Extracts from Paeonia lactiflora Pallas, Rehmannia Glutinosa var. Purpurea Makino, Perilla Frutescens var. Acuta Kudo may increase the endometrial receptivity through expression of leukemia inhibitory factor and adhesion molecules.

OBJECTIVE: To find out the combination of the extracts from Paeonia lactiflora Pallas (PL), Reh- mannia Glutinosa var. Purpurea Makino (RG), Perilla Frutescens var. Acuta Kudo (PF) to increase endometrial receptivity. METHODS: Herbal medicines were extracted with boiling water and polysaccharides were removed. We examined the effect of PL, RG, and PF (PRP), a most effective herbal formula deduced from constitutive ingredient herbs of Antai Yin which is composed of PRP, on the leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) expression and endometrial receptivity. RESULTS: The combination of the extracts from PRP induced the LIF expression in Ishikawa cells and increased the adhesion between Ishikawa and JAr cells. In addition, PRP-induced attachment of JAr cells onto Ishikawa cells and expression of adhesion molecules, ITGAV, ITGB5, CD44s, and L-selectin, are significantly reduced by knock-down of LIF expression. CONCLUSION: Induced by the combination of the PRP extracts, the adhesion between trophoblast and endometrial cells are mediated by expression of LIF and adhesion molecules. Thus, we suggest the combination of the PRP extracts may be a novel therapy for enhancing embryo implantation rate.

Expression Patterns of PTEN (Phosphatase and Tensin Homologue Deleted on Chromosome 10) in Osteosarcoma / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: To characterize PTEN gene alterations and their expressions during the development of osteosarcoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied the pattern of deletion, mutation and expression of PTEN in normal bone tissues, tumor samples of 22 patients of osteosarcoma, and 4 osteosarcoma cell lines (HOS, U2-OS, MG-63 and Saos-2). The tissue was analyzed for deletion and mutational inactivation of PTEN by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and direct sequence analysis, and examined for abnormalities in expression by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In this study, neither mutation nor deletion of PTEN was found. Expression of PTEN protein was increased, without deletion or mutation of the PTEN gene, in 22 patients of osteosarcoma and in 4 osteosarcoma cell lines. Nuclear staining was more intense than the cytoplasmic staining in normal bone tissues and osteosarcoma cell lines, but in osteosarcoma tissues PTEN was expressed mainly in the cyto-plasm. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that abnormal expressions of PTEN by differential compartmentalization may play a role in the development and progression of osteosarcoma, instead of genetic alterations of PTEN.