Objective To evaluate the effect of bronchoscopic argon plasma coagulation thera-py on bronchial carcinoma. Methods Thirty-one bronchial carcinoma patients were diagnosed by bronchoscope and pathological tests, with or without atelectasis or obstructive pneumonia on chest X-ray or chest CT. Argon plasma coagulation therapy was performed through bronchoscope. The location of the airway lesions, the degree of obstruction, dyspnea index, and complications were evaluated. Results The patients with bronchial carcinoma were treated 1～4 times by bronchoscopic argon plas-ma coagulation therapy. Full effectiveness was achieved in 15 patients (48.4 %), partial in 12 (38.7%), and mild in the other 4 ( 12.9 % ). The overall effective rate was 100 %. Conclu-sion Bronchoscopic argon plasma coagulation therapy for bronchial carcinoma can remarkably reduce the tumor size, relieve clinical symptoms, and alleviate the obstruction caused by bronchial neoplasm. Brouchoscopic argon plasma coagulation therapy is an effective and safe method for patients with bron-chial carcinoma.

BACKGROUNDTo investigate the expression of COX-2 and its relation to clinical pathophysiological features and prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSThe expression of COX-2 protein was detected in 52 NSCLC tissues by immunohistochemical (S-P) method.

RESULTSThe positive COX-2 expression was observed in 25 (48.1%) cases of NSCLC tissues. The positive rate of COX-2 expression was 76.5% and 34.3% in adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma respectively (P < 0.01). The positive rate of COX-2 expression in T3+T4 disease (92.3%) was remarkably higher than that in stage T1+T2 (33.3%) (P < 0.01). There was a remarkable difference in COX-2 expression rate between clinical stage I+II (28.1%) and clinical stage III+IV (80.0%) groups (P < 0.01). The positive rate of COX-2 expression was 83.3% in those with lymph node metastasis, but only 17.9% in those without lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01). In addition, there were significant differences in positive rate of COX-2 expression among patients with ≤2, > 2 but < 5, ≥5 years of survival span respectively (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSOverexpression of COX-2 in NSCLC, especially in adenocarcinoma, is closely related to invasion, lymph node metastasis and clinical stage of lung cancer. It may play a role in development of NSCLC, and also may be a prognostic marker.

BACKGROUNDTo investigate the expression and its clinical significance of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), so as to provide reference in diagnosis, treatment and determining prognosis of NSCLC.

METHODSMMP-2 and MMP-9 expression was detected in 32 lung cancer tissues, 32 paracancerous lung tissues and 10 benign pulmonary lesion tissues by immunohistochemical method with anti-MMP-2 and anti-MMP-9 antibody.

RESULTS(1)Expression of MMP-2 (90%, 36/40) and MMP-9 (83%, 33/40) in cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in paracancerous tissues (22% and 13%) and benign pulmonary disease tissues (0) (P < 0.01). (2)Expression level of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was significantly related to lymph node metastasis and TNM staging, and histologic classification and differentiation (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMMP-2 and MMP-9 expression in NSCLC tissue is remarkably higher than that in paracancerous tissues and benign pulmonary tissues. Detaction of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression in lung cancer tissue might be helpful to determine metastasis, staging of the cancer, and predict the prognosis of patients with NSCLC.

BACKGROUNDLung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in mankind. To exploit antitumor drug from plant has been a highlight at home and abroad. The aim of this study is to investigate the apoptosis of human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549/DDP induced by ginsenoside Rh₂ (G-Rh₂) and to explore its possible molecular mechanism.

METHODSThe growth inhibition effect of G-Rh₂ on A549/DDP cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Cell cycle analysis, apoptosis index and tumor related gene expression were detected by flow cytometry. The changes of sApo-1/Fas level in the cell culture supernatant were determined by ELISA method.

RESULTS(1) G-Rh₂ significantly inhibited the growth of A549/DDP cells in a dose-time-de-pendent manner. (2) After 24 hours' treatment with G-Rh₂, apoptosis index of trial group was significantly higher than that of control group (P < 0.001). The proportion of cells in G0/G1 phase in trial group was much higher than that in control group (P < 0.01), while proportion in S phase in trial group was markedly lower than that in control group (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in proportion in G2/M phase between trial group and control group (P > 0.05). (3) The positive expression rate of p53 and Fas in trial group was significantly higher than that in control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.001), while the positive expression rate of Bcl-2 in trial group was significantly lower than that in control group (P < 0.001). (4) The level of sApo-1/Fas in A549/DDP cell culture supernatant in trial group was remarkably lower than that in control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSG-Rh₂ can induce the apoptosis of A549/DDP cells. Its molecular mechanism may be up-regulating expression of p53 and Fas and down-regulating expression of Bcl-2.

