Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; nursing ; Female ; Humans ; Potassium Permanganate ; administration & dosage ; poisoning ; Powders

Autophagy is an active research area in the biomedical field as its role has been identified in many physiological and pathological processes. Accordingly, there is a growing demand to identify, quantify and manipulate the process accurately. Meanwhile, there is great interest in identifying compounds that modulate autophagy because they may have applications in the treatment of a variety of autophagy-related diseases. In this review, we summarize the current status of autophagy screening systems to facilitate identification of autophagy modulators.
Autophagy ; Humans

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a key transcription factor on hypoxia responses in mammalian tissues. HIF-1 plays as a positive factor in solid tumor and leads to hypoxia-driven responses that enhance its downstream gene expression for tumor growth and survival. LXY6099 was obtained by the structural modification and optimization of manassantin A (MA) as a high potent HIF-1 inhibitor. Antitumor activity of LXY6099 was observed in this study. LXY6099 with an IC50 value of 2.46 x 10(-10) mol x L(-1) showed more sensitive inhibition activity to HIF-1 than that of MA detected by reporter gene assay (> 100 folds). It showed strong inhibition on the growth of human solid tumor cell lines. Furthermore, LXY6099 exhibited significant antitumor activity against established human tumor xenografts in nu/nu mice with treatment of MX-1 breast cancer. Thus, LXY6099 as a novel HIF-1 inhibitor could be further developed into anti-cancer agents.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Heterografts ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 ; metabolism ; Lignans ; pharmacology ; Mice, Nude

Due to its effect of systems regulation and promotion on body, Ginseng is always referred to be long-term used as a dietary supplement. But it was still unclear about its target of the tonic effects and also the side-effects long-term use may bring. Urine metabolomic method is suitable for long-term studies of pharmaco-dynamics, pharmacology and toxicology of traditional Chinese medicine because of its characteristics of non-invasive and monitoring the whole-body metabolism. This study was designed to detect the dynamic variation of rat urine metabolome along with a long-term administration of total ginsenosides using GC-TOF based metabolomic technology. Our result showed that either short-term or chronic administration of ginsenosides did not impact the rat urine metabolome significantly (as the PCA subgroup was not successful). By comparison, the short-term (1-3 w) dose of ginsenosides had the biggest metabolic influence including TCA cycle, catecholamines and neurotransmitter amino acids. Medium-term (6-10 w) dose had a gradually lower effect and long-term (27 w) dose almost had no effect. Our study indicates that both short and long-term administration of ginsenosides showed almost no obvious side-effect on the experimental animals.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; metabolism ; Ginsenosides ; metabolism ; urine ; Male ; Metabolomics ; Panax ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Time Factors

Benzene ; analysis ; Chemical Industry ; Chromatography, Gas ; methods ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Toluene ; analysis ; Trichloroethylene ; analysis ; Xylenes ; analysis

Objective: To compare the efficacy difference between moxibustion at sensitized-acupoints and non-sensitized- acupoints using the same group of acupoints. Methods: A total of 139 patients with chronic superficial gastritis were divided into a sensitized acupoint group (102 cases) and a non-sensitized acupoint group (37 cases) based on whether acupoint sensitization occurred. The SPSS version 19.0 statistical software propensity score matching function was used to balance the baseline data between the groups. Finally, 29 pairs of matched patients were included, namely 29 cases in the sensitized acupoint group and 29 cases in the non-sensitized acupoint group. Both groups were treated with moxibustion therapy. The treatment lasted for 30 min per time, and was performed every other day for 8 weeks. Changes in the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom score and the short-form 36-item health survey (SF-36) score in both groups were observed before and after treatment, as well as the clinical efficacy. Results: The covariates of age, course of disease, TCM symptom score and SF-36 score in the two groups were balanced after matching (all P>0.05). After treatment, the total effective rate was 100.0％ in the sensitized acupoint group and 79.3％ in the non-sensitized acupoint group. The difference in the total effective rate between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.01). After treatment and at the 4-week follow-up, the TCM symptom scores in the sensitized acupoint group were significantly lower than those in the non-sensitized acupoint group (all P<0.01); the SF-36 scores in the sensitized acupoint group were significantly higher than those in the non-sensitized acupoint group (all P<0.01). Conclusion: With the same group of acupoints, the sensitized acupoints have a better therapeutic effect and long-term efficacy than the non-sensitized acupoints in the treatment of chronic superficial gastritis.

