Colorectal carcinoma ( CRC ) is one of the malignant tumors with the highest morbidity and mortality rates in the world.The invasion and metastasis of CRC are the major reasons for treatment failure and death .It was believed that CXCR 4 was the exclusive receptor for CXCL12.However, recent studies have identified CXCR7 as a second receptor for CXCL12.Both chemokine ax-es of CXCL12/CXCR4 and CXCL12/CXCR7 closely correlate with the proliferation , migration, adhesion of tumor cells and the forma-tion of tumor-associated vessels in CRC , which may become new significant targets for anti-cancer and anti-metastatic treatment of CRC.

AIM: To observe the effects of carvedilol on murine viral myocarditis model. METHODS: A total of 188 inbred male BALB/c mice of 4-6 weeks were divided into 4 groups: myocarditis group (group C, n=60), metoprolol treatment group (group M, n=60), carvedilol treatment group (group K, n=60), control group (group B, n=8). Myocardial histopathololgic changes were observed. The concentrations of cardiac troponin I (cTn-I) were detected by chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA). Western blotting was performed to analyze the contents of phosphorylated p38MAPK in myocardium. RESULTS: Metropolol and carvedilol lightened myocardial histopathololgic changes at acute stage, decreased cTn-I concentrations and myocardial phosphorylated p38MAPK value compared with myocarditis group. Treatment with carvedilol was more effective than treated with metropolol on those indexes. CONCLUSION: Carvedilol protects against viral myocarditis by inhibition of p38MAPK signal transduction pathway through blockade of β_1 and β_2 adrenergic receptors.

Animals ; Diet ; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated ; administration & dosage ; Insulin Resistance ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Rats

Background Asthma is a complex disease involving genetic and environment interactions.Atopy is a strong risk factor for asthma.The airway epithelium not only forms a physical barrier but also provides immune defense against harmful materials.To explore the effects of airway epithelium on asthma,we hypothesized that environmental injuries could act on bronchial epithelial cells and damage the physical barrier,which might facilitate allergens to stimulate immunoreactions and play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma.Methods Thirty eight-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups with six rats in each group:control group,asthma group,ovalbumin (OVA)+OVA group,lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group and LPS+OVA group.In the control group,0.9％ saline was injected intraperitoneally on day 1.Fourteen days later,the rats were exposed to aerosolized 0.9％ saline.In the asthma group,the rats were sensitized with an injection of 10 mg of OVA,followed by an aerosolized 2％ OVA challenge14 days later.The OVA+OVA group was sensitized by an inhalation 2％ OVA,20 minutes a day,from day 1 to day 7,and then OVA challenged in the same way as the asthma group.In the LPS group,LPS (200 μl,1 μg/μl) was given by airway on day 1 and day 3,with a simultaneous aerosol inhalation of 2％ OVA for 20 minutes a day from day 1 to day 7.Fourteen days later,the rats were challenged with saline as in the control group.While in the LPS+OVA group,LPS (200 μl,1 μg/μl) was given by airway on day 1 and day 3,with a simultaneous aerosol inhalation of 2％ OVA for 20 minutes a day from day 1 to day 7.Fourteen days later,the rats were challenged with OVA as in the asthma group.The expression of interleukin (IL)-4,interferon-gamma (IFN-y) and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in the lungs was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the pulmonary pathological changes were also observed.The level of IL-4,IFN-γ and IgE in plasma was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected to conduct differential cell counts.Flow cytometry analysis was also used to count Th1 and Th2 cells.Results The pathological changes in the LPS+OVA group were similar to the asthma group,while in other groups,the pathological changes were not obvious.The ratio of lymphocytes in BALF,IL-4/IFN-γ in plasma and the expression of the TSLP and IL-4 in the asthma and LPS+OVA groups were higher than in the control group and the OVA+OVA group (P ＜0.05).The level of IgE was higher in the asthma,LPS and LPS+OVA groups than in the control group and the OVA+OVA group (P ＜0.05).By flow cytometry analysis,the Th1/Th2 ratio was lower in the LPS+OVA and asthma groups than in other groups (P ＜0.05).Conclusions The experiment results show that the injury to the bronchial epithelial layer may be the initial event of allergic responses.This finding implies that a rational approach to therapeutics would be to increase the resistance of the airways to environmental injuries rather than concentrating on suppressing inflammation.

Objective:To evaluate the protection of small bowel and bladder by Contoura carbon fiber belly board in patients with rectal cancer undergoing postoperative radiotherapy and the position deviation during radiotherapy. Methods: This study enrolled 45 consecutive patients with rectal cancer who had undergone prior surgery. Twenty patients who applied the belly board were defined as group A, and the other 25 patients were defined as group B. All the patients received threE-dimensional conformal radiation therapy(3D-CRT), and the prescriptive radiation dosage of 95% of planning target volume (PTV) was 50 Gy/25 times. Patients in group A underwent two sets of CT scans as follows: group A1, prone alone; group A2, prone with the use of the belly board. The radiation dosage and radiated volume in PTV, small bowel, and bladder were observed by dosE-volume histograms. Ten patients were selected randomly from group A and group B, respectively. Their position deviation during radiotherapy was measured by double exposure field verification system. The acute radiation reactions of all patients were observed and recorded during radiotherapy. Results: No significant difference was found in the total PTV and total volume of small bowel and bladder and mean irradiation dosage to PTV between groups A1 and A2. The mean irradiation dosage to the small bowel and bladder, the volume of small bowel irradiated at 10%-100% dose levels, and the volume of bladder irradiated at 30%-100% dose levels, were significantly decreased in group A2. The difference was significant. Compared with group B, the right-left and superior-inferior position deviations were significantly reduced in group A. The difference was significant (P<0.05). The anterior-posterior position deviation was also reduced, but the difference was not significant (P=0.705). The incidence of grade 3 or more adverse reactions were 15% (3/20) in group A and no patient broke off or stopped treatment; the incidence of grade 3 or more adverse reactions was 24% (6/25) in group B, and two patients broke off the treatment because of severe adverse reaction. One patient terminated the treatment. Conclusions: The Contoura carbon fiber belly board can reduce the irradiation dosage and volume of small bowel and bladder in patients with rectal cancer undergoing postoperative radiotherapy. The position deviation has better reproducibility and the acute radiation reactions are tolerable. It is worthy of application in clinic.

Objective To investigate the protective role of hydrogen sulfide and the expression of cystathionine gamma-lyase/hydrogen sulfide pathway in a mouse model of myocarditis induced by Coxsachie -virus B3(CVB3).Methods A total of 110 five-week-old BALB/c male mice were randomly divided into four groups:the control group, viral myocarditis group, sodium bisulfide (NaHS) group (50 μmol/kg) and DL-propargylglycine (PAG) group (40 mg/kg).The experimental model of viral myocarditis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of CVB 3.Then the four groups were respectively administered with PBS , PBS, NaHS and PAG from day 1 to day 10 after infection.Blood and heart specimens were harvested from 10 mice of each group on day 4 and day 10 for evaluation of myocardial edema .The pathological changes in heart tis-sues were observed through hematoxylin-eosin staining.Levels of H2 S, IL-6 and TNF-αwere measured by ELISA.The expressions of CSE and CVB 3 at mRNA level were determined by quantitative real time PCR ( qRT -PCR ) analysis and the expression of CSE at protein level was detected by Western blot .Results Compared with the control group , the levels of H2 S and the expressions of CSE at mRNA and protein levels were down-regulated in mice with CVB 3-induced myocarditis .With the treatment of NaHS , the levels of H 2 S in serum and tissue were both up-regulated , and the histopathological damage was alleviated .However , PAG as an irreversible CSE inhibitor inhibited the expressions of H 2 S and CSE and aggravated myocardial injury , inflammatory cells infiltration and interstitial edema .Moreover , the RT-PCR analysis also showed that the expression of CVB3 at mRNA level was inhibited by NaHS but enhanced by PAG .Conclusion The expres-sion of CSE/H2 S pathway is down-regulated in mice with CVB 3-induced viral myocarditis .PAG could pro-mote virus propagation and exacerbate the disease through inhibiting the production of endogenous H 2 S, while NaHS as a H2 S donor has a protective effect on infected myocardium by suppressing virus replication at an early stage .

Objective To conduct an in vitro study of the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Staphylococcus aureus and Acin- etobacter spp.,and evaluate their response to various concentrations of tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-?,interleukin (IL)-1?, and IL-6.Methods To monitor the growth of bacteria incubated with the cytokines TNF?,IL-1?and IL-6 that were added to RPMI 1640 medium in various concentrations (10,50.100,500 pg,1 and 10 ng) at 2,4 to 6,8 and 16-18 h.The bacterial concentration was estimated when the mixtures of cytokines and specific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) were in- cubated.Results We found that all three bacterial species showed concentration-dependent growth enhancement when incubated with one or more tested cytokines.Blockade by specific neutralizing cytokine significantly inhibited cytokine-induced growth. When compared with control,the 6 h growth response was maximal with IL-1?for Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter spp.,and with IL-6 for Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Conclusions In this study we provide additional evidence for a newly de- scribed mechanism for bacterial proliferation in the presence of exaggerated and protracted inflammation.The effect that cyto kine-induced growth enhancement inhibited by specific neutralizing cytokine MoAbs may be useful for antimicrobial therapy.

Objective To investigate the detection rate of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for iso-echo liver cancers, and to evaluate the application of CEUS in treating iso-echo liver cancers with radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Methods A total of 27 patients with liver cancers (31 lesions in total) were enrolled in this study. Of the 27 patients, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was seen in 11 (11 lesions) and hepatic metastasis in 16 (20 lesions). In all patients the diagnosis was detected by contrast-enhanced CT or contrast-enhanced MRI and was clinically confirmed. Under real-time CEUS guidance, RFA was carried out for all the 31 lesions. The ablated extent was evaluated by CEUS, and CEUS findings were used to guide the further treatment. Results All 31 lesions were detected by CEUS and were treated with RFA. No serious complications occurred after RFA. Both CEUS and CECT performed one month after RFA showed that complete tumor necrosis was seen in all the 31 lesions. After RFA the serum AFP levels in all 11 HCC patients fell to normal range, and the serum CEA, CA-199 as well as CA-153 levels in patients with hepatic metastasis decreased significantly(P<0.01). Conclusion CEUS can markedly increase the detection rate of iso-echo liver cancers. Besides, CEUS plays an important role in guiding the performance of RFA for iso - echo liver lesions.

OBJECTIVETo study the inhibitory effect of Ganoderma lucidum, the extract of chloroform, the extract of ethyl acetate and the remains after two-time extraction on BEL-7402 and MGC-803 cells and their protective effects on HL-7702 cells pre-and post-exposed to cisplatin (DDP) and various doses of 60Co gamma irradiation.

METHODThe antitumor activity and protective effects on damaged HL-7702 cells induced by radiotherapy and chemotherapy of ganoderma lucidum were determined by MTT technique.

RESULTThe anticancer activity of the extract of chloroform Ganoderma lucidum was the best: at the concentration of 0.125 mg x mL(-1), the inhibitory rate was over 50%. To the HL-7702 cells damaged by DDP, four kinds of extracts didn't exert restoring effect, but the pretreatment with the extract of chloroform reduced the damaged degree significantly. To the 60Co gamma irradiated HL-7702 cells, only the extract of chloroform exerted restoring effect to some extent when exposed to middle or high dose of irradiation. The pre-administration of four kinds of extracts reduced the damaged degree by radiation.

CONCLUSIONThe extract of chloroform exerts notable antitumor effects on cancer cells and protective effects on damaged normal cells induced by radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Cisplatin ; adverse effects ; Cobalt Radioisotopes ; adverse effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Radiation-Protective Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Reishi ; chemistry ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology

[ ABSTRACT] AIM: To observe the effects of TNF-α/nuclear factor-κB( NF-κB) /matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) pathway on the expression of MMP-2 in the mice with viral myocarditis.METHODS: Six-week-old inbred male mice were randomly assigned to control and myocarditis group.The mice in myocarditis group and control group were intra-peritoneally inoculated with 0.1 mL 10-5.69 TCID50 /mL coxsackievirus B3 and vehicle (PBS), respectively.Ten mice were sacrificed at the 4th and 10th days after injection.The blood and heart specimens were harvested.The serum content of TNF-αwas measured by ELISA.The myocardial levels of MMP-2, NF-κB p65 and IκBαwere determined by Western blot.RESULTS: Compared with control group, the protein expression of MMP-2 and NF-κB p65 in the myocardium and the serum content of TNF-αwere significantly increased in myocarditis group (P <0.05).The protein expression of IκBαwas lower in myocarditis group than that in control group (P <0.05).CONCLUSION: TNF-α, NF-κB p65 and MMP-2 were higher in the mice with acute viral myocarditis.The increased expression of them might be involved in the pathogene-sis of viral myocarditis.