The tumor microenvironment (TME), a dynamic and complex local environment, interacts with the tumor cells and is closely related to tumor growth, metastasis, immune escape and drug resistance. Thus, targeting the TME has been a worldwide focus in cancer therapy. Many natural products possess the advantages of multiple targets, multiple pathways and wide pharmacological functions, and are the main source of antitumor drugs. In recent years studies have found that some natural products had advantageous effects on the TME. In this review, we summarize the components and functions of the TME and some natural products that target the TME, with references to the drug therapy of cancer.

Objective To observe the tolerance of contemporaneous multiplane operations in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS). Methods Twenty-three patients were enrolled. According to the different obstructive level, the different operations were chosen to complete upper airway reconstruction in contemporaneous operation group (group A, 13 patients). In the simple palatopharynx level obstructive group (group B, 10 patients), bilateral tonsillectomy and H-UPPP was chosen. Results The operation time in group A was significantly longer than that in group B:(121.0 ± 35.4) min vs.(80.7 ± 25.3) min, P<0.01. The hospital days and adverse events in two groups had no significantly difference (P>0.05). Conclusions Individual therapeutic schedule for OSAHS patients should be formulated. Operating the different obstructive levels simutaneously, which would solve upper airway occlusion and complete the upper airway reconstruction at the same time. No more adverse events happen, compared with the simple palatopharynx level obstructive group, though the operation time may be longer.

Animals ; Cell Line ; Chloride Channels ; metabolism ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli ; metabolism ; Kidney ; cytology ; Osmotic Pressure ; Periplasm ; metabolism ; Swine

Objective To investigate the safety and efficacy of structured triglycerides in parenteral nutrition in elderly patients with acute biliary tract infection.Methods 62 elderly patients with acute biliary tract infection under conservative therapy were randomly divided into structured triglycerides (ST) group and medium-chain triglycerides plus long-chain triglycerides (MCT/LCT) group.Patients underwent parenteral nutrition for 5 days.Levels of hepatic enzymes,blood triglycerides,nitrogen balance,fasting blood insulin and glucose were compared between the two groups after 5 days of parenteral nutrition.Results There were no significant differences in levels of hepatic enzymes,blood triglycerides and fasting blood glucose between ST group and MCT/LCT group.Plasma total bilirubin (T-Bill) levels were increased in the two groups,and T-Bill level dropped faster in the ST group than in the MCT/LCT group after 7 days of parenteral nutrition(P＜ 0.05).The difference in total cholesterol level dropping was significant between ST group and MCT/ LCT group (P＜0.05).The cumulative nitrogen balance for 5 days had significant difference between ST and MCT/LCT groups [(4.7-±-2.2) g vs.(2.8±0.7) g,P＜0.05].STG group versus MCT/LCT group had less fluctuation of fasting blood insulin level after 1,4 and 7 days of parenteral nutrition.Conclusions In the acute phase of biliary tract infection in elderly patients,ST-based parenteral nutrition can provide energy and help maintain nitrogen balance,with a little fluctuation of fasting blood insulin level.Short-term nutritional support may have better tolerance in the liver and has little effect on the change of hepatic enzymes.

This study is to determine the preventive effect and mechanism of targeting IL-17A on pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis after acute lung injury. Mice were treated with anti-IL-17A antibody on the day 7 and sacrificed on the day 14 after bleomycin lung injury. The pulmonary inflammatory status and the deposition of collagen were measured by HE and Sirius stains staining. The contents of hydroxyproline and collagen were measured by using commercial kits. The survival rate of mice was calculated by Kaplan-Meier methods. The inflammatory cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were measured by ELISA and the expressions of inflammation-related molecules were detected by Western blotting assay. Targeting of IL-17A could prevent the development of lung inflammation, decrease collagen deposition and the contents of hydroxyproline, and protect against the development of pulmonary fibrosis, which together led to an increase in the animal survival. Moreover, blocking IL-17A decreased the expression ofpro-fibrotic cytokines such as IL-17A, TGF-beta1 and IL-13; increased the expression of anti-fibrotic or anti-inflammatory factors such as IFN-gamma, COX-2, 5-LOX, 15-LOX. Indeed, IL-17A antagonism suppressed the activation of pro-inflammatory p65NF-kappaB but enhanced the activation of pro-resolving p50NF-kappaB. In conclusion, that blockade of IL-17A prevents the development of pulmonary fibrosis from acute lung injury, is because blocking IL-17A may prevent acute inflammation converting to chronic inflammation.

Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Humans ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic ; enzymology ; pathology

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics ,diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of phaeohyphomycosis. Methods Clinical data were collected, including history, physical examination, cranial and spinal imaging. Brain biopsy was performed. Data of the pathology and incubation of brain tissue were analyzed. Responsiveness to treatment was followed up. Results A previously healthy three and half years old boy was presented to our unit, with a three- month history of recurrent headache, vomiting, progressive paraplegia accompanied by urinary continence and constipation. A computed tomogram scan and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed multiple lesions located in the region of the parietal - occipital lobes, periventricular area and frontal lobe, with prominent surrounding edema and irregular peripheral enhancement of the mass after the administration of contrast materials. A cerebral biopsy was performed and the pathological report was cerebral phaeohyphomycosis. The culture of the tissue and cerebrospinal fluid grew a same fungus identified as exo-phiala dermatitidis. The patient's response to therapy was poor, the parents of the boy gave up therapy, and the boy died 1 month later. Conclusions Cerebral Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala dermatitidis is rare, but the most serious form of fungus infection. Pathology and incubation of the tissue are essential for diagnosis. There is no curative therapy and the prognosis is poor.

· AIM: To observe the inhibitory effect of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) on the proliferation of monkey choroidretinal endothelial cells (RF/6A) in hypoxia or normal conditions.retinal endothelial cells of rhesus monkey (RF/6A). The effect of TA on the cellular activity was observed by MTT,the effect on cellular proliferation and apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry (FCM).cycle were reduced and the proportion of cells in G2-M phase was increased under the hypoxia condition .TA had a great effect on the cell cycle of choroid-retinal endothelial cells of rhesus monkey and it induced apoptosis of endothelial cells. It relatively increased the S-phase cells and reduced G2-M phase cells under both normal and hypoxia conditions, which indicates its role in blocking cell cycle from s-phase to G2-M phase and reducing mitosis.RF/6A cells while TA has the opposite effect in both normal and hypoxia conditions. TA can also induce apoptosis of endothelial cells.

Objective To explore the effects of diethylenetriamine/nitric oxide (DETA/NO)on capillary spasm and early brain injury (EBI)after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)in rats.Methods Sixty-nine male Sprague-dawley rats were randomized into three groups:sham group,SAH group and DETA/NO group.SAH model was established by wearing out the willis ring with thread and then Garcia neurological score was observed in the general animals.The expressions of alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA)and PDGFRβwere detected by dual immunofluorescence staining;nitric oxide kit was used for detecting brain tissue NO concentration.Changes in the hemoglobin-stimulated capillaries were observed in rat slices.Results Three days after surgery,neurological deficit score was remarkably improved in DETA/NO group compared with that in SAH group (P<0 .0 5 ). Immunofluorescence results showed that the expressions of peri-capillaryαSMA and PDGFRβwere significantly increased after SAH (P<0.05 ),and that DETA/NO could down-regulate the expressions (P<0.05 ).NO concentration was greatly reduced about 3 hours after SAH and then gradually increased;DETA/NO could maintain the concentration of NO at an early stage (P<0 .0 5 ).The capillary contraction was observed in slices perfused with hemoglobin;DETA/NO could alleviate capillary spasm.Conclusion DETA/NO can alleviate the severity of capillary spasm and EBI after SAH in rats.

Objective To investigate the nutritional status,body composition,and energy metabolism of hepatocarcinoma patients undergoing surgical treatment and explore the relationships of the nutritional status with body composition and energy metabolism.Methods Totally 112 hospitalized hepatocarcinoma patients undergoing surgical treatment met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled as the intervention group,and another 100 patients with cholelithiasis during the the same period were enrolled as the control group.Their general clinical data including body mass index(BMI),arm circumference,grip,albumin,prealbumin,energy expenditure,and body composition were collected.The nutritional status was assessed by the scored patient-generated subjective global assessment(PG-SGA).The relationships of the nutritional status with body composition and between energy metabolism were analyzed.All the data were analysed by SPSS 16.0 software package.Results The arm circumference [(23.9±3.6)cm vs.(25.3±4.5)cm,t=2.57,P=0.014],hand grip[(31.7±6.0)kg vs.(39.2±7.6)kg,t=8.19,P<0.001],serum albumin[(32.5±4.7)g/L vs.(36.5±7.2)g/L,t=4.92,P=0.007] and prealbumin[(0.172±0.052)g/L vs.(0.263±0.077)g/L,t=10.3,P=0.004] of the intervention group were significantly lower than the control group.The total malnutrition rate of the intervention group was 37.5％(42 cases at levels B and C),and that of the control group was 14.4％(14 cases at levels B and C)(X2=19.73,P<0.001).The extracellular water significantly increased in the intervention group compared with that of the control group[(15.35±2.21)L vs.(13.51±2.73)L,t=5.54,P<0.001];however,the somatic cell mass [(27.54±4.42)kg vs.(29.03±4.38)kg,t=2.53,P=0.012],fat mass[(13.44±4.23)kg vs.(17.36±5.21)kg,t=6.18,P<0.001],and muscle mass[(43.11±6.27)kg vs.(48.17±7.13)kg,t=5.63,P<0.001] had significantly decreased compared with the control group.The measured value of rest energy expenditure(mREE)[(6 581.62±1 201.70)kJ/d vs.(6 290.73±1 071.68)kJ/d,t=1.98,P=0.042] of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group(P=0.042),and the respiratory quotient(RQ)was also significantly higher(0.87±0.10 vs.0.85±0.06,t=2.72,P=0.027).The extracellular fluid(PG-SGA A vs.B P=0.035;A vs.C P<0.001;B vs.C P=0.042)were significantly increased,and the number of somatic cells(A vs.B P=0.015;A vs.C P=0.001;B vs.C P=0.022),fat(A vs.B P=0.026;A vs.C P=0.003;B vs.C P=0.022)and muscle mass(A vs.B P=0.029;A vs.C P=0.011;B vs.C P=0.036)were decreased with the deterioration of nutritional status,resting energy expenditure(A vs.B P=0.023;A vs.C P=0.002;B vs.C P=0.032),and RQ(A vs.C P=0.004;B vs.C P=0.012)were also increased with the deterioration of nutritional status,and there was significant difference among three groups.Conclusions The incidence of malnutrition is high in hepatocarcinoma patients undergoing surgical treatment.The patients can have lower lean body mass,more water retention,and higher energy metabolism,which may worsen along with the deterioration of nutritional status.