Clinical study of reoperation for acute type A aortic dissection.

Objective: The initial operation for type A aortic dissection has limitations, and there may be a need for reoperation in cases such as giant pseudoaneurysm formation and reduced blood supply to the distal vessels. In this study, we collected case data of patients who underwent cardiac major vascular surgery at our hospital to analyze the effectiveness of reoperation treatment options for type A aortic dissection and to summarize our treatment experience. Method: Between June 2018 and December 2022, 62 patients with type A aortic dissection (TAAD) underwent reoperation after previous surgical treatment. Of these, 49 patients (45 males) underwent endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) with a mean age of (49.69 ± 10.21) years (30-75 years), and 13 patients (11 males) underwent thoracoabdominal aortic replacement (TAAR) with a mean age of (41.00 ± 11.18) years (23-66 years). In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the recorded data of 62 patients. In addition, we summarized and analyzed their Computed Tomographic Angiography (CTA) results and perioperative complications. Outcome: In the EVAR group, 47 patients (95.92%) were successfully implanted with overlapping stents, and 2 patients died in the perioperative period. Postoperative complications included cerebral infarction (4.08%), acute renal insufficiency (30.61%), pulmonary insufficiency and need for ventilator (6.12%), poor wound healing (2.04%), postoperative reoperation (16.33%), and lower limb ischemia (2.04%). In the TAAR group, 12 patients (92.31%) were successfully revascularized and 1 patient died in the perioperative period. Postoperative complications included cerebral infarction (7.69%), acute kidney injury (46.15%), pulmonary insufficiency and need for ventilator (15.38%), poor wound healing (30.77%) and postoperative reoperation (15.38%). Conclusion: According to the results of the study, compared with TAAR, EVAR was less invasive, faster recovery, and offered a better choice for some high-risk and high-age patients with comorbid underlying diseases. However, the rate of revascularization was higher after EVAR than TAAR due to vascular lesions. Compared with the use of ascending aortic replacement + hemi-aortic arch replacement for acute type A aortic dissection in many countries and regions, the use of ascending aortic replacement + aortic arch replacement + elephant trunk stent is more traumatic in China, but facilitates reoperation. For young patients, the choice of treatment should be individualized combining vascular lesions and long-term quality of life.

TRAF6 promotes osteogenesis in ADSCs through Raf-Erk-Merk-Hif1-a pathway.

Critical-size defects (CSDs) are challenging oral clinical issues that need to be solved. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) and gene therapy offer a new target to solve these issues. Consequently, ADSCs attract more and more attention because of advantages such as easy obtainability and no ethical concerns. TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is a significant binding protein both of tumour necrosis factor superfamily and of the toll/interleukin-1 receptor superfamily. Evidence is accumulating that TRAF6 inhibited osteoclast formation and promoted the proliferation of multiple myeloma cell lines and bone resorption. Here, we reported that overexpression of TRAF6 enhanced the proliferation, migration and osteogenesis of ADSCs through Raf-Erk-Merk-Hif1a pathway. Cell sheet of ADSCs combined with TRAF6 accelerated the healing of CSDs. In a word, TRAF6 enhanced osteogenesis, migration and proliferation through Raf-Erk-Merk-Hif1a pathway.

Discovery of 4-(4-aminophenyl)-6-phenylisoxazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-3-amine derivatives as novel FLT3 covalent inhibitors for the intervention of acute myeloid leukemia.

Small molecule covalent drugs have proved to be desirable therapies especially on drug resistance related to point mutations. Secondary mutations of FLT3 have become the main mechanism of FLT3 inhibitors resistance which further causes the failure of treatment. Herein, a series of 4-(4-aminophenyl)-6-phenylisoxazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-3-amine covalent derivatives were synthesized and optimized to overcome the common secondary resistance mutations of FLT3. Among these derivatives, compound F15 displayed potent inhibition activities against FLT3 (IC50 = 123 nM) and FLT3-internal tandem duplication (ITD) by 80% and 26.06%, respectively, at the concentration of 1 µM. Besides, F15 exhibited potent activity against FLT3-dependent human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines MOLM-13 (IC50 = 253 nM) and MV4-11 (IC50 = 91 nM), as well as BaF3 cells with variety of secondary mutations. Furthermore, cellular mechanism assays indicated that F15 inhibited phosphorylation of FLT3 and its downstream signaling factors. Notably, F15 could be considered for further development as potential drug candidate to treat AML.

Preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography-based radiomics model for overall survival prediction in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy with a rising incidence worldwide. The prognosis of HCC patients after radical resection remains poor. Radiomics is a novel machine learning method that extracts quantitative features from medical images and provides predictive information of cancer, which can assist with cancer diagnosis, therapeutic decision-making and prognosis improvement. AIM: To develop and validate a contrast-enhanced computed tomography-based radiomics model for predicting the overall survival (OS) of HCC patients after radical hepatectomy. METHODS: A total of 150 HCC patients were randomly divided into a training cohort (n = 107) and a validation cohort (n = 43). Radiomics features were extracted from the entire tumour lesion. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm was applied for the selection of radiomics features and the construction of the radiomics signature. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify the independent prognostic factors and develop the predictive nomogram, incorporating clinicopathological characteristics and the radiomics signature. The accuracy of the nomogram was assessed with the concordance index, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calibration curve. The clinical utility was evaluated by decision curve analysis (DCA). Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to compare the survival between the low- and high-risk subgroups. RESULTS: In total, seven radiomics features were selected to construct the radiomics signature. According to the results of univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and radiomics signature were included to build the nomogram. The C-indices of the nomogram in the training and validation cohorts were 0.736 and 0.774, respectively. ROC curve analysis for predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS confirmed satisfactory accuracy [training cohort, area under the curve (AUC) = 0.850, 0.791 and 0.823, respectively; validation cohort, AUC = 0.905, 0.884 and 0.911, respectively]. The calibration curve analysis indicated a good agreement between the nomogram-prediction and actual survival. DCA curves suggested that the nomogram had more benefit than traditional staging system models. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated that patients in the low-risk group had longer OS and disease-free survival (all P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The nomogram containing the radiomics signature, NLR and AFP is a reliable tool for predicting the OS of HCC patients.

[Anti-osteoarthritis components and mechanism of Fufang Duzhong Jiangu Granules].

Osteoarthritis is a common disease characterized by degenerative lesions of articular cartilage in the elderly.Fufang Duzhong Jiangu Granulues(FDJG), a classical prescription for the treatment of osteoarthritis, has the effects of nourishing liver and kidney, nourishing blood and sinew, and dredging collaterals and relieving pain.In this study, molecular simulation technology was combined with molecular biology methods to explore and verify the potential pharmacodynamic substances and molecular mechanism of FDJG in the treatment of osteoarthritis.Arachidonic acid(AA) metabolic pathway is a typical anti-inflammatory pathway, and secretory phospholipase A2 group ⅡA(sPLA2-ⅡA), 5-lipoxygenase(5-LOX), cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2), and leukotriene A4 hydrolase(LTA4 H) are the key targets of the pathway.Therefore, in this study, based on the pharmacophores and molecular docking models of the four key targets in AA pathway, a total of 1 522 chemical components in 12 medicinals of FDJG were virtually screened, followed by weighted analysis of the screening results in combination with the proportions of the medicinals in the prescription.The results showed that mainly 73 components in the preparation could act on the above four targets, suggesting they might be the potential anti-osteoarthritis components of FDJG.Considering the predicted effectiveness, availability, and compatibility of the medicinals, coniferyl ferulate, olivil, and baicalin were selected for further verification.Specifically, lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced RAW264.7 inflammatory cell model was used to verify the anti-inflammatory activity of the three components.The results showed that the three can effectively inhibit the release of NO, supporting the above selection.In addition, targets 5-LOX, COX-2, and LTA4 H had high activity, which suggested that they may be the key anti-osteoarthritis targets of FDJG.The comprehensive activity values of Eucommiae Cortex, Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Lycii Fructus, and Astragali Radix were much higher than that of other medicinals in the prescription, indicating that they may be the main effective medicinals in FDJG acting on the AA pathway.In this study, the potential anti-osteoarthritis components of FDJG were obtained.Moreover, it was clarified that the anti-osteoarthritis mechanism of FDJG was to act on LOX and COX pathway in AA metabolic pathway, which provided a reference for the study of pharmacodynamic substances and molecular mechanism of FDJG.

Clinical Features of COVID-19 Patients in Xiaogan City.

On February 6, 2020, Xiaogan City became the second most seriously affected city with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), outside Wuhan district, Hubei Province, China. The objectives are to study the clinical features of COVID-19 patients and assess the relationship between the severity of COVID-19, age, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. The retrospective data of 134 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in 3 hospitals of Xiaogan City, between February 1 and March 1, 2020, was collected. This study documented COVID-19 patients. Clinical data in terms of body temperature, history of travel, and direct contact with COVID-19 patients, and incubation period was collected. Out of the 134 patients, only 5 required intensive care. Moreover, 2 patients succumbed during this period. The median age of patients was 45 (33-56) years. The most common symptoms at the onset of disease were fever (66.4%), cough (33, 6%), and sore throat (14.7%). Amongst the medicines used, antiviral agents (92.3%) followed by the traditional Chinese medicine (89.5%) were most commonly used. In both the crude and adjusted (I to III) models, odds ratio and its 95% confidence interval for both age and CRP levels were > 1. Moreover, the smooth curve fitting graph reflected that the severity of COVID-19 was positively correlated with both age and CRP levels (all P value < 0.05). The signs and symptoms of COVID-19 patients were fairly moderate. The health care professionals treating the COVID-19 patients should be aware of the increased likelihood of progression to severe COVID-19 in elderly patients and those with high CRP levels.

Clinical significance of long non-coding RNA DUXAP8 and its protein coding genes in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Backgrounds: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal malignancy worldwide that is difficult to diagnose during the early stages and its tumors are recurrent. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have increasingly been associated with tumor biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis. This study attempts to explore the potential clinical significance of lncRNA DUXAP8 and its co-expression related protein coding genes (PCGs) for HCC. Method: Data from a total of 370 HCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas were utilized for the analysis. DUXAP8 and its top 10 PCGs were explored for their diagnostic and prognostic implications for HCC. A risk score model and nomogram were constructed for prognosis prediction using prognosis-related genes and DUXAP8. Molecular mechanisms of DUXAP8 and its PCGs involved in HCC initiation and progression were investigated. Then, potential target drugs were identified using genome-wide DUXAP8-related differentially expressed genes in a Connectivity Map database. Results: The top 10 PCGs were identified as: RNF2, MAGEA1, GABRA3, MKRN3, FAM133A, MAGEA3, CNTNAP4, MAGEA6, MALRD1, and DGKI. Diagnostic analysis indicated that DUXAP8, MEGEA1, MKRN3, and DGKI show diagnostic implications (all area under curves ≥0.7, p≤0.05). Prognostic analysis indicated that DUXAP8 and RNF2 had prognostic implications for HCC (adjusted p=0.014 and 0.008, respectively). The risk score model and nomogram showed an advantage for prognosis prediction. A total of 3 target drugs were determined: cinchonine, bumetanide and amiprilose and they may serve as potential therapeutic targets for HCC. Conclusion: Functioning as an oncogene, DUXAP8 is overexpressed in tumor tissue and may serve as both a diagnostic and prognosis biomarker for HCC. MEGEA1, MKRN3, and DGKI maybe potential diagnostic biomarkers and DGKI may also be potentially prognostic biomarkers for HCC.

[Study on efficacy markers of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma for promoting blood circulation and remving blood stasis based on systematic traditional Chinese medicine].

Traditional Chinese medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis has been widely used in clinical practice. However, due to the diversity of the composition of traditional Chinese medicine and the complexity of its interaction with human body, it is difficult to apply traditional quality control ingredients to characterize its overall efficacy. Systematic traditional Chinese medicine is an effective method for studying the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine, embodying the dialectical unity of holism and reductionism. Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma is a common traditional Chinese medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. In this study, we constructed a multi-dimensional network of "efficacy-pharmacological efficacy-targets-components" based on systematic traditional Chinese medicine, and discussed the discovery of the efficacy markers of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. Firstly, based on the Chinese medicine efficacy-pharmacology database, the most relevant pharmacological actions(boundary) for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis(function) were obtained, and the target sets(structure) of the corresponding pharmacological action were obtained by the DrugBank database. Then, STRING database was used to construct protein-protein interaction network(relationship) of targets related to promoting blood circulation and removing stasis, and key targets(elements) in the network were selected by evaluating topological parameters of targets. Finally, the potential efficacy markers of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma were predicted by molecular docking based on the key targets of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. The results demonstrated that salvianolic acid B, salvianolic acid A, tanshinone Ⅱ_A and tanshinone Ⅰ were the potential markers of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma on promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. Salvianolic acid B, salvianolic acid A, tanshinone Ⅱ_A had been reported to have anti-platelet aggregation, anti-thrombotic, cardiovascular protection and some other pharmacological functions. Based on systematic traditional Chinese medicine, we have preliminarily predicted the efficacy markers of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma in promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis in this study, providing a research method for the discovery of efficacy markers and a reference for the overall quality control of traditional Chinese medicine.

Bile in bronchi: A case report.

BACKGROUND: The biliary bronchial fistula is rare and difficult to treat. Here we report a 49-year-old woman diagnosed with biliary bronchial fistula due to cough with yellow-green sputum. CASE PRESENTATION: this is a typical case of the biliary bronchial fistula with typical symptoms. The position of the abscess cavity below the diaphragm could not be catheter drainage. After anti-infection treatment, yellow-green sputum was reduced. Follow-up showed a good prognosis. CONCLUSION: biliary bronchial fistula is rare in the clinic, combined with chest and abdomen infection.

Novel candidate biomarkers of origin recognition complex 1, 5 and 6 for survival surveillance in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has high morbidity and mortality and lacks effective biomarkers for early diagnosis and survival surveillance. Origin recognition complex (ORC), consisting of ORC1-6 isoforms, was examined to assess the potential significance of ORC isoforms for HCC prognosis. Methods: Oncomine and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) databases were used to examine differential isoform expression, stage-specific expression, calculate Pearson correlations and perform survival analysis. A human protein atlas database was utilized to evaluate the protein expression of ORCs in liver tissue. The cBioPortal database was used to assess isoform mutations and the survival significance of ORCs in HCC. Cytoscape software was employed to construct gene ontologies, metabolic pathways and gene-gene interaction networks. Results: Differential expression analysis indicated that ORC1 and ORC3-6 were highly expressed in tumor tissues in the Oncomine and GEPIA databases, while ORC2 was not. All the ORCs were showed positive and statistically significant correlations with each other (all P<0.001). ORC1-2 and ORC4-6 expressions were associated with disease stages I-IV (all P<0.05), but ORC3 was not. Survival analysis found that ORC1 and ORC4-6 expressions were associated with overall survival (OS), and ORC1-3 and ORC5-6 expression were associated with recurrence-free survival (RFS; all P<0.05). In addition, low expression of these ORC genes consistently indicated better prognosis compared with high expression. Protein expression analysis revealed that ORC1 and ORC3-6 were expressed in normal liver tissues, whereas ORC2 was not. Enrichment analysis indicated that ORCs were associated with DNA metabolic process, sequence-specific DNA binding and were involved in DNA replication, cell cycle, E2F-enabled inhibition of pre-replication complex formation and G1/S transition. Conclusions: Differentially expressed ORC1, 5 and 6 are candidate biomarkers for survival prediction and recurrence surveillance in HCC.

Oncogene UBE2I enhances cellular invasion, migration and proliferation abilities via autophagy-related pathway resulting in poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a worldwide malignancy with high morbidity and mortality. In this study, ubiquitin conjugating enzyme E2I (UBE2I), a small ubiquitin-like modifier E2 enzyme reportedly expressed in tumors, was examined for its potential effects in HCC. Bioinformatics analysis was performed based on HCCDB, TIMER, and Kaplan-Meier plotter databases to explore the clinical implications in HCC. An siRNA kit was used to downregulate UBE2I, and in vitro experiments-including migration, invasion and proliferation assays-were performed to examine UBE2I expression in HCC. Western blot (WB) was used to determine whether downregulated UBE2I expression influenced the prognosis of HCC via autophagy pathways. Finally, RNA-sequencing was performed to explore candidate molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of UBE2I. Bioinformatics analysis including stratification by alcohol ingestion and hepatitis status in HCC showed that highly expressed UBE2I was not only correlated with poor prognosis, but was also associated with immune infiltrates. In vitro experiments showed that high expression of UBE2I was associated with increased migration, invasion and proliferation of HCC cells. WB results indicated that downregulated expression of UBE2I was associated with higher levels of autophagy-related proteins including LC3A/B, Beclin-1 and ATG16L1. Moreover, RNA-sequencing results suggested that UBE2I was involved in hepatocarcinogenesis, non-alcohol fatty liver disease, steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis, inflammation, hepatoblastoma, tumor angiogenesis, type 2 mellitus diabetes, biliary tract disease and other diseases. We conclude that oncogene UBE2I is associated with poor prognosis of HCC via autophagy pathways and may be involved in hepatocarcinogenesis, tumor angiogenesis, non-alcohol fatty liver disease and inflammation.

[Correlation of aldo-keto reductases with prostate cancer and intervention with traditional Chinese medicine].

The androgen receptor signaling pathway is a key factor in the development and progression of prostate cancer. Aldo-keto reductases AKR1C1-AKR1C4 play an important role in the synthesis and metabolism of androgens in the body, and their expressions influence the androgen receptor signaling pathway and consequently the development and progression of prostate cancer. For the treatment of androgen-resistant prostate cancer, which cannot be cured currently, Chinese medicine and phytotherapy are receiving more and more attention for the mild, long-lasting and multi-target advantages of the small molecules of traditional Chinese medicine. This review summarizes the roles of aldo-keto reductases in the progression of prostate cancer and compares the anti-tumor activities of small molecules in Chinese medicine targeting aldo-keto reductases, hoping to provide a basis for the discovery of new targets for prostate cancer and the development of anti-tumor drugs.

Risk of hip fractures in patients with depressive disorders: A nationwide, population-based, retrospective, cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Some studies have suggested that depressive disorders may play a vital role in the incidence of hip fractures. However, nationwide data are lacking regarding the association between depressive disorders and hip fractures. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the association between depressive disorders and new-onset hip fractures. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 11,207 patients with depressive disorders and 11,207 control patients using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. A Cox regression model was used to evaluate the risk of hip fractures in patients with depressive disorders. RESULTS: The incidence rate ratio of hip fractures between patients with depressive disorders and controls was 1.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.29-1.99, P < .001). After adjustment for potential confounders in multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model, patients with depressive disorders were found to have 1.34 times higher risk of hip fractures than controls (95% CI = 1.08-1.66, P = .008). Furthermore, age (hazard ratio [HR] = 7.43, 95% CI = 4.94-11.19, P < .001), hypertension (HR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.17-2.28, P = .004), diabetes mellitus (HR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.08-1.99, P = .014), cerebrovascular disease (HR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.31-2.35, P < .001), living in rural areas (HR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.30-2.70, P = .001), and low monthly income (NT$0-NT$19,000: HR = 4.08, 95% CI = 1.79-9.29, P = .001 and NT$19,100-NT$42,000: HR = 4.09, 95% CI = 1.76-9.49, P = .001) were independent risk factors for new-onset hip fractures in patients with depressive disorders. CONCLUSION: Depressive disorders might increase the risk of new-onset hip fractures, particularly in older patients and patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cerebrovascular disease, or low socioeconomic status.

Increased risk of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in patients with anxiety disorders: a nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the risk of benign peripheral persistent vertigo (BPPV) among patients with anxiety disorders by using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 15,470 participants (7735 anxiety disorder patients and 7735 control patients) selected from the NHIRD. Patients were observed for a maximum of 9 years to determine the rates of newly diagnosed BPPV. A Cox regression model was used to evaluate the risk of BPPV among the patients with anxiety disorders. RESULTS: During the 9-year follow-up period, 178 (2.05 per 1000 person-years) anxiety disorder patients and 71 (0.81 per 1000 person-years) control patients were diagnosed with BPPV. The incidence risk ratio of BPPV between anxiety disorder patients and control patients was 2.52 (95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.90-3.37, P < .001). After adjustment for age, sex, and comorbidities, patients with anxiety disorders were found to be 2.17 times more likely to develop BPPV (95 % CI, 1.63-2.90, P < .001) than the control patients. Furthermore, female sex (HR = 1.81, 95 % CI, 1.31-2.50, P < .001) and cerebrovascular disease (HR = 1.53, 95 % CI, 1.00-2.34, P = .050) were independent risk factors for developing new-onset BPPV in patients with anxiety disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety disorder patients may have an increased risk of developing BPPV, especially those who are female or have cerebrovascular disease.

[Effect of compound Chinese traditional medicine PC-SPES II in inhibiting proliferation of human prostate cancer cell LNCaP and on expressions of AR and PSA].

To investigate the effect of compound Chinese traditional medicine PC-SPES II I in inhibiting proliferation of human prostate cancer cell LNCaP based on the androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway. The effect of PC-SPES II on LNCaP cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay. According to the findings, at the mass concentration of 180-1 440 mg x L(-1), PC-SPES II significantly inhibited the proliferation of LNCaP cells; the IC50 of PC-SPES II at 24 h and 48 h were 311.48, 199.01 mg x L(-1), respectively. The flow Cytometry detection showed 240 mg x L(-1) PC-SPES II arrested cells in G2/M phase, and an obvious apoptotic peak appeared before G0/G1 peak and rose over time. Meanwhile, Hoechst 33258 staining revealed apoptotic cellular morphology. Annexin V-FITC/PI staining manifested an increase in apoptotic cell ratio at the PC-SPES II concentration of 480 mg x L(-1) in a dose dependent manner. The prostate specific antigen (PSA) secretion of LNCaP cells was tested by PSA ELISA kit. Besides, compared with 25 mg x L(-1) Bic, 480 mg x L(-1) PC-SPES II significantly reduced the cell secretion of PSA. The AR and PSA mRNA and protein expressions were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. According to the results, after the induction of LNCaP cells with synthetic androgen 25 µg x L(-1) R1881, 240-480 mg x L(-1) PC-SPES II notably down-regulated the AR and PSA mRNA and protein expressions and inhibited the translocation of AR from cytoplasm to nucleus. In summary, PC-SPES II significantly can inhibit the in vitro proliferation of LNCaP cells and arrest cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase. Its mechanism may be associated with the down-regulation of the AR and PSA expressions and the inhibition of AR nuclear translocation.

[Effect of glaucocalyxin A on level of Th1/Th2 type cytokines in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To research the effect of glaucocalyxin A (GLA) on the level of Th1/Th2 type cytokines in mice. METHOD: By using flow cytometer with CBA software to detect Th1/Th2 type cytokines. RESULT: GLA had insighificant inhibitory effects on Th1 and Th2 cytokines (IL-2, IFN-gamma,TNF-alpha, IL-4 and IL-5) induced by ConA, in which more potential on cytokines from Th1 than those of from Th2 were displayed. However, GLA could produce inhibition on IL-2, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha and acceleration on IL-4 and IL-5. CONCLUSION: Immunosuppressive effect of GLA is related to the influence the level of Th1/Th2 type cytokines.

A novel bis-furan derivative, two new natural furan derivatives from Rehmannia glutinosa and their bioactivity.

A novel bis-furan derivative and two new natural furan derivatives were isolated from the CHCl3 extracts of the dried roots of Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaerth) Lilosch. Their structures were identified as 1,5-bis(5-methoxymethyl)furan-2-yl-penta-1,4-dien-3-one 1, (E)-4-(5-(methoxymethyl)furan-2-yl)but-3-en-2-one 2 and (E)-4-(5-(hydroxymethyl)furan-2-yl)but-3-en-2-one 3 on the basis of spectral data. Moreover, biological assay showed that 1 (10 microg/mL) and 3 (10 microg/mL) can promote immune activity, 2 (100 microg/mL) and 3 (100 microg/mL) inhibit immune activity and 1 can inhibit blood platelet aggregation.