BACKGROUND: The effect of Chinese traditional medicine 3'-meisoindigo as well as indimbin derivatives on normal immunocytes is less reported while it is used for antitumor.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of 3'-meisoindigo on the proliferation of the splenocytes and thymocytes of C56BL/6 mouse.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The randomized cytopathology observation was performed between August 2007 and January 2008 at Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.MATERIALS: C57BL/6 mice, clean, male, 6-8 weeks old, weighing (20±2) g.METHODS: The thymus gland and the spleen of C57BL/6 mice were ground to get the single-cell suspension and cells were treated by 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 μ mol/L 3'-meisoindigo,respectively. Cells without any drug treatment were used as blank control and cells treated by concanavalin A were used as positive control.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proliferation of splenocytes and thymocytes detected using MTT method; IL-12 activity in culture supematant detected using ELISA method; the cell cycle, apoptosis rate, cell death rate and intracellular reactive oxygen species level detected using flow cytometry; the mRNA level of bcl-2 and cdk2 detected using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction; the expression rate of Bcl-2, CDK2 and Bax detected using fluorescence microscope.RESULTS: After treating for 24 hours, 15, 20 and 25 μ mol/L 3'-meisoindigo can significantly inhibit the proliferation of thymocytes and splenocytes (P < 0.05) and the inhibition was dose-dependent and time-dependent. Cells resumed proliferation after removing the 3'-meisoindigo, although they had been treated by 25 μ mol/L 3'-meisoindigo for 72 hours. The secretion of IL-12 was markedly reduced in all 3'-meisoindigo groups versus control groups at each time point (P < 0.05). 15 μ mol/L 3'-meisoindigo could decrease the mRNA expression level of apoptosis-related protein bcl-2 and cyclin cdk2 gene, decrease the expression level of BCL-2 protein and CDK protein, increase Bax expression level, decrease Bcl-2/Bax ratio markedly and started apoptosis.15 μ mol/L 3'-meisoindigo arrested cells in the G2/M stage of the thymocytes and splenocytes, and intracellular reactive oxygen species level elevated dose-dependently and time-dependently.CONCLUSION: In certain concentration range, 3'-meisoindigo can reversibly inhibit the proliferation of thymocytes and splenocytes of C57BL/6 mouse and can inhibit IL-12 secretion in parallel, and start apoptosis.

Objective To investigate the effect of uterine cavity injection of absolute ethanol on estrous cycle in mice.Methods Twenty mice with regular estrous cycle were selected by vaginal exfoliated cells staining, and then were injected absolute ethanol into their uterine cavity.The estrous cycle was observed and recorded every day.Ten mice were selected randomly to observe the changes of second estrous cycle every two hours.Results After the injection of absolute ethanol into the uterine cavity of the experimental mice, the estrous cycle was greatly prolonged, and the various degree of disorder was observed in estrus and pre-estrus.Conclusions The disorder was observed in estrous cycle of mice after the injection of absolute ethanol, which maybe provides some references for clinical use of absolute ethanol.

Objective To explore the relationship between relocation satisfaction and psychosocial stress of transitional peri-od immigrants in the south-to-north water diversion project .Methods Stratified multi-stage cluster sampling method was used in this study ,a basic questionnaire and Psychosocial Stress Survey for Groups(PSSG) were used to investigate transitional period im-migrants who moved to Xingyang and Baofeng from Zhechuan holding different subjective feelings of migration .Results (1) Ex-cept that the evaluation of the implementation of immigration policy existed significant differences(P< 0 .05) between the two are-as ,other evaluations didn′t exist significant differences .(2) There were significant differences (P< 0 .05) in negative emotions ,pos-itive emotions ,negative coping style ,total psychological stress score between the three groups about the different evaluations of new life satisfaction ,new residence satisfaction and overall relocation satisfaction in new residence .Other evaluations didn′t exist signifi-cant differences in psychological stress .(3) Decision tree indicated that the key factors from strong to weak which influence psycho-social stress were new residence satisfaction ,new life satisfaction and overall relocation satisfaction .Conclusion The overall level of psychological stress in immigration is more intense than reference ,which positive and negative nature of evaluation has a direct link with it .

Objective This study was designed to explore the therapeutic effect of psoralen on type Ⅱ collagen-induced rheumatoid arthritis in mice and its molecular mechanism.Methods DBA/1J mice were immunized with type II bovine collagen to induce rheumatoid arthritis.The model mice were randomly divided into Psoralen group(PSO),methotrexate group(MTX) and model group(Vehicle).Clinical signs of arthritis in the mice were monitored.The spleen index was assessed.Splenic Th1 and Th2 cells were counted by flow cytometry.ELISA was used to detect the levels of inflammation-associated factors TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β in the serum.Results Compared with the vehicle group,the ankle swelling and limitation of joint activity in the PSO group were significantly reduced,the spleen index and Th1 cell percentage were significantly decreased,and the Th2 cell percentage showed no significant change in the PSO group.Expression of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β in serum was notably decreased in the PSO group.All the indexes showed no significant difference between the PSO and MTX groups.Conclusions Psoralen may attenuate the severity of type II collagen-induced rheumatoid arthritis in mice by regulating the balance of Th1/Th2 cells and inhibiting the expression of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β.

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanisms of pin1(peptidyl-prolyl isomerase 1) inhibitor ju?glone on migration and invasion in glioma cell line U-87 MG. Methods Glioma cells were treated with juglone at 0, 0.8, 1.6 and 3.2μmol·L-1. Wound-healing assay and invasion assay were performed to examine the inhibitory activity of ju?glone on glioma cell line U-87 MG. Western blot was used to analyze the protein expression of β-catenin, VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9. Results The wound-healing assay showed that the wound-healing rate in juglone-treated groups was 46.04%±6.25%and 30.05%±13.35%at concentrations of 1.6μmol·L-1 and 3.2μmol·L-1 , repectively. Juglone treat?ment significantly reduced the wound-healing rate compared with controls (P<0.05). Transwell invasion assay showed that the number of invaded cells in juglone–treated groups was 103.67 ± 5.69 and 77.33 ± 7.77 at the concentrations of 1.6μmol·L-1 and 3.2μmol·L-1 , respectively. Juglone treatment significantly reduced cell invasion compared with con?trols (P<0.05). Treatment with juglone significantly down-regulated the expression levels ofβ-catenin, VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in U-87 MG cells in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion The present data suggests that juglone has a significant inhibitory action on cell migration and invasion through down-regulation of theβ-catenin and its downstream VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein expressions in glioma cell line U-87 MG.

OBJECTIVETo observe the influence of decreasing conditioning regimen intensity on the engraftment of HLA haplotype peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

METHODTwelve patients with leukemia, including 4 in complete remission, whose HLAs were full matched with donors, and 8 with refractory leukemia, whose HLAs were mismatched, were transplanted with G-CSF mobilized allogeneic peripheral blood stem cells after conditioned with a regimen consisting of fludarabine (30 mg/m(2) x 6 days), busulfan (4 mg/kg x 2 days) and cyclophosphamide (30 approximately 60 mg/kg x 2 days) (FBC). Donor lymphocytes were infused at day + 30, + 60 and + 90 after transplantation, respectively. Hematopoietic reconstitution was observed. Engraftment was documented by the analysis of short tandem repeats with polymerase chain reaction (STR-PCR).

RESULTPatients in HLA haplotype group received a mean number of 4.87 x 10(8)/kg donor mononuclear cells (MNC), with CD(34)(+) cells of 4.58 x 10(6)/kg and patients in HLA identical group a mean number of 4.85 x 10(8)/kg MNC with CD(34)(+) cells of 4.47 x 10(6)/kg. The mean time of white blood cell count more than 1.0 x 10(9)/L was 14 (10 approximately 18) days in HLA matched patients and 29 (11 approximately 90) days in HLA haplotype group. One three locus mismatched patient failed to engraft, but auto-hematopoiesis was recovered on day + 50. Full donor chimerism was observed in all patients except one with mixed chimera. The mixed chimera was converted into full donor chimera after three times donor lymphocyte infusion. One each died from severe acute GVHD, severe VOD and severe chronic GVHD in HLA haplotype group, and one from chronic GVHD in HLA identical group.

CONCLUSIONPatients survived engraftment was not influenced by decreasing conditioning intensity as in this regimen. Haplotype stem cells could be engrafted durable in recipients by this regimen combined with donor lymphocyte infusion.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Busulfan ; therapeutic use ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Graft Survival ; drug effects ; Graft vs Host Disease ; prevention & control ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Histocompatibility Testing ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Leukemia ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Transplantation Conditioning ; Transplantation Tolerance ; drug effects ; Vidarabine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use

Aim To investigate the inhibitory effects of gossypol on migration in gastric carcinoma cell lines and its mechanisms. Methods Gastric carcinoma cells were treated with gossypol at different concentra-tions. The effects of gossypol on cells proliferation were measured using the MTT assay. The migration of gas-tric carcinoma cells was detected by transwell assay. The activation of Akt/β-catenin pathway and the ex-pressions of pathway related proteins ( p-Akt,β-cate-nin, cyclin D1, MMP-2, E-cadherin and vimentin ) were detected by Western blot. Results Gossypol treatment could significantly inhibit the proliferation of gastric carcinoma cells in a dose-dependent manner. Transwell assay showed that the migration ability of
gastric carcinoma cells was significantly decreased. The inhibitory effect of gossypol on cells migration was more significant than the effect of gossypol on cells prolifera-tion. Compared with the control group, treatment with gossypol significantly suppressed the expressions of p-Akt,β-catenin, cyclin D1, MMP-2 and vimentin pro-tein, whereas the expression of E-cadherin was signifi-cantly up-regulated in gastric carcinoma cells in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion These results demonstrate that gossypol represses cell migration of gastric carcinoma cells through the down-regulation of the activity of Akt/β-catenin pathway.

Objective To obtain the data of injury among children aged 0~6 years in Haidian area and Pinggu area of Beijing.Methods A total of 2970 children aged 0~6 years in Haidian District(city area) and 2558 in Pinggu District (rural area)were investigated by cluster sampling method.Results A total of 5528 children were investigated,the incidence of injury was 8.64%.The incidence rate of aged 0~6 years child injury in Haidian District was10.54%,which was much higher than that in Pinggu District (6.45%).The top five causes of injury were falls,animal bites,burn/scalds,injury by sharp articles and struck/hit by falling object in Pinggu District.The top five causes of injury were falls,animal bites,injury by sharp articles,burn/scalds and blunt in Haidian District.the sequences of injury were similar between the two districts.The incidence rate of burns/scalds was higher in Pinggu District than that in Haidian District.The types of injury were little different between children who lived at home and children who lived in kindergarten.The types of injury were not too different between genders.Falls was the leading cause of injury for all children(in cities or in countries,boys and girls,in different age group).Conclusion The incidence rates of injury and types of injury are different in different areas,genders and age groups.So the intervention of injury should be different.

2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer membranes are synthesized as biomaterials of the biomembrane structure. The MPC polymer membranes have excellent biocompatibility and blood compatibility, they can effectively reduce protein adsorption and denaturation and inhibit cell adhesion even when the polymer membranes are in contact with whole blood in the absence of any anticoagulants. So, the MPC polymer membranes are widely used in blood purification, artificial organs, membrane oxygenator, and other field of biomedicine. The paper mainly expounds the research advancement and the application prospect of MPC polymer membranes.
Artificial Organs ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Humans ; Membranes, Artificial ; Methacrylates ; chemistry ; Oxygenators, Membrane ; Phosphorylcholine ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; Polymers ; Polymethacrylic Acids

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most important chronic liver disease in China and a major cause of liver transplantation in developed countries in Europe and America. Among the various phenotypes of NAFLD, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is highly likely to progress to end-stage liver disease including liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, resulting in an increase in liver-related mortality. However, there are still no therapeutic drugs for NASH at present, and many new drugs are under development in ongoing clinical trials. The research and development of new drugs for NASH require the selection of an appropriate target population and treatment outcomes depending on anti-metabolic, anti-inflammatory or anti-fibrotic effect. This article summarizes and reviews several key factors in the research and development of new drugs for NASH.