Background and purpose:Esophageal cancer is a serious disease threatening human health, and it is very difficult to understand the development mechanism and find the therapeutic methods for esophageal cancer. In recent years, B7-H3, as a new member of B7 immunoregulatory superfamily, overexpressed in multiple tumor types, is considered to be a new tumor marker and potential therapeutic target. This study aimed to detect the expression of B7-H3 in esophageal cancer cell lines TE-1, TE-13, Eca-109 and exploring the effect of B7-H3 siRNA on cell proliferation, migration and invasionin vitro in human esophageal cancer Eca-109 cell line. Methods:The expression of B7-H3 in esophageal cancer cell lines TE-1, TE-13 and Eca-109 were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). B7-H3 siRNA and control siRNA were transfectedin vitro into human esophageal cancer Eca-109 cells using LipofectamineTM 2000. The expressions of B7-H3 mRNA and protein in Eca-109 cells were analyzed by RT-PCR and Western blot. The proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of Eca-109 cells were measured by MTT assay, wound scrape assay and transwell invasion assayin vitro,respectively.Results:All tested cultured esophageal cancer cell lines constitutively expressed B7-H3 mRNA under normal conditions (TE-1 0.382±0.008, TE-13 0.399±0.008, Eca-109 0.428±0.012). After transfection, the expression of B7-H3 mRNA levels decreased in B7-H3 siRNA transfected group, compared with control siRNA transfected group (0.128 5±0.000 2vs 0.532 4±0.000 7,P<0.01) and untransfected group (0.128 5±0.000 2vs 0.540 3±0.001 3,P<0.01), while its protein expression levels were also signiifcantly lower than the control transfection group (0.421 4±0.004 8vs 0.500 6±0.012 9,P<0.05) and untransfected group (0.421 4±0.004 8vs 0.492 1±0.014 8, P<0.05). Compared with control transfected and untransfected cells, Eca-109 cell migration and invasion abilities decreased significantly (P<0.05) by siRNA interference, but no significant difference was observed between their proliferative capacity (P>0.05).Conclusion:All tested esophageal cancer cell lines constitutively express B7-H3 mRNA. B7-H3 siRNA interference inhibits Eca-109 cell migration and invasion abilities. B7-H3 may have a critical role in regulating Eca-109 cell progression.

Aim To explore the relationship between Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 ( MRN ) complex focus formation and DNA double-strand breaks( DSBs) caused by cinob-ufagin in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. Methods The Na+,K+-ATPaseα1 subunit expression level in liver cancer tissues was detected by immunohis-tochemistry. After HepG2 cells were treated with 5μmol·L-1 cinobufagin for 6, 12 and 24 h, the drug-in-duced DSBs were assessed by single cell gel electro-phroesis ( SCGE ) , the gene transcription and protein levels of Mrel1, Nbs1, Rad50 and p53 were evaluated by Real time-PCR and Western blot. The cell cycle in parallel was analyzed by flow cytometry. Results The Na+, K+-ATPase α1 subunit expression level in liver cancer tissues was significantly increased compared with the tissue adjacent to carcinoma ( P <0. 05 ) . The 5μmol · L-1 cinobufagin could induce the DSBs in a time-dependent manner (P <0. 05), and it could up-regulate the gene expression levels of Mre11, Nbs1, Rad50 and p53 in HepG2 cells ( P<0. 05 ) . The pro-portions of HepG2 cells in S phase were ( 21. 32 ± 4. 21) % in the control group, and (33. 25 ± 5. 72) %, (56. 72 ± 6. 29) % and (67. 32 ± 9. 42) % in HepG2 cells treated with 5 μmol · L-1 cinobufagin for 6, 12 and 24 h, respectively. The proportions of cells in S phase in cinobufagin groups were significantly increased compared with the control group ( P<0. 05 ) . Conclu-sion Cinobufagin could induce the cell cycle arrest in liver cancer HepG2 cells by activation of Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 Complex.

Objective:To investigate the effect of aucubin on behaviors and excessive activation of astrocytic in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) model mice.Methods:Twelve wild-type C57BL/6 pregnant mice (female, clean grade) were intraperitoneally administered with esketamine (15 mg/kg) to establish an ADHD model in offspring mice. The offspring mice were divided into control+ saline group, control+ aucubin group, Ketamine+ saline group and Ketamine+ aucubin group according to the nest matching principle with 15 in each group.At 14 days after birth, mice in the control+ aucubin group and Ketamine+ aucubin group were administered with aucubin (5 mg/kg, once a day) by gavage for 5 days. Mice in control+ saline group and Ketamine+ saline group were administered with equal volume of 0.9% sodium chloride solution. The offspring mice were housed with their mothers in the same cage until 21 days after birth. Twenty-one days after birth, the offspring mice were evaluated by open field test and elevated plus maze tests. Immunofluorescence assay was used to detect the expression of glutamate decarboxylase 2 (GAD2), γ- aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the amygdala. The morphological changes of astrocytes were quantitatively analyzed by Sholl analysis. GraphPad Prim 9.0.1 software was used for statistical analysis. The comparison of multiple groups was conducted by one-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test.Results:(1)The results of behavioral experiments showed that the total distance traveled in the open field test and the residence time in open arm of the elevated plus maze were statistically significant ( F=236.90, H=39.92, both P<0.001). The total distance ((7 044±249)mm, (22 891±2 175)mm, P<0.05) and the residence time in open arm(12.69(9.86, 17.24)s, 2.72(0.57, 3.87)s, P<0.05) of mice in Ketamine+ saline group were both higher than those in control+ saline group.The total distance((22 891±2 175)mm, (8 252±839)mm, P<0.05) and the the residence time in open arm(5.45(1.13, 10.99)s, 12.69(9.86, 17.24)s, P<0.05) of Ketamine+ aucubin group were both lower than those of Ketamine+ saline group.(2)The immunofluorescence results showed that the levels of GAD2, GABA and GFAP intensity in amygdala of mice in the four groups were statistically significant ( F=145.50, 50.08, 53.83, all P<0.05). Compared with control+ saline group, the fluorescence intensities of GAD2 ((100.00±9.60)%, (24.86±4.14)%, P<0.05) and GABA ((100.00±16.84))%, (25.48±5.70)%, P<0.05) of Ketamine+ saline group were down-regulated, and the GFAP((100.00±18.02)%, (223.80±25.85)%, P<0.05) was up-regulated. Compared with Ketamine+ saline group, the fluorescence intensities of GAD2 ((24.86±4.14)%, (56.08±6.55)%, P<0.05) and GABA((25.48±5.70)%, (52.59±15.74)%, P<0.05) in Ketamine+ aucubin group were up-regulated, but the fluorescence intensity of GFAP ((223.80±25.85)%, (157.10±22.10)%, P<0.05) was down-regulated.(3)Sholl analysis indicated that the number of the intersections between the astrocyte processes or the branches of astrocyte processes was statistically significant in the 4 groups ( F=12.47, P<0.05). Compared with control+ saline group, the number of the intersections in Ketamine+ saline group((2.07±0.48), (1.67±0.72), P<0.05) increased. While the number of the intersections in Ketamine+ aucubin group was lower than that of Ketamine+ saline group ((1.20±0.78), (2.07±0.48), P<0.05). Conclusion:Aucubin administration can alleviate ADHD-like behaviors in offspring mice, and the mechanism may be associated with the inhibition of excessive astrocytic activation.

