Functional Connections of the Vestibulo-spino-adrenal Axis in the Control of Blood Pressure Via the Vestibulosympathetic Reflex in Conscious Rats

Huan-Jun Lu,Mei-Han Li,Mei-Zhi Li,박상언,김민선,Yuan-Zhe Jin,박병림 대한약리학회 2015 The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology Vol.19 No.5

Significant evidence supports the role of the vestibular system in the regulation of blood pressure during postural movements. In the present study, the role of the vestibulo-spino-adrenal (VSA) axis in the modulation of blood pressure via the vestibulosympathetic reflex was clarified by immunohistochemical and enzyme immunoassay methods in conscious rats with sinoaortic denervation. Expression of c-Fos protein in the intermediolateral cell column of the middle thoracic spinal regions and blood epinephrine levels were investigated, following microinjection of glutamate receptor agonists or antagonists into the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) and/or sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced hypotension. Both microinjection of glutamate receptor agonists (NMDA and AMPA) into the MVN or rostral ventrolateral medullary nucleus (RVLM) and SNP-induced hypotension led to increased number of c-Fos positive neurons in the intermediolateral cell column of the middle thoracic spinal regions and increased blood epinephrine levels. Pretreatment with microinjection of glutamate receptor antagonists (MK-801 and CNQX) into the MVN or RVLM prevented the increased number of c-Fos positive neurons resulting from SNP-induced hypotension, and reversed the increased blood epinephrine levels. These results indicate that the VSA axis may be a key component of the pathway used by the vestibulosympathetic reflex to maintain blood pressure during postural movements.

β-adrenergic Receptor Activity in the Hippocampal Dentate Gyrus Participates in Spatial Learning and Memory Impairment in Sleep-deprived Rats

Huan-Jun Lu,Jing lv 한국뇌신경과학회 2021 Experimental Neurobiology Vol.30 No.2

Sleep deprivation (SD) leads to cognitive impairment, especially hippocampus-dependent learning and memory (L&M). The hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) is the key structure involved in spatial L&M while long-term potentiation (LTP) is an important cellular mechanism responsible for L&M. Physiological and behavioral evidences support the hypothesis that norepinephrine (NE) and β-adrenoceptors (β-AR) may play an important role in regulating L&M, including LTP. However, it is enigmatic how β-AR influences the LTP disruption or memory impairment under SD circumstances. In the present study, the rats were subjected to SD for 18 h per day for 21 consecutive days and cognitive capacity was assessed by the Morris water maze (MWM) test. We examined the extracellular concentration of NE in the DG using in vivo brain microdialysis and HPLC analysis. The amplitudes of field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) were subsequently measured in the DG during MWM test in freely moving conscious rats. The extracellular concentrations of NE and fEPSP amplitudes in the DG were significantly increased during MWM test, while these responses were suppressed in SD rats. When fEPSP amplitudes in the DG were measured after local injection of isoproterenol (an agonist of β-AR), SD rats significantly alleviated the fEPSP impairment and rescued deficits of spatial L&M. In addition, the reduced expression of N-methyl-Daspartate (NMDA) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors in SD rats significantly increased by activation of β-AR by isoproterenol in the DG. In conclusion, we propose that β-adrenergic signaling can improve memory impairment in sleep-deficient rats by regulating synaptic efficiency and glutamatergic receptor expression.

Functional Connections of the Vestibulo-spino-adrenal Axis in the Control of Blood Pressure Via the Vestibulosympathetic Reflex in Conscious Rats

Lu, Huan-Jun,Li, Mei-Han,Li, Mei-Zhi,Park, Sang Eon,Kim, Min Sun,Jin, Yuan-Zhe,Park, Byung Rim The Korean Society of Pharmacology 2015 The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology Vol.19 No.5

Significant evidence supports the role of the vestibular system in the regulation of blood pressure during postural movements. In the present study, the role of the vestibulo-spino-adrenal (VSA) axis in the modulation of blood pressure via the vestibulosympathetic reflex was clarified by immunohistochemical and enzyme immunoassay methods in conscious rats with sinoaortic denervation. Expression of c-Fos protein in the intermediolateral cell column of the middle thoracic spinal regions and blood epinephrine levels were investigated, following microinjection of glutamate receptor agonists or antagonists into the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) and/or sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced hypotension. Both microinjection of glutamate receptor agonists (NMDA and AMPA) into the MVN or rostral ventrolateral medullary nucleus (RVLM) and SNP-induced hypotension led to increased number of c-Fos positive neurons in the intermediolateral cell column of the middle thoracic spinal regions and increased blood epinephrine levels. Pretreatment with microinjection of glutamate receptor antagonists (MK-801 and CNQX) into the MVN or RVLM prevented the increased number of c-Fos positive neurons resulting from SNP-induced hypotension, and reversed the increased blood epinephrine levels. These results indicate that the VSA axis may be a key component of the pathway used by the vestibulosympathetic reflex to maintain blood pressure during postural movements.

