The breakthrough discovery of cardiac natriuretic peptides provided the first direct demonstration of the connection between the heart and the kidneys for the maintenance of sodium and volume homeostasis in health and...The breakthrough discovery of cardiac natriuretic peptides provided the first direct demonstration of the connection between the heart and the kidneys for the maintenance of sodium and volume homeostasis in health and disease. Yet,little is still known about how the heart and other organs cross-talk. Here, we review three physiological mechanisms of communication linking the heart to other organs through: i) cardiac natriuretic peptides, ii) the microRNA-208 a/mediator complex subunit-13 axis and iii) the matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2)/C-C motif chemokine ligand-7/cardiac secreted phospholipase A2(sPLA2) axis-a pathway which likely applies to the many cytokines, which are cleaved and regulated by MMP-2. We also suggest experimental strategies to answer still open questions on the latter pathway. In short, we review evidence showing how the cardiac secretome influences the metabolic and inflammatory status of non-cardiac organs as well as the heart.展开更多
Clinical, biochemical and molecular evidence for the sickle cell anemia （SCA） crisis in Nigerian patients arising from parvovirus b19 infection remains inadequate. This study determined the prevalence and correlates...Clinical, biochemical and molecular evidence for the sickle cell anemia （SCA） crisis in Nigerian patients arising from parvovirus b19 infection remains inadequate. This study determined the prevalence and correlates of antiparvovirus b19 antibodies in a population of SCA patients and non-SCA healthy controls in Lagos, Nigeria. In this prospective cross-sectional study, we enrolled 73 confirmed SCA patients from 5 district hospitals in Lagos and 81 sex and age-matched non-SCA healthy controls. Serum sample from each study participant was screened for anti-parvovirus b19 by ELISA and PCR techniques. Standard biomedical assays were also done. Anti-parvovirus b19 IgM and IgG antibodies were detected in 22 （14.3%） and 97 （62.9%） of the 154 sera screened, 13 （17.8%） and 45 （61.6%） in SCA patients; 9 （11.1%） and 52 （64.2%） in non-SCA controls. The overall seronegativity rate was 19.5%. Parvovirus B19 DNA was found in 2 （11.1%） of the 18 IgM seropositive SCA serum samples screened. On the whole, parvovirus b19 infection was more commonly asymptomatic in non-SCA controls but caused significant elevation in liver enzymes in infected SCA patients （P 〈 0.05）. The risk of acute parvovirus b19 infection increased 65 times during unsteady state among the SCA patients. Although no deaths of infected patients were recorded during the study, age below 12 years, hospitalization and overcrowded environment were risk factors for infection. We conclude that parvovirus b19 is common in SCA patients, incurring greater susceptibility to infections.展开更多
Objective: To explore anti-tumor effect and mechanism of Allicin in treating murine bladder tumor. Methods: To observe Allicin's effect on MBT-2 tumor cells in vitro, 100 μg/ml Allicin was added to the tumor cell...Objective: To explore anti-tumor effect and mechanism of Allicin in treating murine bladder tumor. Methods: To observe Allicin's effect on MBT-2 tumor cells in vitro, 100 μg/ml Allicin was added to the tumor cell culture, and the morphology of tumor cells was observed by phase contrast microscope 6 hrs later. The direct effects of Allicin on tumor cell growth in vitro in the MTT Assay was also evaluated. To determine anti-tumor effect of Allicin in vivo, C3H/He mice were randomly grouped prior to initiation of experiment. The mice received 1×105 MBT-2 cells administered subcutaneously into the right posterior flank on the Day 0 the experiment started. Allicin was injected at the site near tumor transplantation on the Day 1. The mice were examined for tumor development and the tumors were measured in two dimensions with calipers twice a week. On Day 21 the tumors were resected and examined pathologically to see the immune response. Results: The observation of morphology of MBT-2 cells in vitro and MTT assay indicated that Allicin has apparent direct cytotoxicity to bladder cancer cells. In high dosage group, a marked delay was shown in the appearance and growth of tumors after subcutaneously injection when compared with the control group (P<0.01). Histology studies suggested that there were more macrophages, lymphocytes and fibroblasts at the peri-tumor region than the control group. Conclusion: Allicin has a marked tumor inhibitory effect on bladder tumor. This effect could possibly be related to direct cytotoxicity and activation of immune response. It could as possibly prove to be an effective intravesical treatment agent for superficial bladder cancer.展开更多
Background:The present study was designed to evaluate the potential of isoquercetin-based cream formulation on scald burn wound injury in rats.Methods:Four isoquercetin-based cream formulations viz.0.01,0.02,0.04,and ...Background:The present study was designed to evaluate the potential of isoquercetin-based cream formulation on scald burn wound injury in rats.Methods:Four isoquercetin-based cream formulations viz.0.01,0.02,0.04,and 0.06%w/w were prepared.Cream base and standard anti-burn cream containing silver sulfadiazine were also used for comparison.Scald burn was given to rats by pouring water at 90℃on a shaved dorsal area of 20 mm2.Deep second-degree burn injury was produced which was evaluated for the next 21 days for the percentage of wound contraction and period of epithelialization.On day 21,the rats were sacrificed and histopathological slides were prepared using hematoxylin-eosin staining.Burned tissue was also screened for levels of oxidative stress using thiobarbituric acid reactive species(TBARS)and reduced glutathione(GSH)estimation.Results:There was a significant increase in the percentage of wound contraction and a significant decrease in the period of epithelialization in isoquercetin-based cream-treated groups as compared with the control group.However,most significant results were obtained with isoquercetin 0.06%w/w cream.Histological y,isoquercetin 0.06%w/w cream treatment resulted in almost complete re-epithelialization and re-structuring of the wound tissue.There was a significant rise in TBARS and a decrease in GSH levels in the burn injury group which was reversed to a major extent by the application of isoquercetin-based cream.Conclusions:The results indicate the wound healing potential of isoquercetin-based cream.Tissue biochemical studies indicate towards a possible role of free radical scavenging in the observed effects of isoquercetin in wound healing.展开更多
基金supported by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada Discovery Grantfunding from the University of Alberta Hospital Foundation for Medical ResearchVisiting Scientist Fund from University of Alberta International
文摘The breakthrough discovery of cardiac natriuretic peptides provided the first direct demonstration of the connection between the heart and the kidneys for the maintenance of sodium and volume homeostasis in health and disease. Yet,little is still known about how the heart and other organs cross-talk. Here, we review three physiological mechanisms of communication linking the heart to other organs through: i) cardiac natriuretic peptides, ii) the microRNA-208 a/mediator complex subunit-13 axis and iii) the matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2)/C-C motif chemokine ligand-7/cardiac secreted phospholipase A2(sPLA2) axis-a pathway which likely applies to the many cytokines, which are cleaved and regulated by MMP-2. We also suggest experimental strategies to answer still open questions on the latter pathway. In short, we review evidence showing how the cardiac secretome influences the metabolic and inflammatory status of non-cardiac organs as well as the heart.
文摘Clinical, biochemical and molecular evidence for the sickle cell anemia （SCA） crisis in Nigerian patients arising from parvovirus b19 infection remains inadequate. This study determined the prevalence and correlates of antiparvovirus b19 antibodies in a population of SCA patients and non-SCA healthy controls in Lagos, Nigeria. In this prospective cross-sectional study, we enrolled 73 confirmed SCA patients from 5 district hospitals in Lagos and 81 sex and age-matched non-SCA healthy controls. Serum sample from each study participant was screened for anti-parvovirus b19 by ELISA and PCR techniques. Standard biomedical assays were also done. Anti-parvovirus b19 IgM and IgG antibodies were detected in 22 （14.3%） and 97 （62.9%） of the 154 sera screened, 13 （17.8%） and 45 （61.6%） in SCA patients; 9 （11.1%） and 52 （64.2%） in non-SCA controls. The overall seronegativity rate was 19.5%. Parvovirus B19 DNA was found in 2 （11.1%） of the 18 IgM seropositive SCA serum samples screened. On the whole, parvovirus b19 infection was more commonly asymptomatic in non-SCA controls but caused significant elevation in liver enzymes in infected SCA patients （P 〈 0.05）. The risk of acute parvovirus b19 infection increased 65 times during unsteady state among the SCA patients. Although no deaths of infected patients were recorded during the study, age below 12 years, hospitalization and overcrowded environment were risk factors for infection. We conclude that parvovirus b19 is common in SCA patients, incurring greater susceptibility to infections.
文摘Objective: To explore anti-tumor effect and mechanism of Allicin in treating murine bladder tumor. Methods: To observe Allicin's effect on MBT-2 tumor cells in vitro, 100 μg/ml Allicin was added to the tumor cell culture, and the morphology of tumor cells was observed by phase contrast microscope 6 hrs later. The direct effects of Allicin on tumor cell growth in vitro in the MTT Assay was also evaluated. To determine anti-tumor effect of Allicin in vivo, C3H/He mice were randomly grouped prior to initiation of experiment. The mice received 1×105 MBT-2 cells administered subcutaneously into the right posterior flank on the Day 0 the experiment started. Allicin was injected at the site near tumor transplantation on the Day 1. The mice were examined for tumor development and the tumors were measured in two dimensions with calipers twice a week. On Day 21 the tumors were resected and examined pathologically to see the immune response. Results: The observation of morphology of MBT-2 cells in vitro and MTT assay indicated that Allicin has apparent direct cytotoxicity to bladder cancer cells. In high dosage group, a marked delay was shown in the appearance and growth of tumors after subcutaneously injection when compared with the control group (P<0.01). Histology studies suggested that there were more macrophages, lymphocytes and fibroblasts at the peri-tumor region than the control group. Conclusion: Allicin has a marked tumor inhibitory effect on bladder tumor. This effect could possibly be related to direct cytotoxicity and activation of immune response. It could as possibly prove to be an effective intravesical treatment agent for superficial bladder cancer.
文摘Background:The present study was designed to evaluate the potential of isoquercetin-based cream formulation on scald burn wound injury in rats.Methods:Four isoquercetin-based cream formulations viz.0.01,0.02,0.04,and 0.06%w/w were prepared.Cream base and standard anti-burn cream containing silver sulfadiazine were also used for comparison.Scald burn was given to rats by pouring water at 90℃on a shaved dorsal area of 20 mm2.Deep second-degree burn injury was produced which was evaluated for the next 21 days for the percentage of wound contraction and period of epithelialization.On day 21,the rats were sacrificed and histopathological slides were prepared using hematoxylin-eosin staining.Burned tissue was also screened for levels of oxidative stress using thiobarbituric acid reactive species(TBARS)and reduced glutathione(GSH)estimation.Results:There was a significant increase in the percentage of wound contraction and a significant decrease in the period of epithelialization in isoquercetin-based cream-treated groups as compared with the control group.However,most significant results were obtained with isoquercetin 0.06%w/w cream.Histological y,isoquercetin 0.06%w/w cream treatment resulted in almost complete re-epithelialization and re-structuring of the wound tissue.There was a significant rise in TBARS and a decrease in GSH levels in the burn injury group which was reversed to a major extent by the application of isoquercetin-based cream.Conclusions:The results indicate the wound healing potential of isoquercetin-based cream.Tissue biochemical studies indicate towards a possible role of free radical scavenging in the observed effects of isoquercetin in wound healing.
