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IntroductionStatins and β1-adrenergic antagonists are well established in cardiovascular events therapy and prevention. The previous study showed that statins might impact on β-adrenergic signalling and blood pressure in a dose-dependent manner. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of 4-week administration of simvastatin given at different doses on the heart rate and blood pressure after injection of metoprolol in rats.Material and methodsThe experiments were performed in normocholesterolaemic and normotensive Wistar rats. Rats received simvastatin in doses of 1, 10 and 20 mg/kg body weight (bw) for 4 weeks. The control group received 0.2% methylcellulose. For the further estimation of the heart rate and blood pressure, metoprolol at 5 mg/kg bw or 0.9% NaCl was injected intraperitoneally.ResultsSimvastatin at doses of 1, 10 and 20 mg/kg bw did not influence the heart rate or blood pressure as compared to the control group. Metoprolol injection statistically significantly decreased the heart rate (439.29±14.03 min−1 vs. 374.41±13.32 min−1; p<0.05). In rats receiving simvastatin during the 4-week period after metoprolol injection, heart rate and blood pressure (mean, systolic, diastolic) were similar as compared to the group receiving metoprolol alone.ConclusionsSimvastatin administration during a 4-week period in different doses did not influence the heart rate or blood pressure after metoprolol injection in normocholesterolaemic and normotensive rats.

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The objective of this work was to demonstrate the usage of biodegradable polymers, made of calcium alginate and dibutyrylchitin, in the design of cellular scaffolds having broad application in reconstructive therapy (dentistry, orthopedics). To visualize cells seeded on calcium alginate and dibutyrylchitin polymers DAPI staining of fibroblasts nuclei was used. The cytotoxicity of the materials and microscopic evaluation of the viability of seeded cells was tested with a PKH 67 fluorescent dye. To assess the cellular toxicity the proliferation of fibroblasts adjacent to the tested polymers was examined. The vitability of cells seeded on polymers was also evaluated by measuring the fluorescence intensity of calcein which binds only to live cells. The conducted experiments (DAPI and PKH 67 staining) show that the tested materials have a positive influence on cell adhesion crucial for wound healing - fibroblasts. The self-made dibutyrylchitin dressing do not cause the reduction of viability of cells seeded on them. The in vitro study illustrated the interactions between the tested materials, constructed of calcium alginate or dibutyrylchitin and mouse fibroblasts and proved their usefulness in the design of cellular scaffolds. Examined polymers turned out to be of great interest and promise for cellular scaffolds design.

The aim of this study was in vitro evaluation of the level of the immune response in relation to wound dressings composed of alginate, calcium carboxymethylcellulose, and dibutyrylochitin and determination of the direction of response, which will make referring next to the results of in vivo phase possible. The subject of the experiments was to examine the commercially available, biodegradable alginate dressing, commercially available but not biodegradable dressing constructed from the sodium carboxymethylcellulose, and synthesized in house biodegradable dressing constructed of the dibutyrylchitin. To determine the direction of the immune response, the degree of secretion of pro-inflammatory interleukin (IL-1, IL-6) and antiinflammatory (IL-10) interleukin from murine fibroblasts having contact with the tested dressings (ELISA enzyme linked immunosorbent assay), was tested.