Berberine inhibits norepinephrine-induced apoptosis in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes via inhibiting ROS-TNF-α-caspase signaling pathway.

Objective: To determine the effect of berberine (Ber) on norepinephrine (NE)-induced apoptosis in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.

Methods: The cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were treated with NE in the presence or absence of Ber. The activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the culture medium was examined, and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes was assessed by Hoechst 33258, isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated annexin-V, and propidine iodide (PI) staining.

Berberine protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced intestinal injury in mice via alpha 2 adrenoceptor-independent mechanisms.

Aim: To investigate the mechanisms responsible for the protective action of berberine (Ber) against gut damage in endotoxemic mice.

Methods: Male BALB/c mice were administered intragastrically with distilled water (0.1 mL/10 g), Ber (50 mg/kg) alone, yohimbine (2 mg/kg) alone, or Ber (50 mg/kg) in combination with yohimbine (2 mg/kg) for 3 d.

Sodium valproate induces mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in human hepatoblastoma cells.

Background: Sodium valproate inhibits proliferation in neuroblastoma and glioma cells, and inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in hepatoblastoma cells. Information describing the molecular pathways of the antitumor effects of sodium valproate is limited; therefore, we explored the mechanisms of action of sodium valproate in the human hepatoblastoma cell line, HepG2.

Methods: The effects of sodium valproate on the proliferation of HepG2 cells were evaluated by the Walsh-schema transform and colony formation assays.

Effect of cleidocranial dysplasia-related novel mutation of RUNX2 on characteristics of dental pulp cells and tooth development.

Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) is an autosomal-dominant disorder caused by a lack of function of one or more alleles of the RUNX2 gene. Mutations of the RUNX2 gene were analyzed in a family with CCD, and a novel nonsense mutation was identified, c. 1096G > T, p.

[Antisense oligonucleotides targeting protein kinase C alpha inhibits the proliferation of A549 cells].

Objective: To investigate the effects of antisense oligonucleotides (ASODN) targeting protein kinase C alpha (PKCalpha) on the proliferation of A549 cells.

Methods: PKCalpha ASODN and random oligonucleotides (RODN) were transfected into A549 cells mediated by polyethyleneimine, and the proliferation and clone formation of A549 cells were detected by CCK-8 and clone formation assay, respectively. The expression of PKCalpha in the transfected cells was analyzed by RT-PCR and Western blotting.

[Psychological anxiety evaluation and analysis of graduates at a medical university under employment pressure].

Objective: To evaluate the psychological anxiety of graduates at a medical university under the ever-increasing employment pressure, so as to provide ground work for psychological intervention on college students.

Methods: Subjects were randomly drawn from the students who majored in clinical medicine, biomedical engineering, nursing and integrated Chinese and western medicine and graduated in the year of 2008 and 2009, with 25 subjects from each major each year, totaling up to 200. In March of their graduation year, they were evaluated by Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA).

Effects of echo time on diffusion quantification of brain white matter at 1.5 T and 3.0 T.

The aim was to investigate the effects of echo time (TE) on diffusion quantification of brain white matter. Seven rhesus monkeys (all males; age, 4-6 years; weight, 5-7 kg) underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with a series of TEs in 1.5 T and 3.

Berberine inhibits cytosolic phospholipase A2 and protects against LPS-induced lung injury and lethality independent of the alpha2-adrenergic receptor in mice.

Acute lung injury is still a significant clinical problem having a high mortality rate despite significant advances in antimicrobial therapy and supportive care made in the past few years. Our previous study demonstrated that berberine (Ber) remarkably decreased mortality and attenuated the lung injury in mice challenged with LPS, but the mechanism behind this remains unclear. Here, we report that pretreatment with Ber significantly reduced pulmonary edema, neutrophil infiltration, and histopathological alterations; inhibited protein expression and phosphorylation of cytosolic phospholipase A2; and decreased thromboxane A2 release induced by LPS.