BACKGROUND: Many studies have showed that apoptosis of endothelial cells plays a curial role in the progress of sepsis. But the role of simvastatin in apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by sepsis is not clear. The...BACKGROUND: Many studies have showed that apoptosis of endothelial cells plays a curial role in the progress of sepsis. But the role of simvastatin in apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by sepsis is not clear. The present study aimed to investigate the role of simvastatin in apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by sepsis and its mechanism.METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs) were randomly divided into three groups: control group, sepsis serum intervention group(sepsis group) and simvastatin+sepsis serum intervention group(simvastatin group). After 24-hour incubation with corresponding culture medium, the relative growth rate of HUVECS in different groups was detected by MTT assay; the apoptosis of HUVECs was detected by Hoechst33258 assay and fl ow cytometry; and the expression of the Bcl-2 and Bax genes of HUVECs was detected by PCR.RESULTS: Compared with the sepsis group, HUVECs in the simvastatin group had a higher relative growth rate. Apoptotic HUVECs decreased significantly in the simvastatin group in comparison with the sepsis group. Expression of the Bcl-2 gene in HUVECs decreased obviously, but the expression of the Bax gene increased obviously after 24-hour incubation with sepsis serum; however, the expression of the Bcl-2 and Bax genes was just the opposite in the simvastatin group.CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that simvastatin can inhibit apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by sepsis through upregulating the expression of Bcl-2 and downregulating Bax. It may be one of the mechanisms for simvastatin to treat sepsis.展开更多
Background Behavioral research has shown that children with autism spectrum disorder(ASD)have a higher empathizing–systemizing difference(D score)than normal children.However,there is no research about the neuroanato...Background Behavioral research has shown that children with autism spectrum disorder(ASD)have a higher empathizing–systemizing difference(D score)than normal children.However,there is no research about the neuroanatomical mechanisms of the empathizing–systemizing difference in children with ASD.Methods Participants comprised 41 children with ASD and 39 typically developing(TD)children aged 6‒12 years.Empathizing–systemizing difference was estimated using the D score from the Chinese version of Children’s Empathy Quotient and Systemizing Quotient.We quantified brain morphometry,including global and regional brain volumes and surface-based cortical measures(cortical thickness,surface area,and gyrification)via structural magnetic resonance imaging.Results We found that the D score was significantly negatively associated with amygdala gray matter volume[β=−0.16;95%confidence interval(CI):−0.30,−0.02;P value=0.030]in children with ASD.There was a significantly negative association between D score and gyrification in the left lateral occipital cortex(LOC)in children with ASD(B=−0.10;SE=0.03;cluster-wise P value=0.006)and a significantly positive association between D score and gyrification in the right fusiform in TD children(B=0.10;SE=0.03;cluster-wise P value=0.022).Moderation analyses demonstrated significant interactions between D score and diagnosed group in amygdala gray matter volume(β=0.19;95%CI 0.04,0.35;P value=0.013)and left LOC gyrification(β=0.11;95%CI 0.05,0.17;P value=0.001)but not in right fusiform gyrification(β=0.08;95%CI−0.02,0.17;P value=0.105).Conclusions Neuroanatomical variation in amygdala volume and gyrification of LOC could be potential biomarkers for the empathizing–systemizing difference in children with ASD but not in TD children.Large-scale neuroimaging studies are necessary to test the replicability of our findings.展开更多
基金supported by grants from the Medical Research Foundation of Hunan Province(B2013-040)the Science and Technology Development Foundation of Hengyang City(2010kj38)
文摘BACKGROUND: Many studies have showed that apoptosis of endothelial cells plays a curial role in the progress of sepsis. But the role of simvastatin in apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by sepsis is not clear. The present study aimed to investigate the role of simvastatin in apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by sepsis and its mechanism.METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs) were randomly divided into three groups: control group, sepsis serum intervention group(sepsis group) and simvastatin+sepsis serum intervention group(simvastatin group). After 24-hour incubation with corresponding culture medium, the relative growth rate of HUVECS in different groups was detected by MTT assay; the apoptosis of HUVECs was detected by Hoechst33258 assay and fl ow cytometry; and the expression of the Bcl-2 and Bax genes of HUVECs was detected by PCR.RESULTS: Compared with the sepsis group, HUVECs in the simvastatin group had a higher relative growth rate. Apoptotic HUVECs decreased significantly in the simvastatin group in comparison with the sepsis group. Expression of the Bcl-2 gene in HUVECs decreased obviously, but the expression of the Bax gene increased obviously after 24-hour incubation with sepsis serum; however, the expression of the Bcl-2 and Bax genes was just the opposite in the simvastatin group.CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that simvastatin can inhibit apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by sepsis through upregulating the expression of Bcl-2 and downregulating Bax. It may be one of the mechanisms for simvastatin to treat sepsis.
基金This work was supported by the Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province(2019B030335001)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82273649,81872639,82103794)Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2021A1515011757,2022B1515130007).
文摘Background Behavioral research has shown that children with autism spectrum disorder(ASD)have a higher empathizing–systemizing difference(D score)than normal children.However,there is no research about the neuroanatomical mechanisms of the empathizing–systemizing difference in children with ASD.Methods Participants comprised 41 children with ASD and 39 typically developing(TD)children aged 6‒12 years.Empathizing–systemizing difference was estimated using the D score from the Chinese version of Children’s Empathy Quotient and Systemizing Quotient.We quantified brain morphometry,including global and regional brain volumes and surface-based cortical measures(cortical thickness,surface area,and gyrification)via structural magnetic resonance imaging.Results We found that the D score was significantly negatively associated with amygdala gray matter volume[β=−0.16;95%confidence interval(CI):−0.30,−0.02;P value=0.030]in children with ASD.There was a significantly negative association between D score and gyrification in the left lateral occipital cortex(LOC)in children with ASD(B=−0.10;SE=0.03;cluster-wise P value=0.006)and a significantly positive association between D score and gyrification in the right fusiform in TD children(B=0.10;SE=0.03;cluster-wise P value=0.022).Moderation analyses demonstrated significant interactions between D score and diagnosed group in amygdala gray matter volume(β=0.19;95%CI 0.04,0.35;P value=0.013)and left LOC gyrification(β=0.11;95%CI 0.05,0.17;P value=0.001)but not in right fusiform gyrification(β=0.08;95%CI−0.02,0.17;P value=0.105).Conclusions Neuroanatomical variation in amygdala volume and gyrification of LOC could be potential biomarkers for the empathizing–systemizing difference in children with ASD but not in TD children.Large-scale neuroimaging studies are necessary to test the replicability of our findings.
