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    26 December 2014, Volume 4 Issue 6 Previous Issue    Next Issue

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    Protective Effect of Kaixin Powder Containing Serum on Corticosterone Induced CTX TNA2 Cells Injury
    WEN Zhi-ling, WANG Zhen-zhen, HE Wen-bin, CHEN Nai-hong
    2014, 4 (6):  1-5. 
    Abstract ( 3942 )   PDF (4799KB) ( 1147 )  
    Objective: To observe the effects of Kaixin powder containing serum on corticosterone induced injury of rat cortical astrocyte CTX TNA2 cell line. Methods: Firstly, SD rats were orally administered with Kaixin powder, positive drug fluoxetine (10 mg·kg-1) and solvent control in order to obtain corresponding serum. CTX TNA2 cell line injured by corticosterone was used to establish depression model in vitro and cell activity was detected with MTT. Then we tested whether Kaixin powder play a neuroprotective role through PI3K signaling pathway in this cell model with the inhibitors of this pathway and detected by western blotting analysis. Results: According to our data, when the corticosterone concentration reached 200 μM, the cell viability inhibition rate was stabilized at 60% with a well concentration dependent. Kaixin powder containing serum could significantly improve the survival rate of corticosterone injured CTX TNA2 cells. The western blotting results also showed that Kaixin powder containing serum could reverse the reduction of PI3K and AKT1/2 protein expression induced by corticosterone. However, after given the inhibitors of PI3K pathway, the protective effect of Kaixin powder was reversed. Conclusion: Kaixin powder containing serum has obvious protective effect on corticosterone injured CTX TNA2 cell line, and the mechanism may be associated with nerve cell protective related PI3K signal transduction pathway.
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    Influence of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae Hydrosoluble combinations on the memory dysfunction induced by ischemia-reperfusion in mice
    TIAN Hui, WANG Qian, MEI Yan-fei, ZHANG Dan-shen, XUE Gui-ping
    2014, 4 (6):  6-16. 
    Abstract ( 2614 )   PDF (47529KB) ( 1117 )  
    Objective: To study the protective effects of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae Hydrosoluble combinations on cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury and its mechanism. Methods: Cerebral ischemia and reperfusion model was conducted referring to improved Himori method in which bilateral common carotid arteries were temporarily obstructed. The effect of combination on learning and memory were examined in Morris water maze test. Anoxia survival time of decapitated mice, the activities of SOD, CAT and ACheE, and the content of MDA were measured. The influences of combination were studied on the neurological function and the expression of apoptosis related protein caspase-3 in hippocampal neuron and nerve growth factor in cortex using immunohistochemistry. Results: Combinations (B2,C11) could obviously improve memory impairment induced by cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in mice, enhance hypoxia tolerance, increase the activities of SOD and CAT, with decreasing the activities of ACheE and the content of MDA. At the same time, the expression of capase-3 was inhibited, increasing NGF. Effect of combination were most obvious in group (B4 1.4μmol·L-1 ,C11 30μmol·L-1 ), A2 combination has no significant effect at any dose. Conclusion: Combinations (B4,C11) have a significantly protective effect on hippocampal neurons after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury. The mechanism may be related to removing free radicals, inhibiting apoptosis of nerve cells, and promoting nerve regeneration.
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    Zebrafish---A new animal model for studying electrical stimulation-induced convulsion
    YUE Wang, ZHANG Ji-guo, YANG Jie, ZHOU Tao, ZHANG Dan-shen, SUN Fang, XUN Quan-han, ZHANG Shu-zhi, LI Xiao-ling
    2014, 4 (6):  17-20. 
    Abstract ( 2309 )   PDF (3328KB) ( 1023 )  
    Objective:To examine the validity of a new convulsion animal model using electrical stimulation in adult zebrafish. Methods: Adult zebrafish were randomly divided into subgroups (n=10 per group) and exposed to electric current (either 50 μA or 2000μA) for 1 second. In order to investigate the effects of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) on such animal model, adult zebrafish were pretreated with one of the following AEDs: diazepam, midazolam, phenobarbital, phenytoin, valproate and succinate, respectively, prior to delivering electrical stimulation. Results: The behavior profile during weak electrical stimulation (50μA, 1s) was characterized by scared twitch reaction, including forward channeling, jumping, swinging and circle swimming. The behavior profile during strong electrical stimulation (2000μA, 1s) was characterized by convulsive reaction, being tonic, motionless, followed by rollover,coma or even death, similar to the phenotype seen in mice convulsion model using maximal electrical shocks. All the above-mentioned AEDs significantly suppressed scared twitch reaction and convulsion behavior, caused by electrical stimulation (P<0.05 and P<0.01 respectively). Conclusion: This is the first report on electrical stimulation-induced convulsion in adult zebrafish. Our study provides behavioral evidence in support of adult zebrafish as a valid animal model for neuropharmacological research and potential method for antiepileptics screening.
