Objective: To determine the role of interleukin-8 (IL-8) produced by tumor induced fibroblasts in the development of cutaneous melanoma. Methods: B16 melanoma cells induced L929 fibroblasts phenotype was transdifferentiated to myofibroblasts (MF) by co-culture in vitro. MF was monitored by morphology and immunophenotype for a-SMA. The level of IL-8 was detected by ELISA. The effect on B16 cell proliferation rate was estimated using MTT method in vitro. Melanoma implanting model was constructed in C57 mice. Results: L929 MF phenotype could be modulated by B16 melanoma cells-derived transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and elevated the levels of IL-8. L929 MF did not influence the B16 melanoma cells viability in vitro, but shortened the time of tumor formation and increased the incidence rates of tumors in C57 implanting model mice. Conclusion: Fibroblasts can be activated by tumor cells and produce IL-8, which acts as an inflammatory cytokine promoting the development of cutaneous melanoma.

Objective To determine the nature of enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes,the study of CT-guided transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy(CT-TBNA) was conducted. Methods According to classification and locating standard of mediastinal lymph nodes,CT-TBNA was performed in 158 mediastinal lymph nodes of 73 patients,including 54 primary lung cancer with enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes,5 malignant lymphoma, 3 mediastinal abscess and 11 mediastinal inflammatory adenopathy. Results CT confirmed that the needles were inside all 158 lymph nodes. Adequate aspirates for histologic and/or cytologic diagnosis were obtained in 136 of 158 (86%) lymph node biopsies. No serious complications occurred. Conclusion Locating standard of CT-guided TBNA was reliable. Puncture was safe and cost-effective.CT-TBNA was important for ascertaining the nature of mediastinal adenopathy and staging of neoplasms.

Objective: To determine the role of interleukin-8 (IL-8) produced by tumor induced fibroblasts in the development of cutaneous melanoma. Methods: B16 melanoma cells induced L929 fibroblasts phenotype was transdifferentiated to myofibroblasts (MF) by co-culture in vitro. MF was monitored by morphology and immunophenotype for a-SMA. The level of IL-8 was detected by ELISA. The effect on B16 cell proliferation rate was estimated using MTT method in vitro. Melanoma implanting model was constructed in C57 mice. Results: L929 MF phenotype could be modulated by B16 melanoma cells-derived transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and elevated the levels of IL-8. L929 MF did not influence the B16 melanoma cells viability in vitro, but shortened the time of tumor formation and increased the incidence rates of tumors in C57 implanting model mice. Conclusion: Fibroblasts can be activated by tumor cells and produce IL-8, which acts as an inflammatory cytokine promoting the development of cutaneous melanoma.

Objective To evaluate the expression of ? opioid receptor of the knee joint synovium tissue in patients with chronic inflammation. Methods The patients were divided into inflammatory group and control group(n=25 for both). Those who were allocated to the inflammatory group were diagnosed as osteoarthritis by arthroscopy, and in the control group, the patients were having dislocation of patella and took internal fixation with arthroscopy. The synovium tissues were harvested from suprapateller bursa, articulation vestibule, intercondylar fossa and articulation metacele. The synovium were taken to measure ? opioid receptor by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR in both groups. Results Immunohistochemical and RT-PCR results revealed that the expression of mRNA and the optical density (OD) of immunoreaction of ?-opioid receptor in the knee synovium tissue in the chronic inflammation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P0.05). Conclusion The expression of ? opioid receptor of the knee joint synovium tissue in chronic inflammation was significantly up-regulated. It may play a partial role in the peripheral mechanism of morphine.

Objective To develop an effective method for simultaneous determination of eight major components in Liuwei Wuling Tablet (LWT). Methods Reversed phase HPLC method was used with variously improved conditions. Results Salidroside, forsythoside A, specnuezhenide, phillyrin, schisandrol A, schizandrol A, schizandrin A, and schizandrin B in LWT were successfully separated on a Kromasil 100-5-C18 reverse phase column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) using acetonitrile-0.1% phosphoric acid (gradient elution) as mobile phase. The detection wavelength was 275 nm with flow rate of 1.0 mL/min, and the column temperature was maintained at 35 oC. The recovery rate of the method was within the range of 95.13%–104.56% and the precision (RSD) was less than 3% for all eight analytes. All the compounds showed good linearities (r2 > 0.9980) in a relatively wide concentration range. Conclusion Simultaneous quantification of the multiple components by HPLC would be a better strategy for the quality evaluation of LWT.

Objective To investigate the expressions of EphB4 receptor and hypoxia inducible factor 1? (HIF-1?) protein in human primary gastric carcinoma, and to study the biological implication of their expression. Methods The expressions of EphB4 receptor and HIF-1? protein were detected in 74 specimens of human primary gastric carcinoma (gastric carcinoma group) and in 13 normal gastric mucosa tissues (control group) by immunohistochemistry. Correlations between the expression of these proteins, and clinical and pathological features were respectively analyzed. Result High expressions of EphB4 receptor and HIF-1? protein were found to be 62.2% (46/74) and 52.7% (39/74) respectively in gastric carcinoma group, while the expressions of EphB4 receptor and HIF-1? protein in control group were 15.38% (2/13) and 0% (0/13), respectively. The differences were significant between two grrups (P

0.999) . The limit of detection was 4.0 ?10-4 ?g. The relative standard deviation was 0.9%-7.5% and the desorption efficiency of DMF was 86.5%-94.0%. Conclusion The method is applicable to the determination of DMF in the air.

Objective To find out what kind of disease the uterine mass diagnosed by B-ultrasound is and discuss its outcome treated by hysteroscopy. Methods 78 cases of uterine mass were treated by hysteroscopy in our hospital from Auguest 2000 to July.2001, Masses were detected,cut out and sent for pathologic diagnosis. Results sixty-two cases (79.49%)(62/78)came to see their doctors with the symptoms,including abnormal bleeding (58) and abnormal discharge or abdominal pain(4).The other 16 cases were detected in regular physical examination without any complaint.No complication occurred during the operation.The results of pathology were as follows:endometrial polyp 51.3%(40/78),simplex hyperplasia 20.5%(16/78),complex hyperplasia 1.3%(1/78),atypical hyperplasia 2.6%(2/78),endometrial adenocarcinoma 1 3% (1/78),leiomyoma or adenomyoma 14.1%(11/78),incomplete abortion 1.3%(1/78),and no abnormolily 5 cases(6.4%).Thirty-five cases of mass were discovered in postmenopausal women and 85.7%(30/35)of cases were benign.Sixty-nine patients(88.5%)were followed up for (2～12)months after the operation.Sixty-five of them were satisfied with treatment.The satisfying rate was 94.2%.Especially with the postmenopausal women,all 31 cases were satisfied with the operation though 4 cases no longer contacted us. Conclusions Most of utering masses diagnosed by B ultrasound are benign.Hysteroscopy therapy is an appropriate method for the uterine mass in postmenopausal women.

Euphorbia kansui (EK) is a toxic herbal drug, and often used after vinegar-processing to reduce its toxicity. In present study, a 1H-NMR based metabonomic approach was used to evaluate the detoxification effect of vinegar-processed EK. The water extracts of EK and VEK were administered orally to male SD rats at doses of 9 g x kg(-1) x d(-1) for 1 week, respectively, and one more week observation was further conducted. The control group was orally given with saline. Histopathological studies of liver samples on the 8th and 15th day were conducted, and the metabolites of rat urine and liver were analysed by 1H-NMR. Histopathological studies of liver samples from EK and VEK treated rats showed no negative impacts. In metabonomic analyses of urines, changes of metabolites indicated liver damages, kidney lesions and imbalance of gut microbes in the second week. VEK-treated rats showed a quite lower toxicity compared with EK-treated ones. The present study revealed that the metabonomic approach might be helpful for the evaluation of toxicity of EK and detoxic effect of VEK.
Acetic Acid ; chemistry ; Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; toxicity ; Euphorbia ; chemistry ; Inactivation, Metabolic ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Male ; Metabolomics ; methods ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Urinalysis

Objective: To investigate the benzo[a]pyrene ( B[a]P ) diolepoxide ( BPDE )-DNA adduct levels in offspring rats with intrauterine exposure to B[a]P, and examine the effects of BPDE-DNA adduct levels on pancreatic functional impairment and glucose metabolism in offspring rats. Methods: Forty pregnant rats were randomly divided into the blank control group, standard-dose group, low-dose group, medium-dose group and high-dose group (daily dose of 0, 2, 200, 800, 1 600 μg/kg B[a]P, respectively), of 8 animals in each group. Rats in the B[a]P treatment groups were administered by oral gavage with a mixture of B[a]P and corn oil at a dose of 0.2 mL/100 g body weight since day 1 of pregnancy until 21 days after delivery, while rats in the blank control group were given the same volume of coin oil by oral gavage. The BPDE-DNA adduct levels were measured and the pancreatic development was observed in the offspring rats 2 and 21 days and 12 weeks after birth, and the correlation between pancreas volume index and dose of exposure to B[a]P was examined using Spearman's rank correlation analysis. In addition, glucose metabolism was measured in offspring rats 12 months after birth using glucose tolerance test ( GTT ) and insulin tolerance test ( ITT ). Results: There was no abnormal appearance, death, abortion or preterm birth in pregnant or offspring rats in the five groups, and no significant differences were seen in activity, diet, drinking water or mental status in rats. The greatest level of BPDE-DNA adducts was measured in offspring rats 2 days after birth, with median levels ( interquartile range ) of 1 089.60 ( 586.10 ) to 1 405.49 ( 346.47 ) pg/mL, and no BPDE-DNA adducts were found in offspring rats 12 weeks after birth. The pancreas volume index correlated negatively with the dose of exposure to B[a]P in offspring rats 2 ( rs=-0.620, P=0.001 ) and 21 days after birth ( rs=-0.801, P=0.001 ). Hypoplasia of pancreas with loose tissues was seen in offspring rats 2 days after birth, while well pancreatic development was found in offspring rats 12 weeks after birth, with tight exocrine portion. GTT showed an increase in glucose levels in offspring rats in all five groups following abdominal injection of glucose and declined 30 min post-injection ( F=365.578, P<0.001 ), and ITT showed a tendency towards a decline in glucose levels in offspring rats in all five groups ( F=461.215, P<0.001 ). Conclusions The levels of BPDE-DNA adducts in offspring rats increase with the dose of intrauterine B[a]P exposure, and insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance occur 12 months post-exposure to B[a]P. Intrauterine B[a]P exposure affects pancreatic development in offspring rats and causes abnormal glucose metabolism in adult offspring rats.