S-allylcysteine, a garlic derivative, suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis in human ovarian cancer cells in vitro.

AIM: To investigate the effects of S-allylcysteine (SAC), a water-soluble garlic derivative, on human ovarian cancer cells in vitro. METHODS: Human epithelial ovarian cancer cell line A2780 was tested. Cell proliferation was examined with CCK-8 and colony formation assays. Cell cycle was analyzed with flow cytometry. Cell apoptosis was studied using Hoechst 33258 staining and Annexin V/PI staining with flow cytometry. The migration and invasion of A2780 cells were examined with transwell and wound healing assays. The expression of relevant proteins was detected with Western blot assays. RESULTS: SAC (1-100 mmol/L) inhibited the proliferation of A2780 cells in dose- and time-dependent manners (the IC50 value was approximately 25 mmol/L at 48 h, and less than 6.25 mmol/L at 96 h). Furthermore, SAC dose-dependently inhibited the colony formation of A2780 cells. Treatment of A2780 cells with SAC resulted in G1/S phase arrest and induced apoptosis, accompanied by decreased expression of pro-caspase-3, Parp-1 and Bcl-2, and increased expression of active caspase-3 and Bax. SAC treatment significantly reduced the migration of A2780 cells, and markedly decreased the protein expression of Wnt5a, p-AKT and c-Jun, which were the key proteins involved in proliferation and metastasis. CONCLUSION: SAC suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis in A2780 ovarian cancer cells in vitro.

Ultrasound assessment of diaphragmatic dysfunction in non-critically ill patients: relevant indicators and update.

Diaphragm dysfunction (DD) can be classified as mild, resulting in diaphragmatic weakness, or severe, resulting in diaphragmatic paralysis. Various factors such as prolonged mechanical ventilation, surgical trauma, and inflammation can cause diaphragmatic injury, leading to negative outcomes for patients, including extended bed rest and increased risk of pulmonary complications. Therefore, it is crucial to protect and monitor diaphragmatic function. Impaired diaphragmatic function directly impacts ventilation, as the diaphragm is the primary muscle involved in inhalation. Even unilateral DD can cause ventilation abnormalities, which in turn lead to impaired gas exchange, this makes weaning from mechanical ventilation challenging and contributes to a higher incidence of ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction and prolonged ICU stays. However, there is insufficient research on DD in non-ICU patients, and DD can occur in all phases of the perioperative period. Furthermore, the current literature lacks standardized ultrasound indicators and diagnostic criteria for assessing diaphragmatic dysfunction. As a result, the full potential of diaphragmatic ultrasound parameters in quickly and accurately assessing diaphragmatic function and guiding diagnostic and therapeutic decisions has not been realized.

[Detection of micrometastases and its clinical significance in sentinel and non-sentinel lymph nodes from early cervical carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of micrometastasis detection in sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) from patients with early cervical carcinoma. METHODS: Thirty patients with early cervical carcinoma were studied to identify SLN intraoperatively using methylene blue. One lymph node was removed randomly from palpable SLN and other pelvic lymph nodes (nSLN) in each patient, so 268 lymph nodes were collected and cut into two halves, one half of the lymph node was used to analyze the expression of cytokeratin 19 (CK19) mRNA by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction to determine the presence of micrometastasis, the other half was examined by routine histology with HE staining. RESULTS: 67 SLNs were detected in 28 cases (93.3%). Pelvic lymph nodes of 6 cases were confirmed pathological metastasis. The sensitivity of SLN detection was 66.7%, the accuracy rate was 96.4%, and the false negative rate was 16.7%. Among 268 lymph nodes (including 9 lymph nodes with pathological metastasis) detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, 68 lymph nodes were pathological negative but had micrometastasis, accounting for 26.3% (68/259) in pathologically negative lymph nodes. Among 24 patients with pathological negative lymph nodes, 16 cases had micrometastasis, accounting for 66.7% in those patients. Among 16 patients with micrometastasis, SLN of 3 cases were negative, but nSLN were micrometastasis, so the SLN false-negative rate rose to 18.2%. There were no significant relationships between pelvic lymph nodes micrometastasis and perivascular space involvement, deep stromal invasion and tumor grade (all P > 0.05). The micrometastasis rate of nSLN in patients with SLN micrometastasis was 100%, significantly higher than that in the patients with SLN non-micrometastasis (27.3%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction is a sensitive method to detect SLN micrometastasis. SLN micrometastasis may be an effective complement to SLN pathology to predict nSLN metastasis. Pelvic lymph nodes micrometastases have no significant relationship with pathological risk factors in cervical cancer and prognosis of patients.

[Physical stability of imidacloprid suspension concentrate studied by the multiple light scattering technique].

The stability of pesticide SC suspension was studied by Turbiscan Lab Analyzer. The Turbiscan Lab can be used to analyze the concentrated colloids, dispersant samples, and the instable mechanism of the suspension system in the initial stage. The Turbiscan Lab can also determine the thickness changes of sedimentation with the time, the settling rate of particles with time, and the particle size changes with time. In the present work, the different dispersant GY-D10, NNO, Morwet D-425, TERSPERSE 2425 were used to prepare the imidacloprid 350 g x L(-1) suspension concentrate in the same preparation condition. By measuring the light intensity of backscattering light of the suspension of imidacloprid 350 g x L(-1) SC with time, the dynamic sedimentation processes and the particle size changes which reflect the stability of SC suspension were studied. The results showed that when the contents of GY-D10 dispersant were 4 wt% in the SC, the stability of SC suspension system was relatively good.

Acute Effects of Intravenous Sub-Anesthetic Doses of Ketamine and Intranasal Inhaled Esketamine on Suicidal Ideation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: Suicide is a major public health concern with currently no validated and efficacious treatments approved. Preliminary evidence suggests that intravenous ketamine has rapid and sustained antidepressant effects, making it a candidate with therapeutic potential for depressed patients at risk for suicide. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of ketamine and esketamine in reducing suicidal ideation (SI), as well as their respective onset and duration of action. Data Sources: We searched PubMed, Embase, Ovid, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases for studies published from inception to September 29, 2022. Study Eligibility Criteria: We conducted a systematic review of all parallel randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effect and duration of ketamine or esketamine on SI. Our primary outcome measure was the Suicide Scale score, which was measured using the Scale for Suicidal Ideation (SSI), Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), or Modified Scale for Suicidal Ideation (MSSI). To obtain effect sizes (Cohen's d), we calculated the difference in Suicide Scale scores before and after administration in each group. Results: Our study showed that intravenous sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine and intranasal inhaled esketamine had a significant anti-SI effect. Specifically, ketamine produced a large degree of anti-SI effect within the 4-6 hours (Cohen's d = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.50, 1.81) and a medium-large degree in the 24 hours (Cohen's d = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.48, 1.41). Esketamine, on the other hand, produced a small-medium degree of anti-SI effect within the 4-6 hours timeframe (Cohen's d = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.44) and the 24 hours (Cohen's d = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.47). Conclusion: Intravenous sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine and intranasal inhaled esketamine could reduce SI within 4 hours and last for 24 hours.

Radiotherapy opens the blood-brain barrier and synergizes with anlotinib in treating glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma (GBM) has a poor prognosis and lacks effective treatment. Anlotinib is a multitargeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that may have anti-tumor activity in the central nervous system (CNS). This study aimed to determine the therapeutic value of radiotherapy combined with anlotinib in GBM via preclinical research. METHODS: HPLC-MS/MS was used to assess the concentration of anlotinib in blood and brain samples. Cell proliferation assays, flow cytometry, and colony formation assays were performed in vitro. The potential value of anlotinib or in combination with radiotherapy for GBM treatment was estimated in vivo. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescent staining were performed to determine the underlying mechanism. RESULTS: Anlotinib effectively inactivated the JAK3/STAT3 pathway to inhibit growth and induce apoptosis in malignant glioma cells (MGCs) independent of MGMT expression. Meanwhile, anlotinib induces MGCs G2/M arrest and sensitizes MGCs to radiation. Radiation down-regulates claudin-5 and weakens the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which contributes to the increased distribution of anlotinib in the CNS by 1.0-2.9 times. Anlotinib restrains tumor growth (PCNA), inhibits tumor microvascular proliferation (CD31), and alleviated intratumor hypoxia (HIF 1α) in vivo. Anlotinib alone or in combination with radiation is effective and safe in vivo evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: We discovered that anlotinib, the original small molecule antiangiogenesis TKI, down-regulates JAK3/STAT3 axis with anti-cancer activity alone or in combination with radiation. Anlotinib combined with radiotherapy might be a promising treatment for newly diagnosed GBM in the clinic.

The role of AMPK-Sirt1-autophagy pathway in the intestinal protection process by propofol against regional ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (II/R) is a clinical event associated with high morbidity and mortality. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a central cellular energy sensor, is associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. However, whether the AMPK is involved in the II/R-induced intestinal injury and the underlying mechanism is yet to be elucidated. Propofol has a protective effect on organs; yet, its specific mechanism of action remains unclear. This study explored the role of the AMPK-Sirt1-autophagy pathway in intestinal injury, and whether propofol could reduce intestinal injury and investigated the mechanisms in a rat model of II/R injury as well as a cell model (IEC-6 cells) of hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R). Propofol, AMPK agonist (AICAR) and AMPK inhibitor (Compound C) were then administered, respectively. The histopathological changes, cell viability and apoptosis were detected. Furthermore, the levels of proinflammatory factors, the activities of oxidative stress, diamine oxidase, and signaling pathway were also analyzed. The results demonstrated that the AMPK-Sirt1-autophagy pathway of intestine was activated after II/R or H/R. Propofol could further activate the pathway, which reduced intestinal injury, inhibited apoptosis, reversed inflammation and oxidative stress, and improved the 24-hour survival rate in II/R rats in vivo, and attenuated H/R-induced IEC-6 cell injury, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in vitro, as fine as changes in AICAR treatment. Compound C abrogated the protective effect of propofol on II/R and H/R-induced injury. These results suggested a crucial effect of AMPK on the mechanism of intestinal injury and might provide a new insight into the mechanism of propofol reducing II/R injury.

Activation of LRP1 Ameliorates Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury and Cognitive Decline by Suppressing Neuroinflammation and Oxidative Stress through TXNIP/NLRP3 Signaling Pathway in Mice.

Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a clinical event associated with high morbidity and mortality. Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of I/R-induced brain injury and cognitive decline. Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP1) can exert strong neuroprotection in experimental intracerebral hemorrhage. However, whether LRP1 can confer neuroprotective effects after cerebral I/R is yet to be elucidated. The present study is aimed at investigating the effects of LRP1 activation on cerebral I/R injury and deducing the underlying mechanism involving TXNIP/NLRP3 signaling pathway. Cerebral I/R injury was induced in mice by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion. LPR1 ligand, apoE-mimic peptide COG1410, was administered intraperitoneally. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, overexpression of TXNIP was achieved via the hippocampal injection of AAV-TXNIP before COG1410 treatment. Neurobehavioral tests, brain water content, immunofluorescence, Western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, HE, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining were performed. Our results showed that the expressions of endogenous LRP1, TXNIP, NLRP3, procaspase-1, and cleaved caspase-1 were increased after cerebral I/R. COG1410 significantly ameliorated cerebral I/R-induced neurobehavioral deficits, brain edema, histopathological damage, and poor survival rate. Interestingly, COG1410 inhibited microglia proinflammatory polarization and promoted anti-inflammatory polarization, decreased oxidative stress, attenuated apoptosis, and inhibited the expression of the TXNIP/NLRP3 signaling pathway. However, the benefits of COG1410 were abolished by TXNIP overexpression. Thus, our study suggested that LRP1 activation with COG1410 attenuated cerebral I/R injury at least partially related to modulating microglial polarization through TXNIP/NLRP3 signaling pathway in mice. Thus, COG1410 treatment might serve as a promising therapeutic approach in the management of cerebral I/R patients.

Thioredoxin-Interacting Protein (TXNIP) Knockdown Protects against Sepsis-Induced Brain Injury and Cognitive Decline in Mice by Suppressing Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammation.

Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) is linked to increased morbidity and mortality rates in patients with sepsis. Increased cytokine production and neuronal apoptosis are implicated in the pathogenesis of the SAE. Neuroinflammation plays a major role in sepsis-induced brain injury. Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), an inhibitor of thioredoxin, is associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. However, whether the TXNIP is involved in the sepsis-induced brain injury and the underlying mechanism is yet to be elucidated. Therefore, the present study was aimed at elucidating the effects of TXNIP knockdown on sepsis-induced brain injury and cognitive decline in mice. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was injected intraperitoneally to induce sepsis brain injury in mice. The virus-carrying control or TXNIP shRNA was injected into the lateral ventricle of the brain 4 weeks before the LPS treatment. The histological changes in the hippocampal tissues, encephaledema, and cognitive function were detected, respectively. Also, the 7-day survival rate was recorded. Furthermore, the alterations in microglial activity, oxidative response, proinflammatory factors, apoptosis, protein levels (TXNIP and NLRP3 inflammasome), and apoptosis were examined in the hippocampal tissues. The results demonstrated that the TXNIP and NLRP3 inflammasome expression levels were increased at 6, 12, and 24 h post-LPS injection. TXNIP knockdown dramatically ameliorated the 7-day survival rate, cognitive decline, brain damage, neuronal apoptosis, and the brain water content, inhibited the activation of microglia, downregulated the NLRP3/caspase-1 signaling pathway, and reduced the oxidative stress and the neuroinflammatory cytokine levels at 24 h post-LPS injection. These results suggested a crucial effect of TXNIP knockdown on the mechanism of brain injury and cognitive decline in sepsis mice via suppressing oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. Thus, TXNIP might be a potential therapeutic target for SAE patients.

Dexmedetomidine alleviates neuroinflammation, restores sleep disorders and neurobehavioral abnormalities in rats with minimal hepatic encephalopathy.

The occurrence and progress of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is closely related to the inflammatory response; however, inflammation contributes to behavioral abnormalities and sleep disorders. Dexmedetomidine has anti-inflammatory effects against various diseases. Whether dexmedetomidine improves MHE and the underlying mechanism is yet unclear. The present study aimed to explore the effects of dexmedetomidine on sleep structure, neurobehavior, and brain morphology of MHE rats and investigate its underlying mechanism. A rat MHE model was established by intraperitoneal injection of thioacetamide (TAA). Dexmedetomidine or yohimbine was administered intraperitoneally to investigate the role of α2 adrenoreceptor in the protection conferred by dexmedetomidine. The 24-h sleep, neurobehavioral changes, the liver function, blood ammonia and morphological changes of the liver and brain were assessed. Also, the microglia, astrocytes, neurons, the expression of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-1ß, TNF-α, IL-18), and NLRP3 inflammasomes were detected. The results showed that marked sleep disorders, cognitive impairment, anxiety, abnormal liver function and pathological damage of liver and brain were detected in the MHE rats. The microglia in the prefrontal cortex was highly activated along with the increased expression of pro-inflammatory factors and NLRP3 inflammasomes. Interestingly, dexmedetomidine improved above indicators, however, yohimbine significantly abolished the protection of dexmedetomidine. These findings showed that dexmedetomidine restored the changes in the sleep disorders and neurobehavior in rats and reduced brain damage. The mechanism might be partially related to the activation of α2 adrenergic receptors, reduction of neuroinflammatory response, and inhibition of the activation of microglia and NLRP3/Caspase1 signaling pathway.

Circulating guanylyl cyclase C (GCC) mRNA is a reliable metastatic predictor and prognostic index of colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Currently, few specific biomarkers or standard cutoff values are available for circulating tumor cells (CTCs) detection and survival prediction in patients with early stage colorectal cancer (CRC). Guanylyl cyclase C (GCC) presents as a specific expression in intestinal tumor cells and during their metastases, indicating its potential application as a metastatic predictor of CRC. METHODS: The circulating GCC mRNA of 160 colorectal cancer patients at stage I-III was detected via quantitative real-time (qRT)-PCR in our study, and the correlation of GCC mRNA level with tumor metastasis and long-term survival was explored. RESULTS: GCC mRNA was found to be positive in 43 out of 160 CRC patients and negative in ten healthy controls. It was found that GCC mRNA over the baseline (>100 copies/µL and 200 copies/µL) showed a significant correlation with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in the stage II subgroup. It was further revealed that GCC mRNA over 300 copies/µL or higher than the median value of copy numbers was significantly correlated with reduced OS and DFS in CRC patients. A nomogram model based on variables including GCC mRNA copy number was established for predicting the OS of CRC patients (AUC =0.98). CONCLUSIONS: Circulating GCC mRNA over baseline is a reliable predictor for tumor metastasis and can be a prognostic index in CRC patients.

Melatonin alleviates intestinal injury, neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction caused by intestinal ischemia/reperfusion.

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) can cause multiple organ damage with extremely high morbidity and mortality. Melatonin has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic effects against various diseases. This study aimed to explore whether melatonin had a protective effect against intestinal I/R-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction, and investigate its potential mechanisms. In this study, melatonin was administered to the rats with intestinal I/R, then histological changes in intestine and brain (frontal cortex and hippocampal CA1 area) tissues and cognitive function were detected, respectively. The encephaledema and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability were observed. Moreover, the alterations of proinflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 and interleukin-1ß), oxidative response (malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, and reactive oxygen species), apoptosis and proteins associated with inflammation,including Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (Myd88) and phosphorylated nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB), and apoptosis (cleaved caspase-3) in brain tissues were examined. Furthermore, the expressions of TLR4, Myd88, and microglial activity were observed by multiple immunofluorescence staining. The results showed that intestinal I/R-induced abnormal neurobehavior and cerebral damage were ameliorated after melatonin treatment, which were demonstrated by improved cognitive dysfunction and aggravated histology. Furthermore, melatonin decreased the levels of proinflammatory factors and oxidative stress in plasma, intestine and brain tissues, attenuated apoptotic cell, and inhibited the expressions of related proteins and the immunoreactivity of TLR4 or Myd88 in microglia in brain tissues. These findings showed that melatonin might relieve neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction caused by intestinal I/R, which could be, at least partially, related to the inhibition of the TLR4/Myd88 signaling in microglia.

Downregulation of LINC00515 in high-grade serous ovarian cancer and its relationship with platinum resistance.

Aim: To investigate the expression of long intergenic noncoding RNA 00515 (LINC00515) in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) and its potential correlation with platinum resistance. Patients & methods: Expression of LINC00515 in HGSOC (n = 115) and normal (n = 19) tissues was detected via quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). We further explored the statistical significance of the relationship between LINC00515 expression and platinum resistance in HGSOC. Results: LINC00515 was gradually downregulated in the order of normal > platinum-sensitive > platinum-resistant tissue (p < 0.05). Results demonstrated that LINC00515 downregulation was correlated with platinum resistance and relapse-free survival (RFS) of HGSOC (p < 0.05). Conclusion: LINC00515 downregulation is correlated with HGSOC development, platinum resistance and RFS, supporting its utility as a potential biomarker to predict platinum resistance and prognosis of RFS.

Prefrontal cortex miR-29b-3p plays a key role in the antidepressant-like effect of ketamine in rats.

Ketamine has a rapid, obvious, and persistent antidepressant effect, but its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as important modulators of ketamine's antidepressant effect. We investigated the alteration in miR-29b-3p in the brain of rats subjected to ketamine administration and chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), and a sucrose preference test and forced swimming test were used to evaluate the rats' depressive-like state. We used recombination adeno-associated virus (rAAV) or lentivirus-expressing miR-29b-3p to observe the change in metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (GRM4). Cell culture and electrophysiological recordings were used to evaluate the function of miR-29b-3p. Ketamine dramatically increased miR-29b-3p expression in the prefrontal cortex of the normal rats. The dual luciferase reporter test confirmed that GRM4 was the target of miR-29b-3p. The miR-29b-3p levels were downregulated, while the GRM4 levels were upregulated in the prefrontal cortex of the depressive-like rats. The ketamine treatment increased miR-29b-3p expression and decreased GRM4 expression in the prefrontal cortex of the depressive-like rats and primary neurons. By overexpressing and silencing miR-29b-3p, we further validated that miR-29b-3p could negatively regulate GRM4. The silencing of miR-29b-3p suppressed the Ca2+ influx in the prefrontal cortex neurons. The miR-29b-3p overexpression contributed to cell survival, cytodendrite growth, increases in extracellular glutamate concentration, and cell apoptosis inhibition. The overexpression of miR-29b-3p by rAAV resulted in a noticeable relief of the depressive behaviors of the CUMS rats and a lower expression of GRM4. The miR-29b-3p/GRM4 pathway acts as a critical mediator of ketamine's antidepressant effect in depressive-like rats and could be considered a potential therapeutic target for treating major depression disorder.

Myricetin induces apoptosis and enhances chemosensitivity in ovarian cancer cells.

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal type of gynecological cancer and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-associated mortality in females globally. The majority of patients with ovarian cancer suffer from recurrent, progressive disease, due to the acquisition of a resistance phenotype towards various conventional chemotherapy drugs. Although paclitaxel has been demonstrated to be effective against ovarian tumors, there have been reports of the development of a resistant phenotype against Taxol® treatment. The multidrug resistance (MDR)-1/P-glycoprotein has previously been demonstrated to be associated with the acquisition of paclitaxel resistance in certain ovarian tumors. Therefore, the screening of novel drug candidates able to target MDR-1 in ovarian cancer cells and increase the sensitivity to Taxol® is required in order to improve the treatment of this disease. In the present study, the underlying mechanisms by which the dietary flavonoid myricetin enhances the cytotoxic potential of paclitaxel in ovarian cancer cells, was investigated. It was observed that myricetin induced significant cytotoxicity in A2780 and OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cells, with the IC50 value obtained at 25 µM. Myricetin treatment also resulted in the induction of apoptosis in the two cell lines, accompanied by the modulation of certain pro- and anti-apoptotic markers. It was also determined that the pre-incubation of ovarian cancer cells with a lower dose of myricetin was able to increase the cytotoxicity of paclitaxel, due to the significant downregulation of MDR-1 in these cells.

Paris Saponins enhance radiosensitivity in a gefitinib-resistant lung adenocarcinoma cell line by inducing apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle phase arrest.

Acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor inhibitors has been reported to be associated with cross­resistance to radiation. Paris Saponins (PSs) exert a wide range of pharmacological activities, including cell apoptosis induction, multidrug resistance inhibition, angiogenesis inhibition and tumor cell migration by modulating various signaling pathways. The present study aimed to investigate the radiosensitization effects of PSII, PSVI and PSVII in a gefitinib­resistant PC­9­ZD lung adenocarcinoma cell line, and the possible mechanism underlying their function. A clonogenic assay was performed to determine the effects of PS radiosensitization on the PC­9­ZD cell line. The cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry, and cell apoptosis was analyzed with Annexin V/propidium iodide and Hoechst staining. Protein expression levels were detected by western blotting. The results of the present study revealed a significant increase in PC­9­ZD cell line radiosensitivity following treatment with PSs. PSs induced G2/M cell cycle phase arrest and apoptosis of the irradiated PC­9­ZD cells. Notably, the expression levels of B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl­2) were downregulated, and those of caspase­3, Bcl­2­associated X protein (Bax) and p21/Waf1/Cip1 were upregulated following treatment with PSs. The present results demonstrated that PSs induced radiosensitivity in gefitinib­resistant cells by inducing G2/M phase arrest and by enhancing the apoptotic response via the modulation of caspase­3, Bax, Bcl­2 and p21/Waf1/Cip1 expression.

Detection of CK20mRNA in peripheral blood of pancreatic cancer and its clinical significance.

AIM: To detect the expression of CK20mRNA in peripheral blood of pancreatic cancer and evaluate its clinical significance. METHODS: Expression of CK20mRNA in peripheral blood was detected by fluorogenic qualitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 40 cases of pancreatic cancer at the night before operation, in 5 cases of benign pancreatic diseases, in 5 cases of healthy individuals. The relationships were investigated between CK20mRNA expression and the clinicopathological variables, and clinical follow-up outcome in those patients with pancreatic cancer having undergone radical resection. RESULTS: Of the 40 patients with pancreatic cancer, 23 (57.5%) cases were positive for CK20mRNA expression. CK20mRNA expression was significantly correlated with lymphatic metastasis (P = 0.008), histopathological grading (P = 0.009), and pathological stage (P = 0.021); there was no significant correlation between CK20mRNA expression and age, gender, tumor diameter, and depth of invasion. The cumulative metastasis rates of patients with CK20mRNA expression were higher than those of patients with no CK20mRNA expression within 6 mo (34.7% vs 5.9%, P = 0.043) or 12 mo (73.9% vs 35.3%, P = 0.02) after operation. CK20mRNA expression in peripheral blood of pancreatic cancer indicated poorer prognosis. The survival rate of patients with CK20mRNA expression was lower than that of patients with negative CK20mRNA expression (Log-Rank = 13.31, P = 0.0003). CONCLUSION: CK20mRNA is a sensitive and specific molecular marker for the detection of micrometastasis in peripheral blood of patients with pancreatic cancer. The CK20mRNA expression in peripheral blood is correlated with biological characteristic of pancreatic cancer. It can help to predict the prognosis of pancreatic cancer after operation, and to determine which patient will benefit from aggressive adjuvant therapies.