Asarinin attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis by activating PPARγ.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive interstitial lung disease that lacks effective treatment modalities. Once patients are diagnosed with IPF, their median survival is approximately 3-5 years. PPARγ is an important target for the prevention and treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.

Molecular cloning and function analysis of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1a in blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala).

Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1), a hypoxia-induced protein, is a member of the IGFBP family that regulates vertebrate growth and development. In this study, full-length IGFBP-1a cDNA was cloned from a hypoxia-sensitive Cyprinidae fish species, the blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala). IGFBP-1a was expressed in various organs of adult blunt snout bream, including strongly in the liver and weakly in the gonads.

The goldfish hAT-family transposon Tgf2 is capable of autonomous excision in zebrafish embryos.

The goldfish (Carassius auratus) Tgf2 transposon is a vertebrate DNA transposon that belongs to the hAT transposon family. In this study, we constructed plasmids containing either the full-length Tgf2 transposon (pTgf2 plasmid) or a partially-deleted Tgf2 transposon (ΔpTgf2 plasmid), and microinjected these plasmids into fertilized zebrafish (Danio rerio) eggs at the one- to two-cell stage. DNA extracted from the embryos was analyzed by PCR to assess transient excision, if any, of the exogenous plasmid and to verify whether Tgf2 is an autonomous transposon.

Goldfish transposase Tgf2 presumably from recent horizontal transfer is active.

Hobo/Activator/Tam3 (hAT) superfamily transposons occur in plants and animals and play a role in genomic evolution. Certain hAT transposons are active and have been developed as incisive genetic tools. Active vertebrate elements are rarely discovered; however, Tgf2 transposon was recently discovered in goldfish (Carassius auratus).

Effect of histamine on regional cerebral blood flow of the parietal lobe in rats.

Histamine is a powerful modulator that regulates blood vessels and blood flow. The effect of histamine on the extracortical vessels has been well described, while much less is known about the effect of histamine on intracortical vessels. In this study, we investigated the effect of histamine on regional cerebral blood flow in rat parietal lobe with laser Doppler flowmetry.

[Effect of glutamate on vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA and protein expressions in hypoxic rat astrocytes in vitro].

Objective: To study the effect of glutamate on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA and protein in cultured rat astrocytes under hypoxia.

Methods: Cultured rat astrocytes were randomly divided control group, glutamate group, hypoxia group and hypoxia+glutamate group. The cells in the control and glutamate groups were cultured under nomoxic condition (95% air and 5% CO(2)), and those in the other two groups under hypoxic condition (94% N(2), 5% CO(2) and 1% O(2)).

[Comparison and correlative analysis of trace elements in five kinds of radix curcumae].

Traditional Chinese medicine materials (TCM) contained abundant trace elements needed in human body. Mixed acid (HNO3:HClO4) was added into samples treated by microwave digestion, and a systematic study was carried out by selection of the most appropriate working conditions and optimization of the sample mass. Some inorganic elements in 5 kinds of radix curcumae (Curcuma wenyujin Y.

[A simple method for assessment of RNA integrity in laser capture microdissection samples].

Objective: To develop a simple method for assessment of RNA integrity in laser capture microdissection (LCM) samples.

Methods: The total RNA were isolated from the LCM samples and the sections before and after microdissection and examined by agarose gel electrophoresis. Real-time PCR was employed to assess the RNA from LCM samples, and the quantity of RNA was theoretically estimated according to the average total RNA product in mammalian cells (10 ng/1000 cells).

[Neurons in the corpus callosum of rats: expression of Cav2.2 and their connection].

Objective: To prove the existence neurons in the rat corpus callosum, the potential function of these neurons and their connection.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used performed to examine the expressions of NeuN, a mature neuron marker,and N-type voltage-dependent valcium channel alpha1-subunit (Cav2.2)in the section of the rat corpus callosum.

[Construction and identification of a plasmid with EGFP reporter gene for enhancer function analysis].

Objective: To construct a plasmid vector with EGFP reporter gene for functional analysis of enhancers.

Methods: EGFP DNA was amplified by PCR from plasmid pEGFP-N1 DNA and subcloned into plasmid PGL3-promoter backbone without luc(+) gene to construct the enhancer-identifying vector pEGFP-enhancer. Different copies of hypoxia response element (HRE) sequence were synthetized and subcloned into the multiple cloning site of the plasmid pEGFP-enhancer.

[Effect of ligustrazine on cell proliferation in subventricular zone in rat brain with focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury].

Objective: To observe the effect of ligustrazine on cell proliferation in subventricular zone (SVZ) in rat brain with focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury.

Methods: Male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group,a sham operation group,a ligustrazine treatment group, and a control group. The ligustrazine treatment group and the control group were further divided into 5 subgroups: 1d, 3d, 7d, 14d, and 21d reperfusion after 2h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).

[Effect of ligustrazine on nNOS expression and neuranagenesis in adult rats after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury].

Objective: To observe the effect of ligustrazine on cell proliferation in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and dentate gyrus (DG) and nNOS expression in rat brain after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Methods: Male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group, sham operation group, model group and ligustrazine treatment group. The latter two groups were further divided into 5 subgroups for observation at 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days after reperfusion following a 2-hour middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).