HS-4, a highly potent inhibitor of cell proliferation of human cancer cell.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antitumor activity of the compound HS-4 and the action mechanism. METHODS: MTT method was used to test in vitro antitumor activity of the compound HS-4. Orthotopic xenotransplantation tumor model of liver cancer was established in nude mice, and, in vivo antitumor activity of compound HS-4 was tested with a small animal in-vivo imaging system. Sequencing of small RNA library and RNA library was performed in HS-4 treated tumor cell group and control group to investigate the anti-cancer mechanism of HS-4 at level of functional genomics, using high-throughput sequencing technology. RESULTS: HS-4 was found to have relatively high in-vitro antitumor activity against liver cancer cells, gastric cancer cells, renal cancer cells, lung cancer cells, breast cancer cells and colon cancer cells. The IC50 values against SMMC-7721 and Bel-7402 of liver cancer cells were 0.14 and 0.13 nmol/L respectively, while the IC50 values against MGC-803 and SGC-7901 of gastric cancer cells were 0.19 and 0.21 nmol/L, respectively. It was demonstrated that HS-4 possessed a better therapeutic effect in liver cancer. CONCLUSIONS: A new reliable orthotopic xenotransplantation tumor model of liver cancer in nude mice is established. The new compounds HS-4 was found to possess relatively high in vivo and in vitro antitumor activity against liver cancer cells.

Validation of the Chinese version of the low anterior resection syndrome score for measuring bowel dysfunction after sphincter-preserving surgery among rectal cancer patients.

PURPOSE: The low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) score is a simple and valid instrument for measuring bowel dysfunction after sphincter-preserving surgery (SPS) among rectal cancer patients. We aimed to translate the LARS score into Chinese, and to test its reliability and validity among Chinese rectal cancer patients. METHODS: The LARS score was translated into Chinese by using internationally recognized forward- and back-translation procedures. In total, 102 patients completed the questionnaire; a subgroup of 20 patients answered the survey twice. The reliability was estimated through the test-retest reliability method. The convergent and discriminant validities were confirmed by measuring the relation of the LARS score with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR29 domains, respectively, and testing its ability to differentiate among patients with different clinical characteristics. RESULTS: The Spearman correlation coefficient of the LARS-scores at the two surveys was 0.86 (p < .001), and the linear-weighted kappa values of the five items of the LARS score were 0.38, 0.76, 0.79, 0.77, and 0.78, respectively. The LARS score showed significant correlations with all the assumptive domains of QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR29, especially flatulence, fecal incontinence, and stool frequency (all p < .05). It could also detect differences between female and male patient groups (p = .033), patients who had/had not undergone radiation therapy (p = .007), those who had undergone surgery in the last <12.0 or ≥12.0 months (p = .002), and those with low or high tumor edge level (p = .017). CONCLUSIONS: The Chinese version of the LARS score had good psychometric properties and can be used in clinical and research settings in the Chinese population.

[Puerarin inhibits DNA damage of HaCaT cells induced by UVB via ceramide pathway].

This study is to investigate the effect and mechanism of puerarin on DNA damage of HaCaT cells induced by UVB. Puerarin pre-treated cells were irradiated with UVB at 30 mJ x cm(-2). Twenty four hours after irradiation, DNA damage was detected by comet assay, ceramide was measured by thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography, intracellular free calcium ion was analyzed by flow cytometry, the phosphorylation level of p38 protein was examined by Western blotting method. Levels of DNA damage, ceramide, free calcium ion and p-p38 protein were elevated in UVB model cells. Contrary to the model group, all indicators above were reduced in all groups pre-treated by puerarin. Puerarin restrains the ceramide accumulation to block downstream p38 MAPK pathway and calcium ion rising, therefore reduces DNA damage in HaCaT cells induced by UVB.