Objective To investigate the auxiliary effects of huaier granule on hepatoeellular carcinoma (HCC)patients after liver transplantation.Methods Sixty HCC patients who had undergone liver transplantation from Julv 2004 to June 2006 and met the standard of UCSF were involved in this study.All patients were divided into huaier granule group(n=20),chemotherapy group(n=15),huaier granule+chemotherapy group (n=15)and control group(n=10).The white blood cell count,liver function,cell immunity and immunologieal reiection were detected.The 1-year tumor recurrence rate wag calculated.Results The white blood cell counts in chemotherapy group 1,3,and 6 months after treatment were significantly lower than that before treatment (F=62.053,58.472,49.807,P＜0.05).The changes of white blood cell counts of the other 3 groups before and aftertreatment were small.The difference on the white blood cell counts of the 4 groups had no statistical 8ignincanee(F=102.361,113.412,87.572,P＜0.05).The NK activity,CD4+/CD8+ ratio,IL-2 level in huaier granule group and huaier granule+chemotherapy group 1,3,6 months after treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment,and were significantly higher than those in chemotherapy group and control group(P＜0.05).No immunological rejection occurred in all the groups.Two patients in each group had recurrence and metastasis of HCC within 1 year after the treatment.and the incidence in control group was higher than the other 3 groups(P＜0.05). Conclusions Humer granule can increase the white blood cell count which is decreased after chemotherapy,impmve cellular immunity,and effectively suppress the recurrence and metastasis of HCC at the first year after operation.

Objective To observe the influence of nandrolone phenylpropionate(NP) on the ultrastructure of aorta in rats with or without movement training,and investigate the side effects of NP on the cardiovascular system. Methods Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into sedentary control group,sedentary+medicine group,exercise control group and exercise+medicine group.For the groups with medical treatment,NP of 10 mg/kg one time every three days was injected into the rats via gluteus for eight weeks.For the exercise groups,rats were trained to run on treadmill five days per week for eight weeks.The aortae were sampled and specimens were obtained for transmission electron microscopy. Results The ultrastructure of aorta was normal in sedentary control group.For sedentary+medicine group,mitochondrial swelling,vacuolated cytoplasm and lysis of endothelial cells were observed,disruption of intercellular conjunctions,widening of subendothelial spaces and furcation and breakage of internal elastic lamina were found,and smooth muscle cells changed into synthesis type.For exercise control group,no obvious morphologic change was observed,except that part of the internal elastic lamina disrupted.In exercise+medicine group,breakage and lysis of endothelial cells were observed,widening of subendothelial spaces and lysis of internal elastic lamina were found,and autophagosome and myelinoid body were seen in smooth muscle cells. Conclusion NP may lead to the impairment of endothelial cells and the change of smooth muscle cells into synthesis type.Exercise with NP administration may result in more severe impairment in vessel wall.

Objective To explore the immunophenotype of children with acute myeloid leukemia(AML) and its clinical significance.Methods Statistics was used to analyze the relationship between the immunophenotype of AML and their French-American-Britain(FAB) classification,complete remission (CR) in one month and 3-years event-free survival(EFS).Results CR rate was 71.6% and 3-years EFS rate was 50.8%. HLA-DR and CD34 absent mainly in M3, associated with higher CR and EFS rate. So did CD33 negative cases, especially in M2. CD13 positive was significantly predictive factor for achieving CR.Co-expression of lymphoid antigens and NK cell antigens(CD56) with M2 which correlated with lower CR and EFS rate.Conclusions The negative of HLA-DR, CD34, CD33,as well as CD13 positive, have relationship with good prognosis. Lymphoid antigens and CD56 are poor prognostic factors.

