ABSTRACT
Objective@#To investigate the anti-prostate cancer (PCa) effect of roemerine in vitro and in vivo in the mouse model of PCa.@*METHODS@#We detected the effects of roemerine on the proliferation, apoptosis and migration of PCa cells DU145, LNCaP, PC-3 and 22RV1, screened out the sensitive cell line and constructed a tumor-bearing model in mice for verification of the antitumor efficacy of roemerine in vivo.@*RESULTS@#Roemerine inhibited the proliferation and migration of the DU145, LNCaP, PC-3 and 22RV1 cells and induced their apoptosis in different degrees, particularly those of the LNCaP cells. The average tumor weight was less in the roemerine intervention group (［1.99±0.95］ g) than in the control (［2.95±1.04］ g), the least in the high-dose roemerine (30 mg/kg) plus paclitaxel intervention group (［0.90±0.16］ g). The mean heart, liver, and kidney indexes were markedly lower in the roemerine (0.58±0.06, 6.20±0.42 and 1.49±0.33) than in the paclitaxel group (0.66±0.04, 6.99±0.72 and 1.95±0.34), while the mean spleen and thymus indexes were remarkably higher in the former (0.54±0.11 and 0.06±0.01) than in the latter (0.41±0.09 and 0.05±0.01). Pathological staining showed a lower degree of malignancy and metastasis in both the roemerine and the roemerine + paclitaxel intervention group than in the control, as well as a lower degree of visceral injury in the roemerine and roemerine + paclitaxel groups than in the paclitaxel group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Roemerine has some anti-PCa effect and alleviates adverse reactions in paclitaxel combination administration.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Mice , Alkaloids , Therapeutic Uses , Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic , Therapeutic Uses , Apoptosis , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Movement , Cell Proliferation , Disease Models, Animal , Drug Therapy, Combination , Methods , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Therapeutic Uses , Mice, Nude , Paclitaxel , Therapeutic Uses , Prostatic Neoplasms , Drug TherapyABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the correlation of homocysteine (Hcy) in plasma with nitric oxide synthetase (NOS) and endogenous carbon monoxide (CO) in the penile corpus cavernosum of type 2 diabetic rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study included 40 male Wistar rats, 10 as controls (Group A) and the other 30 as diabetes mellitus (DM) models. Four weeks after the model establishment, the model rats were divided into a DM group (Group B, n = 10), an insulin treated group (Group C, n = 10), and a folic acid and vitamin B12 treated group (Group D, n = 10). All the rats were injected with apomorphine and observed for penile erection at 8 and 12 weeks, and the levels of total plasma Hcy (tHcy), NOS and CO in the penile corpus cavernosum were measured at 12 weeks.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with Group A, the level of tHcy was significantly increased, while NOS and CO activities in the penile cavernous tis-sue and erectile function remarkably decreased in Group B (P < 0.01). The incidence rate of high Hcy was 55% in the DM rats. In comparison, the level of tHcy was obviously decreased, and the NOS activity and erectile function markedly increased in Groups C and D (P < 0.01). The Hcy level showed a significant negative correlation with NOS activity (rA = -0.89, rB = -0.76, rc = -0.91, rD = -0.91) and CO content (TA = -0.82, r, = -0.77, rc = -0.93, rD = -0.81).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>High plasma Hcy can decrease NOS and CO activities in the penile corpus cavernosum, and consequently induce erectile dysfunction in DM rats, while insulin, folic acid and vitamin B12 can improve their penile erectile function by increasing NOS and CO activities.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Carbon Monoxide , Metabolism , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental , Blood , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Blood , Folic Acid , Pharmacology , Homocysteine , Blood , Insulin , Pharmacology , Nitric Oxide Synthase , Metabolism , Penis , Metabolism , Rats, Wistar , Vitamin B 12 , PharmacologyABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the relationship of aging with the changes of endogenous carbon monoxide (CO), cGMP and cAMP contents in the penile tissues of rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-four male rats were equally divided into an 8-month, a 16-month and a 24-month group, and their penile erection was detected by injecting apomorphine, their penile cavernous body harvested, and the contents of CO, cAPM and cGMP detected by improved dual wavelength spectrophotometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The contents of CO, cAPM and cGMP were reduced with the increase of age, with statistically significant differences between the three age groups (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Aging significantly decreased the contents of CO, cAMP and cGMP in the penile tissues of the rats, which suggests that aging might play an important role in erectile dysfunction.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Aging , Physiology , Carbon Monoxide , Metabolism , Cyclic AMP , Metabolism , Cyclic GMP , Metabolism , Penis , Metabolism , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of CO release inhibitor zinc protoporphyria IX (ZnPP IX) and NO release inhibitor L-NAME on the content of cGMP in the penile tissue of rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal control, a ZnPP IX, and an L-NAME group, given saline (1 ml/kg/d), ZnPP IX (45 micromol/kg/d) and L-NAME (50 mg/kg/d), respectively, for 7 days. Then all the rats were killed, homogenate made from their penile tissues and detected for the contents of NOS, NO, CO and cGMP.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The contents of CO, NOS, NO and cGMP were all reduced in both the ZnPP IX and L-NAME groups as compared with the control group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ZnPP IX and L-NAME can reduce the concentrations of CO and NO in the penile tissues of rats, and consequently the content of cGMP.</p>