Comparative Genome-Wide Identification of the Fatty Acid Desaturase Gene Family in Tea and Oil Tea.

Camellia oil is valuable as an edible oil and serves as a base material for a range of high-value products. Camellia plants of significant economic importance, such as Camellia sinensis and Camellia oleifera, have been classified into sect. Thea and sect. Oleifera, respectively. Fatty acid desaturases play a crucial role in catalyzing the formation of double bonds at specific positions of fatty acid chains, leading to the production of unsaturated fatty acids and contributing to lipid synthesis. Comparative genomics results have revealed that expanded gene families in oil tea are enriched in functions related to lipid, fatty acid, and seed processes. To explore the function of the FAD gene family, a total of 82 FAD genes were identified in tea and oil tea. Transcriptome data showed the differential expression of the FAD gene family in mature seeds of tea tree and oil tea tree. Furthermore, the structural analysis and clustering of FAD proteins provided insights for the further exploration of the function of the FAD gene family and its role in lipid synthesis. Overall, these findings shed light on the role of the FAD gene family in Camellia plants and their involvement in lipid metabolism, as well as provide a reference for understanding their function in oil synthesis.

Comparison of life cycle assessment between hydrogen production from silicon waste and alkaline water electrolysis.

With global warming becoming increasingly severe, environmental issues are receiving international attention. Crystalline silicon is an indispensable and important raw material for photovoltaic and semiconductor fields, but the cutting of crystalline silicon materials generates a large amount of silicon wastes. This article evaluates the environmental impact of a hydrogen production process using diamond-wire sawing silicon waste (DSSW) using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. For comparison, it was also analyzed the environmental impact of the alkaline water electrolysis (AEL) hydrogen production route. In the DSSW alkaline catalyzed hydrolysis (DACH) hydrogen production route, the hydrogen production stage accounts for the main contribution of nine environmental impact indexes, including GWP, PED, ADP, AP, EP, ODP, ET, HT-cancer, and HT-non cancer, exceeding 56 %. Whereas for the AEL route, the environmental impacts of the electrolytic cell manufacturing stage can be neglected, and the operating stage contributes almost all the environmental impacts, contributing more than 92 % to the twelve environmental impact indexes. Compared to the AEL route, the DACH route has higher environmental impacts, with GWP index reaching 87.78 kg CO2 -eq/kg H2, PED index reaching 1772.90 MJ/kg H2, and IWU index reaching 622.37 kg/kg H2 which are 2.85, 4.07 and 7.56 times higher than the former, respectively. Although the environmental impact of the DACH route is significant, most of its indirect impacts were caused by the use of raw materials, and the energy consumption and direct environmental impact are both low. The environmental impact of the AEL route is mainly indirect effects generated due to the use of electricity. If clean renewable energy sources (e.g., solar PV, hydropower, geothermal or biofuels), were used for the AEL route, all twelve environmental impact indexes would be significantly reduced.

Application and evaluation of hydrodissection in microwave ablation of liver tumours in difficult locations.

Objective: To investigate the safety and mid-term outcomes of hydrodissection-assisted microwave ablation (MWA) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in various difficult locations. Methods: A total of 131 HCC patients who underwent ultrasound-guided MWA from March 2017 to March 2019 were included. Following ultrasound examination, patients with tumors at difficult locations were treated with hydrodissection-assisted MWA (hydrodissection group), while those with tumors at conventional locations received MWA (control group). Both groups were compared concerning baseline characteristics, ablation parameters, complete ablation rates, and complication rates. Kaplan-Meier curves analyzed local tumor progression and overall survival, with stratified analysis for different difficult locations (adjacent to gastrointestinal tract, diaphragm, and subcapsular tumors). Additionally, Cox regression analyses were conducted to assess the impact of different difficult locations on these outcomes. Results: Complete ablation rates were similar between the hydrodissection and control groups (91.4% vs. 95.2%, P>0.05). Postoperative complications occurred in three patients, including liver abscess and biliary injury. No significant differences in major or minor complication rates were found between the groups (P>0.05). Local tumor progression was detected in 11 patients (8.4%) at the end of the follow-up period. Neither cumulative local tumor progression rate (P=0.757) nor overall survival rate (P=0.468) differed significantly between the groups. Stratified analysis showed no effect of tumor location difficulty on cumulative local tumor progression or overall survival. Tumor number and size served as independent predictors for overall survival, while minimal ablation margin ≤ 5mm independently predicted local tumor progression. In contrast, the tumor location was not statistically significant. Sensitivity analyses corroborated the robustness of the models. Conclusion: Hydrodissection-assisted MWA for HCC in various difficult locations demonstrated safe and effective, with complete ablation and mid-term outcomes comparable to those for tumors in conventional locations.

