Objective:To establish a lung cancer model of patient-derived tumor xenografts (PDTX) and to explore the relation-ship between primary cisplatin resistance and ERCC1 and IGFBP5 expression levels. Methods:Lung cancer tissues from 84 patients who underwent surgery were collected and implanted into nude mice. Patient characteristics for the first generation xenografts that were and were not engrafted were compared. Passage 3 xenografts were treated with cisplatin. The expression levels of ERCC1 and IGFBP5 in cisplatin-resistant and cisplatin-sensitive groups were detected using immunohistochemistry assay. Results:The model success rates were 32.14%(27/84) in first-generation xenografts, 88.89%(24/27) in second-generation xenografts, and 95.83%(23/24) in third-gener-ation xenografts. The tumorigenicity of first-generation xenografts was correlated with size, differentiation, clinical stage, and histologi-cal type. PDTX tumors maintain the histological type of parental tumors through serial passage in nude mice. ERCC1 expression level was significantly higher in the cisplatin-resistant group than in the cisplatin-sensitive group, whereas the IGFBP5 expression level was lower in the cisplatin-resistant group than in the cisplatin-sensitive group. Conclusion:Lung cancer PDTX models were successfully es-tablished, and histological characteristics of the primary cancers were retained. Therefore, the models may serve a function in preclini-cal research of lung tumor biology and for exploring the drug resistance mechanism of tumors. The cisplatin resistance of primary lung cancer may be correlated with the expression level of ERCC1 and IGFBP5 in lung carcinoma.

Drying is the critical link during pharmaceutical process of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is directly related to the quality of drugs. The key to technology upgrading of pharmaceutical equipment in Chinese materia medica enterprise is the development of new drying techniques, which concerns the modernization of TCM. The study provides new ideas for the drying technology and equipment by means of reviewing the research status of drying process for the traditional Chinese medicinal materials and preparations, and analyzing the traditional and modern drying methods and equipment, as well as their existing problems and corresponding measures for the drying processes and equipment. In addition, this paper expounds the development trend of traditional Chinese medicinal materials and preparations of drying process and equipment.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; instrumentation ; methods ; standards ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; instrumentation ; standards ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVEThis study is to develop excellent extraction technology of the polysaccharides in the root of the A. potaninii which live in the Taibai Mountain in China.

METHODBased on the extraction with water, the polysaccharides were deposited with alcohol. With the content of polysaccharides was as the index, extraction conditions were investigated systemly. Employed the solid-liquid ratio, extraction temperature, extraction time and extraction number of times were as levels of single factor, the optimal extraction technology of the polysaccharides from the root of the A. potaninii was determined by L9 (3(4)) orthogonal experimental design L9 (3(4)).

RESULTThe optimal technology conditions were that the solid-liquid ratio was 1 : 30, the extracting temperature was 60 degrees C, the extracting time was 3 h and extracting number of times was 3 times.

CONCLUSIONThe optimized extraction technology is simple, reliable and extraction efficiency of polysaccharide is higher.

Campanulaceae ; chemistry ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; isolation & purification ; Temperature ; Time Factors ; Water ; chemistry

This study aims to analyze and compare the effect of cell wall-broken decoction pieces, conventional decoction pieces and conventional powder of Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix et Rhizoma on the intestinal flora of normal mice. The conventional bacterial culture and PCR-DGGE (polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) were adopted for the mice after the oral administration for 14 days. According to the bacterial culture results, the 1/8 dose cell wall-broken decoction pieces group showed fewer Enterococcus and Escherichia coli bacillus but more Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium than the conventional decoction pieces group and the traditional powder group (P <0.05). Meanwhile, on the basis of the PCR-DGGE results, the 1/8 dose cell wall-broken decoction pieces group revealed the highest Shannon-Wiener index (H) and species richness (S) among the seven groups, with extremely significant differences compared with the normal group (P <0.01), significant differences compared with the conventional decoction pieces group and the conventional powder group (P <0.05) and a high intra-group similarity. In conclusion, the long-term intake of 1/8 dose Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix et Rhizoma cell wall-broken decoction pieces showed a certain effect in regulating intestinal tract by promoting the growth of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Furthermore, the intestinal flora community will become more stable.
Animals ; Bifidobacterium ; drug effects ; genetics ; growth & development ; Cell Wall ; Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Lactobacillus ; drug effects ; genetics ; growth & development ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rhizome ; Rhodiola

COVID-19 epidemic continues to spread around the world till these days, and it is urgent to develop more safe and effective new drugs. Due to the limited P3 biosafety laboratories for directly screening inhibitors of virulent viruses with high infectivity, it is necessary to develop rapid and efficient screening methods for viral proteases and other related targets. The main protease (M^pro), which plays a key role in the replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2, is highly conserved and has no homologous proteases in humans, making it an ideal target for drug development. From two different levels, namely, molecular level and cellular level, this paper summarizes the reported screening methods of SARS-CoV-2 M^pro inhibitors through a variety of representative examples, expecting to provide references for further development of SARS-CoV-2 M^pro inhibitors.

As a common protease with high similarity among coronavirus species, the main protease (M^pro) of SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the catalytic hydrolysis of viral precursor proteins into functional proteins, which is essential for coronavirus replication and is one of the ideal targets for the development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. This paper reviews the main protease inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2, including their molecular structures, potencies and drug-like profiles, binding modes and structure-activity relationships, etc.

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation of the testosterone level with circulated endothelial progenitor cells in patients with Klinefelter's syndrome (KS) and its clinical significance.

METHODSThis study included 36 patients affected by non-mosaic 47, XXY KS, each with one or more cardiovascular risk factors. Serum hormone levels and the content of circulated endothelial progenitor cells were determined by radioimmunology and cell culture methods, respectively, and the measurement was repeated after 6 months of testosterone replacement therapy.

RESULTSAfter testosterone replacement therapy, the testosterone level was increased from (8 +/- 3) to (24 +/- 10) nmol/L, while the content of endothelial progenitor cells ([41 +/- 48] cells/ml) showed no significant rise.

CONCLUSIONThere is no obvious correlation between the testosterone level and the content of endothelial progenitor cells in KS patients.

Adult ; Cell Count ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; blood ; Klinefelter Syndrome ; blood ; drug therapy ; Male ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; Testosterone ; blood ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of the mRNAs of transient receptor potential (TRP) gene subfamily TRPV and TRPM in rat testes.

METHODSNormal SD rat testes were collected and the expression of TRPV and TRPM mRNAs were detected by routine RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe TRPV4, TRPV5, TRPV6, TRPM3, TRPM4 and TRPM8 mRNAs were detected in the rat testes, but the other members of TRPV and TRPM family were not detected.

CONCLUSIONSTRPV4, TRPV5, TRPV6, TRPM3, TRPM4 and TRPM8 are expressed in rat testes. This finding provides the basis for exploring the functions of TRPV and TRPM in the testes and the relation between testis diseases and the TRP family.

Animals ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; TRPM Cation Channels ; genetics ; metabolism ; TRPV Cation Channels ; genetics ; metabolism ; Testis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety and efficacy of hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) in colorectal tumors.

METHODSClinical data of 70 patients with colorectal tumors were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients had received HALS colectomy in the Beijing Cancer Hospital. Lapdisc was used for the hand port at the umbilicus. Two additional trocars were used.

RESULTSThere were 38 males and 32 females. The median age was 61(29-89) years. Diagnoses included sigmoid cancer(n=48), sigmoid adenoma(n=4), descending colon cancer (n=3), ascending colon cancer (n=1), rectal cancer (n=13), total colectomy(n=1). The operative time was (126.0±22.5) minutes. The intraoperative blood loss was (75.0±18.8) ml. The mean number of lymph node dissection was(16.8±4.2). The median postoperative hospital stay was 9.4 days. There were no perioperative deaths. One patient developed anastomotic stricture and two anastomotic leak, all of which were successfully managed with conservative treatment.

CONCLUSIONHALS is a safe and effective technique for colectomy.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo compare the safety and efficacy perioperatively between hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) and conventional open sigmoidectomy.

METHODSProspectively collected data on 115 patients with sigmoid colon cancer between January 2009 to June 2010 were analyzed. There were 62 patients in the HALS group and 53 in the conventional sigmoidectomy group (CS). Patient characteristics, operative parameters, and perioperative outcomes were compared.

RESULTSHALS patients were similar to CS patients in age(60.2 yrs vs. 63.4 yrs, P=0.163), gender (53.2% vs. 60.4% male, P=0.441), tumor size (4.7 cm vs. 5.3 cm, P=0.114) and tumor stage. The two groups were comparable in operative time [(122.4±32.0) min vs.(126.7±37.4) min, P=0.510], lymph node harvest (15.1±4.6 vs. 16.8±6.4, P=0.163), free margin length [(4.1±1.8) cm vs.(4.3±1.7) cm, P=0.601], and postoperative complications. However, HALS group had less intraoperative bleeding [(62.6±35.4) ml vs. (168.9±137.1) ml, P=0.000], shorter time to flatus [(2.3±0.8) d vs. (3.3±1.1) d, P=0.000], and shorter hospital stay [(8.8±2.7) d vs.(12.6±8.0) d, P=0.001].

CONCLUSIONSHALS results in similar short-term outcomes compared to conventional surgery. HALS is safe and minimally invasive.

Colectomy ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Sigmoid Neoplasms ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome