American journal of translational research
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This study investigated whether combining melatonin and apoptotic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (A-ADMSC) was superior to ADMSC alone in ameliorating sepsis-induced acute lung injury. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=50) were randomized equally into five groups: sham controls (SC), sepsis induced by cecal-ligation and puncture (CLP), CLP-melatonin, CLP-A-ADMSC, and CLP-melatonin-A-ADMSC. Circulating interleukin (IL)-6 at 6, 18, and 72 hrs, were highest in CLP and lowest in SC groups, higher in CLP-melatonin than CLP-A-ADMSC and CLP-melatonin-A-ADMSC groups, higher in CLP-A-ADMSC than CLP-melatonin-A-ADMSC groups (all p<0.001). ⋯ Changes in protein expressions of inflammatory (oxidative stress, RANTES, TNF-α, NF-κB, MMP-9, MIP-1, IL-1β), apoptotic (cleaved caspase 3 and PARP, mitochondrial Bax), fibrotic (Smad3, TGF-β) markers and those of reactive-oxygen-species (NOX-1, NOX-2) displayed an identical pattern compared to that of circulating IL-6 in all groups (all p<0.001). Anti-oxidative capacities (GR+, GPx+, HO-1, NQO-1+) and angiogenesis marker (CXCR4+ cells) were lowest in SC group but highest in CLP-melatonin-A-ADMSC group, lower in CLP than CLP-melatonin and CLP-A-ADMSC groups, and lower in CLP-melatonin than CLP-A-ADMSC groups (all p<0.001). In conclusion, combined melatonin and A-ADMSC were superior to A-ADMSC alone in protecting the lung from sepsis-induced injury.
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The factors underlying epilepsy are multifaceted, but recent research suggests that the brain's neural circuits, which play a key role in controlling the balance between epileptic and antiepileptic factors, may lie at the heart of epilepsy. This article provides a comprehensive review of the neural mechanisms and potential treatment of intractable epilepsy from neural inflammatory responses, melanocortin circuits in brain and pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus. Further studies should be undertaken to elucidate the nature of neural circuits so that we may more effectively apply these new preventive and symptomatic therapies to the patient suffering from medically refractory seizures and its complications.