Effects of Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on thyroid in pubertal female rats and related mechanism

Objective:The quality of the tropical environment is directly related to the sustainable development of the economy, society and the health of people in the tropics. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a common plasticizer, and it is easier to precipitate in the tropics. Epidemiological studies revealed that DEHP are widely exposure in the population, and it displays the characters of endocrine disruptor. In this study, we investigated the association between DEHP exposure in pubertal female rats and the thyroid function, and elucidated the toxicity of DEHP on endocrine system.Methods:Female rats (21 days old) were randomly apportioned into four dose groups (n=12), and administered via oral gavage at 0, 250, 500, or 1000 mg/kg/d DEHP for up to 4 weeks. After anesthetized, blood was collected from the eyeballs and the serum was separated. And the concentration of serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (TT3), total thyroxine (TT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) levels were measured by using ELISA. The thyroids of pubertal female rats were rapidly collected after decapitation, and the related gene and protein levels were analyzed by Real time RT-PCR and Western blot.Results:DEHP could be able to increase TSH, TT3, TT4, FT4 and TPO levels, but there were no changes in FT3. Meanwhile, the gene and protein expressions of TSH, thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF1), paired box 8 (PAX8), and TPO in thyroid of pubertal female rats which treated with DEHP were significantly increased compared with the control group.Conclusions:These results were suggesting that DEHP may have thyroid toxicity on pubertal female rats. At the same time, it could also disturb thyroid function through affecting TSH, TTF1, PAX8, TPO. DEHP might affect the growth and development of puberty female rats through disrupting the endocrine regulation of the thyroid.

Effect of atorvastatin on expression of TLR4 and NF-κB p65 in atherosclerotic rabbits

OBJECTIVE@#To study the effect of atorvastatin on atherosclerotic rabbits.@*METHODS@#A total of 60 New Zealand male rabbits were randomly divided into the normal group, model group and atorvastatin group. The replication rabbit atherosclerotic model with immune injury combined with a high fat diet feeding was used. All rabbits were sacrificed after 3 months. TLR4 and NF-κB p65 were observed by HE staining, immunohistochemistry and western blotting.@*RESULTS@#The expression of TLR4, NF-κB p65 were significantly increased in the model group compared with the normal group. The expression of TLR4 and NF-κB p65 decreased significantly in the atorvastatin group, and there was no difference compared with the normal group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The effect of atorvastatin on atherosclerosis may be achieved by the inhibition of the expression of TLR4 and NF-κB p65.

Intestinal Paragonimiasis with Colonic Ulcer and Hematochezia in An Elderly Taiwanese Woman

A 94-year-old female with end-stage renal disease presents with fever, fatigue, and hematochezia. She had previously resided in Hunan Province, China, and Myanmar, and she immigrated to Taiwan 30 years ago. Colonoscopy revealed a colonic ulcer. Biopsy of the colonic ulcer showed ulceration of the colonic mucosa, and many Paragonimus westermani-like eggs were noted. Serum IgG antibody levels showed strong reactivity with P. westermani excretory-secretory antigens by ELISA. Intestinal paragonimiasis was thus diagnosed according to the morphology of the eggs and serologic finding. After treatment with praziquantel, hematochezia resolved. The present case illustrates the extreme manifestations encountered in severe intestinal paragonimiasis.

Identification and characterization of ovarian cancer stem-like cells from primary tumor / 中华妇产科杂志

Objective To study whether the primary ovarian cancer cells containing cancer stem cells and its characterization in serum-free culture condition.Methods The primary cancer cells were isolated from one stage Ⅲ, grade 2 serous adenocareinoma tissue.Cells were cultured in serum-free culture system supplemented with epidermal growth factor,basic fibroblast growth factor,leukemia inhibitory factor and insulin.or standard serum-containing system.Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay,quantitative PCR analysis,flow-cytometric analysis and xenograft experiments in vivo were performed.Results The primary cancer cells could maintain and forill cell sphere in serum-free culture system.These cells had the properties of self-renewal,overexpression of stem cell marker genes Nanog,Oct-4,Sox-2,nestin,ABCG2,CD_(133) and CD_(117) By contrast with the difierentiated cells under standard serum-containing culture conditions.these sphere-forming cells were more resistant to cisplatin and paclitaxel after treated 48 and 72 hours(61% vs.31%,73% vs.29%,P<0.05).With Hoechst 33342 exclusion assay,only 21.83%of sphere-forming cells were positive with the dye,compared with 83.04% positive cells in differentiated cells (P<0.01).Only 500 sphere-forming cells resulted subcutaneous xenograft tumors.All of these xenografts were categorized as serous adenocareinomas, overexpression of CA_(125) and cytokeratin-7 which were original tumor phenotype of ovarian cancer. Conclusion The sphere-forming cells isolated from primary ovarian cancer tissues have the characterization of cancer stem cell and may be a more reliable model system for understanding the biology of primary human tumors.

Interaction between traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine in rats--In-Chen-How and acetaminophen / 药学学报

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the interaction effects of In-Chen-How (Artemisia capillaries Thunb.) on the pharmacokinetics of acetaminophen and on liver microsomal cytochrome P450 enzyme activity in rats. The rats were divided into control group (n = 8) without In-Chen-How and the pretreated group (n = 8) administered with In-Chen-How (approximately 1.0 mL x kg(-1), according to weight) for 5 consecutive days. Rats in the control group received water simultaneously. Each rat was then given acetaminophen. The pharmacokinetic parameters of acetaminophen of the two groups were significantly different. In the In-Chen-How pretreated group, the maximum concentration of acetaminophen and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve were reduced about 58.4%, 56.7% and 55.4%. To further explain the results, liver microsomal suspensions were obtained from rats that were randomly divided into control and In-Chen-How pretreated group. The levels of CYP1A2 and CYP2E1 in hepatic microsomal protein from pretreated group were increased as compared to that from the control group. It indicated that In-Chen-How can stimulate the activity of CYP isozymes. The changes in the pharmacokinetics of acetaminophen resulting from the administration of In-Chen-How are related to an increase in metabolic activity of CYP1A2 and CYP2E1.