To investigate the relationship between Snail and renal tubular epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) or tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) at tissue and cellular levels and to observe the changes of miRNA profile after transfecting Snail gene into human renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2),to further elucidate the importance of miRNA in the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis.Methods The expression of Snail and EMT-related proteins vimentin,SMA,E-cadherin was detected by immunohistochemistry in renal tissues of 40 patients with IgA nephropathy.The expression of Snail,E-cadherin and SMA in normal control group,empty transfection group and Snail gene transfection group was detected by Western blot and RT-PCR.Furthermore,differentially expressed miRNAs were screened by gene chip.Results By immunohistochemistry,Snail expression was positively correlated with vimentin and SMA,negatively correlated with E-cadherin in IgA nephropathy.The higher degree of the TIF,the stronger the expression of Snail.Compared with the control group,the expression of Snail,vimentin and SMA in the snail transfected group increased.However,E-cadherin decreased at gene and protein level by the RT-PCR and Western blot (P ＜ 0.05).The difference was statistically significant.Five distinctly different miRNAs were screened by gene chip after Snail gene was transfected into HK-2 cells,and then 5 026 potential target genes were predicted.Conclusion Snail expression is closely related with renal tubular epithelial mesenchymal transition and tubulointerstitial fibrosis,and it may be used as a new target in EMT prevention.Differentially expressed miRNAs may be involved in the development of EMT and TIF.

2 mg/dl);the others were in the low-risk group.High-risk patients received more superselective embolization with lower dose of embolization agent and fewer numbers of procedure(1.4 vs 2.3,P

Objective To observe the hemodynamic changes during operation of piggyback liver transplantation.Methods The Swan-Ganz catheter was inserted and the parameters of hemodynamics were analyzes in 36 patients with chronic hepatic diseases following piggyback liver transplantation. The cardiac output(CO)and pulmonary arterial pressure(PAP)were measured.Results CO and PAP were decreased significantly in the anhepatic phase(P

Objective To assess the nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy (NSRH) technique and its impact on postoperative voiding function. Methods Forty-fonr patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics(FIGO) stage Ⅰ b1 - Ⅱ a cervical cancer were enrolled and randomized into NSRH group ( study group, n = 22) and conventional radical hysterectomy (CRH) group ( control group, n = 22). The pelvic autonomic nerve pathway (including hypogastric nerve, pelvic splanchnic nerve, inferior hypogastric plexus and bladder branch) was completely preserved in the NSRH group. Related parameters were compared between the two groups. Results The estimated blood loss in NSRH group and CRH group were (550±241) ml and (475±284) ml, respectively, with no significant difference (P >0. 05). The mean operation time in NSRH group and CRH group were (329±43) min and (272±56) min, respectively, with a significant difference (P < 0. 01). More patients in NSRH group had post-void residual urine volume (PVR) < 100 ml than that in CRH group on day 8 after surgery (68% vs. 18%, P <0. 01). The median duration of postoperative catheterization was significantly shorter in NRSH group (8 - 23 days, median 8 days) than that in CRH group ( 8 - 32 days, median 20 days; P < 0. 01 ). Neither surgery-related injury nor pathologically positive margin was reported in either of the groups. Conclusions NSRH is a feasible and safe technique for preserving bladder function. Larger prospective studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of this technique.

A new cadinane-type sesquiterpenoid, pogocablene P (1), and a new natural product with cyclohexanone skeleton, pogocablone A (2), were isolated from the EtOAc soluble fraction of the aerial parts of Pogostemon cablin by several chromatographic methods, such as silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, ODS and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and so on. Their structures were identified by means of mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In addition, the absolute configuration of compound 2 was determined by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation. Furthermore, the anti-influenza virus and anti-inflammatory activities of compounds 1 and 2 were evaluated.

Immunomodulatory drug lenalidomide is a synthetic compound derived by modifying the chemical structure of thalidomide to improve its potency and reduce its side effects. Lenalidomide is a 4-amino-glutamyl analogue of thalidomide that has emerged as a drug with activity against various hematological and solid malignancies. It is approved by FDA in USA for clinical use in myelodysplastic syndromes with deletion of chromosome 5q and multiple myeloma. Studies have shown that lenalidomide exert anti-tumor activity probably by various mechanisms in hematologic malignancies, such as immunomodulation, anti-angiogenesis and effects on signal transduction. In this article, the progresses of study on these problems are reviewed.
Hematologic Neoplasms ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunologic Factors ; Thalidomide ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology

The marine biological source of mineral drugs recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 version) mainly including pearl, nacre, clam shell, common oyster shell, ark shell, cuttle bone, and sea-ear shell are widely used in clinical. Calcium carbonate and a small amount of protein are the main components in this type of drugs. In this paper, a systematical and comparable study were carried out by determination of calcium carbonate by EDTA titration method, the crystal of calcium carbonate by X-Ray powder diffraction and the total amino acids (TAAs) of the hydrolyzed samples by ultraviolet spectrophotometry method. As a result, the crystal structure is calcite for common oyster shell, mixture of calcite and aragonite for nacre and sea-ear shell, aragonite for the other drugs. The content of calcium carbonate ranged from 86% to 96%. Cuttle bone has the highest amount of TAAs among the seven drugs which reached 1.7% while clam shell has the lowest content of 0.16% on average. In conclusion, an effective method was developed for the quality control of marine mineral drugs by comprehensive analysis of calcium carbonate and TAAs in the seven marine mineral drugs.
Amino Acids ; analysis ; chemistry ; Animal Shells ; chemistry ; Animals ; Calcium Carbonate ; analysis ; chemistry ; Crystallization ; Edetic Acid ; chemistry ; Mollusca ; chemistry ; classification ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; analysis ; chemistry ; standards ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results ; Seawater ; Species Specificity ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ; X-Ray Diffraction

This study was conducted to investigate the in vitro characteristics of cationic liposomes composed of 3beta-[N-[2-(N', N'-dimethylamino) ethyl] carbamoyl] cholesterol (DC-Chol) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine loaded with doxorubicin (DXR), and to provide useful information for the in vivo tumor vascular targeting of cationic liposomes. Cationic liposomes composed of different amounts of DC-Chol (0 mol%, 10 mol%, 25 mol%, 50 mol%) were loaded with the conventional anti-cancer drug doxorubicin. Their size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, and DXR release in vitro were investigated. Moreover, their uptake by rat aortic endothelial cells (RAECs) was observed at 15 min, 30 min, 1 h, and 4 h of incubation. FITC-Dextran was i.v. injected to the H22 tumor-bearing KM mice to stain the neovasculature. The characteristics of resulting DXR-loaded cationic liposomes were in stable characteristics with particle sizes around 100 - 200 nm and capsulation efficiency greater than 90%. Increased cationic lipid led to enhanced zeta potential, and meanwhile it also resulted in quick release of the loaded drug, indicating increased slits or pores on the membrane upon the addition of DC-Chol. RAECs could more avidly take up DXR-loaded cationic liposomes when the content of DC-Chol increased in the liposomes, and DXR were quickly released in the cytoplasm and transported to the nuclei. The neovasculature stained by FITC-Dextran was clearly observed. DXR-cationic liposomes composed of DC-Chol could be used for tumor vascular targeting in vivo for further study.
Animals ; Aorta ; cytology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cholesterol ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Doxorubicin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Female ; Liposomes ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; metabolism ; Particle Size ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) offer a non-selective and receptor-independent mode to promote cellular uptake. Although the non-specificity of CPP-mediated internalization allows this approach applicable to a wide range of tumor types potentially, their universality is a significant obstacle to their clinical utility for targeted delivery of cancer therapeutics and imaging agents. Accordingly, many reports have focused on selective switching of systemically delivered inert CPPs into their active form in lesions (tumor). In this review, our attention is mainly confined to such an enzyme-sensitive domain incorporated delivery system with activatable CPPs (ACPPs), which have displayed the exciting strength in balancing the CPPs' pros and cons, and potential in the treatment and diagnosis of some diseases.
Cell-Penetrating Peptides ; chemistry ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Enzymes ; chemistry ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy

AIM:To investigate the effects of silymarin on lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced acute lung injury in rats and its possible molecular mechanisms.METHODS: Fifty-eight male SD rats,weighting 230-250 g,were divided into four groups randomly: normal control(n=12);acute lung injury group(n=15),receiving intravenous LPS(O55∶B5,5 mg/kg);silymarin alone group(50 mg/kg,n=15);intervention group(n=16,receiving silymarin 50 mg/kg and LPS 5 mg/kg).The specimens were collected 6 hours later.The following changes,including blood gas analysis,the lung wet/dry weight ratio,the pulmonary vascular permeability,histological manifestations,lung tissue myeloperoxidase activity,the levels of TNF-?,IL-1?,MCP-1 and SOD,GSH-Px as well as malonaldehyde and conjugated diene in plasma and lung tissue,were observed.RESULTS: Compared with control group,the lungs of the rats in LPS treatment group showed significant hyperemia and spotted hemorrhage.The inflammatory granulocyte infiltrating,diffused alveolar septum thickening and spotted hemorrhage were observed in pathological examinations.The lung wet/dry weight ratio and Evans blue content(per gram) increased significantly after LPS treatment.The myeloperoxidase activity in plasma and lung tissue,the levels of TNF-?,IL-1?,MCP-1 and SOD,GSH-Px as well as malonaldehyde and conjugated diene were increased significantly in LPS treatment group.However,in intervention groups,all the above-mentioned measurements were reversed significantly by silymarin treatment compared with LPS treatment group.CONCLUSION: Silymarin may decrease inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress,and further decrease lung damage induced by LPS in rats,all indicating protection of silymarin against acute lung injury.