Correlation of Glucose Metabolism with Cancer and Intervention with Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Cancer is a complex disease with several distinct characteristics, referred to as "cancer markers" one of which is metabolic reprogramming, which is a common feature that drives cancer progression. Over the last ten years, researchers have focused on the reprogramming of glucose metabolism in cancer. In cancer, the oxidative phosphorylation metabolic pathway is converted into the glycolytic pathway in order to meet the growth requirements of cancer cells, thereby creating a microenvironment that promotes cancer progression. The precise mechanism of glucose metabolism in cancer cells is still unknown, but it is thought to involve the aberrant levels of metabolic enzymes, the influence of the tumor microenvironment (TME), and the activation of tumor-promoting signaling pathways. It is suggested that glucose metabolism is strongly linked to cancer progression because it provides energy to cancer cells and interferes with antitumor drug pharmacodynamics. Therefore, it is critical to unravel the mechanism of glucose metabolism in tumors in order to gain a better understanding of tumorigenesis and to lay the groundwork for future research into the identification of novel diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for cancer treatment. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has the characteristics of multiple targets, multiple components, and less toxic side effects and has unique advantages in tumor treatment. In recent years, researchers have found that a variety of Chinese medicine monomers and compound recipes play an antitumor role by interfering with the reprogramming of tumor metabolism. The underlying mechanisms of metabolism reprogramming of tumor cells and the role of TCM in regulating glucose metabolism are reviewed in this study, so as to provide a new idea for antitumor research in Chinese medicine.

[Recurrent pulmonary infection and oral mucosal ulcer].

An 8-year-old girl who had experienced intermittent cough and fever over a 3 year period, was admitted after experiencing a recurrence for one month. One year ago the patient experienced a recurrent oral mucosal ulcer. Physical examination showed vitiligo in the skin of the upper right back. Routine blood tests and immune function tests performed in other hospitals had shown normal results. Multiple lung CT scans showed pulmonary infection. The patient had recurrent fever and cough and persistent presence of some lesions after anti-infective therapy. The antitubercular therapy was ineffective. Routine blood tests after admission showed agranulocytosis. Gene detection was performed and she was diagnosed with dyskeratosis congenita caused by homozygous mutation in RTEL1. Patients with dyskeratosis congenita with RTEL1 gene mutation tend to develop pulmonary complications. Since RTEL1 gene sequence is highly variable with many mutation sites and patterns and can be inherited via autosomal dominant or recessive inheritance, this disease often has various clinical manifestations, which may lead to missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. For children with unexplained recurrent pulmonary infection, examinations of the oral cavity, skin, and nails and toes should be taken and routine blood tests should be performed to exclude dyskeratosis congenita. There are no specific therapies for dyskeratosis congenita at present, and when bone marrow failure and pulmonary failure occur, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and lung transplantation are the only therapies. Androgen and its derivatives are effective in some patients. Drugs targeting the telomere may be promising for patients with dyskeratosis congenita.

[Shang Ring scissor circumcision versus electrotome circumcision for redundant prepuce].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effects of Shang Ring scissor circumcision (SC) and electrotome circumcision (EC) in the treatment of redundant prepuce or phimosis.Methods: Results: Conclusion. METHODS: This retrospective study included 524 patients with redundant prepuce or phimosis, 422 treated by SC and 120 by EC. We made comparisons between the two groups of patients in the operation time, intra- and post-operative pain scores, pain scores before, at and after ring removal, wound healing time, and incidence rates of postoperative edema and incision dehiscence. RESULTS: The operation time was longer in the SC than in the EC group (ï¼»59.99±5.39ï¼½ vs ï¼»39.94±4.94ï¼½ sec, P<0.05), but there were no significant differences between the two groups in the intraoperative pain scores (1.02±0.74 vs 1.08±0.59, P>0.05) or the pain scores within 24 h after operation (6.74±1.01 vs 6.56±1.06, P>0.05), 24 h prior to ring removal (1.14±0.69 vs 1.10±0.64, P>0.05), and after ring removal (2.73±0.74 vs 2.85±0.75, P>0.05) except at ring removal, which was remarkably lower in the SC than in the EC group (3.56±0.47 vs 4.77±0.58, P<0.05). The wound healing time was markedly shorter in the former than in the latter (ï¼»14.11±1.26ï¼½ vs ï¼»39.78±7.55ï¼½ d, P<0.05), but the incidence rate of incision dehiscence showed no significant difference between the two groups (4.03% ï¼»17/422ï¼½ vs 9.17% ï¼»11/120ï¼½, P>0.05). The rate of postoperative satisfaction with the external penile appearance was 100% in both of the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Shang Ring scissor circumcision is preferred to electrotome circumcision for its advantages of less pain at ring removal and shorter healing time despite its longer operation time.

[Clinical investigation on schistosomiasis after a 16-year-interruption program regarding its transmission, in Jiaxing region of Zhejiang province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the epidemic pattern, diagnosis and treatment of schistosomiasis after the 16-years intervention program on its transmission in Jiaxing region of Zhejiang province. METHODS: Clinical data of schistosomiasis patients during the last 10 years and pathological specimens with deposited schistosomal eggs during the last 8 years were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The total numbers of schistosomiasis patients admitted to hospital increased from 194 in 2001 to 960 in 2010, and from 78 to 266 with complications. Number of the ones with accompanied diseases increased from 116 to 694. All the numbers of the above said three groups showed an yearly increase. The hardest hit age of the patients was between 60 and 74. The number of specimens with deposited schistosomal eggs increased from 192 in 2003 to 298 in 2010. While the ratio of specimens with deposited schistosomal eggs to the total number of pathological specimens became slightly decreasing, the average age of patients increased. Eggs were mainly deposited on appendix, colon, rectum, stomach, liver, gallbladder and small intestine. CONCLUSION: Schistosomiasis still hit the Jiaxing region, with the average age of patients increased.

[The protective function and mechanism of notoginsenoside Rb1 against hypoxia hypercapnia-induced pulmonary vasoconstriction].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the protective function and mechanism of notoginsenoside Rb1 against hypoxia hypercapnia-induced pulmonary vasoconstriction (HHPV). METHODS: The pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells of healthy male SD rats were primarily cultured and the second to the fifth subcultured cells were incubated with 8, 40, and 100 mg/L notoginsenoside Rb1 respectively under the hypoxia-hypercapnia condition (1% O2 and 6% CO2). The cells were harvested for 24 h. The phosphated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) protein expression of the cells was detected by Western blot. The mRNA expressions of ERK1 and ERK2 were detected using half quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: The expression of p-ERK protein, the mRNA expressions of ERK1 and ERK2 were weakly positive in the control group. Their expressions in the hypoxia-hypercapnia group were obviously enhanced (P < 0.01). After intervention of Rb1 at different concentrations, their expressions were obviously lowered (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in a dose-dependent manner. The optimal effects were obtained at the dose of 100 mg/L. The expression of p-ERK protein was significantly positively correlated with mRNA expressions of ERK1 and ERK2 in notoginsenoside Rbl-treated groups (r = 0.500, P < 0.01; r = 0.977, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: ERK1/2 pathway might play a role in the rat HHPV. Notoginsenoside Rb, could alleviate HHPV by inhibiting the ERK1/2 pathway.

[Effect of notoginsenoside Rg1 on p38MAPK expression of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells exposed to hypoxia hypercapnia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Notoginsenoside Rgl on p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) expression in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) cultured in hypoxia hypercapnia. METHODS: SD rat PASMCs was primary cultured, the cells of passage 2- 5 were divided into six groups: normoxic group (N group), hypoxia hypercapnia group (H group), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) control group (HD group), Rg1 treated group (Rg low dose, Rg middle dose and Rg high dose group). Western blot was used to detect the expression of p-p38MAPK protein, and RT-PCR to determine the expression of p38MAPK mRNA. RESULTS: Western blot and RT-PCR analysis indicated that the expression of p-p38MAPK protein and p-p38MAPK mRNA were significantly higher in HD group than those in N group (P < 0.01). Whereas, in Rg1 treated groups, the level of p-p38MAPK markedly decreased (P < 0.01) in dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Notoginsenoside Rg1 has protective effects on PASMCs under hypoxia hypercapnia condition, which may be related to inhibiting expression of p38MAPK.

[Involvement of metallothionein in the protection of lung ischemic preconditioning].

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether metallothionein was involved in the protection of lung ischemic preconditioning (IP) against lung ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups based upon the intervention (n=8): control group (C), lung I/R group (I/R), lung I/R+IP group (IP). At the end of the experiment, the content of metallothionein was tested in lung tissue. Blood specimens collected from the arteria carotis were tested for the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and myeloperoxidase (MPO). The pneumocyte apoptosis index (AI) was determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). Ultrastructural changes of lung tissue were observed by using transmission electron microscope. The results showed that in I/R group, the content of metallothionein was decreased (P<0.05), the content of MDA and MPO activity were increased (P<0.01), and SOD activity was decreased (P<0.01), compared with those in control group. IP treatment significantly increased the content of metallothionein (P<0.01), attenuated the MDA level (P<0.05) and MPO activity (P<0.01), and improved SOD activity (P<0.01) in blood serum. The number of TUNEL-positive cells in IP group was significantly reduced compared with that in I/R group (P<0.01). There were abnormal ultrastructural changes in I/R group, which were markedly reversed in IP group. In conclusion, IP may protect lung against I/R injury by inducing the expression of metallothionein.