Baicalin is an important flavonoid compound THaT is isolated from the Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi chinese herb and plays a critical role in anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-infection and anti-tumor functions. although baicalin can suppress the proliferation of tumor cells, the underlying mechanisms of baicalin in bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis remain to be elucidated. Thus, the aim of the present study was to determine the role of baicalin in pulmonary fibrosis and fibroblast proliferation in rats. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson staining were used to measure the morphology of pulmonary fibrosis, ELIASA kits were used to test the ROS and inflammation, and western blotting and Tunel were performed to study the apoptosis proteins. In vitro, MTT assay, flow cytometry, western blotting and immunofluorescence were performed to investigate the effects of baicalin on proliferation of fibroblasts. The most significantly fibrotic changes were identified in the lungs of model rats at day 28. Baicalin (50 mg/kg) attenuated the degree of pulmonary fibrosis, and the hydroxyproline content of the lung tissues was decreased in the baicalin group, compared with the BLM group. Further investigation revealed that baicalin significantly increased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px), total-superoxide dismutase (T-Sod) and glutathione (GSH) levels, whilst decreasing that of serum malondialdehyde (MDA). TUNEL-positive cells were significantly decreased in rats treated with baicalin group, compared with the model group. Furthermore, it was found that BLM promoted fibroblasts viability in a dose-dependent manner in vivo, which was restricted following treatment with different concentrations of baicalin. Moreover, BLM promoted the expression levels of cyclin a, d and e, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, phosphorylated (p)-AKT and p-calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type. BLM also promoted the transition of cells from the G 0 /G 1 phase to the G 2 /M and S phases, and increased the intracellular ca 2+ concentration, which was subsequently suppressed by baicalin. Collectively, the results of the present study suggested that baicalin exerted a suppressive effect on BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis and fibroblast proliferation.
Background Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a serious microvascular complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of this retrospective study was to reveal the risk factors for the severity of DR in individuals with T2DM. Demographic data and biochemical parameters were collected and analyzed. Methods A total of 518 individuals with type 2 diabetes were included. These individuals were classified into three groups according to the severity of diabetic retinopathy: non-diabetic retinopathy (NDR) group (N = 172), non proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) group (N = 184), and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) group (N = 162). Demographic and clinical measurement data of the individuals were collected by reviewing medical records and direct interview. The demographic data and biochemical parameters between groups were compared using Student’s t-test. Moreover, the factors related to severity of diabetic retinopathy were identified by using the multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results No significant difference in age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and diabetes duration was found among these three groups. The serum uric acid (SUA), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), homocysteine, and urinary albumin levels were significantly higher in the NPDR and PDR group than those in the NDR group (P < 0.05). The individuals in the PDR group had obviously higher levels of SUA, homocysteine, and urinary albumin than individuals in the NPDR group (P < 0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that high SUA, homocysteine, TC, LDL-c, and urinary albumin levels were associated with more serious diabetic retinopathy (OR > 1; P < 0.05). Conclusion The concentrations of SUA and urinary albumin are associated with the severity of DR in individuals with T2DM.
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