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OBJECTIVE@#Identifying novel strategies to prevent particulate matter (PM)-induced lung injury is crucial for the reduction of the morbidity of chronic respiratory diseases. The combined intervention represented by herbal formulae for simultaneously targeting multiple pathological processes can provide a more beneficial effect than the single intervention. The aim of this paper is therefore to design a safe and effective medicinal and edible Chinese herbs (MECHs) formula against PM-induced lung injury.@*METHODS@#PM-induced oxidative stress, inflammatory response and apoptosis A549 cell model were used to screen anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic MECHs, respectively. A network pharmacology method was utilized to rationally design a novel herbal formula. Ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer was utilized to assess the quality control of MECHs formula. The excretion of magnetic iron oxide nanospheres of the MECHs formula was estimated in zebrafish. The MECH formula against PM-induced lung injury was investigated with mice experiments.@*RESULTS@#Five selected herbs were rationally designed to form a new MECH formula, including Citri Exocarpium Rubrum (Juhong), Lablab Semen Album (Baibiandou), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu), Mori Folium (Sangye) and Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma (Yuzhu). The formula effectively promoted the magnetic iron oxide nanospheres excretion in zebrafish. The mid/high dose formula significantly prevented PM-induced lung damage in mice by enhancing the activity of SOD and GSH-Px, reducing the MDA and ROS level and attenuating the upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β and TNF-α), down regulating the protein expression of NF-κB, STAT3 and Caspase-3.@*CONCLUSION@#Our findings suggest that the effective MECHs formula will become a novel strategy for preventing PM-induced lung injury and provide a paradigm for the development of functional foods using MECHs.
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ObjectivesTo retrospectively analyze the clinicopathological features of neuroblastoma (NB) and investigate the signiifcance of abnormality ofN-myc and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene copy number change as well asALKmu-tations in NB.Methods Eighty-three NB patients were collected and classiifed into different subgroups according to the clinical stage and histology. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed to detect the abnormalities ofN-mycandALK genes. The extracted DNA was ampliifed by PCR and sequenced to investigate the point mutations of theALK gene. Follow-up data were collected and survival analysis was performed.ResultsFISH detection showed that the aberration ofN-mycgene copy number presented as gain and ampliifcation. The aberration ofALK gene presented as point mutation and gain. It was shown that 17 cases had the abnormality of bothN-myc andALK gene. Survival analysis showed that the prognostic factors included the clinical stage, age and abnormality ofN-myc genes.ConclusionDetection ofN-myc andALK abnormality in NB would be helpful for evaluating the prognosis and providing theoretical basis forALK target therapy.
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The JAK/STAT pathway contributes to control gene expression,cell growth,proliferation,differentiation,apoptosis and immunoregulation.Recent studies have found that the JAK/STAT pathway was closely related to the occurrence and development of lymphoid neoplasms.The study of JAK/STAT pathway could lead to new treatment strategies for lymphoid neoplasm treatment.
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Insulin is the most common medicine used for diabetic patients, unfortunately, its effective time is short, even the long-acting insulin cannot obtain a satisfactory effect. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-21 is a recently discovered glucose mediator and expected to be a potential anti-diabetic drug that does not rely on insulin. In this study, db/db mice were used as the type 2 diabetic model to examine whether mFGF-21 has the long-term blood lowering effect on the animal model. The results showed that mFGF-21 could stably maintain the blood glucose at normal level for a long-term in a dose-dependent manner. Administration of mFGF-21 once a day with three doses (0.125, 0.25 and 0.5 mg x kg(-1)) could maintain blood glucose of the model animals at normal level for at least 24 h. Administration of mFGF-21 every two days with the same doses could maintain blood glucose of the model animals at normal level for at least 48 h, although it took longer time for blood glucose to reach to normal level depending on doses used (twenty injections for 0.125 mg x kg(-1) and 0.25 mg x kg(-1) doses, ten injections for 0.5 mg x kg(-1) dose). Surprisingly, the blood glucose of the treated model animals still maintained at normal level for 24 h after the experiment terminated. Glycosylated hemoglobin level of the animals treated with mFGF-21, which represented long-term glucose status, decreased significantly compared to the control group and the insulin group. The results suggest that FGF-21 has potential to become a long-acting and potent anti-diabetic drug.
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Primary intestinal NK/T cell lymphoma is extremely rare and early diagnosis is frequently difficult. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinicopathological findings, immunophenotype, and T cell receptor [TCR] gamma gene rearrangement of primary intestinal NK/T cell lymphomas in 25 Chinese cases. Clinical data of the 25 cases were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry for immunophenotype, in situ hybridization for EBER, and polymerase chain reaction for TCR y gene rearrangement were investigated. Survival curves according to clinical characteristics were analyzed. The median age was 33 years and the median survival was 7 months. The common symptoms consisted of abdominal pain, fever, marasmus, diarrhea, and hematochezia. Endoscopically, the tumors were mainly featured by focal, multifocal or diffuse irregular ulcers, which most frequently emerged in the ascending colon. Histologically, the tumors were characterized by the proliferation of pleomorphic atypical lymphoid cells [ALCs], necrosis, lympho-epithelial lesions, and mixed inflammatory infiltration. The positive frequency of CDepsilon was 88.2%, of CD56 was 84%, granzyme B was 90%, and EBER was 84.2%. A total of 12 out of 14 cases [85.7%] highly expressed Ki67. The negative prognostic factors for survival were Ann Arbor stage HIE or IVE [P = 0.039] and more than one extranodal site of disease [P = 0.019]. Primary intestinal NK/T cell lymphomas most frequently favor young people and have a poor prognosis. Due to the nonspecific clinical and endoscopic findings, it is difficult to distinguish intestinal NK/T cell lymphomas from inflammatory and infectious disorders. Histopathology, immunophenotype, and DNA study play key roles in differential diagnosis
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Intestinal Neoplasms , Immunophenotyping , Gene Rearrangement, gamma-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor , Immunohistochemistry , In Situ Hybridization , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Herpesvirus 4, Human , LymphomaABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the effect of the combination of lamivudine and adefovir dipivoxil on the treatment of decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis patients. Methods One hundred thirty-six patients with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis were randomly administered the combination of lamivudine and adefovir dipivoxil (combination group), only lamivudine( LAM group)and only adefovir dipivoxil (ADV group). The liver founction tests, ChildPugh scores and the rate of negative conversion for the serum HBV-DNA were measured at baseline,six months after therapy and 12 months after therapy. Results The rate of negative conversion for the serum HBV-DNA ( ＜ 1 ×103cop/ml)of combination group were 78.3% and 85.2% respectively at six and twelve months after therapy. The rates of negative conversion for the serum HBV-DNA of LAM group were 62. 1% and 57.8% respectively at six and twelve months after therapy. The rates of negative conversion for the serum HBV-DNA of ADV group were 41.3% and 53.6% respectively at six and twelve months after therapy. Compared with the LAM and ADV group, The rates of negative conversion for the serum HBV-DNA of combination group were higher. In addition, the rates of better conversion of liver function tests and Child-Pugh scores were higher in combination group than LAM and ADV groups.Conclusion The combination of lamivudine and adefovir dipivoxil could more effectively improve liver founction tests, Child-Pugh scores and the rates of negative conversion for the serum HBV-DNA in patients with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis than only lamivudine and only adefovir dipivoxil.