BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of low, medium, and high concentrations of medical ozone on trauma-induced lumbar disc herniation.Material/MethodsA total of 80 patients were included and were grouped into a control group, a low medical ozone (20 μg/ml) group, a medium medical ozone (40 μg/ml) group, and a high medical ozone (60 μg/ml) group. The CT scan and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect IL-6 level, SOD activity, IgM, and IgG levels upon admission and at 6 and 12 months after follow-up. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated for visual analogue scale (VAS) and efficiency rate.ResultsAll patients showed disc retraction at 6- and 12-month follow-up; while patients in the medium medical ozone (40 μg/ml) group showed the greatest disc retraction rate. The IL-6, IgM, IgG, and VAS levels significantly decreased while SOD activity increased among all groups over time (p<0.05). The AUCIL-6, AUCIgG, AUCIgM, and AUCSOD was closest to 1 in the medium medical ozone (40 μg/ml) group compared with other groups (p<0.01), with the highest efficacy at 6 (35%) and 12 (85%) months during follow-up.ConclusionsLow concentrations of medical ozone (20 μg/ml and 40 μg/ml) reduced the serum IL-6, IgG, and IgM expression, presenting as analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, while high concentrations of medical ozone (60 μg/ml) increased the serum IL-6, IgG, IgM expression, presenting as pain and pro-inflammatory effects.The medical ozone concentration of 40 μg/ml showed the optimal treatment efficacy.

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miR-25 protects PC-12 cells against HO-induced oxidative damage though regulation of Nrf2 and activation of Wnt/β-catenin and PI3 K/AKT/ERK signaling.

Background/Aims: Currently, scientists attempt to improve outcome of spinal cord injury (SCI) via reducing secondary injury during SCI. Oxidative stress is critical for pathophysiology of secondary damage, thus we mainly focused on the anti-oxidant effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) on PC-12 and SH-SY5Y cells as well as the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Oxidative stress was induced by H₂O₂ stimulation. Effects of LBPs on cell viability, apoptosis, and expression of proteins associated with apoptosis and autophagy in H₂O₂-induced cells were assessed by CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry assay and Western blot analysis, respectively. Then, expression of miR-194 was determined by qRT-PCR. Expression of miR-194 was dysregulated, and whether LBPs affected H₂O₂-treated cells through modulating miR-194 was verified. The expression of key kinases in the PI3K/AKT pathway and the intracellular levels of ROS and NO were testified by Western blot analysis and flow cytometry with fluorescent probes. Results: H₂O₂-induced decrease of cell viability and increases of apoptosis and autophagy in PC-12 cells were mitigated by LBPs treatment. Next, we found that miR-194 expression was both down-regulated by LBPs treatment in PC-12 and SH-SY5Y cells. More experiments consolidated that influence of LBPs on H₂O₂-treated cells was reversed by miR-194 overexpression while was augmented by miR-194 inhibition. LBPs elevated the phosphorylated levels of PI3K and AKT and reduced levels of ROS and NO through miR-194. Conclusion: LBPs alleviated H₂O₂-induced decrease of cell viability, and increase of apoptosis and autophagy through down-regulating miR-194. Moreover, LBPs activated the PI3K/AKT pathway and reduced oxidative stress through miR-194.

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