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    Formaldehyde, an Epigenetic Factor for Learning and Memory Participating In Histone (de)methylation
    LI Ting, SU Tao, HE Ying-ge, HE Rong-qiao
    2014, 4 (6):  21-27. 
    Abstract ( 3195 )   PDF (7075KB) ( 1174 )  
    Histone methylation or demethylation is a process by which methyl groups are transferred onto or taken off the amino acids of histone proteins. In most cases, methylation and demethylation turn the genes in DNA "off" and "on", a major process in the epigenetic regulation. The covalent modification of histone is closely related to memory formation and forgetting occurrence. Formaldehyde, a methyl group donor, participates in the modification of histone. This suggests that imbalance of formaldehyde metabolism may interfere with histone methylation and demethylation, which is hypothesized as a risk factor involving age-related cognitive impairment including memory loss.
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    Research Progress on Chemical Constituents in Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd.et Wils. and its Pharmacological Activities
    TAN Xiao-hong, TIAN Jia-ming, YANG Hui, YANG Xiao-yuan
    2014, 4 (6):  28-32. 
    Abstract ( 3169 )   PDF (5497KB) ( 1340 )  
    Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd.et Wils. is distributed widely in China, and Lignans and terpenes are considered to be the main chemical constituents which exhibit the antioxidation and antiaging activities in the recent studies. In this paper, chemical constituents in the Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd.et Wils. and its pharmacological activities are reviewed, which provides the evidence for further development and use for Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd.et Wils.
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    A New Type of Anti-dementia Drug: The Chemistry, Biological Activities and Mechanism of Action of (-) Clausenamide
    CHU Shi-feng, ZHANG Jun-tian
    2014, 4 (6):  33-43. 
    Abstract ( 3143 )   PDF (9218KB) ( 902 )  
    Seven novel amides were isolated from clausena lansium (Lour) skeels, one of which is clausenamide.  Clausenamide contains 4 chiral centers, which correspond to 16 enantiomers. After the identification of the configuration of 16 enantiomers, all were successfully synthesized, and the asymmetric synthesis of (+) and (-) clausenamide were completed. During this process, the production scale has been substantially increased that should be adequate to meet the clinical use. Pharmacological studies have shown that (-) clausenamide is the effective enantiomer, while (+) clausenamide is ineffective and more toxic than (-)clausenamide using different animal models. (-)clausenamide can increase cognitive function and inhibit Aβ pathology. The anti-dementia mechanism is characterized as increasing synaptic function and structural plasticity.  . Together, (-)clausenamide may be a promising pharmacotherapy for the treatment of AD and other neurodegenerative disorders.
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    Application of Aptamer Technology on the Biomedical Research
    ZHAO Jie, ZHANG Qi, WANG Xu, HUA Qian, ZHANG Zi-jian
    2014, 4 (6):  44-54. 
    Abstract ( 3108 )   PDF (9218KB) ( 799 )  
    Aptamer, a specific oligonucleotide molecular obtained by systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) , is a new class of molecular recognition element. It can specifically bind to target molecules. The affinity between target substance and matching aptamer is comparable with antigen-antibody binding. Multiple analysis and testing technologies based on the aptamer have been established, and widely applied in many fields including biochemical analysis, disease diagnosis, drug discovery and so on. Here, we will introduce the screening and characters of aptamer and the application in the area of biological molecular detection, disease biomarker. Finally, the application of aptamer on the research of nervous system diseases will be discussed.
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    Progress in Understanding the Mechanism of Protective Effects of Cerebral Ischemia Injury
    ZHAO Wei, LI Fang-jiang, WANG Shu
    2014, 4 (6):  55-64. 
    Abstract ( 3201 )   PDF (9445KB) ( 2094 )  
    Cerebral ischemic disease is a common disease clinically, and frequently-occurring disease. Research shows that there is serious harm after cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury. In recent years, the cerebral ischemia reperfusion protection was laid emphasis on by the international medical circles. It is very significant for the protective mechanism of further research of cerebral ischemia injury, the discovery of cerebral ischemic disease treatment targets, and the development of the corresponding drugs. This review was focused on the research progress in understanding the mechanism of protective effects of cerebral ischemia injury.
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