The diabetes is mainly treated by the oral administration of western medicines at present. Despite their rapid curative effect, there have been still many reports for the western medicines about their clinical adverse reactions, failure of effective prevention and treatment of complications and drug resistance. Hence, they are not suitable for long-term administration. Traditional Chinese medicines have a long history in treating diabetes mellitus (DM) , which is commonly known as Xiaokezheng in the theory of traditional Chinese medicines. In recent years, many scholars have taken extracts from traditional Chinese medicines or separated active constituents as the study objects in the expectation of developing new-type drugs for treating and preventing diabetes. Therefore, a large number of study reports have been emerged in this field. Due to their significant glucose-reducing effect and specific effect in treating complications of diabetes, traditional Chinese medicine Gardeniae Fructus and its iridoid component geniposide shall be given full attention. This paper summarized the advance in studies on the curative effect and action mechanism of Gardeniae Fructus and geniposide in preventing and treating diabetes.
Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Gardenia ; chemistry ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; chemistry

This study was conducted to investigate the paclitaxel loaded by hydrazone bonds in poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(caprolactone) micelles (mPEG-PCL-PTX) on proliferation and apoptosis of human lung cancer A549 cells and its possible mechanisms of anti-tumor activity. The cell proliferation was measured with MTT assay. Flow cytometry were used to analyze the cell cycle. The cell apoptosis was analyzed using Hoechst/P staining. The expression levels of apoptotic genes expression in the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The mPEG-PCL-PTX could inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells and promote the apoptosis. The Bax, caspase-3 protein expression were increased while Bcl-2 protein expression was decreased in A549 cells. Results showed that the polymer containing hydrazone bond is non-toxic in vitro, the mPEG-PCL-PTX micelles can inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of A549 cells. Key words: paclitaxel; micelle; A549 cell; proliferation; cell cycle; apoptosis
Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Micelles ; Paclitaxel ; pharmacology ; Polyesters ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

This study is to investigate protective effect of safflor yellow B (SYB) against vascular endothelial cells (VECs) injury induced by angiotensin-II (Ang-II). VECs were cultured and divided into six groups: control group, Ang-II group, Ang-II + SYB (1 micromolL(-1)) group, Ang-II + SYB (10 micromolL(-1)) group, Ang-II + SYB (100 micromolL(-1)) group and Ang- II + verapamil (10 micromolL(-1)) group. Except control group, all of VECs in other groups were treated with Ang- II at the final concentration of 0.1 micromolL(-1). Mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) and free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) were measured by laser scanning confocal microscopy, and mitochondria complex IV activity was detected by BCA method. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in VECs were analyzed by fluorescence detector and apoptosis of VECs was observed by flow cytometer. Caspase 3 was determined by Western blotting method. Comparing with control group, Ang-II was able to increase [Ca2+]i and ROS level, decrease MMP level, inhibit complex IV activity and enhance caspase 3 activity in VECs, as a result, enhance apoptosis of VECs. But SYB could significantly reduce the result induced by Ang- II relying on different dosages (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). SYB was able to eliminate the effect of Ang-II on VECs via regulating [Ca2+]i, mitochondrial structure and function and inhibiting apoptosis.
Angiotensin II ; adverse effects ; Antioxidants ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Chalcone ; analogs & derivatives ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Electron Transport Complex IV ; metabolism ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; drug effects ; Mitochondrial Proton-Translocating ATPases ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Vasoconstrictor Agents ; adverse effects

Objective To investigate the affection of negative life and events coping style to youthful breast cancer patients and their psychological stress state preoperation. Methods 60 youthful breast cancer patients preoperation were investigated with Life Events Scale (LES) and somatization, depression and anxiety in Self-reporting Inventory Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90). Results The score of somatization, depression and anxiety were (1.89 ±0.31), (2.28 ± 0.56) and (1.99 ± 0.63). the anxiety and depression were obvious in patients who had lower education level (P < 0. 05). Sematization, depression and anxiety were more severe in patients who was single, divorced and widowed than married (P < 0. 05). The levels of depression and anxiety were higher in patients who had higher income (P < 0. 05). Conclusions The youthful breast cancer patients have severe psychic trauma, and they need humanistic care.

BACKGROUNDProteasome subunits (PSMB) and transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) loci are located in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) Class II region play important roles in immune response and protein degradation in neurodegenerative diseases. This study aimed to explore the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of PSMB and TAP and Parkinson's disease (PD).

METHODSA case-control study was conducted by genotyping SNPs in PSMB8, PSMB9, TAP1, and TAP2 genes in the Chinese population. Subjects included 542 sporadic patients with PD and 674 healthy controls. Nine identified SNPs in PSMB8, PSMB9, TAP1, and TAP2 were genotyped through SNaPshot testing.

RESULTSThe stratified analysis of rs17587 was specially performed on gender. Data revealed that female patients carry a higher frequency of rs17587-G/G versus (A/A + G/A) compared with controls. But there was no significant difference with respect to the genotypic frequencies of the SNPs in PSMB8, TAP1, and TAP2 loci in PD patients.

CONCLUSIONChinese females carrying the rs17587-G/G genotype in PSMB9 may increase a higher risk for PD, but no linkage was found between other SNPs in HLA Class II region and PD.

ATP-Binding Cassette Sub-Family B Member 2 ; genetics ; ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 3 ; genetics ; Adult ; Aged ; Antigen Presentation ; Case-Control Studies ; Cysteine Endopeptidases ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parkinson Disease ; genetics ; immunology ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex ; genetics

Transcription factor EB(TFEB)is a member of the MiTF/TFE family and plays an important role in cell stress,metabolism,cancer and so on.There are relatively few studies on the role of TFEB in renal diseases.TFEB was initially found to be highly expressed in TFEB-fusion renal cell carcinoma and plays a key role in the development of re-nal cell carcinoma.Blocking the downstream signaling pathway activated by TFEB would be a promising treatment for TFEB-fusion renal cell carcinoma.On the contrary,the expression of TFEB in renal intrinsic cells is decreased in diabetic kidney disease,leading to a blockage in the autophagy-lysosome pathway.TFEB enhances the ability of cell stress and self-repair,and then delays the progress of diabetic kidney disease.In cystine nephropathy,TFEB expression is reduced in re-nal tubular epithelial cells and compensatory activation is insufficient as well.TFEB over-expression effectively eliminates intracellular cystine and repairs damaged lysosome,which is expected to alleviate or cure the Fanconi syndrome.In summa-ry,TFEB plays a key role in different kidney diseases,and targeted regulation of TFEB provides new hope for the treatment of kidney diseases.

Objective The lentiviral vector was recombined with metal-lothionein ( MT) gene to identify the MT overexpression in human adi-pose-derived mesenchymal stem cells ( hADSCs) after transfection and then to study the lead tolerance of genetically modified hADSCs with MT (MT-hADSCs).Methods The recombinant plenti-CMV-MT2A-EYFP vector was constructed with pLenti -CMV -hChR 2 ( E123 T -H134R)-EYFP and MT2A gene for transfecting hADSCs to obtain the MT-hADSCs.The overexpression of MT in hADSCs was identified by immunofluorescence assay.The MTT method was used to assess the cell viability of hADSCs, hADSCs transfected with empty vector, and MT-hADSCs, all of which were treated with lead acetate.Results The re-combinant plenti -CMV -MT2A -EYFP was successfully constructed and transfected into hADSCs.The overexpression of MT was positively detected in the MT -hADSCs.The tolerance of MT-hADSCs to lead was significantly higher than the hADSCs and hADSCs transfected with empty vector.Conclusion MT can significantly increase the tolerance of hADSCs to lead, indicating that MT can reduce the cytotoxicity of lead.The experimental results from this study provide more evidences for further study of using MT-hADSCs to treat lead poisoning.

Objective To study the cytotoxicity of multiple gliomaassociated antigens sensitized dentritic cell activated cytotoxic T lymphocytes (GDC-CTL) on the human glioma cell line U87 in vitro and the anti-tumor effect of GDC-CTL on the BALB/c nude mouse model of malignant glioma in vivo.Methods Multiple glioma-associated antigens sensitized dentritic cell (GDC) and GDC-CTL were prepared and then analyzed with the phenotypes by flow cytometry.Cytotoxicity of GDC-CTL on U87 cells was determined by CCK8 assay and the level of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) secreted from GDC-CTL co-culturing with U87 cells for 48 h was detected by ELISA at different effect/target ratios (5∶ 1,10∶1,20∶1).The T lymphocytes without activation with GDC were evaluated as the control group.The BALB/c Nude mice tumor model established by the subcutaneous injection of U87 cells was adopted to assess the anti-tumor effect.The mice were randomly divided into four groups:the control group receiving subcutaneous injection with 0.9％ NaCl 0.2 mL,the model,intravenous treatment and local treatment groups receiving subcutaneous injection with 1 × 107 U87 cells in 0.2 mL Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM).When the diameter of tumor tissue reached 3 mm,the model group was subcutaneously injected with 0.9％ NaC1 0.2 mL surrounding the tumor,while the intravenous treatment group and local treatment group were injected with 0.2 × 107 GDC-CTL in 0.2 mL phosphate buffer saline (PBS) through the tail vein and subcutaneous injection into the surrounding area of the tumor respectively,3 times a week for 2 weeks.The tumor volume was calculated and the pathological changes in the tumor tissues were observed for comparison.Results Matured GDC expressing the high levels of CD83,CD1a and HLA-DR successfully activated GDC-CTL in which 93.00％ of CD3 + T lymphocytes and 69.00％ of CD3 + CD8 + T lymphocytes were detected.In vitro experiments proved that the killing rates of GDC-CTL and T lymphocytes on U87 cells were (24.35 ±1.12)％ vs (15.21 ±0.91)％,(38.57±2.10)％ vs (23.35 ±1.30)％,(59.44±3.79)％ vs (35.23 ± 2.33) ％,and the IFN-γlevels secreted from GDC-CTL and T lymphocytes co-culturing with U87 cells were (405.36±27.65) vs (371.11 ±23.23) pg · mL-1,(1509.22 ±97.16) vs (913.54 ±48.35) pg · mL-1,(2429.57 ±183.18) vs (1814.97 ± 123.24) pg · mL-1,at the different effect/target ratios of 5∶1,10∶1 and 20∶1 respectively.There were significant differences between this two groups at the effect/target ratios of 10∶1 and 20∶1 (P ＜0.05).The results obtained from the in vivo experiments showed that the tumor volumes in the intravenous treatment group and local treatment group shrank 34.83％ and 45.37％ respectively,when comparing with the model group (100.00％,P ＜ 0.05).The pathological changes of tumor tissues showed that the tumor cells in the local treatment group and intravenous treatment group were significandy decreased.Conclusion The experimental results that GDC-CTL can significantly inhibit the growth of ghoma provide more evidences to further study the effective targeting therapy on glioma.

BACKGROUNDMatrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) plays an important role in atherosclerosis. This study was to examine expression of MMP-1 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and to explore its relationship with atherosclerosis in SLE.

METHODSFluorescent quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to examine the expression of MMP-1 mRNA in PBMCs in 80 SLE patients, including 39 prone to atherosclerosis (Group A) and 41 unprone to atherosclerosis (Group B). Meanwhile, 30 patients who were free of cardiovascular diseases and 30 healthy individuals were selected as disease and normal control group (Groups C and D). The changes of MMP-1 gene expression were analyzed by differences of cycle threshold (DeltaCt), with the following formula: DeltaCt = Ct(target) gene - Ct(reference) gene.

RESULTSThe expression level of MMP-1 mRNA in Group A was significantly higher than that of group B (DeltaCt = 8.64 +/- 2.43 vs DeltaCt = 12.09 +/- 2.26, t = 6.588, P < 0.01). The expression level of MMP-1 mRNA of SLE patients was significantly higher than that of Group C (DeltaCt = 10.41 +/- 2.90 vs DeltaCt = 12.29 +/- 2.51, t = 3.135, P < 0.01) and Group D (DeltaCt = 10.41 +/- 2.90 vs DeltaCt = 12.48 +/- 1.69, t = 3.675, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSIn comparison to disease and control group, expression of MMP-1 mRNA in PBMCs of SLE patients was significantly elevated, and significant difference of MMP-1 mRNA expression was also found between SLE patients prone and unprone to atherosclerosis, indicating that expression of MMP-1 mRNA may be correlated with the pathogenesis and activity of atherosclerosis in SLE.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Atherosclerosis ; genetics ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; enzymology ; genetics ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Young Adult

Background Matrix metalloproteinase-1(MMP-1)plays an important role in atherosclerosis.This study was to examine expression of MMP-1 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE),and to explore its relationship with atherosclerosis in SLE.Methods Fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)was used to examine the expression of MMP-1 mRNA in PBMCs in 80 SLE patients,including 39 prone to atherosclerosis(Group A)and 41 unprone to atherosclerosis(Group B).Meanwhile,30 patients who were free of cardiovascular diseases and 30 healthy individuals were selected as disease and normal control group(Groups C and D).The changes of MMP-1 gene expression were analyzed by differences of cycle threshold(△Ct),with the following formula:△Ct = Ct_(target) gene-Ct_(reference) gene.Results The expression level of MMP-1 mRNA in Group A was significantly higher than that of group B(△Ct=8.64±2.43 vs △Ct=12.09±2.26,t=6.588,P＜0.01).The expression level of MMP-1 mRNA of SLE patients was significantly higher than that of Group C(△Ct=10.41±2.90 vs △Ct=12.29±2.51,t=-3.135,P＜0.01)and Group D(△Ct=10.41±2.90 vs △Ct=12.48±1.69,t=3.675,P＜0.01).Conclusions In comparison to disease and control group,expression of MMP-1 mRNA in PBMCs of SLE patients was significantly elevated,and significant difference of MMP-1 mRNA expression was also found between SLE patients prone and unprone to atherosclerosis,indicating that expression of MMP-1 mRNA may be correlated with the pathogenesis and activity of atherosclerosis in SLE.