Objective To observe the effects of δ-opioid receptor agonists D-Ala2-D-Leu5-enkephali （DADLE） on hepatocyte apoptosis and expressions of bcl-2 and caspase-3 in septic rat, and to investigate the possible mechanism by which DADLE protects the liver in sepsis. Methods Sepsis was reproduced in rats by cecum ligation and puncture (CLP). Fifty-four SD rats (either male or female) were randomly divided into CLP group (n=18), DADLE group (n=18) and sham operation (SO) group (n=18). The rats were respectively killed at different time (2 h, 4 h and 6 h after operation). Hepatocyte apoptosis was detected by TdT-mediated dUTP Nick End Labeling (TUNEL). The expressions of bcl-2 and caspase-3 protein were detected by immunohistochemistry. And the changes of pathology in hepatic tissue were detected by light microscope. Results The hepatic pathological lesion of rats in CLP group was obviously serious compared with SO group, while it was obviously improved in DADLE group. The apoptosis index of rat hepatocytes in CLP group significantly increased compared with SO group, and further it was prominent at 4 h （P＜0.01). The apoptosis index of rat hepatocytes at each time of DADLE group was significantly decreased compared with CLP group （P＜0.01）. Expression of caspase-3 protein in liver tissues of CLP group significantly increased compared with SO group （P＜0.01）, while the expression of bcl-2 protein significantly decreased （P＜0.05）. Expression of caspase-3 protein in liver tissues of DADLE group significantly decreased compared with the CLP group （P＜0.01）, while the expression of bcl-2 protein significantly increased （P＜0.05）. There was positive correlation between expression of caspase-3 in liver tissues and apoptosis index of hepatocyte (r=0.83, P＜0.01) and negative correlation between expression of bcl-2 in liver tissues and apoptosis index of hepatocyte (r=-0.65, P＜0.01). Conclusions The findings indicate that δ-opioid receptor agonists DADLE can obviously improve hepatic pathological changes of septic rats. And its protective mechanism contains down regulation of caspase-3 expression, upregulation of bcl-2 expression and thus the apoptosis of hepatocyte is repressed.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate apoptosis of chondrocytes cultured in vitro and related expression of caspase-3. METHODS: Apoptosis of chondrocytes were detected by flow cytometry analysis and TUNEL staining. The expression of caspase-3 was determined by RT-PCR and Western blot, and caspase-3 protein activity was determined by ELISA. RESULTS: Apoptosis was observed in chondrocytes cultured in vitro from passage 1 to passage 4 at various degrees. The percentage of apoptosis of chondrocytes on day 7 was much higher than that on day 3 (15.7% +/- 0.3% vs 8.9% +/- 0.6%, P lt; 0.01). caspase-3 mRNA and protein expressed in chondrocytes during whole culture process. Along with the culture time extension in vitro, caspase-3 expression and protein activity up-regulated, coincident with apoptosis of chondrocyte. caspase-3 was activated and a fragment of 20 kDa was detected after 7 days of culture. CONCLUSION: caspase-3 is involved in apoptosis of chondrocytes cultured in vitro.
ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of caspase-3 and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in the incised rat skin healing process and its relationship with the wound time and to provide an experimental evidence for the prediction of injury time.
MethodsAfter the rat incised wound model was established, hematoxylin-eosin dyeing technology and immunohistochemical staining technique were used to observe the expression of caspase-3 and TLR4. Then Image Pro Plus Image analysis software and SPSS statistical analysis software were used to deal with the experimental results.
ResultsCaspase-3- and TLR4-positive cells were detected in epidermis, hair follicle and sebaceous gland cells in the control skin. The expression of caspase-3 and TLR4 of the ante mortem groups were significantly different compared with the control group except the 0 h group (P<0.05). Caspase-3- and TLR4-positive cells were detected in neutrophils around the hair follicle half an hour later. Caspase-3- and TLR4-positive cell rate increased with the infiltration of inflammatory cells. Caspase-3- and TLR4-positive cell rate reached the maximum on the 3 rd day, and then it began to decrease, and they were mainly expressed in fibroblasts and mononuclear macrophages. Caspase-3- and TLR4-positive cells were mainly expressed in fibroblasts on the 10th day. There was no significant differences between the postmortem injury groups and the normal control groups (P>0.05).
ConclusionCaspase-3- and TLR4-positive cell rate is time dependent and stable in 25℃ temperature environment which makes it possible to determine the time of injury.
【摘要】 目的 探討鐵螯合劑去鐵胺（DFO）對誘導白血病細胞HL-60的分子機制。 方法 2003年7-12月用鈣黃綠素（calcein）檢測HL-60細胞LIP。臺盼藍活細胞拒染實驗進行活細胞計數及細胞存活率測定；光鏡形態學觀察及流式細胞儀（FCM）等方法檢測HL-60細胞凋亡；比色法檢測caspase-3（基于pNA標記底物的比色法）活性。 結果 ①不同濃度的DFO作用于HL-60細胞后，隨培養時間延長及DFO濃度的增加，動態鐵池降低，細胞生存率逐漸下降，凋亡率增加，顯示一定的時間劑量依賴性。②HL-60細胞在不同濃度的DFO作用下，caspase-3的活性逐漸升高。50、100 μmol/L DFO作用于HL-60細胞24 h，caspase-3酶活性升高明顯，與對照組相比，有統計學意義（Plt;0.001）；相關分析結果顯示，HL-60細胞LIP的改變與caspase-3活性變化呈負相關系（r=-0.887，Plt;0.05）。 結論 DFO誘導白血病細胞凋亡的作用可能與螯合細胞內鐵，降低細胞LIP，激活caspase-3，最終實施細胞凋亡密切相關。【Abstract】 Objective To observe the changes of caspase-3 activity during apoptosis of HL-60 cells induced by an iron deferoxamine (DFO). Methods Exponentially growing HL-60 cells (1×106/mL) were used in this experiment from July 2003 to December 2003. The study groups were divided as follows: DFO group, iron+DFO group and control group. The viability was detected by typanblue, apoptosis was assessed by morphological study and flow cytometry (FCM) assay, and the caspase-3 activity was detected by melorimetry. The intracellular label iron pool (LIP) was measured with a fluorimetric assay using the metalsensitive probe calcein-AM. Results ①When HL-60 cells were incubated with different concentrations of DFO, viability assay was lower than that in the control group at the 12th, 24th and 48th hour (Plt;0.05). ② The cells incubated with different concentrations of DFO showed dose-time dependence and was much higher than that in the control group (Plt;0.01). ③The caspase-3 activity was significantly higher in the apoptotic cells than that in the control cells. Conclusions The apoptosis of HL-60 cells induced by DFO may be correlated with the decrease of cellular LIP and activity of caspase-3.
