Gene expression profiling of human synovial sarcoma cell line (Hs701.T) in response to IL-1beta stimulation.

OBJECTIVE: Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a malignant mesenchymal tumor that accounts for 5-10% of all soft tissue sarcoma. IL-1beta, a pleiotrophic cytokine, has been found in the tumor microenvironment which plays crucial roles in the pathogenesis of tumors. METHODS: In this study, we used Hs701.T as a cellular model to study the short-term (4-h) and long-term (48-h) stimulatory effect of IL-1beta on cell proliferation and differential gene expression. RESULTS: The results showed that IL-1beta can stimulate cell proliferation through activation of NF-kappaB and AP-1 transcription factors; sequentially triggers the expression of genes related to tumor progression. The microarray data indicated that most of the up-regulated genes were related to tumor progression. Five candidate genes which are involved in the mediation of proliferation (IL-6), apoptosis (Hsp27 and Daxx), and angiogenesis (PlGF and SPARC) were further validated by RT-PCR. CONCLUSION: These findings may be useful for understanding the pathogenesis of synovial sarcoma.

Protective effects of Danshensu from the aqueous extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) against homocysteine-induced endothelial dysfunction.

Homocysteine (Hcy) is a by-product of methionine metabolism. An imbalance of Hcy in the body may lead to hyperhomocysteinemia, a condition with elevated Hcy concentration in blood that may be one of the risk factors responsible for the development of several vascular diseases (thromboembolism, atherosclerosis, stroke, vascular diseases and dementia). Radix Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), a well-known Chinese medicinal herb that can activate and improve blood microcirculation, is noticeable for its beneficial effect in treating cardiovascular diseases. The present study is to demonstrate the protective effect of Danshen extract against the homocysteine-induced adverse effect on human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC). Homocysteine (5 mM) not only decreased the cell viability but also caused the disruption of capillary-like structure formation in vitro. The protective effect of Danshen aqueous extract and its active compounds on endothelial cell function were demonstrated through an in vitro tube formation assay, which mimics the new blood vessel formation. To identify the active components in the aqueous extract of Danshen, the content was characterized by instrumental analysis using high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (DAD) and electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). Interestingly, Danshen extract and its pure compounds showed different effectiveness in protecting HUVEC against Hcy-induced injury according to the following descending order: Danshen aqueous extract, 3-(3,4-dihydroxy-phenyl)-2-hydroxy-propionic acid (Danshensu), protocatechuic acid, catechin and protocatechualdehyde. We believed that such findings might provide evidence in understanding the beneficial effects of Danshen on the cardiovascular system.