Objective To observe the effect of Chinese Herbal Preparation -Mingjing Granule on the recruitment and adhesion of bonemarrow derived cells (BMCs) to choroidal neovascu1arization (CNV) in mice induced by laser photocoagulation. Methods A total of 75 C57BL/6 mice were divided into treatment group (30 mice), control group (30 mice) and normal control group (15 mice). CNV was induced by krypton laser in the mice of treatment group and control group. BMCs from GFPtransgenic mice were injected through tail vein to those mice 0.5 -1.0 hours after laser surgery. On day one after laser surgery, the mice of treatment group were gavaged with 0.3 ml Mingjing Granule solution every day［30 g/(kg?d)］, while the control group mice were gavaged with distilled water. The mice of normal group fed with normal cereals. 7, 14, 28 days after treatment, choroidal flatmount were prepared to measure the CNV severity and BMCs recruitment. The choroidal histopathological change was observed by optical microscope. CXCR4 level in peripheral blood was measured by enzymelinked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA). Stromal cell derived factor1alpha; (SDF-1alpha;), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), inter-cellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) were detected by immunofluorescent staining. Results Choroidal flatmount showed that CNV developed in treatment group and control group, but not in normal group. On day seven and 14, CNV lesions in the treatment group showed less incorporation of BMCs and smaller CNV in size compared with the control group (t=10, 9; P=0.007, 0.024), histologic sections also showed less severe lesions in the treatment group. CXCR4 level in peripheral blood in the treatment group was less than that in the control group and normal control group on day seven and day 14（t=8.107, 2.747;P＜0.05). The expression of SDF-1alpha;, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in the treatment group was lower compared with the control group. Conclusions Mingjing Granule could inhibit the recruitment and adhesion of BMCs in peripheral blood to CNV at the early stage. The mechanism may be related with the action of Mingjing Granule in lowing chemokines levels in peripheral blood and expression of adhesion molecules around CNV.
ObjectiveTo observe the expression and mechanism of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and p53 protein at the altitude of 5000 meter plateau hypoxia environment in rats, as well as the effect of Astragalus injection. MethodsSixty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into the Astragalus injection intervention group and normal saline control group, 30 rats in each group. Astragalus injection group rats were intraperitoneal injected of Astragalus injection (15 ml/kg) before 30 minutes into the plateau environment simulation cabin, normal saline group rats were intraperitoneal injected with the same volume of saline. 30 minutes after injection, rats in each group were reared in the plateau experiment cabin which simulated altitude of 5000 m (oxygen partial pressure 11.3 kPa) for 2, 6, 8, 12, 24 hours, each time period of 6 rats. When get out, the rats were executed immediately and eyes were harvested. Retinal sections were studied by hematoxylin eosin stain, and immunohistochemical method for HIF-1α and p53 expression. ResultsFor control rats, after 2 hours in the cabin, there was edema in retinal layers. HIF-1α and p53 were expressed mainly in the cytoplasm of retinal layers. When the periods in cabin extended, there was atrophy of retinal nerve fiber layer, swelling and degeneration of ganglion cells. The expression of HIF-1α and p53 was increased. Compared with the control group, the intervention group rat had similar but less severe retinal changes, and the expression of HIF-1α and p53 was significantly decreased (P<0.05). ConclusionAstragalus injection can reduce pathological retinal damage in rats at high altitude environment, and its mechanism may be associated with reduced HIF-1α, p53 expression.