Objective: To reveal a novel mechanism by which 5-aza-2′- deoxycytidine (AZA) plays its anticancer role, and whether AZA can inhibit the expressions of cancer-associated genes by activating their antisense RNAs. Methods: Six genes were chosen from those having antisense RNAs, which were previously obtained by sequencing a double-stranded RNA library. The selected genes included phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN ), signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 (STAT 1), Ras-like proto-oncogene B (RALB ), MET, CD 44 and heat-shock protein A4 (HSPA 4). The human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells were treated with AZA (dissolved in DMSO) or DMSO (as the control). The expressions of sense and antisense RNAs for the selected genes were detected by strand-specific RT-PCR and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR, respectively. Results: The antisense RNAs of all 6 genes were activated by AZA treatment (all P < 0.01). On the other hand, AZA also induced the expressions of tumor suppressor gene PTEN and innate immunity-related gene HSPA 4 (P < 0.01, P < 0.001). In contrast, the expressions of cancer-related genes, CD 44 and HSPA 4, were obviously inhibited by AZA treatment (both P < 0.01). Conclusion: AZA can activate the antisense RNAs, so as to promote the expressions of tumor suppressor genes and innate immunityrelated genes, but to inhibit the expressions of cancer-associated genes; which may be the novel mechanism underlying anticancer effect of AZA.

Objective To investigate the effects of 5-hydroxy-1-methylhydantoin (HMH) on kidney injury induced by paraquat (PQ). Methods Fifteen SPF healthy Kunming mice were randomly divided into normal saline (NS) control group, PQ poisoning model group and HMH intervention group, with 5 mice in each group. PQ poisoning model was challenged by one-time gavage of 30 mg/kg PQ solution. The NS group received the same amount of NS by gavage. The HMH group was given 100 mg/kg of HMH immediately after the model was made and continued to be gavaged. Mice in each group were sacrificed 1 day after HMH gavage and heart blood and renal tissue were harvested for examination. The morphological changes of renal tissue were observed under light microscope by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in renal tissue were detected according to the instructions of the kit. The expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in renal tissues were detected by Western Blot. The serum metabolites were detected by gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS), the overall distribution of each sample was observed by principal component analysis (PCA), the accuracy of the model was evaluated by multidimensional analysis orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and the difference metabolites were screened by variable importance in the projection (VIP) value > 1. Results Light microscopic observation showed that: glomerular structure in NS group was clear, there was no hyperemia and inflammatory cell infiltration in renal interstitium and blood vessels. In PQ group, some glomeruli atrophy and necrosis, capillary congestion in glomeruli, infiltration of inflammatory cells around glomeruli, swelling of renal tubular epithelial cells, slight stenosis of lumen, and occasional necrosis and exfoliation of epithelial cells occurred. The degree of kidney injury in HMH group was significantly less than that in PQ group. Compared with the NS group, the content of MDA in the PQ group was significantly increased (nmol/g: 6.70±0.84 vs. 2.70±0.43, P < 0.01) and the activity of SOD was significantly decreased (kU/L: 33.30±4.66 vs. 50.20±3.23, P < 0.05), the protein expression of HO-1 and IL-1β were significantly increased (HO-1/β-actin: 1.11±0.12 vs. 0.61±0.13, IL-1β/β-actin: 0.93±0.13 vs. 0.32±0.06, both P < 0.05). Compared with the PQ group, the content of MDA in the HMH group was significantly decreased (nmol/g: 5.10±0.93 vs. 6.70±0.84, P < 0.05) and the activity of SOD was significantly increased (kU/L:61.00±9.02 vs. 33.30±4.66, P < 0.05), the protein expression of HO-1 was significantly decreased (HO-1/β-actin:0.77±0.07 vs. 1.11±0.12, P < 0.05), however, there was no significant difference in the protein expression of IL-1β (IL-1β/β-actin: 0.87±0.13 vs. 0.93±0.13, P > 0.05). Metabolite detection results showed that: compared with NS group, the levels of creatinine, glycine, succinic acid, fumaric acid and citric acid were significantly increased in the PQ group (VIP value was 1.50, 1.58, 1.64, 1.74 and 1.95 respectively, all P < 0.05), while the levels of palmitic acid, α-tocopherol and 6-phosphogluconic acid were significantly decreased (VIP value was 1.10, 1.55 and 1.56 respectively, all P < 0.05). Compared with the PQ group, the levels of creatinine and citric acid were significantly decreased in the HMH group (VIP value was 1.50 and 1.86, both P < 0.05), while trans-4-hydroxy-proline, D-glyceric acid, 2, 6-fructose phosphate, 6-phosphate gluconic acid and aminomalonic acid were significantly increased (VIP value was 1.36, 1.55, 1.63, 1.68 and 1.76 respectively, all P < 0.05). Conclusions HMH protects kidney injury caused by PQ poisoning by correcting tricarboxylic acids cycle disturbance, lipid peroxidation and energy metabolism disturbance, and its mechanism is related to the regulation of HO-1 protein expression through Nrf2 pathway.

Objective To establish a HPLC-MS method for determination of aconitum alkaloids in biological samples. Methods The aconitum alkaloids were extracted from the whole blood by using acetonitrile-methanol (5:1 v/v) and then analyzed using HPLC-MS in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode with positive ionization. The analytical column was Agilent Zorbax SB C18 (2.1mm×50mm, 1.8μm)and the mobile phase were water containing 0. 1 % formic acid : acetonitrile (60 : 40 v/v) in isocratic elution. Results The retention time of detection of the aconitine, hypaconitine and mesaconitine were 0.73 min, 0.77 min and 0.63 min, and the precursor product ion combinations of m/z 646.4 → 586.4, 616.1 → 556.5 and 632.4 → 572.1 were used for quantitative analysis, respectively. Calibration curve was linear within the range of 0.1-250 ng/mL with the LOD was 0.1ng/mL, and the coefficient of variation (CV) less than 5.42 % (n=6). The extraction recoveries of aconitine in blood were more than 90 %.Conclusion The results demonstrated that the present method was reliable and robust for natural drugs.

Based on the Pharmaceutical Comprehensive Knowledge and Skills Outline in the year of 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015,the changes and the trend in the chapters and contents of Pharmaceutical Comprehensive Knowledge and Skills were analyzed and discussed,the meaning of versions was elaborated,and the shortcomings were discussed as well. The catalog of the chapters and contents conformed to the economic and social development in China,which is moving toward the direction of clinical pharmacy service.

Inhaled antibiotics such as colistin and ciprofloxacin are increasingly used to treat bacterial lung in-fections in cystic fibrosis patients.In this study,we established and validated a new HPLC-MS/MS method that could simultaneously detect drug concentrations of ciprofloxacin,colistin and ivacaftor in rat plasma,human epithelial cell lysate,cell culture medium,and drug transport media.An aliquot of 200 μL drug-containing rat plasma or cell culture medium was treated with 600 μL of extraction solution(acetonitrile containing 0.1％ formic acid and 0.2％ trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)).The addition of 0.2％ TFA helped to break the drug-protein bonds.Moreover,the addition of 0.1％ formic acid to the transport medium and cell lysate samples could significantly improve the response and reproducibility.After vortexing and centrifuging,the sample components were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS.The multiple re-action monitoring mode was used to detect the following transitions:585.5-101.1 (colistin A),578.5-101.1 (colistin B),393.2-337.2 (ivacaftor),332.2-314.2 (ciprofloxacin),602.3-101.1 (polymyxin 81 as internal standard (IS)) and 595.4-101.1 (polymyxin B2 as IS).The running time of a single sample was only 6 min,making this a time-efficient method.Linear correlations were found for colistin A at 0.029-5.82 μg/mL.colistin B at 0.016-3.14 μg/mL.ivacaftor at 0.05-10.0 μg/mL,and ciprofloxacin at 0.043-8.58 μg/mL.Accuracy,precision,and stability of the method were within the acceptable range.This method would be highly useful for research on cytotoxicity,animal pharmacokinetics,and in vitro drug delivery.

In recent years, with the rapid development of Chinese domestic surgical robot technology and the expansion of the application market, the "industry-university-research-medicine" collaborative innovation transformation mode has gradually developed and formed. Medical institutions play an important role in multi-party cooperation with enterprises, universities, and research institutes, as well as in product planning, technology research and development, achievement transformation, and personnel training. On the basis of reviewing the current situation of the development of the "industry-university-research-medicine" collaborative innovation transformation mode of domestic surgical robots, this study explores the multiple roles played by medical institutions in this mode and challenges, further putting forward corresponding recommendations.
Humans ; Robotics ; Universities ; Medicine ; Industry ; Technology

【Objective】 To establish and evaluate a fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen (FAMA) method for detecting antibodies against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) based on Vero E6 cells. 【Methods】 Based on the adapted VZV-Oka-E6 strain that VZV-Oka live attenuated varicella vaccine strain grew in Vero E6 cells, Vero E6 cells were infected with VZV-Oka-E6 of three different doses (10^4.65, 10^4.95 and 10^5.25 TCID50), and the cytopathic effect was observed under a microscope to determine the optimal infection dose of VZV-Oka-E6 strain. Then the detectable sensitivity of the infected cell antigen slides prepared after fixing the infected cells with different fixatives was compared to determine the optimal fixative. As a result, the FAMA method based on Vero E6 cells for the determination of neutralizing anti-VZV has been developed. The established FAMA assay was used to detect the international standard for varicella zoster immunoglobulin with different titers to determine the sensitivity of the assay. The specificity of the assay was evaluated by detecting specific antibodies against human herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and type 2. The neutralizing anti-VZV antibodies of the international standard for varicella zoster immunoglobulin were detected using VZV-infected cell antigen slides prepared in the same batch and four different batches, respectively, to determine the intra-assay repeatability and inter-assay repeatability. The international standard for varicella zoster immunoglobulin with three known titers was detected to evaluate the relative accuracy of this assay. The anti-VZV titers in 20 apheresis plasma samples were determined with the newly established FAMA test and ELISA test, respectively, and the detection results of the two methods were compared using Spearman’s correlation test. 【Results】 The optimal infection dose of the VZV-Oka-E6 strain in FAMA assay was determined to be 10^5.25 TCID50, and acetone precooled at -20℃ was used as the fixative. The FAMA test has a high sensitivity with a detecting limit of 31.25 mIU/mL for neutralizing anti-VZV titers. The negative result was observed when detecting herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and 2 specific antibodies. The international standard for varicella zoster immunoglobulin was detected by VZV infected cell antigen slides prepared in the same batch and 4 different batches, with the coefficient of variation being 29.95% and 26.71%, respectively. The detection value of the international standard for varicella zoster immunoglobulin with three different titer levels was consistent with their theoretical value. The correlation coefficient of the detection results of 20 apheresis plasma samples by the FAMA test and ELISA test was 0.268. 【Conclusion】 The VZV FAMA assay has good sensitivity, specificity, repeatability, and relative accuracy in detecting neutralizing anti-VZV titers. It can be applied for detecting neutralizing anti-VZV titers in apheresis plasma samples as well as the varicella-zoster immunoglobulin (VZIG) preparations.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an extremely malignant pulmonary vascular disease of unknown etiology. ADAR1 is an RNA editing enzyme that converts adenosine in RNA to inosine, thereby affecting RNA expression. However, the role of ADAR1 in PH development remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the biological role and molecular mechanism of ADAR1 in PH pulmonary vascular remodeling. Overexpression of ADAR1 aggravated PH progression and promoted the proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Conversely, inhibition of ADAR1 produced opposite effects. High-throughput whole transcriptome sequencing showed that ADAR1 was an important regulator of circRNAs in PH. CircCDK17 level was significantly lowered in the serum of PH patients. The effects of ADAR1 on cell cycle progression and proliferation were mediated by circCDK17. ADAR1 affects the stability of circCDK17 by mediating A-to-I modification at the A5 and A293 sites of circCDK17 to prevent it from m1A modification. We demonstrate for the first time that ADAR1 contributes to the PH development, at least partially, through m1A modification of circCDK17 and the subsequent PASMCs proliferation. Our study provides a novel therapeutic strategy for treatment of PH and the evidence for circCDK17 as a potential novel marker for the diagnosis of this disease.