Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE)-hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) combined with PD-1 inhibitors plus lenvatinib as a preoperative conversion therapy for nonmetastatic advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a single center experience.

Background: The preoperative conversion therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still being explored. This study reported the potential of combination of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC), programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) inhibitors and lenvatinib as preoperative conversion therapy for nonmetastatic advanced HCC. Methods: This retrospective study gathered data on patients with nonmetastatic advanced HCC who received this combination therapy. We used drug-eluting bead (DEB) instead of conventional iodized oil in TACE. The clinical data, conversion rate, adverse events (AEs) and short-term survival were summarized. A stratified analysis based on whether or not the patient received surgery was conducted. Results: A total of 28 patients were included in the analysis. No grade 4 AEs were observed. The overall objective response rate (ORR) was 64.3%. Ten (35.7%) patients eventually received R0 resection after 2 cycles of combination therapy. Patients succeeding to resection (surgery group) had significantly higher ORR (90.0% vs. 50.0%, P=0.048). The proportion of patients with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) >1,000 µg/L was significantly lower in surgery group (10.0% vs. 66.7%, P=0.006). After combination therapy, more patients in surgery group experienced significant reduction of >90% in AFP levels (75.0% vs. 23.1%, P=0.03), as well as standardized uptake value (SUV) of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) both in primary tumors and portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) (60.0% vs. 5.6%, P=0.003; 57.1% vs. 8.3%, P=0.04). Of note, 85.7% of PVTT exhibited major pathological response (MPR) in pathological examination although only 28.6% achieved downstage in preoperative imaging examination. MPR was more commonly observed in PVTT than in main tumors (85.7% vs. 20.0%). In non-surgery group, the median overall survival (OS) was 7 months with a 1-year survival rate of 27.8%, while in surgery group, the median OS was not reached and 1-year survival rate was 60.0%. Conclusions: The combination of TACE-HAIC, PD-1 inhibitors and lenvatinib showed its benefit as a preoperative conversion therapy for nonmetastatic advanced HCC. In addition to imaging evaluation, significant reduction of 18F-FDG uptake and AFP can be used as predictors of successful conversion, especially for PVTT.

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy combined with bevacizumab plus a PD-1 inhibitor for gallbladder cancer with hepatic oligometastasis: a real-world study.

Background: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is different from other biliary tract cancers in terms of molecular phenotype and microenvironment. Specific treatments for GBC need to be urgently explored. This study preliminarily investigated the clinical value of hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) combined with bevacizumab plus a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) inhibitor for treatment of GBC with hepatic oligometastasis. Methods: We retrospectively collected data on GBC patients with hepatic oligometastasis, who received this combination therapy. The clinical data, conversion rate, treatment response, adverse events (AEs), and short-term survival were summarized. The responses of primary gallbladder lesions and hepatic metastasis, and their effect on prognosis, were investigated. Results: A total of 27 patients were included in the analysis. No grade 4 AEs were observed. The overall objective response rate (ORR) was 55.6% and the disease control rate (DCR) was 85.2%. Median overall survival (OS) time was 15.0 months and the 1-year survival rate was 64.0%. Median progression-free survival (PFS) time was 7.0 months and the 1-year PFS rate was 16.2%. Six patients (22.2%) were successfully converted to resection. Compared with primary gallbladder lesions, it appeared more difficult for patients with hepatic metastasis to achieve remission (ORR: 40.7% vs. 77.8%; P=0.012), but its response appeared to be closely related to the prognosis [median OS: 16.0 months in the complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) group vs. 11.0 months in the stable disease (SD) or progressive disease (PD) group, P=0.070; median PFS: 12.0 months in the CR or PR group vs. 6.5 months in the SD or PD group, P<0.001]. Preoperative CA19-9 of >1,900 U/mL and >5 cm metastatic lesions were associated with an unsatisfactory response, whereas a significant decrease of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) uptake may be a marker of tumor remission. Conclusions: The combination of HAIC, a PD-1 inhibitor, and bevacizumab shows potential for advanced GBC with hepatic oligometastasis. The therapeutic response of hepatic metastasis had a greater influence on prognosis than that of primary gallbladder lesions.

Bioinformatics-based screening and analysis of the key genes involved in the influence of antiangiogenesis on myeloid-derived suppressor cells and their effects on the immune microenvironment.

