Study on the mechanism of action of effective monomeric, berberine of Xianglian Pill in inhibiting human colon cancer cells based on fatty acid synthase target.

Background and aim: Xianglian Wan (XLW) as a classic prescription of traditional Chinese medicine protects digestive function; however, few studies have investigated its anti-colorectal cancer effects. This study verified that the effective monomer berberine of XLW plays an antitumo r role by regulating the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC)/fatty acid synthase (FASN) lipid metabolism-related signaling pathway. Experimental procedure: The connection between XLW and FASN was identified through literature mining, bioinformatics and structural biology. In vivo experiments verified the rationality of the antitumor effect of berberine by regulating the ACC/FASN pathway, and in vitro experiments verified the regulatory relationship between berberine and FASN. Results and conclusion: The most frequent Chinese medicine component in XLW was Coptis chinensis. Berberine, the active ingredient of XLW, has a FASN binding site. FASN expression is higher in tumor tissues than in normal tissues. FASN is related to colorectal adenocarcinoma occurrence and patient survival time. Experiments showed that XLW, berberine and orlistat (FASN inhibitor) can cooperate with palmitic acid (PA) to inhibit tumors in mice. Berberine can downregulate FASN and ACC expression in tumor tissues and inhibit the increase in acetyl-CoA, the intermediate product of exogenous PA intake. The mechanism by which berberine inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation by lowering lipids is related to its downregulation of FASN protein expression. The ACC/FASN signaling pathway is a critical pathway through which berberine, the effective monomer of XLW, plays an antitumor role in colon cancer.

A case report of thalidomide in the treatment of camrelizumab-induced reactive cutaneous capillary hyperplasia.

RATIONALE: Reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (RCCEP) is the most prevalent immune-related adverse event observed in patients undergoing camrelizumab treatment, and there is a lack of effective therapeutic strategies. Thalidomide (THD) has anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiangiogenic, and antitumor properties, which have led to its use in various autoimmune diseases, hematological malignancies, solid tumors, and other disorders. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 52-year-old male patient with lung cancer developed vascular moles on his face, neck, and back after 3 cycles of chemotherapy comprising pemetrexed and carboplatin combined with camrelizumab immunotherapy. The moles ranged in size (0.1-1.2 cm) and were red or red-black, appearing on the skin's surface. The patient was advised to avoid scratching or friction, continue monitoring, and apply Yunnan Baiyao powder if a papule ruptured. After the third treatment cycle, papules on the patient's face, particularly an eyelid vascular mole, ulcerated, causing significant psychological distress. DIAGNOSIS: RCCEP induced by camrelizumab was considered. INTERVENTIONS: The patient received 50 mg of THD in the morning and 100 mg in the evening. OUTCOMES: The vascular nevus began to shrivel after 1 week and started disappearing after 2 weeks of THD treatment. After 3 THD treatment courses, RCCEP was alleviated without recurrence, allowing the patient to successfully complete camrelizumab treatment. LESSONS: During treatment with camrelizumab, if a patient develops moderate or severe RCCEP, and local therapy or anti-infective therapies prove insufficient, THD may be considered as a potential treatment option to improve RCCEP symptoms.

The whole treatment process and thinking of a patient with NUT carcinoma of the parotid gland: a case report.

Background: Primary nuclear protein in testis (NUT) carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor originating from the salivary glands that usually occurs in midline structures, such as the head and neck, and has been identified in young patients. Progression of NUT carcinoma is rapid, and there is a high degree of malignant invasion. The median survival time of NUT carcinoma patients is 6 to 9 months, and 80% of the patients die within 1 year after diagnosis. Case description: This case report summarizes the treatment of a 36-year-old male patient with NUT carcinoma of the right parotid gland. The overall survival of the patient was 2 years. We also discuss the applications and outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitor and targeted therapy combination regimens in the treatment of NUT carcinoma. Conclusion: We suggest that targeted therapy combined with immunotherapy which has long-term clinical benefits and targeted therapy which has high clinical response rate(immunotherapy + dual-targeting three-drug regimens) is an ideal choice for the treatment of patients with rare and/or refractory tumors and will not compromise patient safety. Clinical trial registration: identifier ChiCTR1900026300.

