Practical value of predictive nursing in the operating room for stress reaction and risk events in elderly patients with lower limb fractures.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of predictive nursing in the operating room on the stress response and risk events of elderly patients with lower limb fractures. METHODS: The medical records of 114 elderly patients with lower limb fractures who underwent surgical reduction from August 2020 to May 2022 in Baiyin First People's Hospital were collected for this retrospective analysis. Among them, 54 patients who received routine nursing during the perioperative period were the control group, and 60 patients who received predictive nursing in operating room during the perioperative period were the observation group. The two groups were compared in terms of the changes of intraoperative stress response indexes and the occurrence of risk events, general data, postoperative complications, nursing satisfaction and changes in anxiety and depression. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors affecting the occurrence of risk events in patients. RESULTS: After nursing, the observation group showed significantly lower levels of heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), noradrenaline (NE), and adrenaline (AD) than the control group (P<0.05). After nursing, the observation group got significantly lower self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) scores than the control group (P<0.05). A lower incidence of risk events was found in the observation group than in the control group (P=0.037). Additionally, the observation group experienced less intraoperative blood loss and shorter operation time than the control group (P<0.05). The observation group presented a lower incidence of complications after operation than the control group (P=0.009), and greatly higher nursing satisfaction than the control group (P=0.001). According to multivariate logistic regression analysis, age and nursing plan were independent risk factors affecting the risk events in patients (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Predictive nursing in the operating room can substantially improve the intraoperative nursing quality of elderly patients with lower limb fractures, which can reduce intraoperative stress reaction, negative emotions, and surgical risk events and complications, and improve postoperative rehabilitation.

A Novel Fluorescent Aptasensor Based on Dual-labeled DNA Nanostructure for Simultaneous Detection of Ochratoxin A and Aflatoxin B1.

Based on DNA strand replacement reaction and aptamer-specific recognition, a simple dual-labeled DNA nanostructure is designed for the simultaneous detection of Ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). C1 is labeled with Cy3 and Cy5, while C2 and C3 are labeled with BHQ2. The fluorescence intensity of DNA nanostructure composed of C1, C2 and C3 is weak because of fluorescence resonance energy transfer. When OTA Aptamer (OTA-Apt) and AFB1 Aptamer (AFB1-Apt) are added to the homogeneous system at the same time, C1 can be replaced with the help of toehold strand displacement, resulting in fluorescence enhancement. In the presence of both OTA and AFB1, the toehold strand displacement reaction is inhibited due to preferential binding between the target and their corresponding aptamers. The limit of detection of OTA was 0.007 ng/mL and that of AFB1 was 0.03 ng/mL. The recoveries of OTA and AFB1 were 96%-101% and 97%-101% in the corn sample, and 99%-101% and 92%-106% in the wine sample. Compared with other sensors, the preparation of this aptasensor needs simpler experimental steps and a shorter total-preparing time, confirming the convenient, rapid, and time-saving operation process.

Association Between ESR1 XBAI and Breast Cancer Susceptibility: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: Estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) XbaI polymorphisms may affect breast cancer susceptibility; however, the results of previously published studies are inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the relationship between ESR1 XbaI polymorphism and breast cancer risk.  Methods: Articles from the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, WoS, Scopus, Wanfang Data, CNKI, CBM and CQVIP databases were systematically searched to determine the association between ESR1 XbaI polymorphism and breast cancer risk. The pooled results were assessed using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), followed by subgroup analysis.  Results: Twenty-two studies involving 12,821 cases and 14,739 control subjects were analyzed. The pooled results indicated that ESR1 XbaI polymorphism may decrease risk of breast cancer in AG vs. AA (co-dominant model: OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.79-0.97, P = 0.015) and AG + GG vs. AA models (dominant model: OR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.80-0.98, P = 0.022). Subgroup analysis indicated significant associations between the ESR1 XbaI polymorphism and breast cancer risk were observed in Asian subjects, non-Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium study, post-menopausal status and hospital-based subgroups under the AG vs. AA and AG + GG vs. AA models (all P < 0.05).  Conclusions: Our analysis of pooled data indicated that AG genotype in ESR1 XbaI may be a protective factor for breast cancer patients in some subgroups.

A signal on-off fluorescence sensor based on the self-assembly DNA tetrahedron for simultaneous detection of ochratoxin A and aflatoxin B1.

Highly rigid and versatile functionality of DNA tetrahedron nanostructures is often used in biosensing systems as a potential detection technique. In this work, a signal on-off fluorescence sensor based on the self-assembly DNA tetrahedron was developed for the rapid simultaneous detection of ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). The fluorophore labeled DNA tetrahedron as probe was successfully synthesized via a simple denaturing annealing, the distance between fluorophore and quencher was regulated according to the change of hairpin structure on the tetrahedron. The fluorescence intensity of Cy3 decreased significantly in the presence of OTA, while the fluorescence intensity of Cy5 kept almost unchanged. And the fluorescence intensity of Cy5 decreased significantly in the presence of AFB1, while the fluorescence intensity of Cy3 kept almost unchanged. In the present of OTA and AFB1, the fluorescence intensity of Cy3 and Cy5 showed decreased significantly simultaneously, indicating the fluorescence sensor can be applied to simultaneous detect OTA and AFB1. Hence, the quantitative analysis of OTA and AFB1 was performed indirectly by the fluorescence intensity changes. The limits of detection (LOD) are as low as 0.005 ng/mL for OTA and 0.01 ng/mL for AFB1. In addition, the novel DNA tetrahedron-based fluorescence sensor possessed a universal applicability, which could be well applied in corn and wine.

A signal-enhancement fluorescent aptasensor based on the stable dual cross DNA nanostructure for simultaneous detection of OTA and AFB1.

The simultaneous detection of multiple mycotoxins is of great significance for food safety and human health. Herein, a simple, convenient and accurate fluorescent aptasensor was designed based on the dual cross DNA nanostructure for the simultaneous detection of ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), in which the stable dual cross DNA nanostructure provided an assay platform using the fluorescent dye-labeled aptamers as a sensing element. Owing to the higher affinity of aptamers for their target, the aptamer probes were released from the assay platform in the presence of OTA and AFB1, resulting in an enhanced fluorescence at 570 nm and 670 nm. This "signal-on" fluorescent aptasensor assay system can effectively avoid background signals and minimize false positive. Furthermore, the designed method can realize the simultaneous detection of OTA and AFB1 during the whole experiment. The limits of detection (LOD) were as low as 0.0058 ng/mL for OTA, ranging from 0.01 to 50 ng/mL and 0.046 ng/mL for AFB1, ranging from 0.05 to 100 ng/mL. The proposed fluorescent aptasensor exhibits excellent performance in practical application and provides a novel approach for the simultaneous detection of multiple mycotoxins by simply changing the aptamers. A "signal-on" fluorescent aptasensor assay system based on the stable dual cross DNA nanostructure was successfully developed for simultaneous detection of OTA and AFB1 with lower detection limits in wider linear ranges.

Inhibitory effect of dihydromyricetin on the proliferation of JAR cells and its mechanism of action.

Dihydromyricetin (DMY) is a novel natural drug with antitumor activity against some cancer cells without obvious toxicity. Previously, its apoptotic effect on human choriocarcinoma was detected. The present study further investigated the therapeutic potential of DMY as a new drug for the treatment of choriocarcinoma, as well as its anti-proliferative effect and mechanism of action. The short-term proliferation of JAR cells was determined by MTT assay, whereas the effect of DMY on long-term cell proliferation was determined by colony forming assay. Flow cytometry was used to detect changes in the cell cycle. Furthermore, western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of proliferation-associated proteins such as cyclin A1, cyclin D1, SMAD3 and SMAD4. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to quantify mRNA expression levels. The results indicated that DMY inhibited short and long-term proliferation of JAR cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Flow cytometry demonstrated S/G2/M cell cycle arrest, and western blotting revealed the downregulation of SMAD3, SMAD4, cyclin A1 and cyclin D1 expression levels. The results of RT-qPCR and western blotting were consistent. Overall, the findings of the present study suggest that DMY inhibits the proliferation of human choriocarcinoma JAR cells, potentially through cell cycle arrest via the downregulation of cyclin A1, cyclin D1, SMAD3 and SMAD4 expression levels.

Physiological mechanism of improved tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to lignin-derived phenolic acids in lignocellulosic ethanol fermentation by short-term adaptation.

BACKGROUND: Phenolic acids are lignin-derived fermentation inhibitors formed during many pretreatment processes of lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, vanillic, p-hydroxybenzoic, and syringic acids were selected as the model compounds of phenolic acids, and the effect of short-term adaptation strategies on the tolerance of S. cerevisiae to phenolic acids was investigated. The mechanism of phenolic acids tolerance in the adapted yeast strains was studied at the morphological and physiological levels. RESULTS: The multiple phenolic acids exerted the synergistic inhibitory effect on the yeast cell growth. In particular, a significant interaction between vanillic and hydroxybenzoic acids was found. The optimal short-term adaptation strategies could efficiently improve the growth and fermentation performance of the yeast strain not only in the synthetic media with phenolic acids, but also in the simultaneous saccharification and ethanol fermentation of corncob residue. Morphological analysis showed that phenolic acids caused the parental strain to generate many cytoplasmic membrane invaginations with crack at the top of these sites and some mitochondria gathered around. The adapted strain presented the thicker cell wall and membrane and smaller cell size than those of the parental strain. In particular, the cytoplasmic membrane generated many little protrusions with regular shape. The cytoplasmic membrane integrity was analyzed by testing the relative electrical conductivity, leakage of intracellular substance, and permeation of fluorescent probe. The results indicated that the short-term adaptation improved the membrane integrity of yeast cell. CONCLUSION: The inhibition mechanism of phenolic acid might be attributed to the combined effect of the cytoplasmic membrane damage and the intracellular acidification. The short-term adaptation strategy with varied stressors levels and adaptive processes accelerated the stress response of yeast cell structure to tolerate phenolic acids. This strategy will contribute to the development of robust microbials for biofuel production from lignocellulosic biomass.

Transferrin Receptor Targeted Cellular Delivery of Doxorubicin Via a Reduction-Responsive Peptide-Drug Conjugate.

PURPOSE: Transferrin receptors (TfRs) are overexpressed in tumor cells but are scarce in normal tissues, which makes TfR an attractive target for drug treatment of cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of BP9a (CAHLHNRS) as a peptide vector for constructing TfR targeted peptide-drug conjugates and selective drug delivery. METHODS: Doxorubicin (DOX) was connected to BP9a via a disulfide-intercalating linker to afford a reduction-responsive BP9a-SS-DOX conjugate. By using HepG2 human liver cancer cells and L-O2 normal hepatic cells as TfR over-expressing and low-expressing in vitro models, respectively, TfR mediated cellular uptake of this conjugate was studied by using flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The in vitro cytotoxicities of the conjugate against HepG2 and L-O2 cells were examined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay to evaluate its tumorous specificity. RESULTS: Cellular uptake and TfR blockage test results showed that the BP9a-SS-DOX conjugate gained entry into HepG2 cells via endocytosis mediated by TfR and mainly accumulated in cytoplasm. The in vitro antiproliferative activity of this conjugate against HepG2 cells (IC50 6.21 ± 1.12 µM) was approximately one-sixth of that of free DOX (IC50 1.03 ± 0.13 µM). However, its cytotoxic effect on L-O2 cells was obviously reduced compared with that of free DOX. CONCLUSIONS: The BP9a-SS-DOX conjugate showed specific antiproliferative activity against HepG2 liver cancer cells. Our study suggests that BP9a has the potential to target chemotherapeutic agents to tumor cells over-expressing TfR and facilitate selective drug delivery.

AnnexinA7 down-regulation might suppress the proliferation and metastasis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells via MAPK/ ERK pathway.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most fatal malignancies worldwide with high lethality. However, the exact mechanism of liver tumorigenesis is still unclear. AnnexinA7 (ANXA7) is a Ca2+-binding protein which is involved in membrane organization and dynamics and indicated a role of ANXA7 in cancer. However, the action of ANXA7 in hepatocellular carcinoma and the relative mechanism is still indistinct. OBJECTIVE: To gain more insight into the biological function of ANXA7 and assess its possible influence on proliferation and metastasis capacity of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells with the relative mechanism. METHODS: ANXA7 was down-regulated by RNA interference in both HepG2 and smmc-7721 cells. The decreased cell proliferation was detected by MTT method and colony formation assay. To confirm the result of cell proliferation, Ki-67 and cyclinD1 expression was examined by Western Blot. The increased apoptosis capacity of the cells was detected with cell cytometry and PI staining respectively. Bcl-2 and Bax expression was further investigated by Western blot and the decreased ration of Bcl-2/Bax might explain the increased apoptosis. RESULTS: Cell metastasis showed significantly limited ability which was tested by wound healing assay and Transwell assay. Meanwhile, the key biomarkers of cell metastasis E-cadherin expression increased while MMP-9 decreased. Furthermore, we found that ANXA7 played its role via MAPK/ERK pathway. CONCLUSIONS: ANXA7 might involve in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and act as an oncogene which might be a potential therapeutic target for treatment.

Dihydromyricetin induces apoptosis in a human choriocarcinoma cell line.

Choriocarcinoma is a malignant trophoblastic tumor. The development of novel drugs is required to reduce the toxicity of current multi-agent chemotherapy and to successfully treat chemoresistant cases of the disease. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of dihydromyricetin (DMY) on the human choriocarcinoma cell line, JAr, to identify a novel drug for the treatment of choriocarcinoma. An MTT assay was performed to determine the effects of DMY at different concentrations and for different exposure durations. Flow cytometry and TUNEL assays were performed to detect apoptosis, and western blotting was utilized to investigate the underlying mechanism. The results revealed that DMY significantly inhibited JAr cell viability in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The flow cytometry and TUNEL assays demonstrated that DMY inhibited proliferation by inducing apoptosis. Further analysis by western blotting indicated that the protein expression level of BCL-2 associated X, associated protein increased, while the protein expression levels of BCL-2 and pro-caspase-3 decreased. These findings suggest that DMY induced apoptosis in human choriocarcinoma JAr cells, through a mitochondrially mediated apoptotic pathway.

Effects of Recombinant Circularly Permuted Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) (Recombinant Mutant Human TRAIL) in Combination with 5-Fluorouracil in Human Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines HCT116 and SW480.

BACKGROUND Circularly permuted tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, a mutant form of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, is an effective antitumor cytokine. However, its antitumor effect in colorectal cancer is unclear. This study assessed the antitumor effect of circularly permuted tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand alone or with 5-fluorouracil in colorectal cancer cells in vitro and explored the underlying mechanisms. MATERIAL AND METHODS We used the (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium) (MTS) assay to analyze cell proliferation inhibition. The apoptotic effects of circularly permuted tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, 5-fluorouracil, or both in human colorectal cancer cells were evaluated using flow cytometry. Furthermore, the levels of apoptosis-related proteins were examined by Western blotting. RESULTS Compared to either agent alone, cotreatment with 5-fluorouracil and circularly permuted tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand showed obvious antitumor effects and induced significant apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells. 5-Fluorouracil enhanced circularly permuted tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-induced apoptosis by increasing death receptor 4 and 5 levels in HCT116 cells, but only of death receptor 4 in SW480 cells. Moreover, 5-fluorouracil plus circularly permuted tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand increased apoptosis-related protein levels such as cleaved caspase-3, caspase-8, and poly-ADP-ribose polymerase and downregulated that of the survival protein B-cell lymphoma-extra-large. Pretreatment with the pan-caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-FMK, attenuated the caspase-dependent apoptosis induced by circularly permuted tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand alone or combined with 5-fluorouracil. CONCLUSIONS Cotreatment with 5-fluorouracil and circularly permuted tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand showed enhanced antitumor effects on colorectal cancer cells.

TRIM28 knockdown increases sensitivity to etoposide by upregulating E2F1 in non-small cell lung cancer.

Tripartite motif containing 28 (TRIM28) is a universal corepressor for Kruppel­associated box zinc finger proteins. In our previous study, it was shown that expression of TRIM28 is upregulated in non­small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines and tissues. Here, we demonstrated that the stable silencing of TRIM28 expression by a specific siRNA lentivirus vector increased the sensitivity of NSCLC cells to chemotherapeutic agent etoposide. Combination of TRIM28 siRNA and etoposide significantly inhibited the growth and proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma PAa cells and exerted obvious antitumor effects in nude mice. Using FCM and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay, we found that TRIM28 siRNA in combination with etoposide increased apoptosis in vitro and in vivo which was induced by E2F1 activity, since the expression of E2F1 and its target genes was significantly increased in the cotreatment group. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were almost completely abolished in the PAa cells cotreated with TRIM28 siRNA and etoposide following knockdown of E2F1. The results of our study demonstrated that the combination of TRIM28 siRNA and etoposide may be effective against NSCLC and has the potential of being a new therapeutic tool for future treatment.

Anti-angiogenic effect of total saponins of Rhizoma Dioscorea nipponica on collagen induced-arthritis in rats.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common chronic autoimmune and incurable disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of the total saponins of Rhizoma Dioscorea nipponica (TSRDN) in RA. A collagen induced-arthritis (CIA) rat model was established. CIA rats were randomly divided into three groups and lavaged with an equal volume of solvent (CIA group), TSRDN (25 mg/kg/day, RDN group) and tripterygium (TP; 12 mg/kg/day, TP group) for 21 days, respectively. Normal rats served as a control group. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the histopathological injury of synovial tissues. The level of CD31, which used for marking and counting, micro vessel density (MVD) and the expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) were detected by immunohistochemical analysis. Additionally, the DNA-binding activity of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) was determined using an ELISA kit. HE staining showed obvious synovial hyperplasia, inflammatory cell infiltration, pannus formation, cartilage and bone erosion in the CIA group rats. In addition, compared with control group, the level of MVD, the expression of VEGF and STAT3, and the DNA-binding activity of NF-κB were all increased in CIA group rat synovial tissue (all P<0.01); however, TSRDN or tripterygium were able to inhibit these changes (all P<0.01). It was speculated that TSRDN may prevent angiogenesis by inhibiting the expression of STAT3 and the DNA-binding activity of NF-κB p65, thereby potentially improving CIA.

Therapeutic effect of dioscin on collagen-induced arthritis through reduction of Th1/Th2.

The aim of this study was to detect the therapeutic effect of dioscin on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Mice model of CIA was induced by chicken collagen II and arthritis index was assessed. After suspension of dioscin (100mg/kg/d) or triptolide was intragastrically administered, the left paw swelling and body weight of each mouse were measured. Then tissue samples were assayed by histopathological analysis. The levels of Th1 and Th2 were detected by flow cytometry. The expression of p-STAT1, p-STAT4 and p-STAT6 was demonstrated by western blot analysis, and T-bet and GATA-3 expression was detected by RT-PCR. The paw swelling and arthritis index were decreased and body weight was increased in the high dose of dioscin group compared to the model group (P<0.05). Histopathological analysis revealed that the damage of synovium tissue in dioscin and triptolide group alleviated. The ratio of Th1/Th2 in the dioscin group (0.82±0.24) and triptolide group (0.99±0.44) was lower than that in the model group (1.84±0.70, P<0.05). Additionally, p-STAT4 expression was decreased, and both p-STAT6 and GATA3 expression was increased in the dioscin group than that in the model group (P<0.05). Dioscin might have some therapeutic effects on CIA through regulating the proportion of Th1/Th2 cells, which could reduce the expression of p-STAT4, increase the expression of p-STAT6 and GATA3 in the synovial tissue.

Antitumour activity of 2-dihydroailanthone from the bark of Ailanthus altissima against U251.

Context The bark of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (Simaroubaceae) is traditionally used to treat ascariasis, diarrhoea, spermatorrhoea, bleeding and gastrointestinal diseases. Objective The objective of this study is to investigate the antitumour activity and mechanism of 2-dihydroailanthone isolated from A. altissima. Materials and methods The U251 cells were treated with 1.00, 4.00 and 8.00 µg/mL of 2-dihydroailanthone for 48 h and the normal cells treated with 20.00 µg/mL of 2-dihydroailanthone were tested as well. Proliferation inhibition of 2-dihydroailanthone on the cells was tested by MTT. Apoptosis and cell-cycle distribution in U251 cells with 1.00, 3.00 and 5.80 µg/mL of 2-dihydroailanthone for 48 h were determined by flow cytometry, respectively. The expression of the apoptosis-related genes and proteins was analysed by RT-PCR and Western blot method, respectively. Results MTT assay revealed that 2-dihydroailanthone inhibited U251 cells proliferation. The cell viability of U251 cells was 62.82, 31.34 and 25.58%, and that of three normal cells was 72.75, 82.74 and 44.92%, respectively. Flow cytometry assay showed that 2-dihydroailanthone induced apoptosis and G0/G1 phase cycle arrest towards U251 cells. The late apoptotic cells were 11.37, 21.73 and 33.83%, and the cells cycle distributed in the G0/G1 accounted for 48.85, 62.77 and 64.40%, respectively. The Western blot and RT-PCR assay showed that up-regulation of pro-apoptotic bax protein and down-regulation of anti-apoptotic bcl-2 protein as well as their mRNA on U251 cells might be related to the apoptosis induction and proliferation inhibition. Conclusion An important bioactive component, 2-dihydroailanthone, has antitumour effects, enlightening a novel source of phytomedicines in tumour therapy.

Effects of total saponins from Rhizoma Dioscoreae Nipponicae on expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin-2 and Tie-2 receptors in the synovium of rats with rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the effects of total saponins from Rhizoma Dioscoreae Nipponicae (TS-RDN) on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin (Ang)-2 and Tie-2 (endothelial tyrosine kinase receptor) receptors in the synovium of rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (collagen-induced arthritis; CIA), and to examine the mechanisms of TS-RDN in alleviating RA. METHODS: The CIA rat model was established and the animals were randomly divided into control, CIA model, TS-RDN, diosgenin, and tripterygium groups. Fluorescent polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect VEGF expression in the rat knee joint synovium. Additionally, immunohistochemical assay was used to detect protein expression of Ang-2 and Tie-2 in the rat knee joint synovium. RESULTS: Expression of VEGF, Ang-2, and Tie-2 in the model group was significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.01). After TS-RDN, tripterygium and diosgenin treatment, VEGF and Ang-2 expression was lower than in the model group (p < 0.01). However, Tie-2 expression showed no significant difference. The effects of TS-RDN on VEGF expression were more marked than those of tripterygium and diosgenin (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: TS-RDN might reduce the expression of VEGF, Ang-2, and Tie-2 in the synovium, thus inhibiting synovial angiogenesis and playing a therapeutic role in RA.

The anti-infective activity of punicalagin against Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar typhimurium in mice.

Punicalagin, a major bioactive component of pomegranate peel, has been proven to have antioxidant, antiviral, anti-apoptosis, and hepatoprotective properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-infective activity of punicalagin in a mouse model. C57BL/6 mice were initially challenged with Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar typhimurium (S. typhimurium) and then treated with punicalagin. Food and water consumption and body weight were recorded daily. On day 8 post infection, the mice were sacrificed to examine pathogen counts in tissues, hematological parameters, cytokine levels, and histological changes. Compared to mice only infected with S. typhimurium, punicalagin-treated mice had more food consumption and less weight loss. A higher survival rate and lower counts of viable S. typhimurium in feces, liver, spleen, and kidney were found in the punicalagin-treated mice. The enzyme linked immunosorbent assay showed that the levels of IL-6, IL-10, and IFN-γ in serum and the spleen and TNF-α in serum, the spleen and the liver were reduced by punicalagin. Moreover, more neutrophils and higher neutrophil-to-mononuclear cell ratios in the punicalagin-treated mice were observed. Histological examination showed that punicalagin protected cells in the liver and spleen from hemorrhagic necrosis. It is concluded that punicalagin has a beneficial effect against S. typhimurium infection in mice. The anti-infective properties, together with other nutritionally beneficial effects, make punicalagin a promising supplement in human food or animal feeds to prevent disease associated with S. typhimurium.