Objective　To investigate the molecular regulation of G1 arrest of mouse thymocytes induced by ionizing radiation. Methods　Cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM) following staining of cells with proidium iodide. Fluorescent staining and flow cytometry analysis were employed for measurement of protein expression. Results　It was demonstrated that G1 phase of mouse thymocytes increased significantly at 12h after whole body irradiation (WBI) with the doses of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 Gy, and at 24h following 2.0Gy exposure, measured by FCM. In the time course experiment, it was found that G1 phase of thymocytes increased significantly at 4h, reached a peak level at 24h and came down toward 48h after WBI with 2.0Gy X-rays. The results also showed that after 2.0Gy exposure, the expression of proteins in mouse thymocytes increased significantlty from 1h to 8h for p53, for p21 from 4h to 48h, and for MDM2 at 4h and 8h, measured by FCM. But no change was found for GADD45 protein expression. Conclusion　These results suggest that G1 arrest could be induced by a single dose of 0.5 Gy, 1.0Gy or 2.0Gy, and its molecular control might be established through the p53-p21 pathway.

HK-2 cells were cultured with various concentrations of glucose and insulin for 12,24,48,72 h.Transforming growth factor-?_1(TGF-?_1) protein in supematant was measured by ELISA,while TGF-?_1 mRNA expression was assessed by RT-PCR.Data showed that high concentration of glucose and insulin up-regulated the expression of TGF-?_1 in HK-2 cells through different pathways.

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the structure-activity relationship of anti-tumor activity of diosgenin derivatives in vitro. Study has found that diosgenin can inhibit the reproduction of tumor cells by inducing apoptosis and the main target spot of this effect is Bcl-2. Based on the characteristics of pharmacophoric points' of the three-dimensional pharmacophore for Bcl-2 inhibitors, we have docked lots of diosgenin derivatives with Bcl-2, then synthesized 31 compounds of them, finally assessed the anti-tumor activity of the diosgenin derivatives in vitro against A375, A549, HepG-2 and K562. Preliminary studies of SAR have indicated that the aliphatic esters, and aromatic esters of diosgenin without F ring have no anti-tumor activity in vitro. The triazole bromides of diosgenin all achieve fairly good anti-tumor activity in vitro, and those with larger hydrophobic group have the better activity. The stronger is the hydrogen bonding interaction and dipole-dipole interaction of the heterocyclic of diosgenin and diosgenin without F ring and the acid ester of diosgenin without F ring, the better is the activity of derivatives.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Diosgenin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Structure-Activity Relationship

Objective: To discuss the application principle in tuina manipulation for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (LIDH) in Chinese literatures published in recent 30 years. Methods: The three major Chinese databases, Wanfang Academic Journal Full-text Database (Wanfang), Chongqing VIP Database (CQVIP) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), were searched to collect the studies of tuina manipulations in treatment of LIDH published in recent 30 years. Clustering analysis was applied to analyze the top 20 tuina manipulations for LIDH. Results: The top 20 most frequently used manipulations for LIDH were Gun-rolling, Rou-kneading, Dian-digital pressing, oblique Ban-pulling, An-pressing, Tanbo-plucking, Bashen-pulling and extending, horizontal Tui-pushing, Na-grasping, Anrou-pressing and kneading, Dou-shaking, Yao-rocking, Ca-scrubbing, Pai-patting, post-extension Ban-pulling, Mo-rubbing, Zhen-vibrating, Nie-pinching, fist-back Ji-tapping, and dorsal Shen-extending methods. The involved manipulations can be divided into two categories by the treated body areas. One category is applied to the soft tissues, including Gun-rolling, Rou-kneading, Dian-digital pressing, An-pressing, Tanbo-plucking, horizontal Tui-pushing, Na-grasping, Anrou-pressing and kneading, Ca-scrubbing, Pai-patting, Mo-rubbing, Zhen-vibrating, Nie-pinching, and fist-back Ji-tapping methods. The other category is applied to bones and joints, including oblique Ban-pulling, Bashen-pulling and extending, Dou-shaking, Yao-rocking, post-extension Ban-pulling, and dorsal Shen-extending methods. Conclusion: Based on the treated body area, the tuina manipulations applied to treat LIDH are predominated by the ones performed on soft tissues, assisted by those on bones and joints. From the way of force exertion, the involved manipulations are majorly the swinging methods, followed by squeezing and pressing ones. The manipulations applied to bones and joints are predominated by the Ban-pulling ones, followed by the Bashen-pulling and extending ones.

