Polysaccharide of Alocasia cucullata Exerts Antitumor Effect by Regulating Bcl-2, Caspase-3 and ERK1/2 Expressions during Long-Time Administration / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects of the polysaccharide of Alocasia cucullata (PAC) and the underlying mechanism.@*METHODS@#B16F10 and 4T1 cells were cultured with PAC of 40 µg/mL, and PAC was withdrawn after 40 days of administration. The cell viability was detected by cell counting kit-8. The expression of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 proteins were detected by Western blot and the expressions of ERK1/2 mRNA were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). A mouse melanoma model was established to study the effect of PAC during long-time administration. Mice were divided into 3 treatment groups: control group treated with saline water, positive control group (LNT group) treated with lentinan at 100 mg/(kg·d), and PAC group treated with PAC at 120 mg/(kg·d). The pathological changes of tumor tissues were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The apoptosis of tumor tissues was detected by TUNEL staining. Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 protein expressions were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the expressions of ERK1/2, JNK1 and p38 mRNA were detected by qRT-PCR.@*RESULTS@#In vitro, no strong inhibitory effects of PAC were found in various tumor cells after 48 or 72 h of administration. Interestingly however, after 40 days of cultivation under PAC, an inhibitory effect on B16F10 cells was found. Correspondingly, the long-time administration of PAC led to downregulation of Bcl-2 protein (P<0.05), up-regulation of Caspase-3 protein (P<0.05) and ERK1 mRNA (P<0.05) in B16F10 cells. The above results were verified by in vivo experiments. In addition, viability of B16F10 cells under long-time administration culture in vitro decreased after drug withdrawal, and similar results were also observed in 4T1 cells.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Long-time administration of PAC can significantly inhibit viability and promote apoptosis of tumor cells, and had obvious antitumor effect in tumor-bearing mice.

Tripterine promotes pyroptosis of liver cancer cells by regulating ATF4/caspase-3/GSDME signaling pathway / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the new mechanism of triptolide (TRI) inhibiting the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) . Methods Different concentrations (0, 0 . 5, 2, and 8 jjunol • L~) of TRI were administered to act on liver cancer cells, and then the cell phenotypes and possible mechanisms were explored using experimental methods such as CCK-8, cell cloning, Transwell, and protein immunoblotting; siRNA was used to interfere with the target gene GSDME and its role was determined. Finally, the mechanism of TRI inhibiting the growth of HCC cells in vivo was validated using a transplanted tumor model. Results TRI could inhibit the proliferation, cloning, and invasion of HCC cells, and promote cell apoptosis. Immunoblotting results showed that the expression of GSDME was significantly upregulated in HepG2 or He-pal-6 hepatocellular carcinoma after TRI treatment, while the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and PARP also significantly increased. Knocking out GSDME could partially reverse TRI-induced cell apoptosis. At the same time, cells knocked down by GSDME had stronger cloning and migration abilities, and the apoptosis rate was reduced compared to the TRI treatment group alone. In vivo experiments showed that TRI inhibited HCC tumor growth, and the TRI + siGSDME group had a faster tumor growth rate than the TRI treatment group alone did. In addition, after TRI stimulation, p-eIF2a and ATF4 in HepG2 and Hepal-6 cells significantly increased. The immunofluorescence results showed a dose-dependent increase in the number of ATF4 positive cells in HepG2 and Hepal-6 cells after TRI stimulation. Conclusion The inhibitory effect of TRI on the growth and invasion of liver cancer cells may be related to its regulation of the ATF4/caspase-3/GSDME signaling pathway and promotion of liver cancer cell apoptosis.

Salvianolic Acid F Regulates Bax/Caspase-3/GSDME Signaling Pathway to Inhibit Pyroptosis of HK-2 Cells / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of salvianolic acid F （Sal F） in repairing the high glucose-induced injury in human kidney-2 （HK-2） cells via the B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）-associated X protein （Bax）/cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase 3 （Caspase-3）/gasdermin-E （GSDME） pathway. MethodThe cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） was used to measure the relative viability of HK-2 cells exposed to high glucose and different concentrations （2.5， 5， 10， 20 μmol·L-1） of Sal F and the relative viability of HK-2 cells treated with Sal F for different time periods. The levels of lactate dehydrogenase （LDH） and interleukin-1β （IL-1β） in the supernatant of the cell culture were measured by the LDH assay kit and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） kit， respectively. Flow cytometry combined with Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide （PI） and Hoechst 33342/PI staining was employed to reveal the proportion of PI-positive HK-2 cells exposed to high glucose. Western blotting was employed to determine the protein levels of Bax， Bcl-2， cytochrome C， cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase （Caspase）-9， Caspase-3， and GSDME in the HK-2 cells exposed to high glucose and treated with Sal F. The 2，7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate fluorescence probe （DCFH-DA） and mitochondrial membrane potential assay kit （JC-1） were used to determine the production of reactive oxygen species （ROS） and the mitochondrial membrane potential in the HK-2 cells exposed to high glucose and treated with Sal F. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed decreased cell viability （P<0.01）， elevated levels LDH and IL-1β， increased proportion of PI-positive cells （P<0.01）， up-regulated protein levels of Bax， cytochrome C， Caspase-9， Caspase-3， and GSDME （P<0.01）， down-regulated protein level of Bcl-2 （P<0.01）， decreased mitochondrial membrane potential， and excessive ROS accumulation. Compared with the model group， Sal F repaired the high glucose-induced injury in HK-2 cells （P<0.05）， lowered the levels of LDH and IL-1β （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and decreased the proportion of PI-positive cells （P<0.01）. In addition， Sal F down-regulated the protein levels of Bax， cytochrome C， Caspase-9， Caspase-3， and GSDME and up-regulated the protein level of Bcl-2 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， increased the mitochondrial membrane potential， and decreased the accumulation of ROS in HK-2 cells. ConclusionSal F can reduce the production of ROS， restore the balance of mitochondrial membrane potential， and inhibit pyroptosis via the Bax/Caspase-3/GSDME signaling pathway to repair the high glucose-induced injury in HK-2 cells.

