Aim To study the effects of Triptolide (TPL) on HL-60 cells in vitro and in vivo.Methods MTT was used to examine the effects of TPL on proliferation of HL-60 cells;TUNEL assay was used to detect apoptotic cells.The effect of TPL on xenograft growth of HL-60 cells was evaluated by tumor inhibition rate.Results In vitro TPL inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis of HL-60 cells in a dose-dependent manner.In vivo TPL inhibited xenograft growth of HL-60 cells with the highest inhibition rate of 53.5%.Conclusion TPL is able to inhibit the proliferation of HL-60 cells and induce apoptosis of HL-60 cells in vitro and in vivo.

Objective To study the temporo-spatial changing laws of calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP)in the rat model of sciatic nerve ligation.Methods Totally 48 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group(n=6)and experimental groups which survived for 1,3,5,7,14,21,28 d respectively after sciatic nerve ligation(n=6 at each time point).The distribution and quantity of CGRP in sciatic nerve,dorsal root ganglion(DRG)and spinal cord were detected by immunohistochemistry and image analysis methods.Results A large amount of CGRP piled up in the sciatic nerve at 1 d after the ligation,significantly higher in proximal segment than that in distal segment,gradually dropping till disappear basically at 14 d in proximal segment and at 7 d in distal segment.The expression of CGRP in DRG at 7 d began to drop after the ligation,at 21 d to the minimal value and at 28 d lower than normal.The CGRP-immunoreactivety in ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn at 14 d decreased after operation,but the immuno-positive areas of CGRP were of no changes.There are no changes in the CGRP-positive spinal ventral motoneurons of all groups.Conclusion The changes of CGRP presented a temporo-spatial pattern following peripheral nerve legation,maybe resulting from the deficiency of neurothrophins from target organs.

OBJECTIVETo study the anticancer activities of curcumin on human Burkitt's lymphoma and their molecular mechanism.

METHODSThe effect of curcumin on the growth of CA46 cells and apoptosis were studied through Trypan blue exclusion, MTT assay, cell cycle, DNA fragmentation analysis and detection of TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). The effect of curcumin on the expression of c-myc, bcl-2, mutant-type p53 and Fas protein and mRNA was studied by flow cytometry (FCM) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTS1. Curcumin inhibited proliferation of CA46 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner, 2. CA46 cells treated with curcumin showed G(0)/G(1) or G(2)/M phase increase and S phase decrease, 3. CA46 cells apoptosis induced by curcumin was confirmed by DNA fragmentation and TUNEL and 4. The expression of c-myc, bcl-2, mutant-type p53 protein and mRNA was decreased sharply in CA46 cells treated with curcumin, while Fas protein and mRNA was increased.

CONCLUSIONCurcumin is able to inhibit the proliferation of CA46 cells and induce the cell apoptosis by down-regulating the expression of c-myc, bcl-2, mutant-type p53 and up-regulating the expression of Fas.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; Burkitt Lymphoma ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; fas Receptor ; biosynthesis ; genetics

The current epidemic of obesity and its associated metabolic syndromes impose unprecedented challenges to our society. Despite intensive research on obesity pathogenesis, an effective therapeutic strategy to treat and cure obesity is still lacking. Exciting studies in last decades have established the importance of the leptin neural pathway in the hypothalamus in the regulation of body weight homeostasis. Important hypothalamic neuropeptides have been identified as critical neurotransmitters from leptin-sensitive neurons to mediate leptin action. Recent research advance has significantly expanded the list of neurotransmitters involved in body weight-regulating neural pathways, including fast-acting neurotransmitters, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate. Given the limited knowledge on the leptin neural pathway for body weight homeostasis, understanding the function of neurotransmitters released from key neurons for energy balance regulation is essential for delineating leptin neural pathway and eventually for designing effective therapeutic drugs against the obesity epidemic.
Animals ; Energy Metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Hunger ; Hypothalamus ; metabolism ; physiology ; Leptin ; metabolism ; physiology ; Neural Pathways ; metabolism ; Neuropeptides ; genetics ; metabolism ; Obesity ; metabolism

Objective:To study the effect of ZhuJing pill variant formula medicated serum on hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of human retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE-19) cells and its mechanism. Methods:Thirty female SPF grade SD rats aged 2 months old were selected.The rats were randomized into blank control group and Zhujing pill variant formula group according to random number table method, with 15 in each group, which were intragastrically administered with normal saline and ZhuJing pill variant formula solution for 7 days accordingly to prepare blank control serum and medicated serum.ZhuJing pill variant formula medicated serum was prepared with SD rats.ARPE-19 cells were divided into normal control group, model control group, blank serum group as well as 2.5%, 5.0% and 10.0% medicated serum groups, SB216763 group and SB216763+ medicated serum group.Normal and blank control groups were cultured in normal culture medium, while the other six groups were cultured in blank rat serum medium, medicated serum medium of corresponding concentration, 10 μmol/L SB216763 medium and 10 μmol/L SB216763+ 10.0% medicated serum medium, respectively.Normal control group was routinely cultured, while the other groups were routinely cultured for 24 hours, and then added with H 2O 2 with the final concentration of 200 μmol/L for 24 hours.Cell viability was assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and cell migration ability was detected by Transwell assay.Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was detected by dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay, and MDA level was identified by sulfhydryl barbituric acid assay.The expression levels of Nrf2 pathway related proteins including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1) and EMT-related proteins including transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2), protein kinase B (AKT), glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), snail family zinc finger 1 (SNAIL1), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin) in cells were measured by western blot assay.The use and care of animals complied with Regulations for the Administration of Affairs Concerning Experimental Animals. Results:There was no significant difference in cell survival rate among blank serum group, 2.5%, 5.0% and 10.0% medicated serum groups ( F=0.163, P>0.05). The cell survival rates were (100.50±5.91)%, (60.87±4.30)%, (73.27±4.46)%, (80.73±5.67)% and (89.90±4.97)% in normal control group, model control group, 2.5%, 5.0% and 10.0% medicated serum groups, and the number of migrating cells was (84.67±8.33), (222.33±13.58), (215.67±10.02), (174.67±10.60), (143.67±8.02) and (107.67±6.66) pcs/visual field in normal control group, model control group, blank serum group, 2.5%, 5.0% and 10.0% medicated serum groups, respectively, with significant differences among the groups ( F=26.628, 99.289; both at P<0.01). The contents of ROS and MDA in model control group were significantly increased in comparison with normal control group (both at P<0.01). The contents of ROS and MDA of 2.5%, 5.0% and 10.0% medicated serum groups were significantly decreased in comparison with model control group (all at P<0.01). The relative expression levels of SNAIL1, α-SMA, TGF-β2, p-AKT and p-GSK-3β proteins were significantly higher and the relative expression level of E-cadherin protein was significantly lower in model control group compared with normal control group, 2.5%, 5.0% and 10.0% medicated serum groups (all at P<0.05). Compared with normal control group, the relative expression level of cytoplasmic Nrf2 in model control group was decreased, while the relative expression levels of nuclear Nrf2, HO-1 and NQO-1 were increased, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.05). Compared with model control group, the relative expression levels of cytoplasmic Nrf2 in 2.5%, 5.0% and 10.0% medicated serum groups were reduced, and the relative expression levels of nuclear Nrf2, HO-1 and NQO-1 were enhanced, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.01). Compared with model control group, the relative expression level of cytoplasmic Nrf2 in SB216763 group was decreased, and the relative expression level of nuclear Nrf2 was increased, and the differences were statistically significant (both at P<0.05). Compared with SB216763 group, the relative expression levels of cytoplasmic Nrf2, SNAIL1 and α-SMA in SB216763+ medicated serum group were decreased, and the relative expression levels of nuclear Nrf2 and E-cadherin protein were increased, and the differences were statistically significant (both at P<0.05). Conclusions:ZhuJing pill variant formula medicated serum can inhibit H 2O 2-induced EMT in ARPE-19 cells.The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of AKT/GSK-3β pathway and the activation of Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) are widely used in gene survey research these years. The EST Pipeline System, software developed by Hangzhou Genomics Institute (HGI), can automatically analyze different scalar EST sequences by suitable methods. All the analysis reports, including those of vector masking, sequence assembly, gene annotation, Gene Ontology classification, and some other analyses, can be browsed and searched as well as downloaded in the Excel format from the web interface, saving research efforts from routine data processing for biological rules embedded in the data.
Automation ; Base Composition ; Computational Biology ; methods ; Databases, Genetic ; Expressed Sequence Tags ; Software ; User-Computer Interface

Six new tirucallane-type triterpenoids (1-6), along with ten known triterpenoids, were isolated from methylene chloride extract of the resin of Boswellia carterii Birdw. By the application of the comprehensive spectroscopic data, the structures of the compounds were clarified. The experimental electronic circular dichroism spectra were compared with those calculated, which allowed to assign the absolute configurations. Compounds 5 and 6 possesed a 2, 3-seco tirucallane-type triterpenoid skeleton, which were first reported. Their inhibitory activity against NO formation in LPS-activated BV-2 cells were evaluated. Compound 9 showed appreciable inhibitory effect, with an IC