We have examined the functional expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in adult male rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells in culture by studying changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines and cyclooxygenase (COX)-dependent prostanoid production. In the mixed population of DRG neurons and glial cells, only DRG neurons expressed cell surface TLR4 along with MD-2 and CD14. This classical TLR4 signal...

AIM Toll like receptors plays a significant anti-viral role in different infections. The aim of this study was to look into the role of toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. METHODS Real time PCR was used to analyze the transcription of TLR4 signaling molecules, cell cycle regulators and HBV DNA viral load after triggering the HepG2.2.15 cells with TLR4 specific li...

Dysregulated Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) signalling and genetic polymorphisms in these proteins are linked to many human diseases. We investigated TLR4 functional variants D299G and T399I to assess the impact on LPS-induced responsiveness in comparison to wild-type TLR4. The mechanism by which this occurs in unclear as these SNPs do not lie within the lipid A binding domain or dimerisation sites o...

The protective role of electroacupuncture (EA) treatment in diverse neurological diseases such as ischemic stroke is well acknowledged. However, whether and how EA act on hippocampal neurogenesis following traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the effect of EA on hippocampal neurogenesis and neurological functions, as well as its underlying assoc...

OBJECTIVE Activated synovial fibroblasts are key players in the pathogenesis of RA by driving inflammation and joint destruction. Numerous molecules including cytokines and Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands induce pro-inflammatory signalling and gene expression through a hierarchical network of kinases. Upstream mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinases (MAP3Ks) represent an attractive tar...

INTRODUCTION Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by progressive inflammation associated with rampantly proliferating synoviocytes and joint destruction due to oxidative stress. Recently, we described nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) as a major requirement for limiting cartilage destruction. NF-κB and AP-1 are the main transcription factors triggering the inflammatory pr...

Abundant natural flavonoids can induce nuclear factor-erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) and/or AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation, which play crucial roles in the amelioration of various inflammation- and oxidative stress-induced diseases, including acute lung injury (ALI). Xanthohumol (Xn), a principal prenylflavonoid, possesses anti-inflammation and anti-oxidant activities. Howe...

Beneficial actions of EGb 761 against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in lung, brain and renal ischemia have been described. However, the relationship between EGb 761 and signal molecules in myocardial ischemia reperfusion has not been well elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects and mechanism of EGb 761 preconditioning on anti-myocardial I/R injuries in vivo. Meanwhile, their ...

Shuangtengbitong tincture (STBT), a clinical prescription from the Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Affiliated People's Hospital (Fuzhou, China), has been used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for ~10 years. The aim of the current study was to confirm the anti‐RA effect of STBT and to evaluate the potential mechanisms underlying collagen-induced arthritis (CI...