Immunoexpression of ALDH1A1, FGFR2, CD44 and Caspase-3 in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Leukoplakia: A pilot study

Current research highlighted the importance to recognize feasible biomarkers for early diagnoses and treatment in oral cancer. Our study analyzed the expression and spatial distribution of ALDH1A1, FGFR2, caspase-3, and CD44 in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) and leukoplakia with and without oral mucosal dysplasia. Paraffin-embedded samples of OSCC (n=5), leukoplakia with (n=5) and without (n=5) dysplasia obtained by incisional biopsies were processed using conventional histochemical techniques. Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies against ALDH1A1, FGFR2, caspase-3, and CD44. Images of the immunohistochemically stained tissue sections were analyzed according to the intensity of the immunostaining of each marker and classified in Scores. The Kruskal- Wallis test was performed (p≤0.05). Our results demonstrated a statically difference in the expression of all immunomarkers between OSCC and leukoplakia without dysplasia, being more significant in FGFR2 and ALDH1A1. Within the limitations of this study, our data showed that all biomarkers were overexpressed in OSCC and leukoplakia with oral mucosa dysplasia, suggesting that the presence of dysplasia is a significant clinic-pathologic predictor for malignant transformation.

La actual evidencia científica enfatiza la importancia de reconocer biomarcadores viables para el diagnóstico y tratamiento temprano del cáncer oral. Nuestro estudio piloto analizó la expresión y distribución espacial de ALDH1A1, FGFR2, caspasa-3 y CD44 en carcinoma oral de células escamosas (COCE) y en leucoplasia con o sin displasia de la mucosa oral. Las muestras incluidas en parafina de COCE (n=5), con (n=5) y sin (n=5) displasia fueron obtenidas mediante biopsias incisionales, las cuales se procesaron utilizando técnicas histoquímicas convencionales. El análisis inmunohistoquímico se realizó utilizando anticuerpos contra ALDH1A1, FGFR2, caspasa-3 y CD44. Las imágenes de las secciones de cada muestra fueron analizadas según la intensidad de inmunoexpresión de cada marcador y se clasificaron en diferentes escalas (scores). Se realizó la prueba de Kruskal-Wallis (valores de p<0,05). Nuestros resultados demostraron una diferencia estadística en la expresión de todos los inmunomarcadores entre COCE y las muestras con leucoplasia sin displasia, siendo más significativa en FGFR2 y ALDH1A1. Considerando las limitaciones de este estudio, los datos sugieren que la presencia de displasia en la mucosa oral es un importante predictor clínico-patológico de transformación maligna.

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential of Artemisia dracunculus L. aqueousextract against acetic acid induced ulcerative colitis in male Wistar rats

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the two types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) which is increasing worldover due to modern life style. Patients with UC are prone to develop colorectal cancer. While the disease severity decides the treatment option, researchers look towards herbal medicines with anti-inflammatory properties for minimal or nil side effects. Artemisia dracunculus L., commonly called Tarragon, is a medicinal herb used in traditional Asian medicine mainly in Iran, India, Pakistan and Azerbaijan due to its special compounds. In this study, we tried to elucidate the effects of aqueous extract of tarragon on acetic acid induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in rats. Male Wistar rats were grouped into four groups of eight each viz., control; experimental control (UC was induced via luminal instillation of 4% acetic acid); and UC induced + aqueous tarragon extract (100 mg/kg) or prednisolone (2 mg/kg) orally for ten consecutive days. Tissue specimens were collected after the experimental period for evaluation of caspase-3 and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression by immunohistochemistry. Real-time PCR was used to monitor the levels of IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-? in colonic homogenates. Moreover, the levels of myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide and total antioxidant capacity were measured in colonic homogenates. The results showed that both treatment regimens could similarly reduce the severity of disease symptoms. Treatment with aqueous extract of tarragon caused a better improvement (P <0.05) in the levels of myeloperoxidase enzyme, and total antioxidant capacity of colonic homogenates compared to prednisolone. Nevertheless, the levels of the expression of caspase-3, and COX-2 and TNF-? were reduced in UC rats received prednisolone more than UC rats received aqueous extract of tarragon. The was no statistical difference in the levels of nitric oxide, IL-1 and IL-6 between UC rats received tarragon extract or prednisolone. Overall, these findings suggest that the aqueous extract of tarragon is a promising strategy to control ulcerative colitis. Aqueous extract can also be used as an anti-inflammatory and immune system stimulant in conditions where the immune system is damaged.