BACKGROUNDTumor-necrosis factor related to apoptosis inducing ligand protein(TRAIL), like tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) and Fas, is a member of TNF cytokine supper family. Many researches have showed that TNF-α can reverse the resistance to some chemotherapeutic agents in cancer cell lines, and some anticancer drugs can result in up-regulations of death receptor (DR) and further lead to the enhancement of apoptosis induced by TRAIL. In order to clarify if TRAIL can reverse the resistance to cisplatin in cancer cells, the effects of recombinant human tumor-necrosis factor related to apoptosis inducing ligand protein (rhTRAIL) on apoptosis in human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines resistant to cisplatin (DDP) in vitro was explored.

METHODSHuman lung adenocarcinoma cell lines resistant to cisplatin, A549/DDP cells, were cultured in regular condition. At 24 hours after TRAIL and DDP, alone or combined, microculture tetrazolium (MTT) dye was used to evaluate the cytotoxic effects. And besides, to detect the apoptotic effects of rhTRAIL on A549/DDP cells, flow cytometry assay was used to test the apoptosis proportion, diphenylamine assay (DPA) was applied to detect the percent of DNA fragmentation and Caspase-3 chluorometric assay was performed to test the activity of Caspase-3 among these cells.

RESULTSA549/DDP cells were not sensitive to low-dose rhTRAIL alone. The rate of growth inhibition and the apoptotic indexes such as the apoptosis proportion, the percent of DNA fragmentation and the activity of Caspase-3, had all no significant changes with rhTRAIL concentration less than 25μg/L (P > 0.05). But treated with higher-dose rhTRAIL more than 50μg/L, the four values changed obviously: 68.6%, (27.13± 0.66)%, (37.4±2.0)% and 0.117±0.011, respectively (P < 0.05). With combination of different concentration of rhTRAIL and 3mg/L DDP, the cyto-toxic and apoptotic effect was comparatively more apparent. The combination of rhTRAIL and 3mg/L DDP presented synergistic effect on A549/DDP, 12.5μg/L concentration of rhTRAIL together with 3mg/L DDP could kill 30.4% of A549/DDP cells. Furthermore, the rate of cell apoptosis, percent of DNA fragmentation and activity of caspase-3 increased to (19.39±0.54)%,(17.3±4.1)% and 0.138±0.009, which were significantly different from those of rhTRAIL alone (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSHigh-dose rhTRAIL can also induce the cells resistant to cisplatin to apoptosis, but the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of rhTRAIL alone are weaker than those of combination of rhTRAIL and low-dose cisplatin which can augment the apoptotic effect induced by rhTRAIL. rhTRAIL is expected to be an efficient biologic drug for treatment of lung cancer resistant to chemotherapy.

Objective To investigate the activation, distribution, origin, and expression of hepatic stem cells(HSC)in different histological types of primary liver carcinomas. Methods The histological and immunohistochemical features of 94 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 12 cases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and 10 cases of mixed hepatocarcinoma were examined by HE staining and immunohistochemistry SP method, with 5 cases of sclerotic liver and 4 cases of normal liver tissues as control. Results HSC expression was observed and the transfor mation from HSC to carcinoma cell was also noted in the liver. CK7, CK19, c-kit, Thy-1, and AFP were found expressed in different types of hepatic carcinomas and the greatest intensive expression was found in the mixed hepatocarcinoma (P

In recent years, collagen peptides (CP) have become a research hotspot in delaying chronological skin aging. Animal experiments have shown that CP can repair chronologically aged animal skin by promoting collagen synthesis, inhibiting collagen degradation, and increasing antioxidant enzyme activity. Cell experiments showed that CP can promote proliferation of fibroblasts and synthesis of collagen and elastin by stimulating nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway and transforming growth factor-β/drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic signaling pathway. Clinical studies have demonstrated that long-term oral supplement with CP or CP in combination with other antioxidant active substances can increase the skin moisture content and reduce transepidermal water loss, improve skin wrinkles and elasticity, as well as improve the skin collagen fiber structure, dermal and epidermal quality and the overall condition of facial skin. This review summarizes recent studies on mechanisms underlying chronological skin aging and mechanisms of action of CP in repairing chronologically aged skin, in order to provide a theoretical basis for further clinical research into and application of CP in repairing chronologically aged skin.

Objective: To study the mRNA expressions of various CD97 isoforms in colorectal carcinoma tissues and their clinical significances. Methods: A total of 50 colon cancer patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from December 2013 to May 2014 and human colon cancer cell lines SW480 and SW620 were enrolled. The real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expressions of CD97 human epidermal growth factor (EGF) (1, 2, 5), CD97EGF (1, 2, 3, 5) and CD97EGF (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) in colon cancer tissues, adjacent tissues, normal colon tissues, SW480 cells and SW620 cells. The relationship between the mRNA expression of CD97EGF (1, 2, 5) and the clinicopathological factors was analyzed. Results: Compared with those low expressions in adjacent tissues and normal tissues, the mRNA expressions of CD97 isoforms CD97EGF (1, 2, 5), CD97EGF (1, 2, 3, 5) and CD97EGF (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) in cancer tissues were highest, and the differences were statistically significant (0.71±0.20 vs. 0.40±0.09 vs. 0.35±0.07, F = 107.642, P < 0.01; 0.45±0.11 vs. 0.26±0.05 vs. 0.27±0.06, F = 94.231, P < 0.01; 0.41±0.10 vs. 0.21±0.05 vs. 0.19±0.03, F = 165.672, P < 0.01). In addition, the mRNA expression of CD97EGF (1, 2, 5) in colon cancer patients was associated with tumor infiltration depth (T₁-T₂ and T₃-T₄), clinical stages (Ⅰ-Ⅱ and Ⅲ-Ⅳ), and the differences were statistically significant (t = -2.582, P = 0.013; t = -5.062, P < 0.01). The mRNA expression of CD97EGF (1, 2, 5) in SW620 cells was higher than that in SW480 cells. Conclusions CD97 isoforms are highly expressed in colon cancer tissues, and CD97EGF (1, 2, 5) may play an important role in the development and invasion of colon cancer. The CD97 isoforms may be new markers in the treatment of colon cancer.

OBJECTIVE： To establish a method for content determination of total polyphenols from Gastrodia elata， and to optimize the purification technology of macroporous resin. METHODS： The content of total polyphenols from G. elata was determined by Folin-ciocaileu colorimetry. Using the absorption and desorption performance as index， 4 kinds of macroporous adsorption resins were selected by static adsorption and desorption tests. The flow rate and mass concentration of the sampling solution， volume fraction of eluent， eluent flow rate and eluent volume were investigated by dynamic adsorption and desorption tests. The purification technology of macroporous resin was optimized. RESULTS： The linear range of gallic acid was 4-32 μg/mL （r＝0.999 9）. RSDs of precision， stability and repeatability tests were all less than 2％. The recovery rate of the sample was 95.51％-102.94％（RSD＝2.54％，n＝6）. D301 macroporous resin had strong static adsorption and desorption ability from G. elata polyphenols. The optimal purification technology included that the sample solution flow rate 2 BV/h； the sample solution mass concentration 4 mg/mL； the elution solvent 70％ ethanol； the elution flow rate was 3 BV/h， and the eluent volume 5 BV. The content of total polyphenols from G. elata optimized by the optimal purification technology was 0.381 mg/g. CONCLUSIONS： Established method is sensitive and stable. The optimized purification technology is stable and feasible.

Despite growing prevalence and incidence, the management of gout remains suboptimal. The intermittent nature of the gout makes the long-term urate-lowering therapy (ULT) particularly important for gout management. However, patients are reluctant to take medication day after day to manage incurable occasional gout flares, and suffer from possible long-term toxicity. Therefore, a safe and easy-to-operate drug delivery system with simple preparation for the long-term management of gout is very necessary. Here, a chitosan-containing sustained-release microneedle system co-loaded with colchicine and uricase liposomes were fabricated to achieve this goal. This microneedle system was confirmed to successfully deliver the drug to the skin and maintain a one-week drug retention. Furthermore, its powerful therapeutic potency to manage gout was investigated in both acute gouty and chronic gouty models. Besides, the drug co-delivery system could help avoid long-term daily oral colchicine, a drug with a narrow therapeutic index. This system also avoids mass injection of uricase by improving its stability, enhancing the clinical application value of uricase. In general, this two-drug system reduces the dosage of uricase and colchicine and improves the patient's compliance, which has a strong clinical translation.