This study is to investigate the effect of artesunate on transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and its possible mechanism. After the in vitro cultured RLE-6TN cells were treated with TGF-beta1 then artesunate intervened on it, after 24 h, expression of the markers of mesenchymal cell was assayed using Western blotting and real-time PCR analysis. Western blotting was also used to detect the effect of TGF-beta1 on the Smad3 and Smad7 expressions of RLE-6TN cells. Morphological alterations were examined by phase-contrast microscope, and ultrastructure changes by electron microscope. Incubation of RLE-6TN cells with TGF-beta1 resulted in the up-regulation of the expression of the mesenchymal cell markers, after artesunate intervened on it, resulted in the down-regulation of the expression. Meanwhile, incubation with artesunate intervened on RLE-6TN cells could lead to the apparent down-regulation of the expression of Smad3 and up-regulation of Samd7 and the transition of RLE-6TN cells to mesenchymal-like by TGF-beta1 induction, after artesunate intervened on it, RLE-6TN cells to epithelial-like. TGF-beta1 induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition process; artesunate can inhibit TGF-beta1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition process, the possible mechanism is up-regulation of the expression of Smad7 and down-regulation of the expression of Smad3, meanwhile inhibits phosphorylation of Smad3.
Actins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Artemisia ; chemistry ; Artemisinins ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; drug effects ; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ; pathology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pulmonary Alveoli ; cytology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Smad3 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Smad7 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; pharmacology ; Vimentin ; genetics ; metabolism

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cluster Analysis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; classification ; epidemiology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Yang Deficiency ; classification ; epidemiology ; Yin Deficiency ; classification ; epidemiology

Asthenopia ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Fatigue ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Humans ; Occupational Diseases ; epidemiology ; Railroads ; Sampling Studies

Adolescent ; Cough ; complications ; Fatal Outcome ; Female ; Fever ; complications ; Humans ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; complications ; diagnosis

Adolescent ; Adult ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Genotype ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Hypoprothrombinemias ; etiology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Phenotype ; Young Adult

To build a reversed phase ion-pair chromatography to determination content of Dencichine from Panax notoginseng. Using Tetrabutyl ammonium hydroxide ions by the combination of reagent and HPLC method without derivatization to test the content of dencichine directly. The optimum conditions of supersonic extraction were solid-to-liquid ratio 1: 20, Continuous ultrasonic extraction: twice, each time 15 minutes; 3,500 r · min⁻¹, then centrifuging 15 minutes. Dencichine in different age, place, part and the different Processing mode were examined. The method is simple with sound separation degree and stability, which can facilitate the determination of dencichine content directly and provide the basis in quality standard of raw material.
Amino Acids, Diamino ; analysis ; Chromatography, Reverse-Phase ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry

Considerable knowledge about the biology of forest tree has been gained in the recent years by the application of the new genomic technologies to study tree growth and development as well as the response of trees to biotic and abiotic stresses. Proteomics is becoming an important content in the biology of forest tree. A review is given about the progress in forest tree proteomics research in the areas of population genetics, genetic mapping, stress physiology, organs and tissues, and wood formation, etc. Furthermore, forest tree proteome database is briefly introduced. Finally, the prospect of proteomics is discussed.