We investigated the development of an injectable, biodegradable hydrogel composite of poly(trimethylene carbonate)-F127-poly(trimethylene carbonate)(PTMC11-F127-PTMC11 )loaded with bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) derived peptide P24 for ectopic bone formation in vivo and evaluated its release kinetics in vitro. Then we evaluated P24 peptide release kinetics from different concentration of PTMC11-F127-PTMC11 hydrogel in vitro using bicinchoninic acid (BCA)assay. P24/ PTMC11-F127-PTMC11 hydrogel was implanted into each rat's erector muscle of spine and ectopic bone formation of the implanted gel in vivo was detected by hematoxylin and eosin stain (HE). PTMC11-F127-PTMC11 hydrogel with concentration more than 20 percent showed sustained slow release for one month after the initial burst release. Bone trabeculae surround the P24/ PTMC11-F127-PTMC11 hydrogel was shown at the end of six weeks by hematoxylin and eosin stain. These results indicated that encapsulated bone morphogenetic protein (BMP-2) derived peptide P24 remained viable in vivo, thus suggesting the potential of PTMC11-F127-PT- MC11 composite hydrogels as part of a novel strategy for localized delivery of bioactive molecules.
Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; pharmacology ; Bone and Bones ; drug effects ; Dioxanes ; chemistry ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Hydrogels ; chemistry ; Osteogenesis ; drug effects ; Peptides ; Prostheses and Implants ; Rats

Objective To explore the effect of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) on the proliferation of co-cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs). Methods Mononuclear cells were isolated from fresh cord blood by 6% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) and density gradient centrifugation. Isolated mononuclear cells were cultured in EGM-2 medium supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS), VEGF,bFGF and other growth factors. Biological features of EPCs were observed at different time points, and EPCs were identified by morphology, fluorescence double-staining and flow cytometry. Indirect immunofluorescence was performed to analyze the expression of α-SM-actin, calponin of VSMCs special antigen. Co-culture system of EPCs and VSMCs was established by transwell permeable support. FBS (20%) was used to stimulate the proliferation of VSMCs. In a VSMCs/EPCs co-culture system, the DNA synthesis ability, total protein level and cell cycle of VSMCs were determined by BrdU marking method,protein quantitation and flow cytometry after co-culture for 6, 12, 24,48 and 72 h. Results After co-culture for 12, 24, 48, and 72 h, the DNA synthesis ability and total protein level of VSMCs significantly decreased compared with the control group(P＜0.05). Flow cytometry showed that the percentage of S phase of VSMCs in VSMCs/EPCs co-cultured group significantly decreased and the percentage of G_1 phase increased markedly compared with the control group(P＜0.05). The maximal inhibitory effect was observed at 48 h. Conclusion Early EPCs could inhibit the proliferation of VSMCs.

Objective To prepare P24/PTMC11-F127-PTMC11 hydrogel,to study the in vitro release profile and to observe ectopic bone formation in p24 peptide incorporated PTMC11-F127-PTMC11 hydrogel.Methods Corresponding weight powder of p24 peptide was infunded into tubes of PTMC11-F127-PTMC11 solution with concentrations of 16％,20％ and 25％.Release profiles of P24 peptide in different concentration PTMC11-F127-PTMC11 hydrogel were measured in vitro by BCA assay.P24/PTMC11-F127-PTMC11 hydrogel was implanted into each rat's erector muscle of spine,and the implanted gel was detected by hematoxylin and eosin stain (HE).Results PTMC11-F127-PTMC11 hydrogel showed sustained slow release for the whole process after the initial burst release.With the increase of concentration in PTMC11-F127-PTMC.hydrogel,the initial burst release was reduced significantly.Ectopic bone formation was observed by computed tomography in p24 peptide incorporated PTMC11-F127-PTMC11 hydrogel after four weeks.Bone trabeculae surround the P24/PTMC11-F127-PTMC11 hydrogel was observed at forth week by hematoxylin and eosin stain.The bone trabeculae became thicker from sixth week.Conclusion Delayed release of peptide from the hydrogel was mainly controlled by disintegration of hydrogel and a satisfactory release profile was observed.These results suggest that the p24-loaded PTMC11-F127-PTMC11 hydrogel remmns active of p24 at the implanted site,continuously induce differentiation of osteoblast precursor cells into osteoblasts,and activate osteoblasts to promote ectopic calcification.

Objective To explore the clinical features of transbronchial tuberculous mediastinal lymph-adenitis and value of bronchoscopic interventional therapy. Methods The clinical data of 50 patients who had been diagnosed as tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenitis and had received bronchoscopic interventional therapy in our hospital during the period from January 2008 to January 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The bronchoscopic change , improvement in symptoms , and time to sputum smear and culture conversion were used to assess the therapeutic effect. The patients were followed up for six months. Results The mean age of the patients was (35 ± 15) years and the male to female ratio was 1:1.2. The lesions occurred mostly at the right middle lobe in 24% (12/50) of the patients. The total effectiveness rate was up to 98% (49/50) after chemotherapy and bronchoscopic interventional therapy. The major complication associated with interventional therapy was hemoptysis (8%, 4/50). After follow-up of 6 months , 49 patients with active lesions were stable , with smooth bronchial mucosa and no obvious obstruction by granulation and caseous necrosis tissues. Conclusions The relavent clinical symptoms of transbronchial tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenitis is mainly caused by tuberculosis inflammation which destroys and blocks the airway. The fiber bronchoscopic therapy with forceps clip and drug infusion has a definite effect and fewer complications.