A3 receptor agonist modulates IL-1ß hippocampus levels in a rat model of neuropathic pain

Introduction: Considering the lack of specific treatments for neuropathic pain, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of a single dose of adenosine A3 receptor IB-MECA on inflammatory and neurotrophic parameters in rats subjected to a neuropathic pain model. Methods: 64 adult male Wistar rats were used. Neuropathic pain was induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve and the treatment consisted of a 0.5 µmol/kg dose of IB-MECA, a selective A3 adenosine receptor agonist, dissolved in 3% DMSO; vehicle groups received DMSO 3% in saline solution, and morphine groups received 5 mg/kg. Cerebral cortex and hippocampus IL-1ß, BDNF, and NGF levels were determined by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent assay. Results: The main outcome was that a single dose of IB-MECA was able to modulate the IL-1ß hippocampal levels in neuropathic pain induced by CCI and the DMSO increased IL-1ß and NGF hippocampal levels in sham-operated rats. However, we did not observe this effect when the DMSO was used as vehicle for IB-MECA, indicating that IB-MECA was able to prevent the effect of DMSO. Conclusions: Considering that the IL-1ß role in neuropathic pain and the contributions of the hippocampus are well explored, our result corroborates the relationship between the A3 receptor and the process of chronic pain maintenance.

Abrogation of HnRNP L enhances anti-PD-1 therapy efficacy via diminishing PD-L1 and promoting CD8+ T cell-mediated ferroptosis in castration-resistant prostate cancer

Owing to incurable castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) ultimately developing after treating with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), it is vital to devise new therapeutic strategies to treat CRPC. Treatments that target programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) have been approved for human cancers with clinical benefit. However, many patients, especially prostate cancer, fail to respond to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment, so it is an urgent need to seek a support strategy for improving the traditional PD-1/PD-L1 targeting immunotherapy. In the present study, analyzing the data from our prostate cancer tissue microarray, we found that PD-L1 expression was positively correlated with the expression of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L (HnRNP L). Hence, we further investigated the potential role of HnRNP L on the PD-L1 expression, the sensitivity of cancer cells to T-cell killing and the synergistic effect with anti-PD-1 therapy in CRPC. Indeed, HnRNP L knockdown effectively decreased PD-L1 expression and recovered the sensitivity of cancer cells to T-cell killing in vitro and in vivo, on the contrary, HnRNP L overexpression led to the opposite effect in CRPC cells. In addition, consistent with the previous study, we revealed that ferroptosis played a critical role in T-cell-induced cancer cell death, and HnRNP L promoted the cancer immune escape partly through targeting YY1/PD-L1 axis and inhibiting ferroptosis in CRPC cells. Furthermore, HnRNP L knockdown enhanced antitumor immunity by recruiting infiltrating CD8+ T cells and synergized with anti-PD-1 therapy in CRPC tumors. This study provided biological evidence that HnRNP L knockdown might be a novel therapeutic agent in PD-L1/PD-1 blockade strategy that enhanced anti-tumor immune response in CRPC.

Collagen cross-linking agents + dimethyl sulfoxide improving the adhesive properties of erosive lesion dentin

Abstract To investigate the effect of the dimethyl sulfoxide combined with cross-linking agents on microtensile bond strength, silver nitrate penetration and in situ degree of conversion analysis of adhesives to the erosive dentin treatment with Cola-based soft drink. One hundred and sixty-six molars were assigned to 20 groups: (1) Treatment: Sound dentin; Erosive dentin; Erosive dentin treated with primer of dimethyl sulfoxide; Erosive dentin treated with DMSO primer containing proanthocyanidin and rivoflavin; (2) Adhesive systems: iBond Universal and Scotchbond Universal; and (3) adhesive strategy: etch-and-rinse or self-etch strategy. After restoration, specimens were sectioned into sticks to be tested. The data from microtensile bond strength (MPa), silver nitrate penetration (%) and in situ degree of conversion (%) were analyzed by (three- and two-factor ANOVA; Tukey's test α=5%). The application of dimethyl sulfoxide combined of not with cross-linkers improved all properties evaluated when compared to only erosive dentin treatment with Cola-based soft drink. However, only when dimethyl sulfoxide was combined to cross-linkers, the values of the microtensile bond strength, silver nitrate penetration and in situ degree of conversion in erosive dentin treatment with Cola-based soft drink was similar to sound dentin, for both adhesives and adhesive strategies. The application of dimethyl sulfoxide combined with the collagen cross-linking agent contributed to increasing the bond strength and degree of conversion in erosive lesion dentin, at the same time that significantly reduction of nanoleakage in this substrate.

Resumo Este estudo investigou o efeito do dimetil sulfóxido combinado a agentes de reticulação de colágeno na resistência de união à microtração, infiltração de nitrato de prata e análise do grau de conversão por Micro-Raman de sistemas adesivos universais para a dentina erosionada por refrigerante a base de Cola. Cento e sessenta molares foram divididos em 20 grupos: (1) Tratamento: Dentina sadia; Dentina erosionada; Dentina erosionada tratada com primer de dimetil sulfóxido; Dentina erosionada tratada com primer contendo 6,5% de proantocianidina e; Dentina erosionada tratada com primer contendo 0,1% de rivoflavina; (2) Sistemas adesivos: iBond Universal e Scotchbond Universal; e (3) estratégia adesiva: estratégia condicionamento e lavagem ou autocondicionate. Após a restauração, os espécimes foram seccionados em palitos e testados. Os dados dos três testes foram analisados estatisticamente (ANOVA de 2 e 3 fatores e teste de Tukey; α = 5%). A aplicação de dimetil sulfóxido combinado ou não agentes de reticulação de colágeno melhorou todas as propriedades avaliadas quando comparado a dentina erosionada. Entretanto, apenas quando o dimetil sulfóxido foi combinado com agentes de reticulação de colágeno, os valores de adesão a dentina, infiltração de nitrato de prata e grau de conversão em dentina erosionada foi semelhante a dentina sadia, para os dois adesivos e estratégias adesivas. A aplicação de dimetil sulfóxido combinado com agentes de reticulação de colágeno contribuiu para aumentar a resistência de união e o grau de conversão dentro da camada híbrida na dentina erodida, ao mesmo tempo que reduziu significativamente a nanoinfiltração neste substrato.

Effects of Dimethyl Sulfoxide and Ethanol on Adventitious Root Growth of Panax quinquefolium and Ginsenosides / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To screen out the suitable nonpolar molecular cosolvent and concentration with adventitious root phenotype and ginsenoside content in the controlled experiment as the evaluation indexes， so as to lay a solid foundation for exploring the causes for good shape and high quality of <italic>Panax quinquefolium</italic>. Method:After being treated with different concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide （DMSO） and ethanol， the adventitious roots were scanned using a panoramic scanner， and the resulting images were used for measuring the branch number and average diameter by WinRHIZO Pro 2016， Synbiosis ProtoCol 3 colony counter， Image J， and SmartRoot. The contents of ginsenosides Rg₁， Rb₁， and Re were determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry （UPLC-MS/MS）. Result:Compared with the blank control， the 0.1% DMSO and 75% ethanol made the adventitious root phenotype and ginsenoside contents significantly changed. Specifically， the branch number and average diameter were significantly reduced. The ginsenoside Rg₁ in the adventitious roots decreased after 0.1% DMSO treatment， whereas the ginsenosides Rg₁ and Re increased after 75% ethanol treatment. The adventitious root phenotype and ginsenoside contents in the 0.1% DMSO treatment group were not significantly different from those in the control group. Conclusion:The 0.01% DMSO does not affect the adventitious root growth of <italic>P. quinquefolium </italic>and is insoluble in water， enabling it to be considered as a suitable nonpolar molecular cosolvent for future research on the genetic causes for the good shape and high quality of <italic>P. quinquefolium</italic>.

Theoretical study of solvent effects on the hyperpolarizabilities of two chalcone derivatives / Estudio teórico de los efectos de solvente sobre la hiperpolarizabilidad de dos derivados de la chalcona / Estudo teórico dos efeitos do solvente nas hiperpolarizabilidades de dois derivados da chalcona

Abstract The use of organic as nonlinear optical materials has been intensively explored in the recent years due to the ease of manipulation of the molecular structure and the synthetic flexibility regarding the change of substituent groups. In the present work, the linear and nonlinear properties of two chalcones derivatives (E)-1-(4-methylphenyl)-3-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (4MP3P) and (E)-1-(4-Nitrophenyl)-3-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (4NP3P), that differ by the substituent position at the phenyl ring, were studied in the presence of protic and aprotic solvents simulated by the Polarizable Continuum Model (PCM) at DFT/B3LYP/6-311+G(d) level. The static and dynamic (1064 nm) molecular parameters as the dipole moment, linear polarizability, first and second hyperpolarizabilities were studied as function of the solvent dielectric constant value. The geometrical behavior as the chemical bond angles, torsion angles, and partial charges distribution of the compounds were studied, including calculations of gap energies in various solvents. The obtained results revealed that the substituent change of CH3 (4MP3P) to NO2 (4NP3P) benefits the nonlinear optical properties of the compounds in the presence of the solvent media, the absolute values of the parallel first hyperpolarizability were the ones that present the greater variation.

