Aim To evaluate the effect and mechanism of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and Cysteine protease aspartic acid-3(Caspase-3) inhibition of human hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)implants in nude mice by nanometer magnetic interferon-?2b liposome targeting therapy.Methods Thirty nude mices bearing human HCC were divided into 5 groups of 6 mice:group 1,saline(NS);group 2,free interferon-?2b group(IFN);group 3,interfe-ron-?2b liposome group(IL);group 4,magnetic liposome group(ML);group 5,nanometer magnetic interferon-?2b liposome group(MIL).Above dosage of 200 ?l/nude mice was respectively injected through the caudal vein in these 6 groups.Meantime,magnetic field with the strength of 5000 GS was added to the tumor surface about 30 min,and this therapy was done three times.After 30 days,the mices were killed and the tumors were taken out.The difference at the mRNA expression level of VEGF and Caspase-3 was observed by RT-PCR between the experimental group and control group.The protein expression level of VEGF and Caspase-3 was detected by western blot between the experimental group and control group.Results Targeting therapy study in nude mice bearing human HCC displayed that the growth speed of tumor in the MIL group significantly slowed down than other groups.The tumor inhibition rate of MIL group was 62.50%,which was remarkably higher than those of the IFN group(27.61%) and IL group(28.17%).RT-PCR showed that the mRNA expression of VEGF of MIL group is the lowest of all groups(P

OBJECTIVETo prepare a novel apatite-wollastonite bioactive glass-ceramic-calcium sulphate hemihydrate(AW-BGC-CSH) composite, to study its biocompatibility, and to provide experimental support for its further clinical application.

METHODSSamples of AW-BGC-CSH composite were prepared with different AW-BGC granules-CSH ratios (50%, 40%, 30%, 20%). Surface morphology, microstructure and mechanical features of the composite were measured. Osteoblasts were cultivated in vitro on the composite. Cell morphology, proliferation, and the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of osteoblasts were examined to determine the biocompatibility of the composite.

RESULTSThe composite showed a three-dimensional pored structure with communicated micropores under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The plasticity of the composite could be maintained within 3 - 5 min. Its top solidification temperature was 36.4°C and the maximum compressive strength was 9.3 MPa. The osteoblasts adhered to the composite and grew well. At 1, 3, 5, 7 d after cultivated, the microprotein contents of the composite were (251 ± 12), (296 ± 31), (580 ± 13) and (571 ± 15) mg/L, and the ALP activity of the composite were (4.50 ± 0.68), (6.90 ± 0.27), (12.05 ± 0.28) and (11.86 ± 0.63) U/mg. The results of the ALP activity and microprotein contents in the experiment group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe prepared AW-BGC-CSH composite has a three-dimensional pored structure, favourable plasticity, mechanical property and good biocompatibility.

Apatites ; chemistry ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Calcium Compounds ; chemistry ; Calcium Sulfate ; chemistry ; Cells, Cultured ; Ceramics ; chemistry ; Materials Testing ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; Silicates ; chemistry

Taxol is one of the most potent anti-cancer agents, which is extracted from the plants of Taxus species. Isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase (IPI) catalyzes the reversible transformation between IPP and DMAPP, both of which are the general 5-carbon precursors for taxol biosynthesis. In the present study, a new gene encoding IPI was cloned from Taxus media (namely TmIPI with the GenBank Accession Number KP970677) for the first time. The full-length cDNA of TmIPI was 1 232 bps encoding a polypeptide with 233 amino acids, in which the conserved domain Nudix was found. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that the sequence of TmIPI was highly similar to those of other plant IPI proteins, and the phylogenetic analysis showed that there were two clades of plant IPI proteins, including IPIs of angiosperm plants and IPIs of gymnosperm plants. TmIPI belonged to the clade of gymnosperm plant IPIs, and this was consistent with the fact that Taxus media is a plant species of gymnosperm. Southern blotting analysis demonstrated that there was a gene family of IPI in Taxus media. Finally, functional verification was applied to identify the function of TmIPI. The results showed that biosynthesis of β-carotenoid was enhanced by overexpressing TmIPI in the engineered E. coli strain, and this suggested that TmIPI might be a key gene involved in isoprenoid/terpenoid biosynthesis.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Carbon-Carbon Double Bond Isomerases ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Escherichia coli ; Paclitaxel ; biosynthesis ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Taxus ; enzymology ; genetics

Artemisnin is a novel sesquiterpene lactone with an internal peroxide bridge structure, which is extracted from traditional Chinese herb Artemisia annua L. (Qinghao). Recommended by World Health Organization, artemisinin is the first-line drug in the treatment of encephalic and chloroquine-resistant malaria. In the present study, transgenic A. annua plants were developed by overexpressing the key enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of artemisinin. Based on Agrobacterium-mediated transformation methods, transgenic plants of A. annua with overexpression of both HDR and ADS were obtained through hygromycin screening. The genomic PCR analysis confirmed six transgenic lines in which both HDR and ADS were integrated into genome. The gene expression analysis given by real-time quantitative PCR showed that all the transgenic lines had higher expression levels of HDR and ADS than the non-transgenic control (except ah3 in which the expression level of ADS showed no significant difference compared with control); and the HPLC analysis of artemisinin demonstrated that transgenic A. annua plants produced artemisinin at significantly higher level than non-transgenic plants. Especially, the highest content of artemisinin was found in transgenic line ah70, in which the artemisinin content was 3.48 times compared with that in non-transgenic lines. In summary, overexpression of HDR and ADS facilitated artemisinin biosynthesis and this method could be applied to develop transgenic plants of A. annua with higher yield of artemisinin.

Twelve cases of Bartter's syndrome were reported and reviewed retrospectively.Usually vomiting was the first sympton in children,while fatigue was common in adults.Bartter's syndrome was characteristic of hypokalemia,metabolic alkalosis,elevations of plasma renin activity,serum angiotersinⅡand aldosterone and juxtaglomerular apperatus hyperplasia.Supplementation of potassium choloride was the main manner of therapy.

Artemisnin is a novel sesquiterpene lactone with an internal peroxide bridge structure, which is extracted from traditional Chinese herb Artemisia annua L. (Qinghao). Recommended by World Health Organization, artemisinin is the first-line drug in the treatment of encephalic and chloroquine-resistant malaria. In the present study, transgenic A. annua plants were developed by overexpressing the key enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of artemisinin. Based on Agrobacterium-mediated transformation methods, transgenic plants of A. annua with overexpression of both HDR and ADS were obtained through hygromycin screening. The genomic PCR analysis confirmed six transgenic lines in which both HDR and ADS were integrated into genome. The gene expression analysis given by real-time quantitative PCR showed that all the transgenic lines had higher expression levels of HDR and ADS than the non-transgenic control (except ah3 in which the expression level of ADS showed no significant difference compared with control); and the HPLC analysis of artemisinin demonstrated that transgenic A. annua plants produced artemisinin at significantly higher level than non-transgenic plants. Especially, the highest content of artemisinin was found in transgenic line ah70, in which the artemisinin content was 3.48 times compared with that in non-transgenic lines. In summary, overexpression of HDR and ADS facilitated artemisinin biosynthesis and this method could be applied to develop transgenic plants of A. annua with higher yield of artemisinin.
Artemisia annua ; genetics ; metabolism ; Artemisinins ; metabolism ; Biosynthetic Pathways ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Mixed Function Oxygenases ; genetics ; Oxidoreductases ; genetics ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; genetics ; metabolism

From the 70% ethanol extract of the stems of Rhodiola bupleuroldes, five compounds were isolated by repeated silica gel column chromatography. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic (UV, IR, ESI-MS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and 2D NMR) and chemical methods as rhobupcyanoside A (1), p-coumaric acid (2), 4, 5-dihydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid (3), schizandriside (4) and kaempferol (5). Among them, 1 was a new compound, and 2-5 were isolated from R. bupleuroldes for the first time.
Coumaric Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Hydroxybenzoates ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Kaempferols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Propionates ; Rhodiola ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Sol-Gel coating on the corrosion resistance of nickel-chronium alloys in vitro.

METHODSThe bond strength of coating-substrate interface sintered at different temperatures (300, 400, 500, 600 degrees C) was tested by scratching method. The Sol-Gel coating was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), and its corrosion resistance was assessed by a static immersion method.

RESULTSThe bond strength of coating-substrate interface reaches the peak at 400 degrees C. The Sol -Gel coating can apparently inhibit the release of metal ions and improve the corrosion resistance of nickel-chromium alloy.

CONCLUSIONSol-Gel coating can evidently improve corrosion resistance of the nickel-chromium alloy, which has great potential in prospective clinical practice.

Alloys ; Chromium Alloys ; Corrosion ; Dental Alloys ; Humans ; Nickel ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changes of GDNF after severe brain injury. METHODS: Changes GDNF in cortex, thalamus and pontine was observed by using immunohistochemistry and image analysis technique. RESULTS: The lever of GDNF was increasing at 1 d, reaching peak at 3 d, not obviously decreasing at 5 d and still higher than normal at 7 d after severe brain injury. CONCLUSION As an objective indication, the time sequence regularity of GDNF after brain injury may be applied in brain injury time estimation.
Animals ; Biomarkers ; Brain/metabolism* ; Brain Injuries/metabolism* ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factors/genetics* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor with a key role in several pathological processes, including wound repair as well as a effective vascular permeability factor. This article review the present study of VEGF in molecular biology, the connection with repair and expression regulation and so on.
Animals ; Endothelial Growth Factors/physiology* ; Forensic Medicine ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/physiology* ; Lymphokines/physiology* ; Rats ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors ; Wound Healing/physiology*