Epigallocatechin-3-gallate Modulates MicroRNA Expression Profiles in Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma CNE2 Cells / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has exhibited antitumor properties in several types of cancers, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), but the molecular mechanisms underlying this function remain incompletely understood. The aim of the present study was to characterize the global impact of EGCG on the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in NPC cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Using microarray analysis, the alterations of miRNA expression profiles were investigated in EGCG-treated CNE2 cells. Furthermore, the target genes and signaling pathways regulated by EGCG-specific miRNAs were identified using target prediction program and gene ontology analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 14 miRNAs exhibited >2-fold expression changes in a dose-dependent manner after treatment with 20 μmol/L and 40 μmol/L EGCG. Totally 43, 49, and 52 target genes from these differentially expressed miRNAs were associated with the apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, and cell proliferation, respectively. A total of 66 signaling pathways, primarily involved in cancer development and lipid and glucose metabolism, were shown to be regulated by EGCG-specific miRNAs.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EGCG induces considerable alterations of miRNA expression profiles in CNE2 cells, which provides mechanistic insights into cellular responses and antitumor activity mediated by EGCG.</p>

Non-medical use of psychoactive drugs in relation to suicide tendencies among Chinese adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: To investigate the prevalence of non-medical use of psychoactive prescription drug (NMUPD) among adolescents and to explore the associations between non-medical psychoactive prescription drug use and depressive symptoms, poor sleep quality, deliberate self-harm, and suicide. METHODS: A two-stage stratified cluster sample design produced a representative sample of 12-19-year-old students in grades 1-6 who attended public middle schools in Guangdong province. Prevalence estimates (SE) of non-medical psychoactive prescription drug use were calculated, and logistic regression was used to examine its association with depressive symptoms, poor sleep quality, deliberate self-harm, and suicide. RESULTS: Overall, 7.5% of adolescents reported non-medical use of opioids, and 4.8% of adolescents reported non-medical use of sedatives. Lifetime, last-year, and last-month non-medical use of opioids and sedatives were positively associated with depressive symptoms, poor sleep quality, deliberate self-harm, suicidal ideation, and suicidal attempts among different gender and age-group adolescents. Those who reported last month non-medical use of opioids and sedatives had the greatest odds of reporting depressive symptoms, poor sleep quality, deliberate self-harm, suicidal ideation, and suicidal attempts. Males who were last month non-medical users of opioids or sedative had 8.9 or 10.7 times greater odds of reporting a suicidal attempt, and 8.8 or 9.8 times greater odds of reporting a suicidal attempt were observed among adolescents aged 16-19 who were last-month non-medical users of opioids or sedatives. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide evidence for improving adolescents' suicide prevention strategy by targeting supervision on high risk current non-medical users of psychoactive drug.

Effect of advanced glycosylation end products on oxidative stress and MCP-1 in human renal mesangial cells / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs) modified bovine serum albumin (AGE-BSA) on the expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in human renal mesangial cells (HRMCs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HRMCs were cultured in vitro with medium containing different doses of AGE-BSA or BSA (50,100, 200, 400 mg/L) for 48 hours, or with AGE-BSA (200 mg/L) for different times (12, 24, 48, 72 h). Immunocytochemistry assay was used to estimate the protein level of RAGE. The ROS in cells were measured by flow cytometry and the mRNA expression of MCP-1 were analyzed by semi-quantiative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) after treatment with AGE-BSA or BSA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The protein level of RAGE was upregulated in the HRMCs with AGE-BSA. The expression of ROS and MCP-1 significantly enhanced by incubation of AGE-BSA in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The effects of AGE-BSA-induced up-regulation of ROS and MCP-1 level was significantly blocked by neutralizing antibodies to RAGE, while the expression of ROS and MCP-1 stood nearly unchanged after cultured with huamn IgG.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The expression of ROS and MCP-1 in HRMCs is induced by AGE-BSA through RAGE, which may have potential effects in the pathgenic mechanism of diabetic nephropathy.</p>

