Objective: To investigate the effect of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP), a major active component in Chinese medicine Ligusticum chuanxiong, on metastasis of breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-435S in vitro, and its possible mechanism. Methods: MDA-MB-435S cells were cultured under hypoxic condition, which could trigger malignant metastatic potential of tumor cells in vitro. Thus, the concentration of TMP which could not affect the proliferaion of hypoxic MDA-MB-435S cells was determined by MTT assay. The morphology of MDA-MB-435S cells treated with TMP under hypoxic condition was observed by immunofluorescence. The capacities of invasion and migration of hypoxic MDA-MB-435S cells were determined by Transwell chamber and Wound healing assays, respectively. The expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)-mediated metastasis-related proteins, such as vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VECF-A), lysyl oxidase-1 (LOX-1), Snail and Slug, were detected by Western blotting. Results: TMP could significantly change the morphology and inhibit the metastasis of MDA-MB-435S cells cultured under hypoxic condition, improve the morphology of the cells, reduce the number of stress fibers of F-actin, and inhibit the capacities of invasion and migration of the cells in vitro. Moreover, TMP reduced the expression levels of HIF-1α-mediated metastasis-related target proteins VECF-A, LOX-l, Snail and Slug proteins through decreasing the expression of HIF-lα under hypoxic condition, which resulted in the inhibition of metastasis of MDA-MB-435S cells. Conclusion: These findings indicate that TMP can inhibit the metastasis of breast cancer MDA-MB-435S cells by reducing the expressions of HIF-la and the metastasis-related target proteins in vitro. Therefore, TMP may be an effective agent to prevent hypoxia-induced metastasis of breast cancer.

Gymnastics ; physiology ; Humans ; Workload

Australia ; Environmental Monitoring ; Humans ; Occupational Health ; Safety Management ; methods ; organization & administration

Adult ; Blood Donors ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Genotype ; HIV Infections ; complications ; epidemiology ; virology ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Hepatitis C ; complications ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Objective To investigate the epidemiological condition of the sub-health status of the young and middle-aged persons in urban and rural areas of Hubei province, and to explore the relationships among personality, quality of sleep and sub-health status. Methods Purposive sampling method and Personal Health Status Questionnaire developed by Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences were used to investigate the sub-healthy status of 3187 subjects aged 18-55 and evaluate the relationships among sub-health status, personality and the quality of sleep with structural equation model. Results Gender, education, marriage, age and occupation were factors influencing the status of sub-health. Among all of the subjects, sub-health status of females were more serious than that of males (P＜0.0001 of all). The divorced, separated and widowed ones were more likely to experience sub-health than other status of marriage (P= 0.0006, P=0.0102). The sub-health status of the subjects aged 30-55 in the urban (P=0.0197)and low-literacy residents in rural (P=0.0003)were among the worst. The condition of the sub-health in migrant workers and professional were worse compared to other occupational groups (P=0.0043). Structural equation model analysis revealed that sub-health status associated with the quality of sleep and the type of characteristics (P＜0.01 ). Conclusion Sub-health status did exist among the young and middle-aged persons and was influenced by the quality of sleep and personality. However, it could be adjusted by improving the quality of sleep and personality to prevent sub-health.

Chinese medicine processing is a kind of traditional pharmaceutical technology,which can reduce toxicity,enhance the curative effect,change the properties and facilitate dispensing preparations in clinical use.The technology of detoxification is a great pioneering work for the safe application of toxic Chinese medicine,which can reduce the side effects of certain drugs,ensure the clinical safe use and expand the scope of clinical application through processing.In this paper,we searched the toxic Chinese medicine and the processing technology in ancient literatures of TCM,and then we summarized and analyzed their lat-est studies at home and abroad.Thus,we make a summary of toxic Chinese medicine including its classification,site of action,the toxic components,detoxification and its clinical application.Meanwhile,we proposed an opinion that toxic Chinese medi-cines with the same processing technology had common detoxification rules.Therefore,we hope this work will provide new perspectives for the research on the processing of toxic Chinese medicine and the mechanism of detoxification.

Arabidopsis ; genetics ; growth & development ; microbiology ; Gossypium ; growth & development ; microbiology ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; Hyphae ; growth & development ; pathogenicity ; Plant Diseases ; genetics ; microbiology ; Plant Roots ; microbiology ; Spores, Fungal ; growth & development ; pathogenicity ; Verticillium ; growth & development ; pathogenicity

OBJECTIVETo investigate the pathogenesis of ischemic-type biliary lesions (ITBLs) in post-liver transplant patients and the possible therapeutic mechanisms of sirolimus.

METHODSThe clinic data of 32 post-liver transplant patients with ITBLs from May 2004 to December 2010 was analyzed. There were including 25 male and 7 female patients with a median age of 46 years (ranging from 19 to 61 years). Patients were divided into those who received sirolimus (sirolimus group) and those who did not (control group). The expression of IL-2, FoxP3, and IL-10 in the portal area, liver function indexes, and bile duct injury score were assessed pre-ITBL, when ITBLs were identified, and after 6 months of sirolimus treatment.

RESULTSCompared with pre-ITBL optical density (OD) values, there was a significantly increase in IL-2 OD(0.138 ± 0.050 in control group and 0.141 ± 0.052 in sirolimus group), but not FoxP3 and IL-10 OD in both groups at the time ITBLs were diagnosed. After 6 months of treatment, the IL-2, FoxP3, and IL-10 OD values in the control group were not different from those when ITBLs were diagnosed. There was a significant reduction in post-therapy IL-2 OD(0.107 ± 0.043, t = 2.087, P = 0.044), and a significant elevation in FoxP3(0.213 ± 0.039) and IL-10 OD(0.187 ± 0.048) in sirolimus group as compared with those when ITBLs were diagnosed(t = -3.822 and -4.350, both P < 0.01). There was a significant increase in serum levels of ALT, AST, total bilirubin, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and ALP at the time ITBLs were diagnosed compared with pre-ITBL levels in both groups. After 6 months of treatment, the above indexes had not changed in the control group, but significantly improved in the sirolimus group, and the bile duct injury score in the sirolimus group had significantly decreased(4.4 ± 2.4, Z = -2.568, P = 0.010). The 1-year and 3-year graft survival rates in the control group were 6/13 and 5/13, respectively, and 17/19 and 13/19, respectively, in the sirolimus group (χ(2) = 7.166, P = 0.007; χ(2) = 5.398, P = 0.020, respectively).

CONCLUSIONSSirolimus can downregulate IL-2 expression and upregulate FoxP3 and IL-10 expression, thereby stimulating FoxP3+ Treg cells, suppressing immunopathological damage, and promoting epithelial repair in bile ducts.

Adult ; Bile Duct Diseases ; drug therapy ; Female ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-2 ; metabolism ; Ischemia ; diet therapy ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; drug therapy ; Sirolimus ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo provide some new evidences for the classfication and identification of medicinal plants of Curcuma.

METHODA numerical taxonomy by means of cluster analysis and principal Component analysis is used. Combined with RAPD analysis, computer image analysis and chemical analysis, the taxonomical relationships of the plants of Curcuma in China were characterized qualitatively and quantitatively.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe plants of Curcuma is systematized into 9 species, 1 species complex, 3 cultivated varieties. A lot of taxonomic confusion and disputations were consequently expounded.

Cluster Analysis ; Curcuma ; anatomy & histology ; classification ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; classification ; Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique

This article describes the preparation of the N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone (PBN) liposomes and their related characteristics. The PBN liposomes were prepared by film dispersion-supersonic method and the formula of liposomes was optimized by orthogonal uniform design. RP-HPLC was used to qualify the amount of PBN that entered into the hepatoma cells. Necrosis rate was also investigated by fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) after PBN liposomes transfection. Result showed that the mean particle size, entrapment efficiency, and polydispersity of the resulting PBN-liposome were 137.5 nm, 71.52% and 0.286, respectively. PBN liposomes can enter into the tumor cell stably and they have higher affinity to hepatoma cell compared with free PBN resulting in a higher necrosis rate after transfection. These results provide a potential method for early diagnosis and treatment of cancer using specific spin trapping probe targeting tumor cells.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cyclic N-Oxides ; chemistry ; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy ; Humans ; Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Spin Labels ; Spin Trapping ; methods ; Tumor Cells, Cultured