BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that thymosinβ4 can improve the anti-apoptotic ability of a variety of cells, but the reports describing the changes in the anti-apoptotic ability of bone mesenchymal stem cells modified with thymosinβ4 gene in the hypoxic environment are rare.
OBJECTIVE:To observe the change in the apoptotic rate of bone mesenchymal stem cells modified with thymosinβ4 gene in the hypoxic environment, and to explore whether thymosinβ4 affects the apoptosis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells via regulating the expression of Bax and Bcl-2.
METHODS:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were transfected with the recombinant lentiviral vector over-expressing the thymosinβ4 gene, and then we observed the expression of thymosinβ4 using western blot assay. cells were divided into three groups:thymosinβ4 transfection group, control virus group, and untreated group. Al three groups were placed in a hypoxic environment. The apoptotic rate of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells was evaluated by the flow cytometry assay. The expression of Bax and Bcl-2 protein was detected by western blot.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Thymosinβ4 gene was expressed successful y in the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells showed by the western blot. The apoptotic rate of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in the hypoxic environment was lower in the thymosinβ4 transfection group than the control virus group and untreated group;while there was no difference between the latter two groups. Western blot results showed that the expression of Bcl-2 protein was higher in the thymosinβ4 transfection group than the control virus group and untreated group, and the expression of Bax protein was lower in the thymosinβ4 transfection group than the control virus group and untreated group. No difference in the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 was found between the control virus group and untreated group. These findings indicate that thymosinβ4 overexpression can improve the anti-apoptotic ability of bone mesenchymal stem cells modified in the hypoxic environment, and its possible mechanism is through regulating the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 protein.

Adenoma, Oxyphilic ; classification ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Kidney ; pathology ; Kidney Neoplasms ; classification ; genetics ; pathology ; therapy ; Molecular Biology ; methods ; trends

AIM: To screen the lentiviral vector carrying siRNA with higher efficiency of suppressing the sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2 (S1P2) gene expression in the primarily cultured corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).METHODS: SHR and SD rats (n=5 each) were used for primarily culturing corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells.The cells were randomly divided into 6 groups: SHR siRNA-1, SHR siRNA-2, SHR siRNA-3, SHR GFP, SHR control (SHR non-transfection group), and SD control (SD rat control group).Each group had 5 samples with 1.0×105 cells of each sample.At 72 h after transfection (MOI=60) with lentiviral vectors carrying S1P2 siRNA into the SHR corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells, the expression of GFP was observed under fluorescence microscope.The protein expression of S1P2, ROCK1, ROCK2 and eNOS in the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells, and the mRNA expression of S1P2, ROCK1 and ROCK2 were determined by by Western blot and RT-PCR.RESULTS: The transfection efficiency of the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells in SHR siRNA-1, SHR siRNA-2, SHR siRNA-3 and SHR GFP groups were>80%.Compared with SHR control group, the mRNA levels and the protein expression of S1P2, ROCK1 and ROCK2 in SHR GFP group showed no remarkable changes, while those in SHR siRNA-1, SHR siRNA-2, SHR siRNA-3 and SD control groups were significantly lower than those in SHR control group (P<0.05).The protein expression of eNOS in SHR siRNA-1, SHR siRNA-2, SHR siRNA-3 and SHR GFP groups were not significantly changed as compared with SHR control group, but that in SD control group was significantly higher than that in SHR control group.CONCLUSION: Three groups of siRNA lentiviral vectors targeting S1P2 inhibit the expression of S1P2 in the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells of SHR, and by silencing the S1P2 expression, the expression of ROCK1 and ROCK2 is inhibited.Among them, siRNA-1 has the highest inhibitory efficiency.

