AIM: To investigate the effects of early application of thymosin peptide alpha 1 on lymphocyte subsets after operation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: Forty-six patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were randomly divided into control and treatment groups for this study. Thymosin α1 at dose of 1.6 mg was injected subcutaneously on day 1, 3, and 5 after operation in treatment group. The percentages of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in both groups were counted before operation and on day 1, 4, and 7 after hepatectomy. RESULTS: CD4+ cell population and CD4+/CD8+ ratio decreased, but CD8+ increased after operation in control group (P<0 05). In thymosin peptide alpha 1 treatment group, there was no statistical difference in the percentages of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and CD4+/CD8+ before and after operation. In addition, thymosin α1 significantly increased CD4+ cell population and CD4+/CD8+ ratio (P<0 05). CONCLUSION: Operation suppresses the immune function in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Thymosin α1 increases CD4+ T lymphocyte subsets in patients after operation.

Objective To investigate the effect of overexpression of miR-30b on the proliferation,cell cycle,apoptosis and invasion of gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 and AGS,and the inhibitory effect on the tumor formation in vivo.Methods SGC-7901 and AGS cells were transfected with miR-30b mimics and miR-control,and qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression levels of miR-30b.Western blot assay was used to detect the expression of eIFSA2 protein.CCK-8 assay was used to measure the cell proliferation.Flow cytometry was used to analyze cell cycle and apoptosis.Transwell assay was used to detect cell invasion.In addition,the SGC-7901 and AGS cells transfected with miR-30b mimics and miR-control were injected into nude mice to observe the tumor formation and the expression of eIFSA2 protein in vivo.Results Results of qRT-PCR showed that the relative expression of miR-30b was significantly higher than that of miR-control group (P ＜ 0.05).Western blot assay showed that the expression of eIF5A2 protein was decreased in miR-30b mimics group.CCK-8 assay showed that cell proliferation was inhibited in miR-30b mimics group.The result of flow cytometry showed that the cell cycle decreased and the apoptosis increased in miR-30b group.Transwell assay showed that the cell invasion was significantly lower in miR-30b group than that of control group (P ＜ 0.05).Overexpression of miR-30b inhibited the formation of tumor and decreased the expression of eIF5A2 protein in vivo.Conclusion Overexpression of miR-30b inhibits the proliferation,invasion and tumor formation of gastric cancer cells,and reduces the expression of eIF5A2 protein,which provides a potential target for gastric cancer treatment.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of pretreatment with erythropoietin (EPO) on disordered pro- and anti- inflammatory balance in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and explore the underlying mechanisms.

METHODSNinety healthy male SD rats were randomized equally into sham-operated group, SAP group and EPO pretreatment group. SAP model was induced in the latter two groups by retrograde injection of 1 ml/kg 3.5% sodium traurocholate into the biliopancreatic duct. In EPO group, 3000 U/kg EPO (1000 U/ml) was administered intravenously 1 h before SAP, and normal saline was administered in the other two groups. Serum amylase activity, interleukin-10 (IL-10)and IL-18 levels were measured at different time points after the operation. The translocation and activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in the pancreatic tissue was detected using immunofluorescence staining, and pancreatic pathologies were evaluated.

RESULTSCompared with SAP group, EPO group showed a markedly decreased activation rate of NF-κB after SAP except for 12 h (P<0.05), significantly decreased serum amylase activity at 3, 6, and 12 h (P<0.05) and decreased serum IL-18 levels at 3, 6, 24 h (P<0.05), whereas serum IL-10 underwent no significant changes. The rats in EPO group showed an obviously milder pancreatic pathology than those in SAP group at 6, 12, and 24 h (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONEPO can effectively inhibit NF-κB activation by regulating the inflammatory mediators and restoring the pro-and anti-inflammatory balance to alleviate SAP in rats.

Acute Disease ; Animals ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Erythropoietin ; therapeutic use ; Interleukin-10 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-18 ; metabolism ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Pancreatitis ; drug therapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley