Berberine is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine,which has the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.Ongoing investigations have identified berberine as an effective medicine for systemic diseases,such as cardiovascular diseases,diabe-tes mellitus and neurological disorders.At the same time,there exists a close relationship between oral microbiota and these systemic diseases.This review focuses on the relationship between berberine,oral microbiota and systemic diseases,offering new insights for the treatment of systemic diseases.

Objective To explore the effect of inhibition of miR-214 expression on the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via regulation of E2F3 expression.Methods The expression of miR-214 in SMMC-7721, HepG2, SK-Hep-1 and Huh 7 cells was examined by RT-PCR.Hepatocellular carcinoma cells were transfected with miR-214 NC and miR-214 mimics with liposomes.The expression of miR-214 was detected by RT-PCR.The cell viability was detected by MTT assay.Cell apoptosis was detected by Hoechst staining.Cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry.Western blot, RT-PCR and dual luciferase reporter gene assay were used to detect whether E2F3 was a downstream target gene of miR-214.Results The expression of miR-214 in SMMC-7721, HepG2, SK-Hep-1 and Huh 7 cells was 0.83±0.08, 0.32±0.03, 0.33±0.03, and 0.08±0.01, respectively.The expression of miR-214 in the HepG2 cells was the lowest, so HepG2 cells were selected as the subsequent experimental cell line.Compared with the miR-214 NC group, the expression of miR-214 (0.65±0.06 vs.0.14±0.01) was up-regulated, the cell viability (0.35±0.03 vs.0.69±0.06) was decreased, cell apoptosis rate [(36.37±3.43)% vs.(3.74±0.34)%] was increased, the G1 phase of the cell cycle (57.79±5.78 vs.45.319±4.53) was prolonged, the expression of E2F3 protein (0.23±0.02 vs.0.98±0.09) and mRNA (0.24±0.02 vs.0.99±0.10) was significantly down-regulated in the miR-214 mimics group (P<0.01).Conclusion miR-214 mimics suppress the HepG2 cell proliferation via targeted down-regulation of E2F3 expression.

Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of standard or reduced doses of bortezomib combined with adriamycin and dexamethasone in patients with multiple myeloma (MM).Methods Fifty-two newly diagnosed,refractory and relapsed patients received bortezomib [1.3 mg/m2 (standard dose group,26 patients) or 1.0-1.1 mg/m2 (reduced dose group,26 patients) on day 1st,4th,8th and 11 th],and adriamycin (10 mg/m2) plus dexamethasone (40 mg/d) on day 1 st-4th,and were treated for 1-6 courses.Adverse events were graded and compared.Results After treatment,the overall response rate of standard dose group [80.8％(21/26)] and reduced dose group [88.5％(23/26)] had no significant difference (P =0.739).The rate of neutropenia and thrombocytopenia in two groups had no significant difference[23.1％(6/26) vs.15.4％(4/26),P=0.281 ; 11.5％(3/26) vs.7.7％(2/26),P=0.620].The rate of Ⅲ-Ⅳ grade peripheral nerve disease,herpes zoster,lack of power and abdominal distension in standard dose group were significantly higher than those in reduced dose group [15.4％(4/26) vs.3.8％(1/26),P =0.038;26.9％(7/26) vs.7.7％(2/26),P =0.029;38.5％(10/26) vs.15.4％(4/26),P=0.045; 19.2％(5/26)vs.3.8％ (1/26),P =0.028].Conclusion Reduced dose of bortezomib appears to result in similar overall response rate,but better tolerance and safety compared with standard dose.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence of depressive disorder in patients undergoing general surgical operations.

METHODSOne hundred and four patients who had undergone general surgical operations were investigated. Each patient filled in the self rating depression scale (SDS) as the baseline data.

RESULTSAmong these patients 40.4% of them had depressive disorder. The major factors for the prevalence of depression were sex, educational background and malignant diseases.

CONCLUSIONSA certain proportion of patients undergoing general surgical operations have depressive disorder. It is important to recognize and treat for this disorder.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Depressive Disorder ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; adverse effects ; psychology

OBJECTIVETo detect protein expression of ERK(1), ERK(2), JNK(1), p38 and MEK(1), MEK(2) in human hepatocellular carcinoma and adjacent non-neoplastic liver.

METHODSIn 16 surgically resected hepatocellular carcinoma and para-carcinoma tissues, Western blotting was used to detect expression of ERK(1), ERK(2), JNK(1), p38 and MEK(1), MEK(2).

RESULTSIn all cases, ERK(1), ERK(2), p38 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma was significantly higher than that in para-carcinoma: integral optic density (IOD) of ERK(1) was 300 +/- 98 in carcinoma and 98 +/- 48 in para-carcinoma tissues (t = 2.519, P < 0.01); IOD of ERK(2) was 587 +/- 83 in carcinoma and 232 +/- 96 in para-carcinoma tissues (t = 2.745, P < 0.01); IOD of p38 was 270 +/- 85 in carcinoma and 107 +/- 88 in para-carcinoma tissues (t = 2.491, P < 0.01). JNK(1) expression in hepatocellular carcinoma was significantly lower than that in para-carcinoma; IOD of JNK(1) was 111 +/- 93 in carcinoma and 292 +/- 109 in para-carcinoma tissues (t = 2.473, P < 0.01). Protein levels of MEK(1) and MEK(2) in carcinoma were significantly higher than in para-carcinoma. IOD of MEK(1) was 1 418 +/- 244 in carcinoma and 806 +/- 90 in para-carcinoma tissues (t = 2.546, P < 0.01). IOD of MEK(2) was 1 041 +/- 122 in carcinoma and 468 +/- 40 in para-carcinoma tissues (t = 2.861, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSERK(1), ERK(2), MEK(1) and MEK(2) in the signal transduction pathway for cell proliferation are significantly overexpressed and the expression of JNK(1) is lower in hepatocellular carcinoma. Their unbalance is one of the important reasons for the over growth and infinite proliferation of the hepatocellular carcinoma cell. The p38 and JNK(1) may be activated by different pathway.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; enzymology ; Enzyme Activation ; Female ; Humans ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Liver Neoplasms ; enzymology ; MAP Kinase Kinase 1 ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases ; analysis ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; analysis

Objective To investigate the expression of a novel oncogene Stat3 in colorectal cancer. Methods Western blot analysis was performed on cancerous and normal colonic tissue of 45 patients with colorectal carcinoma. ResultsStat3 protein level increased in colorectal cancer compared with adjacent normal mucosa ( P

Abstract:Objective To detect the mutation frequency of the bcl 10 gene in the early and advanced stages of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods Genome DNA samples were extracted from 46 cases of fresh HCC tumor tissues and their non-tumor adjacent tissues. Polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism method was used to detect point mutations of the three exons of the bcl 10 gene. For each individual exon, six random samples from those showing abnormal DNA bands were sequenced to verify those mutations. The relationship between serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level and bcl 10 mutation, between the tumor size and bcl 10 mutation was also analyzed.Results Among the 46 samples, 26 cases (56.5%) were found to have mutations in exon 1, 5 out of the 6 cases were shown to have 5744 C→G mutation by sequencing; 25 cases (54.3%) were found to have mutations in exon 2, 4 out of the 6 cases were shown to have 11?311 T deletion mutation by sequencing. Twenty-one cases (45.7%) were found to have mutations in exon 3, all of the 6 cases selected for sequencing were shown to have 14?116 C→T mutation. Statistical analysis showed that neither serum alpha-fetoprotein level nor the size of hepatocellular carcinoma has a significant relationship with bcl 10 mutation.Conclusion The bcl 10 gene has a high mutation frequency in liver cancer.

Objective To clarify the role of a cell cycle regulator, cyclin D1 and CDK6 in patients with gastric carcinoma. Method Tissue samples from 48 patients with gastric carcinoma were included in the current study. Expression levels of cyclin Dl and CDK6 in samples of normal mucosa and tumor tissue were analyzed by Western blot. Result Overexpression of cyclin Dl and CDK6 protein were demonstrated in 58% and 69% of gastric cancer tissues, respectively. Several clinicopathologic parameters, including depth of tumor invasion, pathologic lymph node status and tumor stage ( P

Objective To investigate the pathogenetic role of endogenous angiotensin Ⅱ (AngⅡ) in the mechanism of stress ulcer in obstructive jaundice rats and to detect the effect of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) on stress ulcer in obstructive jaundice rats. Methods After common bile duct ligation (CBDL) in Wistar rats, the content of plasma and gastric mucosal AngⅡ, gastric mucosal blood flow (GMBF) and gastric mucosal damage were measured, and the relationship among them was analyzed.Results The plasma AngⅡ contents increased much more significantly at 1, 3, 7 and 14 days following CBDL than those in non-CBDL rats (P<0.05, <0.01, <0.01 and <0.01, respectively). Within 120 minutes following cold-restraint stress, plasma and gastric mucosal AngⅡ contents were elevated, GMBF decreased, and ulcer index and gastric mucosal damage increased more significantly than those in non-cold-restraint stress rats (P<0.05, <0.05, <0.01, <0.01 and <0.05, respectively). Administration of an ACEI, enalaprili, to CBDL rats (5 mg*kg-1*day-1, orally for two days) before stress reduced both the plasma and gastric mucosal AngⅡ levels, inhibited the decrease of GMBF and decreased ulcer index and gastric mucosal damage (P<0.001, <0.01, <0.01, <0.01 and <0.05, respectively).Conclusion The endogenous AngⅡ plays a significant pathogenetic role in the development of stress ulcer in obstructive jaundice rats, and ACEI may prevent stress ulcer.

Objective To investigate the role of catecholamines in the pathogenesis of portal hypertension.Methods Serum epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) concentrations in the peripheral vein, portal vein and superior vena cava (SVC) were measured by high pressure liquid chromatography in 38 portal hypertensive patients, 28 idiopathic hypertensive patients and 34 controls, respectively.Results Peripheral venous E concentrations in portal hypertensive patients and controls were 57.5±37.4 ng/L and 23.5±11.2 ng/L, respectively (P<0.01), and peripheral venous NE concentrations were 451.1±381.2 ng/L and 183.0±83.3 ng/L, respectively (P<0.01). Compared with controls, peripheral venous E (54.9±39.9 ng/L vs 23.5±11.2 ng/L, P<0.01) and NE (524.3±219.9 ng/L vs 183.0±83.3 ng/L, P<0.01) in idiopathic hypertensive patients were also significantly increased. E and NE in SVC, portal vein and peripheral artery in portal hypertensive patients were also increased, but only the elevation of E in SVC was statistically significant (207.2±55.4 ng/L vs 83.7±46.7 ng/L, P<0.05).Conclusion Our results reveal significant metabolic disorders of E and NE in portal hypertensive patients, which may play an important role in the pathogenesis of portal hypertension.