Mechanism of Baoyuan Jiedu Decoction in Alleviating Muscle Atrophy in Apcmin/+ Cachexia Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To study the effect of Baoyuan Jiedu decoction on serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) content, expression of muscle atrophy F-box 1(Atrogin-1), muscle ring finger-1 (MuRF-1), uncoupling proteins-2 (UCP-2), uncoupling proteins-3 (UCP-3) in Apcmin/+ mice, in order to explore the mechanism in improving muscle atrophy in cancer cachexia model. Method: The 14-week-old Apcmin/+ cachexia mice model was randomly divided into model group, Baoyuan Jiedu decoction group (23 g·kg-1) and megestrol group (0.024 g·kg-1). C57BL/6J mice were normal group, with 10 mice in each group, and given continuous intragastric administration for 12 weeks. The quality of gastrocnemius muscle and the transverse diameter of muscle fibers were measured. The content of IL-6 in serum of Apcmin/+ cachexia mice was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expressions of Atrogin-1, MuRF-1, UCP-2, UCP-3 mRNA and protein in gastrocnemius muscle were detected by Western blot and quantitative real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). Result: Compared with the normal group, the weight of gastrocnemius muscle and the transverse diameter of fibers in the model group decreased significantly (PPPPConclusion: Reduction of the concentration of IL-6 in serum and the down-regulation of the expressions of Atrogin-1, MuRF-1, UCP-2 and UCP-3 genes may be the possible mechanism of Baoyuan Jiedu decoction in alleviating muscle atrophy in Apcmin/+ cachexia mice model.

Cancer-preventive Properties of an Anthocyanin-enriched Sweet Potato in the APCMIN Mouse Model

BACKGROUND: Anthocyanin-rich foods and preparations have been reported to reduce the risk of life-style related diseases, including cancer. The SL222 sweet potato, a purple-fleshed cultivar developed in New Zealand, accumulates high levels of anthocyanins in its storage root. METHODS: We examined the chemopreventative properties of the SL222 sweet potato in the C57BL/6J-APC(MIN/+) (APC(MIN)) mouse, a genetic model of colorectal cancer. APC(MIN) and C57BL/6J wild-type mice (n=160) were divided into four feeding groups consuming diets containing 10% SL222 sweet potato flesh, 10% SL222 sweet potato skin, or 0.12% ARE (Anthocyanin rich-extract prepared from SL222 sweet potato at a concentration equivalent to the flesh-supplemented diet) or a control diet (AIN-76A) for 18 weeks. At 120 days of age, the mice were anaesthetised, and blood samples were collected before the mice were sacrificed. The intestines were used for adenoma enumeration. RESULTS: The SL222 sweet potato-supplemented diets reduced the adenoma number in the APC(MIN) mice. CONCLUSIONS: These data have significant implications for the use of this sweet potato variant in protection against colorectal cancer.

Chemopreventive Action of Anthocyanin-rich Black Soybean Fraction in APC(Min/+) Intestinal Polyposis Model

BACKGROUND: Anthocyanins have been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an anthocyanin-rich extract (AE) from black soybean coat on intestinal carcinogenesis. METHODS: APC(Min/+) mice were fed a diet of 0.2% or 0.5% AE for 7 weeks. We analyzed the number of intestinal tumors, oxidative stress and inflammatory markers associated with beta-catenin and cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) signals. The number of intestinal tumors, and cellular expression of beta-catenin were determined. RESULTS: The number of intestinal tumors was significantly lower in mice fed a 0.5% AE diet compared to those of the other groups. Cytosolic beta-catenin expression was significantly decreased in the AE supplemented groups compared to that of the control animals. In addition, mucosa expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and cPLA2 were also significantly decreased in the 0.5% AE group, by 32% and 62%, respectively, compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that dietary AE reduced the development of intestinal tumors, possibly through the ability to suppress oxidative stresses, decreasing inflammatory responses mediated by beta-catenin associated signals.

Secondary bile acid induced intestinal adenoma canceration and its effect on intestinal microflora in Apcmin/+ mice / 中华消化杂志

Objective To investigate secondary bile acid induced canceration process of intestinal adenoma and effects on intestinal microflora in Apcmin/+ mice.Methods Forty four-week-old mice (20 Apcmin/+mice and 20 wild-type C57BL/6J mice) were divided into four groups:wild-type control group (regular drinking water),wild-type deoxycholic acid (DOC) group (with 0.2 ％ DOC in drinking water),Apcmin/+ control group and Apcmin/+ DOC group.Fecal pellets of Apcmin/+ mice were collected at 0 week and 12 week after administration.The changes of intestinal microflora were analyzed by pyrosequencing.All mice were sacrificed after 12 weeks.The number,size and location of intestinal adenoma were observed.The pathological type of adenoma was evaluated after hematcxylin-eosin (HE) staining.Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was detected by immunohistochemistry.Cell apoptosis was determined by in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling technique (TUNEL).Independent t test was used for the quantitative data comparison between two groups.Results No intestinal tumors were found in the wild-type mice.The total number of intestinal adenoma of Apcmin/+ DOC group significantly increased,compared with that of Apcmin/+ control group (57.00 ± 3.07 vs 21.50± 4.69,t=20.03,P＜0.01),the increase of the adenoma with maximum diameter between 1 to 2 mm was most significant (30.62± 7.73 vs 7.75 ± 4.59,t =8.04,P＜ 0.05),the rate of adenoma canceration also significantly increased compared with that of Apcmin/+ control group.The percentage of PCNA positive cells significantly increased compared with that of Apcmin/+ control group ((90.17 ± 2.14) ％ vs (41.97 ± 4.26) ％,t=31.97,P＜0.01).The percentage of cell apoptosis significantly declined ((1.40± 1.12) ％ vs (7.50 ± 0.65)％,t =14.90,P＜ 0.01).The diversity of intestinal flora of Apcmin/+ DOC group significantly decreased.The ratio of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes significantly increased compared with control group (0.586 7±0.148 4 vs 0.387 3±0.013 6,t=2.36,P＜0.05).The number of pathogenic bacteria increased in Apcmin/+ DOC group and probiotics significantly decreased.Conclusion DOC can induce intestinal flora imbalance in Apcmin/+ mice and promote intestinal adenoma into adenocarcinoma through increasing tumor cell proliferation and inhibiting cell apoptosis.

Establishment of a transgenic heterozygous mouse model of ApcMin/+pre-cancerosis of colorectal cancer with p110δmutation / 中国病理生理杂志

[ABSTRACT]AIM:Toestablishatransgenicheterozygousmousemodelofprecancerouslesionsofcolorectal cancer with p110δmutation in the C57BL/6J background for serving the studies on colorectal cancer research mediated by p110δ.METHODS:The transgenic heterozygous mice were generated by crossing in p110δD910A/D910A mouse and ApcMin/+mouse, and the genotype was detected by PCR .Compared with ApcMin/+mice, transgenic heterozygous mice ( ApcMin/+;p110δD910A/D910A)were counted, and the number and size of intestine polyps were analyzed after methylene blue staining . The intestinal tissue structure was assessed by HE staining .RESULTS:The transgenic heterozygous mouse model of pre-cancerous lesions of colorectal cancer with p 110δmutation was established .The number and size of polyps in the transgenic heterozygous mice were declined .CONCLUSION: A transgenic heterozygous mouse model of precancerous lesions of colorectal cancer with p 110δmutation was successfully established .The initial phenotype of intestinal tumors in transgenic mice was observed .This model will greatly contribute to the related research of colorectal cancer in mice .

Effects of berberine on the tumor-associated macrophages of intestinal polyps in Apc (Min/+) mice / 中华消化杂志

Objective To investigate the effects of berberine on tumor-associated macrophages (TAM)and the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)of intestinal polyps in Apc(Min/+) mice.Methods A total of 20 Apc(Min/+) mice,four weeks old,were equally divided into the control group and the berberine group,10 in each group.The mice of the control group drank plain water,while the mice of berberine group drank water with 0.1 % berberine.After 12 weeks,all the mice were sacrificed.The intestine and colon were isolated,and the numbers of polyps were counted.The expression of F4/80,inducible nitric oxide synthase-2 (iNOS),macrophage mannose receptor (MR)and COX-2 was detected by immunohisto-chemistry method.The relative expression of COX-2 at protein level was measured by Western blotting. The t test was performed for comparison between two independent groups.Results The total number of intestinal polyps,the number of small intestinal polyps and the number of colon polyps of the berberine group (11 .50±2.05 ,10.50±1 .77 and 1 .00±0.46,respectively)were all less than those of the control group (30.63±1 .69,28.00±2.00 and 2.63±0.74,respectively),and the differences were statistically significant (t=16.727,16.952 and 3.162,P =0.001 ,0.001 and 0.010,respectively).The percentage of F4/80 positive cells in the stroma of polyps of the berberine group ((17.40 ±4.23 )%)was less than that of the control group ((31 .24±6.34)%),and the difference was statistically significant (t =5 .327, P =0.043).The percentage of iNOS positive cells in the stroma of polyps of the berberine group ((7.43± 1 .78 )%) was higher than that of the control group ((2.72±0.68)%), and the difference was statistically significant (t=7.335 ,P =0.004).The percentage of MR positive cells in stroma of polyps of the berberine group ((19.52±1 .54)%)was less than that of the control group ((12.63±0.68)%),and the difference was statistically significant (t=5 .634,P =0.016).The percentage of COX-2 positive cells in stroma of polyps of berberine group ((3.38 ± 0.51 )%)was less than that of the control group ((7.60±0.57 )%),and the difference was statistically significant (t = 7.234,P = 0.001 ).The relative expression of COX-2 at protein level of polyps of the berberine group was lower than that of the control group. Conclusion Berberine may take the role in inhibiting the growth of intestinal polyps in Apc(Min/+) mice through interfering the differentiation of TAM in polyps and suppression the expression of COX-2.

Effects of Cdc20 mutation on growth of mouse embryonic fibroblast / 解剖学报

Objective Investigation of biological characteristics of Cdc 20AAA/+APCmin/+ mouse embryonic fibroblast(MEFs) indicate the effect of Cdc20AAA/+on growth of mouse embryonic fibroblast and the possible mechanism . Methods MEFs of Cdc20AAA/+APCmin/+, Cdc20AAA/+, APCmin/+ and WT genotype were harvested from embryos for analysis.The growth characteristics of Cdc20AAA/+APCmin/+, Cdc20AAA/+,APCmin/+and WT mouse embryonic fibroblast were analyzed through growth curve analysis and foci formation assay .Separation of sister chromatid and the presence of aneuploid were detected by karyotype analysis .Results Cell proliferation assays showed that Cdc 20AAA/+APCmin/+cells grew at an accelerated rate compared with APC min/+MEFs(P<0.01).Foci formation assay showed that the clone forming ability was significantly increased .Cdc20AAA/+APCmin/+MEFs showed a significant increase in the frequency of aneuploid compared with WT MEFs , which had a karyotype of 38 and contained prematurely separated sister chromatids .Conclusion Cdc20 carrying a null allele (Cdc20AAA/+) may accelerate the growth and proliferation of APC min/+MEFs and present the growth characteristics of the tumor cells .The possible mechanism may be associated with chromosome instability .

Inhibitory effects of calcium against intestinal cancer in human colon cancer cells and ApcMin/+ mice

The aim of the study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of calcium against intestinal cancer in vitro and in vivo. We first investigated the effects of calcium treatment in HCT116 and HT29 human colon cancer cells. At the concentration range of 0.8-2.4 mM, calcium significantly inhibited cell growth (by 9-29%), attachment (by 12-26%), invasion (by 15-31%), and migration (by 19-61%). An immunofluorescence microscope analysis showed that the treatment with calcium (1.6 mM) for 24 h increased plasma membrane beta-catenin but decreased nuclear beta-catenin levels in HT29 cells. We then investigated the effect of dietary calcium on intestinal tumorigenesis in ApcMin/+ mice. Mice received dietary treatment starting at 6 weeks of age for the consecutive 8 weeks. The basal control diet contained high-fat (20% mixed lipids by weight) and low-calcium (1.4 mg/g diet) to mimic the average Western diet, while the treatment diet contained an enriched level of calcium (5.2 mg calcium/g diet). The dietary calcium treatment decreased the total number of small intestinal tumors (by 31.4%; P or = 2 mm in diameter, showing a 75.6% inhibition in the small intestinal tumor multiplicity (P < 0.001). Immunohistochemical analysis showed significantly reduced nuclear staining of beta-catenin (expressed as nuclear positivity), but increased plasma membrane staining of beta-catenin, in the adenomas from the calcium-treated groups in comparison to those from the control group (P < 0.001). These results demonstrate intestinal cancer inhibitory effects of calcium both in human colon cancer cells and Apc Min/+ mice. The decreased beta-catenin nuclear localization caused by the calcium treatment may contribute to the inhibitory action.