ABSTRACT
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is considered an important complementary therapy with beneficial effects for cancer patients. Elderly patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are a complex patient group with increasing co-morbidity and shrinking physiological reserve, and may derive substantial benefit from the supportive aspects of TCM. Researchers from Shanghai Longhua Hospital found that qi and yin deficiency is a common syndrome in patients with stage III or IV lung cancer. This project was designed to study the combination of single-agent chemotherapy with TCM methods of benefiting qi and yin in elderly patients with advanced NSCLC.
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AIM: To observe the effects of sera containing Kang xian ling (a traditional Chinese medicine) on c-Met and its downstream MAPK signal molecules in HK-2 cells treated with transforming growth factor-β_1(TGF-β_1), so as to further explore the effective mechanism of anti-renal fibrosis of the traditional Chinese medicine. METHODS: Rat sera containing herbs were collected after rats were intragastrically administered with the herbs. HK-2 cells activated by TGF-β_1 were incubated with different heat-inactivated sera. The proliferation and expression of MAPK and the phosphorylation of MAPK in HK-2 cells were detected by Alarm blue and immunoblotting. RESULTS: No significant difference of cell proliferation between any two groups was observed. C-Met and the phosphorylation of its downstream molecules were also observed after incubated with different sera. CONCLUSION: The receptor c-Met of hepatocyte growth factor, and the phosphorylation of its downstream MAPK molecules can be regulated by the sera containing Kang xian ling.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of erlong zuoci (ELZC) pills and its disassembled prescriptions (Shudi-huang-Zexie group and Zexie group) on the enzymatic activity and protein expression changes of the key apoptosis molecules in the gentamycin injured hair cells.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The model of gentamycin induced ototoxicity in mice cochlear primary cultures was copied. Cochlear organotypic cultures of postnatal day 3-5 (P3-P5) mice were treated with gentamycin alone or in combination with ELZC pills, Shudihuang-Zexie group or Zexie group respectively. The enzymatic activity of Caspase-9 and Caspase-3 was determined by means of fluorescence staining in situ. The protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in the hair cell area was examined by immunofluorescence in normal and treated specimens.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Average optical density analysis indicated that, compared to the normal group, 0.03 mmol x L(-1) gentamycin could significantly activate Caspase-9 and Caspase-3, downregulate the ratio of Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression. Compared to the gentamycin model group, ELZC pills significantly inhibited the enzymatic activity of Caspase-9 and upregulated the ratio of Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression, showing inhibition trend toward the enzymatic activity of Caspase-3. Both Shudihuang-Zexie group and Zexie group could effectively inhibit the enzymatic activity of Caspase-9 and Caspase-3, upregulate the ratio of Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ELZC pills, Shudihuang-Zexie group and Zexie group can effectively protect hair cells from gentamycin by correcting the abnormal changes of the mitochondrion-dependent signal transduction pathway.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Male , Mice , Apoptosis , Caspase 3 , Genetics , Metabolism , Caspase 9 , Genetics , Metabolism , Cells, Cultured , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Pharmacology , Gene Expression , Gentamicins , Hair Cells, Auditory , Cell Biology , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 , Genetics , MetabolismABSTRACT
Blood Replenishing Angelica Decoction [Danggui Buxue Tang (DGBXT)]is a wellknown TCM prescription composed of Radix Angelicae Sinensis and Radix Astragali with the actions ofinvigorating "Qi" and enriching blood. Its action to curtail endothelial permeability induced by histaminewas studied. Endothelial cells isolated from the aorta of neonatal calf were cultured on polycarbonate mi-croporus filter membrane to develop a confluent endothelial monolayer. After purfused with either plainHank's balanced salt solution or that containing 5 g/L albumin, the monolayer was treated with 10-4 mol/L histamine for 30 min either with or without preincubation for 60 min with 10-4 g/mL of DGBXT. Fluidfiltration coefficient (Kf), filtration volume (Jv) and osmotic reflective coefficient (σ) of protein were thenmeasured. The findings showed that DGBXT could curtail the lowering of Kf and Jv and elevation of σ in-duced by histamine, indicating that DGBXT could inhibit the action of histamine on endothelial permeabili-ty, but its mechanism of action needs further study.
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AIM: To study the effect of Kang Xianling decoction,comprised of dahuang,danshen,taoren,niuxi and danggui,on TGF-?1-Smad pathway in unilateral ureteral obstruction rat model.METHODS: Eighteen male SD rats were divided into 3 groups,sham group,model group and model group treated with Kang Xianling decoction randomly.Renal interstitial fibrosis model was established in rats by unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO).After treatment for additional 14 d,parameters of hydroxyproline in obstructed kidney from 3 groups were analyzed.Rats were sacrificed and the pathological statuses of their kidneys were checked by HE staining and electron microscopy.Transforming growth factor-?1(TGF-?1) mRNA in kidney tissue was determined by RT-PCR.TGF-?1 receptor Ⅰ(T?RⅠ),TGF-?1 receptorⅡ(T?RⅡ),phosphorylated Smad2 and Smad2 protein were determined by Western blotting.RESULTS: Parameters of hydroxyproline in animals of model group were significantly increased than those in sham operation group(P