Th17 lymphocytes have been recently identified as a novel subset of CD4+ cells. It has been defined that IL-17,the main product of Th17, plays an important role in immunity against parasitic infection. There is a two-way influence between Th17 and cytokine network: on one hand Th17 consummates cytokine network, on the other hand many cytokines regulate Th17's activity in parasitic infection. In the anti-parasitic infection process, Th17 cells protect host or promote inflammation, even cause immune pathogenesis in different cases, which comprise host's immune state, the burden of parasitic infection, as well as the treatment.

OBJECTIVE:To prepare redox-responsive pluronic F127 micelles with high drug-loading efficiency. METHODS:The thiol derivative F127-SH with strong hydrophobicity was synthesized by introducing tert-butyl methacrylate and cysteamine to the hydrophobic segments of F127. Paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded redox-responsive pluronic F127 micelles with high drug-loading effi-ciency(F127-SS/PTX)were prepared by film-hydration method as well as oxidation reaction of thiol groups. The diameter,encap-sulation efficiency and drug-loading amount were detected,and the change of diameter and drug release behavior of micelles were investaged under reducing environment or non-reducing environment. RESULTS:Mean diameter of F127-SS/PTX micelles was about(77.87±1.79)nm,and encapsulation efficiency and drug-loading amount were(92.73±2.35)% and(16.25±0.99)%,re-spectively. The diameter of the micelles increased rapidly and drug release rate of PTX increased significantly in the presence of 10 mmol/L dithiothreitol. CONCLUSIONS:The redox-responsive pluronic F127 micelles with high drug-loading efficiency are pre-pared successfully.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of compound Decumbent Corydalis Rhizome (DCR) in treating patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Totally 79 patients with knee osteoarthritis were selected from out-patient and inpatient departments of West China Hospital and randomly divided into the test group and the control group. The test group (n = 41) was given Compound DCR with the dosage of 1.8 g · d(-1), while the control group (n = 38) was administered with diclofenac sodium with the dosage of 75 mg · d(-1). After 12 weeks of treatment, the total efficacy rates based on patients/physicians evaluation for experimental and control groups were 68.29%, 63.41% and 71.05%, 63.16%, respectively, without significant difference between the two groups. Both of the two groups showed significant improvements in the main efficacy indexes (pain on walking 20 m) and minor indexes (tenderness on palpation, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities OA index (WOMAC) and Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36 ), but without significant difference in efficacy between them. The incidence of related adverse events was 24.39% in the test group and 47.37% in the control group, respectively, with significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.05). In the controlled study, compound DCR is as efficient as diclofenac sodium but more tolerable, with a good clinical application prospect.
Adult ; Aged ; Corydalis ; chemistry ; Diclofenac ; administration & dosage ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; drug therapy ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Treatment Outcome

Animals ; Benzodiazepines ; pharmacology ; Ducks ; physiology ; Growth Hormone ; blood ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Serum ; metabolism ; Weight Gain ; drug effects

Humans ; Sciatic Neuropathy/etiology* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip/adverse effects* ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries/etiology* ; Sciatic Nerve/injuries*

Objective To investigate the effect of antisense oligonucleotides (ASODN) targeting livin on the inhibition of livin mRNA and protein expression and the apoptosis of human renal carcinoma cell line 786-O cells. Methods Specific phosphorothioate antisense oligodeoxynucleotides targeting livin were synthesized and then transfected into 786-O cells. The expressions of livin mRNA were detected by RT-PCR. Expression and location of livin protein were observed by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Apoptosis rate of 786-O cells was investigated by flow cytometer. The activity of Caspase-3 was detected by colorimetric assay. Results After the transfection of ASODN, the expression of livin mRNA was decreased (P

To establish a method for the determination of astilbin, peoniflorin, rasmarinci acid, isofraxidin and liquiritin contained in Shaolin Xiaoyin tablets, in order to lay a foundation for designing late-stage dosage forms and clinical medication schemes. In this paper, efforts were made to establish a method for the determination of the blood concentration of the five components and study the in vivo pharmacokinetics in rats. The blood concentration was determined by HPLC. Phenomenex C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) was adopted and eluted with methanol-acetonitrile-0.05% formic acid, the flow rate was 0.8 mL x min(-1), and the wavelength was 275 nm. The samples were processed by the solid phase extraction method. After oral administration of Shaoling Xiaoyin tablets, the rat bloods were collected at different time points to determine the blood concentrations. The experimental results showed that the baseline separation could be adopted for the five components, and astilbin, peoniflorin, rasmarinci acid, isofraxidin and liquiritin showed good linear relations within ranges of 2.48-248, 0.213 6-21.36, 0.531-53.1, 0.704-70.4, 0.253-25.3 mg x L(-1). All the five components could be absorbed in blood and excreted quickly. The method established in this paper is rapid and accurate, and could be used for in vivo analysis on preparations containing similar components. The main components in Shaoling Xiaoyin tablets could be absorbed and excreted quickly, and thus suitable to be made into sustained release tablets. Common preparations are required to be taken for 4-6 times a day.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Cinnamates ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Coumarins ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Depsides ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; pharmacokinetics ; Flavanones ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Flavonols ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Glucosides ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Monoterpenes ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo determine the expression of Skp2 in different prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines and tissues, and explore its influence on the androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway and development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

