been suggested to protect against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury. Gas6/Axl signaling has been suggested to play an important role in cell survival. However, the interaction between PTB and Gas6/Axl signaling in MI/R remains unclear.

Losartan Attenuates Myocardial Endothelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition in Spontaneous Hypertensive Rats via Inhibiting TGF-β/Smad Signaling.

Background: Losartan plays an important role in the inhibition of myocardial fibrosis. But the underlying mechanism is not entirely clear. Emerging evidences have indicated that endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) plays a crucial role in cardiac fibrosis.

Neferine inhibits angiotensin II-induced rat aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation predominantly by downregulating fractalkine gene expression.

Neferine inhibits the angiotensin II (AngII)-induced proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs), but the underlying mechanism is unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the mechanism underlying the effect of neferine on the proliferation of vascular SMCs. Rat aortic SMCs (RASMCs) were used and fractalkine (Fkn) gene expression was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis.

Total flavonoids from Plumula Nelumbinis suppress angiotensin II-induced fractalkine production by inhibiting the ROS/NF-κB pathway in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) is a neuroendocrine factor that promotes hypertension and has been implicated in vascular inflammation through the induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and proinflammatory genes in endothelial cells. However, relatively little attention has been paid to the effect of Ang II on fractalkine (FKN), an important chemokine involved in endothelial dysfunction. In the study, we aimed to investigate the protective role of total flavonoids from Plumula Nelumbinis (TFPN), the main component extracted from Semen Nelumbinis, in Ang II-induced oxidative stress injury in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

[QT dispersion in acute pulmonary embolism].

Objective: To explore the alteration and the clinical significance of QT dispersion in acute pulmonary embolism (PE).

Methods: From May 2011 to April 2012, 42 hospitalized PE patients in Xiangya Hospital of Central South University were enrolled, and divided into a high-risk group and a non-high-risk group according to the clinic state on admission. Another 30 healthy subjects with matched age and genders were enrolled as a normal control group.

Phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase gene promoter haplotypes and risk of essential hypertension.

Background: Phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase gene (PNMT) catalyzes the synthesis of epinephrine and plays an important role in regulating cardiovascular function. Genetic variation in the PNMT promoter is reportedly associated with the risk of essential hypertension in certain population.

Methods: In the present study, we explored the association of two common PNMT promoter single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) G-367A (rs3764351) and G-161A (rs876493) and their haplotypes with the risk of essential hypertension in a Han Chinese population, using 316 pairs of age-, sex-, and geographically matched essential hypertension patients and normotensive controls.

Protective effect of neferine on endothelial cell nitric oxide production induced by lysophosphatidylcholine: the role of the DDAH-ADMA pathway.

Neferine, extracted from the seed embryo of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., has multiple cardiovascular pharmacological effects. The dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) - asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) system is a novel pathway for modulating nitric oxide (NO) production.

Left ventricular systolic synchrony in dilated cardiomyopathy patients with normal QRS wave.

Objective: To evaluate the distribution characteristics of left ventricular systolic dyssynchrony (LV-SD) in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and normal QRS wave width, by pulsed-wave Doppler tissue imaging (PW-DTI), and study its relation with left ventricular systolic function, ventricular remodeling, and functional mitral regurgitation (FMR).

Methods: The time to peak systolic velocity (Ts) in 12 left ventricular segments was evaluated by PW-DTI, from which the standard deviation (SD) of Ts in the 12 segments (Ts-SD) and maximum Ts difference (Ts-maxD) were calculated.

Results: Ts-SD and Ts-maxD in the 12 LV segments of the DCM patients with CHF were significantly higher than those of the healthy controls (P<0.

High levels of glucose induce apoptosis in cardiomyocyte via epigenetic regulation of the insulin-like growth factor receptor.

Diabetic hyperglycemia result in cardiovascular complications, but the mechanisms by which high levels of glucose (HG) cause diabetic cardiomyopathy are not known. We investigate whether HG-induced repression of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) mediated by epigenetic modifications is one potential mechanism. We found that HG resulted in decreased IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) mRNA levels, and IGF-1R protein when compared with H9C2 rat cardiomyocyte cells incubated in normal glucose.

[Induction of IL-8 by Chlamydia trachomatis through MAPK pathway rather than NF-kappaB pathway].

Objective: To determine the signaling pathway required for Chlamydial induction of IL-8 expression in epithelial cells.

Methods: The production and localization of IL-8 in Chlamydia-infected Hela 229 cells were monitored using Western blot, immunoflourescence, and ELISA. Activation of MAPK and NF-kappaB signaling pathways were detected by Western blot and immunoflourescence.

[Effect of Tongxinluo on endothelial function and hypersensitive C-reactive protein in acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention].

Objective: To determine the effect of Tongxinluo on the endothelial function and hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).

Methods: Thirty-three patients with unstable angina pectoris and 6 patients with acute myocardial infarction who underwent PCI for stenotic lesions of the coronary artery were enrolled. The patients were randomly assigned to a conventional group (n = 19) which took routine treatment or a tongxinluo group (n = 20) which took Tongxinluo(4 capsules once, 3 times per day) at the base of routine treatment after PCI.

[Characteristics of spectra of superior vena cava flow Doppler velocities in pulmonary arterial hypertension].

Objective: To explore and evaluate the characteristics of spectra wave shapes and parameters of the superior vena cava (SVC) Doppler flow patterns in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH) by echocardiography.

Methods: Forty-nine patients with PAH as the PAH group and the paired healthy subjects as the control group were included in this study. Transthoracic echocardiography was used, and the spectra of SVC flow Doppler velocities in the right supraclavicular fossa view were examined and recorded.

[Protective effects of metformin on low-density lipoprotein-induced endothelial dysfunction in rats].

Objective: To observe the protective effect of metformin on the endothelial function and the mechanisms in rats with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) injection.

Methods: A single dose (4 mg/kg) of natural LDL was injected through the sublingual vein of rats to induce vascular endothelial dysfunction. Blood samples were then collected from the rats to detect the concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO), activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and serum lipid levels.

[Neferine protects endothelial cells against damages induced by LPC and relationship with asymmetric dimethylarginine].

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of neferine against damages of endothelial cells induced by lysophos-phatidylcholine (LPC) and the relationship with asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA).

Method: The human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC-12) were treated with LPC (10 mg x L(-1)) for 24 h to establish the model of endothelial cells damages; HUVECs were prior exposed to neferine (0.1, 1.

[Association of metabolic syndrome with serum interleukin-10 and high sensitive C reactive protein(hs-CRP) in old men].

Objective: To explore the association of metabolic syndrome(MS) with serum interleukin-10 (IL-10) and high sensitive C reactive protein(hs-CRP) in old men with MS.

Methods: Seventy patients with MS and 30 age-matched controls were enrolled. Blood pressure, waist circumference(WC), weight, height, body mass index(BMI), lipid-profile, fasting plasma glucose(FPG), fasting plasma insulin (FINS), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR),the serum IL-10, and hs-CRP levels were measured.

[Quantitative ultrasonic integrated backscatter of the intima-media complex, serum level of matrix metalloprotease-9 and simvastatin in hyperlipemia patients].

Objective: To determine the diagnostic value of the integrated backscatter (IBS) technique for carotid artery atherosclerosis (AS), to investigate the correlation between IBS of carotid artery and the serum level of matrix metalloprotease-9(MMP-9), and to explore the effect of simvastatin on the IBS value of the carotid artery and serum MMP-9 level in hyperlipemia patients.

Methods: Fifty-eight patients with hyperlipemia and 26 normal controls were enrolled in this study. Patients with hyperlipemia were randomly divided into 2 groups: a simvastatin treatment group (20 mg/d) and a control group (without simvastatin treatment).

[Extraction and anti-tumor activity study of polysaccharide in several traditional Chinese medicine].

Polysaccharides in Several traditional Chinese medicine compounds of Dioscorea bulbifera L, Dioscorea bulbifera L and Chinese Angelica compounds (3: 2 by mass ratio), Hedyotis diffusa Willd and Scutellrla barbata D. Don compounds (3: 2 by mass ratio) were extracted by ultrasound and the content of polysaccharides were determined by the colorimetry. Dioscorea bulbifera L and Chinese Angelica compounds contained the biggest polysaccharide, 16.

Insulin-like growth factor 1 enhances the migratory capacity of mesenchymal stem cells.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are attractive candidates for cell based therapies. However, the mechanisms responsible for stem cell migration and homing after transplantation remain unknown. It has been shown that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) induces proliferation and migration of some cell types, but its effects on stem cells have not been investigated.