Characteristics of androgen binding in rat adrenal tissue using [3H]methyltrienolone (R1881) as tracer

A high level of binding of [3H]methyltrienolone (R1881 = 17beta-hydroxy-17alpha-methyl-estra-4, 9, 11-trien-3-one) was found in cytosol prepared from adrenals of castrated male rats. Binding of [3H]R1881 was of high affinity (DK = 6.2 nM) and highly specific for androgens. The [3H]R1881 complex migrates at 7-9S on sucrose gradients in low ionic strength buffer and at 4-5S in buffer containing 0.4M KC1. All binding studies have been performed in parallel with rat ventral prostate and adrenal cytosol. The present data suggest the presence of an androgen binding component in rat adrenal tissue.     

药物注射联合针刀治疗肩周炎临床疗效及安全性分析

为探讨针刀联合曲安奈德、正清风痛宁、利多卡因治疗肩周炎的临床疗效及安全性分析,本研究选取2016年1月至2017年12月来东南大学附属中大医院疼痛科就诊肩周炎患者120例,随机数字表法分为药物治疗组40例(曲安奈德+正清风痛宁+利多卡因+臭氧治疗),针刀治疗组40例,综合治疗组40例(曲安奈德+正清风痛宁+利多卡因+臭氧+针刀治疗),对比分析各组治疗前后肩关节功能评分、视觉模拟评分法(visual analogue score, VAS)评分、不良反应发生率。结果显示,组内比较,3组治疗后VAS和肩关节功能评分与治疗前比较,差异具有统计学意义(p<0.001)。组间比较,治疗前3组VAS和肩关节功能评分比较,差异不具有统计学意义;综合治疗组各时间点VAS评分均低于药物及针刀治疗组,综合治疗组肩关节功能评分在治疗后1个月和2个月高于药物及针刀治疗组,差异具有统计学意义(p<0.001)。3组的不良反应发生率,差异不具有统计学意义(p>0.05)。综上所述,针刀治疗联合曲安奈德、正清风痛宁、利多卡因及臭氧在关节腔及关节周围注射治疗肩周炎安全有效,值得在临床中推广应用。     

Capture and reconstitution of G protein-coupled receptors on a biosensor surface

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors offer a unique opportunity to study the binding activity of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in real time with minimal sample preparation. Using two chemokine receptors (CXCR4 and CCR5) as model systems, we captured the proteins from crude cell preparations onto the biosensor surface and reconstituted a lipid environment to maintain receptor activity. The conformational states of the receptors were probed using conformationally dependent antibodies, and by characterizing the binding properties of a native chemokine ligand (stromal cell-derived factor 1alpha). The results suggest that the detergent-solubilized receptors are active for ligand binding in the presence and absence of a reconstituted bilayer. There are three advantages to using this receptor-capturing approach: (1) there is no need to purify the receptor prior to immobilization on the biosensor surface, (2) the receptors are homogeneously immobilized through the capturing step, and (3) the receptors can be captured at high enough densities to allow the study of relatively low-molecular-mass ligands (2000-4000Da). We also demonstrated that the receptors are sensitive to the solubilizing conditions, which illustrates the potential for using SPR biosensors to rapidly screen solublization conditions for GPCRs.     

Simultaneous HPLC analysis of triamcinolone acetonide and budesonide in microdialysate and rat plasma: application to a pharmacokinetic study

A specific and reliable HPLC-PDA method for the quantitative determination of triamcinolone acetonide, budesonide and fluticasone propionate (as internal standards) in small volumes of microdialysate and rat plasma was developed. An efficient solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure for plasma samples yielded extremely clean extracts with overall recovery of 104.3% and 95.7% for triamcinolone acetonide (TA) and fluticasone propionate, respectively. Plasma extracts obtained after SPE and microdialysis samples were directly injected on a C18 column to separation. The method has been validated with good linearity, sensitivity, specificity and high accuracy (RE -5.28% to 9.14%) and precision (CV 0.50% to 6.62%) on both matrices. In stability studies, TA and budesonide were stable during storage and assay procedures. The method was applied to a pharmacokinetic study in rodents using microdialysis to determine protein unbound TA concentrations in blood and muscle.     

Fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal sustained release device--a new addition to the armamentarium of uveitic management

Uveitis is a potentially sight-threatening inflammatory eye disease caused by multiple infectious and non-infectious etiologies for which the standard of care involves corticosteroids or various immunomodulary therapy (IMT) drugs. These available treatments, although effective, may cause significant morbidity and sometimes mortality in uveitis patients due to their toxic side-effects and the necessity of long-term therapy to prevent recurrences. In order to avoid the systemic toxicity ofcorticosteroids and IMT or the repeated injections of local steroids necessary to control ocular inflammation, and to prevent development of cumulative damage resulting from recurrent episodes of inflammation, researchers have developed a number of local corticosteroid sustained-release devices that can be implanted directly into the vitreous of the eye, at the site of the inflammatory disease. Preliminary studies of such a device, the fluocinolone acetonide (Retisert) implant, have shown significant reductions in the number of inflammatory episodes and decreased reliance on systemic corticosteroids or other IMT. This review explores the current research evaluating the fluocinolone sustained-release intravitreal implant in the treatment of posterior uveitis and the implications for its future use on a wider scale.     

Investigations on the glucocorticoid-binding protein from rat thymocytes: II. Stability,kinetics and specificity of binding of steroids

1.

1. The glucocorticoid-binding protein from rat thymocytes was shown to be stabilized by 40% (v/v) glycerol at −5°.     

Glucocorticoid effects on angiogenesis are associated with mTOR pathway activity

Glucocorticoids (GC) often are administered during pregnancy, but despite their widespread use in clinical practice, it remains uncertain how GC exposure affects pro-angiogenic factors and their receptors. We investigated the effects of GC on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), placental growth factor (PIGF), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) protein and mRNA expressions and investigated the possible association of GC with the Akt/mTOR pathway. We incubated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with a synthetic GC, triamcinolone acetonide (TA). TA administration caused decreased cellular and soluble VEGF and VEGFR1 protein expressions and increased soluble VEGFR2 expression. VEGF, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 mRNA expressions were altered in a time and dose dependent manner. PIGF protein expression was unaffected by TA treatment, but PIGF mRNA expression decreased in a dose dependent manner after incubation for 48 and 72 h. Phospho-mTOR and phospho-Akt expressions were unaffected. Phospho-p70S6K and phospho-4EBP1 protein expressions and the vascular network forming capacity of HUVECs decreased in a dose dependent manner. We found that GC exert detrimental effects on angiogenesis by altering cellular and soluble angiogenic protein and mRNA levels, and vascular network forming capacities by the Akt/mTOR pathway.     

Inhibition of phorbol ester-induced polyamine accumulation in mouse epidermis by anti-inflammatory steroid

Application of the tumor-promoting phorbol diester 12-$\text{O}$-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate to mouse epidermis causes a large increase in the activity of ornithine decarboxylase and in polyamine accumulation. Concurrent application of fluocinolone acetonide, an anti-inflammatory steroid that dramatically inhibits tumor promotion, resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in the 12-$\text{O}$-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-stimulated ornithine decarboxylase activity and the subsequent rise in spermidine levels. Spermine and putrescine levels were not greatly affected by fluocinoline acetonide treatment except that maximal putrescine values occurred later in time. Doses of the glucocorticoid as low as 0.1 μg inhibited the 12-$\text{O}$-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced ornithine decarboxylase activity by as much as 50% and the rise in spermidine accumulation by 30% after coincident treatment of female Sencar mice.