OBJECTIVE: Improvement in lung function was reported after acupuncture treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Because an immune response imba...OBJECTIVE: Improvement in lung function was reported after acupuncture treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Because an immune response imbalance could be seen in COPD, we hypothesize that electroacupuncture (EA) may play a role in regulating inflammatory cytokines and contribute to lung protection in a rat model of smoke-induced COPD. METHODS: A COPD model using male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to cigarette smoke was established. The rats were randomly divided into four groups (control, sham, COPD, and COPD plus EA), and COPD model was evaluated by measuring pulmonary pathological changes and lung function. EA was applied to the acupuncture point Zusanli (ST36) for 30 min/d for 14 d in sham and COPD rats. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was used to measure levels of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), interleukin-113 (IL-113), and malonaldehyde (MDA). RESULTS: Compared with the control rats, COPD rats had significant changes in lung resistance (R,) and lung compliance (C,) (both P〈0.01), bronchi and bronchiole airway obstruction (P〈0.01), and levels of MDA, TNF-α, and IL-1β(P〈0.01). There were no significant differences between the control and the sham groups. Compared with the COPD rats, the COPD plus EA rats had decreased R, and increased CL (both P〈0.05), and reduced bronchi and bronchiole airway obstruction (P〈0.05, P〈0.01, respectively), while levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MDA in BALF were lowered (P〈0.05 and P〈0.01, respectively). However, TNF-α and IL-1β levels of the EA group rats remained higher than those of the control group (P〈0.05). CONCLUSION: EA at ST36 can reduce lung injury in a COPD rat model, and beneficial effects may be related to down-regulation of inflammatory cytokines. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects may prolong the clinical benefit of EA.展开更多
As an active component extracted from Chinese herb moutan cortex and roots of paeonia lactiflora pallas, paeonol possesses many biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and vascular protection activities. In...As an active component extracted from Chinese herb moutan cortex and roots of paeonia lactiflora pallas, paeonol possesses many biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and vascular protection activities. In this study, athero-protective effects of paeonol were investigated in apoliprotein E deficient(Apo E^–/–) mice through the entire course of atherosclerotic development. Apo E^–/– mice were divided into five groups and fed a high-cholesterol diet(HCD) for 5, 15 and 25 weeks. Then they were fed either paeonol or atorvastatin for 6 weeks. The methods, such as ELISA for serum lipid and cytokine analyses, Western blotting for protein expressions, and HE and oil-red o-staining method, were used for evaluation of thoracic aorta lesion area. The results showed that paeonol could significantly reduce body weight, blood lipid, total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG) and low density lipoprotein(LDL-C) in Apo E^–/– mice at all stages of the atherosclerosis process. Paeonol also reduced the levels of anti-inflammation factors, such as tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin(IL)-6, oxidized LDL cholesterol(ox-LDL), in serum. In paeonol groups, SOD was significantly increased, whereas MDA was decreased compared with the HCD group(P0.01). Paeonol markedly attenuated the thickness of the lipid-rich plaque and down-regulated the expressions of VCAM-1 and MMP-9 in aorta of mice, suggesting that paeonol could inhibit formation of plaque and stabilize plaques. Taken together, paeonol appeared to have anti-dyslipidemia and anti-atherosclerotic effects by lipid regulation, and it could inhibit the effects of inflammation and oxidative stress on HCD-fed Apo E^–/– mice through the entire course of atherosclerotic development.展开更多
Objective A strain of Aspergillus niger(A. niger), capable of releasing bound phenolic acids from wheat bran, was isolated. This strain was identified by gene sequence identification. The antioxidant and anti-inflamma...Objective A strain of Aspergillus niger(A. niger), capable of releasing bound phenolic acids from wheat bran, was isolated. This strain was identified by gene sequence identification. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity of ferulic acid released from wheat bran by this A. niger strain(FA-WB) were evaluated. Methods Molecular identification techniques based on PCR analysis of specific genomic sequences were conducted; antioxidant ability was examined using oxygen radical absorbance capacity(ORAC), cellular antioxidant activity(CAA) assays, and erythrocyte hemolysis assays. RAW264.7 cells were used as a model to detect anti-inflammatory activity. Results The filamentous fungal isolate was identified to be A. niger. ORAC and CAA assay showed that FA-WB had better antioxidant activity than that of the ferulic acid standard. The erythrocyte hemolysis assay results suggested that FA-WB could attenuate AAPH-induced oxidative stress through inhibition of reactive oxy gen species(ROS) generation. FA-WB could significantly restore the AAPH-induced increase in intracellular antioxidant enzyme activities to normal levels as well as inhibit the intracellular malondialdehyde formation. TNF-?, IL-6, and NO levels indicated that FA-WB can inhibit the inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS). Conclusion Ferulic acid released from wheat bran by a new strain of A. niger had good anti-inflammatory activity and better antioxidant ability than standard ferulic acid.展开更多
