Aged ; Deglutition Disorders ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Zenker Diverticulum ; complications ; pathology

Adult ; Aged ; Humans ; Male ; Papilloma, Inverted ; Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms ; Sphenoid Sinus ; pathology

Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Muscle Tissue

Toll like receptors (TLRs) are the earliest discovered natural immune pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). The abnormality of TLR signal transduction pathway is the key factor leading to chronic inflammatory, cancer, nervous system disease and cardiovascular diseases. The development of TLR agonists and inhibitors has attracted much attention. Currently known TLR2 agonists, such as lipopeptides or their derivatives, have certain limitations in drug development due to their difficult synthesis, easy hydrolysis, and triggering inflammatory cytokine storms, while inhibitors have been rarely reported. New small molecule TLR2 agonists or inhibitors with higher stability are more likely to be developed as tumor immunotherapy or anti-inflammatory drugs.

Amyloidosis ; pathology ; Humans ; Laryngeal Diseases ; etiology ; Larynx ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharynx ; pathology

This paper was to study the angiogenic inhibitory effect and the potential antitumor effect of the constructed recombinant DNA vaccine CRT/HPV6bE7 in vivo. The C57BL/6 mice were vaccinated respectively with recombinant CRT/HPV6bE7 DNA plamids. The inhibitory effects on angiogenesis of generated vaccines in vivo were evaluated by a bFGF-induced angiogenesis assay using the Matrigel kit. To investigate the potential antitumor effect, the mean tumor weights, sizes and tumor appearing times were measured in C57BL/6 mice treated with HPV6bE7-expressing B16 cells. The results indicated that the recombinants CRT180/HPV6bE7 and CRT180 showed strong anti-angiogenic effects in bFGF-induced angiogenesis in vivo. Moreover, CRT180/HPV6bE7 and CRT180 DNA vaccines could significantly inhibit the tumor growth in tumor challenge experiment, and CRT180/HPV6bE7 was superior to other vaccines in delaying tumor formation time, limiting tumor size and weight in tumor protection experiment. In conclusion, recombinant CRT180/HPV6bE7 DNA could elicit a most efficient anti-angiogenic effect and inhibit tumor growth in mice inoculated with DNA vaccines. The antiangiogenic activity of CRT were suggested residing in a domain between CRT 120-180 aa.
Animals ; Calreticulin ; genetics ; Female ; Human papillomavirus 6 ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; prevention & control ; Oncogene Proteins, Viral ; genetics ; Papillomavirus Infections ; therapy ; Papillomavirus Vaccines ; immunology ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of acupuncture at "Feishu" (BL 13) and "Lingtai" (GV 10) on distribution taxis of paclitaxel in mice with lung cancer to discuss targeted relationship between acupoints and corresponding viscera.

METHODSAccording to randomized digital table, 315 SPF-grade BALB/C female mice were divided into 7 groups: blank group (group A), model group (group B), medication group (group C), acupuncture at non-acupoint group (group D), acupuncture at Feishu group (group E), acupuncture at Lingtai group (group F) and acupuncture at Feishu and Lingtai group (group G), 45 mice in each one. Except the blank group, the remaining groups were treated with N-nitroso-tris-chloroethyl urea (NTCU) to establish the model of squamous-cell carcinoma. After model establishment, group A, group B and group C were not treated with acupuncture; group A and group B were treated with intraperitoneal injection of 0.9% sodium chlorvde solution by 6 mL/kg while group C was treated with intraperitoneal injection of paclitaxel by 6 mL/kg. The group D, group E, group F and group G were treated with acupuncture at non-acupoint, "Feishu" (BL 13), "Lingtai" (GV 10) and "Feishu" (BL 13) plus "Lingtai" (GV 10), respectively, then were intraperitoneally injected with paclitaxel by 6 mL/kg. The treatment was all given once a day for continuous 10 days. 15 min, 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 8 h, 12 h and 24 h after the treatments, 6 mice in each group were randomly selected and sacrificed to collect samples of lung, liver, spleen, kidney and heart, etc. High performance liquid chromatography was applied to measure the concentration of paclitaxel in each organ (lung, liver, spleen, kidney and heart) at different time points.

