Notoginsenoside R1 improves monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension via modulation NF-κB signaling in rats

Purpose: To investigate the potentials of notoginsenoside R1 (NGR1) in ameliorating inflammation and pulmonary vascular remodeling in rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) induced by monocrotaline (MCT), and to examine the mechanisms underlying such effects. Methods: Eight-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into groups: control, MCT, MCT+5mg/kg NGR1, MCT+12.5mg/kg NGR1, and MCT + 25 mg/kg NGR1. Right cardiac catheterization was used to measure pulmonary hemodynamics. Pulmonary morphology was evaluated with the aid of H & E staining. Serum levels of inflammatory cytokines were measured using ELISA, while levels of inflammation-associated factors in the lung were measured using RT-PCR. NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) and IκBα (nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells inhibitor, alpha) protein levels were determined by western blot. Results: Pulmonary hemodynamics and pulmonary morphology worsened following MCT injection and were accompanied by NF-κB pathway activation and elevated levels of inflammation-associated factors. In contrast, MCT treatment followed by NGR1 treatment ameliorated MCT-induced PAH by improving pulmonary hemodynamics and pulmonary vascular remodeling while reducing NF-κB activation and levels of inflammation-associated factors. Conclusion: NGR1 exerts ameliorative effects on MCT-induced PAH by inhibiting NF-κB pathway. Therefore, NGR1 may be a new potential therapy for PAH

Ginsenoside Rh1 Improves the Effect of Dexamethasone on Autoantibodies Production and Lymphoproliferation in MRL/lpr Mice

Ginsenoside Rh1 is able to upregulate glucocorticoid receptor (GR) level, suggesting Rh1 may improve glucocorticoid efficacy in hormone-dependent diseases. Therefore, we investigated whether Rh1 could enhance the effect of dexamethasone (Dex) in the treatment of MRL/lpr mice. MRL/lpr mice were treated with vehicle, Dex, Rh1, or Dex + Rh1 for 4 weeks. Dex significantly reduced the proteinuria and anti-dsDNA and anti-ANA autoantibodies. The levels of proteinuria and anti-dsDNA and anti-ANA autoantibodies were further decreased in Dex + Rh1 group. Dex, Rh1, or Dex + Rh1 did not alter the proportion of CD4+ splenic lymphocytes, whereas the proportion of CD8+ splenic lymphocytes was significantly increased in Dex and Dex + Rh1 groups. Dex + Rh1 significantly decreased the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ splenic lymphocytes compared with control. Con A-induced CD4+ splenic lymphocytes proliferation was increased in Dex-treated mice and was inhibited in Dex + Rh1-treated mice. Th1 cytokine IFN-γ mRNA was suppressed and Th2 cytokine IL-4 mRNA was increased by Dex. The effect of Dex on IFN-γ and IL-4 mRNA was enhanced by Rh1. In conclusion, our data suggest that Rh1 may enhance the effect of Dex in the treatment of MRL/lpr mice through regulating CD4+ T cells activation and Th1/Th2 balance

Probing the Behaviors of Gold Nanorods in Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells Based on UV-vis-NIR Absorption Spectroscopy

In this work, behaviors of positively-charged AuNRs in a highly metastatic tumor cell line MDA-MB-231 are examined based on UV-vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy in combination with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dark-field microscopic observation. It is found that characteristic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks of AuNRs can be detected using spectroscopic method within living cells that have taken up AuNRs. The peak area of transverse SPR band is shown to be proportionally related to the amount of AuNRs in the cells determined with ICP-MS, which suggests a facile and real time quantification method for AuNRs in living cells. The shape of longitudinal SPR band in UV-vis-NIR spectrum reflects the aggregation state of AuNRs in the cells during the incubation period, which is proved by TEM and microscopic observations. Experimental results reveal that AuNRs are internalized by the cells rapidly; the accumulation, distribution and aggregation of AuNRs in the cells compartments are time and dose dependent. The established spectroscopic analysis method can not only monitor the behaviors of AuNRs in living cells but may also be helpful in choosing the optimum laser stimulation wavelength for anti-tumor thermotherapy

The effect of adrenomedullin and proadrenomedullin N- terminal 20 peptide on angiotensin II induced vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation

Objective(s): The study aimed to investigate the effects of adrenomedullin (ADM) and proadrenomedullin N- terminal 20 peptide (PAMP) on angiotensin II (AngII)-stimulated proliferation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Materials and Methods: Thoracic aorta was obtained from Wistar rats and VSMCs were isolated from aorta tissues and then cultured. In vitro cultured VSMCs were stimulated with Ang II (10-8 mol/l) followed by various doses of PAMP or ADM (10-9, 10-8, or 10-7 mol/l). Cell proliferation as assessed by 3H-TdR incorporation. Protein kinase C (PKC) activity was measured by counting γ-32P radioactivity with liquid scintillation. In a separate cohort, in vitro cultured rat aortic vessels were treated with different doses of Ang II or PAMP (10-9, 10-8, or 10-7 mol/l). Cellular and secreted levels of PAMP, ADM and Ang II were measured using radioimmunoassay in the tissues and intubation mediums, respectively. Results: Ang II (10-8 mol/l) treatment significantly increased both 3H-TdR incorporation and PKC activity in VSMCs (by 2.68 and 1.02-fold, respectively; both