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81070001,No. 30670771)the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(No.09JC1402100,No.07DZ19722- 3)+1 种基金the Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project (No.B112)the Shanghai MICCA1 Key Laboratory (No.06DZ22103)
文摘OBJECTIVE: Improvement in lung function was reported after acupuncture treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Because an immune response imbalance could be seen in COPD, we hypothesize that electroacupuncture (EA) may play a role in regulating inflammatory cytokines and contribute to lung protection in a rat model of smoke-induced COPD. METHODS: A COPD model using male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to cigarette smoke was established. The rats were randomly divided into four groups (control, sham, COPD, and COPD plus EA), and COPD model was evaluated by measuring pulmonary pathological changes and lung function. EA was applied to the acupuncture point Zusanli (ST36) for 30 min/d for 14 d in sham and COPD rats. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was used to measure levels of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), interleukin-113 (IL-113), and malonaldehyde (MDA). RESULTS: Compared with the control rats, COPD rats had significant changes in lung resistance (R,) and lung compliance (C,) (both P〈0.01), bronchi and bronchiole airway obstruction (P〈0.01), and levels of MDA, TNF-α, and IL-1β(P〈0.01). There were no significant differences between the control and the sham groups. Compared with the COPD rats, the COPD plus EA rats had decreased R, and increased CL (both P〈0.05), and reduced bronchi and bronchiole airway obstruction (P〈0.05, P〈0.01, respectively), while levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MDA in BALF were lowered (P〈0.05 and P〈0.01, respectively). However, TNF-α and IL-1β levels of the EA group rats remained higher than those of the control group (P〈0.05). CONCLUSION: EA at ST36 can reduce lung injury in a COPD rat model, and beneficial effects may be related to down-regulation of inflammatory cytokines. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects may prolong the clinical benefit of EA.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.81473386,81773937)Natural Science Fund of Education Department of Anhui Province(Grant No.KJ2015A061)Excellent Researcher Award Program of Anhui Province(Grant No.gxyq ZD2016135)
文摘As an active component extracted from Chinese herb moutan cortex and roots of paeonia lactiflora pallas, paeonol possesses many biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and vascular protection activities. In this study, athero-protective effects of paeonol were investigated in apoliprotein E deficient(Apo E^–/–) mice through the entire course of atherosclerotic development. Apo E^–/– mice were divided into five groups and fed a high-cholesterol diet(HCD) for 5, 15 and 25 weeks. Then they were fed either paeonol or atorvastatin for 6 weeks. The methods, such as ELISA for serum lipid and cytokine analyses, Western blotting for protein expressions, and HE and oil-red o-staining method, were used for evaluation of thoracic aorta lesion area. The results showed that paeonol could significantly reduce body weight, blood lipid, total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG) and low density lipoprotein(LDL-C) in Apo E^–/– mice at all stages of the atherosclerosis process. Paeonol also reduced the levels of anti-inflammation factors, such as tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin(IL)-6, oxidized LDL cholesterol(ox-LDL), in serum. In paeonol groups, SOD was significantly increased, whereas MDA was decreased compared with the HCD group(P0.01). Paeonol markedly attenuated the thickness of the lipid-rich plaque and down-regulated the expressions of VCAM-1 and MMP-9 in aorta of mice, suggesting that paeonol could inhibit formation of plaque and stabilize plaques. Taken together, paeonol appeared to have anti-dyslipidemia and anti-atherosclerotic effects by lipid regulation, and it could inhibit the effects of inflammation and oxidative stress on HCD-fed Apo E^–/– mice through the entire course of atherosclerotic development.
基金financially supported by the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province [Nos.2016A040402020,2016B010121014]
文摘Objective A strain of Aspergillus niger(A. niger), capable of releasing bound phenolic acids from wheat bran, was isolated. This strain was identified by gene sequence identification. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity of ferulic acid released from wheat bran by this A. niger strain(FA-WB) were evaluated. Methods Molecular identification techniques based on PCR analysis of specific genomic sequences were conducted; antioxidant ability was examined using oxygen radical absorbance capacity(ORAC), cellular antioxidant activity(CAA) assays, and erythrocyte hemolysis assays. RAW264.7 cells were used as a model to detect anti-inflammatory activity. Results The filamentous fungal isolate was identified to be A. niger. ORAC and CAA assay showed that FA-WB had better antioxidant activity than that of the ferulic acid standard. The erythrocyte hemolysis assay results suggested that FA-WB could attenuate AAPH-induced oxidative stress through inhibition of reactive oxy gen species(ROS) generation. FA-WB could significantly restore the AAPH-induced increase in intracellular antioxidant enzyme activities to normal levels as well as inhibit the intracellular malondialdehyde formation. TNF-?, IL-6, and NO levels indicated that FA-WB can inhibit the inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS). Conclusion Ferulic acid released from wheat bran by a new strain of A. niger had good anti-inflammatory activity and better antioxidant ability than standard ferulic acid.