Hypoxia is a common physiological and pathological stimulus in many human diseases .The cellular oxygen sensors and the following activation of multiple cellular signal transduction pathways involved in hypoxia responses can regulate cell survival as well as respiration , blood circulation , metabolism and so forth .The cell response to hypoxia has a complex diversity .Hypoxia-induc-ible factor ( HIF) pathway in an oxygen dependent manner plays a central role during the hypoxia response .The HIF-independent path-ways are equally important under hypoxic conditions which can maintain the oxygen balance and metabolism balance .

Pulmonary fibrosis , an important cause of pulmonary diseases , has no effective protective and therapeutic meas-ures.Recent studies showed high mobility group protein B 1 (HMGB1) has an important role in the development of pulmonary fibrosis and many HMGB1 antagonists can alleviate pulmonary fibrosis in animal models .This paper summarizes the structure , function, intra-cellular signal transduction of HMGB1, the expression change of HMGB1 in pulmonary fibrosis and HMGB1 targeted therapy in pulmo-nary fibrosis in order to provide an effective basis for clinical treatment of pulmonary fibrosis .

Objective To evaluate the association between matrix metalloproteinase‐1 (MMP‐1)‐1 607 bp 1G/2G and matrix metalloproteinase‐3(MMP‐3)‐1 171 bp 5A/6A polymorphisms in promoter regions and susceptibility to ovarian cancer by Meta‐a‐nalysis .Methods Case‐control studies with regards of relationship between MMP‐1‐1 607 bp 1G/2G ,MMP‐3‐1 171 bp 5A/6A pol‐ymorphisms in promoter regions and susceptibility to ovarian cancer were searched in electronic databases .Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to evaluate the association between polymorphisms and susceptibility .RevMan5 .0 software was applied for data analysis .Results Eight studies ,containing 5 studies for MMP‐1 and 3 studies for MMP‐3 ,were selected .For MMP‐1‐1 607 bp 1G/2G ,OR(95% CI)=0 .95 (0 .74-1 .21) ,P=0 .67 under 1G/1G :1G/2G+2G/2G model ,OR(95% CI)=0 .93 (0 .70-1 .23) ,P=0 .60 under 1G/1G :2G/2G model ,OR(95% CI)=0 .99 (0 .87-1 .14) ,P=0 .91 under 1G :2G model;for MMP‐3‐1 171 bp 5A/6A ,OR(95% CI)=0 .97(0 .68-1 .38) ,P=0 .85 under 5A/5A+5A/6A :6A/6A model .Overall ,there was statisti‐cal significance .Conclusion It is still not confirmed that significant association between the MMP‐1‐1 607 bp 1G/2G and MMP‐3‐1 171 bp 5A/6A polymorphisms in promoter regions and susceptibility to ovarian cancer exists in current literature .

Objective To investigate the effect of Xuebijing injection on release of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in endotoxin-induced cells. Methods HMGB1 concentration and mRNA expression were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and RT-PCR, respectively. The effects of Xuebijing injection with 2, 10 and 50 mg/ml on HMGB 1 concentration in the culture medium of 200 ng/ml lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophage-like RAW 264.7 cells and BRL-3A hepatocytes, and HMGB1 mRNA expression in lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages were observed. Results 50 mg/ml Xuebijing injection significantly decreased HMGB1 concentration in the culture medium of lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages and hepatocytes(P< 0.01), and inhibited HMGB1 mRNA expression in macrophages. Conclusion Xuebijing injection inhibits endotoxin-induced release of HMGB1.

Objective High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) mediates the inflammatory immune response as well as the prolif-eration, differentiation and migration of cells , neverthless, little study has been done on the changes of HMGB 1 expression in hepatoma tissues.The aim of the article was to investigate the changes of HMGB 1 mRNA and protein expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues. Methods Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blotting were applied to detect HMGB 1 mRNA and protein expression in HCC tissues and their paracancerous tissues of 13 cases.Immunofluorescence localization was used to analyze the changes of HMGB1 distribution in hepatic cells . Results The expression of HMGB1 mRNA and protein in HCC tissues (4.01 ±0.81) and (1.37 ±0.34) increased significantly in comparison with those in paracancerous tissues (5.76 ±1.28) and (0.52 ±0.12) ( P<0.01).Nucleo-cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1 was observed in hepatocarcinoma cells . Conclusion There is increased expression of HMGB1 in HCC tissues, which shows HMGB1 mediates the carcinogenesis of HCC .

Objective To study the correlation between symptomatic, radiological and etiological classification in acute ischemic stroke. Methods One hundred and twenty five patients with ischemic stroke within 48 hour of onset were prospectively studied with three step diagnosis: (1) symptomatic classification based on the Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project criteria (OCSP), (2) radiological classification(CT or MRI) and (3) etiological classification based on the Lausanne Stroke Registry criteria.Results Most of the patients with symptoms of total anterior circulation infarcts (TACI), partial anterior circulation infarcts (PACI) and posterior circulation infarcts (POCI) according to OCSP classification had corresponding lesions on CT or MRI, while only 67.3% of lacunar infarcts (LACI) patients had small subcortical infarction (SSI). More than 60% of patients with TACI were classified into cardioembolism (CE) in the third diagnosis, while the etiology of PACI was either CE or large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) in equal numbers. Only 57.7% of LACI patients were classified into small artery disease (SAD) and 28.8% of them into LAA, of which 80% patients had lesions other than SSI. The positive predictive value of SAD in the combination of LACI and SSI was 0.78. The etiology of POCI was variable.Conclusion Except for LACI, the symptomatic classification by OCSP corresponds well to the radiological classification. The etiological classification can be predicted in TACI and PACI, but it is hard to make in POCI, a number of LACI are due to LAA.

Objective To investigate the significance of determination for binding ratio of L-PHA(leukoagglutinating phytohemagglutinin) with serum alkaline phosphatase in the diagnosis of primary hepatic cancer.Methods The binding ratios of L-PHA with serum alkaline phosphatase in 50 healthy individuals,103 cases of primary hepatic cancer,22 cases of hepatocirrhosis,36 cases of chronic hepatitis,18 cases of acute hepatitis and 13 cases of digestive tract tumor were determined by lectin affinity chromatography.Results The binding ratio of L-PHA with serum alkaline phosphatase in primary hepatic cancer(16.01% 5.42%) were significantly increased as compared with the healthy control(7.50% 2.53%)(P 0.01).The binding ratios were positively correlated with the tumor size and AFP level.Conclusion The binding ratio of L-PHA with serum alkaline phosphatase is a potential parameter for the laboratory diagnosis of primary hepatic cancer.

Objective To study the effect of berberine on extracellular release of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and its mechanism. Methods After LPS was activated by different concentration of berberine, the release of HMGB 1 and TNF-a, and expression of HMGB 1 mRNA in cultured mouse peritoneal macrophages was investigated. Results Berberine markedly suppressed the release of HMGB 1 and expression of HMGB 1 mRNA from LPS-stimulated macrophages (P<0.05). While the release ofTNF-a was't significantly affected. Conclusion Berberine suppressed extracellular release of HMGB 1 by decreasing expression of HMGB 1 mRNA.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Huxinkang Pills in treating patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP) and its effects on the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Methods Sixty patients with UAP were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group, 30 cases in each group. Patients in the treatment group were treated with Huxinkang Pills based on the basic western medicine, while the patients in the control group were treated with Tongxinluo Capsules based on the basic western medicine. The treatment course was 4 weeks. Clinical efficacy and the change of the TNF-α and NT-proBNP levels before and after treatment were observed. Results The general efficacy, electrocardiograph efficacy, angina pectoris efficacy, TCM syndrome efficacy and glonoine reduction of the two groups had statistically difference (P<0.05) respectively, and the efficacy of the treatment group was superior to that of the control group (P<0.05). The TNF-α and NT-proBNP levels in both groups before and after treatment had statistically difference (P<0.05) respectively. The differences in TNF-α and NT-proBNP levels between both groups after treatment were all statistically significant (P<0.05), and these indexes of treatment group were superior to those of the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Huxinkang Pills are remarkable in treating patients with UAP, and able to restrain the levels of TNF-α and NT-proBNP.

Objective To evaluate the association of angiotensin (AGT ) gene M235T polymorphism with essential hypertension (EH) .Methods The literatures examining the association of the M 235T polymorphisms with EH were selected in electronic data-bases .Using RevMan5 .0 ,heterogeneity and pooled effect sizes were calculated .Results Totally ,29 articles ,with 5 971 cases and 6 443 controls were finally included in this study .The odds ratio (OR) value of TT+ TM∶MM genotype was 1 .13 (95% CI 1 .00-1 .25 ,P=0 .04) in worldwide populations .Subgroup analysis showed that the OR values of TT ∶MM genotype were 1 .13 (95% CI 0 .90-1 .42 ,P=0 .28) in subjects published before 2008 and 1 .29(95% CI 0 .94-1 .75 ,P=0 .11) in those after 2008(year of 2008 included) .The OR values of T ∶M in Han population was 1 .24 (95% CI 1 .01-1 .53 ,P=0 .04) .Conclusion TT+ TM genotype of the M235T polymorphisms is associated with EH in worldwide populations ,and T allele is also correlated with EH in Han popu-lation .