Drug Des Dev Ther
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Eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) plays important roles in the proliferation and survival of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) in animal hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension models. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown at large. Autophagy has been reported to play a key role in the vascular remodeling in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The purposes of this study are to determine the functions of eIF2α and autophagy in the vascular remodeling of the monocrotaline-induced PAH rats and to clarify the correlation between eIF2α and autophagy. ⋯ Based on these observations, we conclude that eIF2α promotes the proliferation of PASMCs and vascular remodeling in monocrotaline-induced PAH rats through accelerating autophagy pathway.
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Dexmedetomidine (Dex) is a highly selective α2-adrenoceptor agonist used as an off-label medication for pediatric sedation and analgesia. Recently, Dex was reported to exhibit neuroprotective efficacy in several brain injury models. Here we investigate whether neonatal Dex administration promotes hippocampal neurogenesis and enhances hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and memory under physiological conditions. ⋯ Neonatal injection of Dex (20 µg/kg) enhances spatial learning and memory in rat pups, potentially by promoting hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity via activation of GDNF/NCAM/CREB signaling.
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Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a relatively common, devastating traumatic condition resulting in permanent disability. In this study, the use of exosomes derived from bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs-Exo) as a cell-free therapy for the treatment of SCI in rats was investigated to gain insights into their mechanisms of action. ⋯ BMSCs-Exo play a protective role in spinal cord injury by inhibiting complement mRNA synthesis and release and by inhibiting SCI-activated NF-κB by binding to microglia.