6-Gingerol inhibits hair cycle via induction of MMP2 and MMP9 expression

ABSTRACT 6-Gingerol is the major active constituent of ginger. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of 6-Gingerol on hair growth. Mice were randomly divided into five groups; after hair depilation (day 0), mice were treated with saline, or different concentrations of 6-Gingerol for 11 days. The histomorphological characteristics of the growing hair follicles were examined after hematoxylin and eosin staining. The results indicated that 6-Gingerol significantly suppressed hair growth compared with that in the control group. And choose the concentration of 6-Gingerol at 1 mg/mL to treated with mice. Moreover, 6-Gingerol (1 mg/mL) significantly reduced hair re-growth ratio, hair follicle number, and hair follicle length, which were associated with increased expression of MMP2 and MMP9. Furthermore, the growth factors, such as EGF, KGF, VEGF, IGF-1 and TGF-β participate in the hair follicle cycle regulation and regulate hair growth. We then measured the concentrations of them using ELISA assays, and the results showed that 6-Gingerol decreased EGF, KGF, VEGF, and IGF-1 concentrations, and increased TGF-β concentration. Thus, this study showed that 6-Gingerol might act as a hair growth suppressive drug via induction of MMP2 and MMP9 expression, which could interfere with the hair cycle.

Clinical significance of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor expression in stage I non-small-cell lung cancer: immunohistochemical analysis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system has been implicated in tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. However, reports on the IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) based on radioimmunoassays are conflicting, and its prognostic implications in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are still controversial. METHODS: Seventy-one paraffin-embedded tissue sections from stage I NSCLC patients were stained using a mouse monoclonal antibody against human IGF-1R. RESULTS: The intensity and frequency of IGF-1R expression on the membrane and cytoplasm of cancer cells was evaluated and scored using a semiquantitative system. IGF-1R expression was detected in nine of 71 (12.7%) cases. No significant relationship was found between clinical/histopathological parameters and IGF-1R expression. None of the patients whose tumor expressed IGF-1R had experienced distant metastasis or cancer-related death, although the difference did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that IGF-1R expression may not be a major prognostic factor for stage I NSCLC.

Microarray Analysis of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1, and Insulin-Induced Gene Expression in FRTL-5 Thyroid Cells

To determine which genes are regulated by thyroid stimulating hormone (thyrotropin, TSH), insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the rat thyroid, we used the microarray technology and observed the changes in gene expression. The expressions of genes for bone morphogenetic protein 6, the glucagon receptor, and cyclin D1 were increased by both TSH and IGF-1; for cytochrome P450, 2c37, the expression was decreased by both. Genes for cholecystokinin, glucuronidase, beta, demethyl-Q 7, and cytochrome c oxidase, subunit VIIIa, were up-regulated; the genes for ribosomal protein L37 and ribosomal protein L4 were down-regulated by TSH and insulin. However, there was no gene observed to be regulated by all three: TSH, IGF-1, and insulin molecules studied. These findings suggest that TSH, IGF-1, and insulin stimulate different signal pathways, which can interact with one another to regulate the proliferation of thyrocytes, and thereby provide additional influence on the process of cellular proliferation.

Insulin-like growth factor-I gene cloning and protein expression in bovine trabecular meshwork tissue and cells / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

Whether cultured bovine trabecular meshwork cells and trabecular tissue ex vivo express insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein was investigated. Total RNA of cultured bovine trabecular meshwork cells as well as trabecular meshwork tissue freshly excised from bovine eyes was extracted, and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect IGF-I mRNA. RT-PCR product was verified by sequencing. Immunohistochemical stain was used to detect IGF-I protein. The results showed that a single PCR amplified product was obtained, and the sequence was homologous to the known sequence.. IGF-I immunostain was positive in the cytoplasm of trabecular meshwork cells. It was concluded that trabecular meshwork cells produce IGF-I and contribute to the presence of IGF-I in trabecular meshwork microenvironment as well as aqueous humor. Trabecular meshwork cells were affected by IGF-I not only through paracrine, but also autocrine action. Whether abnormal down-regulations in IGF-I production may contribute to the pathogenesis of primary open-angle glaucoma and the possibility of promoting the autocrine action of IGF-I by trabecular meshwork cells to treat the disease is worth further investigation.

Investigaciones Experimentales sobre el efecto del factor de crecimiento semejante a la insulina tipo 1 en el síndrome de intestino corto

Luego de la resección intestinal masiva el intestino remanente experimenta cambios mucosos muy importantes para compensar la remoción de la superficie absortiva. Estos cambios pueden ser disminuidos aportando nutrientes enterales y factores del crecimiento exógenos tales como el IGF-1. La adaptación colónica puede ser aumentada mediante la adición de una mejora en la absorción del intestino delgado. Existe evidencia experimental preliminar de que el aporte intraluminar de IGF-1 produce efectos tróficos directos sobre el intestino delgado, probablemente mediados por mecaniamos paracrinos.

Sindrome de Laron: uma causa de baixa estatura grave / Laron's syndrome: a cause of severe small stature

Os autores apresentam dois casos de baixa estatura (BE) do tipo sindrome de Laron em criancas brasileiras e em cujas arvores genealogicas aparecem apenas brasileiros, portugueses e italianos, diferentemente da casuistica do Prof. Laron onde os pacientes sao oriundos do oriente medio. Sao comentados dados relacionados com a evolucao dos valores de hGH (hormonio de crescimento humano) e SmC (somatomedina C) ou IGF-I ("insulin like growth factor"). Em 1966, Laron descreveu um quadro clinico de baixa estatura (BE) grave praticamente superponivel aos aspectos clinicos e metabolicos da deficiencia hipofisaria de hGH porem contrapondo-se a esta por apresentar os niveis basais de hGH muito elevados. Posteriormente, verificou-se que na BE do tipo Laron, alem dos niveis elevados de hGH, sao registrados valores muito baixos de SmC ou IGF-I. A diminuicao da producao de IGF-I seria uma consequencia da falta de receptores celulares de hGH. O receptor de hGH consiste numa sequencia de 620 aminoacidos ancorada a membrana da celula atraves da regiao compreendida pelos aminoacidos 247-72. A porcao extracelular e conhecida como "proteina ligadora do hHG". Quando o hGH se liga a esta "proteina" sucede-se uma serie de reacoes dentro da celula e cuja consequencia principal e a resposta de crescimento....