Simultaneous determination of 10 components in Guanxinshutong capsules by quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker / 药学学报

This study establishes a quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS) method for the simultaneous determination of gallic acid, sodium danshensu, protocatechuic acid, protocatechuic aldehyde, vanillin, rosmarinic acid, salvianolic acid B, eugenol, cryptotanshinone and tanshinone IIA in Guanxinshutong capsules (Bambusae Concretio Silicea, Salvia miltiorrhiza, clove, borneol, Bambusae Concretio Silicea) by HPLC. Sample was loaded onto an Agilent C18 (ZORBAX Extend-RP C18, 250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) column and eluted with methanol-0.4% aqueous formic acid solution as a flow phase gradient, flow speed 1.0 mL·min-1, detection wavelength 280 nm, column temperature 35 ℃ and sample intake of 5 µL. Using protocatechuic acid as the internal reference, a relative correction factor was calculated and the durability was investigated, and the content of 10 components was calculated by QAMS and external standard method (ESM). The results show that the specificity, linear relationship, precision, repeatability, and stability of the 10 components were good. The average recovery was 98.20%-103.47% and RSD was 1.26%-2.84%. The relative positive factors and contents of the other nine components were calculated as gallic acid (0.759, 227.381), sodium tanshinol (3.630, 3.283), protocatechualdehyde (0.185, 0.150), vanillin (0.532, 65.213), rosmarinic acid (4.240, 1.035), salvianolic acid B (3.245, 18.204), eugenol (1.729, 9.265), cryptotanshinone (0.691, 1.449), and tanshinone ⅡA (0.702, 1.939). The results of QAMS were consistent with ESM analysis, and the relative error was between -3% and 3%. This method is stable and reliable, and can be used for the determination of 10 components in Guanxinshutong capsules.

Effect of Leonurine on p38 MAPK Signaling Pathway and miRNA-1 in Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy Induced by AngⅡ / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect of leonurine on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by angiotensin Ⅱ(Ang Ⅱ) and its effect on p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) signaling pathway and miRNA-1.Method: Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was induced by Ang Ⅱ (0.1 μmol·L-1) in primary neonatal cardiomyocytes. Experiments were designed in 6 groups as following:normal group, model group, p38 MAPK inhibitor group (SB203580, 10 μmol·L-1), low-dose(5 μmol·L-1), middle-dose(10 μmol·L-1) and high-dose(20 μmol·L-1) group. The cardiomyocyte surface area was measured by image software, and the protein contents were detected by Lowry. The concentrations of ANP in the culture supernatant were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression level of miRNA-1 was detected by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR), and the protein expression levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1), p38 MAPK, p-p38 MAPK, myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2), β-myosin heavy chain (β-MHC), α-myosin heavy chain (α-MHC) were detected by Western blot.Result: Compared with normal group, the surface area of cardiomyocyte, the protein contents, the concentrations of ANP, and the protein expression levels of ET-1, p38 MAPK, p-p38 MAPK, MEF2, β-MHC in model group were higher (Pα-MHC and miRNA-1 were lower than those in normal group (Pβ-MHC in high-dose group were lower (Pα-MHC and miRNA-1 were higher than those in model group (PConclusion: Leonurine (20 μmol·L-1) could inhibit cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by AngⅡ, and the mechanism is related to the inhibition of activation of p38 MAPK signaling pathway and up-regulation the expression of miRNA-1.

Establishment and characterization of arsenic trioxide resistant KB/ATO cells

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is used as a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia. However, increasing drug resistance is reducing its efficacy. Therefore, a better understanding of ATO resistance mechanism is required. In this study, we established an ATO-resistant human epidermoid carcinoma cell line, KB/ATO, from its parental KB-3-1 cells. In addition to ATO, KB/ATO cells also exhibited cross-resistance to other anticancer drugs such as cisplatin, antimony potassium tartrate, and 6-mercaptopurine. The arsenic accumulation in KB/ATO cells was significantly lower than that in KB-3-1 cells. Further analysis indicated that neither application of P-glycoprotein inhibitor, breast cancer resistant protein (BCRP) inhibitor, or multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1) inhibitor could eliminate ATO resistance. We found that the expression level of ABCB6 was increased in KB/ATO cells. In conclusion, ABCB6 could be an important factor for ATO resistance in KB/ATO cells. The ABCB6 level may serve as a predictive biomarker for the effectiveness of ATO therapy.