This paper briefly analyzed and discussed the current status and major scientific challenges of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulaology research. To promote formulaology research, a new strategy and corresponding technology, network formulaology, were proposed to reveal the complex interaction between functional chemome and biological responses network. The research framework and directions of network formulaology were also summarized and prospected.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; standards ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Internet ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards

The high and continuing soaring incidence of diabetes may become a huge obstacle to China's development. The antidiabetic drug development is one way to solve the problem. Animal model is a powerful tool for drug development. This paper compares and analyzes the three kinds of animal models for antidiabetic drug development in replicating principle, methods and characteristic, then summarized the application in the research of traditional Chinese medicine. At the same time, the analysis of the market, application and clinical advantages of hypoglycemic medicine from traditional Chinese medicine, is given in this paper, based on the literature analysis. From the point of the clinic advantage embodiment and new drug development, this paper will provide advisory and assistance support for the anti-diabetic fighting with traditional Chinese medicine.
Animals ; China ; Diabetes Mellitus ; drug therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drug Discovery ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Good medicinal herbs, good drugs. Good evaluation method and indices are the prerequisite of good medicinal herbs. However, there exist numerous indices for quality evaluation and control in Chinese medicinal materials. However, most of these indices are non-interrelated each other, as well as having little relationship with efficiency and safety. The results of different evaluatior methods may not be consistent, even contradictory. Considering the complex material properties of Chinese medicinal materials, single method and index is difficult to objectively and comprehensively reflect the quality. Therefore, it is essential to explore the integrated evaluation methods. In this paper, oriented by the integrated evaluation strategies for traditional Chinese medicine quality, a new method called integrated quality index (IQI) by the integration of empirical evaluation, chemical evaluation, and biological evaluation was proposed. In addition, a study case of hypertoxic herb Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. was provided to explain this method in detail. The results suggested that in the view of specifications, the average weight of Jiangyou aconite was the greatest, followed by Weishan aconite, Butuo aconite, Hanzhong aconite, and Anxian aconite; from the point of chemical components, Jiangyou aconite had the characteristic with strong efficacy and weak toxicity, next was Hanzhong aconite, Butuo aconite, Weishan aconite, and Anxian aconite; taking toxicity price as the index, Hanzhong aconite and Jiangyou aconite have the lower toxicity, while Butuo aconite, Weishan aconite, and Anxian aconite have the relatively higher one. After the normalization and integration of evaluation results, we calculated the IQI value of Jiangyou aconite, Hanzhong aconite, Butuo aconite, Weishan aconite, and Anxian aconite were 0.842 +/- 0.091, 0.597 +/- 0.047, 0.442 +/- 0.033, 0.454 +/- 0.038, 0.170 +/- 0.021, respectively. The quality of Jiangyou aconite is significantly better than the others (P < 0.05) followed by Hanzhong aconite, which is consistent with the traditional understanding of genuineness. It can be concluded that IQI achieves the integrated control and evaluation for the quality of Chinese medicinal materials, and it is an exploration for building the good medicinal herbs standards. In addition, IQI provides technical supports for the geoherbalism evaluation, selective breeding, the development of precision decoction pieces, high quality and favourable price in market circulation, and rational drug use.
Aconitum ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; standards ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards

Based on the main schemes of the prevention and therapy for SARS issued by the state and provincial administrations of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the characters and regulations for the application and performance of TCM in preventing and treating SARS were studied by cluster analysis. Some problems in the rational exertions of TCM in preventing and treating SARS were also discussed. Some proposals for the rational uses of traditional Chinese drugs (TCD) in preventing and treating SARS were offered finally in this article.
Cluster Analysis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; drug therapy ; prevention & control

Adult ; Aged ; Angiopoietin-2 ; physiology ; Female ; Glioma ; blood ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hypoxia ; blood ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; physiopathology

To explore the establishment of a scientific and innovative working mode of the national drug reference standards. Methods:Project management was adopted. Results and Conclusion: The project management mode can effectively ar-range the work of the national drug reference standards including raw material collection, research, review, subpackage, package and so on, which exhibits guiding significance for the development direction and improving products supplement.

Quality control is one of the key scientific tissues in the modernization of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM). In order to overcome the deficiencies of assessment indexes, including little systematization and quantification, as well as loose association with clinical efficacy and dosage, a new integrated method named controllability pyramid ( CP) is first proposed in this paper. In addition, some study cases are used to explain how this model is constructed. We hope the establishment of CP could promote the clinical-orien- ted integrated innovation research of TCM, and provide control strategy and technology examples for improving the quality of Chinese medicines and clinical efficacy.
China ; Drug Evaluation ; methods ; standards ; Drug Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; standards ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards ; Quality Control