Animals ; Herbicides ; poisoning ; Humans ; Paraquat ; poisoning

Aim To study the effect of Baoxinbao film on endothelin(ET) and nitric oxide(NO) secretion in patients with stable angina pectoris(SAP).Methods 76 patients with SAP were randomly divided into two groups, with 40 cases in the baoxinbao group plastered with baoxinbao film and 36 cases in the isosorbide dinitrate group receiving isosorbide dinitrate. The levels of plasma ET and NO before and after treatment were observed. Results The concentrations of plasma ET were increased and plasma NO reduced significantly in the SAP patients respectively, as compared with those in the control group(all P

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the serum level of soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) and its association with the degree of anemia in children with hemoglobin H (HbH) disease. METHODS: A total of 55 children with HbH disease were enrolled as the HbH group, and 30 healthy children were enrolled as the control group. The HbH group was further divided into a deletional HbH disease group and a non-deletional HbH disease group. A retrospective analysis was performed for hematological parameters and serum sTfR level in all groups. RESULTS: Of the 55 children with HbH disease, 39 had deletional HbH disease and 16 had non-deletional HbH disease. Compared with the control group, the deletional and non-deletional HbH disease groups had significantly lower hemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and a significantly higher serum level of sTfR. Compared with the deletional HbH disease group, the non-deletional HbH disease group had significantly lower red blood cell count (RBC) and Hb level and significantly higher MCV, MCH, and serum sTfR level. In children with HbH disease, serum sTfR level was negatively correlated with RBC and Hb level (r=-0.739 and -0.667 respectively, P<0.05) and positively correlated with MCV and MCH (r=0.750 and 0.434 respectively, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Serum sTfR level is associated the degree of anemia in children with HbH disease, and sTfR may be a target for the treatment of HbH disease.
Child ; Erythrocyte Count ; Hemoglobin H ; Humans ; Receptors, Transferrin ; Retrospective Studies ; alpha-Thalassemia

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the relationship between infection of Chlamydia Trachomatis(Ct) and apoptosis of spermatogenic cells.

METHODSApoptotic spermatogenic cells were examined by Wright-Giemsa staining and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate(dUTP)-biotin nick-end labeling(TUNEL) technique.

RESULTSApoptosis rate of Ct infective group was significantly higher than that of normal group(P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSCt infection may cause the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells, which affords an objective evidence for illustrating the mechanism of Ct-infection-induced male infertility.

Adult ; Apoptosis ; Chlamydia Infections ; complications ; pathology ; Chlamydia trachomatis ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Infertility, Male ; etiology ; Male ; Spermatocytes ; pathology ; Staining and Labeling

This study was purpose to examine the effect of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and Tween 80 on the growth and viability of stromal cells (BMSC), colony-forming units for granulocytes and macrophages (CFU-GM) and bone marrow endothelial cell line (BMEC) from murine bone marrow in vitro, and to analyze the concentration-effect relationship. The colony yields of colony-forming units fibroblastic (CFU-F) and CFU-GM were assessed in the murine bone marrow cell cultures at various concentrations of DMSO or Tween 80 and in the control groups. The MTT assay and trypan blue exclusion were used to determine the cell viability and percentage of survival in BMSC and BMEC cultures with or without either of these organic solvents. The results showed that the colony yields of both CFU-F and CFU-GM were decreased significantly (p<0.05 or <0.01) at the concentrations (v/v final) of 2% DMSO or 0.005%-0.01% Tween 80 respectively, as compared with control. The cell viability and percentage of survival of BMSC and BMEC cultures were significantly reduced (p<0.05 or <0.01) at 0.5%-1.0% DMSO or 0.002%-0.005% Tween 80, as compared with control. With the increase of volume fractions of these solvents, the decreased percentages of corresponding measurements were increased by degrees. It is concluded that when the concentration of DMSO or Tween 80 goes to a certain level in cell culture medium, either of the organic solvents has an inhibitory action or/and cytotoxicity on the growth and viability of BMSCs, CFU-GM and BMECs. The growth inhibition and cytotoxic response are more significant at higher concentrations of these solvents.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Female ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Progenitor Cells ; cytology ; Male ; Mice ; Polysorbates ; pharmacology ; Solvents ; pharmacology ; Stromal Cells ; cytology

The tetrapeptide N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (AcSDKP), a physiological regulator of cell proliferation, has been principally reported as a potent inhibitor of the proliferation of haematopoietic stem cells and progenitors. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the AcSDKP may directly affect the proliferative potential of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in vitro. We added AcSDKP to the cultures of human bone marrow mononuclear cells and measured the number and average area of MSC colonies. MTT colorimetric assay and mitotic index determination were further used to examine the proliferative state of the third passage MSCs in subcultures with or without the addition of AcSDKP. In addition, we evaluated whether AcSDKP may kill MSCs by the trypan blue dye exclusion test. The results showed that the colony forming capacity, the number of viable cells and the mitotic index were reduced in human bone marrow MSCs cultured in 1x10(-12) mol/L to 1x10(-9) mol/L AcSDKP. Maximum inhibitory activity appeared in 1x10(-11) mol/L of AcSDKP. No difference in percent of living cells was observed between the MSC subcultures with and without the addition of AcSDKP. As a result, AcSDKP within a certain range of concentrations has negatively regulatory effects on the proliferation of human bone marrow MSCs in vitro.
Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Down-Regulation ; physiology ; Growth Inhibitors ; physiology ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Oligopeptides ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the cell viabilities of vascular smooth muscle cells and vascular endothelial cells stimulated by cigarette smoke extract(CSE) .

METHODSThe CSE was prepared by smoke-bubbled phosphate buffered saline(PBS) generation.After culturing cells with different concentrations of CSE, we used the cell counting kit-8 to determine the cell viability.The expression levels of c-jun and cyclinD1 were analyzed through Western blot.The c-jun plasmid was transfected to detect the change of cyclinD1 expression.

RESULTSThe smooth muscle cell viability increased when the CSE concentration ranged 0.625%-10%, whereas the endothelial cells viability decreased when exposed to the CSE concentration. After exposure to CSE for 48 hours, there was no difference in c-jun expression between toxin group and PBS group;however, the expression of p-c-jun in the smooth muscle cells significantly increased in the toxin groups than in the PBS group(P<0.05) and the expression of p-c-jun in the vascular endothelial cells significantly decreased(P<0.05) . The level of cyclinD1 significantly increased after exposed to CSE, and its expression level also increased in respond to the c-jun overexpression.

CONCLUSIONCSE can enhance the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells and decrease in the activity of endothelial cells proliferation, which may be explained by the phosphorylation of c-jun and the expression of cyclinD1.

Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclin D1 ; metabolism ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun ; metabolism ; Tobacco ; adverse effects

The murine bone marrow endothelial cell line (mBMEC) has been maintained by means of subculture and cryopreservation for over 10 years since it was established in our laboratory. This study was aimed to newly identify biological characteristics of this cell line for further study. The cultured mBMEC cells were observed by inverted microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). PECAM-1 (CD31) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) were detected by immunofluorescent staining. The phagocytotic activity of the cells in culture was tested by using fluorescent acetylated low-density lipoprotein (Dil-Ac-LDL). The cell growth kinetics analysis and karyotype analysis were performed. The results showed that the adherent cells were mostly elliptical, rounded and spindle-shaped, and some of them connected to each other to form cord- and network-like arrangements in mBMEC cultures at subconfluence. The adherent cells grew up to confluence as a cobblestone-like monolayer. Several ultrastructural features of the endothelial cells could be observed in TEM sections of the cultured cells. More than 94% of mBMEC cells were positive for either CD31 or vWF. The phagocytotic ingestion of Dil-Ac-LDL occurred in 98.5% of cells. In normal culture conditions, the cells grew with a mean population doubling time of 54.6 hours and the maximal mitotic index was 38 per thousand in the rapid growth period. The colony yields were 4.33% to 7.40% depending on the plating density of cells. Karyotypes of all the cells were aneuploidy with a greater percentage of hyperdiploid. It is concluded that mBMEC cells retain the fundamental properties of endothelial cells, but the growth kinetics and biological behaviors are slightly different from those in the early days after the establishment of this cell line.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Line ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Karyotyping ; Mice ; Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; von Willebrand Factor ; metabolism

