To figure out the stability and intestinal bacteria metabolites of rats in vitro of astragaloside IV ( AST), this research was done to explore the stability of AST in the artificial gastric juice. artificial intestinal juice and rat liver homogenate and the metabolism in rat intestinal in vitro. HPLC was used to calculate the remaining rate of AST in biological samples by measuring the content of AST, while metabolites were determined by combining the methods of TLC, HPLC and LC-MS/MS. It turned out that AST was difficult to metabolize in the artificial gastric juice, artificial intestinal juice and rat liver. Also, the metabolic pathway of AST was stepped by deglycosylation. Firstly, AST was converted to its secondary etabolites (6-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl- cycloastragenol, CMG) by removal of xylose moiety at C-3, then transformed into cycloastragenol (CAG) after hydrolytic removal of the glucose moiety at C-6. All the results suggested that the metabolism of AST in vivo occurs mainly in the intestinal by hydrolysis of glycosyl. In conclusion, hydrolysis of intestinal flora is the main reason that AST metabolizes.
Animals ; Bacteria ; metabolism ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drug Stability ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Liver ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Saponins ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate percutaneous transluminal angioplasty ( PTA) for stenosed arteries of the lower extremities in patients with ischaemic diabetic foot. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and follow-up data of using PTA to treat diseased infrapopliteal arteries in diabetic patients who were hospitalized from Oct,2006 to May,2008. Results Technical success rate was 87% , procedure related complications developed in 8. 9% of patients, postoperative complications were 11. 1% , perioperative mortality was 2. 5% , limb salvage rate was 90% , pain symptom was significantly mitigated or relieved, ulcer healed well. The median hospitalstay was 10 days. Restenosis rates were 38. 1 % , 50% respectively at 1 year and 2 years. Rest pain and ulcer recurrence rates were 10% and 12% at 1 year and 2 years respectively; Amputation rates were 10% and 15. 3% at 1 year and 2 years. Restenosis ( or occlusion) , rest pain or ulcer recurrence and amputation rate in Fontain Ⅳ group is significantly poorer than that in Fontain Ⅰ - Ⅲ group (P ＜0. 05). Conclusions Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for critical limb ischeamia in patients with ischaemic diabetic foot are feasible, with minimal invasiveness, low complications. Fontain classification predicts PTA thrapeutic results.

This study was purposed to characterize the genomic distribution of the binding sites for AML1-ETO fusion protein on chromosome 2, 9 and 19, and to further gain insights into the characteristics of transcriptional regulation by AML1-ETO in acute myeloid leukemia so as to provide theoretical basis for the development of targeted therapy and optimization for treatment. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) coupled with high density tiling arrays (chip), also known as ChIP-chip, was utilized in this study. ChIP-DNA enriched by an anti-ETO antibody and total genomic DNA of Kasumi cells were hybridized to tiling arrays, tiled through chromosome 2, 9 and 19. The ChIP enriched regions were identified using a model based analytical tool (MAT). Genomic distribution of the ChIP regions was analyzed using publicly available CEAS web server. The Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis was performed to excavated the biological significance. The results indicated that a total of 588 enriched regions were identified on chromosome 2, 9 and 19 by the anti-ETO antibody. A number of the identified regions were located within enhancers (48.86%) or introns (37.35%), much smaller fractions were within proximal promoters (5.96%) or exons (5.49%). Functional enrichment analysis showed that cell proliferation and signal transduction biological pathways were enriched in potential genes of AML-ETO. It is concluded that half of the AML1-ETO binding sites are located within known transcriptional regulatory regions (promoter, 5' UTR and enhancer), while almost another half were within the sequences which were not previously reported as regulatory regions. The potential target molecular network of AML1-ETO is involved in several essential biological processes.
Base Sequence ; Binding Sites ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Genome, Human ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; metabolism ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein ; Translocation, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo study the activating effect of protein transduction domain (PTD) mediated BCR/ABL protein on T cells from CML patients.

METHODSThe plasmid containing PTD and b3a2 bcr/abl of CML was constructed by genetic engineering and expressed in E. coli. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells from CML patients were stimulated in vitro with purified PTD-BCR/ABL protein and the expression of the early activation antigen CD(69) on CD(8)(+) and CD(4)(+) T cells was detected by flow cytometry (FCM).

RESULTSThe optimal concentration of PTD-BCR/ABL protein for activating CD(8)(+) T cells in vitro was 100 micro g/ml, CD(69) expression peaked in three days stimulation. CD(8)(+) T cells were activated in 10 of 15 CML patients, the expression rate of CD(69) was (15.01 +/- 3.75)%. CD(4)(+) T cells were activated in 4 of 15 patients, the expression rate of CD(69) was (10.32 +/- 3.08)%. Both CD(8)(+) and CD(4)(+) T cells were activated simultaneously in 3 of them. However, neither CD(4)(+) nor CD(8)(+) T cells was activated by stimulation with BCR/ABL protein in all 15 specimens, the expression rate of CD(69) on CD(8)(+) and CD(4)(+) T cells was (1.36 +/- 0.31)% and (1.41 +/- 0.43)%, respectively. There was no difference compared with that of PBS control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBy using a PTD-mediated antigen delivering system, exogenous BCR/ABL protein can be delivered into APC, processed and presented onto surface of APC to activate Ag-specific CD(8)(+) and CD(4)(+) T cells in vitro.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Antigens, CD ; analysis ; Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte ; analysis ; CD4 Antigens ; analysis ; CD8 Antigens ; analysis ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Products, tat ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lectins, C-Type ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; immunology ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; T-Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; immunology

Knowledge Discovery in Databases is gaining attention and raising new hopes for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) researchers. It is a useful tool in understanding and deciphering TCM theories. Aiming for a better understanding of Chinese herbal property theory (CHPT), this paper performed an improved association rule learning to analyze semistructured text in the book entitled Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica. The text was firstly annotated and transformed to well-structured multidimensional data. Subsequently, an Apriori algorithm was employed for producing association rules after the sensitivity analysis of parameters. From the confirmed 120 resulting rules that described the intrinsic relationships between herbal property (qi, flavor and their combinations) and herbal efficacy, two novel fundamental principles underlying CHPT were acquired and further elucidated: (1) the many-to-one mapping of herbal efficacy to herbal property; (2) the nonrandom overlap between the related efficacy of qi and flavor. This work provided an innovative knowledge about CHPT, which would be helpful for its modern research.
Data Mining ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Humans ; Materia Medica ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Qi

Epiberberine, one of the most important isoquinoline alkaloid in Coptidis Rhizoma, possesses extensive pharmacological activities. In this paper, the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to study phase I and phase II metabolites. A Thermo HPLC system (including Surveyor AS, Surveyor LC Pump, Surveyor PDA. USA) was used. The cocktail probe drugs method was imposed to determine the content change of metoprolol, dapsone, phenacetin, chlorzoxazone and tolbutamide simultaneously for evaluating the activity of CYP2D6, CYP3A4, CYP1A2, CYP2E1 and CYP2C9 under different concentrations of epiberberine in rat liver microsomes. The result showed that epiberberine may have phase I and phase II metabolism in the rat liver and two metabolites in phase I and three metabolites in phase II are identified in the temperature incubation system of in vitro liver microsomes. Epiberberine showed significant inhibition on CYP2D6 with IC50 value of 35.22 μmol L(-1), but had no obvious inhibiting effect on the activities of CYP3A4, CYP1A2, CYP2E1 and CYP2C9. The results indicated that epiberberine may be caused drug interactions based on CYP2D6 enzyme. This study aims to provide a reliable experimental basis for its further research and development of epiberberine.
Animals ; Berberine ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2D6 ; metabolism ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2D6 Inhibitors ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Male ; Microsomes, Liver ; drug effects ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Molecular Structure ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical outcomes between unrelated donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (URD-HSCT) and HLA-haploidentical (Hi)-HSCT.

METHODSTwenty-five patients with hematologic malignancies received URD-HSCT and thirty patients received Hi-HSCT. The conditioning regimen consisted of modified BUCY or modified total body irradiation (TBI) plus CY. Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) prophylaxis consisted of cyclosporin ( CsA), short-term methotrexate (MTX), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), or the combination of CsA, MTX and MMF plus antithymocyte globulin (ATG) or antilymphocyte globulin (ALG), or the combination of CsA, MTX, MMF, ATG/ ALG and CD25 monoclonal antibody.

RESULTSAll patients in the URD-HSCT group and 29 patients in the Hi-HSCT group were engrafted successfully. The median follow-up duration was 7 (2 -59) months for URD-HSCT group and 7.3 (1 - 35) months for Hi-HSCT group. The 3-year probabilities of disease-free survival (DFS) for URD-HSCT and Hi-HSCT group were (54.1 +/- 11.9)% and (43.1 +/- 9.1)%, respectively (P =0.13). Grade III - IV aGVHD occurred in 10 patients in URD-HSCT group and 11 in Hi-HSCT group (the cumulative incidence 40.0% vs 37.9%, P > 0.05), respectively. Ten patients (40.0%) died of transplantation-related mortality (TRM) in URD-HSCT group and 17 (56.7%) in Hi-HSCT group (P >0. 5). Two patients relapsed in each group (the rate of relapse 8.0% vs 6.0%, P >0.05). The primary causes of death included severe aGVHD with infection,severe pulmonary infection and relapse.

CONCLUSIONBoth URD-HSCT and Hi-HSCT are effective and curable treatment for refractory or high-risk hematologic malignancies. The optimal donor should be chose individually. The severe aGVHD and consequent infection are still the main cause of TRM.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Graft vs Host Disease ; prevention & control ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; therapy ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation Conditioning ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of donepezil hydrochloride in the treatment of elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and changes of their electroencephalogram (EEG) and event related potential (ERP) P300. Methods One hundred and fifteen patients with MCI,admitted to our hospital from January 2009 to March 2010,were randomly divided into treatment group (hydrochloride donepezil combined with ginkgo biloba,n=58) and control group (single-use ginkgo biloba,n=57).Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scores,changes of P300 and EEG were used to assess the effect of donepezil hydrochloride. Results After 12 months of treatment,MMSE scores in both groups improved,and the MMSE scores in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group or treatment group before treatment (P＜0.05). The abnormal rate of EEG in the treatment group (25.86％) was significantly lower than that in the control group (45.61％),and the difference was statistically significance (P＜0.05).The latency of P300 was decreased and the amplitude was increased in both groups,but more obvious changes were observed in the treatment group as compared with those in the control group and treatment group before treatment (P＜0.05).The clinical efficacy of treatment group was significantly better than that of control group (P＜0.05). Conclusion As compared with ginkgo biloba,donepezil can significant improve the treatment efficacy of cognitive ability in patients with MCI and the state of brain electrical activity,which indicates that donepezil is valuable in the treatment of elderly MCI.

OBJECTIVETo report abnormal expression of cCD79a/cCD22 in four cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with t (8;21).

METHODSThe characteristics of morphology, immunophenotype, chromosome karyotype (MIC) and clinical manifestations of 4 AML patients with t (8;21) expressing cCD79a/cCD22 were analyzed.

RESULTSThe features of the 4 patients were: (1) no difference in gender; (2) young age; (3) exmedullary infiltration may be present; (4) normal number of white blood cells in peripheral blood; (5) morphology showed acute myeloid leukemia with high percentage of blast cells; (6) B-lymphoid and myeloid immunophenotype, and high expression of CD34; (7) frequent depletion of Y chromosome and complex changes of chromosomes; (8) positive for AML1/ETO fusion gene; (9) response well to chemotherapy regimen which simultaneously treated myeloid and lymphocytic leukemia.

CONCLUSIONAbnormal expression of cCD79a/cCD22 in AML with t (8;21) (q22;q22) suggested that this kind of leukemia might be related with abnormal expression gene of B cell.

Adolescent ; Adult ; CD79 Antigens ; metabolism ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 ; Female ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 2 ; metabolism ; Translocation, Genetic ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety and efficacy of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) infusion in patients with steroid-resistant severe acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD).

METHODSA total of 19 patients with steroid-resistant severe aGVHD received MSCs infusion treatment. The treatment response, transplantation-related mortality, events associated with infusion and relapse rate were analyzed.

RESULTSTwo patients with grade II, 5 patients with grade III and 12 patients with grade IV aGVHD received a total of 58 infusions of MSCs. The mean total dose of MSCs was 2.13 (range 0.60 - 7.20)×10(6) cells per kg bodyweight. Seven patients received one infusion, 2 patients received two infusions, and 10 patients received three or more infusions. Eleven patients had a complete response and 4 had a partial response and 4 had no response. No patients had side-effects during or immediately after infusions, and no MSCs related tumorigenesis was detected to date. Eleven patients survived and 8 died, 4 for aGVHD, 1 for infection and 2 for aGVHD with concomitant infection and 1 for underlying leukemia relapse. The cell viability of freshly prepared MSCs is 93% (92% - 95%) by trypan blue staining. The cell viability of programmatically frozen and thawed MSCs is 72% (70% - 74%).

CONCLUSIONInfusion of umbilical cord-derived MSCs expanded in vitro is an effective therapy for patients with steroid-resistant severe aGVHD without negative impact on relapse. Freshly prepared MSCs are superior to frozen and thawed cells in terms of cell viability.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; etiology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Middle Aged ; Steroids ; pharmacology ; Survival Rate ; Umbilical Cord ; cytology ; Young Adult