Aim To study the phytoestrogenic effect and its mechanism of isopsoralen in estrogen receptor (ER) positive T47D and ER negative MDA-MB231 breast cancer cell line.Methods The proliferation rate and cell cycle distribution of T47D and MDA-MB231 cells influenced by isopsoralen were analyzed by MTT and flow cytometry assay respectively.PS2 mRNA level in T47D cells was quantified by Real-time RT-PCR assay.PS2 expression was measured by flow cytometry.Estrogen receptor antagonist ICI180,782 was employed as a tool.Results The proliferation rates and indexes of T47D cells treated with 1?10-6 mol?L-1 and 1?10-7 mol?L-1 isopsoralen were increased.These effects could be blocked by ICI182,780.Meanwhile,isopsoralen didn't show stimulative effects on proliferation rate of MDA-MB231 cells.Real-time RT-PCR and flow cytometry results showed that isopsoralen at 1?10-6 mol?L-1 and 1?10-7 mol?L-1 could induce elevation of pS2 mRNA and protein expression level in T47D cells.These effects could be partly blocked by ICI182,780.Conclusion Isopsoralen has phytoestrogenic effect and its effect is attained mainly via ER pathway.

Objective To evaluate the surgical technique in ventricular septal defect(VSD)associated with aortic valve insufficiency(AI)patients.Methods 115 VSD patients associated with AI were retrospectively analyzed.96 patients belong subarterial to VSD,membranous defect in 19 cases.Moderate hypothermia circulatory arrest in all cases.Direct closure of the VSD was undertaken in 16 cases and other cases repaired with patches.Aortic valvuloplasty in 92 cases.and 5 patients underwent aortic valve replacement.The other 18 cases were directly repaired the VSD with patches.Results The results of surgical treatment is satisfactory.In the 4 months to 2 years follow up,10 patients died,NYHA cardic function 72 cases is Ⅰ,31 is Ⅱ and 2 is Ⅲ.Conclusion Early and concomitant surgical treatment ventricular septal defect associated with aortic valve insufficiency can obtain an ideal results.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of Nutlin-3,a MDM2 antagonist,on the pyroptosis in SMMC-7721 cells.Methods: The expression of actived caspase-1(p20) and IL-1β was detected using Western blot analysis.Pyroptosis was investigated by a standard lactate dehydrogenase release assay(LDH).IL-1β content in the cell culture supernatant was quantified by ELISA.Results: Nutlin-3 up-regulated the expression level of actived caspase-1 and IL-1β in SMMC-7721 cells.Meanwhile,Nutlin-3 increased significantly the content of LDH and IL-1β in the cell culture supernatant(P<0.05).Conclusion: Nutlin-3 activated pro-caspase-1,promoted pyroptosis and IL-1β release in SMMC-7721 cells.

Objective To establish a method for determination of dichloromethane in drinking water by purge and trap gas chro‐matography‐mass spectrometry .Methods Dichloromethane in drinking water was purged and trapped ,then desorbed and detected by using gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry .Quantitive analysis was conducted by using standard curve under selected ion mo‐nitoring (SIM) mode .Results The operation of this method was simple ,and its limit of detection (LOD) was 0 .005 ng/mL .The recovery rate was higher than 97% ,and the relative standard deviation was less than 5% .Conclusion The method may be appro‐priate to measure dichloromethane in drinking water .

Human xanthine oxidase is considered to be a target for therapy of hyperuricemia. Cichorium intybus is a Chinese plant medicine which widely used in Xinjiang against various diseases. In order to screen the inhibitors of xanthine oxidase from C. intybus and to explore main pharmacological actions of cichory a compound collection of C. intybus was built via consulting related references about chemical research on cichory. The three-dimensional crystal structure of xanthine oxidase (PDB code: 1N5X) from Protein Data Bank was downloaded.. Autodock 4.2 was employed to screen the inhibitors of xanthine oxidase from cichory 70 compounds were found to possess quite low binding free energy comparing with TEI (febuxostat). C. intybus contains constituents possessing potential inhibitive activity against xanthine oxidase. It can explain the main pharmacological actions of cichory which can significantly lower the level of serum uric acid.
Chicory ; chemistry ; Databases, Protein ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; chemistry ; Humans ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Molecular Structure ; Xanthine Oxidase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEResearch on the phytoestrogenic effect and its possible mechanism of formononetin.

METHODTo evaluate the estrogenic effect and mechanisms of formononetin through the test of its influence on proliferation and ER subtype expression of T47D cells.

RESULTThe proliferation rates of T47D cells treated with 1 x 10(-7) -1 x 10(-6) mol x L(-1) formononetin were not increased. On the influence of ICI182, 780, the proliferation rates of T47D cells treated with 1 x 10(-7) 1 x 10(-6) mol x L(-1) formononetin were decreased. Formonenetin could induce the augment of ERalpha expression significantly of T47D.

CONCLUSIONFormonenetin has phytoestrogenic effect Formonenetin can not accelerate ER(+) T47D cell proliferation. But the expression level of ERalpha subtype in T47D cells change significantly with certain concentrations of formonenetin.

Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Isoflavones ; pharmacology ; Phytoestrogens ; pharmacology ; Receptors, Estrogen ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of prenatal exposure to lead on nephroblastoma over-expressed gene (NOV) protein and mRNA expression in hippocampus of rats' offspring, and to explore the molecular mechanism of lead on learning and memory.

METHODSThe pregnant rats were divided into 1 control group and 3 lead expose groups randomly: low( 125 mg/L), middle (250 mg/L) and high (500 mg/L). 8 rats in each group. From pregnancy ld until birth, the rats were given double evaporated water or lead acetate water of different doses according to their groups. The samples of descendants were taken on embryo 18 th day, postnatal 1st day, 21st day, 60th day. The contents of lead in blood and hippocampus were determined by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry method. The expression of NOV protein and mRNA in hippocampus were observed by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.

RESULTSThe lead contents of blood [(312.46 +/- 43.55), (419.35 +/- 62.25), (541.45 +/- 47.90) microg/L] and hippocampus[(2.10 +/- 0.18), (2.58 +/- 0.12), (3.41 +/- 0.23) microg/L] were significantly higher in lead exposed groups than that of control [(214.31 +/- 40.77), (0.76 +/- 0.13) microg/L] (P < 0.05) on the embryo 18th, 1st and 21 st day, while there was no significantly difference among them on 60 th day. The expression of NOV protein in all lead exposed groups were significantly decreased compared with control group (P < 0.05) on 1st and 21 st day, while there was no significantly difference among them on 60th day. The expression of NOV mRNA of all the lead exposed groups were significantly decreased compared with control group (P < 0.05) on the embryo 18th, 1st and 21st day, while there was significantly difference only in the high dose group (0.0355 +/- 0.0100) compared with control (0.0900 +/- 0.0200) (P < 0.01) on 60th day.

CONCLUSIONPregnancy low level lead exposure could decrease the NOV protein and mRNA expression in hippocampus of offspring, which might be one of the molecular mechanisms of effect of lead on learning and memory.

Animals ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Lead ; adverse effects ; blood ; Nephroblastoma Overexpressed Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo study the phytoestrogenic effects and their possible mechanisms of Jiaoai tang and Shenqi Jiaoai tang through the tests in mice and ER (+) MCF7 cells.