Resumen El uso de materiales orgánicos como materiales ópticos no lineales se ha explorado intensamente en los últimos años, debido a la facilidad de manipulación de estas estructuras moleculares y la flexibilidad de síntesis en relación con el cambio de grupos sustituyentes. En el presente trabajo, las propiedades lineales y no lineales de dos derivados de chalcona (E)-1-(4-metilfenil)-3-fenilprop-2-en-1-ona (4MP3P) y (E)-1-(4-nitrofenil)-3-fenilprop-2-en-1-ona (4NP3P), los cuales difieren en la posición del sustituyente en el anillo de fenilo, se estudiaron en presencia de disolventes próticos y apróticos simulados por el Modelo Continuo Polarizable a nivel DFT/B3LYP/6-311+G(d). Además, se estudiaron parámetros moleculares estáticos y dinámicos (1064 nm) como el momento dipolar, la polarización lineal y la primera y la segunda hiperpolarización en función del valor constante dieléctrico del disolvente. El comportamiento geométrico se estudió como ángulos de enlace químico, ángulos de torsión y distribución de carga parcial de compuestos, incluidos los cálculos de energía de huecos en varios solventes. Los resultados mostraron que el cambio del sustituyente CH3 (4MP3P) a NO2 (4NP3P) beneficia las propiedades ópticas no lineales de los compuestos en presencia del medio solvente, los valores absolutos de la primera hiperpolarizabilidad paralela fueron los que presentaron la mayor variación.

Resumo O uso de materiais orgânicos como materiais ópticos não lineares tem sido intensamente explorado nos últimos anos, devido à facilidade de manipulação dessas estruturas moleculares e à flexibilidade de síntese em relação à mudança de grupos substituintes. No presente trabalho, as propriedades lineares e não lineares de dois derivados de chalconas (E)-1-(4-metilfenil)-3-fenilprop-2-en-1-ona (4MP3P) e (E)-1-(4-nitrofenil)-3-fenilprop-2-en-1-ona (4NP3P), que diferem pela posição do substituinte no anel fenil, foram estudados na presença de solventes próticos e apróticos simulados pelo Modelo Continuo Polarizável (PCM) no nível DFT/B3LYP/6-311+G(d). Os parâmetros moleculares estáticos e dinâmicos (1064 nm) como momento dipolar, polarizabilidade linear, primeira e segunda hiperpolarizabilidades foram estudados em função do valor da constante dielétrica do solvente. Estudou-se o comportamento geométrico como ângulos de ligação química, ângulos de torção e distribuição parcial de cargas dos compostos, incluindo cálculos de energias de gap em vários solventes. Os resultados obtidos revelaram que a mudança do substituinte de CH3 (4MP3P) para NO2 (4NP3P) beneficia as propriedades ópticas não lineares dos compostos na presença do meio solvente, os valores absolutos da primeira hiperpolarizabilidade paralela foram os que apresentaram a maior variação.

Improving Transdermal Drug Delivery System For Medroxyprogesterone Acetate By Olive Oil And Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) As Penetration Enhancers: In Vitro Penetration Study

Objective: Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (MPA) using a transdermal drug delivery system for contraception by passive diffusion is limited by the skin barrier properties. Penetration enhancers such as olive oil (fatty acid permeation enhancer) and DMSO (chemical enhancer) can be used. The objective of this study was to overcome MPA penetration problem by using olive oil and DMSO. Methods: An in vitro penetration study using the Franz diffusion cells was performed. The first penetration study used MPA in olive oil (O) and MPA in coconut oil (C) with the concentration 100 μg/ml to each sample and MPA suspension as a control with the same concentration. The second study used MPA in olive oil with the concentration 200.0 μg/ml (A), MPA in olive oil with 0.5% DMSO with the concentration 200.0 μg/ml (B), and MPA in olive oil with 1% DMSO with the concentration 200 μg/ml (C). Results: MPA penetration test for olive oil+0.5% DMSO had flux value 4.24±0.074 μg/cm2. hr and it was not significantly different (t-test, P>0.05) with olive oil+1% DMSO. While the MPA penetration test in only Olive oil had flux value 0.90±0.0087 μg/cm2. hr. Conclusion: This research concluded that olive oil and 0.5% DMSO could improve the penetration of MPA into skin membrane by 4.5 times more than olive oil alone.

Efecto tóxico de los extractos de semillas de Annona muricata potenciados con dimetilsulfóxido sobre larvas IV y pupas de Aedes aegypti / Toxic effect of Annona muricata seed extracts potentiated with dimethyl sulfoxide on IV larvae and pupae of Aedes aegypti

Resumen El objetivo de este estudio fue demostrar que los principios activos de las semillas de Annona muricata combinados con el extracto etanólico y dimetilsulfóxido (EE-DMSO), incrementan la mortalidad de larvas IV y pupas de Aedes aegypti con relación a extractos acuosos (EA) y extractos etanólicos (EE). Las bioactividades se calcularon por comparación de los porcentajes de mortalidad a las 6, 12, 24 y 48 horas in vitro y campo simulado. Los resultados indicaron mortalidad progresiva dependiente de las concentraciones y tiempos de exposición en larvas y reacción knock-down en pupas. In vitro a 5 mg.L-1, EA y EE ejercieron 100% de mortalidad larvaria en 24 horas de exposición (CL50=46.16 y 19.28 mg.L-1 respectivamente), en contraste con EE-DMSO, que inició sobre 62% con 0.5 mg.L-1 a las 6 horas (CL50=20.33 mg.L-1). La acción pupicida de EA y EE reveló 100% de mortalidad desde 24 horas en todas las concentraciones, a diferencia de EE-DMSO que se alcanzó entre 6 y 12 horas. En campo simulado, EA y EE ejercieron 100% de mortalidad a las 24 horas en larvas (16.91 y 21.21 mg.L-1 ), mientras que en pupas (20.44 y 23.03 mg.L-1) ocurrió a las 12 horas, entretanto, la actividad pupicida de EE-DMSO fue 100% en 6 horas. Los efectos comparativos in vitro y campo simulado denotaron patrones similares de respuestas larvicida y pupicida, pero con mayor sensibilidad en pupas. Los principios activos de las semillas de A. muricata combinados con EE-DMSO potencian la respuesta mortal de larvas y pupas de A. aegypti in vitro y campo simulado.

Abstract The objective of this study was to demonstrate that active ingredients of Annona muricata seeds can be enhanced as a result of mixture of both ethanolic extract of A. muricata seeds and Dimethylsulfoxide (EE-DMSO). Percentage mortalities at 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours on fourth instar larvae and pupae of Aedes aegypti were calculated in order to compare bioactivities of aqueous (AE), ethanolic extracts (EE) and EE-DMSO under laboratory and simulated field conditions. Results showed larval mortality concentration- and time-dependent, and knock-down responses in pupae. In laboratory, AE and EE exerted 100% larval mortality at 5 mg.L-1 after 24 hours (LC50= 46.16 and 19.28 mg.L-1). Conversely, EE-DMSO showed between 62 - 100% mortality at 0.5 mg.L-1 for over 6 hours (LC50= 20.33 mg.L-1). Pupicidal effects in AE and EE revealed 100% mortality at 24 hours employing all concentrations, except in EE-DMSO which commenced when individuals were exposed between 6 and 12 hours. In simulated field, AE and EE provoked 100% larval mortality at 24 hours (16.91 y 21.21 mg.L-1) while pupal mortality at 12 hours (20.44 y 23.03 mg.L-1). Percentage mortality of pupae was 100% using EE-DMSO even before 6 hours. Comparative toxic effects of laboratory and simulated-field systems have shown to maintain a similar pattern of larval mortality and more sensitive responses in pupae. Accordingly, larval and pupal mortality responses of A. aegypti were enhanced with the use of EE-DMSO and active ingredients of A. muricata seeds under laboratory and simulated field conditions.

Orthogonal assays for the identification of inhibitors of the single-stranded nucleic acid binding protein YB-1

We have previously shown that high expression of the nucleic acid binding factor YB-1 is strongly associated with poor prognosis in a variety of cancer types. The 3-dimensional protein structure of YB-1 has yet to be determined and its role in transcriptional regulation remains elusive. Drug targeting of transcription factors is often thought to be difficult and there are very few published high-throughput screening approaches. YB-1 predominantly binds to single-stranded nucleic acids, adding further difficulty to drug discovery. Therefore, we have developed two novel screening assays to detect compounds that interfere with the transcriptional activation properties of YB-1, both of which may be generalizable to screen for inhibitors of other nucleic acid binding molecules. The first approach is a cell-based luciferase reporter gene assay that measures the level of activation of a fragment of the promoter by YB-1. The second approach is a novel application of the AlphaScreen system, to detect interference of YB-1 interaction with a single-stranded DNA binding site. These complementary assays examine YB-1 binding to two discrete nucleic acid sequences using two different luminescent signal outputs and were employed sequentially to screen 7360 small molecule compounds leading to the identification of three putative YB-1 inhibitors.

