Gastrointestinal tract carcinoma is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in China. Chemoprevention has been considered as a potential approach to control this type of disease. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a redox-sensitive transcription factor that protects cells from oxidative/electrophilic stresses by activating the expression of a battery of cytoprotective genes through the antioxidant response element (ARE). Recently, Nrf2 has emerged as a novel target for chemoprevention. Several natural or synthetic chemicals, which activate Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway, have showed effect in animal models, and promises in many ongoing clinical trials. This review summarizes the recent findings on the regulation of Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway, and the developments in both preclinical and clinical studies.
Animals ; Anticarcinogenic Agents ; pharmacology ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Chemoprevention ; Digestive System Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Humans ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Response Elements ; genetics ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

Cassiae Semen is a common traditional Chinese medicine, and contents of anthraquinones of Cassiae Semen different significantly from area to area. According to Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition), only contents of aurantio obtusin and chrysophanol were used to evaluate the quality of Cassiae Semen, another data could be added later. Ten batches of Cassiae Semen from different areas were determined, and total anthraquinones, total free anthraquinones and total combined anthraquinones contents were assessed by ultraviolet visible spectrophotometer, contents of aurantio obtusin, rhein, aloe emodin, emodin, chrysophanol and physcion were determined by HPLC. After that, principal components analysis was used to evaluate these data determined previous by dimension reduction analysis. At last, the result suggests that three main components were found out, it shows that content of aloe emodin could be used to evaluate the quality of Cassiae Semen as well as contents of aurantio obtusin and chrysophanol. And Cassiae Semen from Hebei province posseses higher quality than Cassiae Semen from other different areas. All these results can provide a good reference for quality evaluating of Cassiae Semen medicinal materials at a certain extent.
Anthraquinones ; analysis ; Cassia ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Principal Component Analysis

Objective To study the technique and clinical significance of percutaneous biopsy of transplanted liver guided by CT.Methods 19 transplanted liver were undergone 25 times of percutaneous biopsy and the pathomorphologic changes were demonstrated by HE staining.Results The successful rate of the percutaneous biopsy was 100% for all the 25 times of this procedure,including acute rejection on 9 episodes,preservation perfusion retrauma in 6,bile duct strictures in 4,drug-induced injury in 4,chronic rejection in 1 and acute hepatic necrosis in 1.Conclusions CT-guided percutaneous biopsy is an important method for diagnosing transplanted liver injury and providing great value for distinguishment of the causes for transplanted liver injury.(J Intervent Radiol,2007,16:855-857)

BACKGROUND:The bispectral (BIS) index is a processed electroencephalogram (EEG) parameter with extensive validation and demonstrated clinical utility. The study aimed to investigate the correlation between the BIS index and the prognosis of patients with coma in the ICU. METHODS:A total of 208 patients with coma in the ICU were enrolled in this study. According to the BIS value, the patients were divided into four groups:group I, BIS value 0 to 20; group Ⅱ, BIS value 21 to 40; group Ⅲ, BIS value 41 to 60; and group IV, BIS value greater than 60. The difference in BIS values with the differences in prognosis of patients with coma was compared between the four groups, and the prognosis of patients with coma was stratified into consciousness, coma, vegetative state, and brain death. Subsequently, the best cut-off score of BIS values calculated for determining the correlation between BIS value and mental state was proposed. RESULTS:There are no significant differences in the age and APACHE Ⅱ scores between the four groups (P>0.05). An inverse correlation was observed between BIS value and mental state (r=–0.749, P=0.00). According to the ROC curve, as BIS value was greater than 42.5, there were higher sensitivity and specificity in conscious-coma patients. CONCLUSION:BIS value is correlated with the prognosis of patients with coma in ICU, and BIS value can be a useful marker for estimating the prognosis of comatose patients.

OBJECTIVETo maked a Nrf2 down-regulated cell line by over-expressing Keap1 in H460 cells to study the role of Nrf2 in drug resistance.

METHODSTransfecting H460 cells with mKeap1-pEGFP and screenig for Keap1 expressing clones by Western blotting with antibodies against Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1 and AKR1C. The cell line with Keap1 over-expression was further confirmed by real-time PCR. The cytotoxicity of H460-N5 to anti-cancer drugs was evaluated by MTS assay.

RESULTMTS assay results showed the enhanced cytotoxicity of anticancer drugs (Oxaliplatin, Doxorubicin and Etopside) to the H460 cell line with keap1 overexpression compared to the control cell line. In H460-N0 cells, the IC(50) values of Oxaliplation and Etopside were 93 micromol/L and 100 micromol/L respectively whereas the IC(50) values of the two drugs were 42 micromol/L and 30 micromol/L correspondingly in H460-N5 cells. A Nrf2 down-regulated cell line H460-N5 and a control cell line with GFP over-expression have been identified.Down-regulation of Nrf2 enhanced the cytotoxicity of Oxaliplatin, Doxorubicin and Etopside. The IC(50) value of Doxorubicin to H460-N0 cell was above 3 mg/L, but that to H460-N5 cell was about 2 mg/L.

CONCLUSIONA Nrf2 down-regulated cell line H460-N5 and a control cell line with GFP over-expression have been identified. Down-regulation of Nrf2 enhanced the cytotoxicity of Oxaliplatin, Doxorubicin and Etopside.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Down-Regulation ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1 ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Response Elements ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; physiology ; Transfection

Objective To perform a molecular epideminlogical investigation on the types of Leptospira interrogans isolates from leptospirosis patients and animal hosts in Jiangxi province,using a pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).Methods The extracted chromosomal DNA from leptospiral isolates were digested with restriction endonuclease Not Ⅰ and the DNA segments were separated by using PFGE.By BiOnurerics V4.0 software and 75% similarity as the standard,the obtained PFGE images from leptospiral isolates were managed to establish a digitization database and then the PFGE maps of leptospiral isolates were compared with those of reference standard strains belonging to 15 serovars in 15 serogroups of L.interrogans,for cluster analysis.Results 139 strains of L.interrogans isolated from different areas of Jiangxi province were classified into 46 PFGE types.Among the PFGE types,LepNot Ⅰ.0071,LepNotⅠ.0072 and LepNot Ⅰ .0043 were the predominant types that accounting for 28.06%,15.11% and 7.19% of all the leptospiral isolates,respectively.The PFGE maps from 84.89% (118/139) of the 139 leptospiral isolates were found to basically match those of 6 reference standard strains belonging to 6 serovar in 6 serogroups of L.interrogans.In the 118 matched ieptospiral isolates,32.37% (45 strains),15.83% (22 strains) and 15.11% (21 strains)belonged to sero-groups Icterohaemorrhagiae serovar Lai,sero-groups Australis serovar Australis and sero-group Javanica serovar Javanica,respectively.Conclusion PFGE seemed a fast,accurate and effective method for typing of L.interrogans isolates.Serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae serovar Lai and followed by serogroup Australis serovar Australis as well as serogroup Javanica serovar Javanica were the predominant L.interrogans species in humans and animal hosts in Jiangxi province.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase is main regulatory enzyme for pentose phosphate pathway. To amplify the core sequence of G6PDH gene from Chimonanthus praecox, the primers were synthesized, based on the conserved nucleotide sequence of other reported plant G6PDH genes. The specific primers were designed according to the major fragment. The full length cDNA of the G6PDH1 gene was isolated by the 3' and 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends approach. Transcript levels of G6PDH1 isoform was measured by real-time quantitative RT-PCR in different tissues and in responds to cold treatment. The G6PDH1 subcellular localization, transmembrane domain, three-dimensional structure, and phylogenetic analysis were predicted by different software to analysis the bioinformatics of G6PDH1 protein. The G6PDH1 cDNA sequence was 2 011 bp in length and consisted of 1 551 bp Open Reading Frame (ORF) , encoding a protein of 516 amino acids. Expression analysis results in different tissues showed that G6PDH1 was primarily observed in flowers and roots, as opposed to the leaves and stems. Cold treatment experiments indicated that cold treatment caused a rapid increase in G6PDH1 expression in flowers within 12 h. The full-length cDNA of G6PDH1 and its expression analysis will play an important role for further study on cold stress responses in Ch. praecox.
Calycanthaceae ; chemistry ; classification ; enzymology ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; Enzyme Stability ; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Models, Molecular ; Open Reading Frames ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of Shennong No. 33 (SN33) in treating multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) by APACHE II and APACHE II scoring.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty-nine patients of MODS were randomly divided into the treated group (n = 72) and the control group (n = 57), they were treated with comprehensive therapy and to the treated group, SN33 was given additionally. The changes of APACHE II and APACHE III scores and blood endotoxin level were observed at the time points of within 24 hrs after hospitalization, and the 3rd, 5th and 7th day.

RESULTSIn the treated group, 50 patients survived and 22 died, while in the control group, 25 survived and 32 died. The APACHE II and APACHE III scores of the survivors were higher than those of the decedent (P<0.05), which in the treated group was lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The blood level of endotoxin in the treated group was also lower than that in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSN33 in treating MODS could improve patients' condition, lead to the lowering of APACHE scores. APACHE scoring system could be applied as the criteria for evaluating the condition and prognosis of critical patients, and the APACHE III scoring is more accurate.

APACHE ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endotoxins ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Organ Failure ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy

0.05).Conclusions ATP-TCA could be used to individualize chemotherapy by selecting agents for particular patients of cervical cancer.The expression of GST-? and TS protein might be useful biomarkers to predict the resistance to DDP and 5-FU in patients with cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Tangshenkang Granule (TG) containing serum on renal mesangial cells' (RMCs) proliferation and TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway in the high glucose condition.

METHODSTwelve SD rats were randomly divided into four groups, i.e., the low dose TG group, the middle dose TG group, the high dose TG group, and the blank control group, 3 in each group. After 7-day gastrogavage via portal vein blood, rats were sacrificed and their serum samples were collected. RMCs were cultured in common rat serum and TG containing serum respectively. The proliferation of mesangial cells was determined by methly thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay to determine the optimal TG containing serum concentration. Expression levels of TGF-β1 mRNA and protein were determined by real time quantitative PCR and ELISA. Smad2/3 protein expression and phosphorylation were determined by Western blot and immunofluorescence.

RESULTSTG containing serum at different doses could inhibit high glucose induced RMC cells' proliferation, TGF-β1 over-expression and Smad2/3 phosphorylation.

CONCLUSIONTG containing serum could inhibit high glucose induced RMC cells' proliferation, and its mechanism might be possibly associated with inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Glucose ; Mesangial Cells ; Phosphorylation ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Serum ; Signal Transduction ; Smad2 Protein ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism