Exosome is a sort of vesicle structure attached to cell membrane and released by cells, which contains numerous bioactive molecules, such as proteins, lipids, mRNA, microRNA and DNA fragments. These bioactive molecules are involved in the regulation of many biological processes, not only the participation in the occurrence and development of diverse diseases, but also the close relationship with the invasion and metastasis of tumors. The recent study has indicated that lots of exosomes released from cancer cells participate in a variety of pathological processes as a messenger of cell functions. This article will elaborate the function and application of exosomes in some malignant cancers.

Objective To investigate the protective mechanism of hyaluronic acid (HA) antagonistic to nitmprusside sodium (SNP) on the tissue engineering cartilage. Methods Alginate culture for two weeks was used to recover phenotype of dedifferentiated chondrocytes. Differentiation state of chondrecytes was analyzed by immunostaining. The growth of alginate-recovered chondrocytes on the chitosan-based scaffold was observed by scanning electron microscope. After cultured for 3 weeks, this tissue engineering cartilage was treated with SNP in the absence or presence of HA combined with specific β1 integrin blocking antibody collagen type Ⅱ and aggreean were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Results Collagen type Ⅱ expression in dedifferentiated chondrocytes was significantly enhanced by alginate bead culture. The chitosan-based scaffold supported cell adhesion, proliferation and migration. A dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the expression of collagen type Ⅱ and aggrecan was observed when tissue engineering cartilage was treated with SNP alone. HA significantly promoted collagen type Ⅱ, and aggrecan expression antagonistic to low concentrations of SNP (p<0.05). However, the specific β1,integrin blocking antibody abrogated the effects of HA. Conclusion Alginate culture recovers the phenotype of dedifferentiated chondrocytes. HA abrogats the inhibitory effect of SNP via β1 integrin signal pathway to protect tissue engineering cartilage.

Taxus is the source plant of anti-cancer drug paclitaxel and its biosynthetic precursor, analogs and derivatives, which has been studying for decades. There are many endemic Taxus species in China, which have been studied in the field of multiple disciplines. Based on the recent studies of the researchers, this review comments on the study of Taxus biology and chemistry. The bibliometric method is used to quantify the global scientific production of Taxus-related research, and identify patterns and tendencies of Taxus-related articles. Gaps are present in knowledge about the genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and bioinformatics of Taxus and their endophytic fungi. Systems biology and various omics technologies will play an increasingly important role in the coming decades.

Objective To investigate the influencing factors of hemorrhagic transformation in non-thrombolysis patients after acute cerebral infarction. Methods According to Chengdu Stroke Registry Project,2598 consecutive patients with acute cerebral infarction admitted to the Department of Neurology,West China Hospital within 1 week of attack from January 2010 to December 2013 were enrolled prospectively. The patients were divided into a hemorrhagic transformation group and a non-hemorrhagic transformation group according to whether they had hemorrhagic transformation or not. As for patients with hemorrhagic transformation,they were divided into a symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation (SHT)group and an asymptomatic hemorrhagic transformation (ASHT)group according to whether they had aggravation of symptom and sign. The baseline data of all patients were collected and compared between the groups. The P<0. 1 variables of the univariate analysis result were enrolled in multivariate logistic regression analysis in order to identify the independent influencing factor of hemorrhagic transformation. Results In 2598 patients,249 (9. 6%)had hemorrhagic transformation,28 of them (1. 1%)were SHT and 221 (8. 5%)were ASHT. There were significant differences in male,hypertension,dyslipidemia,atrial fibrillation,drinking and smoking ratio,blood glucose,cholesterol,low density lipoprotein cholesterol, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NHISS)scores,and the trial of Org 1072 in acute stroke treatment (TOAST)classification between the HT group and the non-HT group (all P<0. 05). There were no significant difference in the related influencing factors between the SHT group and the ASHT group (all P>0. 05). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that dyslipidemia (OR,0. 588, 95%CI 0. 374-0. 924,P=0. 021)was negatively correlated with hemorrhagic transformation. Atrial fibrillation (OR,3. 188,95%CI 2. 159-4. 707,P<0. 001),blood glucose (OR,1. 081,95%CI 1. 044-1. 119,P<0.001),and NHISS score (OR,1. 305,95%CI 1. 170-1. 455,P<0. 001)were positively correlated with hemorrhagic transformation. In TOAST classification,relative to the large atherosclerotic stroke,the small artery occlusive cerebral infarction was negatively correlated with hemorrhagic transformation (OR,0. 315, 95%CI 0. 167-0. 596,P<0. 001). After removing the influencing factor of atrial fibrillation,compared with the large artery atherosclerotic stroke,cardioembolism stroke was positively correlated with hemorrhagic transformation (OR,2. 823,95%CI 1. 946-4. 095,P<0. 001). Conclusion Dyslipidemia,atrial fibrillation,blood glucose,NHISS score and TOAST classification were independently associated with hemorrhagic transformation in non-thrombolysis patients after acute cerebral infarction.

With the surge of high-throughput sequencing technology, it is becoming popular to perform the phylogenetic study based on genomic data. A bundle of new terms is emerging, such as phylogenomics, pharmacophylogenomics and phylotranscriptomics, which are somewhat overlapping with pharmaphylogeny. Phylogenomics is the crossing of evolutionary biology and genomics, in which genome data are utilized for evolutionary reconstructions. Pharmaphylogeny, advocated by Prof. Pei-gen Xiao since 1980s, focuses on the phylogenetic relationship of medicinal plants and is thus nurtured by molecular phylogeny, chemotaxonomy and bioactivity studies. Phylogenomics can be integrated into the flow chart of drug discovery and development, and extend the field of pharmaphylogeny at the omic level, thus the concept of pharmacophylogenomics could be redefined. This review gives a brief analysis of the association and the distinguished feature of the pharmaphylogeny related terms, in the context of plant-based drug discovery and sustainable utilization of pharmaceutical resource.