High-throughput screening for small molecule inhibitors of the type-I interferon signaling pathway

Interferons (IFNs) are cytokines with fundamental roles in resistance to infections, cancer and other diseases. Type-I IFNs, interferon (IFN-) and interferon (IFN-), act through a shared receptor complex (IFNAR) comprised of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 subunits. Binding of type-I IFN to IFNAR1 will robustly activate Janus activated kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling pathway. Aberrant activation of the type-I IFN response results in a spectrum of disorders called interferonopathies. The purpose of this research is to develop an assay for high-throughput screening (HTS) of small molecule inhibitors of the type-I IFN signaling pathway. Inhibition of type-I IFN signaling can be beneficial in terms of therapeutic use and understanding the underlying mechanism of action. We report here a HTS campaign with the secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) reporter gene assay against 32,000 compounds which yielded 25 confirmed hits. These compounds were subsequently characterized for their cytotoxicity, effects on STAT phosphorylation and activities in IFN regulatory factor (IRF) transcription.

Inhalation treatment of primary lung cancer using liposomal curcumin dry powder inhalers

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Traditional chemotherapy causes serious toxicity due to the wide bodily distribution of these drugs. Curcumin is a potential anticancer agent but its low water solubility, poor bioavailability and rapid metabolism significantly limits clinical applications. Here we developed a liposomal curcumin dry powder inhaler (LCD) for inhalation treatment of primary lung cancer. LCDs were obtained from curcumin liposomes after freeze-drying. The LCDs had a mass mean aerodynamic diameter of 5.81 μm and a fine particle fraction of 46.71%, suitable for pulmonary delivery. The uptake of curcumin liposomes by human lung cancer A549 cells was markedly greater and faster than that of free curcumin. The high cytotoxicity on A549 cells and the low cytotoxicity of curcumin liposomes on normal human bronchial BEAS-2B epithelial cells yielded a high selection index partly due to increased cell apoptosis. Curcumin powders, LCDs and gemcitabine were directly sprayed into the lungs of rats with lung cancer through the trachea. LCDs showed higher anticancer effects than the other two medications with regard to pathology and the expression of many cancer-related markers including VEGF, malondialdehyde, TNF-, caspase-3 and BCL-2. LCDs are a promising medication for inhalation treatment of lung cancer with high therapeutic efficiency.

Synthesis, characterization and in vitro antimicrobial screening studies of some pyridyl-coumarin compounds / Síntesis, caracterización y evaluación antimicrobiana in vitro de algunos derivados de piridil-coumarina

SUMMARY In vitro antimicrobial screening of some pyridyl-coumarin compounds were done against some bacterial and fungal strains in DMF and DMSO. These pyridyl-coumarin compounds were synthesized in the laboratory and their structure was confirmed by different spectroscopic techniques such as IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and mass. Some of these compounds exhibited excellent antibacterial activity in both the solvents.

RESUMEN La actividad antimicrobiana in vitro de algunos compuestos derivados de piridil-coumarina se evaluó frente a algunas cepas bacterianas y fúngicas en DMF y DMSO. Las piridil-cumarinas se sintetizaron en el laboratorio y sus estructuras se confirmaron por diferentes técnicas espectroscópicas, tales como IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR y masas. Algunos de los compuestos que se obtuvieron presentaron buena actividad antibacteriana en ambos solventes.

Differential Effects of Two Widely Used Solvents, DMSO and Ethanol, on the Growth and Recovery of Trypanosoma cruzi Epimastigotes in Culture

Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas disease. Epimastigote forms of T. cruzi can be readily cultured in axenic conditions. Ethanol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) are commonly used solvents employed as vehicles for hydrophobic compounds. In order to produce a reference plot of solvent dependent growth inhibition for T. cruzi research, the growth of epimastigotes was analyzed in the presence of different concentrations of ethanol (0.1–4.0%) and DMSO (0.5–7.5%). The ability of the parasites to resume growth after removal of these solvents was also examined. As expected, both ethanol and DMSO produced a dose-dependent inhibition of cellular growth. Parasites could recover normal growth after 9 days in up to 2% ethanol or 5% DMSO. Since DMSO was better tolerated than ethanol, it is thus recommended to prefer DMSO over ethanol in the case of a similar solubility of a given compound.

Effect of organic solvents on human lungcancer cells and effectiveness of curcumol / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the concentration range of organic solvent which can both effectively increase solubility of the difficult soluble medicine monomer, and have low toxicity to cells, and to clarify the influence of different concentration of ethanol on curcumol efficacy.Methods Different DMSO and ethanol concentrations were diluted in culture medium and incubated with cells A549, NCI-H460, NCI-H1299, NCI-1650, LTEP-a2 and SPC-A1 for 12 h, 24 h, or 48 h, cell viability was tested by a colorimetric assay with 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide(MTT), and different concentrations of ethanol with/without different concentrations of curcumol were also prepared with culture medium, then incubate with A549 and NCI-H460 cells for 24 h, and cell viability was tested by MTT as well.Results Within 48 h the solution with 0.008(V/V) DMSO or less had no significant effect on the cell A549 compared with control group, for NCI-H1650 the concentration was 0.004(V/V) or less, for NCI-H460 the result turned to be 0.002(V/V) or less, and the solution with DMSO below 0.001(V/V) had significant effect on the three other cells, NCI-H1299, LTEP-a2 and SPC-A1.While within 48 h, the liquor with 0.004(V/V) ethanol or less did not exhibit significant cytotoxic effect on the cell A549, for NCI-H460 and NCI-H1650 the result of ethanol concentration became 0.002(V/V) or less, for NCI-H1299 the data was 0.001(V/V) or less, and the liquor with ethanol below 0.001(V/V) showed significant cytotoxic effect on LTEP-a2and SPC-A1.When the proportion of ethanol in solution was below 0.01, it has no cytotoxic on cell A549 and NCI-H460, and the curcumol solution prepared with this kind of ethanol solution only represented the efficacy of curcumol on the cells.Since the solution with 0.01(V/V) ethanol dissolved the curcumol better, the cell viability changed from about 100% to about 35%.Conclusions Different organic solvent expressed different toxicity to the same cell, and the sensitivity of different cells to one organic solvent is dissimilar.and DMSO could be the optimum solvent for A549 and NCI-H1650, while the optimum solvent of NCI-H1299 is ethanol, for NCI-H460 it could be both and DMSO and ethanol, and DMSO and ethanol is not suitable for LETP-a2, SPC-A1 to be solvent.

Content Determination of Resorcinol,Borneol, Glycerol and DMSO in Compound Fluocinonide Tincture / 中国药师

Objective: To establish a GC method for the determination of resorcinol, borneol, glycerol and DMSO in compound fluocinonide tincture.Methods: The analysis was performed on an HP-INNOWax column (30.0 m×0.32 mm,0.25 μm).The inlet temperature was 280℃ and the detector temperature was 290℃.The split ratio was 10∶1.With nitrogen as the carrier gas, the flow rate was 2.0 ml·min-1.The temperature was as follows: the initial temperature was maintained at 100℃ for 5 min and raised to 240℃ at a rate of 20℃·min-1, and maintaining for 8 min.The flow rate of hydrogen, air and tail blows was 35, 350 and 25 ml·min-1, respectively.Chennai was used as the internal standard.Results: The concentrations of DMSO, resorcinol, borneol and glycerol were within the range of 99.20-793.60 μg·ml-1 (r=0.999 9), 507.25-4 058.00 μg·ml-1 ,respectively(r=0.999 9), 102.20-817.60 μg·ml-1 (r=1.000 0) and 316.20-2529.60 μg·ml-1 (r=1.000 0) with a good linear relationship.The average recovery was 98.58%, 98.34%, 98.19% and 102.29%, and RSDs were 3.80%, 3.93%, 2.87% and 3.65% (n=9), respectively.Conclusion: The method is simple, accurate and reliable, and can be used for the quality control of DMSO, resorcinol, borneol and glycerol in compound fluocinonide tincture.

Evaluación in vitro de dos extractos de Aloe vera en bacterias patógenas / In vitro evaluation of two extracts of Aloe vera in pathogenic bacteria

El incremento en los mecanismos de resistencia bacteriana, ha planteado a la comunidad científica la necesidad en la búsqueda de principios activos para producir nuevos antibióticos, donde el Aloe vera se proyecta como una fuente de obtención de los mismos. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar el comportamiento de dos tipos de extractos; uno de gel fresco procesado con DMSO, y otro obtenido del mesofilo por un proceso de extracción con etanol que luego fue filtrado, concentrado y liofilizado. Ambos extractos fueron evaluados con la prueba de susceptibilidad antimicrobiana por difusión en disco contra Helicobacter pylori, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus y Streptococcus mutans. El extracto etanólico del mesófilo liofilizado se ensayó en concentraciones de 0,5; 1,0; 1,5; 2,0 y 2,5 mg/ mL, con cada una de las bacterias de referencia, evidenciándose ausencia de inhibición sobre el crecimiento bacteriano en todas las concentraciones. El extracto Gel-DMSO se ensayó con las cepas H. pylori, E. coli y S. aureus; obteniendo halos de inhibición de 14, 8,5 y 8,5 mm respectivamente. La evidencia científica de la actividad antibacteriana de esta planta suele ser contradictoria, donde el procesamiento del extracto, es un factor importante en esta variabilidad. Según nuestros resultados se puede concluir que H. pylori, fue la bacteria más sensible al extracto Gel-DMSO en comparación con E. coli y S. aureus; asimismo, para futuras investigaciones, se debería desestimar el uso de extractos liofilizados diluidos y considerar otros procesos de extracción.

The increase of bacterial resistance mechanisms has created special interest in the scientific community to search for active principles for the production of new antibiotics, and the Aloe Vera plant has been considered as a potential source to obtain them. The objective of this research was to evaluate the behavior of two types of Aloe Vera extracts, one fresh gel processed with DMSO and other obtained by the mesophyll by ethanol extraction process that was filtered, concentrated and lyophilized. Both extracts were evaluated with antimicrobial susceptibility testing by disc diffusion against Helicobacter pylori, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans. The ethanolic extract of lyophilized mesophyll was tested in concentrations of 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 and 2.5 mg / ml, with each of the reference bacteria, showing no inhibition on bacterial growth in all concentrations tested. Gel-DMSO extract was tested with strains H. pylori, E. coli and S. aureus, obtaining inhibition halos of 14, 8.5 and 8.5 mm respectively. Scientific evidence of the antibacterial activity of this plant can be contradictory, and the processing of the extract is a determining factor in such variability. According to our results, we conclude that H. pylori was the bacteria most sensitive to Gel- DMSO extract compared with E. coli and S. aureus bacteria; also, we advise against the use of diluted and lyophilised extracts is in future research; rather, other alternative extraction process should be considered.

Criopreservação do plasma rico em plaquetas de equinos / Equine platelet-rich plasma cryopreservation

Avaliou-se o congelamento do plasma rico em plaquetas (PRP) de equinos, a -196ºC em nitrogênio líquido, utilizando-se como crioprotetor o DMSO em duas concentrações (3% e 6%), e, como ponto final, a avaliação da morfologia e da agregometria plaquetária. Foram utilizadas 12 amostras de PRP em duas repetições. Previamente ao congelamento, as amostras foram submetidas a um resfriamento lento (-0,07ºC/minuto) até a temperatura final de 4-5ºC. A criopreservação do PRP equino, incluindo um resfriamento lento a 4-5ºC, previamente ao congelamento a -197ºC em nitrogênio líquido, foi similar para as concentrações do crioprotetor DMSO a 3% ou 6%, quando avaliado o percentual de ativação e de agregação plaquetária.

Equine platelet-rich plasma (PRP) frozen at -196°C in liquid nitrogen using DMSO as a cryoprotectant in two different concentrations (3% and 6%) was evaluated, using platelet morphology and aggregometry as the final parameters. Twelve PRP samples were used in two repetitions. The samples were submitted to slow cooling prior to frozen (-0.07°C/minute) until they reached the temperature of 4-5°C. Platelet cryopreserved in 3% or 6% DMSO, presented similar efficacy when the percentage of activation and platelet aggregation was evaluated.

Qingfei Xiaoyan Wan, a traditional Chinese medicine formula, ameliorates Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced acute lung inflammation by regulation of PI3K/AKT and Ras/MAPK pathways

Gram-negative pathogen-induced nosocomial infections and resistance are a most serious menace to global public health. Qingfei Xiaoyan Wan (QF), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, has been used clinically in China for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections, acute or chronic bronchitis and pulmonary infection. In this study, the effects of QF on Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced acute pneumonia in mice were evaluated. The mechanisms by which four typical anti-inflammatory ingredients from QF, arctigenin (ATG), cholic acid (CLA), chlorogenic acid (CGA) and sinapic acid (SPA), regulate anti-inflammatory signaling pathways and related targets were investigated using molecular biology and molecular docking techniques. The results showed that pretreatment with QF significantly inhibits the release of cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) and chemokines (IL-8 and RANTES), reduces leukocytes recruitment into inflamed tissues and ameliorates pulmonary edema and necrosis. In addition, ATG was identified as the primary anti-inflammatory agent with action on the PI3K/AKT and Ras/MAPK pathways. CLA and CGA enhanced the actions of ATG and exhibited synergistic NF-κB inactivation effects possibly via the Ras/MAPK signaling pathway. Moreover, CLA is speculated to target FGFR and MEK firstly. Overall, QF regulated the PI3K/AKT and Ras/MAPK pathways to inhibit pathogenic bacterial infections effectively.

Maximization of Extracted Condition of Pro-angiogenic Components in Citrus unshiu Peels using Dimethyl Sulfoxide

Aqueous extraction of Citrus unshiu peels (AECUP) is mainly comprised with pro-angiogenichesperidin and narirutin. In this study, we report approaches to increasing the yields of extracted hesperidin and narirutinfrom Citrus unshiu peels using proper solvents. Significantly improved yields of both compounds were obtained using methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) compared to acetonitrile, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and isopropyl alcohol. Especially, effect of DMSO was by far the better of the two solvents in extraction of hesperidin. In addition, the DMSO extracted hesperidin significantly induced the pro-angiogenic effects of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and markedly up-regulated phosphorylation of the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. These results demonstrate that pro-angiogenic inducer; hesperidin and narirutin can be simply, easily, and effectively extracted from Citrus unshiu peels.

Site-specific PEGylation of lidamycin and its antitumor activity

In this study, N-terminal site-specific mono-PEGylation of the recombinant lidamycin apoprotein (rLDP) of lidamycin (LDM) was prepared using a polyethyleneglycol (PEG) derivative (M w 20 kDa) through a reactive terminal aldehyde group under weak acidic conditions (pH 5.5). The biochemical properties of mPEG-rLDP-AE, an enediyne-integrated conjugate, were analyzed by SDS-PAGE, RP-HPLC, SEC-HPLC and MALDI-TOF. Meanwhile, in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity of mPEG-rLDP-AE was evaluated by MTT assays and in xenograft model. The results indicated that mPEG-rLDP-AE showed significant antitumor activity both in vitro and in vivo. After PEGylation, mPEG-rLDP still retained the binding capability to the enediyne AE and presented the physicochemical characteristics similar to that of native LDP. It is of interest that the PEGylation did not diminish the antitumor efficacy of LDM, implying the possibility that this derivative may function as a payload to deliver novel tumor-targeted drugs.

The antitumor effect of tanshinone IIA on anti-proliferation and decreasing VEGF/VEGFR2 expression on the human non-small cell lung cancer A549 cell line

The effects of tanshinone IIA on the proliferation of the human non-small cell lung cancer cell line A549 and its possible mechanism on the VEGF/VEGFR signal pathway were investigated. The exploration of the interaction between tanshinone IIA and its target proteins provides a feasible platform for studying the anticancer mechanism of active components of herbs. The CCK-8 assay was used to evaluate the proliferative activity of A549 cells treated with tanshinone IIA (2.5-80 μmol/L) for 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively. Flow cytometry was used for the detection of cell apoptosis and cell cycle perturbation. VEGF and VEGFR2 expression were studied by Western blotting. The binding mode of tanshinone IIA within the crystal structure of the VEGFR2 protein was evaluated with molecular docking analysis by use of the CDOCKER algorithm in Discovery Studio 2.1. The CCK-8 results showed that tanshinone IIA can significantly inhibit A549 cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Flow cytometry results showed that the apoptosis rate of tested group was higher than the vehicle control, and tanshinone IIA-treated cells accumulated at the S phase, which was higher than the vehicle control. Furthermore, the expression of VEGF and VEGFR2 was decreased in Western blot. Finally, molecular docking analysis revealed that tanshinone IIA could be stably docked into the kinase domain of VEGFR2 protein with its unique modes to form H-bonds with Cys917 and π-π stacking interactions with Val848. In conclusion, tanshinone IIA may suppress A549 proliferation, induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the S phase. This drug may suppress angiogenesis by targeting the protein kinase domains of VEGF/VEGFR2.