BACKGROUNDThe role of epigenetics in gene expression regulation and development significantly enhances our understanding of carcinogenesis. All the tumor related genes may be the target of epigenetical or genetic regulation. We selected some epigenetically regulated genes for cDNA array analysis and observed variability in the expression of the DICER1 gene in distinct stages of gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between the expression of DICER1, an epigenetically regulated gene, and gastric cancer.

METHODSTo detect the expression of 506 tumor-associated genes, including DICER1, in the matched cancerous mucosa, pre-malignant lesion (adjacent mucosa), non-cancerous gastric mucosa and distant lymphocyte metastatic lesion in 3 cases of gastric cancers using cDNA array. DICER1 mRNA expression and DICER1 protein expression were further analyzed by Real-time PCR and Western blot in 32 cases of progressive gastric cancer. DICER1 protein expression was also detected in 33 early and 30 progressive gastric cancers by the immunohistochemistry (IHC) method.

RESULTSIn 3 cases of gastric cancer cDNA array showed dramatically decreased expression of DICER1 in pre-malignant lesion, cancerous mucosa and distant lymphocyte metastatic lesions compared with matched noncancerous gastric mucosa, pre-malignant lesion and cancerous mucosa. Real-time PCR results showed that the expression level of DICER1 mRNA in gastric cancer was significantly down-regulated compared to normal gastric tissue (P < 0.05). The IHC assay also showed that the expression of DICER1 was significantly decreased in progressive gastric cancer. Among the 63 cases of gastric cancers, 13/33 early (39.4%) and 19/30 (63.3%) progressive cancers showed negative expression of DICER1 (50.8%). The difference in expression of DICER1 between early and progressive gastric cancers was significant (P < 0.01). The result of Western blotting showed that DICER1 protein was down-regulated significantly in advanced gastric cancer (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSDICER1 expression is decreased during the progression of gastric cancer, especially in progressive gastric cancers, which indicating DICER1 may play an important role in the development of cancer and the epigenetical regulation involved.

Blotting, Western ; DEAD-box RNA Helicases ; analysis ; genetics ; physiology ; Endoribonucleases ; analysis ; genetics ; physiology ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Ribonuclease III ; Stomach Neoplasms ; chemistry ; etiology ; genetics

China ; Genes, Bacterial ; Sequence Analysis ; Streptococcus suis ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Virulence Factors ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the roles of total prostate specific antigen (tPSA), PSA density (PSAD) and biopsy Gleason score in predicting the pathologic stage of prostate cancer.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 124 cases of pathologically confirmed prostate adenocarcinoma, and divided them into Groups A (n=48) and B (n=76) based on the results of bone scanning, CT, MRI, tPSA, PSAD and postoperative biopsy Gleason score, the former with extraprostatic infiltration or distant metastasis, while the latter without. We compared the above parameters between the two groups, screened the main factors that influenced the pathologic staging of prostate cancer by multivariate logistic regression analysis, and appraised the value of each of the parameters in predicting the pathologic stage of prostate cancer with a relative operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTSThe tPSA level and biopsy Gleason score were significantly higher in Group A than in B (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only tPSA could predict the pathologic stage of localized prostate cancer. The ROC curve exhibited that the combined use of tPSA and Gleason score had a better predicting value than other parameters (Gleason score + tPSA > tPSA > PSAD + tPSA + Gleason score).

