Objective To investigate the serum levels of endostatin and vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF) at different therapy stages of mouse Lewis lung carcinoma, and elucidate the relation to the progress and prognosis of tumor. Methods Forty-four Lewis lung carcinoma-bearing C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, ie. a non-therapy group, a chemotherapy group, a gene therapy group, and a combination therapy group ( chemotherapy plus gene therapy) . Eleven healthy mice were included as normal control group. Serum was collected on the 0th, 5th, 19th day after therapy for measurement of endostatin and VEGF by ELISA. The correlations were analysed between endostatin and VEGF levels in each group. Results ( 1) The serum endostatin levels had no significant difference in all groups on the 0th day,but increased significantly on the 5th day in the gene and combination therapy groups than those in other three groups ( all P lt;0. 01) . Then the endostatin level decreased on the 19th day in the gene and combination therapy groups, but still higher than those in the chemotherapy group and the normal group. ( 2 ) On the contrary, serum VEGF levels of the gene and combination therapy groups decreased significantly on the 5th day and increased little on the 19th day, which were both significant lower than those in chemotherapy group on the 5th and 19th day( all P lt; 0. 05) . There were significant diferences between the three therapy groups and the non-therapy group( all P lt;0. 05) . ( 3) Negative correlations between VEGF and endostatin levels were revealed in the gene and combination therapy groups ( r = - 0. 77 and - 0. 761 respectively) .Correlation was not found in the non-therapy and chemotherapy groups. Conclusion The serum levels of endostatin and VEGF might be used as monitoring indices of antiangiogenesis therapy.
Objective To observe the expressions of CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) in muscle satell ite cells in situ of normal and cardiotoxin-intoxicated muscle tissues so as to further investigate the molecular mechanism involving inmuscle regeneration such as progressing muscular dystrophy (PMD) for seeking the way to cure muscle retrogression. Methods The muscle injured model of 12 C57 male mice was made by injecting cardiotoxin (5 μg per mouse) in left quadriceps femoris, their right quadriceps femoris was used as control without any injection. The histological, immunohistochemical analysis and RT-PCR were done to investigate the expression of CXCR4 in the quadriceps femoris in situ after 1 day, 4 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks. Results HE staining results demonstrated that the muscle tissues experienced the process from muscle injury, repair to regeneration. The result of immunohistochemistry showed that the expressions of CXCR4 in injured muscle tissue were 1 955.6 ± 150.3, 2 223.2 ± 264.3, 2 317.6 ± 178.7, 3 066.5 ± 269.6, 1 770.9 ± 98.7 and 1 505.7 ± 107.1 at 1 day, 4 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks after injection of cardiotoxin, there was significant difference when compared with normal muscle (640.3 ± 124.0, P lt; 0.001). The RT-PCR showed that the expressions of CXCR4 mRNA in injured muscle tissue were0.822 ± 0.013, 0.882 ± 0.025, 1.025 ± 0.028, 1.065 ± 0.041, 0.837 ± 0.011 and 0.777 ± 0.015 at 1 day, 4 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks after injection of cardiotoxin, there was significant difference when compared with normal muscle (0.349 ± 0.006, P lt; 0.001). Conclusion CXCR4 may be the critical protein in the process of muscle impairment and reparation.
Objective To establish a modified mouse abdominal heterotopic heart transplantation model in order to increase the graft survival rate and reduce operative complications. Methods The heart was transplanted into the abdomen by anastomosing the donor ascending aorta and pulmonary artery to the recipient abdominal aorta and infrahepatic vena cava respectively. Hilar tissue was not alone ligated, meanwhile recipient lumbar vein was not ligated. Recipient abdominal aorta and infrahepatic vena cava were not isolated, but were liberated and obstructed simultaneously. Results Two hundred and twenty-nine formal transplantations were performed with the successful rate of 97.82% (224/229). The syngeneic graft survival time was more than 6 months. Complications: Aorta thrombus was found in 2 mice (0.87%), inferior vena cava thrombus in 1 mouse (0.44%), heart torsion in 4 mice (1.75%), hemorrhage in 4 mice (1.75%), crural paralysis in 2 mice (0.87%), intestinal obstruction in 1 mouse (0.44%), and no anesthetic accident happened. Conclusions The meliorated mouse abdominal heterotopic heart transplantation model is simple and reliable, which can reduce the operation time. Thus, the meliorated method provides a useful technique for immunologic transplantation research.
ObjectiveTo establish paraquat (PQ)-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) mice model via gavage, in order to simulate oral adminitration in clinical situations.MethodsSeventy-eight 6-8-week-old, specific pathogen free female C57 mice were chosen in this study. The mice were randomly divided into the control group (n=6) and the PQ model group(n=36); the mice in the latter group were randomly divided into 6 poisoning model subgroups further, with 6 mice in each, to find out the suitable concentration of PQ to establish stable ARDS model. The mice in the control group were given phosphatebuffer saline (PBS) by gavage, 200 μL per mouse; while the mice in the 6 poisoning model subgroups were given PQ with varies doses of 3, 10, 30, 100, 150, 300 mg/kg respectively by gavage. The clinical manifestations were observed for 7 days, and the ratio of lung wet/dry (W/D) was measured. After the suitable concentration of PQ for stable ARDS mice model was found, the other 36 mice were randomly divided into the controlgroup and the poisoning model group, both were divided into 4 subgroups, according to different observation point in time (1 day and 2, 3, 4 days after PQ gavage). The mice in the 4 control subgroups (n=3) were given PBS by gavage, 200 μL per mouse; while the mice in the 4 poisoning model subgroups (n=6) were given PQ with the suitable concentration for ARDS mice model by gavage. Pathological manifestations by Haematoxylin-Eosin staining and lung injury score were observed and analyzed.ResultsThe mice began to die at the PQ dosage of 150 mg/kg; while the death rate was stable at 300 mg/kg. On the 2nd and 4th day after PQ gavage, lung W/D was 5.335, 6.113, and 5.525, and 6.403, respectively in the mice in 150 and 300 mg/kg subgroup, which differed much from those in the control group (P<0.001). Congestion, edema, hemorrhage, alveolar structure damage, inflammation cells infiltration of lung tissue were observed, and lung injury score increased.ConclusionPQ-induced ARDS mice model by gavage is established successfully.
Objective To establish a mouse model of acute lung injury ( ALI) and pulmonary fibrosis by low dose lipopolysaccharide ( LPS) intermittent intraperitoneal injection, and to explore the pathogenesis of ALI and pulmonary fibrosis induced by endotoxin. Methods Forty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into a control group, a 3-days LPS group, a 2-weeks LPS group, and a 4-weeks LPS group,with 10 mice in each group. LPS was injected intraperitoneally at dose of 5 mg/ kg for three consecutive daysin the three LPS groups. Equivalent normal saline was injected by the same way in the control group. The mice lung tissues were obtained respectively 3 days ( the control group and 3-days LPS group) , 2 weeks ( the 2-weeks LPS group) , and 4 weeks ( the 4-weeks LPS group) after LPS or saline stimulation. HE staining,Van-Gieson collagen staining, and Ashcroft fibrosis score assessment were applied to evaluate the development of inflammation and fibrosis in lung tissue at various stages of ALI after LPS-stimulation. The mRNA expression of type Ⅰ procollagen and alpha smooth muscle actin ( α-SMA) were detected by realtime PCR. The deposition of collagen and fibrosis in lung tissue were detected by hydroxyproline assay. The survival condition of each group was also recorded. Results Acute inflammation occurred in mice lung tissue 3 days after intraperitoneal injection of LPS. Collagen deposited in pulmonary interstitium2 weeks afterLPS-stimulation and formed typical pulmonary interstitial fibrosis 4 weeks later accompanying with increase of Ashcroft fibrosis score. Real-time PCR and hydroxyproline assay showed that the expression of collagen and α-SMA increased 3 days after LPS-stimulation and reached the peak 4 weeks later. The animals were all survived up to the endpoint of experiment. Conclusions Accompanying with inflammation, pulmonary fibrosis initiated at early stage of ALI induced by LPS. Intraperitoneal injection of LPS at dose of 5 mg/kg for three consecutive days was able to establish the mouse model of ALI and pulmonary fibrosis with high successrate and low animal mortality, which provide an ideal experimental platform for further investigation.
【Abstract】ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of RNA editing enzyme ADAR1 on the function of lymphocyte immune by transferring mouse lymphocytes with plasmid of sense siRNA and by suppressing the expression of ADAR1. MethodsThe cell strains of human hepatic cellular carcinoma （HCC） were frozen and thawed repeatedly to prepare for tumor soluble antigen. The isolated mouse lymphocytes, which were transferred with antisense siRNA plasmid of ADAR1 and were sensitized with soluble tumor antigen were used as the study group; those which were not transferred but were sensitized were used as the control group. The 3HTdR adulteration experiment was used to test the sensitivity of lymphocytes. The effect of ADAR1 on lymphocyte immunity was detected by lymphocytotoxicity tests. ResultsThe observation of the isolated lymphocytes implied that the growth cycle of lymphocyte was 10-14 days. The 3HTdR adulteration experiment showed the result was optimal. The number of HCCs decreased significantly for both of the groups compared with those in the blank holes, but the amplitude was much larger in the control group. The expression of ADAR1 in lymphocytes of the study group was significantly lower than that of the control group, which demonstrated that the RNA plasmid of ADAR1 suppressed the expression of ADAR1 in sensitized lymphocytes and the suppressing rate of the control group (87.47±4.62)% was significantly higher than that of study group （53.19±3.95）%. The function of lymphocytes killing targetcells in the study group was significantly inferior to that of control group (P＜0.05). ConclusionRNA editing enzyme ADAR1 may play an important role in mouse cellullar immunologic response and it is possible to attenuate the cellimmune response by depressing the expression of ADAR1.
Objective To investigate the gene expression of beta-defensin-4 (mBD-4) and mBD-6 in acute lung injury (ALI) mouse.Methods Sixty adult mice were randomly divided into a control group and a ALI group.ALI was induced by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the ALI group.The control group was treated with same dose of normal saline.The lung tissues were harvested at different time point after stimulation.The expression of mBD-4 and mBD-6 mRNA was measured by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.DNA sequencing was used to confirm the specificity of mBD-4 and mBD-6 cDNA fragment.Results There were no obvious mBD-4 and mBD-6 mRNA expression in mouse lung in the control group at all time points and ALI 6 h group.In the ALI group a marked increasing expression was found on 12 h，1 d and 3 d after LPS stimulation.The mBD-4 mRNA expression was significant higher in the ALI groups of 1 d and 3 d points than that of ALI 12 h group with no obvious difference between each other.There were no significant differences of mBD-6 mRNA expression between ALI groups of 12 h，1 d and 3 d points Conclusion mBD-4 and mBD-6 mRNA is not constitutive expressed in mouse lung and show a up-regulative expression pattern after ALI.
ObjectiveTo investigate whether miR-93-5p suppresses osteogenic differentiation of mouse mesenchymal stem cells (C3H10T1/2) by targeting Smad5, a predicted target in silicon. MethodsSmad5 3'-UTRluciferase vector (pmiR-RB-REPORTTM) was constructed and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was employed to examine the effect of miR-93-5p on Smad5 3'-UTR-luciferase activity to identify whether Smad5 was the target gene of miR-93-5p. miR-93-5p mimics (group M), miR-93-5p inhibitor (group In), miR-93-5p mimics negative control (group MC), and miR-93-5p inhibitor negative control (group InC) were transfected into the C3H10T1/2 cells, respectively, and followed by induction of osteogenic differentiation. After 48 hours, the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qRTPCR) and Western blot assays were performed to detect the relative expressions of Smad5 mRNA and protein. At 14 days, to realize the regulation role of miR-93-5p in osteogenic differentiation, the extracellular calcium deposition during the osteogenesis of C3H10T1/2 cells was tested by Alizarin red staining. ResultsDual-luciferase reporter gene assay showed that miR-93-5p could combine with Smad5 mRNA 3'-UTR specificity, and inhibited its luciferase activity (P<0.05). After 48 hours, no significant difference was shown in the relative expression of Smad5 mRNA between group M and group MC as well as between group In and group InC by qRT-PCR assay (P>0.05); however, the results of Western blot assay showed that the relative expression of Smad5 protein was significantly decreased in group M and increased in group In when compared with groups MC and InC (P<0.05). At 14 days after osteogenic induction, Alizarin red staining showed that the extracellular calcium deposition of group M was obviously less than that of group MC, and it was obviously more in group In than in group InC. ConclusionSmad5 may be the target gene of miR-93-5p. And miR-93-5p can suppress osteogenic differentiation of C3H10T1/2 cells by directly targeting Smad5.
Objective To investigate the effect of methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MP) and mouse nerve growth factor (mNGF) for injection in treating acute spinal cord injury (ASCI) and cauda equina injury. Methods Between December 2004 and December 2007, 43 patients with ASCI and cauda equina injury were treated, including 33 males and 10 females with an average age of 43 years (range, 32-66 years). Injured vertebral columns were C2 in 1 case, C4 in 5 cases, C5 in 7cases, C6 in 3 cases, T8 in 1 case, T10 in 1 case, T11 in 2 cases, T12 in 3 cases, L1 in 9 cases, L2 in 5 cases, L3 in 3 cases, L4 in 1 case, and L5 in 2 cases. All the patients had sensory disturbance and motor dysfunction at admission. The Frankel scale was used for assessment of nerve function, 5 cases were rated as Grade A, 12 as Grade B, 22 as Grade C, and 4 as Grade D before operation. In 43 patients, 23 cases were treated with MP and mNGF (group A), 20 cases with MP only (group B). There was no significant difference in general data between 2 groups (P gt; 0.05). All the patients were admitted, received drug treatment within 8 hours of injury, and were given spinal canal decompression, bone transplantation, and internal fixation within 48 hours. The neurological function score systems of American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) were used for neurological scores before treament, at 1 week and 2 years after treatment. The scores of the activity of daily l iving (ADL) were evaluated and compared. Results All the patients achieved heal ing of incision by first intention. Forty-three cases were followed up 24-61 months with an average of 30 months. Bone graft fusion was achieved after 6-17 months, 11 months on average with stable fixation. No death and compl ications of osteonecrosis and central obesity occurred. There was no significant difference in neurological function scores and ADL scores between 2 groups before treatment (P gt; 0.05); however, the neurological function scores and ADL scores at 1 week and 2 years after treatment were higher than those before treatment (P lt; 0.01) in 2 groups. Group A had higher neurological function scores and ADL scores than group B (P lt; 0.01). At 1 week and 2 years after treatment, the improvement rates of neurological function of group A (47.8%, 11/23 and 91.3%, 21/23) were significantly higher (P lt; 0.01) than those of group B (30.0%, 6/20 and 70.0%, 14/20). Conclusion MP and mNGF play an important role in improving the neurological function in patients with ASCI and cauda equina injury.
Objective To investigate the possibility of gene therapy of osteolysis around artificial joint prosthesis by constructing the recombinant adenovirus which can silence tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). Methods The primer of small interfering RNA (siRNA) coding sequence of silent TNF-α was designed and amplified, and then RAPAD adenovirus packaging system was used to load the sequence to adenovirus, and the recombinant adenovirus Ad5-TNF-α-siRNA-CMVeGFP which lacked both E1 and E3 regions was constructed. Then 64 female BABL/C mice (weighing, 20-25 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=16): blank control (group A), positive control (group B), simple adenovirus (group C), and treatment group (group D). The prosthetic-model was established in group A, and the prosthetic-loosening-model in groups B, C, and D. At 2 weeks after modeling, PBS solution was injected first, and then the same solution was injected 24 hours later in group A; titanium particle solution was injected, and then PBS solution, Ad5 E1-CMVeGFP (1 × 109 PFU/mL), and Ad5-TNF-α-siRNA-CMVeGFP (1 × 109 PFU/mL) were injected, respectively in groups B, C, and D 24 hours later, every 2 weeks over a 10-week period. The general condition of mice was observed after operation. The tissues were harvested for histological observation, and the expression of TNF-α was detected by Western blot at 12 weeks after operation. Results The positive clones were achieved by enzyme digestion and confirmed by DNA sequencing after loading the target genes into adenovirus vector, and then HEK293 cells were successfully transfected by recombinant adenovirus Ad5-TNF-α-siRNA-CMVeGFP. All mice survived to the completion of the experiment. Histological observation showed that there were few inflammatory cells and osteoclasts in group A, with a good bone formation; there were a large number of inflammatory cells and osteoclasts in groups B and C, with obvious bone destruction; inflammatory cells and osteoclasts in group D was less than those in groups B and C, with no obvious bone destruction. Significant difference was found in the limiting membrane thickness and the number of osteoclasts (group A lt; group D lt; group B lt; group C, P lt; 0.05). Western blot showed that the TNF-α expression levels were 0.235 ± 0.022, 0.561 ± 0.031, 0.731 ± 0.037, and 0.329 ± 0.025 in groups A, B, C, and D respectively, showing significant difference among 4 groups (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion The recombinant adenovirus for silencing TNF-α is successfully constructed, which can effectively inhibit osteolysis by silencing TNF-α expression in the tissues around prosthesis in mice.