The ethyl acetate extract of the flower of Albizia julibrissin was isolated and purified by silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and MCI GEL CHP-20P column chromatography to yield 29 compounds. Their structures were elucidated as 8-hydroxy-2, 6-dimethyl-2E, 6Z-octadienoic acid (1), 8-O-formyl-2, 6-dimethyl-2E, 6Z-octadienoic acid (la), 8-hydroxy-2, 6-dimethyl-2E, 6E-octadienoic acid (2), 8-O-formyl-2, 6-dimethyl-2E, 6E-octadienoic acid (2a), (2E, 6S)-2, 6-dimethyl-6-O-beta-D-xylpyranosyloxy-2, 7-menthia-folic acid (3), clovan-2beta, 9alpha-diol (4), 2beta-O-formyl-clovan-9alpha-ol (4a), 2beta, 9alpha-O-diformyl-clovan (4b), vomifoliol (5), (6S, 9R)-roseoside (6), vanillin (7), 4-O-ethylgallic acid (8), 3-ethoxy4-hydroxy-benzoic acid (9), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (10), gallic acid (11), protocatechoic acid (12), stearic acid (13), palmitic acid (14), 2, 3-dihydroxypropyl hexadecanoate (15), linoleic acid (16), scopoletin (17), indole-3-carboxaldehyde (18), 2-furoic acid (19), 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furaldehyde (20), (22E, 24R)-5alpha, 8alpha-epidioxy-ergosta-6, 22-dien-3beta-ol (21), (22E, 24R)-5alpha, 8alpha-epidioxy-ergosta-6, 9, 22-trien-3beta-ol (22), (+)-lariciresinol 9'-stearate (23), formononetin (24) and uridine (25). Compounds 1a, 2a, 4a and 4b were new artifacts from the separation process, and others were obtained from A. julibrissin for the first time.
Albizzia ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flowers ; chemistry ; cytology ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVENitric oxide (NO) is involved in many physiologic and pathologic processes. As an important biologic mediator, NO has been the focus of cancer study for its function in tumorigenesis, tumor progression, and death. This study investigated the effect of NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on the growth and proliferation of gastric cancer cell line AGS.

METHODSThe growth inhibition of AGS cells was analyzed using MTT assay. The cell cycle was measured using flow cytometry. The changes of mRNA expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and caspase-3 were examined using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the protein expressions of PCNA and caspase-3 were analyzed using Western blot.

RESULTSDose-dependent SNP inhibited cell growth and proliferation. When the AGS cells were treated with SNP at 100, 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 mumol/L for 24 h, the growth inhibition rates were (2.02 +/- 2.96)%, (10.82 +/- 2.21)%, (18.95 +/- 3.35)%, (26.88 +/- 2.54)%, and (42.57 +/- 1.27)%, respectively (P < 0.05). SNP altered the cell cycle in AGS cells. Compared with the control group, treatment with SNP at 100, 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 mumol/L for 24 h reduced the number of cells in the S phase by 2.29%, 7.8%, 11.34%, 20.49%, and 23.6%, respectively, and enhanced the number of cells in the G1/G0 phases by 3.33%, 9.3%, 13.46%, 21.37%, and 24.73%, respectively (P < 0.05). With the increasing concentration and action time of SNP, the expressions of PCNA mRNA and protein decreased. The expression of caspase-3 mRNA remained unchanged, but procaspase-3 was activated.

CONCLUSIONNO not only inhibits cell growth and proliferation, but also induces apoptosis in gastric cancer cells, and such effects of NO showed significant dose-dependent activity.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Enzyme Activation ; drug effects ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide Donors ; pharmacology ; Nitroprusside ; pharmacology ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology