OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect and the mechanism of cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) in the growth inhibition of ovarian cancer in vitro and in vivo.

METHODAfter human ovarian cancer cell line HO-8910PM was treated with C3G, cell growth was determined by the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry analysis stained with Annexin V-FITC/PI. The protein expression in HO-8910PM cells was analyzed by Western blot assay. HO-8910PM cells were injected subcutaneously into nude mice to establish xenograft model. After 3 weeks of implantation, mice were randomized into 2 groups (n = 8): control group, feed with 0.2 mL double distilled water; C3G group, feed with C3G at a dose of 5 mg x kg(-1). All treatment lasted for two weeks, thrice per week. Eight weeks after implantation, tumor weight and inhibition rate were evaluated respectively after the mice were sacrificed. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the positive expression of Ki-67 and Mucin-4 in the tumors.

RESULTThe proliferation of ovarian cancer cells was inhibited significantly by C3G with IC50 being 13.82 mg x L(-1). Apoptosis rate induced by C3G was markedly highter than that of control. The expression of Mucin4 was down-regulated in HO-8910PM cells after treatment of C3G. C3G inhibited the growth of ovarian xenograft tumors in nude mice. Furthermore, the positive expression of Ki-67 and Mucin-4 were both decreased in tumors after administration of C3G.

CONCLUSIONC3G exerts anti-tumor activity in ovarian cancer both in vitro and in vivo, which may be related to down-regulation of Mucin-4 protein.

Animals ; Anthocyanins ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Ki-67 Antigen ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mucin-4 ; metabolism ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effects on analgesia, tranquilization and prevention of abortion syndrome of artificial abortion operation treated with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) with different acupoint combination and explore the optimal acupoint combination of TEAS in artificial abortion operation.

METHODSTwo hundred patients intended to artificial operation were randomized into No.1 group[Sanyinjiao (SP 6) + Zusanli (ST 36)], No.2 group[Sanyinjiao (SP 6) + Diji (SP 8)], No.3 group[Sanyinjiao (SP 6) + Taichong (LR 3)], No.4 group (cervical blockage anesthesia with lidocaine) and No.5 group (blank group, without any analgesia measure applied), 40 cases in each one. In the No.1, No.2 and No.3 groups, Sanyinjiao (SP 6) was the main acupoint, combined with Zusanli (ST 36), Dijin (SP 8) and Taichong (LR 3) respectively. TEAS was given 30 min before the operation till the end of operation. Mean arterial pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation during operation, as well as bleeding amount were observed in the five groups. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score was observed during and 30 min after operation, and Ramsay score was observed during operation. Cervical relaxation degree and the incidence of artificial abortion syndrome were recorded.

RESULTSFor VAS score during and 30 min after operation and Ramsay score during operation, the differences were significant statistically in the No. 1, No.2, No.3 and No.4 groups as compared with the No.5 group (<0.01,<0.05). The results in the No.2 group were better than those in the No.1, No.3 and No.4 groups (all<0.05). For cervical relaxationdegree, the result in the No.2 group was better than that in each of the rest groups (<0.01,<0.05). For artificial abortion syndrome, the incidences in the No.2 and No.3 groups were lower than those in the No.4 and No.5 groups (all<0.05). For bleeding amount and hemodynamic changes, the differences were not significant statistically among the five groups (all>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTEAS apparently reduces pain score during and 30 min after artificial abortion operation and achieves the satisfactory tranguilization effects. The combination of Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Diji (SP 8) achieves the optimal effect of analgesia, tranquilization, dilating cervix and preventing from artificial abortion syndrome in the operation.