Caspase 3 Expressions in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia During Induction Phase Chemotherapy

@#Introduction: Caspase-3 is a crucial mediator of the extrinsic apoptosis pathway. The role of caspase-3 for extrinsic apoptosis signalling is still a challenge and should be exploited in childhood ALL. This study aimed to compare the caspase-3 expression in the patient’s bone marrow before and after the induction phase of chemotherapy in childhood ALL. It will also to correlate the mean difference in caspase-3 expression between ALL standard-risk and ALL high-risk patients. Methods: Seventeen newly diagnosed ALL subjects were enrolled in this study. Caspase-3 expression in bone marrow was assessed using flow cytometry and monoclonal antibodies. A T-test and a paired T-test were used to compare between groups. The correlation coefficient between ALL groups was evaluated using Spearman’s test and linear regression with a significant p-value of 0.05. Results: The caspase-3 expression is higher after induction therapy. However, it showed an insignificant difference (16.56+12.91% vs 27.71+12.33%; p = 0.08, p > 0.05). The mean difference of caspase-3 in ALL high-risk groups was significantly higher than in ALL standard-risk groups with a positive correlation (p = 0.007, r = 0.756). Conclusion: The caspase-3 expression after induction phase chemotherapy was increased in all standard-risk and high-risk patients; other lymphoblast apoptosis markers need to be confirmed alongside caspase-3.

Role of caspase-3 in aggravation of oxidative stress injury in stored red blood cells by CPB: cell experiment / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the role of caspase-3 in aggravation of the oxidative stress injury in stored red blood cells (sRBCs) by cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).Methods:Eight patients with type O blood undergoing valve replacement with CPB were selected, blood samples 7 ml were collected through the central venous catheter before CPB, blood samples 20 ml were collected at 2 h after CPB, and the plasma before and after CPB was obtained after centrifugation. Eight samples of sRBCs 14 ml of blood type O stored for 7-14 days were collected and each sample was divided into A, B, C and D groups with 3.5 ml in each group. Normal saline 30 μl was added to group A and group B, 10% dimethyl sulfoxide 30 μl was added to group C, and 3.5 mmol/L Z-DEVD-fmk solution 30 μl was added to group D. The sRBCs were pretreated in a 37 ℃ water bath for 2 h in the four groups. Then group A was incubated with plasma before CPB, group B, C and D were incubated with plasma at 2 h of CPB, and four groups were incubated for 48 h in a thermostatic oscillator at 37 ℃ and 80 rpm. At 2, 24 and 48 h of incubation, the activity of caspase-3 and concentration of ATP were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the concentrations of glutathione (GSH) and free hemoglobin (FHb) were measured by colorimetry, and the exposure rate of cell membrane phosphatidylserine (PS) was detected by flow cytometry.Results:With the prolongation of incubation time, the activity of caspase-3, exposure rate of PS at cell membrane and concentration of FHb were gradually increased, and the concentrations of ATP and GSH were gradually decreased in the four groups ( P<0.05). Compared with group A, the activity of caspase-3 was significantly increased at each time point of incubation in group B and group C, the activity of caspase-3 was increased at 24 and 48 h of incubation in group D, and the concentration of ATP was decreased at 24 and 48 h of incubation, and the concentration of GSH was decreased and the concentration of FHb was increased at each time point of incubation in group B, group C and group D ( P<0.05). Compared with group B and group C, the activity of caspase-3 was significantly decreased, the concentrations of ATP and GSH were increased, and the exposure rate of PS at cell membrane and concentration of FHb were decreased at 24 and 48 h of incubation in group D ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the parameters mentioned above between group B and group C ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Caspase-3 is involved in aggravation of oxidative stress injury in sRBCs by CPB.

Experimental study of PET apoptotic probe 18F-1 in monitoring radiotherapy response of triple-negative breast cancer / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

Objective:To explore the application potential of 18F-Asp-Glu-val-Asp (DEVD)-Cys(StBu)-PPG(CBT)-AmBF 3 ( 18F-1; PPG: propargyl-glycine; CBT: 2-cyanobenzothiazole; AmBF 3: ammoniomethyl-trifluoroborate) PET imaging in early monitoring of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) radiotherapy response. Methods:Ten MDA-MB-231 tumor bearing nude mice models were constructed and divided into radiotherapy group ( n=5) and non-radiotherapy group ( n=5) by random sampling method. The radiotherapy group was treated with single irradiation at a dose of 8 Gy. 18F-1 microPET imaging was performed in the radiotherapy and non-radiotherapy groups, and the tumor uptake and muscle uptake in 2 groups at different time points (2.5, 7.5, 12.5, 17.5, 22.5, 27.5, 32.5, 37.5, 42.5, 47.5, 52.5, 57.5 min after injection) were analyzed. The specific uptake of the probe in apoptotic cells was verified by radioautography, HE staining and immunofluorescent staining. Repeated measures analysis of variance and one-way analysis of variance were used to analyze data. Results:18F-1 microPET imaging showed that there was significant difference between tumor uptake and muscle uptake in radiotherapy group ( F=20.27, P=0.011). The uptake of radiotherapy group was the highest at 7.5 min after injection ((4.64±0.35) percentage activity of injection dose per gram of tissue(%ID/g)). There was no significant difference between tumor uptake and muscle uptake in the non-radiotherapy group ( F=1.81, P=0.215). The tumor/muscle (T/M) ratio of radiotherapy group was higher than that of non-radiotherapy group ( F=31.95, P=0.005), with the highest at 47.5 min after injection (2.49±0.46). Radioautography showed that the tumor radioactivity in radiotherapy group was higher than that of muscle in radiotherapy group, and was also higher than tumor and muscle radioactivies in non-radiotherapy group ( F=116.79, P<0.001). HE staining and immunofluorescent staining verified that 18F-1 could specifically detect the activity of caspase-3 activated in tumor cells after radiotherapy. Conclusion:18F-1 can specifically recognize the activated caspase-3 after TNBC radiotherapy, and monitor radiotherapy response at the molecular level by apoptosis PET imaging.

Construction and analysis of a predictive model for chemotherapy response of patients with colorectal cancer based on tissue chip technology / 中华内分泌外科杂志

Objective:To explore the prediction model of tissue chip technology for the chemotherapy response of patients with colorectal cancer.Methods:217 patients with colorectal cancer who had received standardized chemotherapy in the Affiliated People’s Hospital of Ningbo University from Jan. 2017 to Dec. 2019 were prospectively selected. The patients were randomly divided into training set (152 cases) and test set (65 cases) according to the ratio of 7:3, and were followed up for 6 months. The clinical data of the patients in the training set were compared, the expression levels of Ang-2, caspase-3 and CD147 in the patients were analyzed by tissue microarray technology, and the related factors affecting the responsiveness of colorectal cancer chemotherapy were analyzed by the Logistic regression model. R software was used based on the training set. A nomogram prediction model was built and model performance on the test set was evaluated.Results:One case was excluded from the training center, and 151 cases were finally included, including 93 cases in the chemotherapy response group and 58 cases in the chemotherapy response group. The tumor diameter, serum carcinoembryonic antigen, caspase3, Ang2 expression level, and the proportion of clinical stage IV in the poor chemotherapy group were significantly higher than those in the good chemotherapy group (all P<0.05) ; Logistic regression showed tumor diameter ( OR=2.394), serum carcinoembryonic antigen ( OR=1.878), caspase-3 ( OR=4.261), Ang-2 expression level ( OR=5.457), and clinical stage IV ( OR=5.954) were independent risk factors for adverse drug reactions in patients with colorectal cancer (all P<0.05). The consistency index (C-index) for predicting the factors related to adverse chemotherapy reactions in patients with colorectal cancer was 0.915. External verification showed that the sensitivity was 86.96%, the specificity was 92.50%, and the accuracy was 90.48% (42/65) . Conclusion:The expression levels of Ang-2 and caspase-3 are correlated with the responsiveness of colorectal cancer to chemotherapy, and can be used as predictive indicators to evaluate the responsiveness of colorectal cancer to chemotherapy.

A high-throughput Gaussia luciferase reporter assay for screening potential gasdermin E activators against pancreatic cancer

It is discovered that activated caspase-3 tends to induce apoptosis in gasdermin E (GSDME)-deficient cells, but pyroptosis in GSDME-sufficient cells. The high GSDME expression and apoptosis resistance of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells shed light on another attractive strategy for PDAC treatment by promoting pyroptosis. Here we report a hGLuc-hGSDME-PCA system for high-throughput screening of potential GSDME activators against PDAC. This screening system neatly quantifies the oligomerization of GSDME-N to characterize whether pyroptosis occurs under the stimulation of chemotherapy drugs. Based on this system, ponatinib and perifosine are screened out from the FDA-approved anti-cancer drug library containing 106 compounds. Concretely, they exhibit the most potent luminescent activity and cause drastic pyroptosis in PDAC cells. Further, we demonstrate that perifosine suppresses pancreatic cancer by promoting pyroptosis via caspase-3/GSDME pathway both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, this study reveals the great significance of hGLuc-hGSDME-PCA in identifying compounds triggering GSDME-dependent pyroptosis and developing promising therapeutic agents for PDAC.

Effect of Bushen Huoxuetang on Expression of Bax/Bcl-2 and Cleaved Caspase-3 in Nude Mice with Bone Metastasis of Breast Cancer / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo study the effect of Bushen Huoxuetang on the apoptosis and the expression of B-cell lymphoma （Bcl-2）-associated X protein （Bax）/ Bcl-2 and cleaved cysteine-containing aspartate proteolytic enzyme-3 （cleaved Caspase-3） in the nude mouse model of bone metastasis of breast cancer， and explore the mechanism of Bushen Huoxuetang in inhibiting bone destruction. MethodThirty BALB/c female nude mice were randomly assigned into blank group （n=6） and model group （n=24）. The suspension of 4T1 breast cancer cells was injected into the tibia of mouse right lower limb to establish model of bone metastasis of breast cancer. The successfully modeled nude mice were randomly assigned into model group， Bushen Huoxuetang group， zoledronic acid group， and combined drug group， with 6 mice in each group. Bushen Huoxuetang was administrated at a dose of 36.67 g·kg-1， once a day， and zoledronic acid was administrated by subcutaneous injection at a dose of 100 μg·kg-1， twice a week. The combined drug group was administrated with the same doses of Bushen Huoxuetang group by gavage and zoledronic acid by subcutaneous injection. The mice in the blank group and the model group were administrated with the same volume of distilled water by gavage for 14 days. On the next day at the end of drug administration， the mice were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. The general situation and weight changes of the mice were examined. The right lower limb was collected， and X-ray scanning and hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining methods were used for observation of pathological changes in the bone. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling （TUNEL） was employed to detect the apoptosis of bone tissue in nude mice， and Western blot to determine the expression of Bax/Bcl-2 and cleaved Caspase-3 in the bone tissue. ResultCompared with the blank group， the modeling reduced the body weight （P<0.01） and increased the right lower limb weight of the nude mice （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， Bushen Huoxuetang， zoledronic acid， and their combination increased the body weight （P<0.01） and decreased the right lower limb weight （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the other groups showed obvious tumor cell atypia， deep nuclear staining， and clear bone metastasis， and the model group showed obvious osteolytic damage in right lower limb and loss of proximal tibia and knee joint. Compared with the model group， Bushen Huoxuetang， zoledronic acid， and their combination reduced the osteolytic lesions in the right lower limb and recovered part of the bone structure， demonstrating an inhibitory effect on bone destruction. The TUNEL assay showed that the model group had lower apoptosis rate of bone metastatic tumor cells than the blank group， Bushen Huoxuetang group， zoledronic acid group， and combined drug group （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the modeling down-regulated the expression of Bax and cleaved Caspase-3 （P<0.01） and up-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， Bushen Huoxuetang， zoledronic acid， and their combination up-regulated the expression of Bax （P<0.01） and cleaved Caspase-3 （P<0.05， P<0.01） and down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionBushen Huoxuetang may inhibit bone destruction in the nude mouse model of bone metastasis of breast cancer by up-regulating the expression of Bax， down-regulating the expression of Bcl-2， activating cleaved Caspase-3， and further inducing apoptosis.

Antidepressant mechanism of Shenling Kaixin Granules based on BDNF/TrkB/CREB pathway / 中国中药杂志

To investigate the antidepressant mechanism of Shenling Kaixin Granules(SLKX) in treating chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS) model rats. Ninety male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, Shugan Jieyu Capsules(110 mg·kg~(-1)) group and SLKX low-(90 mg·kg~(-1)), medium-(180 mg·kg~(-1)), and high-dose(360 mg·kg~(-1)) groups. Depression rat model was replicated by CUMS method. After treatment, the behavioral changes of rats were evaluated by sugar preference, open field, elevated cross maze and forced swimming experiments. The contents of interleukin 1 beta(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α), brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) and 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) in serum were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and the activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD) and catalase(CAT) in hippocampal CA1 region were also detected. Pathological changes in hippocampal CA1 region were detected by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, and Western blot was used to determine the expression of nerve growth factor(NGF), BDNF, phospho-tyrosine kinase receptor(p-TrkB)/TrkB, phospho-cAMP-response element binding protein(p-CREB)/CREB, nuclear factor E2 related factor 2(Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1(HO-1), B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2)/Bcl-2 associated X protein(Bax) and caspase-3 in hippocampal CA1 region. RESULTS:: showed that compared with the control group, the model group had decreased sugar preference, reduced number of entries and time spent in the center of open field and shortened total distance of movement, reduced number of entries and proportion of time spent in open arm, and increased number and time of immobility in forced swimming experiment. Additionally, the serum contents of IL-1β and TNF-α and the expression of caspase-3 were higher, while the contents of BDNF and 5-HT, the activities of SOD and CAT in hippocampal CA1 region, the expressions of NGF, BDNF, p-TrkB/TrkB, p-CREB/CREB, HO-1 and Bcl-2/Bax, and the Nrf2 nuclear translocation were lower in model group than in control group. Compared with the conditions in model group, the sugar preference, the number of entries and time spent in the center of open, total distance of movement, and the number of entries and proportion of time spent in open arm in treatment groups were increased while the number and time of immobility in forced swimming experiment were decreased; the serum contents of IL-1β and TNF-α and the expression of caspase-3 were down regulated, while the contents of BDNF and 5-HT, the activities of SOD and CAT in hippocampal CA1 region, the expressions of NGF, BDNF, p-TrkB/TrkB, p-CREB/CREB, HO-1, Bcl-2/Bax, and Nrf2 nuclear translocation were enhanced. In conclusion, SLKX might regulate the Nrf2 nucleus translocation by activating BDNF/TrkB/CREB pathway, lower oxidative stress damage in hippocampus, inhibit caspase-3 activity, and reduce apoptosis of hippocampal nerve cells, thereby playing an antidepressant role.

Intervention effect and mechanism of Zhongfeng yure decoction on ischemic stroke model rats / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To study the intervention effect and mechanism of Zhongfeng yure decoction on ischemic stroke model rats. METHODS Totally 85 rats were randomly divided into sham operation group （normal saline， n＝15）， model control group （normal saline， n＝18）， Nimodipine tablet group （positive control， 10.8 mg/kg， n＝18）， high-dose group of Zhongfeng yure decoction （20.52 g/kg， n＝17） and low-dose group of Zhongfeng yure decoction （5.13 g/kg， n＝17）， respectively. After 7 days of preventive continuous administration （once a day）， except for the sham operation group， the rats’ middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO） model was established by the modified suture method in other groups. After modeling， the rats in each group continued to be administered for 3 days. During experiment， general condition of the rats was observed， and the neurological function score was performed. After the last administration， the organ index was calculated， the cerebral infarction area and pathological changes of brain tissue were observed. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin 6 （IL-6） in brain tissue and serum， and the average optical density value of caspase-3 and phosphorylated protein kinase B（p-AKT） protein in brain tissue were detected. RESULTS Three days after modeling， compared with sham operation group， the neurological function score， in brain tissue index， spleen tissue index， proportion of cerebral infarction area， the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in brain tissue and serum， and the average optical density value of caspase-3 protein in brain tissue were significantly increased in the model control group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； karyopyknosis， diffuse edema and other lesions appeared in brain tissue. Compared with the model control group， the above indexes in each administration group were improved to varying degrees. Among them， there were significant regression in brain tissue index， spleen tissue index， proportion of cerebral infarction area， TNF-α level in brain tissue and serum， and the average optical density values of caspase-3 protein and p-AKT protein in brain tissue of rats in high-dose group of Zhongfeng yure decoction （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS Zhongfeng yure decoction has a certain intervention and therapeutic effect on MCAO model rats. The mechanism may be to reduce the secretion of inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-6， down-regulate the expression of caspase-3 protein in ischemic brain tissue， up-regulate the expression of p-AKT protein， so as to protect the neurons.

Alleviating experimental pulmonary hypertension via co-delivering FoxO1 stimulus and apoptosis activator to hyperproliferating pulmonary arteries

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an insidious pulmonary vasculopathy with high mortality and morbidity and its underlying pathogenesis is still poorly delineated. The hyperproliferation and apoptosis resistance of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) contributes to pulmonary vascular remodeling in pulmonary hypertension, which is closely linked to the downregulation of fork-head box transcriptional factor O1 (FoxO1) and apoptotic protein caspase 3 (Cas-3). Here, PA-targeted co-delivery of a FoxO1 stimulus (paclitaxel, PTX) and Cas-3 was exploited to alleviate monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension. The co-delivery system is prepared by loading the active protein on paclitaxel-crystal nanoparticles, followed by a glucuronic acid coating to target the glucose transporter-1 on the PASMCs. The co-loaded system (170 nm) circulates in the blood over time, accumulates in the lung, effectively targets the PAs, and profoundly regresses the remodeling of pulmonary arteries and improves hemodynamics, leading to a decrease in pulmonary arterial pressure and Fulton's index. Our mechanistic studies suggest that the targeted co-delivery system alleviates experimental pulmonary hypertension primarily via the regression of PASMC proliferation by inhibiting cell cycle progression and promoting apoptosis. Taken together, this targeted co-delivery approach offers a promising avenue to target PAs and cure the intractable vasculopathy in pulmonary hypertension.

Biochemical and immunohistochemical examination of the effects of ephedrine in rat ovary tissue

Purpose: It was aimed to investigate the biochemical and immunohistochemical effects of ephedrine (EPH) in bilateral ovariectomized rats. Methods: Twenty-four Sprague Dawley female rats were divided into three groups: control group: The abdomen was opened and closed without any treatment; ischemia-reperfusion (IR) group: 2 h of ischemia followed by 2 h of reperfusion were allowed to cause IR injury; IR+EPH group: oral EPH solution (5 mg/kg) was administered for 28 days. Results: Biochemical parameters were statistically significant in group comparisons. Increased interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression, degenerative preantral and antral follicle cells and inflammatory cells around blood vessels were seen in IR group. Negative IL-6 expression was observed in seminal epithelial cells, preantral and antral follicle cells in IR+EPH group. While caspase-3 activity increased in granulosa cells and stromal cells in IR group, caspase-3 expression was negative in preantral and antral follicle cells in the germinal epithelium and cortex in IR+EPH group. Conclusion: The effect of apoptosis, which occurs with the signaling that starts in the cell nucleus, caused the cessation of the stimulating effect at the nuclear level after EPH administration, and a decrease in the antioxidative effect in IR damage and inflammation in the apoptotic process.

Effect of SMAC Gene on Sensitivity of Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells to Paclitaxel and Cell Viability Based on caspase-3/Bcl-2/Bax Signaling Pathway / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To investigate the effect of the SMAC gene on paclitaxel sensitivity and cellular activity in lung adenocarcinoma cells based on the caspase-3/Bcl-2/Bax signaling pathway. Methods A paclitaxel-resistant cell line A549/Taxol was established for lung adenocarcinoma, and the cells were divided into four following groups: pcDNA-NC (transfected with pcDNA-NC blank vector), pcDNA-SMAC (transfected with pcDNA-SMAC vector), siRNA-NC (transfected with siRNA-NC empty virus vector), and siRNA-SMAC groups (transfected with siRNA-SMAC lentiviral vector). The SMAC mRNA expression in cells was detected by qRT-PCR; cell sensitivity was detected by MTT; cell proliferation ability was detected by cloning assay; cell invasion ability was detected by Transwell; apoptosis ability was detected by flow cytometry assay; and caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression in cells were detected by Western blot analysis. Results The SMAC mRNA expression was significantly lower in A549 cells compared with BEAS-2B cells (P < 0.05). The SMAC mRNA expression was significantly higher in the pcDNA-SMAC group than that in the pcDNA-NC group cells (P < 0.05). The SMAC mRNA expression was significantly lower in the cells of the siRNA-SMAC group (P < 0.05) than that in the siRNA-NC group. The SMAC mRNA expression was significantly lower in the cells of the siRNA-SMAC group (P < 0.05) than in the siRNA-NC group. Compared with the pcDNA-NC group, the cell IC50, cell clone number, cell invasion ability, and Bcl-2 protein and Bcl-2/Bax ratio were significantly lower in the pcDNA-SMAC group, the cell resistance index reversal was 2.51-fold, and the apoptosis ability and caspase-3, as well as Bax protein expression, were significantly higher (P < 0.05). Compared with the siRNA-NC group, cell IC50, cell clone number, cell invasion ability, and Bcl-2 protein and Bcl-2/Bax ratio were significantly higher in the siRNA-SMAC group, and apoptosis ability and caspase-3 and Bax protein expression were significantly lower (P < 0.05). Conclusion High expression of SMAC increases paclitaxel sensitivity, inhibits cell growth and invasion, promotes apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma cells, and has a regulatory effect on the caspase-3/Bcl-2/Bax signaling pathway.

Maresin1 inhibits the NF-κB/caspase-3/GSDME signaling pathway to alleviate hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective: To investigate the role of Maresin1 (MaR1) in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI). Methods: The HIRI model was established and randomly divided into a sham operation group (Sham group), an ischemia-reperfusion group (IR group), and a MaR1 ischemia-reperfusion group (MaR1+IR group). MaR1 80ng was intravenously injected into each mouse's tail veins 0.5h before anesthesia. The left and middle hepatic lobe arteries and portal veins were opened and clamped. The blood supply was restored after 1h of ischemia. After 6h of reperfusion, the mice were sacrificed to collect blood and liver tissue samples. The Sham's group abdominal wall was only opened and closed. RAW267.4 macrophages were administered with MaR1 50ng/ml 0.5h before hypoxia, followed by hypoxia for 8h and reoxygenation for 2h, and were divided into the control group, the hypoxia-reoxygenation group (HR group), the MaR1 hypoxia-reoxygenation group (MaR1 + HR group), the Z-DEVD-FMK hypoxia-reoxygenation group (HR+Z group), the MaR1 + Z-DEVD-FMK hypoxia-reoxygenation group (MaR1 + HR + Z group), and the Con group without any treatment. Cells and the supernatant above them were collected. One-way analysis of variance was used for inter-group comparisons, and the LSD-t test was used for pairwise comparisons. Results: Compared with the Sham group, the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-18 in the IR group were significantly higher (P < 0.05), with remarkable pathological changes, while the level in the MaR1 + IR group was lower than before (P < 0.05), and the pathological changes were alleviated. Compared with the Con group, the HR group had higher levels of IL-1β and IL-18 (P < 0.05), while the MaR1 + HR group had lower levels of IL-1β and IL-18 (P < 0.05). Western blot showed that the expressions of caspase-3, GSDME, and GSDME-N were significantly higher in the HR group and IR group than in the other groups; however, the expression was lower following MaR1 pretreatment. The Z-DEVD-FMK exploration mechanism was inhibited by the expression of caspase-3 in HIRI when using MaR1. Compared with the HR group, the IL-1β and IL-18 levels and the expressions of caspase-3, GSDME, and GSDME-N in the HR + Z group were decreased (P < 0.05), while the expression of nuclear factor κB was increased, but following MaR1 pretreatment, nuclear factor κB was decreased. There was no significant difference in the results between the MaR1 + H/R group and the MaR1 + H/R + Z group (P > 0.05). Conclusion: MaR1 alleviates HIRI by inhibiting NF-κB activation and caspase-3/GSDME-mediated inflammatory responses.

Inhibitory effect and molecular mechanism of sinomenine on human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 and SK-HEP-1 cells / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to investigate the effect and molecular mechanism of sinomenine on proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and combination with inhibitors in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells and SK-HEP-1 cells. The effect of sinomenine on the growth ability of HepG2 and SK-HEP-1 cells were investigated by CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, and BeyoClick~(TM) EdU-488 staining. The effect of sinomenine on DNA damage was detected by immunofluorescence assay, and the effect of sinomenine on apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells was clarified by Hoechst 33258 staining and CellEvent~(TM) Cystein-3/7Green ReadyProbes~(TM) reagent assay. Cell invasion assay and 3D tumor cell spheroid invasion assay were performed to investigate the effect of sinomenine on the invasion ability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. The effect of sinomenine on the regulation of protein expression related to the protein kinase B(Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3) signaling pathway in HepG2 and SK-HEP-1 cells was examined by Western blot. Molecular docking was used to evaluate the strength of affinity of sinomenine to the target cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3(caspase-3) and STAT3, and combined with CCK-8 assay to detect the changes in cell viability after combination with STAT3 inhibitor JSI-124 in combination with CCK-8 assay. The results showed that sinomenine could significantly reduce the cell viability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in a concentration-and time-dependent manner, significantly inhibit the clonogenic ability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and weaken the invasive ability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. In addition, sinomenine could up-regulate the cleaved level of poly ADP-ribose polymerase(PARP), a marker of apoptosis, and down-regulate the protein levels of p-Akt, p-mTOR, and p-STAT3 in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Molecular docking results showed that sinomenine had good affinity with the targets caspase-3 and STAT3, and the sensitivity of sinomenine to hepatocellular carcinoma cells was diminished after STAT3 was inhibited. Therefore, sinomenine can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and induce apoptosis, and the mechanism may be attributed to the activation of caspase-3 signaling and inhibition of the Akt/mTOR/STAT3 pathway. This study can provide a new reference for the in-depth research and clinical application of sinomenine and is of great significance to further promote the scientific development and utilization of sinomenine.

Effect of overexpressed zinc finger protein 580 on apoptosis of oxygen-glucose deprivation SH-SY5Y cells and its possible mechanism / 中华围产医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the expression of zinc finger protein 580 (ZNF580) in oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) model of SH-SY5Y cell line and its overexpression on the apoptosis of hypoxic-ischemic neurons and the possible mechanism.Methods:The study was divided into two parts: (1) Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line was cultured and divided into the model group and control group. The model group was incubated at 37 ℃ for 6 h in a three-gas incubator of 95% N 2, 5% CO 2, and 0.1% O 2 to establish OGD model, and proteins were extracted at 6, 12, and 24 h after OGD. The expression of ZNF580 was quantified by Western blot. (2) Effects of ZNF580 overexpressed with lentivirus transfection on the apoptosis and cleaved caspase-3 expression: Cells were collected from the control group and model group 24 h after OGD. Overexpressed ZNF580 cells were constructed by lentivirus transfection as the overexpression group and then treated with OGD. Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis rate in the three groups and Western blot was used to detect the expression of cleaved caspase-3. Two independent sample t-test, one-way variance analysis, and LSD- t for pairwise comparison were used for statistical analysis. Results:(1) ZNF580 expression was significantly increased at 6, 12, and 24 h after OGD compared with the control group (1.36±0.05, 2.12±0.07, 1.69±0.05 vs 1.00, LSD- t=9.20, 28.26, and 19.21, all P<0.001). (2) Apoptosis rates of the control, model, and overexpression groups were (1.07±0.56)%, (21.51±1.65)%, and (3.42±0.93)%, respectively, and relative expression levels of cleaved caspase-3 were 1.00, 2.47±0.59, and 1.70±0.25, respectively. Compared with the control group, apoptosis rate and cleaved caspase-3 relative expression level were significantly increased in the model group (LSD- t=21.98 and 8.17, both P=0.001), while the two figures were significantly decreased in the overexpression group when compared with the model group (LSD- t=19.45, P=0.001; LSD- t=4.28, P=0.005). Conclusion:Hypoxia and ischemia could lead to the overexpression of ZNF580, which may reduce the apoptosis of hypoxic-ischemic neurons by inhibiting the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and affecting its enzymatic activation.

Effects of ginkgolide B on Caspase-3/PTEN/Akt pathway and cell proliferation and apoptosis in hypoxia/reoxygenation cardiomyocytes / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To investigate the effect of ginkgolide B (GB) on cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3 (Caspase-3)/chromosome 10 deletion phosphatase-tension protein homologue (PTEN)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway and cell proliferation and apoptosis in hypoxia/reoxygenation cardiomyocytes. Methods     H9C2 cells were cultured in vitro. A control group was cultured in serum-free DMEM high glucose medium at 37°C and 5% CO2 for 28 hours. The remaining groups were prepared with hypoxia/reoxygenation models. A GB low-dose group and a GB high-dose group were treated with GB pretreatment with final concentration of 50 μmol/L and 200 μmol/L respectively at 1 h before hypoxia/reoxygenation. A carvedilol group was treated with carvedilol of a final concentration of 10 μmol/L at 1 h before hypoxia/reoxygenation. The proliferation and apoptosis of H9C2 cells were detected, and the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), PTEN, Akt, phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) and Caspase-3 in H9C2 cells were also detected. Results     Compared with the control group, the proliferation rate of H9C2 cell, and the levels of PTEN, Akt and p-Akt in other groups decreased, and the apoptosis rate, and the levels of LDH, MDA, ROS and Caspase-3 increased (P<0.05). Compared with the hypoxia/reoxygenation group, the proliferation rate of H9C2 cell, and the levels of PTEN, Akt and p-Akt in all GB dose groups and the carvedilol group increased; the apoptosis rate, and the levels of LDH, MDA, ROS and Caspase-3 decreased, and the effect of GB was in a dose dependent manner; however, the effect of GB was not as strong as carvedilol (P<0.05). Conclusion     GB can inhibit H9C2 cell apoptosis and promote H9C2 cell proliferation by activating Caspase-3/PTEN/Akt pathway.