Objective To study the expressions of epithelial symbol factors including E-cadherin,?-catenin,and ?-catenin related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT) in C57 mice Lewis lung cancer and its mRNA expression affected by Feiyanning Decoction(Decoction for lung cancer).Methods The Real-Time PCR method was adopted to observe the E-cadherin,?-catenin,?-catenin mRNA expression of C57 mice with transplanted tumor in the right armpit and distal metastases and the affection of Feiyanning Decoction on the expression.Results The lung transplanted rate in the Feiyanning group was clearly lower than that in the model group(P

Background and purpose:CA-125 is already recognized as one of the biomarkers for ovarian cancer.The serum CA-125 also had some significance in terms of the diagnosis and determination of the prognostic values for lung cancer.The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)therapy on serum CA-125 level in lung cancer patients.At the same time,we investigated the relationship between the serum CA-125 level and the clinical stages as well as the pathological types.Methods:Serum CA-125 levels from 30 normal donors were detected and compared to 60 patients with lung cancer by microparticle enzyme immunosorbant assay(MEIA).Results:Serum CA-125 levels in lung cancer group were(91?45)and significantly higher than those in healthy control group(18?5)(P

To observe the effects of Feiyanning (FYN) formula, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on the expressions of CXCL12 and CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) mRNAs and proteins in Lewis tumors in C57 mice.

ObjectiveTo evaluate whether oral administration of Chinese tradiational medicine,Qing-Xue granula,can prevent mouse lung injury caused by thoracic radiation.Methods128 BalB/C mice were divided into 4 groups:control (C) group; radiation (R) group; radiation plus high dose Qing-Xue granula (H) group and radiation plus median dose Qing-Xue granula ( M ) group.The H and M groups were fed 0.64 g and 0.32 g of Qing-Xue granula dissolved in 0.5 nl anline once daily for two months,which were 4 and 2 times of human dosage,respectively.Whole thorax radiation of 12 Gy was delivered with a single ventral-dorsal field with 6 MV X-ray.Group C and group R received 21 days of 0.5 ml saline feeding.Mice were sacrificed at 1,2,4 or 6 months after radiation. Macrophage cell count of lung lavage fluid and hydroxyproline content of left lung were assayed,and the lung fibrosis was scorred according to the Ashcroft's criteria.The plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentration were assayed with ELISA method.The One-way ANOVA was used to test the significance of any differences between groups at each time point. Results The macrophage cell number of lung lavage fluid was significantly lower in the 1st month in group M than in group R (2∶4,q =3.92,P ＜ 0.05 ),but had no significant difference between group M and C ( 1 ∶ 4,q =2.13,P＞0.05 ).The hydroxyproline content of group H was significantly lower than group R in the 1st and 6th months (q =3.62,3.54,all P ＜ 0.05 ),but still higher than group C ( q =4.09,3.72,all P ＜ 0.05 ).The fibrosis score of group H was significantly lower than group R in the 2nd,4th and 6th months (q=3.38 -4.16,all P＜0.05).The IL-6 concentration of group H was significantly lower than group R in the 1st month ( q=3.53,P＜0.05 ),but not significantly higher than group C (q =1.41,P＞0.05).The VEGF concentration was significantly higher in group R than group C since the 2nd month ( q =3.12 - 3.78,P ＜ 0.05 ).The VEGF concentration was significantly higher in group H and M than group R in the 2nd and 6th months ( q =3.08 - 3.92,all P ＜ 0.0 5 ).Conclusions Oral Chinese traditional medicine,Qing-Xue granula,could prevent radiation induced lung fibrosis in mice,especially at high dosage.The degree of elevation of VEGF in plasma was not parallel with that of lung fibrosis.