METHODSThe expression levels of Skp2 and AR in different PCa cell lines were detected by Western blot. After knockdown of Skp2 in the C4-2 and 22RV1 cells transfected with shRNA, the expressions of AR and P27 were determined and the activity of ARR3-Luc measured by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay following treatment with dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The expressions of AR and Skp2 in human naïve PCa or CRPC specimens were detected by immunohistochemical staining followed by analysis of their differences and correlation.

RESULTSThe Skp2 protein expression level was significantly higher in the C4-2 or 22RV1 cells than in the LNCaP cells. DHT treatment increased the expression of Skp2 in the C4-2 cells, but knock-down of Skp2 significantly up-regulated the expression of the well-known downstream protein P27 and down-regulated that of AR. Consistently, DHT treatment increased the activity of ARR3-Luc, while knockdown of Skp2 remarkably decreased it in the C4-2 and 22RV1 cells (P < 0.05). In addition, significantly higher expressions of Skp2 and AR were observed in the CRPC than in the naïve specimens (P < 0.05), with a positive correlation between the two proteins (r = 0.658 1, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSkp2 can enhance the expression and transcription activity of the AR protein in CRPC cells or tissues and is promising to be a critical molecular therapeutic target.

Androgens ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Dihydrotestosterone ; pharmacology ; Disease Progression ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant ; metabolism ; Receptors, Androgen ; genetics ; metabolism ; S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins ; physiology ; Transcriptional Activation ; Up-Regulation

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect of carbon dioxide laser tonsillectomy.Method:In this prospective,randomized study, One hundred and two patients were divided into laser group or control group. Patients of laser group were cured with carbon dioxide laser tonsillectom,and the control group was cured with routine method. All operations are executed by one person. Observation index included operation time, hemorrhage in operation, ache after operation, inflammatory reaction of raw surface, repair time of raw surface, rehaemorrhagia and scar.Result:Laser group had advantages of less operation time, less hemorrhage, less ache and less inflammatory reaction of raw surface. Laser group have hemorrhage in operation (7.2±2.1)ml, while control group have hemorrhage in operation (92.0±35.0)ml. Laser group have pseudomembrane early but desquamate late.Conclusion:Carbon dioxide laser tonsillectomy is effective to relieve pain, inflammatory reaction and with less time ,it's an safe , efficient and mini-trauma operation.

Effect of strophanthidin (Str) on intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) was investigated on isolated ventricular myocytes of guinea pig. Single ventricular myocytes were obtained by enzymatic dissociation technique. Fluorescent signal of [Ca2+]i was detected with confocal microscopy after incubation of cardiomycytes in Tyrode's solution with Fluo3-AM. The result showed that Str increased [Ca2+]i in a concentration-dependent manner. The ventricular myocytes began to round-up into a contracture state once the peak level of [Ca2+]i was achieved in the presence of Str (10 μmol·L-1), but remained no change in the presence of Str (1 and 100 nmol·L-1). Tetrodotoxin (TTX), nisodipine, and high concentration of extracellular Ca2+ changed the response of cardiomycytes to Str (1 and 100 nmol·L-1), but had no obvious effects on the action of Str (10 μmol·L-1). The elevation of [Ca2+]i caused by Str at all of the detected concentrations was partially antagonized by rynodine (10 μmol·L-1) or the removal of Ca2+ from Tyrode's solution. In Na+, K+-free Tyrode's solution, the response of cardiomycytes in [Ca2+]i elevation to Str (10 μmol·L-1) was attenuated, while remained no change to Str (1 and 100 nmol·L-1). TTX, nisodipine, and high concentration of extracellular Ca2+ changed the response of cardiomycytes to Str at all of the detected concentrations in Na+, K+-free Tyrode's solution. The study suggests that the elevation of [Ca2+]i by Str at the low (nomomolar) concentrations is partially mediated by the extracellular calcium influx through Ca2+ channel or a "slip mode conductance" of TTX sensitive Na+ channel. While the effect of Str at high (micromolar) concentrations was mainly due to the inhibition of Na+, K+-ATPase. Directly triggering the release of intracellular Ca2+ from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) by Str may be also involved in the mechanism of [Ca2+]i elevation.