Nucleotide binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3, NLRP3) inflammasomes regulate the secretion of caspase-1, interleukin-18 (IL-18), IL-1β, and other cytokines, and participates in aging. In recent years, it has been found that NLRP3 inflammasomes are abnormally activated in aging heart and vessels, and inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasomes can alleviate heart aging and vascular aging. This review summarizes the research of NLRP3 inflammasome in heart and vascular aging, and the related drugs to promote the discovery of the mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome in heart and vascular aging and the development of related drugs.

E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) is a major member of the E2F transcription factor family and participates in a wide range of physiological regulatory processes, such as cell cycle, survival, apoptosis, and metabolism. It is proved that the activity of E2F1 is related to the G1/S phase regulation of the cell cycle dependent on tumor suppressor retinoblastoma protein (RB). Recent studies have shown that E2F1 is highly expressed in prostate cancer cells, manifested as an oncogene, and its expression level is closely related to the occurrence, development, and poor clinical prognosis of prostate cancer. Androgen receptor (AR) is the main driving factor for the growth and progression of prostate cancer, and the changes of AR pathway play a key role in the pathological progression of prostate cancer. This article provide a systematic and comprehensive summary on recently published articles to review the role of the E2F1 pathway in prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of wuling Capsule combined with Pinaverium Bromide in treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

METHODSSixty-four IBS patients were randomized into two groups, the treatment group and the control group, 32 in each group. Patients in the treatment group took wuling Capsule (0. 33 g/capsule, 3 times per day) and Pinaverium Bromide (50 mg/tablet, one tablet each time, 3 times per day) , while those in the control group only took Pinaverium Bromide (50 mg/tablet, one tablet each time, 3 times per day). The therapeutic course for all was 6 weeks. IBS symptom score questionnaire, IBS-Quality of Life (IBS-QOL) , Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) , and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) were assessed before and after treatment. Adverse reactions were also observed.

RESULTSThe improvement of abdominal pain, stool frequency, and stool properties, as well as changing rates of integrals were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P <0. 05). The improvement of dysphoria, body image, concerns for health, and dietary restriction of IBS-QOL, as well as changing rates of integrals were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P <0. 05). The improvement of SDS and SAS, as well as changing rates of integrals were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P <0. 05). No severe adverse reaction occurred in either group.

CONCLUSIONCombination therapy of wuling Capsule and Pinaverium Bromide could improve abdominal pain and defecation, attenuate depression and anxiety of IBS patients with higher safety.

Anxiety ; Anxiety Disorders ; Biomedical Research ; Capsules ; Defecation ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Morpholines ; therapeutic use ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Vascular endothelial growth factor 121 (VEGF121) was expressed as inclusion bodies by recombinant Escherichia coli. High concentrations of both biomass (46 g dry cell/L) and VEGF121 inclusion bodies (4.5 g/L) were obtained by applying a high-cell-density culture. After the inclusion bodies were washed and dissolved, VEGF121 was refolded at 0.2 mg/ml by ultrafiltration in refolding buffer with a yield of 81%. Renatured VEGF121 was purified by anion chromatography and Sephacry S-100 chromatography with purity higher than 95% and fnal purification yield of 31%. The purified VEGF121 could stimulate the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells as demonstrated by a biological activity assay.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Eye Movements ; Humans ; Male ; Miller Fisher Syndrome ; physiopathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in the clinical efficacy on posterior circulation ischemia between acupuncture at stellate ganglion and conventional acupuncture as well as the impacts on blood pressure.

METHODSEighty cases of posterior circulation ischemia were randomized into an observation group (40 cases) and a control group (40 cases). In the observation group, acupuncture was applied to the bilateral stellate ganglions on the neck, stimulated with reinforcing technique by rotating the needles. In the control group, the acupuncture of reducing technique was applied to Fengchi (GB 20), Baihui (GV 20), Neiguan (PC 6) and Taichong (LR 3) in the excess syndrome. The even needling or reinforcing technique was applied to Fengchi (GB 20), Baihui (GV 20), Ganshu (BL 18), Shenshu (BL 23) and Zusanli (ST 36) for the deficiency syndrome. The treatment was given once every 3 days and 4 treatments were required totally in the two groups. The changes in total syndrome score, peak Systolic blood flow velocity (Vp) of vertebral artery and basilar artery, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were compared before and after treatment in the two groups. The clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe total syndrome score was reduced apparently after treatment compared with that before treatment in the two groups (P < 0.01), and the reducing was more obvious in the observation group as compared with that in the control group (P < 0.01). The total effective rate was 87.5% (35/40) in the observation group, higher than 67.5% (27/40, P < 0.05) in the control group. After treatment, the reduced Vp of vertebral artery was not improved apparently as compared with that before treatment in the control group, Vp in blood velocity abnormality (including vascular spasm, stenosis or reduced velocity) of vertebral artery and basilar artery was all improved as compared with that before treatment in the two groups (P < 0.01), and the improvements in the observation group were more obvious than those in the control group (P < 0.01). After treatment, the systolic and diastolic pressures were reduced as compared with those before treatment in the two groups, and the reduced systolic and diastolic pressures in the observation group were more apparent than those in the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at stellate ganglion achieves the satisfactory efficacy in the treatment of posterior circulation ischemia and the significant efficacy of reducing blood pressure, more advanced than the conventional acupuncture.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Brain Infarction ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stellate Ganglion ; physiopathology ; Treatment Outcome

Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1 (PARP-1) plays a significant role in the DNA repair process by catalyzing the transfer of ADP-ribose from NAD+ to its receptors. It is a promising anticancer drug target and many PARP-1 inhibitors have been developed and used in the clinical trial. In this work, a series of 3-(2-oxo-2-substituted acetamido)benzamides have been synthesized and their inhibitory activities against PARP-1 were evaluated. Of all the tested compounds, six compounds displayed inhibitory activities with IC50 values ranging from 0.23 to 5.78 µmol.L-1 . The binding pose of compound 5a was predicted using molecular docking to facilitate further structural modification.
Antineoplastic Agents ; Benzamides ; chemistry ; DNA Repair ; Drug Design ; Humans ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases

To control the quality of Maca, the quality standard was established in this study. According to the methods recorded in the Appendix of Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 Edition), the water, extract, total ash, acid insoluble substance, and heavy metals inspections in Lepidium meyenii were carried out. N-benzyl-9Z, 12Z-octadecadienamide in L. meyenii was identified by TLC, and it was determined by HPLC. The results showed that the N-benzyl-9Z, 12Z-octadecadienamide identification of TLC was a strong mark and specificity. In content determination experiment, the linearity of N-benzyl-9Z, 12Z-octadecadienamide was in the range of 0.01-2 microg (r = 0.9998), and the average recovery (n=9) was 99.27% (RSD 2.0%). The methods were simple, accurate, with good reproducibility. It is suitable for quality control L. meyenii.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; methods ; Lepidium ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) has emerged as a promising anticancer drug target due to its key role in the DNA repair process. It can polymerize ADP-ribose units on its substrate proteins which are involved in the regulation of DNA repair. In this work, a novel series of para-substituted 1-benzyl-quinazoline-2, 4 (1H, 3H)-diones was designed and synthesized, and the inhibitory activities against PARP-1 of compounds 7a-7e, 8a-8f, 9a-9c and 10a-10c were evaluated. Of all the tested compounds, nine compounds displayed inhibitory activities with IC50 values ranging from 4.6 to 39.2 micromol x L(-1). In order to predict the binding modes of the potent molecules, molecular docking was performed using CDOCKER algorithm, and that will facilitate to further develop more potent PARP-1 inhibitors with a quinazolinedione scaffold.
Antineoplastic Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Drug Design ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Molecular Structure ; Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1 ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases ; Quinazolinones ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Structure-Activity Relationship

The 1.7 kb full-length hemagglutinin (HA) gene fragment of H5N1 subtype avian influenza virus was amplified by RT-PCR and then cloned into the pFastBacHT donor plasmids. The recombinant plasmid pFastBac-H5 was identified by restriction enzyme digestion and sequencing. Following the transposition pFastBac-H5 into the bacmid in DH10Bac E.coli competent cells, the colonies were identified by blue and white selection. The recombinant bacmid (rBacmid-H5) was verified by PCR analysis. Transfection of rBacmid-H5 DNA into sf9 cells using Cellfectin reagent results in the production of recombinant viral stock. Cells were harvested 72h post infection and analyzed by SDS-PAGE, Western-blot, hemagglutination and hemagglutination inhibition test;the expressed HA protein (rH5)shows hemaggluting activity and can be inhibited by H5N1 virus immunized chicken sera. On the other hand, immunization of chickens with rH5 protein results in high titers of H5N1 virus specific hemagglutation inhibition antibodies, which proved its biological activity.