Objective To study the effects of tonifying kidney-yin on activities of embryo stem cell. Methods Embryonic stem cell line CRL-1825 was choosed as model cell in present study, and tonifying kidney-yin herb serum was added to CRL-1825 cell. The influence of tonifying kidney-yin on stem cell differentiation, cell cycle, apotosis and express of key genes were observed. Results Tonifying kidney-yin can inhibit stem cell differentiation and apotosis, promote stem cell proliferation and progression of cell cycle. In addition, tonifying kidney-yin can up-regulate Wnt, Oct4 gene expression, and down-regulation P16INK4a expression. Conclusions Tonifying kidney-yin can promote stem cell proliferation and maintain the state of stem cell.

Malignant lymphoma is a common malignancy. From the perspective of the traditional Chinese medi-cine (TCM), the etiology and pathogenesis of malignant lymphoma are related to dampness, phlegm, toxicity, stasis and deficiency. Basic TCM principles for lymphoma syndrome differentiation and treatment are to strengthen the body resistance and eliminate pathogenic factors. Eliminating dampness, dissolving phlegm, detoxification, dissolv-ing stasis and strengthening body resistance are the principal TCM therapeutic methods for lymphoma treatment. Contemporary TCM physicians have developed Yi-Hua decoction, Zi-Niu powder, Ke-Liu capsule, Wu's Xiao-Liu powder and other herbal formulas, and 37 patents based on Chinese herbs and or herbal components. The effective mechanisms of TCM treatment for lymphoma are involved in inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, inhibiting angiogenesis, and regulating immune function. There is a great need to study anti-cancer herbs for lymphoma treat-ment.

Kidney theory is an important figure in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), it proposes that the kidney is the root of life, in which stores congenital essence and energy of human body that promotes reproduction, growth and development. The facts that body development begins from oosperm have long been elucidated in modern medicine and life science. Furthermore, oosperm is a totipotent stem cell. The totipotent stem cell with its derived embryonic stem cell (ESC) and stem cell constitute the source of growth, development and tissue regeneration. It is rational to comprehend ESC by means of the Kidney theory of TCM, investigate the effect of Kidney-nourishing on the activities of ESC, such as proliferation, aging and apoptosis, and on its related genes regarding transcription, expression and functional regulation. Our works have suggested that classical Kidney-yin-nourishing herb formula Zuo-gui-wan could inhibit the ESC differentiation and apoptosis, stimulate proliferation, and promote the process of cell cycle. These observations coincide with up-regulate expression of Wnt and Oct3/4, and down-regulate expression of P16INK4a. At the same time, classical Kidney-yang-nourishing herb formula You-gui-wan could inhibit ESC apoptosis induced by H2O2, up-regulate Notch expression and down-regulate P16INK4a expression. In addition, there have been some evidences indicated Kidney-nourishing could promote mesenchymal stem cells proliferate. These observations strongly suggest that, Kidney theory of TCM, as the root of the life, is associated with ESC and stem cell; it may provide insight into Kidney theory of TCM and stem cell research.

Objective To screen the sensitive plasma molecular markers in diabetic nephropathy ( DN) patients with kidney yang deficiency. Methods Two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2-D DIGE) was used to analyze the plasma which was sampled from 4 early DN patients with kidney yang deficiency and 4 healthy adult volunteers. Proteins that showed differential expression with an over 1.5-fold change were analyzed by MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry. Results Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) maps of plasma proteins in DN patients with kidney yang deficiency and healthy adults were established successfully. We validated 9 differentially expressed proteins, including complements C3 and C4, apolipoprotein E and ubiquitination factor. Conclusion Proteomic analysis by 2-D DIGE can objectively reveal the differences of plasma protein expression in DN patents with kidney yang deficiency and healthy adult volunteers. The obtained 9 proteins have potential to provide plasma molecular markers for the early clinical diagnosis and for the research of traditional Chinese medical patterns of DN.

Objective: To study the effects of dietary sodium propionate on cholesterol metabolism in finishing pigs. Methods: A total of 96 finishing pigs (Duroc?Landrance?Jia) were randomly alotted to four groups. The groups received the same basal corn-soybean meal diet and sodium propionate was added to the basal diet in the concentrations of 0.5、1.0、1.5 % at the expense of corn, respectively. At the end of the feeding trial, eight pigs from each treatment were slaughtered. Results: (1) Pigs supplemented with 1.0% and 1.5% sodium propionate had significantly lower serum cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations and greater ratios of high density lipoprotein/low density lipoprotein cholesterol compared to the control. Pigs supplemented with 1.5% sodium propionate had significantly lower serum very low density lipoprotein cholesterol. (2) Supplementation with 1.0% and 1.5% sodium propionate significantly decreased the cholesterol content in liver and the activity of hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutary coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase. (3) Supplementation with sodium propionate had no significant effects on growth performance, colonic or serum short-chain acid concentrations, fecal cholesterol or bile acid excretion. Conclusion: Sodium propionate may decrease the activity of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase and suppress the synthesis of cholesterol.

Objective To explore the sensitive blood plasma molecular markers in diabetic nephropathy (DN) .Methods Two-di-mensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) was used to analyze early DN patients plasma (n=8) and normal plasma ,proteins that showed differential expression of a 1 .5 fold change were analyzed by MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry . Results 2D-DIGE maps of plasma proteins in patients with DN and normal plasma were established successfully .We validated 13 differentially expressed proteins detected by 2D-DIGE ,including complement component C3、complement component C4、apolipopro-tein E ,etc .Conclusion Proteomic analysis can objectively revealed the differences of protein expression between the two kinds of blood plasma .The 13 proteins might be the potential plasma molecular markers for the clinical diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy .

Cell senescence is an important anti-cancer mechanism and may contribute to cancer therapeutic outcome. The present study observed the effects of Tenglong Buzhong Decoction (TLBZD), a Chinese herbal formula, on senescence in human colon carcinoma LS-174-T cells.

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and side effects of cyclopnosphamide, adriamycin, cisplatin (CAP) or CAP combined with verapamil(VPL) in chemotherapy of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. Methods A total of 56 patients(male: 27, female: 29, average age: 48 years old, age range: 32-78 years old) with stage Ⅲb/Ⅳ lung adenocarcinoma confirmed pathologically from April 1998 to December 2001 were divided into two groups: group A(30 patients), treated with cyclophosphamide (CTX, 600 mg?m -2 ?d -1 ) on days 1 and 8, adriamycin (ADM, 40 mg/m 2) on day 1, and cisplatin (CDDP, 30 mg?m -2 ?d -1 ) on days 1, 2 and 3 and group B(26 patients), treated with the same dose of CTX, ADM and CDDP and an additional oral VPL treatment (60 mg t.i.d . on days 1-7). Each of the 3 cycles was repeated every 21 days. Results The patients in group A had a lower response rate (26.7% vs 38.5%, P