The construction of IGF-II P4 promoter-driven tk expression vector / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the selective killing effect of herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase/ganciclovir (HSV-tk/GCV) suicide gene system controlled by human IGF-II P4 promoter on HCC cells in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Recombinant shuttle plasmid vectors driven by IGF-II P4 promoter and driven by CMV promoter were constructed by techniques of gene recombination. The recombinant shuttle plasmids were then transfected into HepG2 and HeLa cells by techniques of lipidosome transfection. EGFP expression was detected by fluoroscopy. Tk and EGFP mRNA expression were detected by RT-PCR. The selective killing effect after GCV application was determined with MTT method. Statistical analysis was performed with ANOVA analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Identification of pDC316-tkEGFP-P4 by enzyme digestion and sequencing analysis showed that the construction of the recombinant shuttle plasmid was correct. It was found that green fluorescence protein could only be seen in HepG2 cells, not in HeLa cells. The results of RT-PCR showed only two bands could be seen in the samples of pDC316-tkEGFP-P4 transfected HepG2 cells. The growth of HepG2 cells transfected with pDC316-tkEGFP-CMV and pDC316-tkEGFP-P4 were inhibited remarkably, the growth inhibition rates were 6.95% +/- 0.67%, 24.99% +/- 1.53%, 49.68% +/- 1.68%, 71.85% +/- 3.28% and 4.83% +/- 0.35% vs 17.34% +/- 1.15%, 30.17% +/- 1.30%, 40.39% +/- 0.82% (F = 24.055, P < 0.05), respectively. The growth of HeLa cells transfected with pDC316-tkEGFP-CMV were also inhibited, the growth inhibition rates were 6.36% +/- 0.83%, 23.95% +/- 1.72%, 45.13% +/- 1.64% and 69.38% +/- 3.17%, respectively. The growth of HeLa cells transfected with pDC316-tkEGFP-P4 was not inhibited. The growth inhibition rates were 0.91 +/- 0.04, 1.18 +/- 1.32, 1.19 +/- 0.10 and 1.32 +/- 0.05 (F = 26.469, P < 0.01) , respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The shuttle plasmid vector carrying the tkEGFP fusion protein gene driven by IGF-II P4 promoter has been constructed successfully and its specific expression in HepG2 cells provided the basis for targeted gene therapy for HCC.</p>

Affinity maturation of a single-chain antibody against hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To obtain a single-chain antibody with high affinity against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A second single-chain antibody mutant library was established using an error-prone PCR and a phage display. Single-chain antibodies with high affinity for hepatocellular carcinoma were selected using ELISA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The content of the second single-chain antibody mutant library was about 4.5 x 10(7). Two selected mutants, M90 and M116, were obtained after 3 rounds of panning and ELISA. Immunoassay showed that both M90 and M116 could bind to human HCC cells. The relative affinity of M90 was 1.7-fold higher than that of the original antibody, and M116 was 2-fold higher than that of the original antibody.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Error-prone PCR is an effective and simple method for affinity maturation of antibodies isolated from a phage antibody library.</p>

