Inhibitory effect of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide on human gastric cancer cell xenografts in nude mice

Abstract This study investigated the inhibitory effect of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOPA) on human gastric cancer cell SGC-7901 xenografts in nude mice. The nude mice with SGC-7901 xenografts were randomly divided into model, 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu), low-dose DOPA, middle-dose DOPA and high-dose DOPA group. The later four groups were intragastrically administrated with 100, 200 and 400 mg·kg-1·day-1 DOPA, 400 mg·kg-1·day-1 5-Fu and normal saline, respectively. After treatment for 20 days, the tumor inhibition rate of in high-dose DOPA group was basically equivalent to 5-Fu group. Compared with 5-Fu, DOPA had no obvious toxic side effect on spleen or thymus indexes, routine blood indexes or liver and kidney functions of nude mice. Compared with model group, the serum tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-2 levels in middle- and high-dose DOPA group were significantly increased (P < 0.05), Bax protein expression was significantly increased (P < 0.05), and Bcl-2 protein expression was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). DOPA can inhibit the growth of SGC-7901 cell xenografts in nude mice. The mechanism may be related to its increase of serum TNF-α and IL-2 levels, up-regulation of Bax protein expression and down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein expression.

The expression and mutation of β-catenin in colorectal traditional serrated adenomas.

Context : Exon 3 mutation of β-catenin is associated with the carcinogenesis. Aims: In this study we aimed to detect the expression of exon 3 mutations of β-catenin in colorectal TSA, TA/VTA, and CRC. Materials and Methods : Immunohistochemistry staining for β-catenin was performed for 30 TSA, 20 tubular adenomas (TA)/villous tubular adenomas (VTA), and 21 colorectal carcinoma (CRC) cases. DNA sequencing of the exon 3 of β-catenin gene was performed for 8 TSA cases, 6 TA cases, 5 VTA cases, and 10 CRC cases with positive staining in the nuclei and cytoplasm. Statistical Analysis: A Fisher exact test and chi-square test were used to analyze the differentiations of the expression of β-catenin in TSA, TA/VTA, and CRC. Results : The percentages of β-catenin expression in TSA, TA/VTA, and CRC were 76.6% (23/30), 70.0% (14/20), and 95.2% (20/21), respectively, and were significantly different among these three types of tissue specimens (χ2 = 22.805, P < 0.001). Although β-catenin expression levels in TSA were not related to it in TA/VTA, they were significantly different between TSA/TA/VTA and CRC. The degree of dysplasia was well correlated with β-catenin expression (TSA: P < 0.01; TA/VTA: P < 0.05). But β-catenin exon 3 mutations were not detected in any of these tissue specimens. Conclusions : Aberrant β-catenin expression is associated with the degree of dysplasia in TSA. β-catenin likely plays an important role in the pathogenesis of colorectal TSA and conventional adenomas.

Brain edema after intracerebral hemorrhage in rats: the role of inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) results in secondary brain edema and injury that may lead to death and disability. ICH also causes inflammation. It is unclear whether inflammation contributes to brain edema and neuron injury or functions in repairing the brain tissue. AIMS: To understand the effect of inflammation in ICH, we have carried out an investigation on the various aspects and the dynamic changes of inflammation. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: An ICH model was generated by injecting 50 microl autologous tail artery blood stereotactically into the right caudate nucleus of 30 rats, which were randomly divided into five ICH groups. Similarly, five Sham control groups were generated by inserting the needle to the right caudate nucleus of rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rat behavior was evaluated over the time course (6 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 7 d) in each group. The rats were then killed by administering an overdose of pentobarbital. Following the euthanasia, the brain water content, neuronal loss, glia proliferation, inflammatory infiltration and brain morphology of the rats were measured. Additionally, the expression of TNF-alpha, IL-6, ICAM-1, VEGF, NF-kappaB, C3 and CR2 was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The data were analyzed by student's t test. RESULTS: Rat brain water content increased progressively over the time course and reached its peak at 48 h followed ICH. The maximum of inflammatory infiltrate (especially neutrophils) and immunopositive cells of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and NF-kappaB, were at 48 h. The expression of C3 and CR2 reached their peaks at 48-72 h, while the expression ICAM-1 and VEGF were at maximum at 72 h followed ICH. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that the inflammatory cytokines, complement system and VEGF may have a function in the development of the brain edema and neuron injury followed ICH.