OBJECTIVE: To investigate a animal model of spinal cord injury in different degrees of impact. METHODS: A new weight-drop device was designed with the character of controlled degree of impact and time. After thirty-five rats underwent different degrees of impact, their motor function and pathological changes were observed. RESULTS: In control group, the rats could walk after reviving, and the micro-structure of spinal cord was normal. With 0.5 mm depth of impact, the rats also could walk, and the micro-structure of spinal cord did not change obviously. With 0.8 mm depth of impact, the rats could walk after several days of injury and only slight damage could be found in spinal cord. When the impact depth increased to 1.0 or 1.5 mm, the rats were paralyzed completely and could not walk after four weeks of injury. Severe injury was observed in spinal cord. CONCLUSION: This animal model of spinal cord injury is based on different degrees of impact. It has stable and repetitive characters for the research on spinal cord injury.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) transplantation for treating spinal cord injury (SCI) in rat and the cytokine expression changes in the local injury tissues. MethodsBMSCs were separated from Sprague Dawley (SD) rat and cultured with the whole bone marrow culture method. rAd-EGFP was used to transfect the 5th generation BMSCs for green fluorescent protein (GFP) label. Twelve SD rats were randomly divided into experimental group (n=6) and control group (n=6). After the T10 SCI model was established with Allen's impact device in 2 groups, 1×106 GFP-labeled BMSCs and PBS were administered by subarachnoid injection in situ in experimental group and control group, respectively. Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) score was used to detect the motor function at immediat, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks after SCI. At 5 weeks, the spinal cord tissues were harvested for the histological and immunofluorescent staining examinations to measure the expressions of neural marker molecules, including Nestin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and neuron-specific nuclear protein (NeuN). Cytokine was analyzed with antibody array. ResultsAt 5 weeks, 2 rats died of urinary tract infection in 2 groups respectively, the other rats survived to the end of experiment. BBB score of experimental group was significantly higher than that of control group at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks (P < 0.05). At 5 weeks, histological results showed that there were many cells with regular arrangement in the experimental group; there were less cells with irregular arrangement in the control group. Compared with the control group, Nestin and NeuN expressions significantly increased (P < 0.05), and GFAP expression significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the experimental group. Leptin and ciliary neurotrophic factor levels were higher in the experimental group than the control group, but granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, tumor necrosis factorα, interleukin 1β, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 levels were lower in the experimental group than the control group. ConclusionBMSCs transplantation can improve survival and regeneration of nerve cells and enhances the recovery of nerve function by regulating secretion of cytokines from grafted BMSCs.
Objective To investigate the quantity and distribution of motor fiber of rat’s C7 nerve root. Methods Motor fiber quantity and section area in the main nerves of the upper extremity and the fascicles of C7 in 30 SD rats were analyzed.Results Fascicles and certain amount (207) of motor fibers from the anterior division of C7 were distributed to musculocutaneous nerve and median nerve, the orientation of these fibers were not clear. The ones (323) from posterior division were to the axillary, radial, and dorsal thoracic nerves, thus the orientation of these fascicles was relatively definite. Conclusion Thedistribution of the motor fibers and fascicles in the divisions of C7 in rat is similar to human beings, so rat is a relatively good model for the study of selective C7 nerve root transfer.
Objective To explore the effect of age and gene therapyon the differentiation of marrow mesenchymal stem cells （MSCs） of the rats. Methods MSCs from the young (1-month-old), adult (9-month-old), and the aged(24monthold) rats were expanded in culture and infected with adenovirus mediated human bone morphogenetic protein 2 gene (Ad-BMP-2). The expression of BMP-2 and osteoblastic markers such as alkaline phosphatase(ALP), collagen Ⅰ(Col Ⅰ), bone sialoprotein(BSP) and osteopontin(OPN) were assayed during the process of differentiation. Their abilities to induce ectopic bone formation in nude mice were also tested. Results There was no significant difference in the expression of BMP-2 among the 3 groups. ALP activity assay and semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) demonstrated that there were no significant differences in the expression of osteoblastic markers ALP, Col-Ⅰ, OPN and BSP amongthe 3 groups. Histomorphometric analysis indicated that there were no significant differences in the volume of the newly formed ectopic bones in nude mice amongthe 3 groups. Conclusion MSCs obtained from the aged ratscan restore their osteogenic activity following human BMP-2 gene transduction, therefore provides an alternative to treating the aged bone disease.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of pre-infusion of allogeneic lymphoyctes treated with 5-FU on the rat liver graft. MethodsRat liver transplant models from Wistar to SD were established. Four groups were designed as following: control group: only liver transplantation without any other intervention; lymphocytes group: 1 ml of untreated lymphocytes (5×106/ml) from Wistar rats were preinfused into SD rats on day 7 and 4 separately before transplantation; lymphocytes with low concentration of 5-FU group: low concentration 5-FU (7.5 μg) treated lymphocytes were preinfused as above; lymphocytes with high concentration of 5-FU group: high concentration 5-FU (15 μg) treated lymphocytes were preinfused as above. Fas-L and CD8 expression were detected by immunohistochemistry method on day 7 after transplantation. ResultsThe integral opticaldensity (IOD) of Fas-L positive lymphocytes in the lobules of liver and portal areas were higher in lymphocytes with low concentration of 5-FU group than in the other groups （Plt;0.05）. There was no difference between lymphocyte group and lymphocytes with high concentration of 5-FU group （Pgt;0.05）. The IOD of CD8+ expression in lobules of liver was not different among all the three lymphocytes treated groups （Pgt;0.05）. But in portal areas, CD8+ expression was lower in the lymphocytes with low concentration of 5-FU group than in the other groups （Plt;0.05）. ConclusionPreinfusion of lymphocytes treated with low concentration 5-FU can induce graft immune tolerance, the probable mecanism of which is the increasing Fas-L expression in graft.
【摘要】 目的 探讨慢性缺氧对大鼠岩神经节神经元酸敏感离子通道（acid-sensing ion channels，ASICs）亚型3（ASIC3）和亚型2a（ASIC2a）表达的影响。 方法 将12只健康成年SD大鼠随机分为正常组和缺氧组。用免疫组织化学法（PV）观察正常和慢性缺氧大鼠岩神经节神经元ASIC3和ASIC2a的表达。 结果 给予慢性缺氧刺激后，岩神经节ASIC3阳性表达神经元数目增多（Plt;0.05），灰度值降低（Plt;0.05）；而ASIC2a阳性表达神经元数目和灰度值无明显变化（Pgt;0.05）。 结论 慢性缺氧可上调大鼠岩神经节神经元ASIC3的表达，而对ASIC2a的表达无明显影响，提示ASIC3和ASIC2a可能在岩神经节对缺氧的反应中起着不同的作用。【Abstract】 Objective To investigate the effects of chronic hypoxia on expression of acid-sensing ion channels (ASIC) 3 and ASIC2a in neurons of petrosal ganglions of rats. Methods A total of 12 SD rats were randomly assigned to control group and hypoxia group. The expressions of ASIC3 and ASIC2a of the neurons in the petrosal ganglions in the two groups were investigated with the immunohistochemical technique. Results The level of positive ASIC3 expression in the petrosal ganglions was higher in the hypoxia group than that in the control group (Plt;0.05); the difference of positive ASIC2a expression levels between the control group and the hypoxia group was not statistically significant (Pgt;0.05). Conclusion Chronic hypoxia can significantly increase the expression of ASIC3, but not that of ASIC2a, of the neurons in the petrosal ganglions, suggesting their different roles in mediating a cellular response to chronic hypoxia.
ObjectiveTo explore the value of Aquaporin-3 (AQP-3) on the detection of early renal function damage by investigating the expressions of renal AQP-3 mRNA and protein of rats with obstructive jaundice (OJ). MethodsForty mature male Wistar rats were divided into two groups randomly: experimental group (n=20) in which the model of OJ rats was established, and control group (n=20, sham operation group). The levels of serum total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), creatinine (Cr)， and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were detected by fullautomatic biochemical analyzer on 7 d and 14 d after operation. The expressions of renal AQP-3 mRNA and protein of rats were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. ResultsThe levels of serum TBIL and DBIL were significantly higher on 14 d than those on 7 d after operation in experimental group (P=0.000), which were significantly higher than those at corresponding time point in control group (P=0.000), while the difference within control group was not significant (P=0.154). Thus, the OJ models of rats were established successfully. The difference of serum Cr levels of rats between inter-and intragroup were not significant (Pgt;0.05). Serum BUN level on 14 d after operation in experimental group was significantly higher than those on 7 d after operation in experimental group and on 14 d after operation in control group (P=0.001), although serum Cr levels were not different between 7 d and 14 d after operation in control group (P=0.288). The expressions of AQP-3 protein of rats on 7 d and 14 d after operation in experimental group were significantly lower than those at corresponding time point in control group (P=0.033, P=0.000), meanwhile on 14 d after operation in experimental group was significantly lower than those on 7 d after operation in experimental group (P=0.000). The expressions of AQP-3 mRNA of rats on 7 d and 14 d after operation in experimental group were significantly higher than those at corresponding time point in control group (P=0.000), but the difference at different time point in two groups was not significant (P=0.139, P=0.059). ConclusionsThe changes of renal AQP-3 protein and mRNA expressions are prior to the changes of serum Cr and BUN levels of rats suffered from OJ complicated renal function damage, which are promised to improve the early diagnosis rate of renal function damage in rats with OJ.
ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of lung injury in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats induced by acute organic phosphorus pesticides (AOPP) by observing the changes of the blood serum nuclear factor (NF)-κB consistence, NF-κB level of lung tissue and lung coefficient. MethodNinety-six healthy male SD rats (six weeks old) were randomly divided into group A (control, n=48) and group B (poison, n=48). The rats of group B were given omethoate by gavage (45 mg/kg), and the rats of group A accepted normal saline. Then the rats were killed at designated observing points (30 minutes; 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours), and the lung coefficient, blood serum NF-κB consistence and NF-κB level of lung tissue were measured. At the same time, we observed the pathological changes of the rats' lung tissue. ResultsCompared with group A, blood serum NF-κB consistence, NF-κB level of lung tissue and the level of lung coefficient in group B were significantly higher (P<0.01). The lung tissues of group A were normal at each time point, but in group B, the lung pathological changes gradually appeared 30 minutes later with pulmonary interstitial engorging, alveolar septum widening and some alveolus being full of red blood cells, and this situation reached its peak at hour 12. Then it gradually mitigated from 24 to 48 hours. ConclusionThere are significant increases in blood serum NF-κB consistence and NF-κB level in lung tissues in rats with lung injury induced by omethoate poisoning. The NF-κB may play a role in the process of lung injury induced by organophosphorus pesticide.
Objective To study the relationship between the expression ratio of induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) over glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and the time of injury after brain concussion in rat, in order to acquire a new visual angle for determining injury time of cerebral concussion. Methods Eighty-five healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups randomly: model group (n=25), experimental group (n=55), and control group (n=5). The rats in the model group were used to confirm the attack hight to make the model of brain concussion; according to the time of execution, rats in the experimental group were then subdivided into 11 groups with 5 rats in each subgroup, and their execution time was respectively hour 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, 168, 240, and 336; the rats in the control group were executed after fed for 24 hours. After the model of cerebral concussion was established through freefalling dart method, hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry staining of iNOS and GFAP were conducted for the brain of the rats. All related experimental results were studied by using microscope with image analytical system and homologous statistics. Results The ratio of positive expression of iNOS over that of GFAP increased gradually during hour 0.5- 3 after injury in brain (from 5.03 to 10.47). At the same time, the positive expression of iNOS increased significantly (from 14.61% to 37.45%). However, the increase of the positive expression of GFAP was not obvious. Between hour 3 and 12, the ratio began to decline to 4.98, which was still at a high level, and during the same time period, the positive expressions of iNOS and GFAP also experienced the same change pattern. Later, the ratio began to decline between hour 12 and 336 after injury (from 4.98 to 0.95). All ratios at this time were lower than those between hour 0.5 and 12. The positive expression of iNOS and GFAP both increased to a climax before declining. Conclusions The ratio of positive expression of iNOS over GFAP and the respective change pattern of iNOS and GFAP can be used as the evidence of estimating the injury time of cerebral concussion. We can use the ratio of two or more markers to provide a new visual angle for concluding the concussion injury time.
Objective To decrease the operative difficulty, with the purpose of looking for an orthotopic liver autotransplantation model which not only materializes the liver transplantation but also possesses higher survival rate. Methods This model was established via portal vein perfusion in thirty rats, and from which the result of the liver after perfusion, the operative time and the survival rate were observed. Liver tissues were researched at 24 h after operation under the light microscope. Results This model was easy to be perfused, the operative time was (48±3.0) min and the survival rate was 96.7% (29/30). The structure of hepatic tissue was basically normal with a little hydropic degeneration under the light microscope. Few erythrocytes residual occurred in the interlobular arteries under the light microscope. Conclusion The orthotopic liver autotransplantation model via portal vein perfusion has an exclusively blockage pattern which possesses a higher survival rate. It prevents the injury of immunological rejection and purely reflects the hepatic ischemia-reperfusion. But it is better to be applied in the non-hepatic artery anastomosis or the research nothing to do with the hepatic artery because the hepatic artery does not have sufficient perfusion.