Specific Mutations in APC, with Prognostic Implications in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Huan Peng,Jun Ying,Jia Zang,Hao Lu,Xiaokai Zhao,Pengmin Yang,Xintao Wang,Jieyi Li,Ziying Gong,Daoyun Zhang,Zhiguo Wang 대한암학회 2023 Cancer Research and Treatment Vol.55 No.4

Purpose Loss-of-function mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene are common in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, the characteristic of APC specific mutations in mCRC is poorly understood. Here, we explored the clinical and molecular characteristics of N-terminal and C-terminal side APC mutations in Chinese patients with mCRC. Materials and Methods Hybrid capture-based next-generation sequencing was performed on tumor tissues from 275 mCRC pati-ents to detect mutations in 639 tumor-associated genes. The prognostic value and gene-pathway difference between APC specific mutations in mCRC patients were analyzed. Results APC mutations were highly clustered, accounting for 73% of all mCRC patients, and most of them were truncating mutations. The tumor mutation burden of the N-terminal side APC mutations group (n=76) was significantly lower than that of the C-terminal side group (n=123) (p < 0.001), further confirmed by the public database. Survival analysis showed that mCRC patients with N-terminus side APC mutations had longer overall survival than C-terminus side. Tumor gene pathway analysis showed that gene mutations in the RTK/RAS, Wnt and transforming growth factor β signaling pathways of the C-terminal group were significantly higher than those of the N-terminal group (p < 0.05). Additionally, KRAS, AMER1, TGFBR2, and ARID1A driver mutations were more common in patients with C-terminal side APC mutations. Conclusion APC specific mutations have potential function as mCRC prognostic biomarkers. There are obvious differences in the gene mutation patterns between the C-terminus and N-terminus APC mutations group, which may have certain guiding significance for the subsequent precise treatment of mCRC.

Relationships among MTHFR a1298c Gene Polymorphisms and Methylation Status of Dact1 Gene in Transitional Cell Carcinomas

Cheng, Huan,Lu, Meng,Mao, Li-Jun,Wang, Jun-Qi,Li, Wang,Wen, Ru-Min,Chen, Jia-Cun Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.10

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between methylation status of the Dact1 gene and MTHFR a1298c polymorphic forms in transitional cell carcinoma tissues in a Chinese population. Methods: Polymorphisms of folate metabolism enzyme gene MTHFR were assessed by restrictive fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methods and PCR-based DNA methylation analysis was used to determine the CpG island methylation status of the Dact1 gene. Associations between the methylation status of the Dact1 gene and clinical characteristics, as well as MTHFR a1298c polymorphisms, were analyzed. Results: aberrant methylation of the Dact1 gene was found in 68.3% of cancer tissues and 12.4% of normal tissues,. The methylation rate of the Dact1 gene in cancer tissues was significantly higher in patients with lymph node metastasis than in those without lymph node metastasis (46.3% vs. 17.2%, P = 0.018). No association was found between aberrant DNA methylation and selected factors including sex, age, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and green tea consumption. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, variant allele of MTHFR a1298c was found to be associated with methylation of the Dact1 gene. Compared with wild type CC, the odds ratio was 4.33 (95% CI: 1.06-10.59) for AC and 4.95 (95% CI: 1.18-12.74) for AA. The N stage in TNM staging and the occurrence of lymph node metastasis were associated with an MTHFR 1298 AA+AC genotype (P<0.05). Conclusion: MTHFR 1298 AC and AA genotypes might help maintain a normal methylation status of the Dact1 gene, aberrant CpG island methylation of which is closely related to the genesis and progression of transitional cell carcinoma.