The deubiquitinating enzyme ubiquitin specific peptidase 15 (USP15) is regarded as a regulator of TGFβ signaling pathway. This process depends on Smad7, the inhibitory factor of the TGFβ signal, and type I TGFβ receptor (TβR-I), one of the receptors of TGFβ. The expression level of USP15 seems to play vital roles in the pathogenesis of many neoplasms, but so far there has been no report about USP15 in psoriasis. In this study, immunohistochemical staining of USP15, TβR-I and Smad7 was performed in 30 paraffin-embedded psoriasis specimens and 10 normal specimens to investigate the expression of USP15, TβR-I and Smad7 in psoriasis and to explore the relevance among them. And USP15 small interfering RNA (USP15 siRNA) was used to transfect Hacat cells to detect the mRNA expression of TβR-I and Smad7. Of 30 cases of psoriasis in active stage, 28, 24 and 26 cases were positive for USP15, TβR-I and Smad7 staining, respectively. The positive rates of USP15 and Smad7 were significantly higher in psoriasis specimens than in normal skin specimens (44.1%±26.0% vs. 6.1%±6.6%, 47.2%±27.1% vs. 6.6%±7.1%), and positive rate of TβR-I (20.3%±22.2%) in psoriasis was lower than that in normal skin specimens (46.7%±18.2%). There was a significant positive correlation between USP15 and Smad7 expression, and significant negative correlations between USP15 and TβR-expression, an I d between TβR- and Smad7 expression I in psoriasis. After transfection of USP15 siRNA in Hacat cells, the expression of TβR-mRNA was up I -regulated and that of Smad7 was down-regulated. It is concluded that USP15 may play a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis through regulating the TβR-I/Smad7 pathway and there may be other cell signaling pathways interacting with USP15 to take part in the development of psoriasis.

OBJECTIVETo explore the inhibition effect of RNA interference on the ICP4 expression and DNA replication of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2).

METHODSFour pairs of siRNA targeted to HSV2 ICP4 gene and negative control siRNA were synthetized by chemical method, named as siRNA-1, siRNA-2, siRNA-3, siRNA-4 and siRNA-N respecticely. HSV2 HG52 was used to attack Vero cell after transfection overnight. Vero cell and supernatant were collected at 1d, 2d, 3d, 4d and 5d after virus attacking. Flurogenic quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (FQ-RT-PCR)was used to detect the expression of HSV2 ICP4 mRNA, flurogenic quantitative polymerase chain reaction(FG-PCR) was used to detect the expression of HSV2 DNA and Western-Blot was used to detect the expression of HSV2 ICP4 protein.

RESULTSAll the four pairs of siRNA could significantly inhibit the expression of HSV2 ICP4 mRNA and protein, especially siRNA-2. The above siRNAs could significantly decrease HSV2 DNA copy number,too.

CONCLUSIONsiRNAs targeted to HSV2 ICP4 gene could significantly inhibit expression of HSV2 ICP4 mRNA and protein, and decrease HSV2 DNA copy number, suggesting that siRNA can inhibit HSV2 DNA replication through silencing ICP4 gene.

Gene Expression Regulation, Viral ; drug effects ; genetics ; Gene Silencing ; drug effects ; physiology ; Herpesvirus 2, Human ; drug effects ; genetics ; RNA Interference ; drug effects ; immunology ; RNA, Small Interfering ; pharmacology ; RNA, Viral ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo determine the effects of lactose inducing on the expression of recombinant Helicobacter pylori rUreB and rhpaA, and Escherichia coli rLTB and rLTKA63.

METHODSBIO-RAD gel image analysis system was applied to detect the outputs of the recombinant proteins. SDS-PAGE was performed to measure the target protein expression of recombinant genes at various periods of growth, different lactose concentrations, various inducing temperatures and times. The results of the target protein expression induced by lactose were compared to those by isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG).

RESULTSLactose showed higher efficiency to induce the expression of rHpaA, rUreB, rLTB and rLTKA63 than IPTG. The expression outputs of target recombinant proteins induced at 37 degrees C were remarkably higher than those at 28 degrees C. The optimal expression parameters were 0.8 of OD600 value, 50 g/L of lactose, 4 hours of inducing time for rHpaA, and 1.2 of OD600 value, 100 g/L of lactose, 5 hours of inducing time for both the rUreB and rLtB,and 0.8 of OD600 value, 100 g/L of lactose, 4 hours for rLTKA63.

CONCLUSIONLactose, a sugar with non-toxicity and low cost, is able to induce the recombinant genes to express the target proteins with higher efficiency than IPTG.

Adhesins, Bacterial ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Bacterial Toxins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Bacterial Vaccines ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Enterotoxins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Genetic Engineering ; Helicobacter Infections ; prevention & control ; Helicobacter pylori ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lactose ; pharmacology ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Urease ; genetics ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo evaluate clinical applicability of a novel technique that can quantify the lamivudine-resistant mutants of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the serum of patients utilizing gene microarray technology.

METHODSThe oligonucleotide microarray was designed to detect 3 important mutational positions. Fifty-one patients who were receiving lamivudine therapy were selected as subjects. The oligonucleotide microarray and traditional sequencing were applied to detect the lamivudine resistant mutation, the monitoring lasted for 24 months. Then the clinical result was analyzed and the obtained data were compared between the two methods.

RESULTSLamivudine resistant mutation was detected in 39 percent of the patients during the 2 years period. The results of the oligonucleotide microarray technique was consistent to the results of traditional sequencing in accuracy and the miroarray was more sensitive in detection of the mixed infection.

CONCLUSIONApplication of the oligonucleotide microarray for quantitative detection of lamivudine-resistant mutation of HBV is feasible.

Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; drug therapy ; virology ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Mutation ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of extracts from Cichorium endivia (CEE) in H2O2-induced HepG2 cell oxidative stress injury, and explore the antioxidant mechanism of CEE in HepG2 cells.

METHODThe viability of H2O2-induced HepG2 cells and the intracellular ROS level were measured by MTT assay and DCFH-DA fluorescence staining assay. The antioxidant-response element (ARE)-Luciferase activity was tested in HepG2 cells stably transected by ARE reporter gene. The fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR was adopted to determine the mRNA expressions of genes containing ARE sequence in HepG2 cells.

RESULTThe cell viability reduced, while the ROS level increased after HepG2 cells were treated by H2O2. Different concentrations of CEE could be added to significantly improve the above results. After HepG2 cells transected by ARE reporter gene were treated with different concentrations of CEE, the intracellular ARE activity could increase in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, the mRNA expressions of regulatory genesGCLC, GCLM and HMOX-1 containing ARE sequence in HepG2 cells were up-regulated in a concentration-dependent manner by CEE.

CONCLUSIONCEE inhibited the H2O2-injured HepG2 cells by reducing the ROS level. CEE's antioxidant mechanism for HepG2 cells may be closely related to the antioxidant defense system associated with its effect of activating Nrf2-ARE pathway in HepG2 cells.

Antioxidants ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; pharmacology ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Response Elements ; genetics

Adult ; Blast Injuries ; therapy ; Explosions ; Humans ; Male ; Multiple Trauma ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo study the proliferation effect of the AM supernatant incubated activation of p38 mitogen activated protein kinases (p38MAPK) signal transduction pathway in human embryonic lung fibroblasts, and to participate in the development of fibrosis in silicosis.

METHODSThe silicotic alveolar macrophages were collected by bronchoalveolar lavage and incubated in vitro in the DMEM medium containing SiO₂ (50 µg/ml) and DMEM medium without SiO₂ for 18 h. Then the AM supernatant incubated for 18 h was collected. HELFs were isolated by organize paste block method, and incubated with AM supernatants. HELFs were divided into four groups: blank control groups, AM groups, SiO₂ + AM groups, SB203580 + SiO₂ + AM groups. The proliferation in the HELF was detected with MTT method and Flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe proliferation in the HELF acted with the conditioned AM supernatant fluid were more than blank control groups, AM groups and SB203580 + SiO₂ + AM groups [average optical density: (0.48 ± 0.03) vs (0.29 ± 0.01), (0.38 ± 0.02), (0.33 ± 0.03)], the values with MTT method were statistically different (P < 0.05); Proliferous index with flow cytometry in SiO₂ + AM groups (18.12 ± 0.82) was bigger than blank control groups (9.24 ± 0.48), AM groups (14.76 ± 0.43) and SB203580 + SiO₂ + AM groups (11.71 ± 0.70) and the values were statistically different(P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe AM supernatant stimulated by silicon dioxide can accelerate the proliferation in the HELF by activation of p38MAPK signal transduction pathway.

Adult ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; pathology ; Humans ; Lung ; cytology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; cytology ; Male ; Signal Transduction ; Silicon Dioxide ; pharmacology ; Silicosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism