Objective To investigate the efficacy of losartan on the improvement of heart function and its effect on uric acid in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods Eighty-five patients with CHF were divided into two groups randomly. Routine anti-CHF treatment included cardiotonic, diuresis, isosorbide dinitrate, beta-blockers. In losartan group(n=43), patients were given routine anti-CHF treatment and losartan. The patients in control group(n=42) were treated by routine anti-CHF treatment and Benazapril. The heart functional was evaluated. The content of serum uric acid, electrocardiogram, and Duppler ultransonography were measured before and after treatment respectively. Results The variance of heart function, left ventricle diastoic diameter (LVDD), left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) and cardiothotic ratio did not show statistical difference. However, they were improved sharply as compared with base-line condition in both groups after 3 months and 12 months treatment(P

Thirteen novel oleanolic acid (OA) derivatives were designed and synthesized with modification at positions of C-3, C-12 and C-28 of OA. Their structures were confirmed by MS, 1H NMR and elemental analysis. Their in vitro cytotoxicities against various cancer cell lines (SGC7901, MCF-7 and A549) were evaluated by MTT assay. The results indicated that the tested derivatives were found to have stronger cell growth inhibitory activity than OA. Among them, compounds II2 and II3 showed more potent cytotoxicity on MCF-7 and A549 tumor cells than gefitinib (positive control). They are worthy to be studied further.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; Drug Design ; Humans ; Oleanolic Acid ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology

Objective To determine the involvement of DNA demethylation in tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)-induced matrix metalloproteinase 9 ( MMP9) expression in human epidermal keratinocytes. Methods Real-time RT-PCR, Western blot, and enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) were performed to determine the mRNA and protein levels of MMP9 after human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) cells were treated with 10 ng/ ml TNF-α or 2. 5 μmol/ L DAC/ 300 nmol/ L TSA. Bisulfite sequencing PCR ( BSP) and Methylation-sensitive high-resolution melt analysis ( Ms-HRM) were used to detect significantly differentially demethylated CpG sites in the human MMP9 promoter region in cells exposed to TNF-α. Different sites methylation constructs of promoter-luciferase reporter gene were made to detect the influences of site-specific DNA demethylation on transcription activity of MMP9 promoter. Results Compared with PBS-treated control, TNF-α significantly increased the expression of MMP9 in HaCaT cells for indicated culture duration ( P < 0. 05 ). Real time PCR, Western blot, and ELISA analysis demonstrated that the mRNA and protein levels of MMP9 were increased initially, followed by a decline with prolonged incubation time. After TNF-α treatment, varied degrees of DNA demethylation occurred at 10 CpG sites in the promoter of MMP9, and the changes at the -36 bp site were statistically significant (P<0. 05). The demethylation at the -36 bp site greatly increased the transcription activity of MMP9. Conclusion TNF-α promotes MMP9 expression in HaCaT cells through inducing -36 bp site DNA demethylation on the promoter of MMP9.

Objective To assess the effects of MRI-positive and interictal epileptic charges(IEDs) dominance on the memory of the patients with drug-resistant medial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). Methods Fifty right-handed patients(age ranging from 16 to 60 years old)diagnosed as drug-resistant MTLE in our hospital with normal intelligence between September 2006 and April 2007 were investigated. All patients were classified as left MRI-positive(MRI(+)),right MRI(+),MRI(-),bilateral MR[ (+)by high-quality MR[protocol.The EEG was defined as dominant IEDs if≥75%independent IEDs was confined to one temporal lobe in all EEG recordings.Clinical memory scale was administered as memory assessment of MTLE.ANOVA and non-parametric statistics were used to analyze the data in SPSS 12.0. Results The distribution of age,sex,education,occupation,living condition,course,seizure and treat among left MRI(+),right MRI(+),MRI(-),bilateral MRI(+)groups was similar.All scores in the patients with MTLE was significantly lower than normal(P＜0.05).Right MRI(+)MTLE patients had deftcits in nonsense graphics recognition(9.42±7.46)compared to left MRI(+)and MRI(-) groups((16.26±4.43)and(18.26±5.49),F=4.281,P＜0.05).Among MRI(-)patients,left IEDs,right IEDs and bilateral IEDs groups displayed not significantly different impairment in memory. Conclusion Right MRI(+)MTLE has more severe impairment in non-verbal memory,and nonsense graphics recognition can be used to detect the deficit.

Background Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a major event in the pathogenesis of posterior capsular opacification (PCO),and the expressions of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) is the marker of EMT.Previous studies showed that breviscapine plays an important role in anti-fibrosis and suppression EMT,however,the mechanism of its effect on EMT in LECs is unclear.Objective Present study was to investigate the effect of breviscapine on the expression of α-SMA and fibronectin (FN) in human LECs induced by transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2).Methods Human LECs strain,HLE-B3,was cultured and passaged in DMEM containing 10％ fetal bovine serum.Different concentrations of breviscapine (6.75,12.75,25.00,50.00 and 100.00 mg/L)were added into the medium for 24,48 and 72 hours respectively,and then cell cunting kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to evaluate the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of breviscapine to HLE-B3.In addition,HLE-B3 was subcultured at the density of 1 × 106/hole and divided into 4 groups.The cells were in free-serum medium as the normal control;the cells were exposed in 10 μg/L TGF-β2 as TGF-β2 group;while in the breviscapine group,10 mg/L of breviscapine was added into the culture medium and another group was the combination of 10 mg/L breviscapine and 10 μg/L of TGF-β2 treatment.Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA expressions of α-SMA and FN as well as their protein in HLE-B3 72 hours after cultured.Results The inhibitory rate of breviscapine to HLE-B3 proliferation was gradually elevated with the increase of concentration of breviscapine,showing a significant inhibition of the cell proliferation among the different groups and at various time points (F =292.851,P=0.000;F =65.037,P=0.000).IC50 of HLE-B3 at 72 hours was 22 mg/L,and therefore,in rest of experiment 10 mg/L of breviscapine was used which was 1/2 only half of the IC50.α-SMA and FN were expressed in cultured normal HLE-B3.The expressing level of α-SMA mRNA and FN mRNA in the HLE-B3 was significantly different among the normal group,TGF-β22 group,breviscapine treatment group and combination group as well as at various time points (F =105.490,P =0.000 ; F =1041.414,P =0.000).Similarly,the protein expressions of α-SM A and FN in the HLE-B3 was significantly different among the four groups and different time points (F=136.872,P=0.000;F=119.820,P=0.000).The expression levels of α-SMA and FN mRNA and their proteins in HLE-B3 were remarkably increased in the 10 μg/L TGF-β2 group compared with the normal control group (at all P=0.000),and those in the combination group were obviously declined in comparison to the TGF-β2 group (P =0.001,0.001,0.001,0.010).No significant difference was found in the expressions of α-SMA and FN in the HLE-B3 between the breviscapine group and normal control group in both transcriptional level and protein level (P =0.551,0.292,0.551,0.360).Conclusions 10 mg/L breviscapine can arrest the proliferation and EMT of human LECs.This result suggests that using breviscapine may be a potential prophylactic approach in the prevention of PCO.

Commercial production of bioethanol from lignocellulosic hydrolysates requires efficient fermenting strains. The abilities of the strain to converting all types of sugars in the hydrolysate to ethanol in high yield and to effectively tolerating/metabolizing inhibitors are necessary. Genome shuffling is a novel method for breeding, and it has been applied in pharmaceutical and food industry. This review summarized the technique of genome shuffling including principle, process, applications and its prospect for strains improvement in ethanol production from lignocellulosic hydrolysates.

Tumor is a seriously disease that endanger human health.Gastrointestinal cancer is one of the most prevalent types of digestive system cancers among the Chinese population.While radiotherapy and chemotherapy kill cancer cells,their toxicity to normal cells cannot be ignored.Hence,polysaccharides from Chinese materia medica (CMM) have been the focus of anti-tumor research,as they can improve functions of the immune system and do not harm to normal cells.In this review,we have analyzed the recent advances in the study of the effects of polysaccharides from CMM on human gastric cancer cell lines (MGC-803 and SGC-7901) and intestinal tumor cell lines (LoVo,HCT-116,and HT-29) in vitro.The purpose of this study is to provide a material basis for clinical research of polysaccharides from CMM.

Aim To research dynamically the changes of endogenous cystathionine- β-synthase/hydrogen sul-fide system in PC12 cells injury induced by rotenone. Methods Rotenone-induced injury in PC12 cells ( characteristic of dopaminergic neurons) was used as a PD cell model. The expression of CBS was evaluated by Western blot. Intracellular CBS activity and H2 S production were detected by Methylene blue spectro-phot-ometric method. The viability of PC12 cells was measured by CCK-8 assay. GSH detection kit was used to detect the intracellular GSH content. Results In the groups of 6 and 12 hours, the expression and activ-ity of CBS were elevated, and the production of H2 S was increased. In the groups of 24 and 48 hours, CBS expression and activity were significantly decreased, and the amount of H2 S was significantly reduced. Ap-plication of 1. 5 μmol·L-1 rotenone for different time (6-48h) could decrease the cell viability and intra-cellular GSH contents in a time-dependent manner. Conclusions The expression and activity of endoge-nous CBS, stimulated by rotenone, are elevated firstly and then decreased. The generation of H2 S, stimulated by rotenone, is increased and then reduced significant-ly, which may be related to PC12 cells against oxida-tive stress damage induced by rotenone.

Objective To investigate the effect of phosphatidylinesitol-3 kinase/serine threonine kinase (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway on expression of beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme-1 (BACE1) in the hippocampus neurons of rat brain. Methods Forty SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: blank control group, sham-operated group, insulin group and wortmannin group. Insulin or the specific inhibitor of PI3K, wortmannin was injected into hippocampus neurons to activate or inhibit the signaling pathway in insulin group or wortmannin group, respectively. Immunoprecipitation and Western blot were used to analyze the proteins levels of PI3K/Akt and BACE1. Results In insulin treatment group,among the proteins downstream of signaling pathway, expression of Akt increased (0. 952±0.060 vs 0.835±0.029,t=4.9150, P=0.0001), phospho-Akt set473 increased (0.800±0.075 vs 0.657± 0.025,t=4.5598, P=0.0002), phospho-GSK-3α decreased (0.604±0.062 vs 0.726±0.041, t= 3.5871, P=0.0018 ), and the expression of mature BACE1 and β-CTF significantly decreased. In wortmannin group, the expression of Akt and phospho-Akt ser473 were inhibited; phospho-GSK-3α increased ; mature BACEI (1.004±0.096) and β-CTF (1.031±0.048) increased (t=11.5980, P= 0.0000 and t =4.2194, P =0.0004, respectively). Conclusions PI3K/Akt signaling pathway might effect the expression of BACE1, in which impaired signaling pathway may cause the amyloid precursor protein to be easily processed by BACE1, and thus involves the pathology of Alzheimer' s disease.

To construct the eukaryotic expression plasmid of human PRX3 and measure its expression in the HEK-293FT cells, the full-length coding region of human PRX3 was cloned by PCR and inserted into the eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA4-Xpress (A). HEK-293FT cells were transiently transfected with the recombinant plasmid. Western blot and immuofluorescence were used to detect the expression of the fusion protein. In the experiment, restriction analysis identified the construction of the recombinant plasmid and the inserted sequence was identical with that published on GenBank. Western blot and immunofluorescence confirmed the expression of the recombinant protein in transfected HEK-293FT cells. It was concluded that the eukaryotic expression plasmid of human PRX3 was constructed successfully and the recombinant could be expressed efficiently in HEK-293FT cells, which provides a sound basis for the further study on human PRX3.
Cell Line, Transformed ; Cloning, Molecular ; Embryo ; Eukaryotic Cells/*metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; Kidney/cytology ; Kidney/*metabolism ; Peroxidases/*biosynthesis ; Peroxidases/genetics ; Plasmids/*genetics ; Transfection