P38α contributes to TNF-α-induced IL-8 production in human gingival cells.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a major inflammatory cytokine that induces interleukin (IL)-8 production. Although some studies have reported the involvement of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway in TNF-α-induced IL-8 production, its specific regulatory mechanisms in gingival epithelial cells (GECs) are still poorly understood. In the present study, Ca9-22 cells were used as representative GECs to investigate the effect of p38 signaling on TNF-α-induced IL-8 production. We found that TNF-α enhanced IL-8 production in Ca9-22 cells by activating the p38 signaling pathway, and one of its isoforms, p38α, played a key role. P38α deletion markedly inhibited TNF-α-induced IL-8 expression in Ca9-22 cells, while p38α gene rescue could reverse this effect. Further studies revealed that TNF-α-induced IL-8 production was markedly reduced when the threonine 180 and tyrosine 182 p38α phosphorylation sites were targeted for mutagenesis to alanine and phenylalanine, respectively, suggesting their critical role in the process. In conclusion, p38α plays an important role in TNF-α-induced IL-8 production, providing a potential therapeutic target to prevent and treat periodontal disease.

The gut microbiota correlate with the disease characteristics and immune status of patients with untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Background: Gut microbiota characteristics in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are reportedly different when compared with the healthy population and it remains unclear if the gut microbiota affects host immunity and clinical disease features. This research investigated the gut microbiota in patients with untreated DLBCL and analyzed its correlation with patient clinical characteristics, humoral, and cell immune status. Methods: Thirty-five patients with untreated DLBCL and 20 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited to this study and microbiota differences in stool samples were analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing. Absolute ratios of immune cell subset counts in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry and peripheral blood cytokine levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Relationships between changes in patient microbiomes and clinical characteristics, such as clinical stage, international prognostic index (IPI) risk stratification, cell origin, organ involved and treatment responses were investigated and correlations between differential microbiota and host immune indices were analyzed. Results: The alpha-diversity index of intestinal microecology in DLBCL patients was not significantly different when compared with HCs (P>0.05), nonetheless beta-diversity was significantly decreased (P=0.001). p_Proteobacteria were dominant in DLBCL, while p_Bacteroidetes abundance was significantly decreased when compared with HCs (P<0.05). Gut microbiota characteristics were identified that were associated with clinical features, such as tumor load, risk stratification and cell origin, and correlation analyses were performed between differential flora abundance associated with these clinical features and host immune status. The p_Firmicutes was positively correlated with absolute lymphocyte values, g_Prevotella_2 and s_un_g_Prevotella_2 were negatively correlated with absolute lymphocyte values, T cell counts and CD4 cell counts, while g_Pyramidobacter, s_un_g_Pyramidobacter, and f_Peptostreptococcaceae were negatively correlated with IgA. Conclusions: Dominant gut microbiota, abundance, diversity, and structure in DLBCL were influenced by the disease, correlated with patient immune status and this suggested that the microecology-immune axis may be involved in regulating lymphoma development. In the future, it may be possible to improve immune function in patients with DLBCL by regulating the gut microbiota, improve treatment response rates and increase patient survival rates.

Combined Radiomics-Clinical Model to Predict Radiotherapy Response in Inoperable Stage III and IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Purpose: Radiotherapy is a promising treatment option for lung cancer, but patients' responses vary. The purpose of the study was to investigate the potential of radiomics and clinical signature for predicting the radiotherapy sensitivity and overall survival of inoperable stage III and IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Materials: This retrospective study collected 104 inoperable stage III and IV NSCLC patients at the Yunnan Cancer Hospital from October 2016 to September 2020. They were divided into radiation-sensitive and non-sensitive groups. We used analysis of variance (ANOVA) to select features and support vector machine (SVM) to build the radiomic model. Furthermore, the logistic regression method was used to screen out clinically relevant predictive factors and construct the combined model of radiomics-clinical features. Finally, survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: There were 40 patients in the radiation-sensitive group and 64 in the non-sensitive group. These patients were divided into training set (73 cases) and testing set (31 cases) according to the ratio of 7:3. Nine radiomics features and one clinical feature were significantly associated with radiotherapy sensitivity. Both the radiomics model and combined model have good predictive performance (the areas under the curve (AUC) values of the testing set were 0.864 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.683-0.996) and 0.868 (95% CI: 0.689-1.000), respectively). Only platelet level status was associated with overall survival. Conclusion: The combined model constructed based on radiomics and clinical features can effectively identify the radiation-sensitive population and provide valuable clinical information. Patients with higher platelet levels may have a poor prognosis.

[Biblio-metrology analysis on clinical application of Chengshan (BL57) in ancient Chinese medical literature].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and sum up clinical application regularities of Chengshan (BL57) acupoint in ancient Chinese literature. METHODS: The book Zhonghua Yidian (Collection of Chinese Medical Classic Works, 5th edition) containing 1 156 ancient medical books was used as the retrieved literature source. The key retrieval words used were BL57 acupoint related indications, prescriptions, treatment methods and taboos, followed by sorting out relevant articles and establishing a database. RESULTS: A total of 196 articles meeting our inclusion standards of the present study, involving 61 ancient books which contain 174 related terms covering 56 diseases or syndromes of internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, ophthalmology and otorhinola-ryngology, etc.. Among them, the most frequently attending disease treated by single BL57 or acupoints combination was limb meridian disorders, and the most frequently used auxiliary acupoint was Kunlun (BL60). The most frequently used auxiliary meridian was the Bladder Meridian of Foot Taiyang. In addition, a total of 71 terms involved the acupuncture and moxibustion techniques of BL57, covering 7 treatment methods. In terms of the treatment methods, the dose of moxibustion was five cones in each session, and the depth of acupuncture needle insertion was about seven fen. CONCLUSION: BL57 is widely used in various clinical departments, especially for limb meridian diseases.

Biomechanical evaluation of a short-rod technique for lumbar fixation surgery.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the stability and instrument-related complications associated with fixation of the lumbar spine using the Short-Rod (SR) technique. Methods: Using finite element analysis, this study assessed the stability of a bilateral lumbar fixation system when inserting the pedicle screws at angles of 10°, 15°, and 20° to the endplate in the sagittal plane. Using the most stable construct with a screw angle, the model was then assessed with different rod lengths of 25, 30, 35, and 45 mm. The optimal screw inclination angle and rod length were incorporated into the SR model and compared against traditional parallel screw insertion (pedicle screws in parallel to the endplate, PPS) in terms of the stability and risk of instrument-related complications. The following parameters were evaluated using the validated L4-L5 lumbar finite element model: axial stiffness, range of motion (ROM), stress on the endplate and facet joint, von-Mises stress on the contact surface between the screw and rod (CSSR), and screw displacement. Results: The results showed that the SR model with a 15° screw inclination angle and 35 mm rod length was superior in terms of construct stability and risk of complications. Compared to the PPS model, the SR model had lower stiffness, lower ROM, less screw displacement, and lower stress on the facet cartilage, the CSSR, and screws. However, the SR model also suffered more stress on the endplate in flexion and lateral bending. Conclusion: The SR technique with a 15° screw inclination and 35 mm rod length offers good lumbar stability with a low risk of instrument-related complications.

A Strong Correlation Between the Severity of Flatfoot and Symptoms of Knee Osteoarthritis in 95 Patients.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the association between the presence and severity of flatfoot and symptoms of knee OA. Methods: 95 participants with knee OA were recruited from a patient cohort at a regional hospital. Symptoms of knee OA, including knee degeneration, femorotibial alignment, pain, stiffness and dysfunction were assessed using the Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grading system, femoral-tibial angle (FTA), and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Participants were divided into groups with flatfoot (mild, moderate and severe) and without flatfoot based on the Clarke's angle. Linear regression and ordinal logistic regression were used for statistical analysis, as appropriate. Results: Having flatfoot was associated with a significantly increased risk of having a higher K-L grade (OR: 20.03; 95% CI, 5.88, 68.27; p < 0.001), smaller FTA (Beta: -2.96; 95% CI, -4.41, -1.50; p < 0.001), higher pain score (Beta: 0.47; 95% CI, 0.24, 0.69; p < 0.001) and greater loss of function (Beta: 0.25; 95% CI, 0.02, 0.48; p = 0.03). Severe grades of flat feet were associated with a higher K-L grade (OR: 0.19; 95% CI, 0.08, 0.44; p < 0.001), smaller FTA (Beta: 1.51; 95% CI, 0.66, 2.35; p = 0.001), higher pain score (Beta: -0.25; 95% CI, -0.39, -0.11; p = 0.001), greater stiffness (Beta: -0.24; 95% CI, -0.38, -0.09; p = 0.002) and greater loss of function (Beta: -0.27; 95% CI, -0.41, -0.14; p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results indicated that the severity of flattening is significantly associated with symptoms of knee OA. For the conservative management of knee OA, both flatfoot and its severity should be carefully considered.

Chondroitin polymerizing factor promotes breast carcinoma cell proliferation, invasion and migration and affects expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related markers.

Chondroitin polymerizing factor (CHPF) plays an important role in the development of certain malignant tumors. However, the role of CHPF in breast carcinoma (BRCA) and its underlying mechanism are still not fully elucidated. Expression profiles for CHPF in BRCA tissues were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and used for prognostic analysis. Cell viability, invasion and migration were measured in vitro using MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines upon knockdown or over-expression of CHPF. Bioinformatic analysis showed that CHPF was substantially upregulated in BRCA tissues, and a quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR was performed to confirm its upregulation in BRCA cells. High expression of CHPF was observed to be significantly associated with pathologic stage, metastasis and worse prognosis. We also observed that depletion of CHPF significantly inhibited cell proliferative, invasive and migratory abilities, whereas overexpression of CHPF exerted the opposite effects. Furthermore, analysis of the GEPIA database revealed that CHPF expression is positively correlated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related markers vimentin, Snail, Slug and motion-related protein matrix metallopeptidase 2; these findings were confirmed via western blotting. Our data suggest that CHPF may contribute to BRCA progression by modulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related markers and matrix metallopeptidase 2 expression.

Treatment of intestinal graft-versus-host disease with unrelated donor fecal microbiota transplantation capsules: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), administering fecal suspensions via a nasoduodenal tube, has achieved a promising effect in the treatment of intestinal graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in some pilot studies. In this study, oral FMT capsules from unrelated donor were used for the first time in the treatment of intestinal GvHD. Patient concerns: A 31-year-old male who was diagnosed as "myelodysplastic syndromes with excess blasts II" (intermediate risk 2 of international prognostic scoring system) received human leukocyte antigen -matched sibling donor allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The patient developed diarrhea, vomiting, and bloody stool on 28 days after transplantation. DIAGNOSIS: Intestinal acute GvHD was diagnosed clinically with histological confirmation by colonoscopy and pathological biopsy. INTERVENTIONS: This patient was treated with first cycle of oral FMT capsules after failure to initial treatment of methylprednisolone (2 mg/kg/d) combined with recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-α receptorII: IgG Fc fusion protein (25 mg, biw). The symptoms of intestinal GvHD were relieved but recurred 11 days later. Second cycle of oral FMT capsules was carried out. OUTCOMES: After 2 cycles of fecal bacteria transplantation, intestinal GvHD was gradually controlled and did not recur again during the 2-month follow-up. The diversity and structure of the intestinal flora after FMT was closer to that of healthy donors than that before. CONCLUSION: Our case showed oral FMT capsules could be used as a treatment option for corticosteroid refractory intestinal GvHD. Further studies are warranted to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of oral FMT capsules in the treatment of intestinal GvHD. RATIONALE: Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), administering fecal suspensions via a nasoduodenal tube, has achieved a promising effect in the treatment of intestinal graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in some pilot studies. In this study, oral FMT capsules from unrelated donor were used for the first time in the treatment of intestinal GvHD. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 31-year-old male who was diagnosed as "myelodysplastic syndromes with excess blasts II" (intermediate risk 2 of international prognostic scoring system) received human leukocyte antigen -matched sibling donor allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The patient developed diarrhea, vomiting, and bloody stool on 28 days after transplantation. DIAGNOSES: Intestinal acute GvHD was diagnosed clinically with histological confirmation by colonoscopy and pathological biopsy. INTERVENTIONS: This patient was treated with first cycle of oral FMT capsules after failure to initial treatment of methylprednisolone (2 mg/kg/d) combined with recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-a receptorII: IgG Fc fusion protein (25 mg, biw). The symptoms of intestinal GvHD were relieved but recurred 11 days later. Second cycle of oral FMT capsules was carried out. OUTCOMES: After 2 cycles of fecal bacteria transplantation, intestinal GvHD was gradually controlled and did not recur again during the 2-month follow-up. The diversity and structure of the intestinal flora after FMT was closer to that of healthy donors than that before. CONCLUSION: Our case showed oral FMT capsules could be used as a treatment option for corticosteroid refractory intestinal GvHD. Further studies are warranted to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of oral FMT capsules in the treatment of intestinal GvHD. LESSONS: There is still a possibility of recurrence after the treatment of GvHD with capsule fecal microbiota transplantation. How to optimize the dosage and treatment course of fecal microbiota capsule administration needs further exploration.

Network Pharmacology-Based Prediction and Verification of the Active Ingredients and Potential Targets of Zuojinwan for Treating Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Zuojinwan (ZJW), a famous Chinese medicine formula, has been widely used to treat colorectal cancer (CRC). However, its bioactive compounds, potential targets, and molecular mechanism remain largely elusive. AIM: A network pharmacology-based strategy combined with molecular docking studies and in vitro validation were employed to investigate bioactive compounds, potential targets, and molecular mechanism of ZJW against CRC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bioactive compounds and potential targets of ZJW, as well as related genes of CRC, were acquired from public databases. Important ingredients, potential targets, and signaling pathways were determined through bioinformatics analysis, including protein-protein interaction (PPI), the Gene Ontology (GO), and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Subsequently, molecular docking and cell experiments were performed to further verify the findings. RESULTS: A total of 36 bioactive ingredients of ZJW and 163 gene targets of ZJW were identified. The network analysis revealed that quercetin, baicalein, wogonin, beta-sitosterol, and isorhamnetin may be candidate agents. The AKT1, JUN, CDKN1A, BCL2L1, and NCOA1 could become potential drug targets. The KEGG indicated that PI3K-AKT signaling pathway may play an important role in the effect of ZJW against CRC. Molecular docking suggested that quercetin, baicalein, and wogonin combined well with AKT1 and JUN. The in vitro experiment showed that quercetin, the most important ingredient of ZJW, could induce apoptosis of HCT116 cells through PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. This finding was congruent with the prediction obtained through the network pharmacology approach. CONCLUSION: This study comprehensively illuminated the active ingredients, potential targets, and molecular mechanism of ZJW against CRC. It also provided a promising approach to uncover the scientific basis and therapeutic mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula treating for disease.

Construction of electrochemical aptasensor of carcinoembryonic antigen based on toehold-aided DNA recycling signal amplification.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), serves as a broad-spectrum tumor marker, and plays an important role in reflecting the existence, therapeutic evaluation, development, monitoring and prognosis of many types of cancer. An electrochemical aptasensor was designed for CEA detection based on toehold-aided DNA recycling. A partially hybridized Probe-4 (i.e. P2/P3/P4) was self-assembled on the surface of a gold electrode serving as the sensing platform. For CEA detection, CEA can bind with aptamer and free probe-1 (P1) can hybridize with P4, triggering toehold-aided DNA recycling. This enables the hybridization of more probe-5 (P5) (labeled with methylene blue (MB)) with P4, causing more methylene blue (MB) to be brought close to the electrode surface. An amplified current signal was thus generated due to more MB in the electrode surface. The proposed design showed good linearity between current response and log CEA concentration ranging from 0.1 to 50 ng·mL-1, with a detection limit of 20 pg mL-1. This aptasensor also showed high specificity for CEA detection, and was successfully used in spiked biological samples.

Challenges of pre-clinical testing in orthopedic implant development.

The market for orthopedic implants is growing rapidly with the increasing prevalence of orthopedic diseases in an aging society. Different designs and materials have been developed over the years and have, in general, shown excellent results in pre-clinical testing. However, there have been incidences of serious complications when novel implants or materials are put into clinical use, with some well-known cases being metallosis in patients implanted with metal-on-metal hip replacements and osteolysis from polyethylene wear debris generated in hip and knee joint replacements. Unforeseen factors related to new designs, materials and surgical techniques can lead to different outcomes for pre-clinical testing and clinical use. While often an excellent indicator of a device's performance in clinical settings, pre-clinical testing does sometime fail to predict critical flaws in implant development. This article aims to explore the gaps in the current approach to testing. The ISO international standard of pre-clinical testing should be modified to more adequately capture actual clinical use of the implant and simulate daily activities. This article will also introduce modern methods for implant development, such as FEM, 3D printing and computer-aided orthopedic surgery, which can be widely applied to improve pre-clinical testing procedures and reduce the incidence of surgical malalignment by analyzing biomechanical performance, planning surgical procedure and providing surgical guide.

Kangai Injection, a Traditional Chinese Medicine, Improves Efficacy and Reduces Toxicity of Chemotherapy in Advanced Colorectal Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review whether the Kangai injection (KAI), which is commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, can improve the clinical efficacy of chemotherapy and relieve adverse reactions of chemotherapy in advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed in three English and three Chinese electronic databases until March 2019. The literature was screened by EndNote X8 and data were analysed by RevMan5 and Stata12.0. RESULTS: This meta-analysis consisted of twenty-eight studies, of which 2310 cases were reported. Among the 2310 cases, 1207 cases were treated with KAI combined with chemotherapy and 1103 cases were treated with chemotherapy alone. The results showed that KAI combined with chemotherapy significantly improved tumor response (Risk Ratio (RR) =1.32; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22-1.43; p<0.00001); Karnofsky performance status (KPS score) (Risk Ratio (RR) =1.48; 95% CI: 1.36-1.60; p<0.00001); reduced adverse drug reactions (ADRs) such as nausea and vomiting (OR =0.31; 95% CI: 0.24-0.41; p <0.00001), diarrhea (OR =0.36; 95% CI: 0.25-0.52; p<0.00001), leukopenia (OR =2.97; 95% CI:2.27-3.88; p<0.00001), thrombocytopenia (OR =0.53; 95% CI: 0.38-0.74; p<0.0002), liver dysfunction (OR =0.29; 95% CI: 0.20-0.44; p<0.00001), neurotoxicity (OR =0.51; 95% CI: 0.36-0.71; p = 0.0004); increased immune function (CD3+: MD=6.34; 95% CI: 5.52-7.16; p < 0.00001, CD4+: MD=-5.99; 95% CI: 5.20-6.78; p < 0.00001; and CD4+/CD8+: MD=0.34; 95% CI: 0.14-0.54; p < 0.0009), and prolonged survival time (OR =1.77; 95% CI: 1.25-2.50; p = 0.001). Renal dysfunction caused by chemotherapy was not affected by KAI treatment (Odds Ratio (OR) =0.53; 95%IC: 0.25-1.12; p = 0.10). CONCLUSION: KAI can increase clinical effectiveness, improve quality of life, alleviate ADRs, and prolong survival time in advanced colorectal (CRC) patients receiving chemotherapy.

Meta-Analysis of Xihuang Pill Efficacy When Combined with Chemotherapy for Treatment of Breast Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the efficacy of Xihuang pill (XHP) in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. METHODS: Three English and four Chinese databases were searched. Literature was screened using EndNote X7 and data were analyzed by Review Manager. RESULTS: This review included 13 randomized clinical studies of 1272 patients. The results showed that XHP increased the tumor response [risk ratio (RR) = 2.91; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.98-4.26] and improved Karnofsky performance score (KPS) for breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy [RR = 4.96; 95% CI = 2.07-11.86]. In addition, XHP treatment significantly reduced chemotherapy-induced adverse events, including nausea and vomiting [RR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.33-0.74], WBC reduction [RR = 0.71; 95% CI = 0.47-1.06], platelet reduction [RR = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.19-1.44], hemoglobin reduction [RR = 0.31; 95% CI = 0.19-0.52], and hepatic function damage [RR = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.35-1.11]. CONCLUSION: XHP combined with chemotherapy in comparison with chemotherapy alone could significantly enhance the tumor response, improve KPS, and alleviate toxicity induced by chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

The Antitumor and Immunomodulatory Effect of Yanghe Decoction in Breast Cancer Is Related to the Modulation of the JAK/STAT Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Yanghe decoction (YHD) has been used in the treatment of breast cancer for hundreds of years in Asia. However, the underlying mechanisms are currently unknown. The present study aims to evaluate the efficacy of YHD on antitumor and immune system enhancement in a 4T1 mouse breast cancer model and to clarify the antitumor mechanisms of YHD in breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The YHD was orally administrated for 2 weeks after inoculation. Tumor tissues were then removed, weighed, and homogenized. Flow cytometry was used to detect the number of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSCs), Natural Killer T Cells (NKTs), and T cell subsets. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and arginase-1 (ARG-1). Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of signal transducers and the activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), phosphorylated-signal transducers and the activator of transcription 1 (p-STAT1), signal transducers and the activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and phosphorylated-signal transducers and the activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3). The expression levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were detected using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: We found that the tumor weight of YHD high-dose group was significantly lower compared with the control group (p<0.05). The YHD depressed the expression of MDSCs, iNOS, ARG-1, IL-6, TGF-ß, and p-STAT3 and significantly increased the expression of IFN-γ, NKTs, CD4+ T cells, and p-STAT1. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that The mechanisms of YHD inhibit 4T1 breast tumor growth may be related to downregulating the expression of iNOS and ARG-1, negatively regulating the Janus kinase/STAT3 (JAK/STAT3) pathway by repressing the expression of IL-6 and TGF-ß. Meanwhile, YHD enhances the immune capacity via increasing the expression of NKTs, CD4+ T cells, IFN-γ, and p-STAT1.

Jianpi Jiedu decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine formula, inhibits tumorigenesis, metastasis, and angiogenesis through the mTOR/HIF-1α/VEGF pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional Chinese medicine has been utilized for the treatment of cancer. Jianpi Jiedu decoction (JPJD), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been used for the treatment of colorectal cancer for decades. However, the underlying molecular mechanistic basis for the effect of JPJD on colorectal cancer is poorly understood. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to identify the effects of JPJD on human colon cancer cells in vitro as well as in vivo and to investigate the mechanistic basis for the anticancer effect of JPJD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The in vitro antitumor activity of JPJD was assessed by MTT assay, flow cytometric analysis, wound-healing assay, transwell assays, and tube formation assays in order to assess cell activity, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis, respectively. The anticancer properties of JPJD in vivo were assessed by immunohistochemistry in a nude mouse xenograft model of HCT116 cells. In addition, the level of mTOR/HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway proteins in HCT116 cells and tumor tissue was evaluated by immunoblotting. RESULTS: In vitro, JPJD significantly inhibited colorectal cancer cell lines viability and proliferation. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated JPJD to induce HCT116 cell apoptosis. Additionally, JPJD effectively suppressed tumor cell migration, invasion, and angiogenesis by inhibiting the mTOR/HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway. In vivo, JPJD significantly inhibited HCT116 tumor growth in athymic nude mice, decreased the levels of CD34 as well as VEGF, and downregulated the mTOR/HIF-1α/VEGF pathway. CONCLUSIONS: JPJD treatment produced anti-colorectal tumor effects by inhibiting tumorigenesis, metastasis, as well as angiogenesis through the mTOR/HIF-1α/VEGF pathway. Thus, these results provide a strong rationale for the therapeutic use of JPJD in cancer treatment. Further studies are required to investigate the mechanisms underlying anti-CRC effect of JPJD.

Use of Jianpi Jiedu Herbs in Patients with Advanced Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the effect of invigorating Pi and detoxification (Jianpi Jiedu, (JPJD)) herbs in advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patients receiving chemotherapy. METHODS: Three English and four Chinese databases were searched. Literature was screened by EndNote X7 and data were analyzed by RevMan 5.2. RESULTS: This review comprised 12 randomized clinical studies of 701 patients. The results showed that JPJD herbs improved the therapeutic effect on Chinese medicine symptoms [risk ratio (RR) = 1.59; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35~1.88] and Karnofsky performance score [RR = 2.07; 95% CI: 1.52~2.82] for advanced CRC patients receiving chemotherapy, lowered the Chinese medicine symptoms' score [weighted mean difference = -2.44; 95% CI: -3.23~-1.64], reduced the incidence of nausea and vomiting [RR = 0.23; 95% CI: 0.11~0.49], improved platelet at toxicity grades III-IV [odds ratio = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.12~0.74] and I-IV [RR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.51~0.82], and improved white blood cell at toxicity grades III-IV [RR = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.23~0.58] and I-IV [RR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.60~0.79]. However, the results showed no significant effect on tumor response. CONCLUSION: JPJD herbs can improve quality of life, relieve symptoms, and reduce adverse events of advanced CRC patients receiving chemotherapy.

miR-155 Affects Osteosarcoma MG-63 Cell Autophagy Induced by Adriamycin Through Regulating PTEN-PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) plays a positive regulatory role on cell autophagy through inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. miR-155 plays a critical role in osteosarcoma occurrence and chemoresistance. Bioinformatics analysis revealed the targeted binding site between miR-155 and the 3'-UTR (untranslated region) of PTEN mRNA. This study investigated the role of miR-155 in regulating osteosarcoma cell autophagy, chemosensitivity to Adriamycin (ADM), and PTEN-PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dual luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed the relationship between miR-155 and PTEN. MG-63 cells and drug-resistant MG-63/ADM cells were treated by ADM to compare miR-155, PTEN, p-AKT, p-mTOR, and Beclin-1 expressions. Cell apoptosis was tested by flow cytometry. MG-63/ADM cells were divided into five groups, including anti-miR-NC, anti-miR-155, pSicoR-blank, pSicoR-PTEN, and anti-miR-155+pSicoR-PTEN group. RESULTS: miR-155 targeted suppressed PTEN expression. miR-155, p-AKT, and p-mTOR significantly increased, while PTEN and Beclin-1 obviously reduced in MG-63/ADM cells compared with MG-63 cells. ADM treatment markedly elevated miR-155, p-AKT, and p-mTOR expressions, whereas reduced PTEN level. Beclin-1 was slightly upregulated, and autophagy and apoptosis levels were low. Anti-miR-155 and/or pSicoR-PTEN significantly enhanced PTEN and Beclin-1 expressions, cell apoptosis, and autophagy induced by ADM and declined p-AKT and p-mTOR levels. CONCLUSIONS: miR-155 targeted suppressed PTEN expression, enhanced PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, inhibited cell apoptosis and autophagy induced by ADM, and reduced sensitivity to ADM.