Objective:To investigate the protective effect of quercetin (QR) on acute liver injury induced by diquat (DQ) poisoning in mice and its mechanism.Methods:Eighty healthy male C57BL/6 mice with SPF grade were randomly divided into control group, DQ model group, QR treatment group, and QR control group, with 20 mice in each group. The DQ poisoning model was established by a one-time intraperitoneal injection of DQ solution (40 mg/kg); the control and QR control groups received equivalent amounts of distilled water through intraperitoneal injection. Four hours after modeling, the QR treatment group and the QR control group received 0.5 mL QR solution (50 mg/kg) through gavage. Meanwhile, an equivalent amount of distilled water was given orally to the control group and the DQ model group. The treatments above were administered once daily for seven consecutive days. Afterwards, the mice were anesthetized, blood and liver tissues were collected for following tests: changes in the structure of mice liver tissue were observed using transmission electron microscopy; the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were detected using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the levels of glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver tissues were measured using the water-soluble tetrazolium-1 (WST-1) method, the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method, and enzymatic methods, respectively; the protein expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), and activated caspase-9 in liver tissues were detected using Western blotting.Results:Severe mitochondrial damage was observed in the liver tissues of mice in the DQ model group using transmission electron microscopy, yet mitochondrial damage in the QR treatment group showed significant alleviation. Compared to the control group, the DQ model group had significantly increased levels of MDA in liver tissue, serum AST, and ALT, yet had significantly decreased levels of GSH and SOD in liver tissue. In comparison to the DQ model group, the QR treatment group exhibited significant reductions in serum levels of ALT and AST, as well as MDA levels in liver tissue [ALT (U/L): 52.60±6.44 vs. 95.70±8.00, AST (U/L): 170.45±19.33 vs. 251.10±13.09, MDA (nmol/mg): 12.63±3.41 vs. 18.04±3.72], and notable increases in GSH and SOD levels in liver tissue [GSH (μmol/mg): 39.49±6.33 vs. 20.26±3.96, SOD (U/mg): 121.40±11.75 vs. 81.67±10.01], all the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.01). Western blotting results indicated that the protein expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1 in liver tissues of the DQ model group were significantly decreased compared to the control group. On the other hand, the protein expressions of Keap1 and activated caspase-9 were conspicuously higher when compared to the control group. In comparison to the DQ model group, the QR treatment group showed a significant increase in the protein expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1 in liver tissues (Nrf2/β-actin: 1.17±0.08 vs. 0.92±0.45, HO-1/β-actin: 1.53±0.17 vs. 0.84±0.09). By contrast, there was a notable decrease in the protein expressions of Keap1 and activated caspase-9 (Keap1/β-actin: 0.48±0.06 vs. 1.22±0.09, activated caspase-9/β-actin: 1.17±0.12 vs. 1.59±0.30), the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.01). Conclusion:QR may reduce acute liver injury induced by DQ poisoning in mice via activating Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Objective: To observe and explore the therapeutic efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) in the treatment of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). Methods: A total of 139 NAION patients were randomly divided into a control group of 72 and a hyperbaric oxygen group of 67. Both groups were given conventional drugs including prednisolone, mecobalamin and compound anisodine, while the hyperbaric oxygen group was additionally provided with hyperbaric oxygen treatment at a pressure of 0.2MPa once a day for 30 days. Each day′s treatment lasted for 110 minutes, including 20 minutes at increasing pressure, 20 minutes decreasing and 60 minutes with the pressure stable at 0.2MPa. Before and after the 30-day treatment, the visual acuity and visual mean sensitivity (MS) of the two groups were observed and compared. Results: There was no significant difference between the control group and the hyperbaric oxygen group in terms of average visual acuity or visual MS before the treatment. Afterward the average visual acuity (4.88±0.25) and visual MS (16.68±1.19) of the hyperbaric oxygen group were significantly higher than before the treatment and significantly better than those of the control group. The total effective rate of the hyperbaric oxygen group was 91%, significantly higher than that of the control group (75%). Conclusions Conventional treatment combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy can significantly promote the visual acuity and visual MS of NAION patients.