[Expression of glycolytic genes in immune cells and changes of related immune cells in experimental autoimmune neuritis]

Objective: To investigate the expression of glycolytic genes in immune cells and the changes of related immune cells in experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN), and deepen the understanding of pathogenesis of EAN. Methods: Twenty-four male C57BL/6 mice (6-8 weeks old, 18-20 g) were divided into four groups according to the random number table method: control group (P0_180-199 was replaced by PBS during modeling and mice were sacrificed on the 16th day), EAN mice were sacrificed on the 8th day after the end of modeling (EAN 8 d), EAN mice were sacrificed on the 16th day after the end of modeling (EAN 16 d), and EAN mice received drug intervention and were sacrificed on the 16^th day after the end of modeling (2-DG was intraperitoneally injected since the day of the first immunization, 550 mg/kg; EAN 16 d+2-DG), with 6 rats in each group. The clinical symptoms and clinical scores were observed and recorded daily. At the end of the experiment, the mice were sacrificed under chloral hydrate anesthesia, and the serum, spleen, sciatic nerve and other tissues of each group were collected. The degree of inflammatory cell infiltration and demyelination of sciatic nerve were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and luxol fast blue (LFB) staining. Flow cytometry was used to detect the proportion of M1 macrophages, Th17 cells and Tregs cells. The mRNA expression levels of glycolysis-related genes (mTORC1, HIF1α, GLUT1 and LDHA) were detected by RT-PCR. Western blotting was used to detect the level of pan-lysine lactate in macrophages and sciatic nerve tissue. Results: The expression of glycolysis-related genes (mTORC1, HIF1α, GLUT1 and LDHA) in spleen M1 macrophages and sciatic nerve was significantly up-regulated in EAN 16 d group, compared with control, EAN 8 d and EAN 16 d+2-DG groups (all P<0.05). The relative pan-lysine lactate (pankla) expression level of spleen M1 macrophages (1.25±0.02) and sciatic nerve tissue (1.23±0.26) significantly increased in EAN 16 d group, compared with control, EAN 8 d and EAN 16 d+2-DG groups (M1 macrophages: 0.12±0.10, 1.07±0.12 and 0.42±0.07; sciatic nerve: 0.10±0.12, 0.87±0.20 and 0.36±0.05) (all P<0.05). The expression of glycolytic genes in splenic CD4+T cells showed an increasing trend, but there were no statistically significant differences among the groups, and the expression of glycolytic genes did not decrease significantly after 2-DG treatment (all P>0.05). The proportion of spleen M1 macrophages in the control group, EAN 8 d group, EAN 16 d group and EAN 16 d+2-DG group was 4.28±0.13, 7.54±0.25, 13.16±0.33 and 4.13±0.38 respectively, which was significantly higher in the EAN 16 d group (all P<0.05). The proportion of spleen Th17 cells in the four groups was 3.78±0.03, 8.24±0.55, 12.30±1.34 and 4.83±0.01, respectively, which was significantly higher in the EAN 16 d group (all P<0.05). The proportion of spleen Tregs cells in the four groups was 10.01±1.05, 7.54±0.70, 3.82±0.47 and 8.22±1.21, respectively, which was significantly lower in the EAN 16 d group (all P<0.05). Conclusions: The expression of glycolytic genes in splenic macrophages significantly increases during EAN, but not in CD4+T cells. The proportion of M1 macrophages and Th17 cells in spleen gradually increases, while the proportion of Tregs cells gradually decreases.

[Study on the relationship between preoperative evaluation, operation and prognosis of microvascular decompression for the treatment of hemifacial spasm]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between preoperative evaluation, surgery and prognosis of microvascular decompression (MVD) for the treatment of hemifacial spasm (HFS). Methods: The clinical data of 128 HFS patients treated with MVD in the department of neurosurgery of Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province were retrospectively analyzed. According to the SMC grading system, the patients were divided into general spasm group and severe spasm group, and the clinical characteristics, offending vessel, prognosis and surgical complications of the two groups were compared. Results: In the general spasm group,the age at MVD was (48.6±10.6) years, the disease duration was (4.2±3.3) years;while in the severe spasm group,the age at MVD was (51.8±9.9) years, the disease duration was (8.1±4.5) years;the differences of age and disease duration between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05).In the general spasm group, there were 41 cases in which the offending vessel were AICA, 21 cases were PICA, 1 case was VA, 63 cases were single offending vessel, and 7 cases were multiple offending vessels. In the severe spasm group, there were 29 cases in which the offending vessel were AICA, 13 cases were PICA, 2 cases were VA, the total of 44 cases were single offending vessel and 14 cases were multiple offending vessels.There was a significant difference in the proportion of multiple offending vessels in the two groups, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).Patients in the two groups were followed up for 12 to 32 months after surgery, and the difference in effective rate and recurrence rate was not statistically significant (P>0.05).Some kinds of postoperative complications were different between the two groups, the incidence of postoperative delayed facial paralysis was statistically significant (P<0.05), and the other complications were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion: Compared with the general spasm group, the patients in the severe spasm group were older, with longer disease duration, higher probability of multiple offending vessels and higher incidence of postoperative delayed facial paralysis. Therefore, preoperative SMC grading is helpful for the evaluation and prediction of intraoperative and postoperative conditions, which is worthy of wide clinical application.

[Clinical efficacy of different vascular reconstruction on adult moyamoya disease]

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of superficial temporal artery -middle cerebral artery combined with encephalo-duro-arterio-myo-synangiosis (STA-MCA+EDAMS) and encephalo-duro-arterio-myo-synangiosis (EDAMS) in the treatment of adult moyamoya disease. Methods: The clinical data of 47 adult patients with moyamoya disease who received vascular reconstruction in the Department of Neurosurgery of Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province from January 2014 to January 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 21 patients received EDAMS alone (EDAMS group, 14 patients with hemorrhagic moyamoya disease, 7 patients with ischemic moyamoya disease), 26 patients received STA-MCA combined with EDAMS (STA-MCA+EDAMS group, 17 patients with hemorrhagic moyamoya disease, 9 patients with ischemic moyamoya disease). Cerebral hemodynamics at 1 day before surgery and 3 and 6 months after surgery were compared. The clinical efficacy and postoperative complications of the two methods were compared at 3 and 6 months postoperatively in hemorrhagic and ischemic types. Results: For hemorrhagic moyamoya disease, the remission rate (94.1%) at 6 months after surgery in the STA-MCA + EDAMS group was higher than that in the EDAMS group (57.1%), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The CBF and CBV in the STA-MCA+EDAMS group were higher than those in the EDAMS group at 3 and 6 months after operation, and the MTT and TPP were lower than those in the EDAMS group, but there was no significant difference between the two groups (all P>0.05). For hemorrhagic moyamoya disease and ischemic moyamoya disease, the total incidence of postoperative complications of the two surgical methods was different, but the difference was not statistically significant (both P>0.05). Conclusion: Superficial temporal artery -middle cerebral artery combined with encephalo-duro- arterio-myo-synangiosis (STA-MCA+EDAMS) and encephalo-duro-arterio-myo-synangiosis (EDAMS) can significantly improve neurological function and cerebral hemodynamics in adult moyamoya disease patients with high safety.

Aging augments the impact of influenza respiratory tract infection on mobility impairments, muscle-localized inflammation, and muscle atrophy

Although the influenza virus only infects the respiratory system, myalgias are commonly experienced during infection. In addition to a greater risk of hospitalization and death, older adults are more likely to develop disability following influenza infection; however, this relationship is understudied. We hypothesized that upon challenge with influenza, aging would be associated with functional impairments, as well as upregulation of skeletal muscle inflammatory and atrophy genes. Infected young and aged mice demonstrated decreased mobility and altered gait kinetics. These declines were more prominent in hind limbs and in aged mice. Skeletal muscle expression of genes involved in inflammation, as well as muscle atrophy and proteolysis, increased during influenza infection with an elevated and prolonged peak in aged mice. Infection also decreased expression of positive regulators of muscle mass and myogenesis components to a greater degree in aged mice. Gene expression correlated to influenza-induced body mass loss, although evidence did not support direct muscle infection. Overall, influenza leads to mobility impairments with induction of inflammatory and muscle degradation genes and downregulation of positive regulators of muscle. These effects are augmented and prolonged with aging, providing a molecular link between influenza infection, decreased resilience and increased risk of disability in the elderly.

Early retinal inflammatory biomarkers in the middle cerebral artery occlusion model of ischemic stroke

PURPOSE

The transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of stroke is one of the most commonly used models to study focal cerebral ischemia. This procedure also results in the simultaneous occlusion of the ophthalmic artery that supplies the retina. Retinal cell death is seen days after reperfusion and leads to functional deficits; however, the mechanism responsible for this injury has not been investigated. Given that the eye may have a unique ocular immune response to an ischemic challenge, this study examined the inflammatory response to retinal ischemia in the MCAO model.

METHODS

Young male C57B/6 mice were subjected to 90-min transient MCAO and were euthanized at several time points up to 7 days. Transcription of inflammatory cytokines was measured with quantitative real-time PCR, and immune cell activation (e.g., phagocytosis) and migration were assessed with ophthalmoscopy and flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Observation of the affected eye revealed symptoms consistent with Horner's syndrome. Light ophthalmoscopy confirmed the reduced blood flow of the retinal arteries during occlusion. CX3CR1-GFP reporter mice were then employed to evaluate the extent of the ocular microglia and monocyte activation. A significant increase in green fluorescent protein (GFP)-positive macrophages was seen throughout the ischemic area compared to the sham and contralateral control eyes. RT-PCR revealed enhanced expression of the monocyte chemotactic molecule CCL2 early after reperfusion followed by a delayed increase in the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α. Further analysis of peripheral leukocyte recruitment by flow cytometry determined that monocytes and neutrophils were the predominant immune cells to infiltrate at 72 h. A transient reduction in retinal microglia numbers was also observed, demonstrating the ischemic sensitivity of these cells. Blood-eye barrier permeability to small and large tracer molecules was increased by 72 h. Retinal microglia exhibited enhanced phagocytic activity following MCAO; however, infiltrating myeloid cells were significantly more efficient at phagocytizing material at all time points. Immune homeostasis in the affected eye was largely restored by 7 days.

CONCLUSIONS

This work demonstrates that there is a robust inflammatory response in the eye following MCAO, which may contribute to a worsening of retinal injury and visual impairment. These results mirror what has been observed in the brain after MCAO, suggesting a conserved inflammatory signaling response to ischemia in the central nervous system. Imaging of the eye may therefore serve as a useful non-invasive prognostic indicator of brain injury after MCAO. Future studies are needed to determine whether this inflammatory response is a potential target for therapeutic manipulation in retinal ischemia.

ANG II-mediated inhibition of neuronal delayed rectifier K+ current: role of protein kinase C-alpha

It was previously determined that ANG II and phorbol esters inhibit Kv current in neurons cultured from newborn rat hypothalamus and brain stem in a protein kinase C (PKC)- and Ca2+-dependent manner. Here, we have further defined this signaling pathway by investigating the roles of "physiological" activators of PKC and different PKC isozymes. The cell-permeable PKC activators, diacylglycerol (DAG) analogs 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol (1 micromol/l, n = 7) and 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (1 micromol/l, n = 6), mimicked the effect of ANG II and inhibited Kv current. These effects were abolished by the PKC inhibitor chelerythrine (1 micromol/l, n = 5) or by chelation of internal Ca2+ (n = 8). PKC antisense (AS) oligodeoxynucleotides (2 micromol/l) against Ca2+-dependent PKC isoforms were applied to the neurons to manipulate the endogenous levels of PKC. PKC-alpha-AS (n = 4) treatment abolished the inhibitory effects of ANG II and 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol on Kv current, whereas PKC-beta-AS (n = 4) and PKC-gamma-AS (n = 4) did not. These results suggest that the angiotensin type 1 receptor-mediated effects of ANG II on neuronal Kv current involve activation of PKC-alpha.

Effects of clenbuterol on insulin resistance in conscious obese Zucker rats

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of chronic administration of the long-acting beta(2)-adrenergic agonist clenbuterol on rats that are genetically prone to insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. Obese Zucker rats (fa/fa) were given 1 mg/kg of clenbuterol by oral intubation daily for 5 wk. Controls received an equivalent volume of water according to the same schedule. At the end of the treatment, rats were catheterized for euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic (15 mU insulin. kg(-1). min(-1)) clamping. Clenbuterol did not change body weight compared with the control group but caused a redistribution of body weight: leg muscle weights increased, and abdominal fat weight decreased. The glucose infusion rate needed to maintain euglycemia and the rate of glucose disappearance were greater in the clenbuterol-treated rats. Furthermore, plasma insulin levels were decreased, and the rate of glucose uptake into hindlimb muscles and abdominal fat was increased in the clenbuterol-treated rats. This increased rate of glucose uptake was accompanied by a parallel increase in the rate of glycogen synthesis. The increase in muscle glucose uptake could not be ascribed to an increase in the glucose transport protein GLUT-4 in clenbuterol-treated rats. We conclude that chronic clenbuterol treatment reduces the insulin resistance of the obese Zucker rat by increasing insulin-stimulated muscle and adipose tissue glucose uptake. The improvements noted may be related to the repartitioning of body weight between tissues.

Increased amounts of farnesylated p21Ras in tissues of hyperinsulinaemic animals

We have recently demonstrated that insulin activates farnesyltransferase (FTase) and thereby increases the amounts of cellular farnesylated p21Ras in 3T3-L1 fibroblasts, adipocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells. We postulated that hyperinsulinaemia might considerably increase the the cellular pool of farnesylated p21Ras available for activation by other growth factors. To examine the role of in vivo hyperinsulinaemia in regulating farnesylated p21Ras, we measured the amounts of farnesylated p21Ras in tissues of hyperinsulinaemic animals. Liver, aorta, and skeletal muscle of ob/ob mice, and mice made obese and hyperinsulinaemic by injection of gold-thioglucose contained greater amounts of farnesylated p21Ras than tissues of their lean normoinsulinaemic counterparts. Similarly, farnesylated p21Ras was increased (67 vs. 35 % in control animals, p<0.01) in the livers of hyperinsulinaemic Zucker rats (fa/fa). Reduction of hyperinsulinaemia by exercise training (2 h/day for 7-8 weeks) resulted in decreases in the amounts of farnesylated p21Ras in these animals. Increased farnesylated p21Ras in hyperinsulinaemic animals reflected increasing increments in the activity of FTase in ob/ob mice (2-fold increase) and fa/fa Zucker rats (3.5-fold increase), while the total amounts of Ras proteins remained unchanged. In contrast to insulin-resistant hyperinsulinaemic animals, denervated insulin-resistant rat soleus muscle (in the presence of normoinsulinaemia) showed normal amounts of farnesylated p21Ras. In summary, these data confirm increased amounts of farnesylated p21Ras in tissues of hyperinsulinaemic animals.

Studies on the determination of diacetyl guanfubase A concentration in rabbit plasma and pharmacokinetics

A gas chromatographic method for monitoring diacetyl guanfubase A in plasma is described. The procedure involved a single solvent extraction of drug from rabbit plasma into ethyl acetate with guanfubase A as an internal standard. The extract was analyzed subsequently on a gas chromatograph equipped with a hydrogen flame ionization detector. The recovery was 86.43% +/- 6.90% (+/- SD); the RSD of within-day and between-day was 2.81%-5.26% and 5.22%-8.24%, respectively; the regression line was linear over the concentration range of 25-200 micrograms/mL, the limit of detection was 10 micrograms/mL. No endogeneous interference was found in chromatograms of the biological samples. This method was applied to the pharmacokinetic study of diacetyl guanfubase A in rabbits.

[Studies of meiotic origin of the extra chromosome 21 in Down syndromes detected by using (GT)n polymorphic DNA markers]

The polymorphics of two pericentric (GT)n sequences on the long arm of human chromosome 21 have been analyzed after PCR amplification, PAGE and Ag-staining for the first time in 50 Chinese Han people, and were used to detect meiotic origin of the extra chromosome 21 in Down syndromes. Six and 5 alleles were found in Chinese Han people for D21S215 and D21S120, respectively, with observed heterozygosities of 0.68 and polymorphic information content PIC, 0.67 and 0.65. For 17 Down syndromes whose parental origin of the extra chromosome 21 were known, meiotic origin of the extra chromosome 21 were determined in 16 cases, with 7 and 4 maternal meiosis I and II nondisjunction, 2 and 3 paternal meiosis I and II, respectively. The possible biological significance of the study on origin of the extra chromosome 21 has been discussed.

