Research progress of HOXB7 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma / 医学研究生学报

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major histological subtype of primary liver cancer, with a high degree of invasiveness and metastatic potential. HOXB7 is a transcriptional regulator in the homeobox genes (HOX) family, which plays a significant role in the process of DNA synthesis and transcription. HOXB7 can promote the proliferation and invasion of liver cancer cells and other biological processes through a variety of mechanisms. HOXB7 expresses highly in HCC tissues and is closely related to disease progression and poor prognosis. HOXB7 is highly expressed in HCC tissues, and its high expression is closely related to disease progression and poor prognosis. This paper reviews the structure and function of HOXB7 gene, its role in the development of HCC and its prognostic value.

Effects of alcohol on benign prostate hyperplasia induced by testosterone propionate in mice / 中国应用生理学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the effects of alcohol administration on benign prostate hyperplasia(BPH) and the reproductive toxicity during development of benign prostate hyperplasia.@*METHODS@#Seventy adult male Kunming mice were randomly divided into seven groups:control (group CON), negative control (group NC, injected subcutaneously with soybean oil, 25 mg/(kg·d), intragastric administration of distilled water, 7.5 ml/(kg·d)), alcohol for 7 and 21 days (group AL7 and AL21, intragastric administration with wine of 50% alcohol, 7.5 ml/(kg·d)), testosterone propionate for 7 and 21 days (group TP7 and TP21, injected subcutaneously with testosterone propionate, 25 mg/(kg·d)), testosterone propionate+alcohol for 7 days (group TP+AL7, injected subcutaneously with testosterone propionate, 25 mg/(kg·d), and intragastric administration with wine of 50% alcohol, 7.5 ml/(kg·d)),10 mice in each groups. Twenty-four hours after the last administration, mice were sacrificed. The indexes of prostate and testis and the parameters of sperm were determined in mice. The levels of free radicals, antioxidation and histopathological changes in testis and prostate were determined.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control, TP7d group, AL7 and AL21d groups, the prostate coefficient of TP + AL7d group was increased significantly and the quantity and quality of sperm were decreased significantly (0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The typical BPH state could be induced after 7-day treatment of testosterone propionate and alcohol. The testicular and sperm were damaged which enhanced the oxidative stress in reproductive system. The results indicated that alcohol could significantly promote the prostate hyperplasia induced by testosterone propionate in mice.

Role of non-receptor tyrosine kinase Tec in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines from macrophages induced by endotoxin/lipopolysaccharide / 中华烧伤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of non-receptor tyrosine kinase Tec in the production of TNF-α and IL-1β from macrophages induced by LPS and its related mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>RAW264.7 mononuclear-macrophages cultured in 6-well plates were divided into 4 groups according to the random number table, with 24 wells in each group. Cells in blank group were routinely cultured (cultured with DMEM medium containing 10% FBS) for 2 hours. Cells in LFM-A13 group were pretreated with 75 µmol/L Tec specific inhibitor LFM-A13 for 1 hour and then routinely cultured for 1 hour. Cells in LPS group were routinely cultured for 1 hour and then treated with 0.1 µg/mL LPS for 1 hour. Cells in LPS+LFM-A13 group were pretreated with 75 µmol/L LFM-A13 for 1 hour and then treated with 0.1 µg/mL LPS for 1 hour. The content of TNF-α and IL-1β in culture supernatant of cells was determined with ELISA. The mRNA expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β in cells were assayed with real-time fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR. The activity of intracellular Tec, p38 MAPK, and transforming growth factor activated kinase 1 (TAK1) was determined with Western blotting. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance and LSD test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The content of TNF-α and IL-1β in culture supernatant of cells in LFM-A13 group was close to that in blank group (with P values above 0.05). The mRNA expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β in the cells of LFM-A13 group were close to those of blank group (with P values above 0.05). The content of TNF-α and IL-1β in culture supernatant of cells in LPS group was respectively (1 213 ± 154) and (636 ± 90) pg/mL, which was higher than that in blank group [(330 ± 44) and (211 ± 31) pg/mL, with P values below 0.01]. The mRNA expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β in the cells of LPS group were respectively 1.57 ± 0.22 and 1.44 ± 0.24, which were significantly higher than those of blank group (1.00 ± 0.18 and 1.00 ± 0.19, with P values below 0.01). The content of TNF-α and IL-1β in culture supernatant of cells in LPS+LFM-A13 group was respectively (787 ± 109) and (453 ± 64) pg/mL, which was significantly lower than that in LPS group (with P values below 0.05). The mRNA expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β in the cells of LPS+LFM-A13 group were respectively 1.21 ± 0.15 and 1.21 ± 0.22, and they were significantly lower than those of LPS group (with P values below 0.05). The activity of intracellular Tec, TAK1, and p38 MAPK of cells in LPS+LFM-A13 group was close to that in blank group (with P values above 0.05). The activity of intracellular Tec, TAK1, and p38 MAPK of cells in LPS group was respectively 2.69 ± 0.41, 3.99 ± 0.65, and 2.07 ± 0.31, which was significantly higher than that in blank group (1.00 ± 0.17, 1.00 ± 0.16, and 1.00 ± 0.18, with P values below 0.01) and LPS+LFM-A13 group (1.02 ± 0.17, 1.18 ± 0.20, and 1.58 ± 0.28, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Tec promotes the production and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β from macrophages induced by LPS via TAK1-p38 MAPK signaling pathway.</p>

Revision to origin of northern Artemisia argyi in Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao gangmu) / 中国中药杂志

The origin of northern Artemisia argyi recorded in Compendium of Materia Medica(Bencao gangmu) is Fudao(Chinese characters) in Tangyin county, While there is only Fudao(Chinese characters) instead of Fudao(Chinese characters). Whether indeed Fudao(Chinese characters) is Fudao(Chinese characters)? By reviewing the genuine evolution of A. argyi, doing textual research on Fudao(Chinese characters) and combing with field survey data of national census of Chinese Materia Medica resources, this paper concluded that the word Fudao(Chinese characters) firstly emerged in Figure Canon of Chinese Materia Medica(Bencao tujing) of Susong in Song dynasty and was applied in later generations, but the implication was not clear, then emerged both Tangyin and Fudao(Chinese characters) in Compendium of Materia Medica(Bencao gangmu). The place Fudao(Chinese characters) is one of the graves of Bianque, that existed from Shang and Zhou dynasty and never changed until now, the A. argyi of Tangyin was famous from the grave of Bianque in Fudao(Chinese characters), which could infer that Lishizhen considered Fudao (Chinese characters) was Fudao(Chinese characters) indeed, and the origin of northern A. argyi was Fudao(Chinese characters) in Tangyin county.

Role of the Chinese herbal medicine xianhuayin on the reversal of premalignant mucosal lesions in the golden hamster buccal pouch / 国际口腔科学杂志·英文版

<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the role of the Chinese herbal medicine Xianhuayin on the reversal of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced premalignant mucosal lesions in the oral buccal pouch of golden hamsters.</p><p><b>METHODOLOGY</b>The animals were randomly divided into a non-diseased control group (n=5) and an experimental group including 50 animals in which the buccal mucosa had been painted with DMBA (0.5% in acetone) to generate an oral mucosa premalignant lesion. Animals in the experimental group were further divided into Xianhuayin-treated group (n=30), untreated premalignant lesion group (n=10) and normal saline (NS)-treated group (n=10). The cheek (buccal) pouch mucosa of the golden hamsters in each group was observed with light and electron microscopy eight weeks after intragastric administration with NS or Xianhuayin.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the non-diseased control group, the buccal mucosa was keratinized and stratified squamous epithelium under a light microscope. In the untreated premalignant lesion group, variable degrees of epithelial dysplasia was observed. The irregular epithelial mucosa gradually became distinct in the Xianhuayin-treated group. Scanning electronic microscopic (SEM) analysis showed that surface of the cells exhibited honeycomb structures in the hamster of untreated-group. The cells were morphologically irregular, overlapped and loosened in the untreated premalignant lesion group. Most of the cell surface exhibited honeycomb structure in the Xianhuayin-treated group. Transmission electronic microscopic (TEM) analysis showed that buccal mucosal epithelial cells were morphologically regular in the non-diseased control group. Desmosomes and tonofibrils were reduced and the nucleus was morphologically irregular in the untreated premalignant lesion group. In the Xianhuayin-treated group, the widening intercellular gap was gradually reduced, desmosomes and the cells becoming morphologically regular. No significant difference was observed between the hamsters in NS-treated group and those in the untreated premalignant lesion group. Significant therapeutic efficacy was observed in the group receiving Xianhuayin.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Xianhuayin is effective in the reversal of DMBA-induced premalignant lesions in the buccal pouch of golden hamsters.</p>

Hepatocyte growth factor protects cultured rat cardiomyocytes against apoptosis induced by gamma ray irradiation / 解放军医学杂志

Objective Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been proposed to be used as an endogenous cardioprotective agent. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-apoptosis effect of HGF on rat cardiomyocytes after being irradiated by single dose gamma ray. Methods The study was performed using primary cell cultures of cardiomyocytes isolated from hearts of new-born rats. After being cultured for 72h in vitro, cardiomyocytes were irradiated with gamma ray in a single dose of 20Gy. In the HGF treated groups, cells were incubated with HGF in the dose of 20 and 40ng/ml 3h prior to irradiation, respectively. At 48h post-irradiation, the concentration of LDH in the supernatant of cell culture was determined. Apoptosis and cell cycle were determined with flow cytometry. Results LDH concentration in the supernatant of cell culture of irradiated cardiomyocytes was increased significantly compared to that of un-irradiated cells (P