Liposome Lipid-Based Formulation Has the Least Influence on rAAV Transduction Compared to Other Transfection Agents

Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors are considered ideal vehicles for human gene therapy. Meanwhile, non-viral strategies, such as transfection agents (TAs), have also shown promise to deliver genetic materials, such as siRNA. Transduction with the rAAV vector is performed concurrently with transfection with plasmid DNA or RNA. In the present study, we report that various TAs inhibited rAAV-mediated transgene expression at diverse levels. Overall, cationic polymers and dendrimers dramatically blocked rAAV transduction, while lipid-based liposomes displayed the least effect. The inhibitory effect was dependent on the dose of TAs and the timing of infection, suggesting that the early stages of viral infection were involved. In addition, the present results indicate that the transgene expression of rAAV vectors was significantly increased by liposome-mediated transfection with adenoviral helper genes. At the same time, this was dramatically inhibited by liposome-mediated transfection with the trichosanthin gene encoding a type I ribosome-inactivating protein isolated from traditional Chinese medicine. Furthermore, liposomes also have little effect on rAAV-mediated transgene expression in vivo. Taken together, these findings suggest liposome as the best choice of TAs, which should be used in combination with rAAV-mediated gene therapy. Keywords: liposome lipid-based formulation, rAAV, transduction, transfection agents, trichosanthi

Receptor Interacting Protein 3-Mediated Necroptosis Promotes Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Mice.

Necrosis amplifies inflammation and plays important roles in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Necroptosis is a newly identified programmed necrosis that is mediated by receptor interacting protein 3 (RIP3). However, the potential involvement and impact of necroptosis in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ARDS remains unknown. We therefore explored the role and mechanism of RIP3-mediated necroptosis in LPS-induced ARDS. Mice were instilled with increasing doses of LPS intratracheally to induce different degrees of ARDS. Lung tissues were harvested for histological and TUNEL staining and western blot for RIP3, p-RIP3, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL), total and cleaved caspases-3/8. Then, wild-type and RIP3 knock-out mice were induced ARDS with 30 mg/kg LPS. Pulmonary cellular necrosis was labeled by the propidium Iodide (PI) staining. Levels of TNF-a, Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-1α, IL-10 and HMGB1, tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, neutrophil counts and total protein concentration were measured. Results showed that in high dose LPS (30mg/kg and 40mg/kg) -induced severe ARDS, RIP3 protein was increased significantly, accompanied by increases of p-RIP3 and MLKL, while in low dose LPS (10mg/kg and 20mg/kg) -induced mild ARDS, apoptosis was remarkably increased. In LPS-induced severe ARDS, RIP3 knock-out alleviated the hypothermia symptom, increased survival rate and ameliorated the lung tissue injury RIP3 depletion also attenuated LPS-induced increase in IL-1α/β, IL-6 and HMGB1 release, decreased tissue MPO activity, and reduced neutrophil influx and total protein concentration in BALF in severe ARDS. Further, RIP3 depletion reduced the necrotic cells in the lung and decreased the expression of MLKL, but had no impact on cleaved caspase-3 in LPS-induced ARDS. It is concluded that RIP3-mediated necroptosis is a major mechanism of enhanced inflammation and lung tissue injury in high dose LPS- induced severe ARDS in mice

Computational redesign of enzymes for regio- and enantioselective hydroamination

Introduction of innovative biocatalytic processes offers great promise for applications in green chemistry. However, owing to limited catalytic performance, the enzymes harvested from nature's biodiversity often need to be improved for their desired functions by time-consuming iterative rounds of laboratory evolution. Here we describe the use of structure-based computational enzyme design to convert Bacillus sp. YM55-1 aspartase, an enzyme with a very narrow substrate scope, to a set of complementary hydroamination biocatalysts. The redesigned enzymes catalyze asymmetric addition of ammonia to substituted acrylates, affording enantiopure aliphatic, polar and aromatic β-amino acids that are valuable building blocks for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and bioactive compounds. Without a requirement for further optimization by laboratory evolution, the redesigned enzymes exhibit substrate tolerance up to a concentration of 300 g/L, conversion up to 99%, β-regioselectivity >99% and product enantiomeric excess >99%. The results highlight the use of computational design to rapidly adapt an enzyme to industrially viable reactions