Retracted: Anticancer Activity of Mukonal Against Human Laryngeal Cancer Cells Involves Apoptosis, Cell Cycle Arrest, and Inhibition of PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK Signalling Pathways.

An editorial decision has been made to retract this manuscript due to breach of publishing guidelines, following the identification of non-original and manipulated figures. Reference: Liu Li, Lu Huizhi, Wang Binu, Deng Xinxin, Wu Longjun, Yang Liping, Zhang Yingying. Anticancer Activity of Mukonal Against Human Laryngeal Cancer Cells Involves Apoptosis, Cell Cycle Arrest, and Inhibition of PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK Signalling Pathways. Med Sci Monit, 2018; 24: 7295-7302. DOI: 10.12659/MSM.910702.

Anticancer Activity of Mukonal Against Human Laryngeal Cancer Cells Involves Apoptosis, Cell Cycle Arrest, and Inhibition of PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK Signalling Pathways.

BACKGROUND Laryngeal cancer is one of the major malignancies of the neck and head and is responsible for considerable mortality across the globe. The treatments for laryngeal cancer mainly involve surgical interventions followed by chemotherapy. However, due to unsatisfactory results, constant relapses and the adverse effects associated with the currently used drugs, there is pressing need to develop effective drug options for treatment of laryngeal cancer. Therefore, this study was undertaken to investigate the anticancer effects of a plant-derived alkaloid, Mukonal, against human AMC-HN-8 laryngeal cancer cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS The WST-1 and clonogenic assays were employed to determine the cell viability. Apoptosis was detected by Hoechst and AO/EB staining. Cell migration and cell cycle analysis was performed by Transwell assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Protein expression was examined by Western blotting. RESULTS The results revealed that Mukonal reduced the viability of laryngeal cancer cells dose-dependently. The IC50 of Mukonal was found to be 10 µM. However, the effects of Mukonal on the normal HuLa-PC cells was found to be 140 µM. The decrease in the viability of the AMC-HN-8 laryngeal cancer cells was found to be due to the induction of apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest. Mukonal also suppressed the cell migration and of the AMC-HN-8 laryngeal cancer cells. Mukonal could also inhibit the PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK signalling pathways in a concentration-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, we conclude that Mukonal could prove a beneficial lead molecule for the treatment of laryngeal cancer.

Effect of compound hypertonic saline solution on septic rats / 中华危重病急救医学

Objective To study the effect of compound hypertonic saline solution (HSD) on sepsis.Methods 133 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups,sham operation group (n =15),cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)group (n =45),CLP plus normal saline (NS) group (n =45),and CLP plus HSD group (n =28).A rat model of sepsis was reproduced by CLP,and the rats in sham operation group received celiotomy without ligation and puncture.All rats in four groups received subcutaneous injection of 30 mL/kg 0.9％ sodium chloride after laparotomy.The rats in CLP plus NS group and CLP plus HSD group received infusion of 5 mL/kg 0.9％ sodium chloride or 7.5％ sodium chloride/6％ dextran post CLP via jugular vein for 3 hours,with the infusion rate of 0.4 mL·kg-1·min-1.The survival rate of each group was observed 9 hours and 18 hours after laparotomy.Mean arterial pressure (MAP) at 0,9,18 hours were monitored.Blood specimens were collected from all rats 0,9 and 18 hours after laparotomy,respectively,for measurement of the plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α),interleukin-1β (IL-1β),and procalcitonin (PCT).The rats were all sacrificed,and their lung tissues were harvested for the neutrophil count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF),myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in lung tissue,wet/dry weight ratio (W/D) of lung,and pathological changes in lung tissue.Results There was no death in the sham operation group.The survival rates at 9 hours and 18 hours were 62.2％ and 31.1％ in the CLP group,57.8％ and 35.6％ in the CLP plus NS group,85.7％ and 64.3％ in the CLP plus HSD group,and they were all significantly higher compared with those of the CLP group and the CLP plus NS group (P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜ 0.01).MAP levels in the CLP group and the CLP plus NS group were significantly lower than those in sham operation group,and the plasma levels of TNF-α,IL-1β and PCT were significantly higher compared with those of sham operation group,while there was no difference between CLP group and the CLP plus NS group.MAP and the plasma levels of TNF-α,IL-1β and PCT in the CLP plus HSD group were significantly improved compared with those of the CLP plus NS group at 9 hours and 18 hours [MAP (mmHg,1 mmHg =0.133 kPa) at 9 hours:102±5 vs.94±6,18 hours:90±2 vs.72±3; TNF-α (ng/L) at 9 hours:284.19±57.18 vs.329.67±45.79,18 hours:263.46±42.58 vs.349.68±52.40; IL-1β (ng/L) at 9 hours:219.28±39.21 vs.263.47±32.36,18 hours:195.98±39.06 vs.250.10±41.57; PCT (μg/L) at 9 hours:2.32±0.37 vs.4.52±0.75,18 hours:2.89±0.62 vs.5.02±0.84; P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜ 0.01].The ratio of neutrophils in BALF,MPO activity and lung W/D at 18 hours in the CLP group and the CLP plus NS group were significantly higher than those of the sham operation group,while they were all significantly lower in the CLP plus HSD group than those of the CLP group and the CLP plus NS group [ratio of neutrophils in BALF:0.094±0.019 vs.0.148±0.062,0.151 ±0.055; MPO (U/g):1.19±0.45 vs.2.31 ±0.79,2.64±0.69; lung W/D ratio:4.02 ± 0.63 vs.5.14 ± 0.59,5.12 ± 0.83,all P ＜ 0.05].Under light microscope,no pathobiological changes were found in sham operation group.The lung tissues in the CLP group and the CLP plus NS group showed congestion,edema,infiltrating inflammatory changes,while the inflammatory changes in the lung tissue in the CLP plus HSD group were significantly alleviated.Conclusion HSD can obviously ameliorate the circulatory failure in septic rats,alleviate immune disturbance and acute lung injury,and improve the survival rate of rats with sepsis.