Effect of Icariin on Peripheral Blood Dendritic Cells and Th17/Treg Balance in Myocardial Remodeling Model of Dahl Salt-sensitive Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of icariin （ICA）-mediated vitamin D system on peripheral blood dendritic cells （DCs） and helper T cells 17 （Th17）/regulatory T cells （Treg） balance in myocardial remodeling model of Dahl salt-sensitive rats. MethodFifty SPF Dahl salt-sensitive rats were divided into model group， vitamin D group （3×10-5 mg·kg-1·d-1）， and high-， medium-， and low-dose ICA groups （120， 60， 30 mg·kg-1·d-1）， and 10 Dahl salt-resistant rats were used as normal group. The myocardial remodeling model was established by feeding rats with a high-salt diet containing 8% NaCl. After six weeks of modeling， the normal group and the model group were given an equal volume of ultrapure water by gavage， and other groups were continuously administrated for six weeks. Cardiac echocardiography， hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， and Masson staining were used to observe the pathological changes in cardiac structure and fibrosis. The levels of serum 25（OH）D3， B-type N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide （NT-ProBNP）， interleukin （IL）-17， transforming growth factor （TGF）-β1， IL-12， and IL-10 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The phenotype of peripheral blood DCs and the ratio of Th17/Treg cells of rats were detected by flow cytometry. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of vitamin D receptor （VDR），1α-hydroxylase （CYP27B1）， and 24-hydroxylase （CYP24A1） in peripheral blood DCs of rats. ResultCompared with the control group， the rats in the model group had pathological changes such as disordered arrangement of myocardial cells and cytoplasmic hypertrophy and swelling. Myocardial collagen fibers proliferated significantly， and the arrangement of myocardial fibers was disordered. The levels of serum 25（OH）D3 and IL-10 were significantly decreased， and the levels of serum IL-17， TGF-β1， IL-6， IL-12， and NT-ProBNP were significantly increased （P<0.05）. The costimulatory molecules CD40， CD80， CD86， and MHC-Ⅱ were highly expressed in the peripheral blood DCs， and the expression of CD11 and CD11b was lower （P<0.05）. The proportion of Th17 cells in the peripheral blood was significantly increased， and the proportion of Treg cells was decreased. The ratio of Th17/Treg was increased （P<0.05）. The mRNA and protein expressions of CYP24A1 in peripheral blood DCs increased， and the mRNA and protein expressions of CYP27B1 and VDR decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the arrangement of myocardial fibers in each drug administration group was relatively regular， and the swelling of myocardial cells was significantly reduced. The pathological morphology of myocardial tissue was improved to varying degrees. The pathological changes in myocardial tissue were improved and alleviated to varying degrees. The drug could reduce the serum levels of NT-ProBNP， IL-17， TGF-β1， IL-6， and IL-12 and increase the level of serum 25（OH）D3 and IL-10 （P<0.05）. The expression of costimulatory molecules CD40， CD80， CD86， and MHC-Ⅱ in the peripheral blood DCs of rats was decreased， and the expression of CD11 and CD11b molecules was increased （P<0.05）. The drug could reduce the proportion of Th17 cells in peripheral blood and the ratio of Th17/Treg cells and increase the proportion of Treg cells （P<0.05）. It could decrease the mRNA and protein expressions of CYP24A1 in peripheral blood DCs of rats and elevate the mRNA and protein expression of VDR and CYP27B1 （P<0.05）. ConclusionICA can regulate the phenotype of peripheral blood DCs and the ratio of Th17/Treg cells by regulating the vitamin D system and play a role in improving myocardial remodeling from the perspective of immune balance.

Clinical Observation ofTongYuanNeedling Method plus Letrozol and HCG for Refractory Sterility Caused by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy ofTong Yuan(short forTong Du Tiao Shen,Yin Qi Gui Yuan, referring to unblocking the Governor Vessel, regulating mind, and guiding qi back to the origin) needling method plus Letrozol and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in treating refractory sterility caused by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Method Sixty clomiphene citrate-resistant PCOS-induced sterility patients were recruited and randomized into two groups. The treatment group was intervened byTong Yuanneedling plus Letrozol and HCG, while the control group was intervened only by Letrozol and HCG, both for 3 months. Prior to and after the treatment,the levels of estradiol (E2), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone (T) were detected; the endometrium, ovulation and pregnancy rates were also observed.Result After 3 menstrual cycles, the level of FSH increasedsignificantly (P<0.05), LH decreased significantly (P<0.05), LH/FSH declined significantly (P<0.05), and the level of T also dropped significantly (P<0.05) in both treatment group and control group; the level of E2also dropped significantly after the treatment in both groups (P<0.05), and the decrease in the treatment group was more significantly than that in the control group (P<0.05). The ovulation and pregnancy rates in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05).Conclusion Tong Yuanneedling plus Letrozol and HCG can significantly down-regulate the levels of LH, E2and T, up-regulate the level of FSH, effectively improve the internal reproductive environment of refractory PCOS patients, and enhance the ovulation and pregnancy rates.

Study of introperitoneal hyperthermic perfusion chemotherapy combined with systemic neoadjuvent chemotherapy in treatment of gastric cancer patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The aim of this study is to discuss the curative effect of introperitoneal hyperthermic perfusion chemotherapy(IHPC) combined with systemic neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the gastric cancer patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-four patients with gastric cancer and peritoneal carcinomatosis who were hospitalized in the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery of First Hospital of Jilin University from December 2006 to December 2013. After peritoneal carcinomatosis was confirmed during laparoscopic exploration, FOLFOX6 (oxaliplatin and calcium folinate and 5-Fu) was performed for systemic chemotherapy. One course was 14 days and a complete treatment includes four courses. At the same time, patients underwent peritoneal catheter insertion and received IHPC(5-Fu 1 500 mg/m(2) and Cisplatin 35 mg/m(2) were added into 0.9% NaCl solution 2 000 ml, the infusion velocity was 35-45 ml/min, infusion time was 45-60 minutes, the temperature was controlled to 41°C). A comprehensive evaluation was taken after the fourth course of treatment before operation. Further surgical therapy was performed according to the assessment result.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Sixty-four patients received IHPC combined with systemic chemotherapy. Thirty-two patients(50.0%) had partial response, 18(28.1%) stable disease, and 14(21.9%) progressive disease after chemotherapy. No severe complications or death occurred during the neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Thirty-two patients(50.0%) received radical resection, 10(15.6%) palliative operation, and another 22 patients(37.4%) didn't comply with inclusion criteria of operation. Patients receiving operation had a median survival time of 678 days, which was significantly longer than patients without operation, with a median survival time of 251(χ(2)=23.34, P=0.02).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>IHPC combined with systemic chemotherapy is an effective therapeutic method for gastric cancer patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis in terms of reducing preoperative tumor load and achieving radical resection.</p>

Treatment of recurrent vulvo-vaginal candidiasis with sustained-released butoconazole pessary

Vulvo-vaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common infection among women. 5% of women with acute infection experience recurrent vulvo-vaginal candidiasis (RVVC). There is currently no optimal or recommended regime for RVVC. Although antifungal agents, such as imidazoles, have been successfully used as a first-line treatment for acute VVC, its effectiveness is limited in RVVC. This could be due to patient factors, drug application (such as leakage) or dosing factors. A sustained-release (SR) bioadhesive vaginal cream (2% butoconazole nitrate) has incorporated VagiSite technology, a topical drug delivery system that allows SR of the drug. We describe its efficacy and the successful use of a butoconazole-SR formulation in the treatment of two cases of RVVC.