Herbal formula of Bushen Jianpi combined with sorafenib inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma growth by promoting cell apoptosis and blocking the cell cycle.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of an herbal formula of Bushen Jianpi ( BSJP) combined with sorafenib on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in vitro and in vivo, and to study the underlying mechanisms of action. METHODS: BSJP, a mixture of 12 raw herbs, was extracted in 70% alcohol/30% water and freeze-dried into a powder. The in vitro effects of BSJP alone, sorafenib alone, and their combination on cell survival, apoptosis, and cell cycle distribution were evaluated in HCC cell lines HCCLM3, HepG2, and SMMC-7721. The expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), caspase-3, and caspase-9 in HCCLM3 cells was measured using Western blots after drug administration. The in vivo effects of BSJP and sorafenib were evaluated in a tumor surgical resection model using 4-week old male athymic BALB/c nude mice injected with HCCLM3 cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of tumor tissues was performed to evaluate the effects of BSJP alone, sorafenib alone, and their combination on the expression of caspase-3, caspase-9, and Bcl-2. RESULTS: BSJP decreased the survival rate of HCC cell lines, and the combination of BSJP and sorafenib further decreased the survival rate. BSJP significantly promoted cell apoptosis and blocked cell-cycle progression in HCCLM3, HepG2, and SMMC-7721 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the administration of BSJP and sorafenib inhibited the growth of HCCLM3 cell xenografts in nude mice, with no reduction in body weight. In vivo and in vitro experiments showed that BSJP combined with sorafenib could significantly decrease the expression of Bcl-2. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the herbal formula of BSJP is a potential HCC antitumor agent.

Molecular Mechanism of Bushen Jianpi Inhibition of Postoperative Recurrence and Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Compared with western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine can better regulate the internal environment and inhibit liver cancer recurrence and metastasis. Bushen Jianpi Recipe (BSJPR) is a traditional Chinese medicine for tonifying the kidney and invigorating the spleen. It has also been used to treat tumors and other related diseases. Here we explore the efficacy of BSJPR inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in vivo and in vitro . We hypothesize that BSJPR reduces intrahepatic cholestasis and inflammation and increases expression of the bile acid receptor and downstream targets. This study aims to test this hypothesis and determine whether the inhibitory effect of BSJPR on liver cancer recurrence and metastasis is related to bile acid metabolism. We also observed changes in immune cell expression, suggesting that regulation of the immune microenvironment could inhibit the recurrence and metastasis of HCC. These findings provide a basis for the treatment of HCC and new ideas for follow-up studies of BSJPR.

Osteogenesis of human adipose-derived stem cells on poly(dopamine)-coated electrospun poly(lactic acid) fiber mats.

Electrospinning is a versatile technique to generate large quantities of micro- or nano-fibers from a wide variety of shapes and sizes of polymer. The aim of this study is to develop functionalized electrospun nano-fibers and use a mussel-inspired surface coating to regulate adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs). We prepared poly(lactic acid) (PLA) fibers coated with polydopamine (PDA). The morphology, chemical composition, and surface properties of PDA/PLA were characterized by SEM and XPS. PDA/PLA modulated hADSCs' responses in several ways. Firstly, adhesion and proliferation of hADSCs cultured on PDA/PLA were significantly enhanced relative to those on PLA. Increased focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and collagen I levels and enhanced cell attachment and cell cycle progression were observed upon an increase in PDA content. In addition, the ALP activity and osteocalcin of hADSCs cultured on PDA/PLA were significantly higher than seen in those cultured on a pure PLA mat. Moreover, hADSCs cultured on PDA/PLA showed up-regulation of the ang-1 and vWF proteins associated with angiogenesis differentiation. Our results demonstrate that the bio-inspired coating synthetic degradable PLA polymer can be used as a simple technique to render the surfaces of synthetic biodegradable fibers, thus enabling them to direct the specific responses of hADSCs.

Chitosan-coated electrospun PLA fibers for rapid mineralization of calcium phosphate.

In this work, hydroxyapatite (HA) mineralized on chitosan (CS)-coated poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanofiber mat was prepared and compared in terms of mineralization characteristics. Significant calcium phosphate crystals formed on various concentrations of CS-coated PLA fiber mat with better uniformity after 2h of incubation in 10 times simulated body fluid (10× SBF). X-ray diffraction results further indicated that the composition of the deposited mineral was a mixture of dicalcium phosphate dehydrates and apatite. Chitosan, a cationic polysaccharide, can promote more nucleation and growth of calcium phosphate under conditions of 0.4% chitosan concentrations. These results indicated that HA-mineralized on CS-coated PLA fiber mat can be prepared directly via simply using CS coating followed by SBF immersion, and the results also suggest that this composite can mimic structural, compositional, and biological functions of native bone and can serve as a good candidate for bone tissue engineering (BTE).

Fabrication of porous carbon nanotube network.

We used the spin-coating method combined with ultrasonic atomization as a continuous, one-step process to generate a two-dimensional honeycomb network that was constructed from pure multi-walled carbon nanotubes.