Objective: To compare the quantities of water-soluble, water-insoluble glucans synthesized by S. mutans in 3-4 years old children with high dmft and no caries. Methods: The quantities of water-soluble and water-insoluble glucans synthesized by S. mutans from dental plaques of children with high dmft (dmft≥5) and caries-free (dmft=0) were measured using the anthrone method. Results: S. mutans isolated from the children with high dmft had stronger ability in producing both water-soluble and water-insoluble glucans than those isolated from the caries-free children (0.0332 mg/ml v.s. 0.0192 mg/ml and 0.0357 mg/ml v.s. 0.0215 mg/ml respectively). Children with high dmft harbored more isolates with higher water-soluble or water-insoluble glucans producing ability than caries-free children. Water-insoluble glucans produced by all the clinical isolates is higher than water-soluble glucans (0.0301 mg/ml v.s. 0.0267 mg/ml) and the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: There may be a correlation between the extracellular glucans producing ability of S. mutans and the caries susceptibility in deciduous teeth.

Objective To provide references for reasonable procurement planning, TCM decoction pieces reserving and clinical medication guarantee by analyzing the usage of TCM decoction pieces and granules from 2011 to 2014 in Zhuhai Hospital of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (hereinafter referred to as Zhuhai Hospital). Methods The sale data of TCM decoction pieces and granules during 2011-2014 in the database of Zhuhai Hospital were analyzed. Sales quantity, sales amount of the category and single pieces of TCM decoction pieces and granules ranking the first 10 were analyzed. Results The sales quantity and amount of TCM decoction pieces and granules were increasing from 2011 to 2014. The usage weight ratio and usage amount ratio between TCM decoction pieces and granules was stable. The top 10 categories and single pieces in sales quantity and amount were also stable. Conclusion Zhuhai Hospital has its own characteristics in TCM types, categories and dosage forms. TCM decoction pieces play an important part in clinical treatment in Zhuhai Hospital.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of 20% fluor-hydroxyapatite (FHA) on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human MG63 osteosarcoma cells.

METHODSFHA was prepared by chemical precipitation method, and its structure and surface features were tested by scanning microscope, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. MG63 cells were cultured and divided into FHA, hydroxyapatite (HA) and control groups (n = 3). The proliferation of the cells was evaluated using methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay. ALP activity of the cells was assessed. Osteogenic differentiation was evaluated based on the reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) of differentiation-related genes, namely, collagen type I (Col I), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OCN) and core binding factor α1 (Cbfα1). The data were analyzed statistically by one-way analysis of variance using SPSS 13.0 software.

RESULTSXRD test showed that the main crystalline phase of FHA was similar to that of HA. Absorptance value of cells exposed to FHA(1.87±0.06) measured by MTT was higher than that of the control(1.25±0.02) on the third day(P < 0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference between the cells exposed to FHA and HA(1.84±0.03) (P > 0.05). ALP activity of the cells exposed to FHA(4.62±0.09)was higher than that of the control (1.92 ± 0.05) (P < 0.05). RT-PCR tests showed that compared with the control, FHA up-regulated the expression of Col I, ALP and OCN mRNA, down-regulated the expression of Cbfα1 mRNA.

CONCLUSIONSFHA enhances the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation-related gene expression, and has good biocompatibility.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Analysis of Variance ; Biocompatible Materials ; Bone Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; genetics ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; physiology ; Collagen Type I ; genetics ; metabolism ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; genetics ; Durapatite ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Hydroxyapatites ; Osteocalcin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Osteogenesis ; Osteosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; X-Ray Diffraction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of curcumin on oligomer formation and mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channels (mitoKATP) induced by overexpression or mutation of α-synuclein.

METHODSRecombinant plasmids α-synuclein-pEGFP-A53T and α-synuclein-pEGFP-WT were transfected into PC12 cells by lipofectamin method, and intervened by application of curcumin (20 μmol/L) and 5-hydroxydecanoate (5-HD). Oligomer formation in the cultured cells was identified by Western blotting and Dot blotting. Cytotoxicity and apoptosis of the PC12 cells were measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and JC-1 assays. mitoKATP were identified by Western blotting and whole cell patch clamp.