Objective To investigate the value of 99Tcm-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) scintigraphy in assessing the preoperative chemotherapy response and multidrug resistance of osteosarcoma.Methods From January 2007 to October 2008, 12 patients (female:4, male:8; mean age:16.3 years,range:8-27 years) underwent early (10min) and delayed (120 min) 99Tcm-MIBI scintigraphy before and after preoperative chemotherapy.Seven cases had osteosarcoma at the distal femurs, 2 at the proximal tibias, 2 at the upper end of humerus and 1 at the fibula.The tumor-to-background ratio (T/B) and washout rate (WR) were calculated.Tumor necrosis was classified according to Huvos criterion after limb salvage surgery.Immunohistochemical staining for P-glycoprotein(gp) was examined.Spearman correlation analysis and t-test were performed.Results According to Huvos criterion, 7 patients were classified as good responders with more than 90% of tumor cell necrosis and 5 as poor responders with less than 90% of tumor cell necrosis.R value (ratio of early phase T/B after and before chemotherapy) was significantly lower in good responders than that in poor responders (0.473 ± 0.21 vs 0.998 ± 0.06, t= 5.342, P= 0.000 ).R value was significantly correlated with the degree of tumor cell necrosis ( rs=- 0.87, P= 0.000 ).WR was significantly higher in patients with positive P-gp expression than that in patients with negative P-gp expression ((38.36 ±18.64)% vs (6.40±5.87)%, t= -3.278, P=0.008).There was significant correlation between the WR and P-gp expression (rs = 0.91, P= 0.001 ).Conclusion 99Tcm-MIBI scintigraphy is a feasible non-invasive technique to assess the chemotherapy response and to detect P-gp expression of osteosarcoma.

In order to affirm the cardioactive components in Fuzi, we identified a group of aminoalcohol- diterpenoid alkaloids in Fuzi using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometer (UPLC-ESI-MS) method. Among a total of forty-one isolated ingredients, thirteen major aminoalcohol-diterpenoid alkaloids were identified by comparing their retention times and MS spectra with those of the reference substances. Moreover, Fuzi samples from different places of origin and with different processing methods were examined and their components displayed a pattern of high similarity, though the relative abundance varies probably due to their different processing methods. Furthermore, the cardiac effect of each identified alkaloid was individually evaluated using the isolated bullfrog heart perfusion experiment. Among the thirteen aminoalcohol diterpenoid alkaloids tested, six of them significantly enhanced the amplitude rates. Taken together, we affirm that the cardioactive components in Fuzi are aminoalcohol-diterpenoid alkaloids, shedding light on future studies of the mechanisms and development of these cardioactive compounds.
Aconitum ; chemistry ; Alkaloids ; chemistry ; Amino Alcohols ; chemistry ; Animals ; Cardiotonic Agents ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Heart ; drug effects ; In Vitro Techniques ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; Rana catesbeiana ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy on vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) between auricular acupuncture therapy and oral administration of medicine.

METHODSSixty patients of VBI were randomized into an auricular acupuncture therapy group and a medicine group, 30 cases in each one. In the auricular acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied bilaterally to gan (CO12) and jiejie (HX8) on the ears and needles were retained for 15 min. After needle withdrawal, the vaccariae semen were fixed with plaster at naogan (AT3, 4i), zhen (AT3), jing (AH12), shen (CO10) and pi (CO13) on the ears. In the medicine group, flunarizine hydrochloride capsules (Sibelium), 5mg were prescribed for oral administration, once every night. The treatment lasted continuously for 2 weeks (14 days) in the two groups. In 2 weeks, the clinical efficacy was assessed and the transcranial doppler (TCD) examination was performed.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the symptom scores were all apparently reduced in the patients of the two groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared with the medicine group, the reduced score was much more obvious in the auricular acupuncture group (P < 0.05), indicating the significant difference. After treatment, with TCD examination, the blood velocity was increased to different degrees in the patients of low velocity type in the auricular acupuncture group and the medicine group; that was reduced to different degrees in the patients of high velocity type in the auricular acupuncture group and the medicine group. All of them were different significantly as compared with those before treatment (all P < 0.05). But the difference was not significant between the two groups (both P > 0.05). In comparison of clinical efficacy between the two groups, the effective rate was 93.3% (28/30) in the acupuncture group and better than 76.7% (23/30) in the medicine group, indicating the significant difference in comparison (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe auricular acupuncture therapy achieves the definite efficacy on VBI and the efficacy is better than flunarizine hydrochloride capsules.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture, Ear ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency ; therapy