CONCLUSIONTotal PSA remains a valuable predictor of the pathologic stage of prostate cancer, and its combination with Gleason score can further improve the predictive accuracy and contribute much to the treatment and prognosis of the disease.

Adenocarcinoma ; blood ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Postoperative Period ; Prognosis ; Prostate ; pathology ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of ionizing radiation on the expression of p16, CyclinD1, and CDK4 in mouse thymocytes and splenocytes.

METHODSFluorescent staining and flow cytometry analysis were employed for the measurement of protein expression.

RESULTSIn time course experiments, it was found that the expression of p16 protein was significantly increased at 8, 24, and 48 h for thymocytes (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, and P < 0.05, respectively) and at 24 h for splenocytes (P < 0.05) after whole body irradiation (WBI) with 2.0 Gy X-rays. However, the expression of CDK4 protein was significantly decreased from 8 h to 24 h for thymocytes (P < 0.05-P < 0.01) and from 8 h to 72 h for splenocytes (P < 0.05-P < 0.01). In dose effect experiments, it was found that the expression of p16 protein in thymocytes and splenocytes was significantly increased at 24 h after WBI with 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 Gy (P < 0.05-P < 0.01), whereas the expression of CDK4 protein was significantly decreased with 2.0 Gy for thymocytes (P < 0.05) and 0.5-6.0 Gy for splenocytes (P < 0.05-P < 0.01). Results also showed that the expression of CyclinD1 protein decreased markedly in both thymocytes and splenocytes after exposure.

CONCLUSIONThe results indicate that the expression of p16 protein in thymocytes and splenocytes can be induced by ionizing radiation, and the p16-CyclinD1/CDK4 pathway may play an important role for G1 arrest of thymocytes induced by X-rays.

Animals ; Cyclin D1 ; biosynthesis ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 ; biosynthesis ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinases ; biosynthesis ; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Flow Cytometry ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; Radiation Dosage ; Spleen ; cytology ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Thymus Gland ; cytology ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; X-Rays

OBJECTIVETo investigate the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of extranodal Rosai-Dorfman disease.

METHODSTwo cases of extranodal Rosai-Dorfman disease were studied using hematoxylin-eosin, and immunohistochemical staining, along with a literature review.

RESULTSThe lesions of RDD were characterized by the presence of large histiocytes with emperipolesis, accompanied by infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells and other inflammatory cells. The large histiocytes had an abundant cytoplasm, pale to eosinophilic in appearance, positive for S-100 protein staining, with a vesicular nucleus and a small basophilic nucleolus in each cell.

CONCLUSIONSExtranodal Rosai-Dorfman disease is known as an idiopathic proliferative disease of histiocytes with a distinct morphologic feature and is very rare. Differential diagnosis from other types of fibrohistiocytic proliferation lesions is recommended.

Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; metabolism ; Brain ; pathology ; surgery ; Brain Diseases ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Dermatologic Surgical Procedures ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Histiocytosis, Sinus ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Skin ; pathology ; Skin Diseases ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

To observe the serum samples and the anti-inflammatory effect of Tripterygium wilfordii in treating RA by using the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model, make a correlation analysis on concentration-time and effect-time curves, and explore RORγt, IL-17, STAT3, IL-6 mRNA transcriptional levels in rats by PCR. Methotrexate, tripterine and high-dose T. wilfordii could down-regulate RORγt, IL-17, STAT3, IL-6 mRNA transcriptional levels in AA rat lymph nodes. The study on PK-PD model showed correlations between inflammatory factors and blood concentration of T. wilfordii. T. wilfordii and its main active constituent tripterine could show the inflammatory effect and treat RA by inhibiting IL-17 cytokine.
Animals ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Biomarkers ; Female ; Interleukin-17 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; Interleukin-6 ; genetics ; Phytotherapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tripterygium ; Triterpenes ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology