AIM: To investigate the effects of synthetical glucocorticoid dexamethasone(Dex) on the activation of two members of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase1/2(ERK1/2 ) and p38 MAPK (p38) in human ovarian cancer cell line HO-8910. METHODS: The activation of ERK1/2 and p38 was determined by Western blot. RESULTS: Inhibition of activation of ERK1 and ERK2 by 10 -7 mol/L Dex occurred at 5 min, with maximum up to 41% and 54% respectively at 30 min ( P

Purpose:To investigate whether transforming growth factor ?1 (TGF ?1) pathway is involved in the mechanism of dexamethasone (Dex) mediated proliferation inhibition in ovarian cancer cell line HO 8910.Methods:To analyse cell proliferation and cell cycle distribution by cell counts and flow cytometric analysis, respectively ; to determine the expression levels of TGF ?1 and its two receptors, T?R Ⅰ and T?R Ⅱ , by quantative RT PCR, ELISA and(or) immunocytochemistry methods.Results:Dex induced a G 0 /G 1 cell cycle arrest in HO 8910 cells, and it up regulated T?R Ⅱ expression in a concentration dependent manner.The level of T?R Ⅱ mRNA was the highest after treatment with Dex for 8 hours, with 1.4 fold more than that of control at concentration of 10 -7 mol/L ( P

Objective:To investigate the expressions and their clinical significance of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and extracellular matrix (ECM) components in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods:Expressions of VEGF and ECM components (fibronectin, FN and collagen Ⅳ, cⅣ) in 50 cases of NSCLC tissues and 20 cases of normal lung tissues were detected by immunohistological analysis. Their relationship with clinical features of NSCLC and the correlation of expression of VEGF and Fn and cⅣ were analyzed.Results:The positive expression rates of VEGF, Fn, and cⅣ were 96%, 78%, and 50% in NSCLC tissues. The expressions of VEGF and Fn were significantly higher than those in normal lung tissues (P<0.05). The expression of Fn and over-expression of VEGF were associated with lymph node metastasis (r=1.00, P<0.001). The survival rate of patients with over-expression of VEGF was greatly lower than that with weak expression of VEGF (P=0.022). The survival rate of Fn-negative patients was markedly higher than that of Fn-positive patients (P=0.046). Conclusion:VEGF and ECM component Fn were highly expressed in NSCLC, which correlated with lymph node metastasis and survival rate. Expression of ECM and VEGF had positive correlations, suggesting that ECM might be one of the anti-angiogenesis targets for tumor therapy.

Objective:To make a prospective study on the effectiveness and safety of toremifene (TOR) combined with novelbine/cisplatin (NP) in the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose first line platinum-based chemotherapy was failure. Methods:Forty-four patients with stage ⅡB-Ⅳ NSCLC, who failed in the first line cisplatin-based chemotherapy from January 2004 to February 2006, were enrolled in this study. All the patients received TOR combined with NP second line chemotherapy for two cycles. The response rate and adverse reaction were evaluated. The survival rate was analyzed.Results:The 44 patients received average 1.8 cycles of chemotherapy (1-3 cycles). The response of 37 patients could be evaluated including 21 patients who received NP regimen before and 16 patients who received platinum-based chemotherapy. After second line therapy, 4 of the 37 patients had partial response (PR), 19 had stable disease (SD), 14 had progressive disease (PD), and no patient had complete response (CR). The total response rate (CR+PR) was 10.8% (4/37). The disease-controlling rate (CR+PR+SD) was 62.2% (23/37). The response rate and disease-controlling rate of squamous cell lung cancer (SCC) were 27.3% (3/12) and 72.7% (8/12), which were significantly higher than adenocarcinoma [0% (0/18) and 44.4% (8/18), P<0.05]. The median survival time was 8.2 months, the median time for SD was 4.0 months (1.0-10.2 months), and the 1-year survival rate was 24.4%. The median survival time and 1-year survival rate of SCC patients had no significant difference compared with adenocarcinoma patients (9.2 vs 7.1 months; 33.3% vs 27.7%, P＝0.72). There was no significant difference in survival rate between male and female patients. One patient stopped therapy for liver function injury (hyperbilirubinemia). The adverse reactions induced by chemotherapy mainly included gastrointestinal reaction, bone marrow suppression, and liver function injury. No serious adverse reaction occurred. Conclusion:The clinical efficacy of second line TOR combined with NP regimen is similar with the first line regimen for NSCLC patients, especially for SCC patients. The frequency of adverse reaction is not increased.

