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Arthritis Rheum. 2000 Oct;43(10):2202-10.
The increased swelling and instantaneous deformation of osteoarthritic cartilage is highly correlated with collagen degradation.

Bank RA, Soudry M, Maroudas A, Mizrahi J, TeKoppele JM.

Gaubius Laboratory, Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research Prevention and Health, Leiden.

OBJECTIVE: To provide evidence for the hypothesis that the loss of tensile strength of osteoarthritic (OA) cartilage (resulting in swelling-the hallmark of OA) is due to an impaired collagen network and not to loss or degradation of proteoglycans. METHODS: The amount of degraded collagen molecules, the fixed charge density (FCD) on a dry-weight basis, the degree of swelling in saline, and the instantaneous deformation (ID; a test reflecting the tensile stiffness of the collagen network) were measured in full-depth OA femoral condyle samples. In addition, levels of the crosslink hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP), the amount of degraded collagen molecules, and the degree of swelling were determined in the 3 zones (surface, middle, and deep) of OA cartilage. We also compared the ID of normal and OA cartilage. RESULTS: In full-depth OA cartilage, a close relationship was found between swelling and ID. Swelling and ID correlated strongly with the amount of degraded collagen molecules, and were not related to FCD. OA cartilage showed the same zonal pattern in HP levels as normal cartilage (i.e., an increase with depth). No relationship was found between collagen crosslinking and swelling of the surface, middle, and deep zones. In all 3 zones, swelling was proportional to the amount of degraded collagen molecules. Compared with that of normal cartilage, the change in ID of OA cartilage was most pronounced at the surface in a direction parallel to the direction of the collagen fibrils. CONCLUSION: The decreased stiffness of the OA collagen network (as measured by swelling and ID) is strongly related to the amount of degraded collagen molecules. The anisotropy in ID parallel and perpendicular to the direction of the fibrils revealed that the impairment of strength resides mainly in, and not between, the fibrils. Proteoglycans play only a minor role in the degeneration of the tensile stiffness of OA cartilage.


online pharmacy ref. source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11037879&dopt=Abstract



Mol Vis. 2002 Oct 31;8:407-15.
Mimecan/osteoglycin-deficient mice have collagen fibril abnormalities.

Tasheva ES, Koester A, Paulsen AQ, Garrett AS, Boyle DL, Davidson HJ, Song M, Fox N, Conrad GW.

Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506-4901, USA. essu.edu

PURPOSE: To study the role of mimecan, a member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRPs) gene family and one of the major components of the cornea and other connective tissues, mice that lack a functional mimecan gene were generated and characterized. METHODS: Mimecan-deficient mice were generated by gene-targeting using standard techniques. Mice were genotyped by Southern blot analysis. The absence of mimecan transcripts was confirmed by Northern blot analysis. Corneal clarity was examined by slit lamp biomicroscopy. The strength of the skin was evaluated using a biomechanical skin fragility test. Collagen morphology in cornea and skin preparations from mimecan-null and control wild-type mice was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. The diameter of collagen fibrils in these tissues was determined by morphometric analysis. RESULTS: Mice lacking mimecan appear to develop normally, are viable and fertile. In a controlled laboratory environment they do not display an evident pathological phenotype compared to wild type mice. Examination of corneal clarity and measurements of corneal thickness show no significant changes in the cornea. However, a skin fragility test revealed a moderate reduction in the tensile strength of skin from mutant mice. Ultrastructural analyses show, on average, thicker collagen fibrils in both corneal and skin preparations from mimecan-null mice. Collagen fibrils from the cornea of mutant mice show an average diameter of 31.84+/-0.322 nm, versus 22.40+/-0.296 nm in their wild type litter-mates. The most pronounced increase in collagen fibril diameter was found in the skin of mimecan-null mice, who demonstrated an average diameter of 130.33+/-1.769 nm, versus 78.82+/-1.157 nm in the wild type mice. In addition, size variability and altered collagen morphology was detected in dorsal and tail skin preparations from the mutant mice. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study demonstrate that mimecan, similar to other members of the SLRP gene family, has a role in regulating collagen fibrillogenesis in vivo. Further studies, such as functional challenges, an evaluation of potential compensation by other proteins (including members of the SLRP family), and generation of double-knockouts will be necessary to fully uncover physiological functions of mimecan in mice.


online pharmacy ref. source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12432342&dopt=Abstract



Arthritis Rheum. 2000 Oct;43(10):2219-29.
CCAAT binding transcription factor binds and regulates human COL1A1 promoter activity in human dermal fibroblasts: demonstration of increased binding in systemic sclerosis fibroblasts.

Saitta B, Gaidarova S, Cicchillitti L, Jimenez SA.

Istituto di Biologia dello Sviluppo, Palermo, Italy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the binding factors that interact with the proximal promoter region of the human type I collagen gene, COL1A1, and to examine their involvement in its transcriptional regulation in normal and systemic sclerosis (SSc) dermal fibroblasts. METHODS: Nuclear extracts from dermal fibroblasts from 4 patients with SSc and 4 age- and sex-matched control individuals were examined by electrophoresis mobility shift assays with a COL1A1 promoter fragment encompassing nucleotides -174 to -50 bp. Supershift assays with antibodies specific to various transcription factors, and competition experiments using consensus, wild-type, or mutated oligonucleotides corresponding to their specific binding sites, were performed. The effects of specific oligonucleotides as "intracellular competitors" were examined by transient transfection experiments in SSc fibroblasts using a COL1A1 construct containing -174 bp of the promoter. RESULTS: The findings demonstrate that the CCAAT binding transcription factor (CBF) binds the proximal CCAAT box located at -100 to -96 bp, but not the distal CCAAT box at -125 to -121 bp, of the human COL1A1 promoter in both SSc and normal fibroblasts. CBF binding activity was 3-5-fold higher in the SSc fibroblasts. Moreover, the promoter activity of the -174-bp COL1A1 construct was decreased by up to 50% when specific oligonucleotides were used as "intracellular competitors." In addition, Sp1 and Sp3 were other transcription factors found to be involved in the formation of the DNA-protein complexes within this region of the COL1A1 promoter. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the transcription factor CBF binds the human COL1A1 proximal promoter region in human dermal fibroblasts, and its binding activity is higher in SSc fibroblasts.


