Prostaglandin E receptors differentially regulate the output of proinflammatory cytokines in myometrial cells from term pregnant women / 生理学报

Prostaglandin (PG) E plays critical roles during pregnancy and parturition. Emerging evidence indicates that human labour is an inflammatory event. We sought to investigate the effect of PGE on the output of proinflammatory cytokines in cultured human uterine smooth muscle cells (HUSMCs) from term pregnant women and elucidate the role of subtypes of PGE receptors (EP, EP, EP and EP). After drug treatment and/or transfection of each receptor siRNA, the concentrations of inflammatory secreting factors in HUSMCs culture medium were detected by the corresponding ELISA kits. The results showed that, PGE increased interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) output, decreased chemokine (c-x-c motif) ligand 8 (CXCL8) output in a dose-dependent manner, but had no effect on IL-1β and chemokine (c-c motif) ligand 2 (CCL-2) secretion of HUSMCs. EP/EP agonist 17-phenyl-trinor-PGE stimulated IL-6 and TNFα whilst suppressing IL-1β and CXCL8 output. The effects of 17-phenyl-trinor-PGE on IL-1β and CXCL8 secretion were remained whereas its effect on IL-6 and TNFα output did not occur in the cells with EP knockdown. The stimulatory effects of 17-phenyl-trinor-PGE on IL-6 and TNFα were remained whereas the inhibitory effects of 17-phenyl-trinor-PGE on IL-1β secretion was blocked in the cells with EP knockdown. Either of EP and EP agonists stimulated IL-1β and TNFα output, which was reversed by EP and EP siRNA, respectively. The inhibitors of phospholipase C (PLC) and protein kinase C (PKC) blocked EP/EP modulation of TNFα and CXCL8 output. PI3K inhibitor LY294002 and P38 inhibitor SB202190 blocked 17-phenyl-trinor-PGE-induced IL-1β and IL-6 output, respectively. The inhibitors of adenylyl cyclase and PKA prevented EP and EP stimulation of IL-1β and TNFα output, whereas PLC and PKC inhibitors blocked EP- and EP-induced TNFα output but not IL-1β output. Our data suggest that PGE receptors exhibit different effects on the output of various cytokines in myometrium, which can subtly modulate the inflammatory microenvironment in myometrium during pregnancy.

Study on environmental and psychological risk factors for female infertility / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the environmental and psychological risk factors for female infertility and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of female infertility.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In a hospital-based case-control study, a self-designed questionnaire was used to survey the cases and controls (1:1) with nation and age (± 2 years) as matching variables. Univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression models were employed to analyze the datasets.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The univariate analysis showed that female infertility was related to the following factors: eating fried foods, alcohol consumption, smoking, staying up late, perm, housing decoration, contact with heavy metals, exposure to radiation, contact with pesticides, working in hot environment, mental stress, uneasiness, helplessness, and despair. The multivariate analysis showed that staying up late (OR = 2.937), housing decoration (OR = 2.963), exposure to radiation (OR = 2.506), contact with pesticides (OR = 2.908), and mental stress (OR = 4.101) were the main risk factors for female infertility. Furthermore, there was an interaction between staying up late and mental stress.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Female infertility is caused by multiple factors including staying up late, housing decoration, exposure to radiation, contact with pesticides, and mental stress, and there is an interaction between staying up late and mental stress.</p>

Exploration of the association of H. pylori and EBV infection with cardiac and distal gastric adenocarcinoma among residents in Cixian County, a high-risk area of esophgeal cancer in Hebei province / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the H. pylori and Epstein-Barr virus infection in cardiac and distal gastric adenocarcinoma tissues in residents in Cixian county, a high risk area of esophageal cancer in Hebei province, and to explore the putative role of H. pylori and Epstein-Barr virus infection in the carcinogenesis of adenocarcinoma at different subsites of stomach.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>H. pylori and Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 1 (EBV-LMP1) immunopositivities were determined by Elivision(TM) plus immunohistochemical staining in 190 gastric adenocarcinoma tissues including 144 cases of cardiac adenocarcinoma and 46 cases of distal gastric adenocarcinoma. The relationship between H. pylori and Epstein-Barr virus infection and the subsite, Laurén type as well as other clinicopathological features of gastric adenocarcinoma were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No significant difference was found between the H. pylori detection rates in cardiac and distal gastric adenocarcinomas(56.9% vs. 65.2%, P > 0.05). The detection rate of H. pylori in intestinal type was significantly higher than that in the diffuse type distal gastric adenocarcinomas (71.8% vs. 28.6%, P < 0.05). No positive expression of EBV-LMP1 was found in the gastric adenocarcinomas in this study.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>No significant differences in H. pylori and EBV-LMP1 infections were found between cardiac and distal gastric adenocarcinomas in Cixian county. H. pylori infection is related with the intestinal type of distal gastric adenocarcinoma.</p>

Quantitative analysis of steroidal saponins in Chinese material medica Rhizoma Paridis by HPLC-ELSD / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The several species of the genus Paris called as Rhizoma Paridis were famous traditional Chinese medica. To develop the quantitative analysis method of the steroidal saponins in some species of the genus Paris and commercially available Rhizoma Paridis samples by HPLC-ELSD.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The contents of 11 steroidal saponins in Rhizoma Paridis samples were dectected with a Kromasil C18(4.6 mm x 150 mm, 5 microm) column which was deluted with acetonitrile-water (30:70-60:40) at a flow rate of 1 mL x min(-1) by HPLC-ELSD.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>All the authentic samples could be separated and calibration curves of 11 saponins were prepared. 11 steroidal saponins in 16 Rhizoma Paridis samples were detected in 30 min. The recovery for the assay of saponins was between 95% and 97%. The precision and stability of samples (RSD) were below 3%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The method was shown to be accurate and convenient, and suitable for the quantitative analysis of these 11 steroidal saponins in the commercially available Rhizoma Paridis samples.</p>

Study on pharmacokinetics of emodin in Rhizoma Polygontum Cuspidatum and its compound / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the difference in the pharmacokinetics of emodin in Zhiganning capsules and Rhizoma Polygontum Cuspidatum by nonaqueous RP-HPLC.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The rats were orally administered with the extraction of Rhizoma Polygontum Cuspidatum and Zhiganning capsules. After hydrolysis and extraction, the content of emodin in the plasma is determined by Nonaqueous RP-HPLC.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The concentration-time profiles of emodin fit two-compartment model. The pharmacokinetics parameters including, t1/2alpha, AUC(0-infinity), CL(s) and C(max) of emodin in the group of Rhizoma Polygontum Cuspidatum were significantly different from these in the group of its compounds.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There is a significant difference in pharmacokinetics of emodin between zhiganning capsules and the extraction of Rhizoma Polygontum Cuspidatum.</p>