OBJECTIVETo study the effect of osthole (Ost) on adrenocortical function in Y1 mouse adrenocortical tumor cells.

METHODSY1 mouse adrenocortical tumor cells were taken as subjects in this experiment. In 10.0%, 1.0%, and 0.1% serum DMEM-F12 medium, Y1 cells were treated with 1, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 micromol/L Ost for 24 and 48 h. 0.1% Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) was taken as negative control group and 1 mmol/L (Bu) 2cAMP as positive control group. Cell growth morphology was observed under inverted microscope. Contents of corticosterone were tested by ELISA. Expression levels of steroids synthase such as Star, Cyp11a1, Cyp21a1, Hsd3b2, Cyp11b1, Cyp11b2, Cyp17a1, and Hsd17b3 mRNA were detected by Real time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR).

RESULTSY1 cell proliferation was obviously inhibited by 100 and 200 micromol/L Ost, and its inhibitory effect was more significant in 0.1% serum medium. Compared with the negative control group, gene expressions of Star, Cyp11a1 , Cyp21a1, Hsd3b2, Cyp11b1, Cyp17a1, and Hsd17b3 were significantly enhanced in the posi- tive control group (P < 0.05). Y1 cell corticosterone levels significantly increased in 50 micromol/L Ost treatment group after 24-and 48-h intervention (P < 0.05). Contents of corticosterone increased more obviously in 25 and 50 +/- mol/L Ost treatment groups after 48-h intervention, as compared with 24-h intervention (P < 0.01). After 24-h intervention, expression levels of Star, Cyp21a1, and Hsd3b2 genes were significantly up-regulated in 25 and 50 lLmol/L Ost groups (P < 0.05). Star gene expression was further enhanced after 48-h intervention (P < 0.05). However, Ost showed no effect on Cyp11a1 (P > 0.05). Additionally, gene expressions of Cyp11b1 and Cyp17a1 were significantly enhanced by 10, 25, and 50 pLmolIL Ost after treatment for 24 and 48 h (P < 0.05). Ost showed no obvious effect on Cyp11b2 and Hsd17b3 expressions.

CONCLUSIONOst could regulate adrenal cortex function and promote corticosterone synthesis and secretion through strengthening gene expressions of steroidogenic enzymes.

Adrenal Cortex ; drug effects ; Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms ; pathology ; Animals ; Corticosterone ; biosynthesis ; Coumarins ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression ; Mice ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Objective To evaluate the levels of oxidative stress in patients undergoing long-term and repetitive exposure to hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment. Methods 16 healthy volunteers and 58 patients with sub-acute sudden hearing loss (SHL) exposed to HBO were included in the study. Oxidative stress indices (malondialdehyde, MDA, advanced oxidation protein products, AOPP; superoxide dismutase, SOD) were measured in peripheral blood samples collected at the 5th,10th, 20th and 30th HBO treatments sessions (PO2 0.18 MPa, 1 session per day and 5 sessions per week) and under normal ambient pressure respectively. Results After 5th,10th, 20th and 30th sessions of HBOT, no relevant differences in these three indices were detected compared to pre-HBO exposure, between healthy volunteers (P > 0.05). Conclusions The long-term repetitive HBO treatment for 0.18 MPa of PO2 and 30 sessions could not affect in particular the response of the oxidative stress in healthy persons and patients with sub-acute SHL. The influence on three indices of patients with abnormal situation of oxidative stress undergoing lower pressure of HBO (0.18 MPa) is under investigation.

Objective To establish a method focusing on regulation of CNN3 gene in the rat hippocampus and help to explore the role of CNN3 gene played in the brain physiology and pathology.Methods One cDNA sequence and three shRNAs targeting CNN3 gene were designed and synthesized.The recombinant lentivirus-mediated expressing and three short hairpin RNA ( shRNA) vectors targeting CNN3 gene in the rats were constructed with engineering technology.All recombinant vectors were intravenously injected into rats hippocampi guided by stereotaxic apparatus.Western blot was performed to explore the best shRNA and to study the changes of CNN3 gene in the rat hippocampus after transfection with the silence and over-expressed vectors.Results The lentivirus-mediated vector expressing CNN3-OE and three shRNA vectors targeting CNN3 gene were successfully constructed.Within eight weeks after transfection, the vectors of CNN3-OE and three CNN3-shRNAs changed the expression of CNN3 gene in the rat hippocampus, in particular, all the protein levels of calponin-3 encoded by CNN3 gene were significantly down-regulated along with the time, with the highest inhibitory rate of 73.6%in the CNN3-shRNA2 group.Significant up-regulation of calponin-3 protein level by 93.88%, was found only on the 14th day after transfection.Conclusions Lentivirus-mediated vectors of CNN3-OE and CNN3-shRNAs may regulate in vivo the CNN3 gene level in the local brain region of rats via stereotactic injection.The study lays a foundation for disease prevention and treatment in the future.

Objective:To observe the efficacy, median progression-free survival (PFS) and adverse reaction induced by rh-endostatin injection (Endostar) plus platin-based chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods:Fifty five histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced NSCLC patients received Endostar combined with platin-based chemotherapy for more than 2 cycles. The evaluated parameters included PFS, response rate (RR), clinical benefit rate (CBR) and adverse reaction. Results:Of the 51 patients who can be evaluated for response, 15 (29.4%) achieved partial response (PR), 27 (52.9%) had stable disease (SD), 9 (17.6%) had progressive disease(PD), no patient had complete response(CR). The overall RR was 29.4% (15/51) and CBR was 82.4% (42/51). The median PFS was 6.3 months. There were no significant differences in the short-term efficacy and PFS between the patients who had different pathological features (P=0.037), those had naive or relapsed diseases (P=0.101), or those received different chemotherapeutic regimens (P=0.232). The total white cells and platelets decreased by 72.7% and 54.5%, respectively. The frequency of grade Ⅲ or Ⅳ neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were 36.4% (20 caces) and 21.8% (12 cases), respectively. Four patients stopped the therapy for adverse reaction. One died of gastrointestinal hemorrhage; one had uncontrolled grade Ⅲ hypertension; one had superventricular arrhythmia; one had grade Ⅳ hepatic dysfunction. Conclusion:The combination of Endostar and platin-based chemotherapy increased the CBR and prolonged the PFS of the patients with advanced NSCLC. The toxicities were tolerable.

Objective To explore microbic distribution feature of acute rhinitis pafienta' nasal cavity and dependabihty research of respiratory infection.Methods 436 acute rhinitis pafienta were randomly divided tO infection group(314)and non-infection group(122)depended on whether accompanying respiratory infection.Take blenna narium and carry out nasal cavity microbiological detection,meanwhile take blood and mesasure the content of serum IL-4 and IFN-γ.Results The staphylococcus aureus taked the most proportion(58.6%and 3 1.2%)of nasal cavity bacterial distribution in infection group and non-infection group,the following bacterium were the staphylococcus epidermidis(44.9%and 46.7%),bacillus meningitidis purulentae(7.9%and 4.9%)and bacillus coli(3.5%and 1.6%),the major eumycete were the peptostreptococcus asaeeharolyticus(1.9%and 1.6%),eubacterium lentum (1.6%and 0)and eubacterium mucus(0.9%and 0.8%),the major virus were the syncytial virus,the rhinoviru8es,adenodrus,influenza virus,parainfluenze virus and coronaviruses.The respiratory tract infection patients' content of serum IL-4 Were significant higher(P＜0.05)than the non-infection group,but the content ofIFN-γ were signifieanfly reduced(P＜0.05).Conclusion The staphylococcus aureus,syncytial virus,rhinoviruses,adenovirus and influenza virus have the close relation with the infection of the respiratory tract,which can cause the disorder of organism immune function.

Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Depressive Disorder ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Eleutherococcus ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stress, Psychological

OBJECTIVEIn this study, we aimed to investigate the expressions of adhesion molecules on human bronchial epithelial cells and neutrophils in co-culture system, assess the effects of puerarin on suppressing these adhesion molecules expressions, and explore the roles of two crucial signal-transduction elements p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in modulating adhesion molecules expressions.

METHODSNeutrophils and BEAS-2B cells (one human bronchial epithelial cell line) were co-cultured, and adhesion molecules expressions on cell surface were detected using flow cytometry. The mRNA levels of adhesion molecules were assessed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (real-time qPCR). Phosphorylated p38 MAPK and inhibitor κB were analyzed by Western blot.

RESULTSIn co-culture system, adhesion molecules expressions on BEAS-2B cells and neutrophils were enhanced significantly (P<0.05). Correspondingly, the mRNA levels of adhesion molecules were also increased greatly. Moreover, the pretreatment of peurarin obviously suppressed adhesion molecules expressions on cell surface. Furthermore, phosphorylated p38 MAPK and inhibitor κB in BEAS-2B cells and neutrophils were elevated in co-culture system, but decreased significantly after upon the treatment of peurarin (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCoculture boosted the interactions between human bronchial epithelial cells and neutrophils mimicking airway inflflammation, whereas peurarin decreased the expression of adhesion molecules on cell surface by suppressing the activities of p38 MAPK and NF-κB pathways, and exhibiting its anti-inflflammation activity.

Animals ; Base Sequence ; Bronchi ; cytology ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Cattle ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Coculture Techniques ; DNA Primers ; Down-Regulation ; drug effects ; Epithelial Cells ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Isoflavones ; pharmacology ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Neutrophils ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

Objective To detect the mutations of ATP2C1 gene in patients with Hailey-Hailey dis- ease (HHD).Methods PCR and direct sequencing were performed in 17 patients and 120 healthy controls to screen the mutations in the exons of ATP2C1 gene.Results Eight mutations were identified in nine probands, including three deletion mutations (nt1464-1487 del/nt1462-1485del,1523delAT,2375delTTGT),three splice site mutations (360—2A→G,1415—2A→T,2243+2T→C) and two missence mutations (C920T and G1942T).None of the above mutations was found in the controls.Conclusion Eight specific novel mutations were identified in nine probands of HHD,which could be causative factors of the disease.

It has gradually become a consensus in the industry that the traditional Chinese medicine gypsum should be decocted first, but the understanding of decocting method is not completely unified in the works of doctors since ancient times, and there are occasional disputes about whether it is necessary to decocting first. In this study, the phase determination, physical and chemical characterization, qualitative and quantitative analysis of inorganic and organic components of the decoctions of herbal pairs and the whole prescription Maxingshigan decoction with gypsum as the center, and the pre-decoctions and co-decoctions of them were carried out to explore the scientific connotation of the pre-decoctions of gypsum. Results show that decoction phases were different between the co-decoctions and pre-decoctions of licorice-gypsum (Gancao-Shigao, GC-SG), ephedra-gypsum (Mahuang-Shigao, MH-SG) and almond-gypsum (Xingren-Shigao, XR-SG). The results of the micromorphology, particle size and zeta potential of herbal pairs and prescription (Quanfang, QF) showed that the supramolecular particles in pre-decoctions were smaller, more uniform and more stable than the co-decoctions. The results of organic components analysis showed that different cooking methods did not change the organic composition and content. ICP-OES results showed that the content of inorganic components in pre-decoctions was higher than in co-decoctions for the same boiling time of gypsum. The IR results showed that the pre-decoctions had stronger chemical functional group effect than the co-decoctions. To sum up, compared with the co-decoction, the pre-decoction of gypsum has different phase state and chemical composition interaction, and the difference of inorganic composition is an important material basis affecting the change of phase state compared with the co-decoction. It indicates that the material basis of traditional Chinese medicine decoction is indeed different whether gypsum is decocted first or not, which can provide a basis for the clinical application of decocted gypsum.

Alleles ; Amelogenin/genetics* ; Chromosomes, Human, Y ; Humans ; Male ; Sex Determination Analysis