This study aimed to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in the influence of antiangiogenic therapy on myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) infiltration and investigate their mechanisms of action. Data on DEGs after the action of antiangiogenic drugs in a pan-cancer context were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed using the clusterProfiler package in R software. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis was performed using the gene set variation analysis package to evaluate the levels of immune cells and the activity of immune-related pathways. The relationships of DEGs with the infiltration levels of MDSCs and specific immune cell subpopulations were investigated via gene module analysis. The top 10 key genes were subsequently obtained from PPI network analysis using the cytoHubba plugin of the Cytoscape platform. When the DEGs of the four datasets were intersected, a DEG in the intersection of three datasets and 12 DEGs in the intersection of two datasets were upregulated, and 28 DEGs in the intersection of two datasets were downregulated. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses revealed that the DEGs were associated with multiple important signaling pathways closely related to tumor onset and development, including cell differentiation, cell proliferation, the cell cycle, and immune responses. Most downregulated genes in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) were positively correlated with MDSC expression. Only MGP was negatively correlated; the correlation between CACNG6 and MDSC expression was statistically insignificant. In lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), the relationships of PMEPA1, PCDH7, NEURL1B, and CACNG6 with MDSC expression were statistically insignificant; MGP was negatively correlated with MDSC expression. The top 10 key genes with the highest degree scores obtained using the cytoHubba plugin of Cytoscape were AURKB, RRM2, BUB1, NUSAP1, PRC1, TOP2A, NCAPH, CENPA, KIF2C, and CCNA2. Most of these genes were upregulated in LUAD and associated with immune cell infiltration and prognosis in tumors. An analysis of the relationships between DEGs and infiltration by other specific immune cells revealed the presence of consistent patterns in the downregulated genes, which exhibited positive correlations with the levels of Th2 cells, γδ T cells, and CD56dim NK cells, and negative correlations with other infiltrating immune cells. Antiangiogenic therapy may regulate MDSC infiltration through multiple important signaling pathways closely associated with tumor onset and development, such as cell differentiation, cell proliferation, the cell cycle, and immune responses. Antiangiogenic drugs may exert effects by affecting various types of infiltrating cells associated with immune suppression.

Acylhydrazone functionalized naphthalene-based self-assembled supramolecular gels for efficient fluorescence detection of Fe3.

A new gel factor (named N) has been successfully designed and synthesized, which contains the conventional fluorophore naphthalene with the acylhydrazone bond as the self-assembly site. It can be self-assembled into stable organogels (named ON) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and water mixed medium (V : V = 4 : 1) with a critical gel temperature and concentration (55 °C and 10 mg mL-1). Interestingly, under 365 nm UV light, the ON exhibits bright yellow Aggregation Induced Emission (AIE). The supramolecular organogel ON shows a fluorescent "OFF" response to the metal ions Fe3+, and the state of the gel ON remains constant before and after detection. Notably, the minimum detection limits (LODs) of the gel ON for Fe3+ are as low as 1.30 × 10-7 M. The binding mechanism of supramolecular organogels (ON) to ions has been investigated through a series of characterizations. Meanwhile, the organogel sensor ON can also be used as an ion-responsive membrane for the detection of Fe3+ in the aqueous phase.

Flame-Retardant Foamed Material Based on Modified Corn Straw Using Two Nitrogenous Layers.

Foamed materials based on a biopolymer of crop straws are environmentally friendly, but ignitability limits their application. In this study, two nitrogenous layers were introduced onto corn straw by esterification and grafting for flame-retardant purposes. The inner thin nitrogenous layer consisted of imidazole rings, and the outer thick nitrogenous layer consisted of grafted acrylamide by a free-radical polymerization. The outer nitrogenous layer was simultaneously introduced into the system with a foaming process at 150 °C. Azodiisobutyronitrile acted both as initiator of the polymerization and the main foaming agent, and deionized water acted both as a plasticizing agent and an auxiliary foaming agent, which simplified the process and formula. It was found that cavities of two different sizes were formed. The nonuniformity of the foamed material was ascribed to the heterogeneous foaming precursor consisting of a rigid core and a soft shell. Its excellent flame-retard rating of UL-94 V-0 was ascribed to the two nitrogenous layers, which provides a sufficient nitrogen source for non-combustible gases. A relatively high compression strength of 17.7 MPa was partly due to the fiber of corn straw.

Treatment of neurofibromatosis type II with anlotinib: a case report and literature review.

Patients with neurofibromatosis type II (NF2) usually require surgical treatment, but the probability of tumor recurrence remains high after surgical resection. Moreover, because most of NF2 lesions involve the facial nerve, the risk of facial nerve injury during the surgery is high. Stereotactic radiotherapy can be used to treat some cases of NF2. However, it is not recommended for treatment of multiple or large tumors, and surgical resection may be more difficult after radiotherapy. Few systemic treatments are available. At present, bevacizumab is considered the first-line drug treatment for fast-growing NF2. However, bevacizumab requires long-term administration, and tumor growth will resume after drug withdrawal. Here, we present a case of NF2 that developed exacerbations after multiple treatments with gamma knife and surgery, and achieved good results after later treatment with anlotinib. Accordingly, we propose that anlotinib may be a valuable treatment option for NF2.

Anlotinib reduces the suppressive capacity of monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells and potentiates the immune microenvironment normalization window in a mouse lung cancer model.

By exploring the effects of an antiangiogenic small molecule drug named anlotinib on the levels of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in a mouse xenograft model of lung cancer, the role of anti-angiogenesis in remodeling the immune microenvironment was discussed. In addition, the impact of anlotinib on the normalization of the immune microenvironment and time window was examined, providing a theoretical basis for the optimization of clinical strategies applying anlotinib combined with PD-1 inhibitors. On the basis of the LLC mouse xenograft model, MDSCs and MDSCs + immune microenvironment were examined in tissues, respectively, according to different samples. The former observation included the control (group A) and anlotinib monotherapy (group B) groups; the latter also included the control (group C) and anlotinib monotherapy (group D) groups. The levels of MDSCs in peripheral blood at different time points were analyzed by flow cytometry, and the levels of MDSCs in tissue samples at different time points were evaluated by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. The volumes of subcutaneous xenografts were significantly smaller in the anlotinib treatment group compared with the control group ( P < 0.005). Flow cytometry showed that compared with the control group, the intratumoral percentages of total MDSCs ( P < 0.01) and mononuclear-MDSCs ( P < 0.05) were significantly decreased on days 3 and 17 after anlotinib treatment in peripheral blood samples; however, there was no significant difference in granulocytic-MDSCs changes between the experimental and control groups. Immunofluorescence showed that the levels of MDSCs in both the experimental and control groups reached the lowest points 10 days after drug administration, and were significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group ( P < 0.05). Anlotinib reduces the levels of MDSCs in the mouse xenograft model of lung cancer, with the characteristics of time window. This study provides a basis for further exploring strategies for anti-angiogenic treatment combined with immunotherapy in lung cancer based on time-window dosing.

Preparation of Boron/Sulfur-Codoped Porous Carbon Derived from Biological Wastes and Its Application in a Supercapacitor.

Abundant biomass resources are a good choice for preparing electrode materials for supercapacitors, but developing a versatile and simple synthetic method to convert them into electrode materials remains a challenge. In the present research, our team reports a promising strategy and cost-efficient method to fabricate boron/sulfur-codoped porous carbon from biomass sources, mainly utilizing four biomass materials. Detailed material characterization showed that the samples produced by this approach possess rich B and S doping. Additionally, the original biomass materials treated by activation produce abundant pores. Therefore, owing to the synergetic effect of abundant atomic doping and microporous/mesoporous distribution, the obtained carbon as electrode material manifested excellent specific capacitances of 290 F g-1 at a 0.5 A g-1 current density. Moreover, the specific energy of the prepared samples of the as-assembled symmetric supercapacitor is as high as 16.65 Wh kg-1 in 1 M Na2SO4, with a brilliant cyclical performance of only a 2.91% capacitance decay over 10,000 cycles. In addition, it has been verified universally that three other types of bio-wastes can also prepare electrode material using this method. This paper represents a significant attempt to turn waste biomass into treasure while also providing ideas for the design and preparation of supercapacitor electrode materials.

Induction of ligustrazine apoptosis of A549 cells through activation of death receptor pathway.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ligustrazine on the apoptosis of A549 cells and clarify the mechanism of ligustrazine-induced apoptosis. Methods: Ligustrazine was prepared with medium according to the gradient concentration. Based on a cytotoxicity test, 3 different concentrations of ligustrazine were selected to form low, medium, and high groups, with a 0 mg/mL dose used as the control. The apoptosis degree and Fas (Fas cell surface death receptor) and Fas-L (Fas Ligand) expression were detected by flow cytometry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), respectively; meanwhile, the activity of caspase 8 and caspase 3 was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and qPCR, respectively. Results: After 24 hours of ligustrazine administration, the survival rate of A549 cells decreased with the increase of drug concentration, while the rate of apoptosis increased with the increase of drug concentration. Meanwhile, Fas and Fas-L expression was found to be significantly increased at both the gene and protein level, which was positively correlated with drug concentration. Furthermore, the expression of caspase 8 and caspase 3 was positively correlated with the concentration of ligustrazine, and there was significant difference compared with the control group. Conclusions: Ligustrazine can induce the apoptosis of A549 cells via the upregulation of Fas- and caspase-activating death receptor pathway expression.

Oocyte Penetration Speed Optimization Based on Intracellular Strain.

Oocyte penetration is an essential step for many biological technologies, such as animal cloning, embryo microinjection, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Although the success rate of robotic cell penetration is very high now, the development potential of oocytes after penetration has not been significantly improved compared with manual operation. In this paper, we optimized the oocyte penetration speed based on the intracellular strain. We firstly analyzed the intracellular strain at different penetration speeds and performed the penetration experiments on porcine oocytes. Secondly, we studied the cell development potential after penetration at different penetration speeds. The statistical results showed that the percentage of large intracellular strain decreased by 80% and the maximum and average intracellular strain decreased by 25-38% at the penetration speed of 50 µm/s compared to at 10 µm/s. Experiment results showed that the cleavage rates of the oocytes after penetration increased from 65.56% to 86.36%, as the penetration speed increased from 10 to 50 µm/s. Finally, we verified the gene expression of oocytes after penetration at different speeds. The experimental results showed that the totipotency and antiapoptotic genes of oocytes were significantly higher after penetration at the speed of 50 µm/s, which verified the effectiveness of the optimization method at the gene level.

A Cell's Viscoelasticity Measurement Method Based on the Spheroidization Process of Non-Spherical Shaped Cell.

The mechanical properties of biological cells, especially the elastic modulus and viscosity of cells, have been identified to reflect cell viability and cell states. The existing measuring techniques need additional equipment or operation condition. This paper presents a cell's viscoelasticity measurement method based on the spheroidization process of non-spherical shaped cell. The viscoelasticity of porcine fetal fibroblast was measured. Firstly, we introduced the process of recording the spheroidization process of porcine fetal fibroblast. Secondly, we built the viscoelastic model for simulating a cell's spheroidization process. Then, we simulated the spheroidization process of porcine fetal fibroblast and got the simulated spheroidization process. By identifying the parameters in the viscoelastic model, we got the elasticity (500 Pa) and viscosity (10 Pa·s) of porcine fetal fibroblast. The results showed that the magnitude of the elasticity and viscosity were in agreement with those measured by traditional method. To verify the accuracy of the proposed method, we imitated the spheroidization process with silicone oil, a kind of viscous and uniform liquid with determined viscosity. We did the silicone oil's spheroidization experiment and simulated this process. The simulation results also fitted the experimental results well.

Functionalized nano-starch prepared by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization and quaternization.

Functionalized nano-starch particles, designed for the adsorption of heavy metals in wastewater, were prepared by a nano-processing, a halogenated grafting modification, a grafting copolymerization of surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) and a quaternized modification of native corn starch. The influence of the synthesis process variables, such as the hydrolysis time, the concentration of monomer, the molar ratio of copper bromide (CuBr) to 2, 2'-bipyridine (bpy) and the graft copolymerization temperature on the properties of the products were studied. The morphology, molecular structure, crystalline structure of the functionalized nano-starch and its derivatives were characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The functionalized nano-starch showed strong adsorption for chromate and could be used as an effective wastewater treatment agent. Its adsorption capability could be almost totally regenerated by an easy process.

Abscopal effect of radiation on lymph node metastasis in esophageal carcinoma: A case report and literature review.

The Abscopal effect is a rare phenomenon observed in the treatment of metastatic cancer, where localized irradiation causes a response in non-irradiated tumor sites. Due to the recent success of immunotherapies, the Abscopal effect of radiation therapy has received renewed clinical interest. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the Abscopal effect and radiotherapy treatment of patients with esophageal carcinoma. The present study reports the case of a 65-year-old male patient, who presented with esophageal carcinoma and lymph node metastasis. A transthoracic esophagectomy with left cervical, mediastinal and abdominal lymphadenectomies was performed. A total of 4 cycles of chemotherapy and maintenance therapy with Pembrolizumab was performed until September 2016. Metastases in the left retroperitoneal lymph node in addition to extensive metastases to the pelvic lymph node were observed. The patient received Cyberknife radiotherapy with a dose of 42 Gy in 6 daily fractions targeted at the left retroperitoneal lymph node. Two months after radiation therapy, a positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan revealed complete regression of all lymph node metastases. There is increasing clinical evidence supporting the efficacy of the Abscopal effect, which may be initiated by high-dose radiation. Further research is required to make the Abscopal effect clinically relevant, however it may have potential as a treatment option.

Environment-friendly urea-oxidized starch adhesive with zero formaldehyde-emission.

This study reports on an environment-friendly renewable and zero formaldehyde-emission urea-oxidized starch (U-OSt) adhesive based on native corn starch. The adhesive was prepared by polycondensation reaction of oxidized starch and urea. The morphology, molecular structure, crystalline structure, shear strength and viscosity of the adhesive, the native and oxidized starch were instrumentally investigated. The influence of processing factors was studied, such as the oxidizer content, the urea content and the addition of titanium dioxide nanoparticle (nano-TiO2). The results show the adhesive has an excellent comprehensive performance at urea content of 50% (w/w, dry starch basis) while 5.0% (w/w, dry starch basis) KMnO4 as oxidizer. The dry shear strength was increased by 16.9% by adding of nano-TiO2 content of 1.5% (w/w, dry starch basis), and the corresponding viscosity was 4100mPas. It is found appropriate amount of nano-TiO2 played a complementary effect between adhesive and adherend, which enhanced the adhesive property and stability of adhesive.

Overexpression of B7-H3 correlates with aggressive clinicopathological characteristics in non-small cell lung cancer.

Previous studies have investigated the prognostic significance of B7 homolog 3 (B7-H3) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), however, the results remain controversial. This study was aimed to determine the correlation between B7-H3 and survival as well as clnicalpathological characteristics in NSCLC using meta-analysis. We searched the electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) for relevant studies up to October 9, 2016. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the impact of B7-H3 on overall survival (OS). Combined odds ratios (ORs) and 95%CIs were utilized to evaluate the correlations between B7-H3 and clinicalpathological features. This meta-analysis finally included 7 studies with 864 patients. The results showed that B7-H3 had no significant association with OS (HR=0.88, 95%CI: 0.36-2.13, p=0.776). High B7-H3 expression was a significant indicator of lymph node metastasis (OR=3.92, 95%CI: 2.65-5.81, p<0.001), and advanced TNM stage (OR=3.53, 95%CI: 2.45-5.09, p<0.001). B7-H3 has the potential to serve as a marker of tumor aggressiveness and lymph node metastasis in NSCLC. However, due to several limitations, further large-scale studies are needed to validate our results.

Metabolism-related enzyme alterations identified by proteomic analysis in human renal cell carcinoma.

The renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most common types of kidney neoplasia in Western countries; it is relatively resistant to conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Metabolic disorders have a profound effect on the degree of malignancy and treatment resistance of the tumor. However, the molecular characteristics related to impaired metabolism leading to the initiation of RCC are still not very clear. In this study, two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectra (MS) technologies were utilized to identify the proteins involved in energy metabolism of RCC. A total of 73 proteins that were differentially expressed in conventional RCC, in comparison with the corresponding normal kidney tissues, were identified. Bioinformatics analysis has shown that these proteins are involved in glycolysis, urea cycle, and the metabolic pathways of pyruvate, propanoate, and arginine/proline. In addition, some were also involved in the signaling network of p53 and FAS. These results provide some clues for new therapeutic targets and treatment strategies of RCC.

Clinical value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in evaluating relapsed and refractory nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A case report.

For patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), radiotherapy, chemotherapy and even targeted therapy are widely accepted treatments. These treatments, although they mostly achieve locoregional tumor control, they may also be associated with complex post-treatment changes, such as edema, loss of tissue planes, fibrosis, mucositis and scarring, which may interfere with the detection of local recurrence and the response to therapy. However, timely detection is crucial for deciding whether treatment modification or discontinuation is required. This is the case report of A 51-year-old nasopharyngeal carcinoma patient with cervical nodal metastases (CNM). Following radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy, multislice spiral enhanced computed tomography (CT), enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT of the neck were performed to compare the extent of the CNM. The enhanced CT and MRI images were unremarkable, whereas the 18F-FDG PET/CT images revealed the exact recurrence or remission. Therefore, 18F-FDG PET/CT exhibits a better sensitivity and specificity for evaluating the response to combined treatment compared to CT and/or MRI.

Growth inhibitory effect of adenovirus-mediated tissue-targeted expression of ribosomal protein L23 on human colorectal carcinoma cells.

A large body of evidence has established murine double minute 2 (MDM2) as a crucial negative regulator of p53 and the major suppressor of p53 function in tumors with wild-type (wt)-p53. Therefore, by inhibiting MDM2 one may reactivate p53 in tumor cells, leading to their demise. Previous studies revealed that ribosomal protein L23 (RPL23) inhibited MDM2-mediated p53 ubiquitination through direct binding to MDM2, and subsequently induced the p53 level as well as its activity, suggesting that it may be a candidate for use in tumor gene therapy. In the present study, we developed a recombinant adenoviral vector expressing the RPL23 gene under control of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) promoter (rAd/CEA-RPL23), and using an in vitro system with cultured human colorectal carcinoma LoVo cells harboring the wt-p53 gene, we proved that rAd/CEA-RPL23 infection could induce the accumulation of endogenous wt-p53 protein and thus lead to the inhibition of tumor cell growth via inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In vivo treatment of rAd/CEA-RPL23 also exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on tumor growth in nude mice bearing LoVo xenografts. Furthermore, we showed that rAd/CEA-RPL23 synergized with classic chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and enhanced its activity against LoVo cells in vivo and in vitro. Taken together, the data presented here suggest that CEA promoter-targeted exogenous RPL23 expression could be of therapeutic value against human colorectal carcinoma that retains wt-p53.

[Clinical examples of professor LI Zhi-dao's "tonifying three qi" acupuncture method].

Professor LI Zhi-dao, according to acupoint selection of syndrome differentiation in TCM basic theory, concluded a new therapy, namely "tonifying three qi" that is mainly based on three acupoints in the Conception Vessel. This method is consisted of Danzhong (CV 17), Zhongwan (CV 12) and Qihai (CV 6) in the Conception Vessel, which could successively nourish clear qi, stomach qi and original qi. In clinic, according to the severity of symptoms of three qi, the acupoints are selected flexibly, which could respectively treat deficiency of heart-lung qi, deficiency of stomach-spleen qi and deficiency of original qi. Some examples are also given in the article.

Comparative proteomic analysis of anti-cancer mechanism by periplocin treatment in lung cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Periplocin is used for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, reinforcement of bones and tendons, palpitations or shortness of breath and lower extremity edema in traditional medicine. Our previous findings suggested that periplocin could inhibit the growth of lung cancer both in vitro and in vivo. But the biological processes and molecular pathways by which periplocin induces these beneficial effects remain largely undefined. METHODS: To explore the molecular mechanisms of periplocin involved in anti-cancer activity, in the present study the protein profile changes of human lung cancer cell lines A549 in response to periplocin treatment were investigated using the proteomics approaches (2-DE combined with MS/MS). Western blot was employed to verify the changed proteins. Interactions between changed proteins were analyzed by STRING. RESULTS: 29 down-regulated protein species named GTP-binding nuclear protein Ran (RAN), Rho GDP-dissociation inhibitor 1 (ARHGDIA), eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A-1 (EIF5A) and Profilin-1(PFN1), and 10 up-regulated protein species named Heat shock cognate 71 kDa protein (HSPA8),10 kDa heat shock protein (HSPE1), and Cofilin-1(CFL-1) were identified. Among them, GTP-binding nuclear protein Ran (RAN) and Rho GDP-dissociation inhibitor 1 (ARHGDIA) were the most significantly changed (over tenfold). The proteasome subunit beta type-6 (PSMB6), ATP synthase ecto-α-subunit (ATP5A1), Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) and EIF5A were verified by immunoblot assays to be dramatically down-regulated. By STRING bioinformatics analysis revealing interactions and signaling networks it became apparent that the proteins changed they are primarily involved in transcription and proteolysis. CONCLUSION: Periplocin inhibited growth of lung cancer by down-regulating proteins, such as ATP5A1, EIF5A, ALDH1 and PSMB6. These findings may improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer effects of periplocin on lung cancer cells.