Objective To explore the difference in Z-score reference range for aorta measurements, and pulmonary artery(PA)/aortic(AO)valve annular diameter ratio(PA/AO ratio)between normal and aortic stenosis(AS)fetuses and to evaluate the diagnostic value of Z-score of aorta in fetuses with AS. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study of fetal color Doppler echocardiograms were undertook from 300 singleton normal fetuses with gestational age ranged from 16 to 40 weeks.Standardized fetal echocardiographic measurements included AO valve annular diameter and PA valve annular diameter at end-systole,and PA/AO ratio were obtained.With statistical analysis,best model was established for predicting AO and PA using biparietal diameter (BPD)and femoral length (FL)as independent variables.The correlations between standard deviation (SD)and two independent variables (BPD,FL)were analyzed,and the AO Z-score and PA Z-score of normal fetuses were calculated.One hundred and six singleton fetuses with AS were studied whose gestational age ranged from 1 5 to 40 weeks.The AO Z-score and PA Z-score of AS fetuses obtained by using above regression equation and PA/AO ratio were subsequently calculated.The AO and PA Z-scores and PA/AO ratio between normal fetuses and AS fetuses were compared.And the detection rate of AS according to AO Z-score,PA/AO ratio and AO percentile range were assessed.Results Compared with normal fetuses,the Z-score of AO and the PA/AO ratio in AS fetuses were statistically different (P <0.01).While there was no statistical difference of Z-score of PA between two groups (P >0.05).AO Z-score in 96.2% of AS fetuses were found < -3,PA/AO ratio in 95.3% of AS fetuses were found outside 95% CI.The method using AO Z-score had the highest detection rate of AS,the positive predictive value was up to 89.5%,the negative predictive value was up to 98.6%,the sensitivity,specificity and Youden index were 96.2%,96%,and 0.9223,respectively.PA/AO ratio had good but slightly lower diagnostic accuracy than AO Z-score,while AO percentile range performed poor.Conclusions Fetuses whose AO Z-score are outside ±3 and the PA/AO ratio is greater than 1 .4 at the same time are more likely to suffured from AS.Quantification of AO Z-score has important clinical value in the diagnosis of AS,and is more accurate than the percentile range in quantitative assessment of congenital heart growth and development of the fetal pathology of AS.

Objective To evaluate the effect of ulinastatin pretreatment on endoplasmic reticulum stress during myocardial injury in the patients undergoing mitral valve replacement (MVR) with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).Methods One hundred patients of both sexes,aged 35-64 yr,weighing 40-80 kg,of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅱ or Ⅲ (New York Heart Association Ⅱ or Ⅲ),scheduled for elective MVR with CPB,were divided into ulinastatin pretreatment group (UP group,n=50) and normal saline control group (NS group,n =50) using a random number table.Ulinastatin 0.5× 104 U/kg was intravenously infused over 1 h before skin incision,and administration was repeated every 4 h until the end of operation in group UP,while the equal volume of normal saline was given instead in group NS.Immediately after opening the right atrium (T0),at 30 min after aortic clamping (T1) and while suturing the right atrium (T2),blood samples were collected from the radial artery for measurement of the concentrations of plasma creatine kinase-MB and cardiac troponin T by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Right auricle specimens were obtained after blood sampling at each time point for determination of the expression of glucose-regulated protein 78,CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein and c-Jun N-terminal kinase protein and mRNA (by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot,respectively) and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes (by TUNEL).The apoptosis rate was calculated.Results Compared with group NS,the plasma concentrations of creatine kinase-MB and cardiac troponin T at T1 and T2 and apoptosis rate at T2 were significantly decreased,and the expression of glucose-regulated protein 78,CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein and c-Jun N-terminal kinase protein and mRNA was down-regulated at T1 and T2 in group UP (P＜0.05).Conclusion The mechanism by which ulinastatin pretreatment inhibits apoptosis in cardiomyocytes and attenuates myocardial injury is related to decrease in endoplasmic reticulum stress in the patients undergoing MVR with CPB.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect on lung injury of gefitinib or/and radiation.Methods Totally 160 mice were divided into five groups:control (C) ;gefitinib (G) ;radiation (R) ;gefitinib followed by irradiation ( G + R) ;and R + G.12 Gy irradiation was delivered.Geiitinib fed by 200 mg/kg once daily for 3 weeks.Mice were sacrificed on 1,2,4 or 6 months after radiation.Macrophage count of lung lavage fluid and hydroxyproline assessed,lung fibrosis scored.and plasma TGF-β1 concentration assayed.One-way ANOVA was used to test the significance. Results The lung lavage macrophage cell number were significantly higher in group R,R + G and G + R than group C ( q =2.95 - 8.61,all P ＜ 0.05 ) on 4 and 6months,yet no significant difference between the three groups ( q =0.37 -3.49,all P ＜ 0.05 ) ; The macrophage was significantly lower in month 1,4 and 6 in group G than R,R + G and G + R ( q =3.37- 6.25,all P ＜ 0.05 ).The hydroxyproline content and the fibrosis score of G,R,R + G and G + R were significantly higher than C ( q =3.14 - 4.76,all P ＜ 0.05 ),but no significant difference between the four groups ( q =0.70 - 4.19,all P ＞ 0.05 ).The TGF-β1 concentration of R,G + R,R + G at all time points and TGF-β1 concentration of G at 1 st and 2nd months were significantly higher than C ( q =3.76 -8.09,all P ＜ 0.05).ConclusionsGefitinib could cause lung fibrosis in vivo in BalB/C mouse.The combination of gefitinib and radiation did not significantly exacerbate lung injury caused byeither alone.The mechanism of lung fibrosis caused by gefitinib might be different from that by radiation which needs further research.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of oxidative stress in impaired intermediate-conductance Ca(2+)-activated potassium channels (IKCa)- and small-conductance Ca(2+)-activated potassium channels (SKCa)-mediated relaxation in diabetic resistance arteries.

METHODSRat diabetic model was induced by a high fat and high glucose diet and streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Endothelial function of mesenteric arteries was assessed with the use of wire myography. The expression levels of IKCa and SKCa in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with H2O2 and/or antioxidant alpha lipoic acid (ALA) were measured using Western blotting.

RESULTSIKCa- and SKCa-mediated vasodilatation in response to acetylcholine was impaired in the third-order mesenteric arterioles of diabetic rats. In cultured HUVECs, H2O2 significantly decreased the protein expression of IKCa and SKCa. ALA alleviated the impairment of both vasodilatation function of the mesenteric arterioles ex vivo and enhanced the expression of IKCa and SKCa challenged with H2O2 in cultured HUVECs.

CONCLUSIONOur data demonstrated for the first time that impaired IKCa- and SKCa-mediated vasodilatation in diabetes was induced, at least in part, by oxidative stress via down-regulation of IKCa and SKCa channels.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; pathology ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; pharmacology ; Intermediate-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels ; metabolism ; Male ; Mesenteric Arteries ; physiopathology ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels ; metabolism ; Thioctic Acid ; pharmacology ; Vasodilation

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of Chinese Multi-Dimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MDHAQ-C) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods From December 2015 to October 2016,four hundred and twelve RA patients were recruited in this study and completed the MDHAQ-C independently and routine assessment of patient index data 3 (RAPID3) was calculated. Then correlations were assessed by Spearman correlation coefficient of RAPID3 with indices of clinical relevance and disease activity to evaluate its clinical values. Results MDHAQ-C is moderately correlated with ESR (r=0.399), CRP (r=0.381), SJC (r=0.499), TJC (r=0.558) (P<0.01), but highly correlation with VAS of pain (r=0.836), VAS of global status (r=0.915) and overall assessment of physician (r=0.784)(P<0.01), and highly correlated with a Spearman's coefficient of 0.784 for DAS 28-ESR, 0.734 for CDAI and 0.682 for SDAI (P<0.001). Conclusion MDHAQ is a reliable, valid instrument for disease activity assessment and a feasible index for clinical settings in Chinese RA patients.

Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of serum thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and explore its possible involvement in SLE pathogenesis. Methods One hundred and thirty-eight patients diagnosed with SLE, including 124 cases of females and 14 males, as well as 60 healthy controls were recruited into this study. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine serum TSP-1 expression level between the two groups. Spearman correlation analysis method was used to analyze the correlation between TSP-1 level of complement 3, complement 4, anti-double-stranded DNA, Rheumatoid factor and systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI). Results TSP-1 level in healthy control group was much higher than that in SLE patients. TSP-1 serum levels in SLE patients was positively correlated with complement 3 (r=0.386, P<0.01), complement 4 (r=0.301, P<0.01), and negatively correlated with anti-double-stranded DNA (r=-0.221, P=0.009), RF (r=-0.186, P=0.029) and SLEDAI (r=-0.273, P=0.001). Conclusion TSP-1 may play an immune-regulatory role in the development of SLE by inhibiting inflammation and autoantibody production. It could become a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of SLE.