Expression of NF-κB and osteopontin of synovial fluid of patients with knee osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the significance of osteopontin and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) expression in patients with knee osteoarthritis.@*METHODS@#RT-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to measure the Osteopontin (OPN) and NF-κB concentration of knee joint synovial fluid of patients with knee osteoarthritis and trauma fractures, and analyze the relationship between the expressiones of them.@*RESULTS@#OPN and NF-κB expression at the mRNA and protein levels of patients with knee osteoarthritis were significantly higher than the control group. the result showed statistical significance (P<0.05). There was a positive correlation between the OPN levels in synovial fluid of patients with knee osteoarthritis and NF-κB expression levels (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The high expression of OPN and NF-κB are closely related to occurrence and development of knee osteoarthritis.

The effect of valsartan on the expression of the receptor for advanced glycation end products in human glomerular mesangial cells / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To elucidate the effect of valsartan on human glomerular mesangial cells oxidative stress and the expression of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) induced by the advanced glycation end-products (AGEs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Human glomerular mesangial cells were treated with advanced glycation end-product-bovine serum albumin (AGE-BSA) in the presence of valsartan. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells were measured by Flow cytometry, and the mRNA of p47 phox, which was the primary subunits of NADPH oxidase, was detected by semi-quantitative reberse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The mRNA of RAGE was detected by RT-PCR and the RAGE protein was assayed by immunocytochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The product of ROS, and the expression of p47 phox and RAGE in mesangial cells, which were treated with AGE-BSA in the presence of valsartan, were down-regulated compared with the groups treated with AGE-BSA (P < 0.05). Valsartan dose-dependently and time-dependently inhibited the AGE-elicited overexpression of RAGE, ROS and p47(phox) in mesangial cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Valsartan could inhibit RAGE expression through downregulation of oxidative stress.</p>

Determining blood parameters FT3, FT4, T, E2 and cortisol to explore nature of cold syndrome and heat syndrome / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the relationship between the levels of free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), cortisol (CO), testosterone (T), serum estradiol (E2) and Cold Syndrome and Heat Syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The blood levels of FT3, FT4, T, E2, CO in groups of sthenic Heat (SH), sthenic Cold (SC), asthenic Heat (AH) and asthenic Cold (AC) and the healthy control group were measured. The number of cases in each group was 50.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) FT3 and FT4 were higher in Heat Syndrome than that in Cold Syndrome in the order of AH > SH > control > SC > AC, it revealed that the basal metabolic rate and oxygen consumption in Heat Syndrome were increased, while it in Cold Syndrome, it declined. (2) CO was higher in SH, SC than that in AH and AC, the order was SC > SH > control > AH > AC, it revealed that CO was one of the factors correlated to asthenic and sthenic syndrome, but not relevant to Heat Syndrome and Cold Syndrome. (3) T was higher in Heat Syndrome than that in Cold Syndrome, but E2 showed the opposite, suggesting that T was one of the factors for forming Heat Syndrome, and E2 for Cold Syndrome.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The levels of FT3, FT4, T, E2 are basis of pathophysiology related with forming HS and CS.</p>

Role of NADH-cytochrome b(5) reductase in biosynthesis of thyroid hydrogen peroxide / 生理学报

The activity of NADH-cytochrome b(5) reductase (b(5)R) and the levels of hydrogen peroxide in the thyroid of patients with Graves' disease (GD) and normal controls were measured with potassium ferricyanide as substrate and with the homovanillic acid fluorescence assay. The activity of b(5)R and the level of H2O2 in GD thyroid were definitely higher than those in normal control, but the activity of catalase in GD thyroid was not significantly different from that in normal thyroid. After addition of p-chloromercuribenzoate, a b(5)R inhibitor, the activity of b(5)R in GD and normal thyroid decreased by 85%, the level of H2O2 decreased by 50%, and protein-bound iodine (PBI) formation by 52%. There is a positive correlation between the level of H2O2 and the activity of b(5)R. Our data indicate that b(5)R participates in thyroid hydrogen peroxide biosynthesis, and is an important enzyme in the production of H2O2.