Analysis of the Baroreceptor and Vestibular Receptor Inputs in the Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla following Hypotension in Conscious Rats

Yan Lan,Huan-Jun Lu,Xian Jiang,Li-Wei Li,Yan-Zhao Yang,Guang-Shi Jin,박주영,김민선,박병림,Yuan-Zhe Jin 대한약리학회 2015 The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology Vol.19 No.2

Input signals originating from baroreceptors and vestibular receptors are integrated in the rostralventrolateral medulla (RVLM) to maintain blood pressure during postural movement. The contributionof baroreceptors and vestibular receptors in the maintenance of blood pressure following hypotensionwere quantitatively analyzed by measuring phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinase(pERK) expression and glutamate release in the RVLM. The expression of pERK and glutamate releasein the RVLM were measured in conscious rats that had undergone bilateral labyrinthectomy (BL)and/or sinoaortic denervation (SAD) following hypotension induced by a sodium nitroprusside (SNP)infusion. The expression of pERK was significantly increased in the RVLM in the control groupfollowing SNP infusion, and expression peaked 10 min after SNP infusion. The number of pERKpositive neurons increased following SNP infusion in BL, SAD, and BL+SAD groups, although theincrease was smaller than seen in the control group. The SAD group showed a relatively higherreduction in pERK expression when compared with the BL group. The level of glutamate release wassignificantly increased in the RVLM in control, BL, SAD groups following SNP infusion, and thispeaked 10 min after SNP infusion. The SAD group showed a relatively higher reduction in glutamaterelease when compared with the BL group. These results suggest that the baroreceptors are morepowerful in pERK expression and glutamate release in the RVLM following hypotension than thevestibular receptors, but the vestibular receptors still have an important role in the RVLM.

Analysis of the Baroreceptor and Vestibular Receptor Inputs in the Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla following Hypotension in Conscious Rats

Lan, Yan,Lu, Huan-Jun,Jiang, Xian,Li, Li-Wei,Yang, Yan-Zhao,Jin, Guang-Shi,Park, Joo Young,Kim, Min Sun,Park, Byung Rim,Jin, Yuan-Zhe The Korean Society of Pharmacology 2015 The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology Vol.19 No.2

Input signals originating from baroreceptors and vestibular receptors are integrated in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) to maintain blood pressure during postural movement. The contribution of baroreceptors and vestibular receptors in the maintenance of blood pressure following hypotension were quantitatively analyzed by measuring phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinase (pERK) expression and glutamate release in the RVLM. The expression of pERK and glutamate release in the RVLM were measured in conscious rats that had undergone bilateral labyrinthectomy (BL) and/or sinoaortic denervation (SAD) following hypotension induced by a sodium nitroprusside (SNP) infusion. The expression of pERK was significantly increased in the RVLM in the control group following SNP infusion, and expression peaked 10 min after SNP infusion. The number of pERK positive neurons increased following SNP infusion in BL, SAD, and BL+SAD groups, although the increase was smaller than seen in the control group. The SAD group showed a relatively higher reduction in pERK expression when compared with the BL group. The level of glutamate release was significantly increased in the RVLM in control, BL, SAD groups following SNP infusion, and this peaked 10 min after SNP infusion. The SAD group showed a relatively higher reduction in glutamate release when compared with the BL group. These results suggest that the baroreceptors are more powerful in pERK expression and glutamate release in the RVLM following hypotension than the vestibular receptors, but the vestibular receptors still have an important role in the RVLM.

Heavy concrete shielding properties for carbon therapy

Jin-Long Wang,Jiade J Lu,Da-Jun Ding,Wen-Hua Jiang,Ya-Dong Li,Rui Qiu,Hui Zhang,Xiao-Zhong Wang,Huo-Sheng Ruan,Yan-Bing Teng,Xiao-Guang Wu,Yun Zheng,Zi-Hao Zhao,Kai-Zhong Liao,Huan-Cheng Mai,Xiao-Dong Korean Nuclear Society 2023 Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol.55 No.6

As medical facilities are usually built at urban areas, special concrete aggregates and evaluation methods are needed to optimize the design of concrete walls by balancing density, thickness, material composition, cost, and other factors. Carbon treatment rooms require a high radiation shielding requirement, as the neutron yield from carbon therapy is much higher than the neutron yield of protons. In this case study, the maximum carbon energy is 430 MeV/u and the maximum current is 0.27 nA from a hybrid particle therapy system. Hospital or facility construction should consider this requirement to design a special heavy concrete. In this work, magnetite is adopted as the major aggregate. Density is determined mainly by the major aggregate content of magnetite, and a heavy concrete test block was constructed for structural tests. The compressive strength is 35.7 MPa. The density ranges from 3.65 g/cm³ to 4.14 g/cm³, and the iron mass content ranges from 53.78% to 60.38% from the 12 cored sample measurements. It was found that there is a linear relationship between density and iron content, and mixing impurities should be the major reason leading to the nonuniform element and density distribution. The effect of this nonuniformity on radiation shielding properties for a carbon treatment room is investigated by three groups of Monte Carlo simulations. Higher density dominates to reduce shielding thickness. However, a higher content of high-Z elements will weaken the shielding strength, especially at a lower dose rate threshold and vice versa. The weakened side effect of a high iron content on the shielding property is obvious at 2.5 µSv=h. Therefore, we should not blindly pursue high Z content in engineering. If the thickness is constrained to 2 m, then the density can be reduced to 3.3 g/cm³, which will save cost by reducing the magnetite composition with 50.44% iron content. If a higher density of 3.9 g/cm³ with 57.65% iron content is selected for construction, then the thickness of the wall can be reduced to 174.2 cm, which will save space for equipment installation.

부자(附子)의 활용(活用)에 대한 고찰(考察)

노환옥,강미정,이지원,유정희,이준희,고병희,이의주,Lu, Huan-Yu,Kang, Mi-Jeong,Lee, Ji-Won,Yoo, Jung-Hee,Lee, Jun-Hee,Koh, Byung-Hee,Lee, Eui-Ju 사상체질의학회 2010 사상체질의학회지 Vol.22 No.3

1. Objectives: After arranging the contents of the usages of Aconite mentioned in the literature - "Dongmu", a power trend me to further study the details of the usages of Aconite. 2 Methods: This study mainly refers to; "Dongmu-YuGo(東武遺稿)"(DYG), "Donguisusebowon-SaSangchobongyun(東醫壽世保元四象草本卷)"(DSS), "Donguisusebowon-GabObon(東醫壽世保元甲午本)"(DGO), "Donguisusebowon-ShinChukbon(東醫壽世保元辛丑本)"(DSC), and the research was written in order to find out the physiology and pathology of Soeumin in SCM. 3 Results and Conclusions 1) Taking aconite in a scale of 3 to 15 gram as common dosage, especially, when a person was critically ill, the dosage of 45 gram was used. Different dosages of aconite were chosen in accordance with some other different conditions, such as the purpose of reducing fever or mid-energizer warming, urinary volume, presence or absence of edema, stages of growth of diseases. In addition, we found a remedy using Remedy Single head garlic(獨頭蒜) instead of aconite. 2) Adverse toxic effects of aconite can be serious, it is dangerous to patients who are administered with aconite in massive amounts or take it in different concocting methods, therefore, further evidence about the laboratory experiments studied in animals and clinical dataare needed to confirm the scope for more widespread and accurate usages of Aconite.

Challenges and Advances in Materials and Fabrication Technologies of Small-Diameter Vascular Grafts

Mei‑Xian Li,Qian‑Qi Wei,Hui‑Lin Mo,Yu Ren,Wei Zhang,Huan‑Jun Lu,정윤기 한국생체재료학회 2023 생체재료학회지 Vol.27 No.00

The arterial occlusive disease is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular diseases, often requiring revascularization. Lack of suitable small-diameter vascular grafts (SDVGs), infection, thrombosis, and intimal hyperplasia associated with synthetic vascular grafts lead to a low success rate of SDVGs (< 6 mm) transplantation in the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The development of fabrication technology along with vascular tissue engineering and regenerative medicine technology allows biological tissue-engineered vascular grafts to become living grafts, which can integrate, remodel, and repair the host vessels as well as respond to the surrounding mechanical and biochemical stimuli. Hence, they potentially alleviate the shortage of existing vascular grafts. This paper evaluates the current advanced fabrication technologies for SDVGs, including electrospinning, molding, 3D printing, decellularization, and so on. Various characteristics of synthetic polymers and surface modification methods are also introduced. In addition, it also provides interdisciplinary insights into the future of small-diameter prostheses and discusses vital factors and perspectives for developing such prostheses in clinical applications. We propose that the performance of SDVGs can be improved by integrating various technologies in the near future.