AIM: To explore the effect of the combination of captopril and losartan on the sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, TNF-?, and TGF-? in the patients with coronary heart disease. METHODS: sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and TGF-? were measured with ELISA, and TNF-? was measured with RIA in the patients with or without the treatment of captopril and losartan. RESULTS: sICAM-1 and TNF-? decreased, and TGF-? increased distinctly in the patients given a combination of captopril and losartan compared with patients without the drugs. sVCAM-1 had the tendency of decrease in combined therapy, but no significant difference showed compared with the control patients. CONCLUSION: The combination of captopril and losartan has the effects on the cell adhesion molecules and cytokins in patients with coronary heart disease.

Receptor-mediated gene transfer has many advantages such as cell and tissue targeting, high efficiency, high safety, low immunogenicity and easy-to-produce. This article briefly reviews the recent developments on receptor-mediated gene transfer technology, including its main types, effect factors and tactics to augment gene transfer efficiency.

AIM: This study aimed at investigating the effects and mechanism of total alkaloids from Rhizoma Coptidis (TA) on ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats. METHODS: The experimental gastric damages were established by intragastric ethanol, and the protective effects of TA were evaluated by calculating lesion indices contents and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity from rat gastric mucosa were measured to explore the interrelation between therapeutic effects of TA and these factors. The expressions of neuronal nitrogen monoxide synthase (nNOS), endothelial NOS (eNOS), and inducible NOS (iNOS)from ethanol-damaged gastric mucosa in rats were analysised using immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: TA significantly inhibited the gastric injury induced by ethanol ,in dose-dependent manner,and the effect of TA was superior to that of Berberine (Ber). TA obviously antric mucosa. TA significantly suppressed ethanol-induced decreasing nNOS and eNOS expression and elevation of iNOS expression in rat gastric mucosa. CONCLUSION: Rhizoma Coptidis is a potent candidate in therapeutic drugs of human alcohol-induced gastric injury. Its anti-injury effects involve in Ber and other ingredients of TA. The protective mechanisms of TA involve in inhibiting generation of oxygen-derived free radical, accelerating scavenging of free radicals, relieving lipid peroxidation, and maintaining NO content in normal level by inhibiting decreasing of nNOS and eNOS expression and elevation of iNOS expression.

Objective To study the feasibility of dose calculation using kilovoltage X-ray cone-beam CT (KVCBCT) imaging for head-and-neck radiation therapy.Methods 11 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were scanned with KVCBCT to adjust position before treatment, and rescanning images with KVCBCT after correction were input a treatment-planning system.The dose was recalculated by applying the patients′ treatment plans based on planning CT to the KVCBCT images.The dose distributions and dose volume histograms (DVH) of the tumor and critical structures were compared with the original treatment plan.Results The DVH and dose distribution of the plan based on the KVCBCT are compared with that of the planning CT, and they shows a good consistency for the 11 cases.The doses calculated from the planning CT and KVCBCT were compared on the isocenter planes.Using γ analysis with a criterion of 3%/3 mm, 98.0%±1.33% of the points on the isocenter planes in the planning CT and KVCBCT.The difference of the dose to target volume was<1% and to normal structure was<2%.Conclusions This study indicated that CBCT images can be used to make a treatment plan with its individual hounsfield unit-electron density calibration curve.

Object To study the protective effect of Rodobryum roseum (Hedw) Limpr. on acute myocardial ischemia. Methods Rat acute myocardial ischemia models were prepared by ligating their left coronary arteries. Changes of their S-T segment was observed on lead Ⅱ dynamic ECG. Degree of ischemia was assessed by the extent of S-T segment elevation. Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), creative phosphokinase (CPK), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined at the same time. Results R. roseum can significantly alleviate S-T segment elevation, being most evident at the dose of 2 g/kg (P

A 23 amino acid, bifunctional integrin-targeted synthetic oligopeptide was evaluated for ex vivo gene delivery to rabbit bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). Synthesis of the peptide (K)16GRGDSPC was performed on a solid-phase batch peptide synthesizer. BMSCs were transfected with plasmid DNA coding for luciferase by (K)16GRGDSPC and the transfection efficiency was assayed. The influences of chloroquine and polyethyleneimine on the transfection efficiency were also examined. The target specificity of (K)16GRGDSPC to mediate exogenous gene into BMSCs was analyzed using cell attachment test and gene delivery inhibition test. The results showed that the transfection efficiency of the oligopeptide vector was lower than that of Lipofectamine. But in the presence of endosomal buffer chloroquine or endosomal disrupting agent polyethyleneimine, the transfection efficiency of the vector was greatly enhanced. In addition, RGD-containing peptides inhibited BMSCs' attachment to the 96-well plates pretreated with fibronectin or vitronectin and significantly decreased the transfection efficiency of the oligopeptide vector. These studies demonstrated that oligopeptide (K)16GRGDSPC was an ideal novel targeted non-viral gene delivery vector, which was easy to be synthesized, high efficient and low cytotoxicity. The vector could effectively deliver exogenous gene into rat BMSCs.

Objective To investigate the feasibility and efficiency of K16GRGDSPC(K16-RGD) for exogenous gene transfer to bone marrow derived stroma cells(BMSCs).Methods The peptide K16-RGD was synthesized by solid-phase batch peptide synthesizer.The K16-RGD was used as vector for transfecting the luciferase into BMSCs and the expression of the luciferase gene was monitored.The influence of chloroquine and polyethyleneimine was observed.The targeted specificity was examined by cell attachment test and transfection inhibitation test.Results The transfection efficiency of K16-RGD vector was lower than that of commercial lipofectamine.But the efficency of K16-RGD was greatly enhanced in the presence of chloroquine and polyethyleneimine.The peptides containing RGD inhibited the BMSCs attachment to the 96-well plates and decreased the transfection efficiency of K16-RGD significantly.Conclusion Peptide K16GRGDSPC is a new kind of targeted-nonviral gene delivery vector,which is easy to be synthesized,high efficiency and low cytotoxicity.

Objective To measure the set-up errors of patients with head and neck (H&N) cancer during the image guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatment and analyze the impact of setup errors on dose distribution ; then to further investigate the necessity of adjustment online for H&N cancer during IMRT treatment.Methods Cone-beam CT (CBCT) scanning of thirty patients with H&N cancer were acquired by once weekly with a total of 6 times during IMRT treatment.The CBCT images and the original planning CT images were matched by the bony structure and worked out the translational errors of the x,y,z axis,as well as rotational errors.The dose distributions were recalculated based on the data of each setup error.The dose of planning target volume (PTV) and organs at risk were calculated in the replanning,and than compared with the original plan by paired t-test.Results The mean value of x,y,z axis translational set-up errors were ( 1.06 ± 0.95 ) mm,( 0.95 ± 0.77 ) mm and ( 1.31 ± 1.07 ) mm,respectively.The rotational error of x,y,z axis were ( 1.04 ±0.791 ),( 1.06 ±0.89) and (0.81 ±0.61 ),respectively.PTV 95％ volume dose ( D95 ) and PTV minimal dose of replanning for 6 times set-up were lower than original plan (6526.6 cGy:6630.3 cGy,t =3.98,P =0.000 and 5632.6 cGy:5792.5 cGy,t =- 2.89,P =0.007).Brain stem received 45 Gydose volume ( V45 ) and 1％ brain stem volume dose ( D01 )were higher than original plan ( 3.54％:2.75％,t =3.84,P =0.001 and 5129.7 cGy:4919.3 cGy,t =4.36,P =0.000).Conclusions The set-up errors led to the dose of PTV D95 obviously insufficient and significantly increased V45,D01 of the brainstem.So,adjustment online is necessary for H&N cancer during IMRT treatment.

AIM: Inflammatory responses play an important role in the post- percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) restenosis and has been demonstrated occuring immediately after PTCA. Interleukin-6(IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-?(TNF-?) are the main inflammatory cytokines. We try to compare the changes in interleukin-6(IL-6) and TNF-? after PTCA in the patients with and without collateral circulation to probe into the pathogenesis of early inflammatory response. METHODS: The extent of myocardial ischemia induced by balloon inflation was quantified by a scoring system referring to the Leaman coronary score. The IL-6?TNF-? levels of coronary heart disease group and control group before and after PTCA are calculated. RESULTS: The concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-? were (9.592?1.847) ng/L and (26.959?1.967) ng/L, respectively, and were significantly increased [(27.423?1.882) ng/L and (78.542?1.573) ng/L)] 4 hours after PTCA. CONCLUSION: IL-6 and TNF-? are sensitive indicators of the early inflammatory response after PTCA. Ischemia scores reflected the extent of ischemia reperfusion injury during PTCA. Collateral circulation decreased the early inflammatory response after PTCA.

A 23 amino acid, bifunctional integrin-targeted synthetic oligopeptide was evaluated for ex vivo gene delivery to rabbit bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). Synthesis of the peptide (K)16GRGDSPC was performed on a solid-phase batch peptide synthesizer. BMSCs were transfected with plasmid DNA coding for luciferase by (K)16GRGDSPC and the transfection efficiency was assayed. The influences of chloroquine and polyethyleneimine on the transfection efficiency were also examined. The target specificity of (K)16GRGDSPC to mediate exogenous gene into BMSCs was analyzed using cell attachment test and gene delivery inhibition test. The results showed that the transfection efficiency of the oligopeptide vector was lower than that of Lipofectamine. But in the presence of endosomal buffer chloroquine or endosomal disrupting agent polyethyleneimine, the transfection efficiency of the vector was greatly enhanced. In addition, RGD-containing peptides inhibited BMSCs' attachment to the 96-well plates pretreated with fibronectin or vitronectin and significantly decreased the transfection efficiency of the oligopeptide vector. These studies demonstrated that oligopeptide (K)16GRGDSPC was an ideal novel targeted non-viral gene delivery vector, which was easy to be synthesized, high efficient and low cytotoxicity. The vector could effectively deliver exogenous gene into rat BMSCs.