online pharmacy ref. source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11037881&dopt=Abstract



Arthritis Rheum. 2000 Oct;43(10):2230-9.
Role of apoptosis and transforming growth factor beta1 in fibroblast selection and activation in systemic sclerosis.

Jelaska A, Korn JH.

Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Massachusetts 02118, USA.

OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that pathophysiologic events during the development of systemic sclerosis (SSc) may lead to selection and propagation of certain apoptosis-resistant fibroblast subpopulations. The aim of this study was to examine a possible role for apoptosis in fibroblast selection in SSc and the role of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1). METHODS: We compared SSc and normal fibroblasts for their susceptibility to anti-Fas-induced apoptosis and analyzed 2 models that might lead to fibroblast resistance to apoptosis in this process: long-term exposure to either anti-Fas or TGFbeta1. RESULTS: SSc-derived fibroblasts were resistant to anti-Fas-induced apoptosis, showing 5.5 +/- 17.2% (mean +/- SD) apoptosis, compared with 32.1 +/- 14.0% among normal fibroblasts (P < 0.05). Anti-Fas-selected normal fibroblasts showed 9.0 +/- 3.7% apoptosis, compared with 21.6 +/- 5.9% for sham-treated cells, which is consistent with the elimination of apoptosis-susceptible subpopulations. Normal fibroblasts subjected to 6 weeks of TGFbeta1 treatment showed not only resistance to apoptosis, but also proliferation (118.5 +/- 35.4%), after anti-Fas treatment, compared with sham-treated cells (35.1 +/- 11.1% apoptotic cell death). TGFbeta1 treatment also increased the proportion of myofibroblasts (47% versus 28% in controls). Cultured SSc fibroblasts had a greater proportion of myofibroblasts (32-83%) than did normal fibroblasts (4-25%). We also examined the relationship between collagen gene expression and the myofibroblast phenotype in normal and SSc skin sections. Only 2 of 7 normal sections had alpha-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA)-positive cells (mean +/- SD score 0.29 +/- 0.49 on a scale of 0-3), but all SSc sections were positive for alpha-SMA, with a mean score of 1.90 +/- 0.88 for lesional and 1.50 +/- 0.71 for nonlesional sections. Scores for alpha1(I) procollagen messenger RNA (mRNA) in lesional skin (mean +/- SD 3.30 +/- 0.82 on a scale of 1-4) were significantly higher than in normal (1.43 +/- 0.79) or nonlesional (1.40 +/- 0.52) skin, but scores varied, and there was no correlation between collagen mRNA and alpha-SMA levels. CONCLUSION: Our results show that resistance to apoptosis is an important part of the SSc phenotype. TGFbeta1 may play a role by inducing apoptosis-resistant fibroblast populations, and also by inducing myofibroblasts and by enhancing extracellular matrix synthesis.


online pharmacy ref. source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11037882&dopt=Abstract



Arthritis Rheum. 2000 Oct;43(10):2240-7.
Increased phosphorylation of transcription factor Sp1 in scleroderma fibroblasts: association with increased expression of the type I collagen gene.

Ihn H, Tamaki K.

Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the potential roles of transcription factors Sp1 and Sp3 in the increased expression of the human alpha2(I) collagen gene in scleroderma fibroblasts. METHODS: Dermal fibroblasts from 7 patients with diffuse systemic sclerosis (SSc; scleroderma) of recent onset and from 7 healthy individuals were studied. The levels of expression of alpha2(I) procollagen, Sp1, and Sp3 messenger RNA (mRNA), with or without stimulation by transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) or oncostatin M (OSM), were evaluated by Northern blot analysis, and the respective protein levels were determined by immunoblotting. The DNA binding activity of nuclear proteins recognizing the cis-acting elements in the human alpha2(I) collagen promoter was examined by gel mobility shift assays. The levels of Sp1 phosphorylation were investigated by immunoprecipitation using an antiphosphoserine-specific antibody. RESULTS: SSc fibroblasts showed basal alpha2(I) collagen mRNA levels that were approximately 3 times higher than those in normal fibroblasts. TGFbeta or OSM increased human alpha2(I) collagen mRNA expression in normal dermal fibroblasts, but these cytokines failed to increase alpha2(I) collagen mRNA levels in SSc fibroblasts. There were no significant differences in the levels of expression of Sp1 or Sp3 between SSc and normal fibroblasts. However, increased Sp1 phosphorylation was detected in SSc fibroblasts compared with normal fibroblasts. Mithramycin, a specific inhibitor of Sp1 binding, abolished the increased expression of the alpha2(I) collagen gene in SSc fibroblasts, in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate the involvement of Sp1 in the up-regulation of expression of the alpha2(I) collagen gene in SSc fibroblasts.


online pharmacy ref. source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11037883&dopt=Abstract








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