Bone repair remains an important target in tissue engineering, making the development of bioactive scaffolds for effective bone defect repair a critical objective. In this study, β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffolds incorporated with processed pyritum decoction (PPD) were fabricated using three-dimensional (3D) printing-assisted freeze-casting. The produced composite scaffolds were evaluated for their mechanical strength, physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, in vitro pro-angiogenic activity, and in vivo efficacy in repairing rabbit femoral defects. They not only demonstrated excellent physicochemical properties, enhanced mechanical strength, and good biosafety but also significantly promoted the proliferation, migration, and aggregation of pro-angiogenic human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In vivo studies revealed that all scaffold groups facilitated osteogenesis at the bone defect site, with the β-TCP scaffolds loaded with PPD markedly enhancing the expression of neurogenic locus Notch homolog protein 1 (Notch1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), and osteopontin (OPN). Overall, the scaffolds developed in this study exhibited strong angiogenic and osteogenic capabilities both in vitro and in vivo. The incorporation of PPD notably promoted the angiogenic-osteogenic coupling, thereby accelerating bone repair, which suggests that PPD is a promising material for bone repair and that the PPD/β-TCP scaffolds hold great potential as a bone graft alternative.
Calcium Phosphates/chemistry* ; Animals ; Bone Regeneration ; Rabbits ; Tissue Scaffolds ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Humans ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Osteogenesis ; Tissue Engineering/methods* ; Biomimetic Materials ; Cell Proliferation ; Angiogenesis

Objective:To investigate the change of biological characteristics after stable knockdown of CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain containing 3 (CMTM3)expression in PC3 by lentivirus shRNA and to reveal new therapeutic targets.Methods:The research includes two groups:sh393 is the experimental group in which CMTM3 is knocked down in PC3 cell line;shN is the control group in which CMTM3 is negatively knocked down.The expression of CMTM3 was detected by Western blot.The mi-gration ability of PC3 after stable knockdown was detected by Transwell and Wound healing assay.The invasion ability of PC3 was detected by Matrigel assay.Results were obtained from at least three indivi-dual experiments.Results:The expression of CMTM3 in sh393 group is significant lower than shN group (0.004 0 ±0.000 4 vs.0.490 0 ±0.055 7,P <0.001)detected by Western blot.It also had statistical significance in Matrigel assays (248.6 ±4.5 vs.113.0 ±3.3),Transwell (203.6 ±1.9 vs.103.0 ± 1.2)and Wound healing assays (95.0 ±2.9 vs.33.0 ±1.5)that knockdown of CMTM3 promoted mi-gration,and invasion of PC3 cells in vitro (P <0.001).Conclusion:Negative correlation exists between the stable knockdown of CMTM3 and change of biological characteristics in PC3 cells,and knocking down CMTM3 affects migration,and invasion ability in PC3 cells.

Objective:To investigate the expression of MEK/ERK signaling pathways in renal cell car-cinoma with bone metastasis,and to analyze the differences of expressions of VEGFR-2,MEK,ERK on the primary and metastasis tissue and its mechanism.Methods:The tissue samples were obtained from 7 renal cell carcinoma patients kindly provided by Department of Urology,Peking University People’s Hos-pital from January 1,2009 to January 1,2010.The expression of MEK/ERK signaling pathways was de-tected in the 7 renal cell carcinoma patients`primary and matched metastatic tissues with ICH,The anti-body concentrations were 1 ∶200,1 ∶25,and 1 ∶250,respectively.The mutation of the twentieth exon of the PDGFRA gene,the second exon of the K-ras gene,the fifteenth exon of the Brafgene and the se-cond exon of the MEK1 gene were detected with PCR.Results:The expression intensities of VEGFR-2, MEK,and ERK were measured by H-score [intensity (1,2,3,or 4)multiplied by the distribution (%)].VEGFR-2,MEK,and ERK expressions were divided into 3 groups according to the positive dis-tribution of the tumor cells:1,0 -5%;2,6% -50%;and 3,>50%,To assess intratumor heteroge-neity,three distinct microscopic fields (×200)from each specimen were used to evaluate the expres-sions,Subsequently,the scores were averaged to obtain a single concatenated score for each tissue. VEGFR-2,MEK,and ERK expressions were assessed by 2 independent pathologists who were blinded to the clinicopathological data.The data were expressed as the mean value of the triplicate experiments.The expressions of MEK,and ERK were higher in the metastatic tissues than in the matched RCC tissues (6.10 ±4.10 vs.1.33 ±0.51,P =0.015;9.10 ±2.24 vs.4.43 ±2.84,P =0.021 )while the ex-pression of VEGFR-2 was not different between the primary and metastatic tissues (P =0.901).No mu-tation was detected on the twentieth exon of the PDGFRA gene,the second exon of the K-ras gene,the fifteenth exon of the Brafgene and the second exon of the MEK1 gene.Conclusion:MEK/ERK signa-ling pathways may play an important role in the metastasis and the resistance of sunitinib in RCC patients with bone metastasis.

BACKGROUNDEndostar™ (rh-endostatin, YH-16) is a new recombinant human endostatin developed by Medgenn Bioengineering Co. Ltd., Yantai, Shandong, P.R.China. Pre-clinical study indicated that YH-16 could inhibit tumor endothelial cell proliferation, angiogenesis and tumor growth. Phase I and phase II studies revealed that YH-16 was effective as single agent with good tolerance in clinical use.The current study was to compare the response rate , median ti me to progression (TTP) ,clinical benefit andsafety in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer ( NSCLC) , who were treated with YH-16 plus vi-norelbine and cisplatin (NP) or placebo plus NP.

METHODSFour hundred and ninety-three histologically or cy-tologically confirmed stage IIIB and IV NSCLC patients , withlife expectancy > 3 months and ECOG perform-ance status 0-2 , were enrolledin a randomized ,double-blind ,placebo-controlled , multicenter trial ,either trialgroup : NP plus YH-16 (vinorelbine 25 mg/m² on day 1 and day 5 ,cisplatin 30mg/m² on days 2 to 4 , YH-167.5mg/m² on days 1 to 14) or control group : NP plus placebo (vinorelbine 25 mg/m² on day 1 and day 5 ,cis-platin 30 mg/m² on days 2 to 4 ,0.9% sodium-chloride 3 .75 ml on days 1 to 14) every 3 weeks for 2-6 cycles .The trial endpoints included response rate ,clinical benefit rate ,time to progression,quality of life and safety .

RESULTSOf 486 assessable patients , overall response rate was 35.4% in trial group and 19.5% in controlgroup (P=0 .0003) . The median TTP was 6 .3 months and 3 .6 months for trial group and control group respectively (P < 0 .001) . The clinical benefit rate was 73 .3 %in trial group and 64.0% in control group (P=0 .035) .In untreated patients of trial group and control group ,the response rate was 40 .0% and 23.9%(P=0 .003) ,the clinical benefit rate was 76 .5 % and 65 .0 % (P=0 .023) ,the median TTP was 6 .6 and 3 .7months (P=0 .0000) ,respectively .In pretreated patients of trial group and control group ,the response ratewas 23.9% and 8.5%(P=0 .034) ,the clinical benefit rate was 65.2% and 61.7%(P=0 .68) ,the median TTP was 5 .7 and 3 .2 months (P=0 .0002) ,respectively . The relief rate of clinical symptoms in trial groupwas higher than that of those in control group ,but no significance existed (P > 0 .05) . The score of quality oflife in trial group was significantly higher than that in control group (P=0 .0155) after treatment . There were no significant differences in incidence of hematologic and non-hematologic toxicity , moderate and severe sideeffects betweentrial group and control group .

CONCLUSIONSThe addition of YH-16 to NP regimen results in significantly and clinically meaningful improvement in response rate , median time to tumor progression,and clinical benefit rate compared with NP alone in advanced NSCLC patients . YH-16 in combination with chemotherapy shows a synergic activity and a favorable toxic profile in advanced cancer patients .

BACKGROUNDTo evaluate and compare the effects and toxicity of the domestic product of recombinant mutant human tumor necrosis factor (rmhTNF) combined with chemotherapy and chemotherapy alone in the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSTwo hundred patients with NSCLC in multicenter were randomly devided into trial group (150 cases) and control group (50 cases). Chemotherapy with CAP regimen was given to the patients. Meanwhile, rmhTNF injection of 4×10⁶U/m² was also given from the 1st to 7th days, the 11th to 17th days on the chemotherapy cycle in the trial group. The control patients received chemotherapy alone. Twenty-one days were as a cycle, 2 cycles were given to each patient. The chemotherapeutic effects and toxicity were observed and compared between the two groups after the therapy.

RESULTSof the 200 patients, 5 cases in the trial group and 3 cases in the control group were out of the trial because of economy. The other 192 cases (145 cases in the trial group and 47 cases in the control group) could be analyzed and evaluated the clinical effects and toxicity. The response rate of chemotherapy was 46.90% (68/145) in the trial group and 17.02% (8/47) in the control group respectively ( P =0.001). The KPS scores was 86.02±9.74 in the trial group, and 80.14±9.10 in the control group ( P =0.025). No significant difference of degree III+IV toxicity was observed between the two groups ( P > 0.05). The side effects related to rmhTNF included slight fever, cold-like symptoms, pain and red and swelling in the injection site. All of them were mild and didn't need any treatment and disappeared after the therapy. There were no severe abnormality of liver and kidney function and ECG in both groups.

CONCLUSIONSThe results demonstrate that the effects of domestic rmhTNF combined with chemotherapy are remarkably higher than that of chemotherapy alone in the treatment of NSCLC. rmhTNF can increase the sensitivity to chemotherapy and improve the quality of life of the patients with slight toxicity. Hence rmhTNF is worth expanding clinical use.