Collection protocol for human pancreas

This dissection and sampling procedure was developed for the Network for Pancreatic Organ Donors with Diabetes (nPOD) program to standardize preparation of pancreas recovered from cadaveric organ donors. The pancreas is divided into 3 main regions (head, body, tail) followed by serial transverse sections throughout the medial to lateral axis. Alternating sections are used for fixed paraffin and fresh frozen blocks and remnant samples are minced for snap frozen sample preparations, either with or without RNAse inhibitors, for DNA, RNA, or protein isolation. The overall goal of the pancreas dissection procedure is to sample the entire pancreas while maintaining anatomical orientation. Endocrine cell heterogeneity in terms of islet composition, size, and numbers is reported for human islets compared to rodent islets. The majority of human islets from the pancreas head, body and tail regions are composed of insulin-containing β-cells followed by lower proportions of glucagon-containing α-cells and somatostatin-containing δ-cells. Pancreatic polypeptide-containing PP cells and ghrelin-containing epsilon cells are also present but in small numbers. In contrast, the uncinate region contains islets that are primarily composed of pancreatic polypeptide-containing PP cells. These regional islet variations arise from developmental differences. The pancreas develops from the ventral and dorsal pancreatic buds in the foregut and after rotation of the stomach and duodenum, the ventral lobe moves and fuses with the dorsal. The ventral lobe forms the posterior portion of the head including the uncinate process while the dorsal lobe gives rise to the rest of the organ. Regional pancreatic variation is also reported with the tail region having higher islet density compared to other regions and the dorsal lobe-derived components undergoing selective atrophy in type 1 diabetes. Additional organs and tissues are often recovered from the organ donors and include pancreatic lymph nodes, spleen and non-pancreatic lymph nodes. These samples are recovered with similar formats as for the pancreas with the addition of isolation of cryopreserved cells. When the proximal duodenum is included with the pancreas, duodenal mucosa may be collected for paraffin and frozen blocks and minced snap frozen preparations.     

Honey--a novel antidiabetic agent

Diabetes mellitus remains a burden worldwide in spite of the availability of numerous antidiabetic drugs. Honey is a natural substance produced by bees from nectar. Several evidence-based health benefits have been ascribed to honey in the recent years. In this review article, we highlight findings which demonstrate the beneficial or potential effects of honey in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), on the gut microbiota, in the liver, in the pancreas and how these effects could improve glycemic control and metabolic derangements. In healthy subjects or patients with impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes mellitus, various studies revealed that honey reduced blood glucose or was more tolerable than most common sugars or sweeteners. Pre-clinical studies provided more convincing evidence in support of honey as a potential antidiabetic agent than clinical studies did. The not-too-impressive clinical data could mainly be attributed to poor study designs or due to the fact that the clinical studies were preliminary. Based on the key constituents of honey, the possible mechanisms of action of antidiabetic effect of honey are proposed. The paper also highlights the potential impacts and future perspectives on the use of honey as an antidiabetic agent. It makes recommendations for further clinical studies on the potential antidiabetic effect of honey. This review provides insight on the potential use of honey, especially as a complementary agent, in the management of diabetes mellitus. Hence, it is very important to have well-designed, randomized controlled clinical trials that investigate the reproducibility (or otherwise) of these experimental data in diabetic human subjects.     

Brain Pharmacokinetics of Non‐Imidazole Biphenyl H3 Receptor Antagonists: a Liquid Chromatography/Electrospray‐Mass Spectrometry and ex vivo Binding Study in Rats

In the present article, we report on the kinetics of brain penetration in rats of the H3R antagonist 1,1′‐[1,1′‐biphenyl‐4,4′‐diylbis(methylene)]bis‐[piperidine] ( 1 ), which had shown a favorable in vitro pharmacological profile and in vivo potency in preventing scopolamine‐induced amnesia. Two different approaches were employed: high‐performance liquid chromatography/electrospray‐mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI‐MS) and ex vivo binding against the labeled agonist [³H]‐(R)‐α‐methylhistamine ([³H]RAMHA). Starting from the structure of 1 , the rigid piperidine ring was replaced by a flexible dipropylamino group (see 2 ) or by a morpholino ring (see 3 ), endowed with lower basicity. The effect of replacement on rat plasma and brain disposition in the 24 h after administration was analyzed. High (μM ) and persistent concentrations of 1 were found in rat plasma, while plasma levels were significantly lower (range: 0–200 nM ) for the other two derivatives. This could be explained, among other factors, by the higher stability, observed for 1 , to liver metabolic cleavage. The applied chemical modulation had an important effect on in vivo brain disposition, as, despite the comparable physico‐chemical properties, 2 did not show the tendency to accumulate within the brain, as stated by its brain vs. plasma concentration ratios, if compared to 1 . These structure? property relationships should be taken into account in the pharmacokinetic optimization of new series of H3 receptor antagonists.     

鼠尾胶原蛋白提取、分离、纯化方法的建立及鉴定

目的建立一种高效提取、分离、纯化鼠尾胶原蛋白的方法。方法通过对鼠尾进行剥离获得鼠尾腱,用Tris-HCl缓冲液、胃蛋白酶处理获得鼠尾胶原蛋白原液、反复使用氯化钠溶液进行分级盐析、醋酸溶液复溶进行鼠尾胶原蛋白的纯化。超纯水透析除去无机盐类获得纯化的鼠尾胶原蛋白。通过SDS-PAGE蛋白质电泳、氨基酸含量分析等技术手段鉴定。结果本研究建立的方法可以获得高纯度的鼠尾胶原蛋白,纯度达到电泳纯。与国外进口的商业化鼠尾胶原蛋白产品相比无差异。研究了提取、分离、纯化参数对得率、纯度的影响,建立了最优的鼠尾胶原蛋白提取条件,胃蛋白酶用量：1∶500,酶解时间：72 h,盐析浓度：2 mol/L,提取所用酸溶液：0.05mol/L醋酸溶液。结论为鼠尾胶原蛋白的扩大化生产提供了合适的工艺参数,为大量获得鼠尾胶原蛋白并进行更深层次的功效方面研究提供了理论支持和实践基础。     

Wistar大鼠心脏自发性病变的病理学观察

目的了解Wistar大鼠心脏自发性病变发病情况,为长期致癌性研究、老年病学研究及毒性病理学提供背景资料。方法采用160只清洁级Wistar大鼠,雌雄各半,常规饲养,分别在9月龄、12月龄、18月龄、24月龄时处死40只大鼠,HE及Masson三色法染色,观察心脏的病理改变。结果 9月龄Wistar大鼠心脏未见明显病理改变;12月龄Wistar大鼠月龄心脏病变的发病率为2.5%（1/40）,表现为少数心肌细胞变性坏死伴少量以单核细胞为主的炎细胞浸润;18月龄大鼠心脏病变的发病率为57.5%（23/40）,表现为轻至中度心肌病,雄性发病率高于雌性。24月龄大鼠100%（40/40）出现不同程度的心肌病,并有2.5%（1/40）发生心内膜下纤维组织增生。Masson染色显示9月龄大鼠心脏血管周围及心脏瓣膜环下有少量胶原纤维,随年龄增长,血管周围及心脏瓣膜环下胶原纤维逐渐增多,并延伸入心肌细胞间。结论随年龄增长,大鼠心脏自发病变比率升高,主要病变为心肌病,偶尔可发生心内膜下纤维组织增生;胶原纤维沉积首先发生于血管周围及心脏瓣膜环下,随年龄增长而增多,可能与大鼠心肌病的的发生密切相关。     

四氯化碳诱导大鼠肝性脑病模型的制备

目的建立肝性脑病（HE）动物模型。方法应用四氯化碳联合酒精自饮法制作慢性肝功能衰竭引起HE发生的模型,进行迷宫试验、脑电图、血液生化、形态学、行为活动观察等检测。结果 1.肉眼下可见模型组肝脏普遍肿大,表面较粗糙,有较粗的颗粒,暗红色;正常组肝脏未见异常。模型组肝内有大量纤维增生,肝细胞溶解,弥漫性大片坏死,残留肝细胞成片气球样变。2.与对照组大鼠比较,造模组第九周水迷宫测试逃避潜伏期明显延长,以潜伏期延长超过正常x＋2.5 s为标准,本实验有14/20（55%）只大鼠水迷宫潜伏期明显延长;3.HE模型组血氨浓度明显高于正常对照组,组间比较差异有显著性（P〈0.01）;4.正常组脑电图以α波为主,无明显异常;模型组出现肝性脑病变化。结论 1.建立了肝硬化合并肝性脑病较为理想的动物模型;2.水迷宫测试联合检测更易检出HE。     

固有免疫信号因子TRIF在肝纤维化中的表达

目的初步探讨TOLL样受体下游重要信号因子TRIF与肝纤维化发生发展的病理机制关系。方法以四氯化碳皮下注射+低蛋白高脂饮食+酒精饮料的方法复制大鼠肝纤维化模型。将SD大鼠随机分成正常对照组和模型组,在完成制备模型实验后进行取材。部分实验鼠进行心脏生理盐水和多聚甲醛灌注后,取肝脏组织制备石蜡切片,进行常规HE染色和免疫组化实验;另一部分实验鼠脱颈安乐死后,取新鲜肝组织进行电镜标本的制备和Western Blot实验检测。结果 HE染色结果显示与而正常对照组大鼠相比,模型组大鼠肝小叶结构明显破坏,肝细胞数量明显减少和肝纤维化程度等特点明显;电镜结果也显示,肝纤维化组可见大量胶原纤维沉积现象,胞质可见明显的溶解现象,在狄氏腔内,肝星状细胞的细胞核溶解,血窦内皮细胞胞质、胞核皆溶解;免疫组化模型组大鼠肝组织均显示内皮细胞、星形细胞等TRIF都有强烈高表达,并且以胞核表达为主,亦见胞质表达,而正常组呈现弱阳性表达;与正常对照组相比,模型组大鼠肝组织TRIF蛋白表达都明显升高,呈显著性差异(P<0.01),与形态学的表达特点相一致。结论 TRIF在肝纤维化中表达显著增强,说明在肝纤维化过程中,TOLL样受体明显激活,并且通过下游信号转导途径,在机体内产生一系列的免疫应答反应。通过该现象的观察,我们初步证实了TOLL样受体固有免疫信号因子TRIF在纤维化形成中起着重要的作用。     

高脂喂养合并小剂量链脲佐菌素建立2型糖尿病大鼠模型

目的 观察不同配方的高脂饲料,以及不同周龄的大鼠对于该模型的造模成功率和模型病变特点的影响.方法 将26只3周龄SD大鼠分为正常一组(N1组)、模型一组(M1组)和模型二组(M2组);26只5周龄SD大鼠分为正常二组(N2组)、模型三组(M3组)和模型四组(M4组).M1组和M3组给予高脂饲料配方一喂养,M2组和M4组给予高脂饲料配方二喂养.4周后,各模型组大鼠腹腔注射STZ溶液35 mg/kg.连续观察大鼠的空腹血糖(FBG)、空腹胰岛素(FIN)、总胆固醇(TG)、甘油三酯(TC)水平.结果 5周龄SD大鼠的FBG水平在注射STZ后两周即可达到稳定状态,并维持在较高的水平;高脂饲料配方二使大鼠的进食量和体重增加明显,并且成功诱导出胰岛素抵抗( insulin resistance,IR).结论 选取5周龄SD大鼠作为模型动物,并给予配方二高脂饲料喂养,所建立的大鼠模型具备2型糖尿病的主要特征,是值得推广的2型糖尿病动物模型.     

消栓通胶囊抗脑缺血作用的实验研究

目的:观察消栓通胶囊对双侧颈总动脉结扎的大鼠脑缺血的保护作用;对小鼠断头后存活时间的影响.方法:采用结扎大鼠双侧颈总动脉以造成脑缺血模型,观察消栓通胶囊的药理作用.结果:①a.消栓通胶囊对双侧颈总动脉结扎大鼠脑含水量及脑指数有显著影响,消栓通胶囊三个剂量组(0.20 g/kg、0.40 g/kg、0.80 g/kg),脑含水量明显减少,与模型组有显著差异(P＜0.05或P＜0.01).b.组织病理学检查表明消栓通胶囊组的脑组织神经细胞浓缩及深染较脑缺血模型组明显减轻;神经胶质细胞肿胀及间质疏松程度均明显轻于模型组.②消栓通胶囊三个剂量组(0.20 g/kg、0.40 g/kg、0.80 g/kg)均能明显降低全血粘度值,与模型组比较有明显差异(P＜0.05或P＜0.01);③消栓通胶囊三个剂量组(025g/kg、0.50g/kg、1.00 g/kg)给药14d,与正常组比较可延长小鼠断头喘气的时间(P＜0.05或P＜0.01).结论:消栓通胶囊对大鼠结扎双侧颈总动脉所致脑缺血损伤具有明显的保护作用.