These results provide new evidence for the regionally specific functional interactions of EtOH on NMDA receptors in vivo. Moreover, these results support efforts to identify brain region-specific targets for EtOH and EtOH-induced changes in gene expression.

These results provide new evidence for the regionally specific functional interactions of EtOH on NMDA receptors in vivo. Moreover, these results support efforts to identify brain region-specific targets for EtOH and EtOH-induced changes in gene expression.

No abstract

Our previous study showed that Semen sojae germinatum (SSG), a soy-derived Chinese medicinal material, have potential benefits for knee osteoarthritis (OA). This study was undertaken to identify the major effective sub-fraction of SSG. The 95% ethanol extract of SSG was successively fractionated into petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and aqueous fractions. Then we examined the effect of fractions on the inflammatory response and cell proliferation of primary human osteoarthritic chondrocytes stimulated by interleukin (IL)-1β, a recognized and common inducer of OA in vitro. Results showed that the petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and n-butanol extracts of SSG promoted cell-proliferation measured by MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide] assay, increased the transcript levels and nuclear translocation of cyclin D1, and inhibited the production of pro inflammatory mediator prostaglandin (PG)E 2 and nitric oxide (NO) induced by IL-1β in human OA chondrocytes, suggesting SSG extracts possessed chondro protective and anti-inflammatory properties. The ethyl acetate fraction was superior to other fractions. These data indicated SSG extracts might become a potential treatment option for humans with OA.

JAK-STAT signaling pathway shared by a variety of cytokines was discovered in recent years. It plays an important role in growth and development, cell apoptosis and immune response. In general, activated STAT dimer binds to a palindromic sequence (TTCN2-4GAA) located at the upstream promoter region to activate gene transcription. Some signal pathways including Toll and Imd in silkworm Bombyx mori, a model of Lepidopteran insect, have been well studied. However, little is known regarding JAK-STAT signal pathway. In the present study, the genes regulated by JAK-STAT signal pathway were predicted by bioinformatics analysis. 1000bp of upstream promoter sequence of the all predicted genes were downloaded from the silkworm genome database, and the STAT binding sequence TTCN2-4GAA were searched by scanning the promoter sequences, the results showed that 1 to 6 the target sequences could be found in the upstream promoter sequences of 9293 genes coding7271 non-redundant proteins. Go annotation results showed that these proteins were involved to cellular component, molecular function and biological process, suggesting JAK-STAT pathway play an important role in many way. More than 50% genes related to binding, about 40% genes related to cellular process, metabolic process and catalytic activity in the targeting genes. It is considered that JAK-STAT play a role in immune response.1-4 STAT binding sequences could be detected in promoter region of some genes related to anti-viral factors, cellular immune effector, and small antimicrobial peptide including defensin, attacin, moricin and gloverin3, implying that the expression of some anti-viral factors, cellular immune effectors and antimicrobial peptides related to antiviral activity might be regulated by JAK-STAT signal pathway.