Protective effect of total flavonoids of epimedium on the kidney in experimental diabetic rats / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the influence of total flavonoids of epimedium (TFE) on the streptozocin (STZ)-induced kidney injury in diabetic rats and discuss the possible mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Diabetes was produced by a single injection of streptozocin (40 mg/kg, iv) in male SD rats. The rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 10): control group, model group and TFE group (100 mg/kg, ig). Animals were sacrificed 12 weeks later. The level of blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) as well as the renal index were determined. Detect the specific biochemical of renal tissue: superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA). Use masson staining to observe the morphology of the renal tissue. Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine the protein levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared to control group, the enhancement of blood glucose, renal index, BUN and Cr was found in model group, which was significantly attenuated by treatment with TFE. Meanwhile, elevated MDA level in renal tissue as well as decreased SOD activities in renal tissue were significantly remitted by TFE. Furthermore, TFE decreased the expression of TGF-beta1.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TFE can evidently relieve renal damage in rats with diabetic nephropathy induced by STZ, which might be related to antioxidation and modulating the expression of TGF-beta1 protein.</p>

Quantity and distribution of CD44+/CD24- cells in breast cancer tissue and the cell lines / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the distribution and quantity of CD44+/CD24- cells in breast cancer tissue and the cell lines, and as well as its correlation with the expression of various breast cancer markers and molecular subtyping of breast carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of CD44/CD24, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2, human estrogen-induced protein PS2, bcl-2 and nm23 in 60 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma of breast were studied by either single or double immunohistochemical staining. The co-expression of CD44 and CD24 in 3 breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-468, and MDA-MB-231) was also examined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The quantity and distribution of CD44+/CD24- cells varied greatly and no specific patterns were identified. The percentage of CD44+/CD24- in breast cancer was 65%. The amount of CD44+/CD24- cells did not correlate with the age of patients, lymph node metastasis, tumor size, molecular subtypes and expression of various breast cancer markers in breast carcinoma. The proportion of CD44+/CD24- cells in MCF-7, MDA-MB-468, and MDA-MB-231 cell lines was <1%, 5% and >80%, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>CD44+/CD24- cells are demonstrated in certain breast cancer tissues and cell lines. However, there is no relationship obtained between the quantity or the distribution of these cells and the molecular subtyping or the clinicopathologic parameters in breast cancer.</p>