Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mycoses ; pathology ; Penicillium ; isolation & purification

A quantitative analysis method of multi-components with a single marker (QAMS) for simultaneous determination of six marker compounds (one from phenolic acids and five from phthalides) in Chuanxiong Rhizoma was established by applying HPLC and using butylidenephthalide as the internal reference substance. And also the feasibility and accuracy of the established method for quality evaluation and application of Chuanxiong Rhizoma were investigated and validated. The analysis was performed with the mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile - 0.2% aqueous formic acid. The flow rate was 1.0 mL . min-1 and the column temperature was maintained at 30 °C. The detection wavelengths were set at 252 nm (for ferulic acid, Z-ligustilide, and butylidenephthalide) and 266 nm (for senkyunolide I, senkyunolide A, and coniferyl ferulate), separately, and 20 µL was injected for analysis with gradient elution. The results showed that there were no significant differences observed between the HPLC-QAMS method and the external standard method (RSD <5%). The relative correction factors were credible (RSD < 5%) in changed chromatographic conditions. The established HPLC-QAMS method can be accurately used for simultaneously evaluating and controlling the quality of Chuanxiong Rhizoma with multi-components.
4-Butyrolactone ; analogs & derivatives ; Acetonitriles ; Benzofurans ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Coumaric Acids ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; standards ; Hydroxybenzoates ; Quality Control ; Rhizome ; chemistry

Objectives To study the role of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-gamma (IFN-?) in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis and eczema,and the changes of serum levels of IL-4 and INF-? with topical treatment of co rticosteroid plus antibiotic cream or corticosteroid cream alone.Methods Seru m levels of IL-4 and IFN-? were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assa y(ELISA).Results Serum levels of IL-4 and INF-? were significantly higher in the patients with atopic dermatitis and eczema than those in the normal control s,respectively(both P

0.05).Conclusions The higher level of SEB-specific IgM and IgE in AD and eczema indi cates the colonization of Staphylococcus aureus,which participates in the exace rbation of allergic inflammation,is involved in the pathogenesis of AD and ecz ema.

OBJECTIVETo establish discriminant functions of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) by studying it from quantitative diagnosis angle, hoping to reduce interference of subjective factors in diagnosing and differentially diagnosing Chinese medical syndromes of IBS-D.

METHODSA Chinese medical clinical epidemiological survey was carried out in 439 IBS-D patients using Clinical Information Collection Table of IBS. Initial syndromes were obtained by cluster analysis. They were analyzed using step-by-step discrimination by taking information of four Chinese medical diagnostic methods and serum brain-gut peptides (BGP) as variables.

RESULTSClustering results were Gan stagnation Pi deficiency syndrome (GSPDS), Pi-Wei weakness syndrome (PWWS), Gan stagnation qi stasis syndrome (GSQSS), Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome (PSYDS), Pi-Wei damp-heat syndrome (PWDHS), cold-damp disturbing Pi syndrome (CDDPS). Of them, GSPDS was mostly often seen with effective percentage of 34. 2%, while CDDPS was the least often seen with effective percentage of 5.5%. A total of 5 discriminant functions for GSPDS, PWWS, GSQSS, PSYDS, and PWDHS were obtained by step-by-step dis- crimination method. The retrospective misjudgment rate was 4.1% (16/390), while the cross-validation misjudgment rate was 15.4% (60/390).

CONCLUSIONThe establishment of discriminant functions is of value in objectively diagnosing and differentially diagnosing Chinese medical syndromes of IBS-D.

Alarmins ; Brain ; Cluster Analysis ; Diarrhea ; classification ; diagnosis ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; classification ; diagnosis ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Qi ; Retrospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Yang Deficiency

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disease (EBV-PTLD) is a potentially life-threatening complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or solid organ transplantation. In the last decade, the survival of patients with EBV-PTLD has been significantly improved by immunotherapeutic interventions among high-risk patients. The immunotherapeutic interventions for EBV-PTLD include reduction in immunosuppression, CD20 monoclonal antibodies (rituximab) as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy, and adoptive immunotherapy with EBV-specific T cells. This paper reviews the latest update on the high-risk factors, clinical manifestations and immunotherapy of EBV-PTLD.
Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; complications ; therapy ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; methods ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; etiology ; therapy ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; therapy ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether proteasome inhibitor MG-132 induces apoptosis of human erythroleukemia cell line K562 and possible mechanisms.

METHODSK562 cells were incubated with RPMI 1640 and exposed to 0, 1, 5, 10, 15 micromol/L of MG-132 for 24 hrs, respectively. The apoptosis of cells were detected by fluorescence microscope, DNA fragments and flow cytometry. The NF-kappaB mRNA expression was quantified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Expression of NF-kappaB and caspase-3 was semiquantitatively analyzed with SABC techniques. Caspase-3 activities were measured with a colorimetric method.

RESULTSThe growth of K562 cells was inhibited and the apoptosis of the cells increased after MG-132 treatment in a dose-dependent manner. After 24 hrs of 15 micromol/L MG-132 treatment, the percentage of apoptotic cells (26.5+/-0.6%) increased significantly when compared with the untreated controls (1.2+/-0.1%) (P<0.01). MG-132 treatment decreased the mRNA and protein expression of NF-kappaB, and increased the protein expression of caspase-3.

CONCLUSIONSMG-132 can induce apoptosis of human erythroleukemia cell line K562 through the down-regulation of NF-kappaB expression and up-regulation of caspase-3 expression.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Leupeptins ; pharmacology ; NF-kappa B ; Proteasome Inhibitors ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

BACKGROUND: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as erlotinib and gefitinib, are widely used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, acquired resistance is unavoidable, impairing the anti-tumor effects of EGFR-TKIs. It is reported that histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors could enhance the anti-tumor effects of other antineoplastic agents and radiotherapy. However, whether the HDAC inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) can overcome erlotinib-acquired resistance is not fully clear. METHODS: An erlotinib-resistant PC-9/ER cell line was established through cell maintenance in a series of erlotinib-containing cultures. NSCLC cells were co-cultured with SAHA, erlotinib, or their combination, and then the viability of cells was measured by the 3-(4,5-Dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay and apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry and western blotting. Finally, the expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) was assessed by western blotting. RESULTS: The half-maximal inhibitory concentration of parental PC-9 cells was significantly lower than the established erlotinib-acquired resistant PC-9/ER cell line. PC-9/ER cells demonstrated reduced expression of PTEN compared with PC-9 and H1975 cells, and the combination of SAHA and erlotinib significantly inhibited cell growth and increased apoptosis in both PC-9/ER and H1975 cells. Furthermore, treating PC-9/ER cells with SAHA or SAHA combined with erlotinib significantly upregulated the expression of PTEN mRNA and protein compared with erlotinib treatment alone. CONCLUSIONS PTEN deletion is closely related to acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs, and treatment with the combination of SAHA and erlotinib showed a greater inhibitory effect on NSCLC cells than single-drug therapy. SAHA enhances the suppressive effects of erlotinib in lung cancer cells, increasing cellular apoptosis and PTEN expression. SAHA can be a potential adjuvant to erlotinib treatment, and thus, can improve the efficacy of NSCLC therapy.

Eleven flavonol glycosides were isolated from the ethanol extract of Lysimachia clethroides by a combination of various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography over silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and reversed-phase HPLC. Their structures were identified as astragalin (1), isoquercitrin (2), isorhamnetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), quercetin-3-O-β-D-6"-acetylglucopyranoside (4), quercetin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (5), prunin (6), 2-hydroxynaringin-5-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (7), kaempferol-3-O-rutinonoside (8), kaempferol-3-O-robinobioside (9), rutin (10) and kaempferol-3,7-di-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (11). Among them, compounds 4, 7 and 11 were obtained from the Lysimachia genus for the first time, while compounds 3, 5 and 9 were firstly reported from this plant. In the preliminary assays, compounds 2, 6 and 8 possessed significant inhibition against aldose reduc- tase, with IC50 values of 2.69, 1.00, 1.80 μmol · L(-1), respectively; none of compounds 1-11 exhibited obvious cytotoxic activity (IC50 > 10 μmol · L(-1)).
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Flavonols ; chemistry ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Primulaceae ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

OBJECTIVETo study the regularity of migration and distribution of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) in injured spinal cord with intradural space transplantation.

METHODSForty Wistar rats were randomly assigned into 4 groups. The spinal cord injury model was prepared according to the modified Allen method. BMSCs were labeled by CM-Dil. And 5.0 multiply 10(6) cells were transplanted by different channels including intraventricular injection (Group A),injured spinal cord intrathecally injection (Group B), remote intrathecally injection at the L(3)-L(4) level (Group C), and intravenous injection (Group D). Spinal cord was dissected at 24 hours, 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after transplantation. Sections of 4 micromolar were cut on a cryostat and observed under fluorescence microscopy.

RESULTSNo fluorescence was observed 24 hours after transplantation in spinal cord injury parenchyma except Group B. One week later, BMSCs in Groups A and C began to migrate to the injured parenchyma; 2-4 weeks later, BMSCs penetrated into the injured parenchyma except Group D. The number of BMSCs decreased at 3-4 weeks after transplantation. The number of cells in Group B decreased faster than that of Groups A and C.

CONCLUSIONSBMSCs transplanted through intraventricular injection, injured spinal cord intrathecally injection and remote intrathecal injection could migrate to the injured parenchyma of spinal cord effectively. The number of BMSCs migrated into injured spinal cord parenchyma is rare by intravenous injection.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; methods ; Cell Movement ; physiology ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; pathology ; surgery ; Stromal Cells ; cytology ; transplantation