Chemical Profile and Phytotoxic Action of Hibiscus trionum Essential Oil.

The chemical profile and phytotoxic action of Hibiscus trionum essential oil (EO) was studied. In total 17 compounds were identified via GC/MS, representing 94.18 % of the entire oil, with phytol (40.37 %) being the dominant constituent. Bioassay revealed that the EO inhibited root elongation of Medicago sativa and Amaranthus retroflexus by 32.66 % and 61.86 % at 5 mg/mL, respectively; meanwhile, the major component phytol also exhibited significant phytotoxic activity, suppressing radical elongation of Pennisetum alopecuroides, M. sativa and A. retroflexus by 26.08 %, 27.55 % and 43.96 % at 1 mg/mL, respectively. The fact that the EO showed weaker activity than phytol implied that some constituents might trigger antagonistic action to decrease the oil's activity. Our study is the first on the chemical profile and phytotoxic effect of H. trionum EO.

[Expression and significance of interleukin-23 and its related cytokines in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura].

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and immunologic regulation function of interleukin-23 and its related cytokines in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) patients. Levels of cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) were detected by reverse-transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction in 30 patients with chronic ITP and 15 healthy volunteers. The quantity of IL-23, IL-12, IL-17 in serum was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that low detectable mRNA levels of IL-23p19, IL-12p35, IL-27 and IL-12p40 were found in all patients and healthy persons. Trace of IL-17 mRNA were expressed in PBMNC of part of patients and normal controls. Levels of IL-12p35, IL-27, IL-17 mRNA between healthy persons and chronic ITP patients were not statistically different. Compared with normal controls, patients showed the lower expression levels of IL-23p19 and IL-12p40 mRNA (p < 0.01). The IL-12 levels of chronic ITP patients were significantly higher than that of normal controls (p < 0.01). The IL-23 and IL-17 levels of chronic ITP patients were same to that of normal controls. It is concluded that the imbalance of T cell subsets in ITP patients mainly associated with IL-12, but not with IL-23 and IL-17.

[Expression of PRAME gene in adult acute leukemia and its significance in prognosis].

The study was aimed to investigate the expression of preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma (PRAME) gene in adult acute leukemia and its clinical significance. The expression of the PRAME gene of bone marrow was measured by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 73 adult newly diagnosed acute leukemia patients, 3 relapsed patients, 7 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and 8 healthy donors, as well as two AL cell-lines (K562 and U937). The results indicated that PRAME mRNA was expressed in 42.9% AML patients (n=24) and 20% ALL patients (n=4), also in two leukemia cell-lines K562 and U937, but not in eight health donors and seven ITP patients. PRAME expression not correlated to the white blood count, hemoglobin level, platelet count and the percentage of blasts at diagnosis, yet independent of age, sex, and FAB type. PRAME mRNA expression in complete remission group seems much higher than those in partial complete remission group and death group. The increased levels of expression could be found prior to the relapse in one patient being regularly monitored. PRAME gene was overexpressed in adult acute leukemia patients and leukemia cell-lines. It is concluded that the expression of PRAME is an indicator of favorable prognosis and can be a useful tool for monitoring minimal residual disease (MRD) in adult acute leukemia. Differential expression between adult acute leukemia patients and healthy volunteers suggests that the immunogenic antigens PRAME are potential candidates for immunotherapy in adult acute leukemia.

[Expression of HoxA10 in acute leukemia and its significance].

To investigate the expression of HoxA(10) mRNA in acute leukemia patients and its significance, HoxA(10) level was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 50 patients with acute leukemias, 7 healthy volunteers and 3 patients with ITP (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura). The regularity of the expression of HoxA(10) gene in acute leukemia and the relationship between HoxA(10) level and the prognosis of leukemia was explored. The results showed that HoxA(10) was expressed in all types of acute myelogenous leukemia; HoxA(10) message was also observed in acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients and part of control groups. 3 normal donors were found not to express HoxA(10). The level of HoxA(10) mRNA of acute myelogenous leukemia patients was significantly higher than that of acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients and controls (P < 0.01). HoxA(10) gene appeared to be more strongly expressed in AML-M(1) and -M(2) subtypes than in AML-M(4) and -M(5) subtypes, and the gene was notable high expressed in acute promyelocytic leukemia. The number of blast and promyeloid cells in the bone marrow was positive related with the level of HoxA (r = 0.635, P < 0.01). The level of HoxA(10) of 9 non-responsive patients was higher than that of 8 remission patients, but there was no significant difference between them (P = 0.258). HoxA(10) was overexpressed in acute myelogenous leukemia. It is concluded that HoxA(10) is a major transcription factor regulating hematopoiesis and a mark to differentiate lymphoid leukemia and myelogenous leukemia, but not a specific gene of cancer. The level of HoxA(10) is related with load of leukemic cells and curative effect, and can affect occurrence and development of leukemia in combination with many cytokines, HoxA(10) may facilitate the leukemia progression with another cofactors.