ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of blood pressure on vascular endothelial function using echo-tracking (ET) technology. METHODS: Thirty hypertensive (HP) patients, 30 subjects with high normal blood pressure (HN), and 30 normotensive control (NC) subjects were enrolled in this study. For each subject, conventional two-dimensional ultrasound was performed to measure the intima-media thickness (IMT), and an ET system was utilized to assess the carotid elasticity (Ep, ß, AC, AI, and PWVß). RESULTS: As the blood pressure increased, IMT, Ep, ß, AI, and PWVß values all increased and AC value decreased. Before excluding the confounding factors, the difference in IMT, Ep, ß, AC, AI, and PWVß values were significant between the 3 groups. After excluding the confounding factors, only PWVß value was significantly different between HN group and NC group; but between HP and NC group and between HP and HN group, the other parameters still showed significant differences. Systolic blood pressure had significant influences on IMT, Ep, AC, AI, and PWVß values, diastolic blood pressure significantly affected AI value, and pulse pressure significantly affected Ep and ß values. CONCLUSION: High normal blood pressure has no obvious effects on vascular function, and blood pressure is an independent risk factor of vascular endothelial dysfunction only in the stage of early hypertention. In early atherosclerosis, systolic blood pressure is the most significant factors affecting vascular endothelial function, followed by pulse pressure and diastolic blood pressure.
Subject(s)
Atherosclerosis/physiopathology , Blood Pressure/physiology , Carotid Arteries/diagnostic imaging , Endothelium, Vascular/physiopathology , Hypertension/physiopathology , Adult , Elasticity , Female , Humans , Hypertension/complications , Male , Middle Aged , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of matrine on proliferation and telomerase activity of colon cancer SW1116 cells. METHODS: The proliferation inhibitory rate was evaluated by MTT assay. The telomerase activity was analyzed by TRAP-ELISA, and the expression of hTERT mRNA was determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: Matrine displayed strong proliferation inhibitory effect in a dose-and-time-dependent manner against SW1116 cells. Compared with control group, the telomerase activity and the expression of hTERT mRNA decreased significantly (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) in matrine group. CONCLUSION: Matrine can inhibit the telomerase activity by depressing the expression of hTERT in SW1116 cells and inhibiting cell proliferation.
Subject(s)
Alkaloids/pharmacology , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , Colonic Neoplasms/pathology , Quinolizines/pharmacology , Sophora/chemistry , Telomerase/metabolism , Cell Line, Tumor , Colonic Neoplasms/enzymology , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects , Humans , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , Telomerase/genetics , MatrinesABSTRACT
To explore the clinical significance on alteration of serum lipids in acute leukemia (AL) patients, the level of serum lipids was monitored in 86 AL cases by using of automatic biochemical analyzer. The results showed that TG was significantly higher (P < 0.05) while TC, LDL-C and HDL-C were obviously lower (P < 0.05) in AL patients than those in normal controls. After chemotherapy, TG decreased but TC, LDL-C and HDL-C were still higher (P < 0.05) as comparing to pre-treatment in complete remission cases. There were no changes of those parameters in non-remission patients. It is concluded that determination of serum lipids level in AL patients is a simple and important accessory index to evaluate curative effect and monitor patient's condition.