Immobilization and bone structure in humans

Long-term immobilization is known to result in substantial bone loss. The present review examined the existing evidence for deterioration of bone structure during long-term disuse in humans. Paralysis due to spinal cord injury, long-term exposure to microgravity in space or tightly restricted mobility during bed rest provide reasonable models to assess the influence of immobilization on bone structure. Expectedly, the duration of immobilisation was the major determinant of bone loss, but irrespective of whether the skeletal unloading was due to irrecoverable paralysis, long-term spaceflight or bed rest, the mean pattern of structural deterioration of bone, mainly manifest as substantial cortical thinning and trabecular bone loss, was quite similar. However, skeletal responses to disuse can be highly variable between individuals. Apparently the relative decline in individual’s bone loading in relation to loading prior to immobilization accounts for inter-individual variation.     

Transplanted neural progenitor cells expressing mutant NT3 promote myelination and partial hindlimb recovery in the chronic phase after spinal cord injury

Neutrotrophin-3 (NT3) plays a protective role in injured central nervous system tissues through interaction with trk receptors. To enhance the regeneration of damaged tissue, a combination therapy with cell transplantation and neurotrophins has been under development. We examined whether the transplantation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) secreting NT3/D15A, a multi-neurotrophin with the capacity to bind both trkB and trkC, would enhance the repair of damaged tissues and the functional recovery in a chronic phase of spinal cord injury. The cultured NPCs with lentiviral vector containing either GFP or NT3/D15A were transplanted into the contused spinal cord at 6 weeks after the initial thoracic injury. Eight weeks after the transplantation, the NT3/D15A transplants displayed better survival than the GFP transplants, and they exhibited enhanced myelin formation and partial improvement of hindlimb function. Our study revealed that NT3/D15A produced positive effects in injured spinal cords even in the chronic phase. These effects suggest an enhanced neurotrophin-trk signaling by NT3/D15A.     

脂联素与心血管疾病

脂联素是由脂肪组织分泌的一种细胞因子,与心血管疾病密切相关。脂联素通过抗炎和抗氧化抑制动脉粥样硬化发生。脂联素可促进血管生成,并具有保护心肌免受缺血再灌注损伤和减轻高压力负荷导致的心肌肥厚的功能。脂联素主要通过激活腺苷酸活化的蛋白激酶、环磷酸腺苷-蛋白激酶A等信号通路而发挥对心血管的保护作用。该文主要针对脂联素在心血管系统中的作用及其分子机制的研究进展作一综述。     

脑缺血再灌注损伤大鼠血浆蛋白C活性变化的研究

目的探讨脑缺血再灌注损伤大鼠血浆蛋白C活性的变化及其检测意义。方法取SD大鼠30只,随机分为正常对照组(NC组)、假手术组(SH组)及脑缺血再灌注模型组(IR组),每组10只。线栓法制备左侧局灶性脑缺血再灌注模型,缺血2 h,再灌注24 h,神经功能缺损评分后,右侧颈总动脉取血,离心后取血浆50μl,于-20℃冰冻保存,发色底物法检测蛋白C活性;余血浆2 h内检测凝血功能各指标。结果 IR组大鼠蛋白C活性较NC组及SH组明显降低(P0.01),SH组PC活性较NC组也降低(P0.05);IR组较NC组及SH组PT、APTT明显降低(P0.01),FIB显著增高(P0.01)。结论脑缺血再灌注损伤后PC活性明显改变,检测血浆PC活性的变化对缺血再灌注脑损伤的早期诊断与治疗监测具有重要意义。     

原花青素对脑缺血再灌损伤大鼠模型的影响

目的研究原花青素对脑缺血/再灌损伤(ischemia/reperfusion,I/R)大鼠神经功能评分(neurologicaldeficit score,NDS)、脑梗死体积、脑含水量等指标的药理作用。方法采用大鼠大脑中动脉阻断(middle cerebralartery occlusion,MCAO)法复制类似人类缺血性卒中的I/R损伤模型。结果该模型各时间点内均有程度不同的神经功能缺失,原花青素给药组神经功能评分明显低于对照组(P0.05),假手术组大鼠均无神经功能缺失,脑水肿情况均较对照组明显改善(P0.05),脑梗死体积与盐水对照组相比差异有显著性(P0.05),而假手术组均未见有梗死灶。结论原花青素具有一定的保护大鼠I/R后受损脑组织的作用,可供后续研究,并可为缺血性卒中使用原花青素治疗提供确凿的理论依据。     

Phenothiazines alter plasma membrane properties and sensitize cancer cells to injury by inhibiting annexin-mediated repair

Repair of damaged plasma membrane in eukaryotic cells is largely dependent on the binding of annexin repair proteins to phospholipids. Changing the biophysical properties of the plasma membrane may provide means to compromise annexin-mediated repair and sensitize cells to injury. Since, cancer cells experience heightened membrane stress and are more dependent on efficient plasma membrane repair, inhibiting repair may provide approaches to sensitize cancer cells to plasma membrane damage and cell death. Here, we show that derivatives of phenothiazines, which have widespread use in the fields of psychiatry and allergy treatment, strongly sensitize cancer cells to mechanical-, chemical-, and heat-induced injury by inhibiting annexin-mediated plasma membrane repair. Using a combination of cell biology, biophysics, and computer simulations, we show that trifluoperazine acts by thinning the membrane bilayer, making it more fragile and prone to ruptures. Secondly, it decreases annexin binding by compromising the lateral diffusion of phosphatidylserine, inhibiting the ability of annexins to curve and shape membranes, which is essential for their function in plasma membrane repair. Our results reveal a novel avenue to target cancer cells by compromising plasma membrane repair in combination with noninvasive approaches that induce membrane injuries.     

Extracellular Nm23H1 stimulates neurite outgrowth from dorsal root ganglia neurons in vitro independently of nerve growth factor supplementation or its nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity

The nucleoside diphosphate (NDP) kinase, Nm23H1, is a highly expressed during neuronal development, whilst induced over-expression in neuronal cells results in increased neurite outgrowth. Extracellular Nm23H1 affects the survival, proliferation and differentiation of non-neuronal cells. Therefore, this study has examined whether extracellular Nm23H1 regulates nerve growth. We have immobilised recombinant Nm23H1 proteins to defined locations of culture plates, which were then seeded with explants of embryonic chick dorsal root ganglia (DRG) or dissociated adult rat DRG neurons. The substratum-bound extracellular Nm23H1 was stimulatory for neurite outgrowth from chick DRG explants in a concentration-dependent manner. On high concentrations of Nm23H1, chick DRG neurite outgrowth was extensive and effectively limited to the location of the Nm23H1, i.e. neuronal growth cones turned away from adjacent collagen-coated substrata. Nm23H1-coated substrata also significantly enhanced rat DRG neuronal cell adhesion and neurite outgrowth in comparison to collagen-coated substrata. These effects were independent of NGF supplementation. Recombinant Nm23H1 (H118F), which does not possess NDP kinase activity, exhibited the same activity as the wild-type protein. Hence, a novel neuro-stimulatory activity for extracellular Nm23H1 has been identified in vitro, which may function in developing neuronal systems.     

急性肺损伤患者血清高迁移率族蛋白B-1与APACHEII的相关性研究

目的：研究急性肺损伤后血清高迁移率蛋白B-1（HMGB-1）的水平变化,并探讨其与APACHEⅡ评分的相关性。方法：测定10例正常成人与40例急性肺损伤病人伤后第1、4、7天的血清HMGB-1水平,同时评定其APACHEⅡ分值。在此基础上进行统计学分析,了解HMGB-1水平变化与-APACHEⅡ分值的相关性。结果：以APACHEⅡ20为分组界限,急性肺损伤组伤后第4、7天HMGB-1水平与APACHEⅡ明显相关（P〈0.01）。而创伤后第1天,HMGB-1水平与APACHEⅡ评分无显著相关性（P〉0.05）。结论：伤后第4、7天的HMGB-1水平与APACHEⅡ评分显著相关（P〈0.01）,常规检测创伤后血清HMGB-1水平并联合评定APACHEⅡ评分有助于对创伤后脏器功能不全的预测。