RESULTSCurcumin has significantly reduced the oligomer formation induced by overexpression or mutation of α-synuclein in the cultured cells. LDH has decreased by 36.3% and 23.5%, and red/green fluorescence ratio of JC-1 was increased respectively by 48.46% and 50.33% after application of curcumin (P<0.05). Protein expression of Kir6.2 has decreased and mitoKATP channel current has significantly increased (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCurcumin can inhibit α-synuclein gene overexpression or mutation induced α-synuclein oligomers formation. It may block apoptosis induced by wild-type overexpression or mutation of α-synuclein. By stabilizing mitochondrial membrane potential. Opening of mitoKATP channel may have been the initiating protective mechanism of apoptosis induced by wild-type overexpression or mutation of α-synuclein. Curcumin may antagonize above cytotoxicity through further opening the mitoKATP channel.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Humans ; KATP Channels ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mitochondria ; drug effects ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mutation ; drug effects ; PC12 Cells ; Parkinson Disease ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Rats ; alpha-Synuclein ; genetics

BACKGROUND:Studies have found that activation of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxidase-1(Nrf2/HO-1)pathway can alleviate oxidative stress caused by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury,but whether human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(hBMSC)can activate Nrf2/HO-1 pathway to alleviate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury is still lacking relevant studies. OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether intracranial transplantation of hBMSC alleviates oxidative stress injury in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion animal models by activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. METHODS:Totally 40 male SPF SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group,model group,hBMSC transplantation group,hBMSC+solvent group and hBMSC+Nrf2 inhibitor group.Each group consisted of eight animals.In the model group and the hBMSC transplantation group,middle cerebral artery occlusion model was prepared by thread embolization method.The thread embolization was removed 1 hour later,and 30 μL PBS or hBMSC cultured to at least passage 5 was injected into the right cortex and striatum of rats.In the hBMSC+Nrf2 inhibitor group and hBMSC+solvent group,the left ventricle was injected with Nrf2 inhibitor Brusatol and its solvent dimethyl sulfoxide respectively 24 hours before model establishment,then the middle cerebral artery occlusion model was prepared,and hBMSC was injected.Relevant indexes were detected 3 days after transplantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)CT and TTC staining showed the same area and volume of cerebral infarction:model group>hBMSC+Nrf2 inhibitor group>hBMSC+solvent group>hBMSC transplantation group>sham operation group.(2)Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Nissl's staining showed that the ischemic brain tissue was intact and the neurons were normal in the sham operation group.Compared with the model group,the pathological morphology and neuronal injury of the hBMSC transplantation group and the hBMSC+solvent group were significantly improved.Compared with the hBMSC+solvent group,the hBMSC+Nrf2 inhibitor group had more serious pathological morphology and neuronal damage.(3)Western blot assay and oxidative stress index detection results showed that compared with the sham operation group,Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins were decreased(all P<0.05),malondialdehyde was increased and superoxide dismutase was decreased(all P<0.05)in the model group.Compared with the model group,the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins were increased(all P<0.05),malondialdehyde was decreased and superoxide dismutase was increased(all P<0.05)in the hBMSC transplantation group and the hBMSC+solvent group.Compared with the hBMSC+solvent group,the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins were simultaneously decreased(all P<0.05),and malondialdehyde was increased and superoxide dismutase was decreased(all P<0.05)in the hBMSC+Nrf2 inhibitor group.(4)These results indicate that hBMSC can alleviate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury possibly by activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

As one of the hallmarks of cancer, metabolic reprogramming leads to cancer progression, and targeting glycolytic enzymes could be useful strategies for cancer therapy. By screening a small molecule library consisting of 1320 FDA-approved drugs, we found that penfluridol, an antipsychotic drug used to treat schizophrenia, could inhibit glycolysis and induce apoptosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Gene profiling and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis suggested the important role of AMPK in action mechanism of penfluridol. By using drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) technology and proteomics, we identified phosphofructokinase, liver type (PFKL), a key enzyme in glycolysis, as a direct target of penfluridol. Penfluridol could not exhibit its anticancer property in PFKL-deficient cancer cells, illustrating that PFKL is essential for the bioactivity of penfluridol. High PFKL expression is correlated with advanced stages and poor survival of ESCC patients, and silencing of PFKL significantly suppressed tumor growth. Mechanistically, direct binding of penfluridol and PFKL inhibits glucose consumption, lactate and ATP production, leads to nuclear translocation of FOXO3a and subsequent transcriptional activation of BIM in an AMPK-dependent manner. Taken together, PFKL is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in ESCC, and penfluridol may be a new therapeutic option for management of this lethal disease.