Exosomes secreted by chemoresistant ovarian cancer cells promote angiogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer (OC) has the highest mortality rate in gynecologic tumors. Despite decades of continuous efforts, the survival rate of patients has not improved significantly, mostly due to drug resistance. Exosomes are hot topics in recent years. Cells can affect the biological behaviors of other cells by transferring exosomes. So far, numerous researchers have found that tumor cells can secrete exosomes which play a important role in the development of tumors. Solid tumors can promote angiogenesis. When drug resistance occurs, it seems that more blood vessels form. We suppose that exosomes derived from chemoresistant OC cells can also promote angiogenesis. RESULTS: We investigate whether exosomes secreted by chemoresistant SKOV3-DDP cells (SKOV3-DDP-exo) and sensitive SKOV3 cells (SKOV3-exo) influence angiogenesis. After exosomes were extracted, exosomes were co-cultured with HUVECs. We found that SKOV3-DDP-exo and SKOV3-exo are absorbed by endothelial cells and promote the proliferation, migration, invasion and tube formation of endothelial cells. Moreover, SKOV3-DDP-exo is more powerful in angiogenesis, suggesting that parts of the components of SKOV3-DDP-exo are significantly radical. We also found that miR-130a was highly expressed in drug-resistant OC cells. Also, we found that miR-130a in SKOV3-DDP-exo is higher than SKOV3-exo. Therefore, we suggest that miR-130a in exosomes is the main cause of chemoresistant OC cells promoting angiogenesis.

Bushen Huoxue Recipe Inhibited Vascular Calcification in Chronic Renal Failure Rats by Regulating BMP-2/Runx2/Osterix Signal Pathway / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Bushen Huoxue Recipe (BHR) on inhibiting vascular calcification (VC) in chronic renal failure (CRF) rats by regulating BMP-2/Runx2/Osterix signal pathway, and to explore its possible mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group, the model group, and the BHR group, 10 in each group. Rats in the model group and the BHR group were administered with 250 mg/kg adenine suspension by gastroagavage and fed with 1.8% high phosphorus forage, once per day in the first 4 weeks, and then gastric administration of adenine suspension was changed to once per two days in the following 5-8 weeks. Rats in the BHR group were administered with BHR at the daily dose of 55 g/kg by gastrogavage in the first 8 weeks, once per day. Equal volume of normal saline was given to rats in the normal group by gastrogavage for 8 weeks. Histological changes in renal tissue and aorta VC were observed by HE staining and alizarin red staining respectively. Levels of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), serum creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) in serum were detected. Protein expression levels of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP-2), Runt related transcription factor (Runx2) , and Osterix were detected by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HE staining showed that compared with the normal group, disordered glomerular structure, tubular ectasia and dropsy, intracavitary inflammatory cell infiltration, dark brown crystal deposition in kidney tubules, renal interstitial fibrosis, and decreased number of renal blood vessels in the model group. Compared with the model group, normal glomerular numbers increased more, reduced degree of tubular ectasia, decreased number of inflammatory cells, and reduced adenine crystal deposition in the BHR group. Alizarin red staining showed that compared with the normal group, calcified nodes could be found in the model group, with extensive deposition of red particle in aorta. Compared with the model group, calcified nodes were reduced in the BHR group. Compared with normal group, serum levels of P, SCr, BUN, and iPTH significantly increased, serum Ca level significantly decreased, protein expressions of BMP-2, Runx2, Osterix also increased in the model group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, serum levels of P, SCr, BUN, and iPTH levels significantly decreased, serum Ca level significantly increased, protein expressions of BMP-2, Runx2, Osterix also decreased in the BHD group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>BHD could improve renal function, Ca-P metabolism, and renal histological changes in CHF rats, down-regulate the expression level of BMP-2/Runx2/Osterix signal pathway in vascular calcification of CRF, which might be one of the mechanisms for inhibiting VC in CHF.</p>

Intervention of chronic hepatitis B liver fibrosis patients in different stages by syndrome typing and different activating blood removing stasis methods: a clinical study / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical efficacy of treating chronic hepatitis B liver fibrosis (CHBLF) in different stages by syndrome typing and different activating blood removing stasis methods (ABRSM).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 100 CHBLF patients of vital qi deficiency blood stasis syndrome (VQDBSS) treated at the Department of Liver Diseases, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from July 2008 to December 2011, were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group, 50 in each group. Those in the treatment group were treated by self-formulated decoctions for activating blood nourishing blood (ABNB), activating blood removing stasis (ABRS), and activating blood softening hard mass (ABSHM) according to their stages of disease conditions (mild, moderate, and severe). Those in the control group were treated with Compound Biejia Ruangan Tablet (CBRT). Integrals of Chinese medical syndromes, liver functions [mainly including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), albumin/globulin (A/ G)], ultrasonographic examinations of liver (mainly including echoes of liver, width of spleens, width of portal vein), four indicators of serum hepatic fibrosis [including serum hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN), type IV collagen (IV-C), type III collagen peptide (P-III-P)] were statistically analyzed. The therapeutic course was 6 months for all.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with before treatment in the same group, the integrals of Chinese medical syndromes both decreased after treatment in the two groups (P < 0.05). The width of spleens decreased in the treatment group more obviously after treatment than before treatment (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the integrals of Chinese medical syndromes and the width of spleens were more obviously improved in the treatment group, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). Compared with before treatment in the same group, levels of ALT, HA, and LN significantly decreased, and the level of A/G significantly increased after treatment in the two groups, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the A/G level, HA, and LN were more obviously improved in the treatment group, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 76% in the treatment group and 46% in the control group, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Treating CH-BLF in different stages by ABRSM got better effect than using CBRT alone. It could favorably improve clinical symptoms of CHBLF patients and their serum biochemical indicators.</p>

Placement of duodenal stents across the duodenal papilla may predispose to acute pancreatitis: a retrospective analysis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate retrospectively the incidence, predictive factors, and management of acute pancreatitis which develops following placement of duodenal stents in patients with malignant gastroduodenal obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among 242 patients with symptomatic malignant gastroduodenal obstruction successfully treated with duodenal stent placement, acute pancreatitis occurred in 10 patients (4.1%) at 1-7 days after stent placement. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate factors predictive of acute pancreatitis. Management of acute pancreatitis was also evaluated. RESULTS: Ten patients with acute pancreatitis presented with abdominal pain and distention with vomiting at 1-7 days after stent placement, and seven patients developed acute jaundice. Pancreatitis resolved in four patients with a regime of fasting and intravenous nutrition. The remaining six cases were managed with percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and drain (PTCD) placement. Univariate analysis showed that acute pancreatitis was associated with stent location in the descending duodenum (P = 0.001) and with stents bridging the duodenal papilla (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the presence of a stent bridging the duodenal papilla (odds ratio, 18.48; 95% confidence interval, 2.298- 148.48; P = 0.006) was an independent predictor of acute pancreatitis. CONCLUSION: Acute pancreatitis is an uncommon early complication of duodenal stent placement in patients with malignant gastroduodenal obstruction. In this group of patients, acute pancreatitis was associated with stent location in the descending duodenum and occurred in patients with stents bridging the duodenal papilla; the latter may be the most important predictor of acute pancreatitis. Jaundice can be managed conservatively or with PTCD.