Objective To observe the protective effect of sodium hyaluronate (Na-HA),and its effects on mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) in cartilage of rabbit osteoarthritis (OA) model.Methods Forty eight white rabbits were divided into A,B,C groups randomly.Group A were normal controls,groups B and C were underwent unilateral anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT).The rabbits in group B were injected normal saline after ACLT;Group C rabbits received intra-articular 1% sodium hyaluronate (HA) injections 5 weeks after surgery,0.3 ml once a week.At week 11 after the surgery,all rabbits were sacrificed.The cartilage changes on the medial femoral condyles were graded.Cartilage sections were stained with safranin-O and HE,mRNA expression of PPAR-γ was detected by real time polymerase chain reaction (Real Time-PCR).Results Cartilage degeneration in group B was significantly more severe than in groups A and C.The grey value of Safranin-O of B group were higher than groups A and C.Expression of PPAR-γ mRNA in group B was higher than that in groups A and C.Conclusion NaHA has a protective effect on articular cartilage degeneration,and the inhibitory effect on PPAR-γ mRNA expression may be one of the therapeutic mechanism of Na-HA.

Multiple sclerosis ( MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system ( CNS) characterized by demyelination and inflammation lesions.MS predominantly affects young adults with a high incidence of disability. However, the exact pathogenesis of MS is still not clear.Studies found that microglia polarization tending to pro-inflammatory M1-like state during the onset of MS, causing the M1/M2 ratio imbalance, forming pro-inflammatory microenvironment state, and which further leading to nervous tissue damage ultimately.Microglia polarization may be considered as the initiator of pathologic alterations by releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines and secondarily trigger the initial microglia response.Given the pivotal role of imbalanced microglia polarization in MS initiation, a critical review of microglia polarization is presented here, in order to elucidate the pathogenesis of MS and highlight the noteworthy candidate therapeutic targets for clinic treatment.

Objective To study sex differences,in common risk factors,subtypes and outcomes in stroke.Methods 2912 patients hospitalized for stroke were evaluated for common risk factors,subtypes and outcomes data.Results Mean age was higher in women than in men(P

Objective To investigate the role of fibroblasts in nonunion fracture healing using extracorporeal shock wave(ESW) treatment. Methods Thirty healthy rabbits were selected to make the models of non-union fractures of the right tibias, which were then held apart by external fixation. 12 weeks after the operation, hypertrophic non-unions were confirmed in 27 of the rabbits by radiography. These 27 were divided randomly into a treatment group and a control group. The test animals were treated with ESW under general anaesthesia. The two ends of the nonunion fracture were shocked 1 000 times at 0.54 mJ/mm2 and a frequency of 60 times/minute. The nonunions of the control group were treated with external fixations only. Histological examination and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) were conducted after 2 and 6 weeks. Standardized radiographs were taken after 12 weeks of the shock wave treatment. Results ESW induced microfractures, which initiated the healing process of the nonunionfractures. X-rays showed that 8 of the 9 fractures of the treatment group had healed after 12 weeks of EWS treatment, but only 3 of the 9 in the control group had healed. Statistical analysis showed that this difference was significant at the 5% level. After 2 weeks of ESW treatment, TEM showed many collagen fibers around the fibroblasts in the treatment group, with characteristic and periodic transverse lines. This indicated that the fibroblasts had been secreting collagen fibers as osteoblasts. Six weeks later, osteoblasts and fibroblasts had formed bone lacunes, and they had become osteocytes. However osteogenetic activates were not found in the control group. Conclusions Fibroblasts are activated by ESW to better form bone tissue. This process plays an important role in rebuilding broken bones.

Objective To investigate the clinical prediction value of chemokine CCL21 level for acute coronary syndrome.Methods Totally 212 patients receiving coronary arteriography were divided into acute myocardial infarction group(AMI,n=72),unstable angina pectoris group(UAP,n=76),and stable angina pectoris group(SAP,n=64).The serum level of chemokine CCL21 was detected by double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)and the pathological changes of coronary artery were measured by Gensini scoring system.All patients were followed up for six months and the cardiovascular adverse events were recorded.Results The serum level of CCL21 was(169.72±14.64)ng/L in AMI group,(154.42±16.50)ng/L in UAP group,and(143.87±9.80) ng/L in SAP group,with statistically significant differences (F =99.818,P =0.000).Serum levels of CCL21 in ACS group and SAP group were positively correlated with Gensini score(r=0.474,P =0.000;r=0.350,P=0.049).Binary Logistic regression analysis revealed that chemokine CCL21 was an independent risk factor for predicting acute coronary syndrome (OR =1.049,P =0.022).The CCL21-judged area under the ROC curve in acute coronary syndrome group was 0.887 ± 0.028 (P =0.000),with diagnostic point of serum level of chemokine CCL21 at 159.15 ng/L,sensitivity of 0.635,specificity of 0.981.Serum level of CCL21 was higher in the patients with cardiovascular adverse events than in the patients without cardiovascular adverse events[(168.57±7.24)ng/L vs.(156.92± 6.53) ng/L],with statistically significant difference (t =16.100,P =0.000).Conclusions Serum level of chemokine CCL21 reflects the severity degree of coronary artery disease.The chemokine CCL21,as an independent and effective marker,can predict acute coronary syndrome.