Effect of Jiedu Huayu Granules on Inflammatory State of Patients with Chronic Hepatic Failure with Toxic Heat and Stasis Syndrome / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo evaluate the curative effect of Jiedu Huayu granules （JDHY） in the treatment of chronic liver failure （CLF） with the syndrome of toxic heat and stasis and investigate the influence on the inflammatory state. MethodA total of 136 patients were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group with 68 cases in each group. In addition to the comprehensive western medicine treatment， patients in the control group received Yinchen Haotang granules orally at 1 dose/day and those in the observation group received JDHY at 10 g/time，3 times/day. The treatment lasted for eight weeks. The endotoxin （ET），diamine oxidase （DAO），aromatic amino acids （AAA），branched chain amino acids （BCAA），blood ammonia，calcitonin （PCT），tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α），interleukin （IL）-1，IL-6，IL-17，regulatory T cells （Treg cells），helper T cells 17 （Th17），Th17/Treg ratio，total bilirubin （TBil），albumin （Alb），alanine aminotransferase （ALT），aspartate aminotransferase （AST），prothrombin activity （PTA）， and D-dimer （D-D） levels before and after treatment were detected. The Child-Pugh grading scores of liver function， toxic heat and stasis syndrome scores， and the model scores of end-stage liver disease（MELD） before and after treatment were recorded. The fatality rate and survival were recorded at the follow-up for 48 weeks. ResultCompared with the control group after treatment， the observation group showed decreased ET，DAO， and blood ammonia， increased BCAA/AAA ratio （P<0.01）， reduced PCT，TNF-α，IL-1，IL-6， and IL-17 （P<0.01）， elevated Treg cells， dwindled Th17 and Th17/Treg ratio （P<0.01）， diminished TBil，ALT，AST， and D-D levels， and up-regulated Alb and PTA（P<0.01）. The Child-Pugh grading score，MELD score， and toxic-heat and stasis syndrome score of the observation group were lower than those of the control group （P<0.01）. The total response rate in the observation group was 93.65% （59/63），which was higher than 79.03% （49/62） in the control group （χ2=5.683，P<0.05）. The fatality rate of the observation group eight weeks after treatment was 6.35% （4/63），which was lower than 19.35% （12/62） of the control group （χ2=4.757，P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in mortality between the two groups 16，24， and 48 weeks after treatment. As revealed by the Log-rank test，the difference in survival curves between the two groups was not statistically significant. ConclusionJDHY can remove toxins from the body，regulate immune function，relieve inflammation，improve liver function， and reduce the severity of the disease in CLF patients with the syndrome of toxic heat and stasis. It is significant in clinical efficacy and worthy of clinical application.

Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Its Compound on Liver Fibrosis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Hepatic fibrosis refers to the pathological process of abnormal proliferation of intrahepatic connective tissue caused by various pathogenic factors, resulting in the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the liver and the formation of fibrous scar. Its continuous deterioration will gradually develop into liver cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer and other serious liver diseases. Because liver fibrosis and early liver cirrhosis can be reversed, it is very important to control the reversible process of liver fibrosis for the prevention and treatment of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. In recent years, it has been found that traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has the characteristics of multi-target, less toxic and side effects and good effect in the treatment of liver fibrosis. In this paper, the mechanism of anti-hepatic fibrosis of TCM and its compound was summarized. TCM can regulate transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and other growth factors to inhibit the activation of (HSCs) and induce the apoptosis of activated HSCs, promote the expression of adiponectin and inhibit the secretion of leptin, inhibit the inflammatory reaction of liver, resist oxidant stress, inhibit the capillarization of hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells, so as to effectively prevent the progress of liver fibrosis. Therefore, TCM can inhibit the development of liver fibrosis through multi-mechanism and multi-level, and is one of the important means to treat liver fibrosis.

Silencing of Adrm1 by RNA interference suppresses proliferation of colorectal cancer cells / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of the novel proteasome subunit Adrm1 knockdown by RNA interference on proliferation of colorectal cancer cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The shRNA eukaryotic expression vector against Adrm1 was constructed and transfected into colon cancer RKO cells. The Adrm1-shRNA stable transfected clones were selected. Experimental cells were divided into 3 groups: the experimental group containing stable Adrm1-shRNA transfected cells, the control group containing only RKO colon cancer cells and stable empty vector transfected control group. The Adrm1 protein expression level was analyzed by Western blot. The colony-forming ability of the three groups was assessed by soft agar assay. The cell proliferation and apoptosis were analyzed by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method and in situ end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Cell cycle changes were assayed by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Adrm1-shRNA effectively suppressed Adrm1 expression in the experimental group. Silencing of Adrm1 in RKO cells significantly inhibited their anchorage-independent growth, only occasional individual colonies were formed. The apoptosis rate of experimental group was (12.4 +/- 1.1)%, significantly higher than that of the stable empty vector transfected control group. The proportion of G(0)/G(1) and S/G(2) phase cells in the experimental group was (41.2 +/- 1.1)% and (58.8 +/- 1.1)%, respectively. The cells were arrested at G(1) phase. In addition, Adrm1 RNA interference combined with 5-Fu treatment significantly suppressed colorectal cancer cell growth in vitro.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Silencing of Adrm1 by RNA interference can significantly suppress proliferation of RKO cells through inducing apoptosis and arresting the cell cycle. The combined application of Adrm1 RNA interference and chemotherapy may become as a novel therapeutic strategy for Adrm1 overexpressed colorectal cancer.</p>

High expression of proteasome subunit PSMA7 in colorectal cancer is significantly correlated with liver metastasis / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the correlation between the proteasome subunit PSMA7 expression in colorectal cancer and its role in liver metastasis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>To identify the PSMA7 protein expression in 62 primary site colorectal cancers, 34 lymph node metastatic sites and 13 liver metastatic sites by immunohistochemistry and clarify the correlation of its expression with the clinicopathological parameters.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>High expression of PSMA7 was detected in 38.7% (24/62) of primary site colorectal cancer, 52.9% (18/34) of lymph node metastatic sites and 100% (13/13) liver metastatic sites but not in the normal colorectal tissue. High expression of PSMA7 was significantly correlated with liver metastasis (P = 0.028). The survival rate was significantly lower in patients with high expression of PSMA7 than in those with low expression of PSMA7 (P = 0.0008). As well, in multivariate analysis, PSMA7 expression demonstrated to be an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.004, relative risk 5.057; 95% confidence interval, 1.682-15.201).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PSMA7 may play an important role in the colorectal cancer progression. Evaluation of PSMA7 expression in primary colorectal cancer at the time of surgery might be a valuable test in defining patients with a high risk of developing liver metastasis.</p>