Objective To evaluate the relationship of central aortic pressure (CAP) with atherosclerosis and left ventricular function in elderly patients with essential hypertension. Methods A total of 155 elderly hypertensive patients were divided into two groups: aged 60-79 years group (n = 71) and aged 80-95 years group (n= 84). Central aortic waveforms were generated using pulse wave analysis, then CAP and augmentation index (AI) were determined. Auto-survey atherosclerosis apparatus was applied to examine brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), ankle-brachial index (ABI) and toe-brachial index (TBI). Interventricular septal thickness at end diastole (IVSd), left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVDd), left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end diastole (LVPWd), relative left ventricle thickness (RLVT), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), Ejection fraction(EF) slope, left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) and fractional shortening (FS) were measured by the two-dimensional echoeardiography. Results Systolic pressure (SBP), pulse pressure (PP), CAP, AI and baPWV were significantly higher in aged 80-95 years group than in aged 60-79 years group (all P<0.05), ABI and TBI were significantly lower oppositely (both P<0. 01). IVSd, LVPWd, RLVT and LVMI were all significantly higher and EF slope was lower in aged 80-95 years group than in aged 60-79 years group (all P<0. 057. There were no significant differences in LVDd, LVEF and FS between the two groups (both P>0. 05). CAP had positive association with PP, AI and baPWV (r=0. 505,0. 284,all P<0.01). After adjustment for age, gender, smoking, body mass index, fasting blood sugar, creatinine, uric acid, cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, there was no significant relationship between CAP and ABI or TBI (both P>0. 05). There was also positive association of CAP with IVSd, LVPWd, RLVT, LVMI, while negative associations of CAP with EF slope (all P<0. 01). There were no significant relationship between CAP and LVEF, FS, LVDd (all P> 0.05). Conclusions CAP and degree of artherosclerosis increase with aging in elderly patients with essential hypertension, which contributes to left ventricular hypertrophy and the decreased diastolic function. CAP helps to make an early diagnosis of or screening arteriosclerosis, and it is an important forecast factor for cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) combined with paclitaxel (PTX) on the invasiveness and migration of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells and explore the molecular mechanisms.

METHODSMTT assay was used to detect the growth inhibition induced by LMWH and PTX in CNE1 and CNE2 cells. Wound healing assay and Transwell migration assay were employed to assess the effects of the drugs on the cell migration, and Transwell invasion assay was used to evaluate the cell invasiveness. The cellular expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) were analyzed by Western blotting. ELISA was used to determine the expression of heparanase (HPA) in the culture medium of the cells.

RESULTSMTT assay showed an obvious suppression of CNE1 and CNE2 cell proliferation in response to LMWH and PTX treatments. Treatment with 200 U·ml LMWH combined with 0.1 µmol·L PTX for 24 h resulted in the inhibition rates of migration of 66.70% and 70.53% in CNE1 and CNE2 cells, respectively significantly higher than the rates in cells with PTX treatment alone. The combined treatment with LMWH and PTX for 24 h also caused a significantly higher inhibition rate of cell invasion than LMWH and PTX alone. LMWH enhanced the down-regulation of MMP-9 and HPA induced by PTX.

CONCLUSIONLMWH can enhance the inhibitory effect of PTX on the migration and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, the mechanism of which may involve the down-regulation of MMP-9 and HPA expressions.

Carcinoma ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Glucuronidase ; metabolism ; Heparin Lyase ; metabolism ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of chloroquine in reversing multidrug resistance (MDR) of HNE1/DDP cell line and explore the mechanism.

METHODSMTT assay was used to detect the cell viability of HNE1 and HNE1/DDP after exposure to different concentrations of DDP (2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 µmol/L) and different concentrations of chloroquine (5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 µmol/L). q-PCR was used to assess the expression of MDR1 mRNA and Western blotting was employed to detect P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression in HNE1 and HNE1/DDP cells exposed to 5 and 10 µmol/L chloroquine. The cell apoptosis rate of HNE1 and HNE1/DDP cells exposed to 10 and 20 µmol

RESULTSChloroquine exposure caused dose-dependent suppression of the proliferation in both HNE1 and HNE1

CONCLUSIONChloroquine can reverse multidrug resistance in HNE1
ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; metabolism ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Chloroquine ; pharmacology ; Down-Regulation ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; drug effects ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; drug effects ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antineoplastic effects of 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) combined with Taxol on orthotopically transplanted breast cancer in C3H mice and explore the mechanism.

METHODSC3H mice bearing orthotopically transplanted breast cancer xenograft were randomly divided into 4 groups, namely the control group, 2-DG group, Taxol group, and 2-DG+Taxol group. The corresponding drugs were administered intraperitoneally every 3 days for 18 consecutive days, and the tumor volume was measured every 3 days to draw the tumor growth curve. The mice were then sacrificed to measure the tumor weight on day 19 and examine tumor cell apoptosis with TUNEL assay and VEGF expression using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS2-DG combined with Taxol obviously suppressed the tumor growth with a tumor inhibition rate of 66.06% as compared to the rate of 36.97% in Taxol group. The combined treatment also caused more obvious cell apoptosis and significantly reduced VEGF expression in the tumor cells as compared with the other groups.

CONCLUSION2-DG can enhance the inhibitory effect of Taxol on orthotopically transplanted breast cancer xenograft in C3H mice probably by inducing tumor cell apoptosis and lowering VEGF expressions.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Apoptosis ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Deoxyglucose ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Drug Synergism ; Female ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C3H ; Paclitaxel ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of 3-bromopyruvate (3-BP) in sensitizing hepatocellular carcinoma cells to cisplatin-induced apoptosis and its possible mechanism.

METHODSThe growth inhibition of HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells following exposures to different concentrations of 3-BP and cisplatin was measured by MTT assay. The apoptosis of cells treated with 100 µmol/L 3-BP with or without 8 µmol/L cisplatin was assessed using flow cytometry with PI staining, and the activity of caspase-3 and intracellular ATP level were detected using commercial detection kits; the expression of XIAP and PARP was analyzed using Western blotting.

RESULTS3-BP produced obvious inhibitory effects on HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells at the concentrations of 50-400 µmol/L with IC50 values of 238.9∓13.9 µmol/L and 278.7∓11.7 µmol/L for a 48-h treatment, respectively. Cisplatin also inhibited the growth of HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells at the concentrations of 2-32 µmol/L, with IC50 values of 16.4∓0.9 µmol/L and 20.9∓1.8 µmol/L after a 48-h treatment, respectively. Treatment with 100 µmol/L 3-BP combined with 8 µmol/L cisplatin for 48 h resulted in a growth inhibition rate of (60.6∓2.2)% in HepG2 cells and (56.8∓2.3)% in SMMC7721 cells, which were significantly higher than those in cells treated with 3-BP or cisplatin alone. The combined treatment for 48 h induced an apoptotic rate of (51.1∓4.3)% in HepG2 cells and (46.5∓3.9)% in SMMC7721 cells, which were also markedly higher than those in cells with 3-BP or cisplatin treatment alone.

CONCLUSION3-BP can sensitize HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells to cisplatin-induced apoptosis possibly by causing intracellular ATP deficiency, down-regulating XIAP, and increasing caspase-3 activity.

Adenosine Triphosphate ; metabolism ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cisplatin ; pharmacology ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Pyruvates ; pharmacology ; X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of metformin on the proliferation and apoptosis of human oral cancer cell line KB in vitro.

METHODSHuman oral cancer cell line KB was exposed to different doses of metformin (0, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 mmol/L), and the changes in cell viability were detected using MTT assay. Colony formation of the cells was observed following an 8-day metformin exposure. The changes in mitochondrial membrane potential were measured by JC-1 assay, and PI staining was used to observe the cell apoptosis. Western blotting was employed to detect the changes in the protein expressions of GRP78 and activated caspase-3.

RESULTSMetformin exposure caused time- and dose-dependent suppression of KB cell proliferation, and exposure to 5 mmol/L metformin for 24, 48 and 72 h resulted in cell survival rates of 68.0%, 36.9%, and 14.5%, respectively. Metformin significantly inhibited KB cell colony formation. Exposure of the cells to increased concentrations of metformin gradually increased the apoptotic rate and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential. Metformin caused an initial up-regulation followed by a down-regulation of GRP78 expression in KB cells and increased the expression of activated caspase-3.

CONCLUSIONMetformin can inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of KB cells, the mechanism of which may involve the activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Humans ; KB Cells ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; drug effects ; Metformin ; pharmacology