Objective To observe the effect of cervical plexus block combined with cervical vertebra traction treatment of cervical spondylosis of nerve root type .Methods 60 cases of nerve root type cervical spondylosis were divided into two groups by coin tossing:group A(n=32) cervical plexus block combined with cervical traction thera-py, group B( n=28) treated by cervical traction therapy ,according to the severity of pain compared two groups of treatment effect.Results after treatment,20d group 10d,30d,90d pain scores were (4.61 ±0.70)%,(3.71 ± 0.57)%,(3.30 ±0.65)%,(4.44 ±1.04)%,group B respectively (5.88 ±1.47)%,(5.61 ±1.35)%,(4.83 ± 0.86)%,(5.50 ±0.87)%,the difference between two groups was statistically significant (t=5.85,1.06,1.30, 7.51,all P<0.01).Conclusion The cervical plexus block combined with cervical traction for treatment of nerve root type of cervical spondylosis is better than the routine treatment of cervical traction ,which is suitable for promotion of primary health care units .

ObjectiveEvidence-based medicine was used to make an individualized treatment plan for rare solitary splenic metastasis of an ovarian carcinoma in a female patient. MethodsAfter clinical problems were discovered, evidence was collected from the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, CNKI and Wanfang databases according to our predefined search strategy. The search was done until October, 2009. The validity of the evidence was assessed. The evidence, combined with the doctor experience and the patient value, was applied to the patient. ResultsA total of 15 English literature and 11 Chinese literature were identified. A rational treatment plan was made upon a critical evaluation of the data. There were 5 review articles in PubMed, EMBASE and ScienceDirect databases and no RCT in the Cochrane Library. And there was one retrospective cohort study inCNKI and Wanfang databases. The others were all case reports. After 20 month follow-up, the treatment protocol was proven correct. Conclusion The patient has rare disease, and the evidence intension for the evidence-based medicine was low. It can not present the efficacy of the evidence-based medicine treatment sufficiently, though it could provide some suggestion for rare disease which was lack of large RCT for evidence-based Methods .

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α308,TNF-β252 genotypes and serum TNF-α and TNF-β levels in patients with gastric cancer (GC).MethodsA total of 57 pathological diagnosed GC patients were collected,of which 49 cases were from Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University and 8 cases were from Tumor Hospital of Hubei Province.Another 18 age and sex matched healthy controls were enrolled at the same time.The TNF-α308 and TNF -β252 polymorphism was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).The serum TNF-α and TNF-β levels of 57 GC patients and 18 healthy controls were measured by ELISA.The difference of TNF serum level in different TNF genotypes of GC and the difference between GC patients and the healthy controls was analyzed.Its relationship with clinical pathological characters was also analyzed.Results With TNF-α308 genotype,GA were 6 cases and GG were 51 cases.With TNF-β252 genotype,GG were 17 cases,GA and AA each were 20 cases.The serum TNF-α level of GC patients was significant higher than that of healthy controls (median 445 × 10-3 μg/L vs 5 × 10-3 μg/L,P＜0.05),and the serum level of each TNF-α308 andTNF-β 252 genotypes was significant higher than that of healthy controls (P＜0.05).However there was no statistical significance in TNF -β level compared with healthy controls (P＞0.05).In addition,the serum TNF-α levels of the TNF-α308G/TNF-β252G and TNF-α308G/TNF β252A haplotypes in GC patients were significant higher than those of the healthy controls (P＜0.05),and the increase like serum TNF-α level was associated with the patients'age and lymph node metastasis (P＜0.05).The TNF-β level in patients with TNF-α308A and TNF-β252G high-risk haplotypes showed a significant relation with smoking history (P＜ 0.05). Conclusions Serum TNF-α level of GC patients was significantly higher,however there was no significant association between the increase and TNF-α308 and TNF-β252 genotypes.The serum TNF-α levels of TNF-α308G/TNF-β252G and TNF-α308G/TNF-β252A haplotypes in GC patients were significant higher,and associated with the patients'age and lympb node metastasis.It was indicated that TNF haplotypes may have certain impact on the TNF expression and clinical subtypes in GC.

ObjectiveTo study the metabolite features of acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) in rats.MethodsA total of 22 Wistar rats were divided into ANP group (n =7 ),CP group (n =6) and the control group (n =9).ANP model was induced peritoneous injection of 20％ Larginine,and the rats were sacrificed 12 hours later.CP model was induced by intravenously injection of DBTC (8 mg/kg body weight),and the rats were sacrificed after 2 months.The rats in the control group received same amount of saline.Serum amylase was determined and pancreatic tissues were pathologically examined.Metabolic changes of pancreatic tissues in vitro were studied by high resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR ),and analyzed by using principal components analysis (PCA).Characteristic metabolites of ANP and CP were compared. Results Compared with the control group,increased leucine,iso-leucine and valine levels were observed in ANP group,however,the opposite trends were observed in CP group.Phosphocholine,glycerophosphocholine,choline levels were increased and fatty acids,lactate,betaine,glycine levels were decreased in both ANP and CP groups.The lipid content in CP group were significantly higher than that in ANP group and the increased taurine was only observed in CP group. Conclusions There were obvious metabolic features in pancreatic tissue in rats with pancreatitis disorders,and the increased taurine could be used as biomarker to discriminate ANP and CP.

Brain Diseases ; diagnosis ; Child, Preschool ; Epilepsy ; diagnosis ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Skin ; pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberous Sclerosis ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo observe effects of serum Bushen Huoxue prescription(Chinese characters) on classic Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways of osteoblasts, and explore mechanism of Bushen Huoxue prescription (Chinese characters) for preventing osteoporosis.

METHODSTwenty health female rats were randomly divided into two groups, including Bushen Huoxue (Chinese characters) group and saline group,10 in each group. Bushen Huoxue (Chinese characters) group and Saline group were gavaged Bushen Huoxue and saline every day for 1 week. Bushenhuoxue containing serum and saline containing serum were got according to methods of serum preparation of drug-containing. The osteoblasts was cultured with neonatal rat skull according to Enzyme Consumer Law, and was identified by Wright-Giemsa staining (R-J) and alkaline phosphatase staining (ALP). The third generation of osteoblasts was divided into three groups, including saline group, normal group,Bushen Huoxue (Chinese characters) group. Each group were added to 15% appropriate medium. ALP activity of osteoblasts and osteoblasts proliferation rate were tested, mineralized nodules were observed, the expression of β-catenin, Runx2, Osx mRNA of osteoblasts were tested by RT-PCR.

RESULTSThere was blue granules in cytoplasm, cell nucleus was flint with 1 to 3 nucleoli showed by R-J staining, morphology of osteoblasts were cultured. ALP staining showed cytoplasm with purple granules, the results showed that the cultured cell was osteoblasts. The content of ALP in Bushen Huoxue (Chinese characters)group was (6.272±0.131) ,appreciation rate was (0.81? 0.172), and could significantly improve differentiation and proliferation activity of osteoblasts compared with Saline group (P< 0.01). There were four different size orange nodules, the Maximun nodule was 1.0 x 1.0 cm in Bushen Huoxue (Chinese characters) group after Alizarin red staining, the results showed Bushen Huoxue (Chinese characters)group could obviously improve mineralization of osteoblasts. The expression of mRNA of β-catenin, Runx2 and Osx in Bushen Huoxue (Chinese characters)group were (1.782±0.944), (1.935±0.994) and (1.610±0.811) by RT-PCR,it was significantly increased compared with saline group (P<0.01), but there was no difference between Bushen Huoxue (Chinese characters)group and normal group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONBushen Huoxue (Chinese characters)group could obviously promote differentiation, proliferation and mineralization of osteoblasts through activation of Wnt, β-catenin signaling pathway. It suggested that the mechanism of action of Bushen Huoxue (O'f f Il.t)particle clould prevent osteoporosis through the activation of Wnt, β-catenin signaling pathway.

Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Osteoporosis ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Wnt Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; drug effects ; beta Catenin ; genetics ; metabolism