Search

Summary: Bone marrow endothelial progenitor cells (BM EPCs) are crucial in supporting haematopoietic regeneration, while the BM EPCs of haematological patients with chemotherapy‐induced thrombocytopenia (CIT) are unavoidably damaged. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the effect of thrombopoietin (TPO) on the recovery of BM EPCs of CIT patients and to identify the underlying mechanisms. The cell functions were determined by 1,1'‐dioctadecyl‐3,3,3',3'‐tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (Dil)–acetylated low‐density lipoprotein (Dil‐Ac‐LDL) uptake and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)‐labeled Ulex europaeus agglutinin‐I (FITC‐UEA‐I) binding assay, as well as proliferation, migration and tube formation experiments. Endothelial cells were transfected with METTL16 lentivirus, followed by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing. Zebrafish with vascular defect was used as the in vivo model. TPO significantly improved the quantity and functions of BM EPCs from CIT patients in vitro and restored the subintestinal vein area of zebrafish with vascular defect in vivo. Mechanically, TPO enhanced the BM EPC functions through Akt signal mediated by METTL16, which was downregulated in BM EPCs of CIT patients and involved in the regulation of endothelial functions. The present study demonstrates that TPO improves the recovery of BM EPCs from CIT patients with haematological malignancies via METTL16/Akt signalling, which provides new insights into the role of TPO in treating CIT in addition to direct megakaryopoiesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological Relevance. The Hugan Qingzhi tablet (HQT) is a traditional Chinese medicine used for treating NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease). The present study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of HQT in rats with NAFLD. Materials and Methods. HQT was administered daily to the NAFLD experimental groups. Biochemical markers, histopathological data, and oxidative stress/antioxidant biomarkers were determined. Proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were detected by enzyme-linked immunoassay. Expressions of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) and acetylated-nuclear-factor kappaB-p65 (Ac-NF-κB-p65) were performed by western blotting. Results. At high and moderate doses, HQT was highly effective in decreasing serum alanine aminotransferase (P<0.01), aspartate aminotransferase (P<0.01), hepatic total cholesterol (P<0.01), triglycerides (P<0.01), and free fatty acid levels (P<0.01). Moreover, high and moderate doses of HQT reduced hepatic levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α (P<0.01), IL-1β (P<0.01), and IL-6 (P<0.01), enhanced SIRT1 expression, and depressed Ac-NF-κB-p65 expression at protein level. Conclusions. In our NAFLD rat model, HQT exerted substantial anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, possibly involving the regulation of SIRT1 and Ac-NF-κB-p65 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid expansion from supercritical solution into aqueous solution (RESSAS) technology was presented for the micronization of Chinese medicinal material. Magnolia bark extract (MBE) obtained by supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) extraction technology was chosen as the experimental material. RESSAS process produced 303.0 nm nanoparticles (size distribution, 243.6--320.5 nm), which was significantly smaller than the 55.3 µµm particles (size distribution, 8.3--102.4 µµm) prepared by conventional mechanical milling. The effect of process parameters, including extraction temperature (30°°C, 40°°C, 50°°C), extraction pressure (200, 250, 300 bar) and nozzle size (50, 100, 200 µµm), on the size distribution of nanoparticles was investigated. The characteristics of nanoparticles and materials were also studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and laser light scattering (LLS). This study demonstrates that RESSAS is applicable for preparing nanoparticles of MBE at low operating temperature; the process is simple without any residual solvent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To establish an in vitro cell model for investigating hepatic steatosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease., Methods: L-02 cells cultured in 1640 containing 10% fetal bovine serum were divided into control group and model group. At 70%-80% confluency, L-02 cells in the model group were exposed to a long-chain mixture of free fatty acids (FFA, oleate and palmitate ) for 24 h, and cells in control group were treated with fresh medium. Lipid droplets in the cells were observed and total lipid content was determined with Oil Red O staining. The morphology of lipid droplets, trilyceride level, malonaldehyde content and cell apoptosis rate were evaluated to verify the cell model, and the effect of Huganqingzhi tablet on the lipid droplets was observed., Results: A large number of lipid droplets were found in the cell model, which showed markedly increased level of triglyceride without significant changes of malonadehyde content or cell apoptosis rate. Intervention with two doses of Huganqingzhi tablet significantly decreased the number of lipid droplets and trilyceride content in the cell model., Conclusion: hepatic steatosis L-02 cell model can be established by long-chain mixture of free fatty acids (oleate:spalmitate=2:1) for therapeutic drug studies.