Discovery and therapeutic implications of bioactive dihydroxylated phenolic acids in patients with severe heart disease and conditions associated with inflammation and hypoxia

Our initial studies detected elevated levels of 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid (DHPLA) in urine samples of patients with severe heart disease when compared with healthy subjects. Given the reported anti-inflammatory properties of DHPLA and related dihydroxylated phenolic acids (DPAs), we embarked on an exploratory multi-centre investigation in patients with no urinary tract infections to establish the possible pathophysiological significance and therapeutic implications of these findings. Chinese and Caucasian patients being treated for severe heart disease or those conditions associated with inflammation (WBC ≥ 10×10⁹/L or hsCRP ≥ 3.0mg/L) and/or hypoxia (PaO₂ ≤ 75mmHg) were enrolled; their urine samples were analyzed by HPLC, HPLC-MS, GC-MS and biotransformation assays. DHPLA was detected in urine samples of patients, but undetectable in healthy volunteers. Dynamic monitoring of inpatients undergoing treatment showed their DHPLA levels declined in proportion to their clinical improvement. In DHPLA-positive patients' fecal samples, Proteus vulgaris and P. mirabilis were more abundant than healthy volunteers. In culture, these gut bacteria were capable of reversible interconversion between DOPA and DHPLA. Furthermore, porcine and rodent organs were able to metabolize DOPA to DHPLA and related phenolic acids. The elevated levels of DHPLA in these patients suggest bioactive DPAs are generated de novo as part of a human's defense mechanism against disease. Because DHPLA isolated from Radix Salvia miltiorrhizae has a multitude of pharmacological activities, these data underpin the scientific basis of this medicinal plant's ethnopharmacological applications as well as highlighting the therapeutic potential of endogenous, natural or synthetic DPAs and their derivatives in humans.

[Prognosis analysis of primary breast diffuse large B cell lymphoma]

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics, therapy modality and prognosis of primary breast diffuse large B-cell lymphoma(PB-DLBCL). Methods: A total of 68 patients with PB-DLBCL treated in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital were enrolled between January 1, 2004 and January 31, 2017. Clinicopathological data were retrospectively analyzed. 67 patients were female and only one male. The median age was 56 years old. 46 patients had Ann Arbor clinical stageⅠ~Ⅱ disease, and the other 22 were stage Ⅲ~Ⅳ. The patients with and without B symptom were 11 and 57, respectively. Kaplan-Meier method was used for univariate analysis to calculate the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate and 5-year progress-free survival (PFS) rate, compared using the log rank test. Cox regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis. Results: The 1, 3, 5-year OS rate were 84.0%, 78.0% and 73.0%, and 1, 3, 5-year PFS rate were 80.0%, 71.0% and 51.0%, respectively. Univariate analysis indicated that eastern cooperative oncology group (ECOG) score, Ann Arbor clinical stage, international prognostic index (IPI) score, risk stratification, B symptom, β2-microglobulin(β2-MG) level, size of the tumor and cycles of chemotherapy were prognostic factors for OS (all P<0.05), and Ann Arbor clinical stage, IPI score, risk stratification and B symptom were prognostic factors for PFS (all P<0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that Ann Arbor clinical stage was independent prognostic factor for OS(P=0.029) and B symptom was independent prognostic factor for PFS(P=0.028). Conclusions: Prognosis of PB-DLBCL was relatively good. Ann Arbor clinical stage and B symptom were independent prognostic factors for OS and PFS, respectively.

[Experimental study of using chitosan nerve conduit combined with PRP to repair facial nerve defect]

Objective:The purpose of this study was to produce chitosan nerve conduit in order to investigate the feasibility of chitosan nerve conduit combined with autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for repairing facial nerve defects.Method:Forty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (n=10 in each group).Establishment of the facial nerve defect model of the upper buccal branches was placed in the nerve regeneration catheter and injected with the same amount of PRP and saline. The PRP was injected into the chitosan nerve conduit as group A. The physiological saline was injected into the chitosan nerve conduit as group B. The physiological saline was injected into the silicone tube as group C. The PRP was injected into the silicone tube as group D. Eight weeks later,facial nerve gross observation,facial nerve electrophysiological tests,histological observation,image analysis,valuation of nerve regeneration recovery were detected.Result:Five patients were lost to follow up (all five in the modified Semont group),and three patients failed to complete treatment (all three in the Epley group). The sequelae at the 3rd day and one week after modified Semont maneuver were 27 and 9,while 41 and 15 in Epley group. The efficacy rates at the 3rd day and one week after modified Semont maneuver were 91.7% and 98.3%,and 91.9% and 96.8% in Epley group retrospectively. The sequelae and short-term effective rate of patients in modified Semont group was no difference when compared with that in Epley group (P>0.05).Conclusion:The chitosan nerve conduit combined with PRP has a certain effect on the repair of facial nerve defects and is expected to be applied to the repair of clinical facial nerve defects.