Relationship between alterations of p16INK4a and p14ARF genes of CDKN2A locus and gastric carcinogenesis / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between alterations of p16INK4a and p14ARF genes and gastric carcinogenesis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Tumors and gastric tissues neighboring carcinoma from 48 patients with gastric cancer were studied. Homozygous deletion, mutation, methylation of the CpG islands, mRNA expression of p16INK4a and p14ARF genes were assessed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), PCR based methylation assay, and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The overall homozygous deletion rate of p16INK4a and p14ARF was 35.4% (17/48), and no homozygous deletion was examined in all the gastric tissues neighboring tumor. (2) There was no point mutation of p16INK4a and p14ARF in 31 gastric cancers without homozygous deletion and in the matched gastric tissues adjacent to tumor. (3) Methylation of the CpG islands of p16INK4a and p14ARF was detected in 47.9% (23/48) of gastric cancers, while methylation was observed only in 2 of 48 gastric tissues neighboring cancers with a significant difference (P <0.01). (4) The rate of p16INK4a mRNA loss was 47.9% (23/48) in gastric cancer, and the cases of combined methylation of exons 1alpha and 2 had a higher loss rate (100%, 6/6) of p16INK4a mRNA than those of methylation form the other exons (11.8%, 2/17) (P <0.01). The loss rate of p14ARF mRNA was 45.8% (22/48) in gastric cancer, and patients with combined methylation of exons 1beta and 2 had a higher loss rate (100%, 3/3) of p14ARF mRNA than those of the methylation from the other exons (15%, 3/20) (P < 0.05). (5) The combined loss of p16INK4a and p14ARF mRNAs was examined in 1 (5.6%) of 18 cases of well and moderately-differentiated carcinomas, and 11 (36.7%) of 30 cases of poorly and not-differentiated carcinomas with significant difference (P <0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>p16INK4a and p14ARF genes were frequently inactivated by homozygous deletion and methylation of the 5' CpG islands in gastric cancer, which might have played an important role in the development of gastric cancer.</p>

An improved method for the isolation of rat hepatic stellate cells / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To present an improved method to obtain pure, viable, freshly isolated hepatic stellate cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Adult male SD rats were used. All procedures were performed with the animals under sodium pentobarbital anesthesia. Three days after the single intravenous administration of 1 ml liposome-encapsulated CL2MDP, which has selective cytotoxicity of Kupffer cells, livers were perfused with D-Hank's solution containing 100 U/ml heparin for 10 to 15 minutes, and then with 0.05% collagenase dissolved in D-Hank's solution for 25 to 30 minutes. The liver was then gently homogenized and further incubated in 0.025% collagenase, and 0.005% DNAase I for 30 minutes at 37 degrees C under constant stirring. This suspension was filtered through stainless steel gauze and centrifuged for 2 minutes at 50 x g to remove parenchymal cells. Sinusoidal cells in the supernatant were recovered by centrifugation for 10 minutes at 300 x g. The cells were resuspended in the presence of 28.7% Nycodenz stock solution. The final concentration of Nycodenz at this stage was 11.5%. Following centrifugation for 17 minutes at 1400 x g, The cells at the top of this Nycodenz solution were collected. Cells were resuspended in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum, The cells were seeded in 50 ml culture flask at a density of 500,000 cells/ml, The cell viability was determined by trypan blue exclusion staining, the purity of hepatic stellate cells was identified by the expression of Desmin using immunocytochemistry method. Endogenous peroxidase staining was used to detect Kupffer cells.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The yield rate of hepatic stellate cells was 3 x 10(7) per rat, the cell viability was more than 95%, the desmin positive cell rate was 90%, no endogenous peroxidase positive cells were detected.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The method for the isolation of hepatic stellate cells was developed without Kupffer cells confusion. The availability of highly purified stellate cells will facilitate the investigation of their functions in primary culture.</p>

Cox regression analysis of predictive factors of hepatorenal syndrome / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the predictive factors and the best prognostic parameter of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>71 patients with cirrhosis who underwent HRS were included for multivariate Cox regression analysis. 35 possible predictive factors that included clinical and biochemical features contributing to the survival of these patients were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Only Child-Pugh's score at the time of diagnosis was the only dependent risk factor of HRS, RR=1.333, 95% CI (1.026, 1.731).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Child-Pugh's score at the time of diagnosis of HRS is the best parameter for predicting the clinical outcome of HRS.</p>