Chinese Propolis Inhibits the Proliferation of Human Gastric Cancer Cells by Inducing Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest.

Special Chinese propolis sourced from the Changbai Mountains (CBMP) in Northeast China is rich in specific flavonoids and phenolic acids and its bioactivity has not been reported. This study aimed to investigate the antiproliferative effect of CBMP on cancer cells and its molecular mechanisms. Different cancer cell lines were treated with the ethanol extracts of CBMP for 24 hours before the cell viability and mechanism measurements. The results showed CBMP had weak activities against human pancreatic cancer cell PANC1, human lung cancer cell A549, human colon cancer cell HCT116, human liver cancer cell HepG2, human bladder cancer cell T24, and human breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231, but it significantly inhibited the growth of human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells, caused cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in S phase, with increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The results indicate that Chinese propolis sourced from the Changbai Mountains selectively inhibits the proliferation of human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells by inducing both death receptor-induced apoptosis and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest in S phase. These activities and mechanisms help understand the anticancer action of propolis and its active compounds.

Ethanol Extract of Chinese Propolis Attenuates Early Diabetic Retinopathy by Protecting the Blood-Retinal Barrier in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

Propolis has been shown to reduce the level of blood glucose and suppress the histopathological changes in diabetics. However, it still remains unknown if propolis has a similar effect on diabetic retinopathy (DR). Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of the ethanol extract of Chinese propolis (EECP) on early DR in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. EECP was given to diabetic rats by oral intubation for 12 weeks. The concentrations of fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) were measured. Pathological examinations, including hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and immunofluorescence, were also conducted to provide further evidence of EECP's effect on early DR. EECP was able to attenuate diabetes via directly decreasing the levels of FBG and HbA1c, which also resulted in the reduction of MDA, ROS, and RNS. Furthermore, EECP could protect against the damages of photoreceptor cells, as well as retinal thickening. And the inhibition of blood-retinal barrier (BRB) leakage was also observed in EECP-treated diabetic rats, along with the inhibition the loss of tight junction proteins (occludin, ZO-1). These results suggest that EECP has an ameliorating effect on early DR by inhibition of blood-retinal barrier breakdown. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study sheds light on the protective effect of the ethanol extract of Chinese propolis on early diabetic retinopathy and the molecular actions underlying the inhibition of blood-retinal barrier breakdown. Our study suggests that ethanol extract of Chinese propolis can be considered as a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of early diabetic retinopathy.

In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Three Fatty Acids from Royal Jelly.

Trans-10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-H2DA), 10-hydroxydecanoic acid (10-HDAA), and sebacic acid (SEA) are the three major fatty acids in royal jelly (RJ). Previous studies have revealed several pharmacological activities of 10-H2DA and 10-HDAA, although the anti-inflammatory effects and underlying mechanisms by which SEA acts are poorly understood. In the present study, we evaluated and compared the in vitro anti-inflammatory effects of these RJ fatty acids in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The results showed that 10-H2DA, 10-HDAA, and SEA had potent, dose-dependent inhibitory effects on the release of the major inflammatory-mediators, nitric oxide, and interleukin-10, and only SEA decreased TNF-α production. Several key inflammatory genes have also been modulated by these RJ fatty acids, with 10-H2DA showing distinct modulating effects as compared to the other two FAs. Furthermore, we found that these three FAs regulated several proteins involved in MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways. Taken together, these findings provide additional references for using RJ against inflammatory diseases.

Clinical, pathological and genetic characteristics of a pedigree with myotonic dystrophy type 1.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical, pathological and molecular genetic characteristics of a pedigree with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). A series of clinical data from a pedigree with DM1 were collected. Muscle biopsy revealed a typical nuclear ingression within numerous muscle fibers following hematoxylin and eosin staining. Genomic DNA was extracted from the venous blood of two patients and the triplet-primed polymerase chain reaction method was performed to amplify the dystrophia myotonic protein kinase (DMPK) gene. The amplified products were subjected to gene sequencing by capillary fluorescence electrophoresis, and a pathogenic mutation in the DMPK gene comprising >50 cytosine-thymine-guanine repeat sequences was found. DM1 includes multi-system damage, as well as skeletal muscle involvement, and can affect the central nervous system, endocrine glands, skin and heart. A skeletal muscle biopsy and genetic testing can confirm the diagnosis and clarify the severity of the disease. In addition, it is necessary to distinguish DM1 from DM2.

Efficacy and safety of sublingual immunotherapy in children aged 3-13 years with allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is recommended for allergic diseases. However, clinical studies containing evidence-based data of this treatment in young children, which is rarely reported in the literature, are needed. This study was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of SLIT in children, including very young children. METHODS: Two hundred sixty-four children aged 3-13 years old (133 children, 3-5 years old) with Dermatophagoides farinae-induced allergic rhinitis with or without asthma treated by standard pharmacotherapy had randomly received either SLIT (SLIT group) or no SLIT (control group) for 12 months. Symptoms, medications, visual analog scale (VAS) and presence of adverse events (AEs) were assessed at monthly visits. Skin-prick test and Dermatophagoides farinae-specific IgE and IgG4 were measured before and after treatment. RESULTS: Both treatments were effective in the global clinical scores during the first seven visits when compared with baseline (all, p < 0.01), and SLIT showed lower symptoms scores and VAS scores throughout this period (all, p < 0.01). These improvements continued until the later visits only in the SLIT group. Also, the asthma medication consumption was decreased by SLIT treatment only at the end of study (p < 0.01). The specific IgG4 was significantly increased after SLIT treatment when compared with the control group, but no significant change of specific IgE was observed in either groups. In the SLIT group, there was no significant difference between children less than or more than 5 years old in terms of clinical efficacy, onset of action, immunologic parameters, and safety. No severe systemic AEs were reported. CONCLUSION: SLIT is effective and well-tolerated in children with allergic rhinitis 3-13 years old.

Impacts of passive smoking on learning and memory ability of mouse offsprings and intervention by antioxidants.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of passive smoking and the protective effect of antioxidants such as vitamin E and quercetin on learning and memory ability of mouse offsprings. METHODS: A passive smoking model of pregnant mice was established. Learning and memory ability was evaluated by the water maze test and long term potentiation (LTP). Nitric oxide (NO), content, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), acetylcholinesteras (Ache) activity in brain, vitamin E concentration, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in serum were determined. The latency period (the time during which the mice swim from the starting position to the ending position) and errors (the number of mice entering the blind end) in control and antioxidant intervention groups were compared with those in the smoke exposure group after 6 days. RESULTS: The latency period as well as errors in the air, control diet, tobacco smoke (TS), and vitamin E diet groups were decreased significantly as compared with the TS and control diet groups (P<0.05). LTP was restrained in the TS and control diet groups. LTP in all the antioxidant diet groups was significantly increased compared with the TS and control diet groups. In addition, NOS and acetylcholinesteras (Ache) activitiy was significantly higher in the TS and control diet groups than in the air and control diet group. NO content was not significantly different among the different groups, and significantly lower in the TS and vitamin E diet groups than in the TS group, control diet group, quercetin diet group, and mixture diet group (P<0.05). Vitamin E concentration and ROS activity in serum were correlated with the outcome of water maze and LTP. CONCLUSION: Passive smoking reduces LTP formation by disturbing the hippocampus function of mice, by decreasing NOS and Ache activity and increasing NO content. Antioxidants (especially vitamin E) partially improve the learning and memory ability of offsprings whose mothers are exposed to tobacco smoke during pregnancy.