AIM: To investigate the cellular biological effects of matrine on K562 and K562/Vin cells and discuss the anticancer mechanism of matrine. METHODS: MTT assay was used to detect the IC_ 50 of matrine on these two cell lines and the reversal effect of matrine on K562/Vin cell's resistance to vincristine. In addition, the growth curve of cells was drawed. The p-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression was determined by immunohistochemistry analysis. The morphological changes of cells under light microscopy and the structural changes under transmission electron microscope were observed. RT-PCR assay was used to detect the hTERT-mRNA expression. RESULTS: The IC_ 50 of matrine was 3.4, 4.6 mmol?L -1 for K562 and K562/Vin cells, respectively. Matrine (4.0 mmol?L -1) inhibited the growth of K562, K562/Vin cells, 2.0 mmol?L -1 matrine inhibited expression of P-gp and with 492.4 reversal index. Matrine killed K562 cells by inducing the apoptosis and the same effect on K562/Vin cells was also observed. The hTERT-mRNA expression of K562 cells were also inhibited by matrine. CONCLUSIONS: Matrine enhanced the cytotoxicity of vincristine in K562/Vin cells, induced the apoptosis of K562 and K562/Vin cells, also inhibited the hTERT-mRNA expression in K562 cells. It shows that matrine would be an effective anticancer medicine.

Objective The recurrence and metastasis of malignant tumor could affect the survival of patients. Early detection of cancer cells in peripheral blood and effective therapy promptly are of clinical importance. The present study was to investigate the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) mRNA expression and serum CEA level in blood from patients with colorectal cancer and to evaluate its clinical significance. Methods Peripheral blood samples were collected from 35 eligible patients with colorectal cancer and 9 post operative patients. CEA mRNA was detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR) and serum CEA was detected by time resolved fluorometric methods. Results The positive rate of CEA mRNA in blood samples of 35 patients with colorectal cancer was 45.7%, and 2.7% in healthy volunteers. Two of the nine post operative patients (22.2%) showed CEA mRNA positive. The positive rate increases with the pathological staging and showed no significant relation with the malignant extent of cell differentiation. Serum CEA mRNA positive rates in patients with CEA positivity (72.2%) were significantly higher than those in patients with negative CEA mRNA expression (42.3%).Conclusion The expression of CEA mRNA in peripheral blood cells correlates with the pathological staging of colorectal cancer and it could be of potential use to monitor the micrometastases of tumor. Long term follow up is needed to evaluate its clinical significance.

Objective: To clarify the effect of astragalus polysaccharide （AP） on insulin resistance model of HepG2 cells induced by hyperinsulinemia and its underlying molecular mechanism in lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. Methods: HepG2 cells were divided into three groups： the control group was treated without any intervention; the model group was treated with 200 μL cell culture medium containing 10-6 mol/L insulin for 48 hours to build an insulin resistance model; the AP group was treated with optimal concentration of AP based on an insulin resistance model. After 24 hours, the concentration of H2O2 and the expression of PPARγ in each group were detected. Results: AP could improve the survival rate of insulin-resistant HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The highest survival rate of the cells was （118.26±1.17）% with 10 μM AP. The concentration of H2O2 in the AP group was （0.82±0.09） μM, which was lower than （1.30±0.16） μM in the model group （P<0.05）, but was close to （0.78±0.09） μM in the control group （P>0.05）. The relative mRNA expression of PPARγ in the AP group was 0.96±0.04, which was higher than 0.51±0.05 in the model group （P<0.05）, but was close to 1.00±0.11 in the control group （P>0.05）. Conclusions In the insulin resistance model in vitro, AP can significantly increase the cell survival rate, reduce intracellular H2O2 concentration, and promote the expression of PPARγ. The mechanism may be related to lipid metabolism.

【Objective】 To investigate the influence of different packaging methods on the volume of low-dose(0.5 U) suspended leucocyte depleted red blood cells(SLD RBC) and provide reference for accurate labeling. 【Methods】 Bags of SLD RBC in 1.5 U and 2 U were randomly sampled to measure the weight and specific gravity of each bag, so as to estimate the blood volume.The relationship between the weight and volume of 0.5 U blood, split from different parent bags, was analyzed and the linear regression equation was put forward.The regression equation was used to calculate and analyze the difference in the volume of 0.5 U SLD RBC prepared by three different packaging methods (A: manual multi-bag average packing; B: instrument multi-bag average packing; C: manual single-bag packing) in actual work. 【Results】 The specific gravity of 1.5 U (38 bags) and 2 U SLD RBC (39 bags) were (1.090±0.011) g/mL and (1.097±0.013) g/mL, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). After the 0.5 U subsidiary bags were split from the parent bags(1.5 U or 2 U), the regression equations for the volume (Y) of 0.5 U and gross weight (X) of the whole bag were respectively: Y1.5 U packing=0.902 7X-12.52 (P<0.05) and Y2 U packing=0.905 6X-13.15(P<0.05). In actual blood packaging, the average blood volume of 0.5 U subsidiary bags split from 1.5 U bag, using method A and B, were smaller than those split from 2 U bag [(62.12±5.38) mL and (62.50±6.77) mL vs (67.72±3.81) mL and(68.39±6.44)mL] (P<0.05), with the deviation of low-dose blood volume from 5.593 mL to 5.887 mL.The volume deviation by method B (10.84% and 9.42%) were greater than that by method A (8.67% and 5.63%). The average volume of 0.5 U subsidiary bags split from 1.5 U and 2 U by method C were (65.49±1.72) mL and (64.99±1.91) mL (P>0.05), with volume deviation at 2.63% and 2.94%, respectively.The mean volume value of overall 0.5 U blood (n=483) was (65.35±5.34) mL. 【Conclusion】 For packaging 0.5 U subsidiary bags, the instrument multi-bag packaging showed the largest volume deviation, followed by the manual multi-bag packaging and the single-bag packaging.The volume labeling of low-dose SLD RBC should be established, according to the specifications of parent bags and specific gravity.