Neurodegenerative disease is characterized by progressive loss of neurons in specific brain regions that results in neuronal dysfunction of the central nervous system. Although the pathological mechanism is not fully established, the activation of glial cells mediated neuroinflammation appears to be involved. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is originally described as intracellular chaperone, which plays an important role in protein quality control in cells. However, recent study showed that up-regulation of HSP70 had anti-inflammatory effects in the brain. HSP70 protected neurons from damage and improved neurological function by decreasing inflammatory response as indicated by inactivation of glial cells and inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine release. So it is of great significance to find new compounds targeting at HSP70 as neuroprotective agents to delay the progress of neurodegenerative disease. This review will focus on the role of HSP70 in neuroinflammation and the recent advances in using HSP70 as a target for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease.
Brain ; physiopathology ; Cytokines ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; physiology ; Humans ; Inflammation ; pathology ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; physiopathology ; Neurons ; pathology ; Neuroprotection ; Up-Regulation

Danshen is one of the traditional Chinese herbal medicines and nas a long history or being used clinically in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions such as coronary heart disease and angina pectoris. Tanshinone IIA is a derivative of phenanthrene-quinone isolated from Danshen. It has been reported to be the major bioactive compound of Danshen and has diverse biological effects. Recent studies demonstrated that tanshinone IIA had neuroprotective effects on experimental ischemic stroke through its antiinflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptosis effects and its inhibitory effect on excitatory amino acid toxicity. In this review, we summarized all the recent progresses on the protective effect of tanshinone IIA on cerebral ischemic stroke. Hopefully, this article will throw some light on further study and application of tanshinone IIA.
Antioxidants ; therapeutic use ; Apoptosis ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; Stroke ; drug therapy

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Chest Tubes ; Erythromycin ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Thoracic Cavity ; drug effects ; pathology ; Thoracic Diseases ; pathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Actins ; metabolism ; Breast ; cytology ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Differentiation ; Female ; Humans ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Signal Transduction ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism

Sphingolipids, especially ceramide and S1P, are structural components of biological membranes and bioactive molecules which participate in diverse cellular activities such as cell division, differentiation, gene expression and apoptosis. Emerging evidence demonstrates the role of sphingolipids in hepatocellular death, which contributes to the progression of several liver diseases including ischaemia-reperfusion liver injury, steatohepatitis or hepatocarcinogenesis. Furthermore, some data indicate that the accumulation of some sphingolipids contributes to the hepatic dysfunctions. Hence, understanding of sphingolipid may open up a novel therapeutic avenue to liver diseases. This review focuses on the progress in the sphingolipid metabolic pathway with a focus on hepatic diseases and drugs targeting the sphingolipid pathway.
Apoptosis ; Ceramides ; metabolism ; Fatty Liver ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Lysophospholipids ; metabolism ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Sphingolipids ; metabolism ; Sphingosine ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism

Adolescent ; Child ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Extracellular Matrix ; metabolism ; Female ; Fibrillin-1 ; Fibrillins ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Microfilament Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents of Acroptilon repens.

METHODThe ethanol extract of A. repens was isolated and purified by means of chromatography. These compounds were identified by their spectral data.

RESULT11 compounds were isolated and identified as 2alpha, 9beta-dihydroxy-dehydrocostus lactone (1) , cynaropicrin (2) , apigenin (3) , stigmasterol (4) , 4' -hydroxywogonin (5) , ethyl caffeate (6) , p-methoxy-cinnamic acid (7) , luteolin (8) , daucosterol (9) , apigenin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside (10) , syringin (11).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 5-11 were isolated from A. repens for the first time. Compound 1 is new compounds.

Apigenin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Caffeic Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flavanones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Lactones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sesquiterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy of Sanjie Zhentong Capsule (SJC) in treating ovarian cyst after ovulation-induction.

METHODSFifty-eight patients with ovarian cyst were randomly assigned to two groups, 33 in the treated group treated with SJC and 25 in the control group treated with temporization for 1 month. Changes of estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level as well as condition of cyst before and after treatment were observed and compared. And the time for complete disappearance (TCD) of cyst and the pregnant rate within 4 months were followed-up.

RESULTSEffective rate (no fluid cyst sized over 1.0 cm could be found in bilateral ovary and E2 <280 pmol/L) in the treated group was 81.8% (27/33) and 52.0% (13/25) in the control group, showing significant difference between them (P <0.05). Level of E2 decreased in both groups, but the lowering was more significant in the treated group, after 1 month, it being 220.54 +/- 96.23 pmol/L vs 372.56 +/- 330.62 pmol/L (P <0.05). The changes of LH and FSH levels were of no statistical significance (P >0.05). TCD in the treated group was 1.18 +/- 0.46 months, which was shorter than that in the control group (1.96 +/- 1.34 months, P <0.05). The pregnant rate within 4 months in the two groups was 60.6% (20/ 33) and 32.0% (8/25) respectively, showing significant difference (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSJC has good efficacy in treating ovarian cyst after ovulation-induction.

Adult ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Ovarian Cysts ; blood ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Ovulation Induction

In order to develop a rapid detection kit for novel avian influenza virus (AIV) subtype H7N9, two sets of specific primers and probes were designed based on the nucleotide sequences of hemagglutinin antigen (HA) and neuraminidase antigen (NA) of novel H7N9 virus (2013) available in GenBank to establish the method of TaqMan probe-based multiplex real-time RT-PCR for rapid detection of AIV subtype H7N9. The primer and probe of HA were for all H7 subtype AIVs, while the primer and probe of NA were only for novel N9 subtype AIVs. The results showed that this method had high sensitivity and specificity. This method was applicable to the testing of positive standard sample with a minimum concentration of 10 copies/microL; it not only distinguished H7 subtype from H1, H3, H5, H6, and H9 subtypes, but also distinguished novel N9 subtype from traditional N9 subtype. A total of 2700 samples from Zhuhai, China were tested by this method, and the results were as expected. For the advantages of sensitivity and specificity, the method holds promise for wide application.
Animals ; Birds ; virology ; Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Influenza in Birds ; prevention & control ; virology ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Species Specificity ; Taq Polymerase ; metabolism ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of endostatin and doxycycline on microcirculation patterns in melanoma and their molecular mechanisms.

METHODSTo establish mouse B16 melanoma model by subcutaneous injection of B16 melanoma cell suspension. The mice were divided into 3 experimental groups and 1 control group. To treat the mice in the 3 experimental groups with endostatin, doxycycline, endostatin and doxycycline, respectively, and the control group without any treatment. The tumor volume was measured and recorded to make comparison of their growth rate. To assess the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-2 by immunohistochemical staining. The three microcirculation patterns of endothelium-dependent vessels, mosaic vessels and vasculogenic mimicry were counted. The activity of MMP-2, MMP-9 between different groups was examined by gelatin zymography.

RESULTSTumor growth in the three experimental groups was statistically significantly slower than that in the control group. The expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-2 in each treated group was significantly different with that in the control group. The amount of three microcirculation patterns in three experimental groups was less than that of the control group, and the amount of MV and VM in each experimental group was significantly less than that in the control group. By gelatin zymography, the enzyme activity of MMP-9, actived-MMP-2 and MMP-2/proMMP-2 in ES, DOX and ES + DOX group was lower than that in the control group, but the enzyme activity of pro-MMP-2 among the four groups was not significantly different.

CONCLUSIONThe combined use of doxycycline and endostatin in melanoma can inhibit the expression of MMPs, influencing the formation of different microcirculation patterns in melanoma.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Doxycycline ; pharmacology ; Drug Combinations ; Drug Synergism ; Endostatins ; pharmacology ; Female ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Melanoma, Experimental ; blood supply ; enzymology ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Microvessels ; pathology ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; metabolism ; Tumor Burden ; drug effects