[Effect of acute hypoxia on ATP-sensitive potassium current in ventricular myocytes of guinea-pig]

The role of the ATP-sensitive potassium channel in arrhythmogenesis is not clearly understood. Cellular K+ loss and accumulation of [K+]o may contribute to genesis of malignant ventricular arrhythmia during myocardial ischemia. In the present study, acute hypoxia simply caused a partial decrease in K+ efflux at normal [K+]o, which was not sensitive to glibenclamide (5 x 10(-3) mmol/L). However, at a higher concentration of [K+]o (10.8 mmol/L), the outward K+ current increased dramatically after 10 min hypoxia, which was accompanied with an irreversible hypercontracture and eventual death of the cell. The I-V relation was linear with increasing repolarization, which was blocked by glibenclamide, an antagonist of ATP-sensitive potassium channel. The results suggest that the increased K+ current is ATP-sensitive and is facilitated by accumulation of the [K+]o.

Three-dimensional laser scanning two-photon fluorescence confocal microscopy of polymer materials using a new, efficient upconverting fluorophore

Three-dimensional confocal imaging of polymer samples was achieved by the use of two-photon excited fluorescence in both positive and negative contrast modes. The fluorophore was a new and highly efficient two-photon induced upconverter, resulting in improved signal strength at low pumping power. Because of the relatively long wavelength of the excitation source (798 nm from a mode-locked Ti:Sapphire laser), this technique shows a larger penetration depth into the samples than provided by conventional single-photon fluorescence confocal microscopy. Single-photon and two-photon images of the same area of each sample show significant differences. The results suggest the possibility of using two-photon confocal microscopy, in conjunction with highly efficient fluorophores, as a tool to study the surface, interface, and fracture in material science applications.

[Effect of acute hypoxia on L-type calcium current of the ventricular myocytes of guinea-pig]

When the conventional whole cell recording technique is used to study the inward calcium current in cardiac cells, the "Run down" phenomenon of calcium channel would prevent sufficient time of recording desirable for adequate experimental analysis. The "Run down" phenomenon could be minimized by using nystatin-whole cell recording technique in isolated guinea-pig ventricular cells. The inward L-type calcium current could be maintained at a steady level for up to more than 100 min, showing the presence of an endogenous steady calcium ion buffering mechanism. With nystatin-whole cell recording, the L-type calcium current after 10 min acute hypoxia (Po2 4 +/- 0.7 kPa) was inhibited (peak amplitude decreased) and the I-V relation was shifted upward. The inward calcium current showed no recovery after 10 min reoxygenation. The peak amplitude was lower than that of the control. The results suggested that the decrease of action potential duration (APD) under acute hypoxia was not only due to increase of outward potassium current, but also a decrease of inward calcium current. All these phenomena may be related to some inhibition of phosphorylation of the L-type calcium channel in the cardiac cells under hypoxia.

Effects of pharmacological interventions on emetine cardiotoxicity in isolated perfused rat hearts

The cardiotoxicity of emetine continues to be a significant clinical problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of several mechanistic interventions, including ICRF-187, an iron-chelating agent which protects against doxorubicin toxicity, atropine, and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) on the toxicity of emetine in our isolated, perfused rat heart model. The model includes functional, electrocardiographic, and biochemical determinations in the same preparation. Atropine and ICRF-187 had no effect on the time needed for emetine to induce ventricular asystole, while FBP significantly increased this time. Administration of 47 microM atropine, 300 microM FBP, or 1 mM FBP decreased the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) into the coronary effluent, while ICRF-187 had no effect. These pharmacological interventions variably changed the amplitude of the biphasic response of the coronary flow to emetine. Finally, FBP was very effective in slowing the rate of QRS-waveform degeneration in the perfused hearts. Emetine caused PR- and QRS-prolongation which was not altered by FBP.