In the present study, a new compound named 17-(6-cinnamamido-hexylamino-)-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (CDG) was obtained by introducing the cinnamic acid (CA) group into the 17-site of geldanamycin (GDM). The anti-cancer effects of CDG in vitro and in vivo were evaluated. MTT assay was used to examine the inhibitory effect of CDG on the proliferation of MCF-7, HepG2, H460 and SW1990 cells. Immunofluorescent staining flow cytometry combined with Annexin V-FITC/PI staining were used to detect apoptotic cells. Transwell assay was used to analyze the effect of CDG on cell invasion and migration ability. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of RAF-1, EGFR, AKT, CDK4 and HER-2 of MCF-7, HepG2 and H460 cells. The toxicities of CDG and GDM were evaluated in mice. Using the subcutaneously transplanted MCF-7 xenograft in nude mice, inhibitory effect was evaluated in vivo. The results showed that CDG inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells (IC50: 13.6-67.4 microg.mL-1). After exposure to CDG for 48 h, most cells presented typical morphologic changes of apoptosis such as chromatin condensation or shrunken nucleus. The rates of apoptosis of MCF-7, HepG2, H460 and SW1990 cells incubated with 10 microg.mL-1 CDG were 23.16%, 27.55%, 22.21%, 20.47%, respectively. A dose-dependent reduction of migration of four cell lines was found after exposure to CDG. The decreased levels of RAF-1, EGFR, AKT, CDK4 and HER-2 showed that CDG possessed HSP90 inhibitory effect. The result of animal toxicity test on the mice suggested that CDG had lower toxicity than GDM. Meanwhile, CDG inhibited the growth of MCF-7 xenografts of athymic mice.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Benzoquinones ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 ; metabolism ; Female ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Humans ; Lactams, Macrocyclic ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins A-raf ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; metabolism ; Tumor Burden ; drug effects ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

The endophytic microorganisms found widely in many kinds of plants mediate various effects to theirs hosts. In this study, seven different dominant endophytes (SDE01 to 07) isolated from a Hy-peraccumulator-Solanum nigrum L. were resistant to Cd2+, and the strain SDE06 survived even in the medium containing 80 mg/L of Cd2+. Bacteria strain SDE06 was identified as Bacillus sp.. The removal of Cd2+ of SDE06 in different conditions were studied. Under the optimal conditions, the incubating time was 36 h, the solution pH 6.0, the temperature was 37?C and the Cd2+ concentration of medium was 20 mg/L, the highest removal rate was up to 80.2% at this condition.

0.05).At different time points after ischemia-reperfusion,the expression of cytochrome C and activation of caspase-3 were lower in the transgen mice than that in the wild type rats.Conclusions Under standard condition,overexpression of bcl-xl could significantly reduce the infarct area and improve neurological function in transgene mice than those in the wild type rats.The effect of overexpression of bcl-xl might be realized through inhibiting the apoptosis of neuron,and the mechanism might be that the overexpression of bcl-xl inhibit the release of cytochrome C and the activation of caspase-3.

From an aqueous extract of Lonicera japonica flower buds, sixteen compounds were isolated by a combination of various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography over macroporous resin, MCI gel, silica gel, and sephadex LH-20 and reversed-phase HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis as 6'-O-acetylvogeloside (1), 6'-O-acetylsecoxyloganin (2), dichlorogelignate (3), guanosinyl-(3' --> 5')-adenosine monophosphate(GpA,4) , 5'-O-methyladenosine (5), 2'-O-methyladenosine (6), adenosine (7), syringin (8), methyl 4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl caffeate (9), (-)-dihydrophaseic acid 4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (10), ketologanin (11), 7α-morroniside (12), 7β-morroniside (13), kingiside (14), cryptochlorogenic acid methyl ester (15), and 6-hydroxymethyl-3-pyridinol (16). All the compounds were obtained from this plant for the first time, compounds 1 and 2 are new compounds, 3 and 5 are new natural products, and 4 is the first example of dinucleoside monophosphate isolated from a plant extract.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Lonicera ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure

AIMTo investigate the inhibitory activity of salvianolic acid A (SAA) on nucleoside transport in cancer cells and its antitumor effect.

METHODS[3H] thymidine and [3H] uridine transport assays were used to determine the inhibitory activity on nucleoside transport in Ehrlich carcinoma cells. The cytotoxicity to cultured cancer cells was examined with clonogenic assay. The antitumor effect in vivo was evaluated with transplantable tumor model in mice.

RESULTSSAA was shown to inhibit thymidine and uridine transport in Ehrlich carcinoma cells with IC50 values of 18.1 and 17.1 micromol x L(-1), respectively. By clonogenic assay, the IC50 of SAA for KB cells was 44.7 micromol x L(-1). SAA markedly potentiated the cytotoxicity of 5-FU and mitomycin C in KB cells as well as the cytotoxicity of MTX in human hepatoma BEL-7402 cells. For in vivo experiment, sarcoma 180 cells were transplanted sc in mice and tested drugs were administered ip. When administered separately, SAA at 200 mg x kg(-1) and 5-FU at 10 mg x kg(-1) inhibited tumor growth by 41% and 27%, respectively. Combination of the two drugs inhibited tumor growth by 63% (CDI = 0.86).

CONCLUSIONSAA is active in blocking nucleoside transport in cancer cells and potentiates the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs. As an agent showing moderate antitumor effect in vivo, SAA might be useful in combination cancer therapy.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Biological Transport ; Caffeic Acids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Drug Synergism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; pharmacology ; Humans ; KB Cells ; Lactates ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Male ; Methotrexate ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mitomycin ; pharmacology ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; Sarcoma 180 ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

The objective of the study is to find out the effect of shark chondroitin on T lymphocyte subsets in cancer patients. Patients were divided into two groups. One group was treated with chemotherapy alone, and the other group was treated with chemotherapy plus shark chondroitin. Using immunofluorescence technique, T lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood were determined in two groups before and after chemotherapy. The results showed that CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio increased in the patients received shark chondroitin. In the chemotherapy group, CD3(+) had no change, but CD4(+) decreased while CD8(+) increased significantly. The results suggest that shark chondroitin could enhance immune function in cancer patients, especially during chemotherapy.

To investigate the optimum harvesting time and utilization of mulberry leaves during different growth periods based on the content of alkaloids and flavonoids, 88 samples of 11 species of mulberry leaves were collected and analyzed. UPLC-TQ/MS method was applied and the results showed that the ingredients of alkaloids and flavonoids in mulberry leaves are quite different in different growth periods and different species. There was a sharp decline of the average content of alkaloids in all samples from October, while the content of flavonoids dropped either from October but with less volatile. The content of flavonoids in M. atropurpurea was much higher than alkaloids, while M. australis was opposite completely. There was a sharp decline of alkaloids in M. cathayana and M. mongolica from Tuly to August, however, the content of alkaloids and flavonoids in M. alba is neither too high nor too low. In summary, it is more suitable to harvest tender mulberry leaves harvested from the end of September to beginning of October that provide a scientific evidence for rational harvest and comprehensive utilization of mulberry leaves.
Alkaloids ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drug Stability ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Mass Spectrometry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Morus ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; Reproducibility of Results ; Seasons

Numerous genetic abnormalities which can not be identified by cytogenetic detection (e.g., gene mutations, gene expression abnormalities) have been gradually found, which means that the further molecular classification of AML (acute myeloid leukemia) with distinctive prognosis have arrived. For example, mutations of the transcription factor (CCAAT enhancer binding factor alpha, C/EBPalpha) or nucleophosmin-1 (NPM1) may predict better prognosis, whereas partial tandem duplications of the MLL gene (MLL-PTD), internal tandem duplications of FLT3 (FLT3-ITD) or mutations of WT1 gene confer worse prognosis. This review focuses on the features and relationship of these genetic abnormalities, as well as their influence on the prognosis of AML.
Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Prognosis

BACKGROUNDChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is thought to be an inflammatory immune response disease. In most cases, the disease is caused by cigarette smoke, but it has been demonstrated that only 10% to 20% of smokers will definitely suffer from COPD. Dendritic cells (DCs) are considered to be the promoter of immune responses. However, the underlying mechanisms involved are still unrevealed. In this study, we aimed to investigate the quantitative differentiation of pulmonary DC in smokers with or without COPD to explore the possible role of DCs in smokers suffering COPD.

METHODSPeripheral lung specimens from non-smokers without airflow obstruction (control group, n = 7), smokers without airflow obstruction (smoker group, n = 7) and patients with COPD (COPD group, n = 7) were investigated to detect the quantity of S-100 and CD1a positive cells by immunohistochemical or immunofluorescent assay.

RESULTSIn smokers with COPD, the number of S-100(+) DCs was higher than in the controls and smokers without COPD (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05) and there was a higher number of S-100(+) DCs in smokers with COPD than in smokers without COPD, but without a significant difference (P > 0.05). An inverse correlation was found between the number of DCs and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV(1))% pred (r = -0.75, P < 0.05), which was also found between the number of DCs and FEV(1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) (r = -0.72, P < 0.05). The mean number of CD1a(+) DCs, increased from non-smokers to non-COPD smokers to COPD patients, with significant differences between each group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe quantity of DCs significantly increased in smokers with COPD compared with non-smokers or smokers without COPD. The results suggest that DCs may play an important role in the pathogenesis of smoking-induced COPD, and the upregulation of DCs may be a potential maker to identify the smokers who have more liability to suffer from COPD.

Aged ; Antigens, CD1 ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Vitro Techniques ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; metabolism ; pathology ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Smoking ; adverse effects

This study is to investigate the inhibitory effect of lidamycin (LDM) and its combination with methotrexate (MTX) on lung metastasis of fibrosarcoma by bioluminescence imaging in athymic mice. A stable luciferase transfected HT-1080 cell line was constructed and the capability to establish experimental lung metastasis in athymic mice was confirmed. The optical imaging system was applied to evaluate the formation of lung metastasis in vivo. In addition, metastatic nodules were counted for the evaluation of inhibition rates. As shown, the fluorescent intensity of luciferase-transfected HT-1080 cells was colinear with the cell population and the minimal detected cell population was 100 cells/well. Optical imaging showed that the fluorescent intensity of treated group was apparently lower than that of the control. The inhibition rates of lung metastasis by LDM alone at 0.025 mg x kg(-1) and 0.05 mg x kg(-1) were 53.9% and 75.9%, respectively, while that of MTX alone at 0.5 mg x kg(-1) was 70.2%. The combination of LDM at 0.025 mg x kg(-1) and MTX at 0.5 mg x kg(-1) showed an inhibition rate of 88.7%. The coefficient of drug interaction (CDI) was 0.82. The results herein demonstrated that LDM alone had strong anti-metastasis effect on human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 and the inhibition efficacy is strengthened when combined with MTX.
Aminoglycosides ; administration & dosage ; Animals ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Synergism ; Enediynes ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Fibrosarcoma ; pathology ; Humans ; Luminescent Measurements ; Lung ; pathology ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; secondary ; Methotrexate ; administration & dosage ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Random Allocation ; Transfection ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays