Objective To study the influence of perdipine on the proliferation and proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK_ 2 ) expression in cultured adult rat cardiac fibroblast stimulated by angiotensin Ⅱ, and to explore the mechanism of perdipine on cardiac fibrosis. Methods Adult rat cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) were treated with angiotensin Ⅱ(AngⅡ) to establish fibrosis model. The effects of perdipine on proliferation of CFs were analysed by MTT colorimetric assay, and fibronectin was tested by immunohistochemistry method. PYK_ 2 mRNA and protein level were examined by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis respectively. Results Perdipine inhibited CFs proliferation and fibronectin synthesis stimulated by angiotensin Ⅱ in a dose dependent, and the levels of PYK_2 mRNA and protein were decreased significantly. Conclusion Perdipine can inhibit cardiac fibrosis stimulated by angiotensin Ⅱ by suppressing CFs proliferation and fibronectin synthesis. PYK_2 is involved in the effect of perdipine.

Objective To determine the relation between enlarged perihepatic lymph node (PLN) and viraemia,and to find out whether there is a difference in PLN size between the healthy individuals and patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Methods Seventy-four patients with HCV infection and 283 healthy individuals were examined by two-dimensional ultrasound. The length and thickness of lymph node were measured. The lymph-node area index(LN area index) was calculated. The LN area index was evaluated by the ROC curve and compared with serum HCV core antigen (HCV-Ag) levels by correlation analysis. Results Detection rate, the length and thickness, LN area index of group with HCV infection were significantly different by compared with the normal control group ( P < 0. 001 ). The ROC curve showed that the LN area index as a diagnostic indicator had high sensitivity and specificity. The LN area index showed a significant correlation with HCV-Ag level (r = 0.436, P <0.05), but no significant differences were found between LN area index and HCV-Ag grade. Conclusions Perihepatic lymphadenopathy indicates viraemia,and LN area index of 100 mm2 is a reference index in estimating whether patients have HCV infection.

Adenoma ; Adult ; Ear Neoplasms ; Ear, Middle ; pathology ; Humans ; Male

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; blood ; Aged ; Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Thromboplastin ; metabolism

Objective To clarify the cellular localization of triptolide and to explore its in-cell action sites.Methods 4-(Bro-momethyl)-7-methoxycoumarin was employed to label triptolide,then labelled triptolide was incubated with human hepatoma carci-noma cells.Subsequently,incubated cells were subjected to stain with fluorescent dye DiI or PI,which were specific to cytoplasmic membrane system and nucleus,respectively.Results Compared with the non-triptolide control,coumarin labelled triptolide shown a light blue fluorescence under UV excitation;Co-localization with DiI showed that triptolide exist in cytoplasm and(or)on cell mem-brane;Co-localization with PI showed that triptolide located in cell nucleus.Moreover,microscopic observation indicated that the fluorescence intensity in nucleus was denser than that in cytoplasm.Conclusion The presnt study demonstrate that triptolide main-ly act in nucleus,followed by acting in cytoplasm and(or)on cell membrane.

Using the high efficient copper-adsorbing yeast strain Y17 as absorbing material, the major affect factors including pH, original concentration of Cu2+, cell biomass, adsorption time and temperature were examined, and then the absorbing sites of the Y17 was determined. The results showed that the solution pH was the most dominate factor which affected the biosorption of Cu2+, the other affecting factors were the ini- tial concentration of Cu2+, the cell biomass added, and adsorption time, respectively; the temperature had lit- tle effect on the rate of biosorption. The orthogonal experiment showed that the optimal absorption condition was as follow: the solution pH was 5.0, the absorption time was 40 min, the cell biomass of Y17 added was 5.0 g/L, and the concentration of Cu2+ was 8 mmol/L; the highest adsorbing rate was up to 82.7% at this condition. Based on the results of different pretreatments and the desorption of Cu2+, the cell wall of Y17 was identified as the main place occurring boisorption process, and the -NH2 group, -COOH group on the surface of the yeast cells played an important role on the boisorption process.

OBJECTIVETo observe the correlation between constitution of yin deficiency syndrome (YDS) and polymorphism of HLA-DQA1/treatment response of Peg-lFNalpha therapy in HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, and to explore constitution of Chinese medicine (CM) in response of interferon therapy.

METHODSTotally 120 HBeAg positive CHB patients who were treated with Peg-IFNalpha were enrolled, and assigned to YDS group (59 cases) and non-YDS group (61 cases) according to classification of CM constitutions. All patients were subcutaneously injected with Peg-IFNalpha-2b (1.0 microg/kg body weight) or Peg-IFNalpha-2a (180 microg), once per week. Effective efficacy was primarily judged when complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) was obtained at month 6. Those with CR or PR completed 1 year therapeutic course. HLA-DQA1 gene types were detected by polymerase chain reaction sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP). The distribution difference of CM constitutions in patients with CR or PR and their inter-group HLA-DQA1 allele frequency were compared.

RESULTSDifferent treatment responses of Peg-IFNalpha were observed in CHB patients of two different CM constitutions. The ratio of CR + PR was 61.0% (36/59) in YDS group, obviously lower than that in NYDS group [78.7% (48/61), P < 0. 05]. Patients with CR had a lower allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0501 than those with no-response [14.8% (8/54) vs. 30.6% (22/72)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). Patients with CR had a higher allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0601 than those with no-response [18.5% (10/54) vs. 5.6% (4/72)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). The allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0301 was lower in YDS group than in non-YDS group [2. 5% (3/118) vs. 9.8% (12/122)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). The allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0501 was higher in YDS group than in non-YDS group [33.9% (40/118) vs. 18.9% (23/122)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). Yet statistical significance was lost after adjustment (Pc > 0.05 for both).

CONCLUSIONSBoth constitutions of CM and HLA-DQA1 gene polymorphism af- fect HBeAg positive CHB patients' response to Peg-INFalpha. Constitutions of YDS and HLA-DQA1 * 0501 was not favorable to response, their association needed to be further studied.

Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Gene Frequency ; HLA-DQ alpha-Chains ; genetics ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Remission Induction ; Yin Deficiency ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects and safety of penetrating needling on head acupoints for perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR).

METHODSEighty-one cases of PAR were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (41 cases) and a medication group (40 cases). Penetrating needling at head acupoints was adopted from Baihui (GV 20) to Qianding (GV 21) and from Shangxing (GV 23) to Shenting (GV 24) in the acupuncture group. A to tal 4-week treatment was given to the patients with 3 treatments a week. Loratadine tablet and azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray were given to the medication group continuously for 12 days. A follow-up was carried out 3 months after the treatment. The efficacy, symptom score and physical sign score, and side accidents were observed in both groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 95.1% (39/41) in the acupuncture group, which was better than 82.5% (33/40) in the medication group (P < 0.05). The total scores of clinical symptoms and each partial scores after the treatment, and total scores of clinical symptoms in follow-up were obviously decreased in both groups (all P < 0.01), the nasal obstruction score and the total scores of clinical symptoms in the acupuncture group were better than those in the medication group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Obvious side-effect had not been found during the treatment.

CONCLUSIONPenetrating needling at head acupoints is a safe therapy for patients with PAR, and favorable effects can be found in both short term and long term.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective To determine the effects of 1320 nm non-ablative laser on the proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts,and the secretion of basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF)and transforming growth factor-?1(TGF-?1)in vitro.Methods Human dermal fibroblasts were cultured,and irradiated three times by 1320 nm laser at a dose of 15,20 and 24 J/cm~2,respectively.The levels of bFGF and TGF-?1 were examined by ELISA at 0,24,48 and 72h after the irradiation.The number of fibroblasts before and after irradiation were determined.Results The number of fibroblasts and the secretion of bFGF both in- creased after the irradiation at the doses of 20 J/cm~2 and 24 J/cm~2(P

Chinese materia medica resource (CMM resource) is the foundation of the development of traditional Chinese medicine. In the study of sustainable utilization of CMM resource, adopting innovative theory and method to find new CMM resource is one of hotspots and always highlighted. Pharmacophylogeny interrogates the phylogenetic relationship of medicinal organisms (especially medicinal plants), as well as the intrinsic correlation of morphological taxonomy, molecular phylogeny, chemical constituents, and therapeutic efficacy (ethnopharmacology and pharmacological activity). This new discipline may have the power to change the way we utilize medicinal plant resources and develop plant-based drugs. Phylogenomics is the crossing of evolutionary biology and genomics, in which genome data are utilized for evolutionary reconstructions. Phylogenomics can be integrated into the flow chart of drug discovery and development, and extends the field of pharmacophylogeny at the omic level, thus the concept of pharmacophylogenomics could be redefined in the context of plant pharmaceutical resources. This contribution gives a brief discourse of knowledge pedigree of pharmacophylogeny, epistemology and paradigm shift, highlighting the theoretical and practical values of pharmacophylogenomics. Many medicinally important tribes and genera, such as Clematis, Pulsatilla, Anemone, Cimicifugeae, Nigella, Delphinieae, Adonideae, Aquilegia, Thalictrum, and Coptis, belong to Ranunculaceae family. Compared to other plant families, Ranunculaceae has the most species that are recorded in China Pharmacopoeia (CP) 2010. However, many Ranunculaceae species, e. g., those that are closely related to CP species, as well as those endemic to China, have not been investigated in depth, and their phylogenetic relationship and potential in medicinal use remain elusive. As such, it is proposed to select Ranunculaceae to exemplify the utility of pharmacophylogenomics and to elaborate the new concept empirically. It is argued that phylogenetic and evolutionary relationship of medicinally important tribes and genera within Ranunculaceae could be elucidated at the genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic levels, from which the intrinsic correlation between medicinal plant genotype and metabolic phenotype, and between genetic diversity and chemodivesity of closely related taxa, could be revealed. This proof-of-concept study regards pharmacophylogenomics as the updated version of pharmacophylogeny and would enrich the intension and spread the extension of pharmacophylogeny. The interdisciplinary knowledge and techniques will be integrated in the proposed study to promote development of CMM resource discipline and to boost sustainable development of Chinese medicinal plant resources.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Knowledge ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics