Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Chest Pain ; therapy ; Exercise Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy differences among acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Zusanli (ST 36), dolantin and scopolamine in treatment of acute renal colic, and to verify the clinical effect of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Zusanli (ST 36).

METHODSTwo hundred and forty patients were randomly divided into an acupuncture group, a scopolamine group and a dolantin group, 80 cases in each group. The acupuncture group was treated by acupuncture at unilateral or bilateral Neiguan (PC 6) and Zusanli (ST 36). The scopolamine group was treated by intramuscular injection of scopolamine combined with intravenous drip of scopolamine, and the dolantin group was treated by intramuscular injection of dolantin. The clinical therapeutic effects were observed 30 min after drug administration or acupuncture, and the onset time of effect and adverse reactions were compared among the groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate of 95.0% (76/80) in the acupuncture group had a similar therapeutic effect to 92.5% (74/80) in dolantin group (P>0.05), which were both superior to 76.3% (61/80) in scopolamine group (both P<0.05). The onset time of (13.24 +/- 2.12) min in the acupuncture group was significant earlier than (23.11 +/- 6.22) min in scopolamine group and (22.17 +/- 3.15) min in dolantin group (both P<0.05), and compared with the other two groups, the adverse reactions in the acupuncture group were significant decreased (both P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Zusanli (ST 36) has a good analgesic effect with a low incidence of adverse reactions, which is superior to that of dolantin and scopolamine.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Renal Colic ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expressions of phosphorylated Smad2 (P-Smad2) and phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues.

METHODSThe expressions of P-Smad2 and PTEN were detected using Envision immunohistochemical technique in 31 cases of HCC tissues, 25 cases of HCC adjacent liver tissues and 13 cases of non-hepatocellular carcinoma tissues.

RESULTSThe positive expression and staining intensity of PTEN in the cytoplasm of HCC cells (64.5%, 4.19+/-3.31) was significantly lower than those of the cells of the cancer adjacent tissues and non-cancerous tissues (96.0%, 7.88+/-0.93; 100%, 7.77+/-0.93). The staining intensity of PTEN in the cytoplasm of Edmondson pathologic grade III HCC cells was lower than those of the Edmondson grade I. The expression of PTEN was negatively correlated with intrahepatic vascular cancer thrombi (r=-0.43) and the expression of PTEN in the nuclei or cytoplasm of liver cells was negatively correlated with the liver disease progressions (r=-0.34). The positive rate and expression intensity of phosphorylated Smad2 in nuclei of HCC cells were the same as those in cancer adjacent and non-tumor liver tissues. The expression was mostly in the nucleus and cytoplasm of Edmondson grade I HCC cells, cancer adjacent liver tissue cells and non-tumor liver tissues, but its expression was only in the nuclei of Edmondson grade II and III HCC cells. The phosphorylated Smad2 expression appeared in the nuclei and in the cytoplasm of liver cells and it was positively correlated with the severity of the tumor pathology (r=0.22). Spearman correlation analysis revealed a significant inverse correlation between PTEN and phosphorylated Smad2 in HCC tissues (r=-0.73).

CONCLUSIONSThe aberrant expressions of PTEN and phosphorylated Smad2 and their interaction may play an important role in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Oxidative Phosphorylation ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase ; metabolism ; Smad2 Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEPatient with myocardial bridging (MB) usually has a benign prognosis, but some MB patients might experience myocardial ischemia, infarction and sudden cardiac death, especially during active physical activities. The purpose of the study was to study the stress-induced blood flow changes of the mural coronary artery in MB patients determined by intracoronary Doppler.

METHODSIn 8 patients with MB, the basic average peak velocity (bAPV), hyperemic average peak velocity (hAPV) of blood flow, coronary flow reverse (CFR) proximal and distal to the mural coronary artery were measured before and during intravenously dobutamine (10 microg kg-1 min-1, then add 10 microg kg-1 min-1 at 3 min interval till 40 microg kg-1 min-1) by intracoronary Doppler.

RESULTSThe baseline mural coronary diameter reduction was (51.7+/-21.4)% and significantly increased to (90.0+/-12.7)% (P<0.01) during dobutamine infusion. bAPV on the segments proximal and distal to the mural coronary artery significantly increased from (19.83+/-5.84) cm/s and (20.75+/-4.91) cm/s to (31.52+/-10.93) cm/s and (30.46+/-9.01) cm/s (all P<0.05 vs. baseline) respectively post dobutamine infusion. CFR measured at proximal and distal to myocardial bridging also significantly decreased from (2.91+/-0.62) and (2.46+/-0.82) to (2.17+/-0.66) and (1.83+/-0.51) (all P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONStress can significantly increase the compression of intramural coronary artery and reduce CFR on coronary segments both proximal and distal to the MB. Thus, active exercise might induce myocardial ischemia in patients with myocardial bridging.

Blood Flow Velocity ; Cardiotonic Agents ; pharmacology ; Coronary Circulation ; drug effects ; Coronary Vessel Anomalies ; physiopathology ; Coronary Vessels ; drug effects ; Dobutamine ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Influenza A virus ; immunology ; Influenza B virus ; immunology ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Hep G2 Cells ; Hepatoblastoma ; metabolism ; Humans ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (APOBEC3G) mediated antiviral activity against hepatitis B virus (HBV) and duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV).

METHODSTotal RNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), RT-PCR product was cloned into the EcoR I/Hind III restriction sites of the CMV-driven expression vector fused with a hemagglutinin fusion epitope tag at its carboxyl terminal. Replication competent 1.3 fold over-length HBV was constructed with full-length HBV of ayw subtype. The mammalian hepatoma cell HepG2 was cotransfected with the replication competent 1.3 fold over-length HBV and various amounts of CMV-driven expression vector encoding APOBEC3G-HA. Levels of HBsAg and HBeAg in the media of the transfected cells were determined by ELISA, HBV DNA. RNA from intracellular core particles was examined using Northern and Southern blot analyses. Chicken hepatoma cell LMH was cotransfected with head-to-tail dimer of an EcoR I monomer of DHBV and various amounts of CMV-driven expression vector encoding APOBEC3G-HA. DHBV DNA from intracellular core particles was examined using Southern blot analysis.

RESULTSCMV-driven expression vector encoding APOBEC3G-HA and replication competent 1.3 fold over-length HBV were constructed. There was a dose dependent decrease in the levels of intracellular core-associated viral (HBV and DHBV) DNA and extracellular production of HBsAg and HBeAg. Levels of intracellular core-associated viral RNA were also decreased, but the expression of HBcAg remained almost unchanged.

CONCLUSIONAPOBEC3G suppresses HBV and DHBV replication and also suppresses HBsAg and HBeAg expression.

APOBEC-3G Deaminase ; Cytidine Deaminase ; genetics ; Hep G2 Cells ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; metabolism ; Hepatitis B Virus, Duck ; physiology ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; metabolism ; Hepatitis B virus ; physiology ; Humans ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Virus Replication

OBJECTIVESTo study the effects of tumor suppressor in lung cancer-1 (TSLC1) on human hepatocyte carcinoma cell line HepG2.

METHODSA full length of TSLC1 cDNA was amplified from RNA of normal human liver cells by RT-PCR, and it was cloned into a pCI-neo expression vector and transfected into human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. The HepG2 cells transfected with this plasmid (experimental group) and those treated with pCI-neo vector (control group) and without any treatment (blank group) were compared. Cell morphology was studied microscopically and cell growth was analyzed with MTT assay. FACSort flow cytometry analysis was performed to assess the cell cycle distribution and apoptosis.

RESULTSA stable cell line expressing TSLC1 protein was successfully established. Morphologically, cells of the experimental group were tightly aggregated when compared with those of the control and blank groups. The growth of TSLC1-transfected cells was significantly suppressed in vitro compared with those of the control and blank groups. The amount of G0-G1 cells was 63.66%+/-3.83% (P less than 0.01) in the experimental group, while those of the control and blank groups were 47.45%+/-0.91% and 54.47%+/-0.96% respectively. The amount of S phase cells in the experimental group, 22.90%+/-6.04%, was significantly lower (P less than 0.05) than that of the control group (36.58%+/-0.61%) and the blank group (33.61%+/-2.99%), which suggested a G0-G1 cell cycle arresting. The number of cells in early and late phase apoptosis (17.09%+/-0.20% and 16.11%+/-0.40% respectively) were significantly higher than those of the control and blank groups (P less than 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSTSLC1 strongly inhibits the growth of HepG2 cells in vitro and induces apoptosis of the cells, suggesting that TSLC1 may have a tumor suppressor function in HCC.

Apoptosis ; genetics ; Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; Cell Proliferation ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; genetics ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Transfection ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution of hepatitis B virus genotype in Hubei province (China) and its clinical significance.

METHODSSerum samples from 190 HBV DNA positive patients with chronic HBV infection,including 52 asymptomatic HBV carriers (ASC), 56 chronic hepatitis (CH), 32 fulminant hepatic failure (FHF), 22 liver cirrhosis (LC), and 28 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients were collected and tested for HBV genotypes by type-specific primers.

RESULTSA simple and precise genotyping system based on PCR using type-specific primers was developed for the determination of genotypes of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Of the 190 patients, 140 (73.7%) were genotype B and 42 (22.1%) were genotype C. Genotype B was more prevalent in the FHF and HCC patients than in the ASC patients; the ALT value was significantly higher in genotype B than in genotype C patients. The rate of anti-HBe was significantly higher in genotype B than in genotype C except in the patients of the ASC group.

CONCLUSIONThe system we used seems to be a useful tool for the molecular diagnosis of HBV infection and for large-scale surveys. Genotype B, genotype C and BC combination exist in Hubei province, and genotype B is the major genotype in this area especially in FHF and HCC patients.

Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; virology ; Carrier State ; virology ; China ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; virology ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; virology ; Liver Failure, Acute ; virology ; Liver Neoplasms ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged

To investigate the function and molecular mechanism of p21(WAF1/Cip-1) expression in MOLT-4 cells induced by HDAC inhibitor TSA, the expression pattern of p21(WAF1/Cip-1) and the distribution of cell cycle in TSA treated cells were analyzed. The results showed that TSA could effectively induce G(2)/M arrest and apoptosis of MOLT-4 cells. Kinetic experiments demonstrated that p21(WAF1/Cip-1) were upregulated quickly before cell arrested in G(2)/M and began decreasing at the early stage of apoptosis. Meanwhile, the proteasome inhibitor MG-132 could inhibit the decrease of p21(WAF1/Cip-1) at the early stage of apoptosis, which showed that proteasome pathway involved in p21(WAF1/Cip-1) degradation during the TSA induced G(2)/M arrest and apoptosis responses. This study also identified that the protein level of p21(WAF1/Cip-1) was highly associated with the cell cycle change induced by TSA. Compared to cells treated by TSA only, exposure MOLT-4 cells to TSA meanwhile treatment with MG-132 increased the protein level of p21(WAF1/Cip-1) and increased the numbers of cell in G(2)/M-phase, whereas the cell apoptosis were delayed. It is concluded that p21(WAF1/Cip-1) plays a significant role in G(2)/M arrest and apoptosis signaling induced by TSA in MOLT-4 cells.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 ; biosynthesis ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Flow Cytometry ; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors ; Humans ; Hydroxamic Acids ; pharmacology ; Leukemia, Myeloid ; metabolism ; pathology