Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Hedysarum polybotrys var. alaschanicum (Fabaceae) and its phylogeny.

Hedysarum polybotrys var. alaschanicum is an important medicinal plant and is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. The complete chloroplast genome of H. polybotrys var. alaschanicum was assembled from Illumina pair-end sequence reads. The whole chloroplast genome is 122,933 bp in length and encodes a total of 110 genes, including 76 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes and 4 rRNA genes. The overall GC content of the cp genome is 35.3%. A maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetic analysis revealed that H. polybotrys var. alaschanicum was close to Hedysarum semenovii.

Vasculogenic mimicry is a key prognostic factor for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a new pattern of blood supply.

BACKGROUND: Recurrence and local lymph node metastasis affected the prognosis of patients with laryngeal cancer. The aim of this study was to analyze clinical and pathological significance of vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and evaluate its contribution to prognosis. METHODS: Data of 168 cases of LSCC were reviewed retrospectively to reveal clinical pathology and prognostic significance of VM. CD31 and periodic acid-Schiff double staining was used to identify VM. RESULTS: VM in LSCC contributed to lymph node metastasis (P = 0.003) and clinical progression. VM correlated to histopathology grade (P = 0.001) of LSCC. VM was an adverse prognostic factor for both disease-specific survival (P = 0.039) and metastasis-free survival (P = 0.042) by univariate survival analyses. And it was an independent prognostic factor for only disease-specific survival (P = 0.003) by multivariate survival analyses. CONCLUSIONS: VM existed in LSCC. LSCC with VM has more potential to invasion and metastasis.

[Role of vasculogenic mimicry and endothelium-dependent vessel in metastasis of laryngeal cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the contribution of vasculogenic mimicry (VM) and endothelium-dependent vessel (EDV) to invasion and metastasis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). METHODS: A total of 203 cases with LSCC was reviewed and followed up. VM and EDV in LSCC tissues were assessed by double staining with anti-CD31 immunohistochemistry and periodic acid-schiff. Kruskal-Wallis test and one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the relationship between VM, EDV and clinical pathology parameters of LSCC. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate overall survival (OS) of patients with LSCC. RESULTS: VM related to pTNM stage, lymph node metastasis and pathology grade of LSCC, while EDV related to primary sites, pTNM stage, T stage and distant metastasis of LSCC. Univariate analysis showed VM (P = 0.014), pTNM stage (P = 0.009), T stage (P = 0.013), nodal status (P = 0.013), histopathology grade (P = 0.038), tumor size (P = 0.028), and radiotherapy (P < 0.0001) related to OS. VM (P = 0.011), primary sites (P = 0.049), tumor size (P = 0.001) and radiotherapy (P < 0.0001) related to disease free survival. Multivariate analysis indicated that VM was an adverse predictor for both OS and disease free survival. CONCLUSIONS: Both VM and EDV existed in LSCC. VM contributed to progression of LSCC through promoting lymph node metastasis. VM is an independent predictor for the prognosis of LSCC.

[Relationship between the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha and epidermal growth factor receptor and micro vessel density and their clinical significance].

OBJECTIVE: Analyze the relationship between the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and CD105 micro vessel density (MVD) and their value in evaluating biologic behavior and prognosis in laryngeal cancer. METHODS: Ninety-one cases of laryngeal cancer were analyzed about their clinical and pathology data. In tumor tissue the expression of HIF-1alpha and EGFR was detected by immunohistochemistry and MVD was marked by CD105. RESULTS: The expression of HIF-1alpha was correlated with size, TNM stage, T stage, lymph node metastasis and histological grade (all P<0.05). The expression of EGFR was correlated with TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, histological grade and relapse (all P<0.05). MVD was correlated with type, TNM stage, T stage, lymph node metastasis, metastasis and histological grade (all P<0.05). The expression of HIF-1alpha and EGFR was correlated with MVD (F value was 7.644 and 5.197 respectively, P value was 0.001 and 0.025 respectively). The correlation between the expression of HIF-1alpha and EGFR was significant statistically (r= 0.238, P=0.007). The survival rate of patients of 3 years and 5 years were 56.1% and 44.2% respectively. Survival analysis by Log Rank showed that prognosis of laryngeal cancer patients was correlated with type, TNM stage and the expression of both HIF-1alpha and EGFR. While Cox multiple factors analysis demonstrated that TNM stage and expression of EGFR were independent prognostic factor of laryngeal cancer (P value was 0.049 and 0.041 respectively, RR was 1.300 and 2.417 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: HIF-1alpha and EGFR are key molecular event during development and progression of laryngeal cancer, which act in regulating tumor angiogenesis as well, and show intimate relationship with biological behavior and prognosis of laryngeal cancer.

[Inhibition of quercetin on liver fibrosis due to Schistosoma japonicum infection and on the expression of immediate early gene and metalloproteinase 1 inhibitor in liver tissue of mice].

Quercetin and praziquantel were used to treat mice with hepatic fibrosis due to Schistosoma japonicum infection. Quercetin treatment obviously relieved the degree of hepatic fibrosis, significantly reduced the expression of immediate early gene, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP 1), types I and III collagen compared to the control. The expression of c-jun mRNA, type I and type III collagen were reduced significantly compared to the group treated with praziquantel, whereas no difference in the expression of c-fos mRNA and TIMP1 between the two groups, indicating that quercetin may have better effect on schistosomal liver fibrosis than praziquantel in the long term.