Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Flavones ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Gynostemma ; chemistry ; Male ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; analysis ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Serum

The cyanuric chloride linkers have been used for cyclizing polypeptide, but not used for α-conotoxin, the peptides with rich disulfide bonds and more amino acid residues. In this study, cyclic peptides c[A10L]PnIA-1-4 were synthesized efficiently by lysine assisted cyanuric chloride linkers with 28.92%-52.00% yields. The activity evaluation showed that the IC₅₀ values of c[A10L]PnIA-1 against α7 and α3β2 nAChR subtypes were 5 and 7 times higher than [A10L]PnIA respectively, and the subtype selectivity was maintained. The results of circular dichroism show that this cyclization method had no significant effect on its secondary structure. Compared with the commonly used head-to-tail cyclization in conotoxin cyclization, this method has the advantages of rapid reaction and high yield, which is expected to be further applied to the cyclization study of various α-conotoxins.

OBJECTIVETo explore if vasculogenic mimicry (VM) exists in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to explain the clinical significance of VM.

METHODSNinety-nine HCC resection specimens with complete clinical and prognostic data were collected. Immunohistochemical staining of CD31 and CD105, hepatocyte and PAS staining of the histological preparations were conducted to explore if VM exists in those HCC.

RESULTS12.12% (12 specimens) of the 99 specimens exhibited evidence of VM. One of 40 HCC specimens (2.5%) which belong to Edmondson pathologic grade I-II exhibited VM; 11 of 59 HCC specimens which belong to Edmondson pathologic grade III-VI (18.64%) exhibited VM, the low differentiated HCC (grade III-VI) exhibited more VM specimens than the high differentiated HCC (grade I-II) (chi2=4.416, P < 0.05). The biological behavior of VM was assessed and the stages of the cancers, using the TNM (tumor, node, metastases) classification criteria, were analyzed. These parameters of the VM and non-VM groups were compared. The mean TNM stage of the VM group was not more advanced than that of the non-VM group. The hematogenous metastases ( lung, bone, peritoneum et al) between the 2 groups were compared, and in the VM group the hematogenous metastasis rate was higher (chi2=8.873, P < 0.01). Kaplan-Meier actuarial survival curves were used to compare the VM group (n = 12) with the non-VM group (n = 87). Median survival time of the VM group was 9 months and that of the non-VM group was 31 months. The VM group had a lower survival rate than the non-VM group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONVM exists in HCC, and the higher invasive HCCs exhibit more VM than the less invasive HCCs. The HCC patients in the VM group had a higher rate of hematogenous metastases, a lower survival rate, and a poorer prognosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; blood supply ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood supply ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Microcirculation ; Middle Aged ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; metabolism ; pathology

Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; complications ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Fatal Outcome ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Skin Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; secondary

OBJECTIVEGap junctions, the clusters of intercellular channels, play an important role in synchronizing electrical activity. This study investigated the effect of gap junction blocker carbenoxolone (CBX) on epileptic activity in pentylenetetrazo (PTZ)-kindled rats.

METHODSThirty adult male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, PTZ-kindled and CBX-treated groups (n=10 each). The rats from the PTZ-kindled and the CBX-treated groups were intraperitoneally injected with PTZ (35 mg/kg x d) to induce epilepsy. After epilepsy kindling, they were intraperitoneally injected for 3 days with CBX (10 mg/kg) (CBX-treated group) or with normal saline (PTZ-kindled group). The control group received intraperitoneal injections of normal saline. Anti-GFAP, anti-Fos, and anti-NMDARZ immunohistochemical ABC methods were used to detect the expression of GFAP-Li, Fos-Li and NMDAR2-Li in the hippocampus respectively.

RESULTSSpontaneous seizures occurred in PTZ-kindled epileptic rats. CBX administration reduced spontaneous seizures. The NMDAR2-Li and Fos-Li neurons as well as GFAP-Li astrocytes in hippocampi increased in PTZ-kindled epileptic rats compared with controls. The numbers of Fos-Li (93.75 +/-7.94 vs 165.25 +/-15.87, P < 0.05) and NMDAR2-Li neurons (61.47 +/-3.62 vs 148.72 +/-14.53, P < 0.01) in the CBX-treated group were significantly less than in the PTZ-kindled group. There were no significant differences in the GFAP-Li expression between the CBX-treated and the PTZ-kindled groups.

CONCLUSIONSCBX may inhibit spontaneous seizures and decrease the numbers of Fos-Li and NMDARZ-Li neurons, thus providing anti-epileptic effects.

Animals ; Carbenoxolone ; pharmacology ; Epilepsy ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Gap Junctions ; drug effects ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; analysis ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kindling, Neurologic ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Pentylenetetrazole ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; analysis

Animals ; History, 20th Century ; Hong Kong ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; history ; virology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of oxaliplatin on human multiple myeloma cell line RPMI-8226 and its mechanism. The proliferation inhibitory rate of RPMI8226 cells was assayed by MTT, the morphological changes of RPMI-8226 cells were observed by inverted fluorescent microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, the apoptosis rate and the cell cycle distribution of RPMI-8226 cells were detected by flow cytometry, The effects of oxaliplatin on the expression of Bcl-2, caspase-8, caspase-3 mRNA were tested by RT-PCR, Bcl-2 protein expression of RPMI-8226 cells was analyzed by Western blot. The results showed that oxaliplatin could inhibit the proliferation of RPMI-8226 cells in time and dose-dependent manners. Cell number in oxaliplatin group was significantly less than that in control group under light microscope, and the growth arrangement was irregular, apoptotic cells could be seen. Under electron microscope, typical apoptotic morphological and ultrastructural changes could be observed. Flow cytometry results showed that oxaliplatin could induce apoptosis of RPMI-8226 cells, the difference have statistical significance (P < 0.05). Oxaliplatin mainly arrested RPMI-8226 cells in the S phase (P < 0.05). The expression of Bcl-2 mRNA did not have apparent change, while the expression of caspase-8, caspase-3 mRNA increased (P < 0.05). Western blot results suggested that the expression of Bcl-2 protein had no obvious change. It is concluded that the oxaliplatin can induce apoptosis of RPMI-8226 cells, activating the death receptor pathway and arresting cell cycle may be two of the related mechanisms, Bcl-2 gene has unobservable effects in the process of oxaliplatin-induced cell apoptosis.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Caspase 8 ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of docetaxel on proliferation and apoptosis of multiple myeloma cell line RPMI8226 and its mechanism. The inhibitory rate of multiple myeloma cells was detected by MTT, the morphological and ultrastructural changes of RPMI8226 cells were observed by using inverted fluorescent microscope and transmission electron microscope, the apoptosis-inducing effect of docetaxel on RPMI-8226 cells was determined by flow cytometry with Annexin-V FITC/PI staining, the cell distribution in cell cycle of RPMI-8226 cells was assayed using flow cytometry with PI staining; the effect of docetaxel on expression of BCL-2, caspase-8, caspase-3 mRNA was detected by semiquantitative RT-PCR, the expression changes of BCL-2 protein in RPMI-8226 cells before and after treatment with docetaxel were measured by using Western blot. The results indicated that 0.25 - 8.0 µg/ml docetaxel obviously inhibited the proliferation of RPMI-8226 cells in both time- and dose-dependent manners. Cell number of docetaxel-treated group was significantly less than control group under inverted fluorescent microscope, and the cell arrangement was irregular, necrotic cells could be seen occasionally. By transmission electron microscope, the morphological and ultrastructural changes of cell typical apoptosis could be observed, a few necrotic cells could be captured, too. Compared with control group, docetaxel induced the apoptosis of RPMI-8226 cell line (P < 0.01). Docetaxel mainly arrested RPMI-8226 cells in the G(2)/M phase (P < 0.01). The expression of BCL-2 mRNA decreased (P < 0.05), while the mRNA expression of caspase-8 and caspase-3 increased (P < 0.05). Western blot indicated that BCL-2 protein expression also decreased (P < 0.05). It is concluded that docetaxel can inhibit the proliferation of RPMI-8226 cells by inducing cell apoptosis. Activation of the mitochondrial and death receptor pathways of apoptosis may be involved in the docetaxel-induced apoptosis, cell cycle arrest may also play an important role in the apoptosis mechanism.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Caspase 8 ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Taxoids ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the therapeutic effect of embolization combined with endovascular stenting in the for treatment of intracranial pseudoaneurysms.

METHODSSeventeen patients with intracranial pseudoaneurysms received endovascular treatment with coil placement, NBCA glue embolization and endovascular stenting, and the therapeutic effect was evaluated according to the findings in immediate postoperative and follow-up angiography.

RESULTSFatal aneurysm rupture occurred in 1 case during embolization, and the surgical procedures were carried out smoothly in the remaining 16 cases. The aneurysm cavity dense coil packing ratio was 50% in coil embolization group and 42.9% in stent-assisted coil embolization group. In the follow-up for 3 months to 2 years, 2 patients in coil embolization group experienced pseudoaneurysm recurrence and were managed successfully with additional embolization with coils and stent. Aneurysms were not found postoperatively in stent-assisted coil embolization group.

CONCLUSIONEmbolization combined with endovascular stenting is a safe and effective treatment of intracranial pseudoaneurysms with minimized risk of recurrence.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aneurysm, False ; therapy ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stents ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the operation method and prevention from complications of extracranial carotid stenosis.

METHODSThree cases of carotid angioplasty and stenting for 271 patients with extracranial carotid stenosis were performed from October 2001 to June 2008. Before the operation, take Clopidogrel for 75 mg/d, Aspirin Delayed-Release Capsules for 100 200 mg/d, Simvastatin for 40 mg 1/night, for 5 - 10 d. Then treat continuous vein infusion Heparin 50 mg/d for 2 d. After the operation, continue antiplatelet and reduce blood fat therapy.

RESULTSAll 300 carotid stenting were successfully accomplished. DSA showed that the diameter of stenosed segment of carotid artery was markedly enlarged, and all clinical ischemia signs were improved remarkably. Seven cases suffered from complications in one week after operation and one died. Following up 3 - 24 months in 226 patients, restenosis were found in 5 cases, among which 45 patients were evaluated at follow-up by means of ultrasonic examination for 36 months or so, no restenosis was found. No ischemic attack occurred at follow-up.

CONCLUSIONSThe satisfactory effect and safety are achieved in the therapy of carotid stenosis by carotid angioplasty and stenting. Correct intraoperative treatment and skilled techniques are the key points of success.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; Carotid Stenosis ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stents ; Treatment Outcome