Objective To study the expression and significance of survivin,an apoptotic suppressor gene,in craniopharyngioma. Methods Fifty specimens were collected from patients with craniopharyngioma admitted in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from 2000 to 2005. By using immunohistocbemistry (S-P) method, the expression of survivin in craniopharyngioma was detected. The results were analyzed quantitatively by using digital image analysis. Results Survivin positive expression was observed in craniopharyngioma but not in normal brain tis-sue. There was more expression of survivin in adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas than in squamous papillary types( P = 0.036 ) , in male than in female (P = 0.002 ), in children ≤ 16 years than in adults > 16 years, and in re-current group than in non-recurrent group( P = 0.011 ). There was no significant difference among different properties of craniopharyngioma ( P = 0. 057 ), and different courses of disease ( P = 0. 083 ). Conclusions Survivin may be considered as a significant index for assessment of tumor recurrence.

Objective To investigate the effect of olfactory entheath cells (OECs) transplantation on neural function and synaptic density of rats with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and the possible mechanism. Methods Rats were divided into sham operation group, TBI group and OECs engrafted group. The brains of the rats were injured by Feeney percussion device through free falling. After cultured and identified by using specific marker (known as P75), OECs were transplanted into the area around the injured brain. Cortical somatosensory evoked potential (CSEP) and motor evoked potential ( MEP) were evaluated at day 14 after cell transplantation to determine the neurophysiologic function following TBI. Moreover, the synaptic densities around the injured brain were determined by using immunohistochemical method. One-way ANOVA test was used for statistical analysis. Results The transplanted OECs could survive and migrate around the injury site in the host brain 14 days after OECs transplantation. In addition, rats subjected to OECs implantation showed a marked neurophysiologic improvement and a significant increase of synaptic densities compared with the control group. Conclusion OECs transplantation can improve the neurophysiologic function and increase the synaptic density, which provides experimental basis for treatment of TBI with OECs.

Ten dimeric phthalide racemates (1-10) were isolated from an aqueous extract of the Angelica sinensis root head (Guitou) by separation techniques of column chromatography over macroporous adsorbent resin, MCI resin, silica gel, and Sephadex LH-20, together with preparative thin-layer chromatography and reversed phase HPLC. The racemates were further separated into (+)-/(-)-1-(+)-/(-)-10 with chiral HPLC. Their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated by comprehensive analysis of spectroscopic data, combined with electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and NMR calculations as well as single crystal X-ray diffractions. Compounds (+)-/(-)-1-(+)-/(-)-10 are either new structure or new natural product, named (+)-/(-)-angelidipthalidic acids A-H [(+)-/(-)-1-(+)-/(-)-8] and (+)-/(-)-angelidipthalidols A and B [(+)-/(-)-9 and (+)-/(-)-10], respectively. Meanwhile, dimeric phthalide mono- and bis-lactone derivatives with 3.3′a,8.6′- and 3.6′,8.3′a-coupling patterns as well as determination of their relative configurations are discussed.

Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Kidney ; pathology ; Kidney Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Nephroma, Mesoblastic ; diagnosis ; pathology

Curcumin has a wide spectrum of pharmaceutical properties such as antitumor, antioxidant, antiamyloid, and anti-inflammatory activity. However, poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability of curcumin are major challenge in its development as a useful drug. To overcome many of these problems, curcumin-loaded long-circulating liposomes (Cur-LCL) were prepared by the ethanol injection method. Morphology of Cur-LCL was observed by transmission electron microscope, mean particle size and Zeta potential were detected by laser particle size analyzer, entrapment efficiency and drug loading were evaluated by ultracentrifugation. The drug release behavior in vitro and pharmacokinetic behavior in rats of Cur-LCL were investigated with curcumin (Cur) and curcumin liposomes (Cur-Lips) as control. The results showed that the mean diameter of Cur-LCL was 110 nm, the Zeta potential was -5.8 mV. The entrapment efficiency and drug loading of Cur-LCL was 80.25%, 2.06%, respectively. The release behavior in vitro studied by dialysis in PBS buffer showed significant sustained release profile that 48.95% Cur were released from Cur-LCL in 7 h, 88.92% in 24 h. The pharmacokinetic parameters showed that compared with Cur and Cur-Lips, the t(1/2beta) of Cur-LCL was extended to 13 and 1.8-fold, respectively. Besides, the AUC values was significantly increased (P < 0.01), and the clearance was evidently decreased (P < 0.01). These results from in vitro and in vivo indicated that Cur-LCL were able to realize controlled drug release and increase circulation time.
Animals ; Curcumin ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Female ; Humans ; Liposomes ; chemistry ; Male ; Particle Size ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Solubility

OBJECTIVETo explore the anti-tumor immunity in vitro induced by prostate cancer cell vaccine transfected with recombinant adenovirus encoding 4-1BBL in mice.

METHODSThe replication-deficient adenovirus AdEasy-1 system was used to construct recombinant adenovirus Ad-m4-1BBL and Ad-eGFP. The prostate cancer cell RM-1 of mice was transfected with Ad-m4-1BBL and Ad-eGFP, and treated with mitomycin (MMC) to produce TCV, TCV-Ad-eGFP and TCV-Ad-m4-1BBL, followed by co-culture with syngeneic murine spleen cells. Then the cytotoxic activity of the lymphocytes against RM-1 cells was analyzed with CCK-8 solution, and IL-2 and INF-gamma were detected by ELISA.

RESULTSThe 4-1BBL protein was highly expressed in the TCV-Ad-m4-1BBL of the 4-1BBL-transfected mice. TCV-Ad-m4-1BBL significantly increased the expressions of IL-2 ([180.24 +/- 2.22] pg/ml) and INF-gamma ([1512.46 +/- 23.64] pg/ml) as compared with TCV and TCV-Ad-eGFP (P < 0.05), and induced higher RM-1 cell specific cytotoxicity ([34.24 +/- 2.64]%) than the latter two ([9.82 +/- 1.48]%) and ([14.65 +/- 3. 21]%), (P < 0.05). But none of them exhibited significant cytotoxicity against hepatocellular carcinoma Hepal-6.

CONCLUSIONThe m4-1BBL-expressing prostate cancer cell vaccine can effectively induce anti-tumor immune responses.

4-1BB Ligand ; genetics ; immunology ; Animals ; Cancer Vaccines ; genetics ; immunology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Coculture Techniques ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; genetics ; Female ; Interleukin-2 ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo study the possible association between C-reactive (CRP) and insulin resistance (IR) as well as the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes macrovascular complication.

METHODSSerum CRP was measured by ultrasensitive immuoturbidimetric, which was determined on type 2 diabetes (T2DM) with or without macrovascular complication (70 and 60 cases respectively) and on normal controls (90 cases). IR was estimated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR).

RESULTSResults showed that the concentration of CRP was higher in T2DM with or without macrovascular complications than that in the healthy subjects (P < 0.01), while it was higher in diabetic patients with macrovascular complications than that in diabetic patients without macrovascular complications (P < 0.01). In diabetic patients with macrovascular complications, person correlation analysis indicated that there existed positive correlations between CRP and FINS, HOMA-IR, triglyceride (TG) while stepwise linear regression showed that usCRP and HOMA-IR, TG having linear correlation.

CONCLUSIONCRP seemed to play a role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes, possibly was by the way of IR.

C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Diabetes Complications ; blood ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Female ; Homeostasis ; Homocysteine ; blood ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators ; metabolism ; Insulin Resistance ; Linear Models ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND: Preliminary studies have found that poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) can improve the compressive strength and degradability of calcium phosphate cement. OBJECTIVE: To prepare a self-setting calcium phosphate cement which has better mechanical properties, biocompatibility and degradability on the basis of the previous findings. METHODS: Beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), pure calcium phosphate cement (CPC) and PLGA powder were mixed at different mixing ratios for preparation of PLGA/β-TCP/CPC. Setting time, compressive strength, elastic modulus and degradation properties of the composite bone cement were evaluated to screen the optimal level of β-TCP. MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured in CPC extract (control), PLGA/β-TCP/CPC extract (experimental), α-MEM containing 10% fetal bovine serum and 1% penicillin-streptomycin double antibody (negative control), and 6.4% phenol liquid (positive control). MTT method was used to detect cell proliferation at 1, 3, 5 days after culture, and lactate dehydrogenase activity in culture media was detected at 1 and 3 days after culture. MC3T3-E1 cells were seeded on the surface of PLGA/β-TCP/CPC and pure CPC respectively, and were then observed by scanning electron microscopy after 3 days. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Initial setting time and final setting time among of the composite bone cement were increased with the increasing of β-TCP content, but had no significant difference from those of the CPC (P ＞ 0.05). The compressive strength and elastic modulus of the composite bone cement were higher than those of the CPC, and moreover, the composite bone cement with 20% β-TCP exhibited the highest compressive strength and higher elastic modulus as compared with the other groups. Therefore, PLGA/20% β-TCP/CPC was selected in the cell test. Moreover, the degradation properties of the composite bone cement were also better than those of the CPC. (3) With the growth of culture time, cell absorbance value and lactate dehydrogenase activity were gradually increased in the experimental group, and no difference existed between the experimental group and the negative control group. The cells in the experimental group also grew well. (4) MC3T3-E1 cells grew well and fully extended on the surface of PLGA/β-TCP/CPC, and cell pseudopodia on the material surface were tightly adhered to the material. To conclude, PLGA/20% β-TCP/CPC has better compressive strength, elastic modulus, degradation properties and cytocompatibility relative to the CPC, and moreover, the composite bone cement has no obvious cytotoxicity.

Objective To analyze the motivation of Chinese patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) who have stopped the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Methods Forty-seven CML patients who have stopped TKI provided informed consent prior to their participation in the study. These patients were divided into relapse and non-relapse group at the endpoint of the observation. None of the patients received any CML-associated therapies after TKI cessation. The reasons of withdrawal were analyzed statistically. Results The reasons for cessation included patient's request due to cost(59.57 %, 28/47), patient's plan to getting pregnant(8.52 %,4/47),side-effect of TKI(23.40 %,11/47)and other reasons(8.52 %,4/47).At the endpoint of observation, 23 patients suffered molecular relapse. Among them, 15 cases (65.22 %) were due to cost; 1 case (4.35 %) was due to getting pregnant, 5 cases (21.74 %) were due to side-effect and 2 cases (8.69 %) were due to other reasons. There was more frequency relapse in the group of insufficient cost. Conclusion The motivation of Chinese CML patients who have stopped TKI might show impact on the outcome,and the motivation is mainly related with history of drug reduction and withdrawal.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of tanshinone IIA (TS IIA) pretreatment on the expression of the inflammatory factor IL-1β and RelA mRNA in rats with focal cerebral ischemia.

METHODSA total of 100 adult male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, namely the model, ischemic preconditioning (IPC), TSIIA preconditioning, TSIIA treatment, sham-operated, and blank control groups. In the former 4 groups, rat models of focal cerebral ischemia were established with corresponding treatments. The expressions of IL-1β and RelA mRNA in each group were detected using RT-PCR.

RESULTSAll the groups showed expressions of IL-1β and RelA mRNA with the exception of the blank control group. Compared to the model group, TSIIA preconditioning group, TSIIA treatment group, and IPC group all had significantly reduced expression of IL-1β and RelA mRNA (P < 0.05). The expressions were lower in IPC group than in TSIIA preconditioning group and TSIIA treatment group(P < 0.05), and no significant difference was found in the expressions between the latter two groups.

CONCLUSIONThe protective effect of pretreatment with TS IIA against cerebral ischemia is related to the reduction of IL-1β and RelA mRNA expressions.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Interleukin-1beta ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control ; Transcription Factor RelA ; genetics ; metabolism