BuFeiXiaoJiYin ameliorates the NLRP3 inflammation response and gut microbiota in mice with lung cancer companied with Qi-yin deficiency.

INTRODUCTION: NLRP3 inflammasome responses and gut microbiota have been shown an important role in lung cancer, however, the relationship between gut microbiota and NLRP3 inflammasome responses in lung cancer with Qi-yin deficiency remains elusive. METHODS: To investigate the effect of the traditional Chinese medicine BuFeiXiaoJiYin (BFXJY) on NLRP3 inflammasome responses and dysbiosis in lung cancer with Qi-yin deficiency, the female BALB/cA-nu mice were treated with LPS and ATP to induce inflammation, and were intragastrically treated with warm Chinese medicine and smoked with shavings to induce Qi-yin deficiency, as well as were injected with 1 × 107/ml A549 cells to simulate lung cancer. Then the three different doses of BuFeiXiaoJiYin (BFXJY) and positive control (CRID3) were used for intervention in mice for 27 consecutive days. Then, we estimated the protection effect of BFXJY on lung cancer mice with Qi-yin deficiency, through deterring tumor growth, NLRP3 inflammasome, PKC signaling, and homeostasis of gut microbiota. RESULTS: In this study, we found that BFXJY could inhibit the tumor growth in lung cancer with Qi-yin deficiency by reducing the production of IL-1ß and IL-18 and inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation, which might be associated with the inhibition of PKC signaling. Furthermore, BFXJY could promote microbial diversity and balance the microbial composition changes induced by inflammation and Qi-yin deficiency in lung cancer. CONCLUSION: BuFeiXiaoJiYin ameliorates the NLRP3 inflammation response and gut microbiota in mice with lung cancer companied with Qi-yin deficiency. Our study provides a theoretical basis for the clinical development of therapeutic drugs targeting to treat lung cancer.

Liver regeneration in the first week after living donor liver transplantation: evaluation with sonography.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Liver regeneration is a crucial issue after adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation A-ALDLT. Several studies have shown the rapid enlargement of liver size 3 months after surgery but how the liver regenerate in the first postoperative week remains unknown. The purpose of our study was to investigate liver regeneration in the first postoperative week using sonography. METHODOLOGY: Twenty pairs of donors and recipients undergone A-ALDLT were enrolled between March 2007 and January 2008. A linear regression was done to determine the relationship between the preoperative donor liver volumetric measurements by CT and ultrasound. The volume of graft liver was obtained by water bath during surgery and by ultrasound daily in the first postoperative week. RESULTS: Liver volume of the 20 donors measured by CT and ultrasound were 1367.8±193.7cm3 and 1281.1±149.3cm3, respectively. The sonographic measurement correlated well with that of CT (r=0.93, p <0.0001). The mean volume of ex vivo graft livers was 595±193.7cm3. Hepatic volume increased sharply, by 42.31% at postoperative day one and 93.5% at postoperative day seven. CONCLUSIONS: Sonographic measurement of liver volume is accurate. Bedside ultrasound is a useful ancillary test to assess liver regeneration in early postoperative days. Liver regenerated vigorously in A-ALDLT recipients in the first postoperative week.

[Effects of dujieqing oral liquid on the promoter methylation of the MGMT gene in middle-and-late stage tumor patients receiving chemotherapy].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Dujieqing Oral Liquid (DJQ) on the promoter methylation of the O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene in the plasma DNA samples from middle-and-late stage tumor patients receiving chemotherapy. METHODS: Recruited 60 patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group (treated by conventional chemotherapy combined DJQ, 20 mL each time, three times daily) and the control group (treated by chemotherapy alone), 30 in each group. The therapeutic course was 8 weeks. The promoter methylation of the MGMT gene in the plasma DNA samples form middle-and-late stage tumor patients receiving chemotherapy was detected before and after treatment using nested methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP). Meanwhile, the peripheral hemogram was detected. The clinical efficacy and toxic/adverse reactions were assessed using Karnofsky performance scale (KPS). RESULTS: Results of the promoter methylation of MGMT genes showed that methylation rate was 20.00% in the treatment group and 46.67% in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, the KPS was significantly improved in the treatment group after treatment, while it significantly decreased in the control group after treatment (both P<0.05). There was statistical difference in the KPS between the two groups after treatment (P<0.01). The toxic/adverse reactions were milder in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: DJQ showed efficiency synergism and toxicity reducing effects, but with no effect on the hematopoietic function of the bone marrow. MGMT gene was indicated as DJQ's target point for efficiency synergism and toxicity reducing. The efficiency synergism and toxicity reducing effects were achieved by regulating the activities of MGMT gene.