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Abstract: Pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMC) were divided into a normoxic group (N), 2, 8 and 12h hypoxic groups (H2, H8 and H12) and an AG490 plus 8h hypoxic group (AG490). The expression of JAK1, JAK2, JAK3 and TYK2 mRNA was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). STAT1 and STAT3 protein expressions were determined by Western blotting. The results showed that the levels of JAK1, JAK2 and JAK3 mRNA did not change significantly in the N group but were increased after 2h exposure to hypoxia. JAK1, JAK2 and JAK3 mRNA expressions peaked at 8h. It decreased at 12h but remained above those in the N group. TYK2 mRNA was not found in either hypoxic or normal PASMC. The phospho-STAT1 and -STAT3 protein levels increased after 2h exposure to hypoxia. They were about 2.8 and 4.1 times the N group, respectively, after 8h. They decreased at 12h but remained above those in the N group. AG490 inhibited phospho-STAT3 protein expression by about 25.5% at 8h but did not block the expression of phospho-STAT1 protein. These findings suggest that hypoxia induces the expression of JAK1, JAK2, JAK3 and phospho-STAT1 and -STAT3 in PASMC. Hypoxia activates the JAKs–STATs signaling pathway, which may participate in the pathogenesis of hypoxic PASMC injury. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To analyze roles of memory T cells in the pathogenesis of dengue (DEN) virus infection, a DEN virus-specific CD8+ cell clone (2D42 cell) was employed to investigate its in vivo function after DEN virus infection using an animal model. HepG2 grafted severe combined immunodeficient (HepG2-grafted SCID) mice were divided into three groups—group A: HepG2-grafted SCID mice were inoculated intraperitoneally (ip) with 2D42 cells and then ip-infected with DEN virus type 2 (DEN-2); group B: HepG2-grafted SCID mice were inoculated with naive mouse thymocytes (NMT) and then ip-infected with DEN-2; group C: HepG2-grafted SCID mice were ip-infected with DEN-2 alone. Eighty percentage of group A mice died at average day 12.8 post-infection (p.i.) and 20% of them recovered from the disease after showing clinical signs and survived more than 3 months. They showed severe manifestations including dramatically decreased platelet count, decreased hematocrit, anemia, viremia and high frequency of histopathological changes in several organs. All of group B mice also showed the above severe clinical signs. One hundred percentage mortality rate was noted in these mice and death occurred at average day 10.8p.i., which was the earliest among three groups. Although the mice from group C showed 100% mortality rate and similar clinical signs, death observed in these mice occurred at average day 17.4p.i. and the manifestations were slight and developed slowly. Our results suggested both protective and pathogenic roles for DEN-specific CD8+ T cell in DEN virus infection, whereas NMT did not provided any protection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background and Aims: Disruption of the intestinal barrier of the digestive tract is a common pathophysiological change in the elderly, which may partly contribute to gut dysfunction and inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. This study aimed to discover new interactive epigenetic regulation patterns involved in intestinal barrier dysfunction and colitis in elderly populations., Methods: Intestinal barrier function and structure were evaluated in naturally ageing mice and elderly people. High-throughput analysis was performed on colonic tissues from humans and mice. The synergistic roles of miR-1-3p and miR-124-3p were identified using microRNA mimic/agomirs. Related genes were examined in biopsies of old IBD patients., Results: A defective mucus barrier was observed before mucosal microstructural damage during ageing. Elevated miR-1-3p expression in the colons of older individuals impaired the mucus barrier by directly targeting T-synthase, similarly to the mechanism of miR-124-3p, which we reported previously. Importantly, the synergistic effect of a half dose of each microRNA supplement on T-synthase and CDK4/6 was stronger than that of a full dose of miR-1-3p or miR-124-3p alone, and mice co-treated with two microRNAs showed greater susceptibility to chemical-induced colitis than mice treated with either microRNA alone. These two microRNAs were up-expressed in old IBD patients., Conclusions: The slight increases in miR-1-3p and miR-124-3p expression with ageing may be important contributors to the breakdown of intestinal homeostasis by targeting divergent genes in different cells. These data reveal the potential ability of multiple microRNAs to exert synergistic effects to damage the intestinal barrier and promote inflammatory bowel disease development in elderly populations., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation.)

Aim: To investigate whether Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl(-) cotransporter (NKCC2) is expressed in the mouse distal colonic epithelia and whether it is regulated by vasopressin in the colon., Methods: The mRNA expression of NKCC2 in the mouse colonic mucosa was examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. NKCC trafficking in the colon stimulated by 1-D-amino(8-D-arginine)-vasopressin (dDAVP) infusion (10 ng/mouse, intraperitoneal injection ) within 15 min, 30 min and 1h was investigated by laser confocal scanning microscopy. Total and membrane NKCC2 expression in the colonic mucosa from control and dDAVP-treated mice was detected by Western blotting. Short circuit current method was performed to determine regulation of NKCC2 by vasopressin in the colon., Results: NKCC2 was predominantly located in the apical region of the surface of the distal colonic epithelia; by comparison, a large amount of NKCC1 was distributed in the basolateral membrane of the lower crypt epithelia of the mouse distal colon. Short-term treatment with dDAVP, a V2-type receptor-specific vasopressin analog, induced NKCC2 re-distribution, i.e., NKCC2 traffics to the apical membrane after dDAVP stimulation. In contrast, no obvious NKCC1 membrane translocation was observed. Western blotting results confirmed that membrane NKCC2 had significantly higher abundance in the dDAVP-treated mouse colonic mucosa relative to that in the untreated control, which is consistent with our immunostaining data. Moreover, the short-circuit current method combined with a NKCC2 inhibitor demonstrated that NKCC2 was also activated by serosal vasopressin in isolated distal colonic mucosa., Conclusion: Our results provide direct evidence that vasopressin also plays an important role in the colonic epithelia by stimulating NKCC2 trafficking to the apical membrane and inducing NKCC2-mediated ion transport.

Normal aging is commonly associated with decreased cognitive functions, which could be conspicuously alleviated by enriched environment (EE) with physical, social, and sensory stimuli, suggesting that aging brain still has intriguing plasticity. Multiple researches have been carried out to explore the structural and the molecular changes in aging brain, which would be considered for evidences that EE regulated brain plasticity. Because there is no significant neuron loss in aging cerebral cortex and the white matter is crucial for cognitive functions, this review focused on the age-related white matter changes and the effects of EE on aged white matter. Data from our stereology laboratory revealed that age-related spatial memory declines had more to do with white matter alterations, which were due to marked demyelination and loss of oligodendrocytes in the white matter. We also demonstrated that EE recovered spatial memory impairment and increased white matter volume by promoting marked remyelination in aged brain. This review approached the issue that EE might contribute to normal aging and be beneficial for those suffering from demyelinated diseases., (Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: To explore and evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of surgical treatment for cancer of the pancreatic head., Methods: The clinical data of 96 patients with cancer of the pancreatic head admitted in our hospital from January 2002 to December 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. pancreatoduodenectomy was performed in 48 cases, extended pancreatoduodenectomy in 30 cases, and Roux-Y cholangiojejunostomy in 18 cases., Results: The 1, 2 and 3-year survival rates were 59.2%, 41.8% and 13.2%, respectively, in the patients treated with pancreatoduodenectomy, and 73.2%, 58.2% and 24.1%, respectively, in the patients treated with extended pancreatoduodenectomy. The 1, 2 and 3-year survival rates were 36.8%, 15.8% and 5.3%, respectively, in the patients with unresectable tumor who received radiotherapy and (or) chemotherapy in Roux-Y cholangiojejunostomy. The postoperative morbidity was 29.2%, 30.0% and 27.8% in the patients treated with pancreatoduodenectomy, extended pancreatoduodenectomy and Roux-Y cholangiojejunostomy, respectively., Conclusions: Pancreatoduodenectomy is the most effective treatment. Extended pancreatoduodenectomy can improve the surgical resection rate, reduce the recurrence rate and improve the survival rate. Internal drainage is an important palliative measure.

Although it is well known that the reduction of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) is associated with several gastrointestinal motility disorders in clinic, it is unknown whether the mature ICCs still have an active plasticity in adult mammals. This study focused on the issues of the reduction of ICCs during Imatinib administration and the recovery of ICCs following drug withdrawal in the small intestine of adult guinea pigs. ICCs were revealed by immunofluorescence on whole mount preparations with anti-Kit, alpha-smooth muscle actin, (alpha-SMA), and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) antibodies. Moreover, the occurrence of apoptosis was also assayed. Imatinib treatment led to a gradual reduction of ICCs in number around the myenteric plexus and deep muscular plexus, which was dependent on the time but no apoptosis of ICCs was detected with the TUNEL method. During Imatinib treatment, some ICC-like cells were double labeled for Kit and alpha-SMA and a few ICC-like cells were only stained with alpha-SMA. When Imatinib was discontinued, the number of ICCs recovered to normal within 32 days. During this time, some proliferating ICCs were demonstrated by double labeling with Kit and BrdU antibodies. Our results indicated that Kit signaling was essential for the maintenance of survival and proliferation of the mature ICCs in the small intestine of adult guinea pigs. Moreover, ICCs might transdifferentiate to a type of alpha-SMA(+) cells, perhaps a phenotype of smooth muscle cells, when there is a loss-of-function of Kit.

Aim: To isolate, culture and identify the human fetal pancreatic ductal stem cells in vitro, and to observe the potency of these multipotential cells differentiation into insulin-producing cells., Methods: The human fetal pancreas was digested by 1 g/L collagease type IV and then 2.5 g/L trypsin was used to isolate the pancreatic ductal stem cells, followed by culture in serum-free, glucose-free DMEM media with some additional chemical substrates in vitro (according to the different stage). The cells were induced by glucose-free (control), 5 mmol/L, 17.8 mmol/L and 25 mmol/L glucose, respectively. The cell types of differentiated cells were identified using immunocytochemical staining., Results: The shape of human fetal pancreatic ductal stem cells cultured in vitro was firstly fusiform in the first 2 wk, and became monolayer and cobblestone pattern after another 3 to 4 wk. After induced and differentiated by the glucose of different concentrations for another 1 to 2 wk, the cells formed the pancreatic islet-like structures. The identification and potency of these cells were then identified by using the pancreatic ductal stem cell marker, cytokeratin-19 (CK-19), pancreatic beta cell marker, insulin and pancreatic alpha cell marker, glucagons with immunocytochemical staining. At the end of the second week, 95.2% of the cells were positive for CK-19 immunoreactivity. Up to 22.7% of the cells induced by glucose were positive for insulin immunoreactivity, and less than 3.8% of the cells were positive for glucagon immunoreactivity in pancreatic islet-like structures. The positive ratio of immunoreactive staining was dependent on the concentration of glucose, and it was observed that the 17.8 mmol/L glucose stimulated effectively to produce insulin- and glucagons-producing cells., Conclusion: The human fetal pancreatic ductal stem cells are capable of proliferation in vitro. These cells have multidifferentiation potential and can be induced by glucose and differentiated into insulin-producing cells in vitro.

Objective: To investigate the expression levels of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) in the lung tissue of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) rat models., Methods: The Wister rat HPH models were divided into 4 groups: 1 week group (H1), 2 week group (H3), 3 week group (H3), and 4 week group (H4) (n = 12 in each group). The levels of STATsmRNA expression of the lung tissue were measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Northern blot. The protein expression of STATs and cellular morphologic changes were observed by immunohistochemistry and Tiger image analysis., Results: The RT-PCR showed that the levels of STAT1mRNA expression of the lung tissue in H1 1.25 +/- 0.12, H2 2.28 +/- 0.15 and H3 1.27 +/- 0.12 were significantly higher than that in the healthy control group 0.61 +/- 0.07 (P < 0.01); the levels of STAT2mRNA expression in H1 0.54 +/- 0.06, H2 1.01 +/- 0.08 and H3 1.36 +/- 0.09 were significantly higher than that in control group 0.30 +/- 0.03 (P < 0.01); the mRNA expressions of STAT3 in H1 0.74 +/- 0.11, H2 1.19 +/- 0.13 and H3 0.80 +/- 0.08 were significantly higher than that in control group 0.26 +/- 0.10 (P < 0.01); and the mRNA expressions of STAT5 in H1 0.92 +/- 0.10, H2 1.23 +/- 0.10 and H3 1.03 +/- 0.11 were significantly higher than that in control group 0.60 +/- 0.11 (P < 0.01). The Northern blot assay demonstrated that the expressions of STAT1mRNA in H1 0.49 +/- 0.10 and H3 0.67 +/- 0.07 were significantly different from that in H2 0.91 +/- 0.07 (P < 0.01); the expressions of STAT3mRNA in H1 2.10 +/- 0.21 and H3 2.58 +/- 0.17 were significantly different from that in H1 3.56 +/- 0.29 (P < 0.01); the expressions of STAT5mRNA in H1 0.99 +/- 0.10 and H3 1.45 +/- 0.12 were significantly different from that in H2 1.79 +/- 0.15 (P < 0.01). It is obvious that the mRNA expressions of STATs in the lung tissue of rat HPH models were increased in the 1st week, to the highest in the 2nd week, and decreased in the 3st week, and all higher than that of control group. The granules of STAT3 and STAT5, positively stained, were observed in the cytoplasm of pulmonary alveolar wall, intrapulmonary vascular and bronchial wall in H3. The protein expressions of STAT3 8.16 +/- 0.49 and STAT5 6.03 +/- 0.37 in H3 were markedly higher than those in H1, H4, and control group., Conclusion: The up-regulation of the STATs expression in lung tissue of HPH rat models suggested that the STATs were involved in the pathogenesis of HPH formation.

The localization of the new estrogen receptor, ER-beta, in the rat brain was studied by immunocytochemical technique, and the results revealed that ER-beta immunoactive material was predominantly localized in the neuronal nucleus, but it was also detectable in the cytoplasm and neuronal processes. High levels of ER-beta immunopositive signals were detected in the cerebral cortex, vertical limb of the diagonal band, Purkinje cells, locus ceruleus, and motor trigeminal nucleus. Moderate levels were found in the medial septum, lateral amygdaloid nucleus, substantia nigra, and central gray. Weak signals were localized in some subregions of the hypothalamus and amygdaloid complex. Some differences of the expression of ER-beta immunoreactivity between male and female rats were also noticed. The above results provide the first detailed evidence that ER-beta protein is widely distributed in the rat brain, and ER-beta may be involved in some important brain function such as learning and memory.