[A pharmacological study on suppository for anti-prostatis]

OBJECTIVE

To approach the pharmacological mechanism of the suppository for anti-prostatis (SAP).

METHOD

Investigating the inflammation of prostate in rat models with bacterial and nonbacterial prostatis induced by colonbacillus and "Xiao Zhi Ling", as well as the change of rheology in the rat model with acute blood stasis. Several tests on anti-inflammation, analgesia and bacteriostasis were conducted.

RESULT AND CONCLUSION

SAP could restrain the inflammation of prostate and resume its secretion obviously. It is very effective for anti-inflammation, analgesia and bacteriostasis, and also helps improve the change of theology in rats with blood stasis.

Selective modulation of excitatory transmission by mu-opioid receptor activation in rat supraoptic neurons

Opioid peptides have profound inhibitory effects on the production of oxytocin and vasopressin, but their direct effects on magnocellular neuroendocrine neurons appear to be relatively weak. We tested whether a presynaptic mechanism is involved in this inhibition. The effects of mu-opioid receptor agonist D-Ala(2), N-CH(3)-Phe(4), Gly(5)-ol-enkephalin (DAGO) on excitatory and inhibitory transmission were studied in supraoptic nucleus (SON) neurons from rat hypothalamic slices using whole cell recording. DAGO reduced the amplitude of evoked glutamatergic excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in a dose-dependent manner. In the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX) to block spike activity, DAGO also reduced the frequency of spontaneous miniature EPSCs without altering their amplitude distribution, rising time, or decaying time constant. The above effects of DAGO were reversed by wash out, or by addition of opioid receptor antagonist naloxone or selective mu-antagonist Cys(2)-Tyr(3)-Orn(5)-Pen(7)-NH(2) (CTOP). In contrast, DAGO had no significant effect on the evoked and spontaneous miniature GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in most SON neurons. A direct membrane hyperpolarization of SON neurons was not detected in the presence of DAGO. These results indicate that mu-opioid receptor activation selectively inhibits excitatory activity in SON neurons via a presynaptic mechanism.

[Whole-cell recordings of the supraoptic nucleus neurons from rat hypothalamic slices in vitro]

Fifty-two supraoptic nucleus neurons in rat slice preparations were studied using whole cell patch-clamp technique. The mean passive and active membrane properties were measured as follows: resting membrane potential, 59 +/- 8 mV; input resistance, 535 +/- 129 M omega; time constant, 32 +/- 9 ms; amplitude of the action potentials, 99 +/- 11 mV; overshoot, 37 +/- 13 mV (n = 39). Most of these neurons showed a prominent slow after-hyperpolarization potential or current in response to depolarizing pulse. In votage-clamp condition, it was found that virtually all supraoptic neurons (n = 13) were invaded by spontaneous synaptic inputs. Pharmacological experiments showed that the excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) were mediated by non-NMDA glutamate receptors, whereas inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) by GABAA receptors.

Nitric oxide inhibits neuronal activity in the supraoptic nucleus of the rat hypothalamic slices

The presence of abundant nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in magnocellular neurons of the rat hypothalamus suggests that nitric oxide (NO) may be involved in controlling the release of oxytocin and vasopressin. To test this possibility, we examined the effect of NO-related drugs on extracellular discharges of 124 supraoptic nucleus (SON) neurons from slices of rat hypothalamus in vitro. Twenty-three (43%) of 53 neurons were inhibited by sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a spontaneous releaser of NO, at 1-3 mM. This inhibition was prevented by preincubation of the slices with 1 microM hemoglobin, an inactivator of NO (n = 14), whereas hemoglobin alone enhanced neuronal activity in seven (35%) of 20 neurons. L-Arginine (1 mM), a precursor of NO, inhibited neuronal activity in five (36%) of 14 neurons, while D-arginine (1 mM), the inactive counterpart of L-arginine, was ineffective (n = 12). N-omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10 microM), an inhibitor of NOS, also enhanced neuronal activity in five (29%) of 17 neurons, while N-omega-nitro-D-arginine methyl ester (DNAME, 10 microM), the inactive enantiomer of L-NAME, was without effect (n = 11). Together, our data show that NO exerts predominantly an inhibitory effect on SON neurons and may serve as a negative feedback loop in controlling release of oxytocin and vasopressin.

Nitric oxide synthase expression in vagal complex following vagotomy in the rat

Peripheral axotomy of the spinal nerve and avulsion of the ventral roots have been found to induce increase in expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the spinal motor neurones and the dorsal root ganglion. The present study investigated changes of NOS, using NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) reactivity as the marker, in vagal complex after axotomy in the rat. Eight days after left cervical vagotomy the NADPH-d reactivity was found to be markedly enhanced in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve, the ambiguus nucleus, the solitary tract and the nucleus of the tractus solitarius, and the nodose ganglion. This study offers the first evidence of changes in NOS expression in cranial visceral components following axotomy.