RESULTS(1) The content of paclitaxel in lung, kidney and heart reached the peak at 2 h, then decreased significantly in group C, group D, group E, group F and group G; the content of paclitaxel in spleen showed downtrend at each time point. The content of paclitaxel in liver reached the peak at 2 h in group C and group D; the content of paclitaxel reached the peak at 8 h in group E, group F and group G. (2) The content of paclitaxel in lung in group E and group G was higher than that in group C and group D at each time point (all P < 0.01); the content of paclitaxel in lung in group F was higher than that in group C (P < 0.01) and group D (P < 0.01) only at time point of 2 h. The content of paclitaxel in lung in group G was higher than that in group F at each time point (all P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference between group G and group E (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at "Feishu" (BL 13) and "Lingtai" (GV 10) could influ- ence the metabolism of paclitaxel in lung-cancer mice, leading to distribution change in each organ. As a result, it could cause targeting effects, which is more significant at "Feishu" (BL 13) and "Lingtai" (GV 10).

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacokinetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacokinetics ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Paclitaxel ; pharmacokinetics ; Taxus ; chemistry

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the diagnosis, therapy and prognosis of renal oncocytoma.

METHODSThe data of 26 patients of renal oncocytoma in the department of urology of the Peking University First Hospital from 1999 to 2010 were collected. Retrospective analysis of renal oncocytoma clinical characteristics of patients including pathological characteristics and long term follow-up, treatment methods, and prognosis was undergone.

RESULTSThe mean age of these patients was (55 ± 14) years, mean tumor size was (4.1 ± 1.3) cm, corresponding to a mean tumor volume of (24.0 ± 21.1) cm(3). All of these cases were unilocular unilateral. All of these 26 patients received surgical treatment, 5 cases accepted partial nephrectomy while the other cases accepted radical nephrectomy. After a median follow-up time was (47 ± 34) months (range 4 - 144 months) for 25 patients who had been followed up, there was no disease recurrence, progression or death attributed to oncocytoma.

CONCLUSIONSRenal oncocytoma is an uncommon tumor. It exhibits numerous features which are characteristic but not necessarily unique.Preoperative renal mass biopsy is the only way for pre-nephrectomy histologic diagnosis of oncocytoma.

Adenoma, Oxyphilic ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of total flavonoid extract of Epimedium sagittatum (TFE) on the proliferation and differentiation of newborn rat calvarial osteoblasts (ROB).

METHODTFE was supplemented into the culture medium of ROB at 0. 1, 1, 10 and 100 microg x mL(-1) respectively. The serum of rats administered TFES (SRAT) was also added into the medium in a parallel treatment at 2.5%, 5% and 10% respectively. Their effects on cell proliferation and differentiation was studied by MTT and the analysis of osteogenic differentiation marks.

RESULTTFE had no appreciable and on cell proliferation and differentiation at any concentration. However, 2.5% and 5% SRAT stimulated cell proliferation strongly and, 5% SRAT significantly promoted the maturation and function of osteoblast by improving the alkaline phosphatase activity, osteocalcin secretion, calcium deposition and the number of mineralized nodular structures.

CONCLUSIONThe metabolites of TFE should be the anti-osteoporosis constitutes of Epimedium sagittatum.

Animals ; Calcification, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; blood ; pharmacology ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

miR-214 plays a major role in the self-renewal of skin tissue. However, whether miR-214 regulates the proliferation and differentiation of human hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) is unknown. Primary HFSCs were isolated from human scalp skin tissue, cultured, and identified using flow cytometry. An miR-214 mimic and inhibitor were constructed for transfection into HFSCs. The MTS and colony formation assays examined cell proliferation. Immunofluorescence detected the localization and expression levels of TCF4, β-catenin, and differentiation markers. Luciferase reporter and TOP/FOP Flash assays investigated whether miR-214 targeted EZH2 and regulated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Western blot determined the expression levels of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), Wnt/β-catenin signaling-related proteins, and HFSC differentiation markers in cells subjected to miR-214 transfection. miR-214 expression was remarkably decreased during the proliferation and differentiation of HFSCs into transit-amplifying (TA) cells. Downregulation of miR-214 promotes the proliferation and differentiation of HFSCs. Overexpression of miR-214 led to decreased expression of EZH2, β-catenin, and TCF-4, whereas downregulation of miR-214 resulted in increased expression of EZH2, β-catenin, and TCF-4 as well as TA differentiation markers. Immunofluorescence assay revealed that inhibiting miR-214 triggered the entry of β-catenin and TCF-4 into the nucleus. The luciferase reporter and TOP/FOP Flash assays demonstrated that miR-214 directly targets EZH2 and affects Wnt/β-catenin signaling. The miR-214/EZH2/β-catenin axis could be considered a candidate target in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine for HFSCs.
Antigens, Differentiation ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Proliferation ; Down-Regulation ; Flow Cytometry ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Hair Follicle* ; Hair* ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques* ; Luciferases ; Regenerative Medicine ; Scalp ; Skin ; Stem Cells* ; Tissue Engineering ; Transfection