METHODSixty kunming mice weighing 9-12 g were randomly divided into 6 groups: solvent control group (administrated equal dose of diswater), diethylstilbestrol control group (administrated diethylstilbestrol at a dose of 0.35 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) and 4 Chinese medicine treated groups (administrated low or high doses of Jiaoai tang and Shenqi Jiaoai tang at 2.5 g x kg(-1) x d(-1) or 5.0 g x kg(-1) x d(-1) respectively). After administration for 4 days, the mice were sacrificed; uterus was removed and weighed, uterus rate was calculated. The blood serum was also separated. The proliferation rate of MCF7 cells influenced by Jiaoai tang and Shenqi Jiaoai tang was determined by MIT assay. PS2, ERalpha and ERbeta mRNA expression was quantified by Real-time PCR assay. Estrogen receptor antagonist ICI182, 780 was employed as a tool.

RESULTAdministration of Jiaoai tang and Shenqi Jiaoai tang at high dose significantly increased uterus rate in mice (P < 0. 05). The pharmacological serum from two high-dosage groups of Chinese herbal medicine decoction significantly enhanced proliferation rate of MCF7 cells (P < 0.05 or 0.01), while their effects were blocked by ICI182, 780 (P < 0.05 or 0.01). The pharmacological serum could cause elevation of pS2 level (P < 0.01) which would be obviously inhibited by ICI182, 780 (P < 0.01). ERalpha and ERbeta mRNA levels were also elevated significantly (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 respectively).

CONCLUSIONJiaoai tang and Shenqi Jiaoai tang have phytoestrogenic effects, which were attained via ER pathway. They can also increase the mRNA levels of estrogen receptor subtypes, especially ERbeta.

Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; genetics ; metabolism ; Estrogen Receptor beta ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Mice ; Phytoestrogens ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Uterus ; drug effects ; metabolism

Objective To investigated the effect of TangNaiKang (TNK) on VEGF protein expression of GK rats Thoracic aorta. Methods 51 male GK rats were divided into five groups randomly: model group, pioglitazone group, and TNK treatment group (low, immediate and high dose). Another 10 male Wistar rats were served as normal control group. GK rats were fed with high-grease forage, while normal control group was fed with a standard diet. Fasting blood glucose, general HE staining and VEGF protein expression were detected by immunohistochemistry. Results The fasting glucose had a significant decline in TNK treatment groups. HE staining showing TNK can ameliorate intima thickness, reduce hyperplasia of shallow vascular smooth muscle cell, and improve wavy and plexiform arrangement of elastic lamina. Immunohistochemistry also showed that TNK decreased VEGF protein expression of great vessels. Conclusion TangNaiKang can prevent and cure diabetic vascular complication of GK rats.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of prenatal exposure to low level lead on the protein and mRNA expression of growth-associated protein (GAP-43) in hippocampus of rat's offspring, and to explore the molecular mechanisms of lead on learning and memory.

METHODSThe pregnant rats were randomizedly divided into 4 groups and provided with doubly evaporated water in control group and 125, 250, 500 mg/L lead acetate solution via drinking water in treatment groups respectively during pregnancy. When the rat's offspring was 1, 21, 60 days old, the lead content in hippocampus was measured by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry, and the GFAP protein and mRNA expression at hippocampal CA1 region were observed by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.

RESULTSThe content of lead in the hippocampus was (1.64 +/- 0.32), (2.33 +/- 0.42) and (3.28 +/- 0.58) microg/L, and (0.94 +/- 0.18), (1.27 +/- 0.26) and (1.79 +/- 0.42) microg/L respectively in the low, middle and high lead dosage group when the rat's offspring was one day and 21 day old. When the rat's offspring was 1, 21 days old, the content of lead in hippocampus in treatment groups was significant higher than that of control (P < 0.05), the integral optical density of GAP-43 protein and mRNA expression (except low dosage treatment at 21 d) were significantly decreased compared with the control (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference at 60-day old offsprings for the parameters above.

CONCLUSIONExposure to low level lead during pregnancy could inhibit the GAP-43 protein and mRNA expression in hippocampus of rat's offspring, which may be one of the molecular mechanisms of lead on learning and memory.

Animals ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; Female ; GAP-43 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Lead ; toxicity ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar