Treatment of bilateral granulomatous lobular mastitis during lactation with traditional Chinese medicine: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is a type of benign chronic inflammatory disease that poses therapeutic challenges to healthcare providers. The diagnosis of GLM relies on tissue biopsy, and incorrect treatment may lead to delayed diagnosis, considerable aesthetic damage, and even mastectomy. CASE SUMMARY: We report the case of a 37-year-old Chinese woman who was lactating and had GLM in both breasts. At the time of treatment, the right breast had a mass of approximately 15 cm × 11 cm, which was hard and had poor mobility. Multiple skin ulcerations and pus spills were also observed on the surface of the breast. The left breast had a mass of about 13 cm × 9 cm, which was hard and had poor mobility. CONCLUSION: Herein, we report a case of bilateral GLM in a lactating woman that was successfully treated with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), without the requirement for surgery or other treatments. Therefore, TCM may have advantages in the nonsurgical treatment of GLM.

Yanghe Huayan decoction inhibits the capability of trans-endothelium and angiogenesis of HER2+ breast cancer via pAkt signaling.

Background: Yanghe Huayan Decoction (YHD), a traditional Chinese medicine, is one of the most common complementary medicine currently used in the treatment of breast cancer (BC). It has been recently linked to suppress precancerous lesion and tumor development. The current study sought to explore the role of YHD on trans-endothelium and angiogenesis of BC. Methods: HER2+ BC cells were treated with YHD, Trastuzumab, or the combination in vitro and in vivo to compare the effects of them on trans-endothelium and angiogenesis features. The present study also investigated the potential molecular mechanism of YHD in inhibiting angiogenesis of BC. Results: YHD significantly suppressed the invasion and angiogenesis of BC cells via elevated pAkt signaling. Administration of YHD in vivo also strikingly repressed angiogenesis in tumor grafts. Conclusion: YHD could partially inhibit and reverse tumorigenesis of BC. It also could inhibit Akt activation and angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo Its effect was superior to trastuzumab. Thus it was suitable for prevention and treatment of BC.

Modulation of NRF2 and UGT1A expression by epigallocatechin-3-gallate in colon cancer cells and BALB/c mice.

BACKGROUND: Green tea is an important source of flavonoids in human diets and epidemiological data correlate green tea consumption with a reduced cancer risk. Given its complicated properties at effective concentrations, we put epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) that previously reported on its anti-proliferative activities against several cancer cell lines on our research agenda to further examine the mechanism of its chemopreventive potential. METHODS: RNA interference (RNAi) expression vector pSilencer 3.1-H1 was used to construct recombinant nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2)-targeting RNAi plasmids. EGCG (5 microg/ml) was added into the culture fluid of cells before and after transfection. RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of uridine 5'-diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A in cells. Forty male BALB/c mice were assigned to four groups: a normal unexposed control and three groups treated with varying doses of EGCG. Four weeks later, the mice were sacrificed, and their colon tissues were subjected to mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2 and UGT1A via RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis. RESULTS: EGCG up-regulated the expression of Nrf2 and increased the level of UGT1A in cells. The blockade of Nrf2 activity via RNA intervention largely attenuated the induction of UGT1A expression by EGCG. In mice, the mRNA and protein levels of Nrf2 and UGT1A detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting increased (both P < 0.05 compared with the control). This increase in Nrf2 expression also had a positive correlation with an increased UGT1A expression. CONCLUSIONS: EGCG mediated its effect in part by inducing the NRF2 signaling pathway and increasing UGT1A expression. Both in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated the role of NRF2 and UGT1A expression in the potential use of EGCG as a possible chemopreventive agent and supported further study of EGCG for cancer treatment.

[The role of NF-E2-related factor 2 in the induction of uridine 5'-diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase 1A and its isoforms by epigallocatechin gallate in colon cancer cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of human transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in the induction of the gene expression of uridine 5'-diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A and its isoforms by epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). METHODS: (1) Human colon carcinoma cells Caco-2 and HT-29 were cultured. Immunocytochemistry, western blotting and confocal laser microscopy were used to detect the protein expression of Nrf2. Twenty samples of colon carcinoma with surrounding normal tissues were collected during endoscopic course. (2) RNA interference expression vector pSilencer 3.1-H1 was used to construct four Nrf2-trageting plasmids: pSilence-Nrf2-A, B, C, and D and a control pSilence-CON. Cells were transfected with pSilence-Nrf2 for 48 hours to observe the effects of transient transfection. Cells were stably transfected with pSilence-Nrf2-B for 4 weeks and re-named as Caco-2-siNrf2 and HT-29-siNrf2 (siNrf2 cells), and others stably transfected with blank plasmid pSilencer 3.1-H1 were used as controls. (3) EGCG was added into the culture fluid of cells before and after the stably transfection. RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of Nrf2, UGT1A, UGT1A8 and UGT1A10 in cells and the samples of human colon cancer tissue. RESULTS: (1) The expressions of UGT1A8 and UGT1A10 mRNA were significantly lower than that in the surrounding healthy mucosa. (2) The mRNA expression of Nrf2, UGT1A8, and UGT1A10 increased by 1.8-9.2 times after the addition of EGCG (all P < 0.05). Immunocytochemistry, western blotting and immunofluorescence demonstrated a significant increase of Nrf2 protein expression in the nucleus after treatment with EGCG. (3) SalIenzyme digestion and DNA sequencing confirmed that pSilence-Nrf2-A, B, C, and D and pSilence-CON were all successfully constructed. The inhibition rate of Nrf2 gene expression was above 80% 48 h after transfection with pSilence-Nrf2-B, and that was no significant difference after transfection with pSilence-CON (P > 0.05). There was specific inhibition of Nrf2 in Caco-2-siNrf2, HT-29-siNrf2 cells (both P < 0.01). (4) The basal levels of UGT1A8 and UGT1A10 mRNA expression in the Caco-2-siNrf2 and HT-29-siNrf2 cells were lower by 15%-65% in comparison with those in control, and the induction of genes by EGCG was largely attenuated in them (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Nrf2 is localized in the cytoplasm of non-stimulated cells, and EGCG triggered its rapid nuclear accumulation. Suppression of Nrf2 gene expression results in down-regulation of the constructive expression of UGT genes and their induction by EGCG. EGCG induces the expression of UGT1A, UGT1A8 and UGT1A10 genes via a Nrf2-dependent mechanism.