OBJECTIVETo investigate the anti-metastasis effect of emodin on the pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo.

METHODHuman pancreatic cancer cell line SW1990 was treated with different concentrations of emodin (10, 20, 40 micromol x L(-1)) for 2 h, the effects of emodin on the migration and invasion of SW1990 cells were examined by using wound assay and matrigel counting. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of NF-kappaB and MMP-9 in SW1990 cells after various concentrations of emodin (10, 20, 40 micromol x L(-1)) treatment for 48 h. Metastatic model simulating human pancreatic cancer was established by orthotropic implantation of histologically intact human tumor tissue into pancreatic wall of nude mice, and then divided into three groups: control group, low-dose emodin group (L-EMO) and high-dose emodin group (H-EMO). Eight weeks after implantation, the presences of metastasis were evaluated respectively after the mice were sacrificed. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the positive expression of CD34, NF-kappaB and MMP-9 in the tumors.

RESULTEmodin suppressed the migration and invasion of SW1990 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Western bolt assay indicated that emodin down-regulated the expression of NF-kappaB and MMP-9 proteins in SW1990 cells. The incidences of metastasis were decreased significantly in L-EMO group and H-EMO group as compared with that in control group. The percentage of CD34, NF-kappaB and MMP-9-positive cells in the tumors were significantly reduced by the administration of emodin.

CONCLUSIONEmodin exerts anti-metastatic activity in pancreatic cancer both in vitro and in vivo, which may be related to down-regulation of NF-kappaB and MMP-9.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Emodin ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; analysis ; Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; NF-kappa B ; analysis ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; prevention & control ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; blood supply ; drug therapy ; pathology

This study was purpose to examine the effect of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and Tween 80 on the growth and viability of stromal cells (BMSC), colony-forming units for granulocytes and macrophages (CFU-GM) and bone marrow endothelial cell line (BMEC) from murine bone marrow in vitro, and to analyze the concentration-effect relationship. The colony yields of colony-forming units fibroblastic (CFU-F) and CFU-GM were assessed in the murine bone marrow cell cultures at various concentrations of DMSO or Tween 80 and in the control groups. The MTT assay and trypan blue exclusion were used to determine the cell viability and percentage of survival in BMSC and BMEC cultures with or without either of these organic solvents. The results showed that the colony yields of both CFU-F and CFU-GM were decreased significantly (p<0.05 or <0.01) at the concentrations (v/v final) of 2% DMSO or 0.005%-0.01% Tween 80 respectively, as compared with control. The cell viability and percentage of survival of BMSC and BMEC cultures were significantly reduced (p<0.05 or <0.01) at 0.5%-1.0% DMSO or 0.002%-0.005% Tween 80, as compared with control. With the increase of volume fractions of these solvents, the decreased percentages of corresponding measurements were increased by degrees. It is concluded that when the concentration of DMSO or Tween 80 goes to a certain level in cell culture medium, either of the organic solvents has an inhibitory action or/and cytotoxicity on the growth and viability of BMSCs, CFU-GM and BMECs. The growth inhibition and cytotoxic response are more significant at higher concentrations of these solvents.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Female ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Progenitor Cells ; cytology ; Male ; Mice ; Polysorbates ; pharmacology ; Solvents ; pharmacology ; Stromal Cells ; cytology

To explore the differential expression of serum miRNAs in patients of advanced non- small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated by gifitinib before and after acquiring drug resistance.
 Methods: A total of 4 patients with advanced NSCLC from Affiliated Hospital of Yueyang Vocational Technical College, who acquired drug resistance during gefitinib therapy from June 2013 to June 2015, were enrolled. Serum samples were collected before treatment and after acquiring drug resistance. MicroRNA (miRNA) microarray was used to assess the levels and compositions of miRNAs in serum. Real-time RT-PCR was used to validate the results of miRNAs with significant differences in expression. The candidate miRNAs inhibitors and mimics were transfected into lung cancer cells by liposome, and the sensitivity of lung cancer cells to gifitinib was detected.
 Results: The miRNA microarray showed that there were significantly differential expression of miRNAs in serum of NSCLC patients after acquiring drug resistance, and 24 miRNAs were changed in more than 2-fold. Among them, 19 miRNAs were up-regulated and 5 miRNAs were down- regulated (both P<0.05). Especially, the expression of miR-21 in serum of NSCLC patients after obtaining resistance was up-regulated more than 10-fold compared with that before treatment. The results of RT-PCR was consistent with the results of miRNA microarray. The up-regulation of miR-21 in lung cancer cells could elevate the half maximal inhibition concentration (IC50) of gefitinib, and the down-regulation of miR-21 in lung cancer cells could reduce the IC50 of gefitinib (both P<0.05).
 Conclusion: There is differential expression of miRNAs in serum of NSCLC patients before treatment and after acquiring drug resistance during gefitinib therapy. The up-regulation of miR-21 may be involved in regulating the acquiring drug resistance of gefitinib.
Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; drug effects ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; MicroRNAs ; blood ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo discuss the relationship between tinnitus and deafness, the clinical features and influencing factors in tinnitus patients.

METHODSData with previous medical history, clinical manifestation and audiologic examination results, etc. of tinnitus patients were collected to find out clinical features of tinnitus. The relationship between various factors and tinnitus was therefore established.

RESULTSAverage age of developing tinnitus syndrome was 53.2 +/- 0.9. Patients with lighter physical and mental work were the largest proportion (39.5%). Acute onset of tinnitus patients was more severe than that of chronicle (P < 0.01). Most of tinnitus melody was 8000 Hz (22.9%). Loudness of tinnitus concentrated in 5 - 10 dBSL. There was no severity of distinction between different patients with different tinnitus melody or loudness (P > 0.05). There were 75.6% patients showing sensorineural deafness. When the melody in the ears was high-frequency, hearing loss for the majority of patients was at high frequency region. Meanwhile, for the low frequency, speech frequency, hearing loss was also at the corresponding frequency region. There were 89.6% patients showing psychological adverse reactions, including irritability (83.8%), insomnia (63.7%), and inability to concentrate (30.3%).

CONCLUSIONSThe relationship between tinnitus and deafness are inseparable. So we should carry out periodically hearing testing to tinnitus patients with normal hearing or with high-risk population (45 years age to nearly 50 years old), in order to early diagnosis and intervention. Psychological adverse reactions are the main clinical features of tinnitus. It is important for the treatment of tinnitus to correct adverse psychological state.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Female ; Hearing Loss ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tinnitus ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Young Adult

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) are stem cells derived from bone marrow and peripheral blood, which could proliferate and differentiate into endothelial cells and participate in repair after tube injury. Studies have shown that the improving function of diabetic EPC could prevent and reduce the occurrence of diabetic complications. The research progress in improving the function of EPC in recent years and the improvement of function in the development of diabetes were reviewed in order to provide new ideas for the treatment of diabetes.

A case with breast schistosomiasis japonica was reported.

Objective To explore the material basis and mechanism of the Chinese medicine Shenmajingfu granules in the treatment of cerebral infarction. Methods The potential active ingredients and targets of Shenmajingfu granules were retrieved through TCMSP, ETCM database and TCM Database. The related target genes of cerebral infarction were searched from OMIM database. The common targets of Shenmajingfu granules and cerebral infarction were obtained by the intersection method. Cytoscape was used to construct active components of Shenmajingfu granules-targets network. Protein-protein interaction network was constructed by STRING software. DAVID database was used for GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. Results The 183 potential active ingredients of Shenmajingfu granules were screened out. 1785 potential targets were screened in the TCMSP database, including 30 targets related to cerebral infarction. These target genes were mainly involved in the inflammatory response and apoptosis process, involving the TNF signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway and NF-κB signaling pathway. Conclusion The therapeutic effect of Shenmajingfu granules on cerebral infarction may be related to the regulation of inflammatory response, improvement of impaired neurological function and protection of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Objective To investigate the relieving effect of Yinlian Tongfeng granules on adjuvant arthritis rats. Methods A complete Freund adjuvant model was built for this study. 48 rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, Yinlian Tongfeng granules high, medium and low dose group (15.4g/kg, 7.7g/kg, 3.8g/kg). After the drug intervention, arthritis index, ankle swelling rate, formaldehyde induced pain score were recorded. Elisa method was used to detect IL-4, IL-10 and the content of PK1, PK2. The pathological changes of toe pad in rats were observed. Results Compared with the model control group, Yinlian Tongfeng granules groups significantly inhibited the ankle swelling, reduced the pain reaction caused by formaldehyde (P<0.01), significantly increased the content of anti-inflammatory factors IL-4 and IL-10 (P<0.01), and decreased the content of PK1 and PK2 (P<0.01). Toe edema and lymphocyte infiltration were alleviated. Conclusion Yinlian Tongfeng granules have a significant inhibitory effect on adjuvant arthritis, suggesting that it has a potential therapeutic application for rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy differences between different needling methods for dry eye syndrome.

METHODSSixty patients of dry eye syndrome were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases (60 eyes) in each group. Shangjingming (Extra), Xiajingming (Extra), Tongziliao (GB 1), Cuanzhu (BL 2), Fengchi (GB 20), Hegu (LI 4), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taixi (KI 3) and Taichong (LR 3) were selected in the two groups. The control group was treated with conventional acupuncture, while the observation group was treated with guiding-acupuncture. Electroacupuncture (EA) was used at bilateral Tongziliao (GB1) and Cuanzhu (BL 2), 30 min per treatment. The treatment was given three times per week. Totally 1-month treatment (12 treatments) was given. The eye symptom score, breakup time of tear film (BUT), Schirmer Ⅰ test (SⅠT) and visual analogue scale (VAS) score were compared before and after treatment in the two groups. The clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups.

RESULTSCompared before treatment, the eye symptom score, BUT, SⅠT and VAS score were improved after treatment in the two groups (all<0.001); the improvements of eye symptom score and SⅠT in the observation group were superior to those in the control group (both<0.05). The differences of BUT and VSA score between the two groups were not significant (both>0.05). The total effective rate was 86.7% (52/60) in the observation group, which was superior to 73.3% (44/60) in the control group (<0.05). .

CONCLUSIONThe conventional EA and guiding-acupuncture combined with EA are both effective for dry eye syndrome, and the efficacy of guiding-acupuncture combined with EA is superior to that of conventional EA.

Prokineticin 2 (PK2) is a newly discovered chemokine, which participates in various physiological functions of the body by binding to receptors PKR1 and PKR2. PK signaling pathway is a newly discovered important regulatory pathway for the occurrence and maintenance of pain after tissue injury and nerve injury in recent years. It plays a key role in regulating injury-related nociceptive events and is a potential therapeutic target for many diseases. The activation of PKRs can induce pain sensation and participate in the sensitivity of pain receptors to different stimuli. The PK system (PKs and PKRs) is an important link involved in inflammation and pain transmission in immune cells. PK2 is involved in the regulation of pain perception by activating PKR1 and PKR2 on primary sensory neurons. In rat primary sensory neurons, PK2 also enhances gated ion channel current through the PKC signaling pathway, inhibits GABA-activated currents, and sensitizes purine nucleotide P2 receptor (P2X). This paper reviews the research progress of PK2 in physical pain. We hope to find new drugs for the treatment of inflammatory pain that target the PKs signaling pathway in future studies.