Immunomodulatory effects of Blaps rynchopetera extract

Purpose: To explore the potential immunomodulatory effects of total extract and different polar parts from Blaps rynchopetera Fairmaire. Methods: Phagocytic activity was evaluated by neutral red assay, and the effect of the immune function was investigated by normal and immunocompromised mice models. Results: In vitro, total extract, as well as chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water fractions could individually enhance the phagocytic ability of mouse peritoneal macrophages; in addition, chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions had an increasing tendency when combined stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In vivo, ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) could enhance the immune organ index, increase the serum hemolysin level and peripheral blood immune cells of immunocompromised mice, while for normal mice, the effect was inconspicuous. Conclusions: Blaps rynchopetera extracts had noteworthy immunomodulatory effect, especially for individuals with immune disorders.

Periplaneta americana extract promotes intestinal mucosa repair of ulcerative colitis in rat

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the mechanism of Periplaneta americana extract promoting intestinal mucosal repair of OXZ-induced colitis in rat. Methods: All experiments used an equal number of male and female SD rats (n=48). We injected OXZ into the colon to induce UC rat model. To determine the optimal concentration of P. Americana's extract (PA-40), it was classified into low (L), medium (M), and high (H) doses. After OXZ treatment, each drug was administered by enema for 7 consecutive days. Rats were divided into the following 6 groups: (1) Saline treatment group (NC), (2) OXZ treatment UC model group (MC), (3) OXZ + budesonide group (BUN), (4) OXZ + PA-40 L group, (5) OXZ + PA-40 M group, (6) OXZ + PA-40 H group. Disease activity index (DAI) scores, colon length, histopathological score, serum cytokine level (IL-4, IL-10, iNOS, tNOS), and amount of MPO, EGF, IL-13 in colonic mucosa were measured. Results: PA treatment had a significant healing effect on the OXZ-colitis model and significantly reduced the lesioned area, especially in the PA-40H groups. PA treatment did not alter the expression of IL-10 and MPO level, but increased EGF (epidermal growth factor) and decrease IL-13 in the colonic tissue. PA inhibited the rise of NOSs (nitric oxide synthase) and decreased the serum IL-4 level. Conclusions: The data suggest that Periplaneta americana extract may be a potential compound for the treatment of colonic lesions. The mechanism may be related to inhibiting the secretion of IL-13 and promoting the formation of EGF.

Genetic analysis of mitochondrial pcox1 and ribosomal 18S rRNA genes in Eurytrema pancreaticum isolates from goats in Huaihua City, Hunan Province / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To investigate the genetic variation of Eurytrema pancreaticum isolated from goats in Huaihua City, Hunan Province. Methods The partial sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome I (pcox1) and ribosomal 18S rRNA genes were amplified using a PCR assay in E. pancreaticum isolates from goats in Huaihua City, Hunan Province, and the PCR amplification products were sequenced. Then, the gene sequences were subjected to genetic variation and phylogenetic analyses. Results The sequences of the pcox1 and 18S rRNA genes were 430 bp and 1 857 bp in length in 18 E. pancreaticum isolates from goats in Huaihua City, Hunan Province, and there were 14 and 35 variation sites in pcox1 and 18S rRNA gene sequences, with intra-species genetic variations of 0 to 1.4% and 0 to 0.8%, respectively. The sequences of pcox1 and 18S rRNA genes had 99.0% to 99.8% and 99.5% to 99.8% homologies with those from E. pancreaticum Chinese strain recorded in the GenBank database. Consistent phylogenetic analysis results were found based on pcox1 and 18S rRNA genes. The 18 E. pancreaticum isolates from goats in Huaihua City were clustered into a clade with the known E. pancreaticum isolates registered in GenBank, and the clade with these 18 E. pancreaticum isolates was close to the clades with Eurytrema species and far from the clades with other trematodes. Conclusions The E. pancreaticum isolates from goats have a low genetic variation in Huaihua City, Hunan Province. Mitochondrial pcox1 and ribosomal 18S rRNA genes may serve as molecular markers for the studies on the genetic variation in goat-derived E. pancreaticum.

Establishment of STO Cell Lines Expressing Green Fluorescent Protein and Mouse Leukemia Inhibitory Factor / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To establish the STO cell lines expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) and mouse leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) , and try to culture the mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) by using the established STO-GFP-mLIF cells as the feeder layer.@*METHODS@#The lentiviral particles containing GFP and mLIF and puromycin-resistance gene were constructed and transduced into STO cell lines. The cell lines stably expressing GFP and mLIF genes were screened out. The expression level of the inserted exogenous LIF gene was tested by Western blot and ELISA. The STO-GFP-mLIF cells were treated with different concentrations of mitomycin C (5, 10, 15, 20 µg/ml) for different time (1.5, 2.5, 3, 3.5 hours) to prepare feeder layers and the cell proliferation level on feeder layer was observed. Mouse embryonic stem cells were cultured on mitomycin C-treated feeder layer and the growth of cell colonies was observed.@*RESULTS@#The expression level of LIF protein in STO-GFP-mLIF cells was up-regulated, as compared with STO cells (P＜0.05). It was confirmed that the optimal concentration and time for inhibiting the proliferetion of STO-GFP-mLIF cells by mitomycin C were 10 µg/ml and 3 hours respectively. The observation also found that the embryonic stem cells could develop into typic "birdnest" shaped stem cell colony on mitomycin C-treated feeder layer.@*CONCLUSION@#The stable STO cell lines effectively expressing green fluorescent protein and mouse leukemia inhibitory factor have been established successfully, which can maintain the undifferentiated state of mouse embryonic stem cells.

Adriamycin enhances the sonodynamic effect of chlorin e6 against the proliferation of human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect of adriamycin (ADM) in enhancing the sonodynamic effect of chlorin e6 against the proliferation of human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with ultrasound/Chlorin e6 alone or in combination with ADM, and the changes in the cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Ultrasound (1.0 MHz) at the power intensity of 0.5-2.0 W/cm2 inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells in an intensity-dependent manner, and chlorin-e6 (0.05-1.6 mg/ml) and ADM (0.1-0.4 g/ml) alone both inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells dose-dependently. Compared with ultrasound (0.5 W/cm2, 1.0 MHz, 60 s) or chlorin-e6 (0.05-0.2 mg/ml) alone, a combined treatment with ultrasound and chlorin e6 significantly enhanced the inhibitory effect on the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells (P<0.05). ADM significantly enhanced the sonodynamic effect of chlorin e6 (0.1 mg/ml) against the cell proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells (P<0.05), and the effect was schedule-dependent, which was greater when ADM was added after the sonodynamic treatment (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ADM can enhance the sonodynamic effect of chlorin e6 against the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro.</p>

Multi-center phase II clinical trial of humanized anti-epidermal factor receptor monoclonal antibody h-R3 combined with radiotherapy for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy and safty of the humanized anti-epidermal factor receptor monoclonal antibody h-R3 in combination with radiotherapy for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally, 137 patients from 7 medical center around China were randomly divided into combined therapy group or control group. There was no difference in Karnofsky performance score between two groups. All patients in both groups received radical conventionally fractionated radiotherapy to the total dose of D(T) 70-76 Gy. For the combined therapy group, h-R3 was added at a dose of 100 mg i.v. weekly for 8 weeks started at the beginning of radiotherapy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 137 eligilbe patients, 70 were in the combined therapy group treated by h-R3 plus radiotherapy and 67 in the control group by radiotherapy alone. The intent-to-treat (ITT) population consisted of 130 patients, while the per-protocol (PP) population was composed of 126 patients. The efficacy was assessed respectively at three point of time: the end of treatment, the 5th- and 17th-week after treatment. The complete response (CR) of the combined therapy group was significantly higher than that of the control group in both ITT and PP (ITT: 65.63%, 87.50%, 90.63% versus 27.27%, 42.42%, 51.52%; PP: 67.21%, 90.16%, 93.44% versus 27.69%, 43.08%, 52.31%; P < 0.05, respectively). The most common h-R3-related adverse reactions were fever (4.3%), hypotension (2.9%), nausea (1.4%), dizziness (2.9%) and rash (1.4%), which could be reversible if treated properly. Radiotherapy combined with 100 mg h-R3 i. v. weekly was tolerable and did not aggravate the side effects of radiation. The quality of life in the combined therapy group was comparable to that in the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This phase 1 multicenter clinical trial shows that h-R3 in combination with radiotherapy is effective and well-tolerated for the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.</p>

Effect of immunocyte therapy on benzene-induced bone marrow haemopoietic dysfunction / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of treatment with immunocyte therapy on benzene-induced haemopoietic dysfunction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Mono-nuclear cells (MNC) were separated from 40 - 50 ml peripheral blood in patients and mixed with interleukin-2 and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) for six day cultivation. The new formed immunocytes were collected and transfused into the patients. Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy were taken before and after therapy for all patients with severe benzene poisoning. Blood samples were stained by flow cytometry for detecting CD(4) and CD(8) positive cells.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of 20 patients with chronic benzene poisoning, 9 were severe benzene poisoning. All examination including blood count, bone marrow biopsy and T cell subpopulation restored to normal after immunocyte therapy. Laboratory tests (liver and kidney function, and myocardial enzymes) were observed periodically and showed normal during therapy. Follow-up study (the longest time was more than 15 months) showed that bone marrow haemopietic function of all treated patients were in normal range.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Bone marrow haemopoietic dysfunction caused by benzene poisoning may be closely related to disorder of immune function. Immunocyte therapy may significantly improve bone marrow haemopoietic dysfunction induced by benzene poisoning.</p>