Ginseng-derived nanoparticles reprogram macrophages to regulate arginase-1 release for ameliorating T cell exhaustion in tumor microenvironment.

BACKGROUND: Lines of evidence indicated that, immune checkpoints (ICs) inhibitors enhanced T cell immune response to exert anti-tumor effects. However, T cell exhaustion has been so far a major obstacle to antitumor immunotherapy in colorectal cancer patients. Our previous studies showed that ginseng-derived nanoparticles (GDNPs) inhibited the growth of various tumors by reprograming tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and downregulated the ICs expression on T cells in tumor microenvironment (TME), but the underlying effector mechanisms remained unclear. METHODS: The correlation between arginase-1 (ARG1) and T cells was computed based on the colorectal cancer patients in TCGA database. In vitro, we observed that GDNPs reprogrammed TAMs inhibited ARG1 release and ultimately ameliorated T cell exhaustion according to several techniques including WB, PCR, ELISA and flow cytometry. We also used an in vivo MC38 tumor-bearing model and administered GDNPs to assess their anti-tumor effects through multiple indices. The mechanism that GDNPs improved T cell exhaustion was further clarified using the bioinformatics tools and flow cytometry. RESULTS: GDNPs reprogramed TAMs via reducing ARG1 production. Moreover, normalized arginine metabolism ameliorated T cell exhaustion through mTOR-T-bet axis, resulting in reduced ICs expression and enhanced CD8+ T cells expansion. CONCLUSIONS: By regulating the mTOR-T-bet axis, GDNPs reprogramed macrophages to regulate ARG1 release, which further ameliorated T cell exhaustion in TME. These findings provided new insights into comprehending the mechanisms underlying the mitigation of T cell exhaustion, which may facilitate the development of innovative therapeutic strategies in the field of cancer treatment.

[Exploration and practice of post-marketing survival benefit evaluation of Chinese patent medicine for cancer].

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is an important feature of cancer treatment in China. The methods to tap the advantages of TCM, reasonably evaluate and accurately apply Chinese patent medicines have become current research hotspots and difficulties. TCM takes syndrome differentiation and treatment as the core, with the characteristics of overall regulation and multi-targets efficacy. Therefore, the post-marketing survival benefit evaluation of Chinese patent medicines for cancer is different from that in modern medicine. The primary treatment goals in cancer patients include to improve the disease control rate and prolong their survival time. At present, Chinese patent medicines for cancer patients are lacking indepth studies on survival benefit at the post-marketing stage. In addition, the characteristics of individualized treatment with TCM have also increased the complexity of clinical research on TCM. Therefore, it is of certain practical significance and necessity to evaluate the survival benefit of Chinese patent medicines for cancer after marketing. Based on this, in this paper, we first summarized the technical methodological means of survival benefit evaluation at this stage, and then explored the post-marketing survival benefit evaluation of Chinese patent medicines for cancer from three aspects: the evaluation of cancer treatment effect based on survival time and quality of life, treatment-related toxicity and the auxiliary effect of TCM, and the improvement effect for tumor-related symptoms. Based on the practices of early clinical researches, and according to the insufficient efficacy evaluation of current clinical research on Chinese patent medicines, this paper proposed to improve the evaluation system for clinical researches on Chinese patent medicines, establish the evaluation method with TCM characteristics, clarify the dominant population, lay a theoretical foundation for the evaluation of post-marketing survival benefits of Chinese patent medicines for cancer in the future, and promote the modernization process of TCM.

Exploration and practice of post-marketing survival benefit evaluation of Chinese patent medicine for cancer / 中国中药杂志

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is an important feature of cancer treatment in China. The methods to tap the advantages of TCM, reasonably evaluate and accurately apply Chinese patent medicines have become current research hotspots and difficulties. TCM takes syndrome differentiation and treatment as the core, with the characteristics of overall regulation and multi-targets efficacy. Therefore, the post-marketing survival benefit evaluation of Chinese patent medicines for cancer is different from that in modern medicine. The primary treatment goals in cancer patients include to improve the disease control rate and prolong their survival time. At present, Chinese patent medicines for cancer patients are lacking indepth studies on survival benefit at the post-marketing stage. In addition, the characteristics of individualized treatment with TCM have also increased the complexity of clinical research on TCM. Therefore, it is of certain practical significance and necessity to evaluate the survival benefit of Chinese patent medicines for cancer after marketing. Based on this, in this paper, we first summarized the technical methodological means of survival benefit evaluation at this stage, and then explored the post-marketing survival benefit evaluation of Chinese patent medicines for cancer from three aspects: the evaluation of cancer treatment effect based on survival time and quality of life, treatment-related toxicity and the auxiliary effect of TCM, and the improvement effect for tumor-related symptoms. Based on the practices of early clinical researches, and according to the insufficient efficacy evaluation of current clinical research on Chinese patent medicines, this paper proposed to improve the evaluation system for clinical researches on Chinese patent medicines, establish the evaluation method with TCM characteristics, clarify the dominant population, lay a theoretical foundation for the evaluation of post-marketing survival benefits of Chinese patent medicines for cancer in the future, and promote the modernization process of TCM.

Efficacy and safety of Kanglaite injection combined with first-line platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 32 RCTs.

BACKGROUND: As a Chinese medicine injections, Kanglaite injection (KLT) is a complementary or alternative therapy for first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. However, the effect that certain factors, including the dose of KLT, chemotherapy cycles, evaluation criteria, or supportive treatment, have on the efficacy of the objective response rate (ORR), median survival time (MST), and adverse reactions is still unknown. METHODS: Eight databases were systematically searched from the inception dates to December 1, 2019, using the keywords Kanglaite, chemotherapy, and non small cell lung carcinoma to identify randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 15.1. RESULTS: There were 32 randomized controlled trials, involving 2,577 participants, that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Compared with first-line platinum-based chemotherapy alone, KLT combined with chemotherapy could increase the ORR [risk ratio (RR), 1.41 (95% CI: 1.28 to 1.56); absolute risk difference (ARD), 0.13 (95% CI: 0.1 to 0.17)], decrease the risk ratio of adverse reactions [nausea and vomiting: RR, 0.58 (95% CI: 0.42 to 0.81); ARD, -0.17 (95% CI: -0.26 to -0.08); leukopenia: RR, 0.61 (95% CI: 0.44 to 0.86); ARD, -0.16 (95% CI: -0.24 to -0.08)], prolong MST, and increase disease control rate and Karnofsky performance status. According to the subgroup analyses, KLT combined with cisplatin or paraplatin plus paclitaxel (TP) failed to demonstrate a significant association with the ORR. And when lacking the use of supportive treatment, this combination would not decrease the RR of both adverse reactions compared with chemotherapy alone. CONCLUSIONS: KLT plus first-line platinum-based chemotherapy, except when chemotherapy regimens were TP, increased efficacy and quality of life in patients with advanced NSCLC. We are unsure whether this combination offers a low risk of adverse reactions. Additional high-quality RCTs are warranted to assess the effects of the combined therapy further.

GITRL modulates the activities of p38 MAPK and STAT3 to promote Th17 cell differentiation in autoimmune arthritis.

The glucocorticoid-induced TNFR family-related protein (GITR) and its ligand play a critical role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune arthritis by enhancing the Th17 cell response, but their molecular mechanisms remain largely unclear. This study aims to define the role of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling in GITRL-induced Th17 cells in autoimmune arthritis. We found that the p38 phosphorylation was enhanced by GITRL in activated CD4+T cells, and the p38 inhibitor restrained the GITRL-induced Th17 cell expansion in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, there was decreased STAT3 activity on Tyr705 and Ser727 with the p38 inhibitor in vitro. Notably, the p38 inhibitor could prevent GITRL-treated arthritis progression and markedly decrease the Th17 cell percentages. The phosphorylation of the Tyr705 site was significantly lower in the GITRL-treated CIA mice administrated with the p38 inhibitor. A significantly higher phosphorylation of p38 was detected in RA patients and had a positive relationship with the serum level of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibody. Our findings have indicated that GITRL could promote Th17 cell differentiation by p38 MAPK and STAT3 signaling in autoimmune arthritis.

Ficus carica polysaccharides promote the maturation and function of dendritic cells.

Various polysaccharides purified from plants are considered to be biological response modifiers and have been shown to enhance immune responses. Ficus carica L. is a Chinese traditional plant and has been widely used in Asian countries for its anti-tumor properties. Ficus carica polysaccharides (FCPS), one of the most essential and effective components in Ficus carica L., have been considered to be a beneficial immunomodulator and may be used in immunotherapy. However, the immunologic mechanism of FCPS is still unclear. Dectin-1 is a non-toll-like pattern recognition receptor, predominately expressed on dendritic cells (DCs). Activation of DCs through dectin-1 signaling can lead to the maturation of DC, thus inducing both innate and adaptive immune responses against tumor development and microbial infection. In our study, we found that FCPS could effectively stimulate DCs, partially through the dectin-1/Syk pathway, and promote their maturation, as shown by the up-regulation of CD40, CD80, CD86, and major histocompatibility complex II (MHCII). FCPS also enhanced the production of cytokines by DCs, including IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-6, and IL-23. Moreover, FCPS-treated DCs showed an enhanced capability to stimulate T cells and promote T cell proliferation. Altogether, these results demonstrate that FCPS are able to activate and maturate DCs, thereby up-regulating the immunostimulatory capacity of DCs, which leads to enhanced T cell responses.

[Study on HPLC fingerprint of Tibetan herb Gymnadenia conopsea].

OBJECTIVE: To establish the HPLC fingerprint of Gymnadenia conopsea from different regions of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. METHODS: 12 batches of Gymnadenia conopsea were measured by the RP-HPLC, and their fingerprints were obtained. Chromatographic condition: The sample was separated on column of Kromasil C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm,5 microm) and gradiently eluted with a mixture of methanol and water (containing 0.04% phosphoric acid). The flow rate was 0.7 mL/min. The detection wavelength was set at 222 nm and the column temperature was 30 degrees C. RESULTS: The HPLC fingerprint of Gymnadenia conopsea was set up and 13 common peaks were selected,the results of method validation met technical requirement of fingerprint,the similarity of 12 batches Gymnadenia conopsea was 0.904 - 0.989. Principal components analysis and clustering analysis were used in the identification of the samples. CONCLUSION: The method is simple, practicable and reliable, which can be used for the quality control of Gymnadenia conopsea.

A new phenylpropanoid glycoside from Cirsium setosum / 药学学报

To study the chemical constituents of Cirsium setosum (Willd.) MB., 70% ethanol extract of the aerial parts was subjected to column chromatography. One new phenylpropanoid glycoside, sinapyl alcohol 9-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl-4-O-beta-D-glucopyanoside (1) was isolated, along with three known compounds: lycoperodine-1 (2), apigenin-7-O-(6"-(E)-p-coumaroyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside (3) and quercetin (4). The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral and chemical evidence. Compound 2 was obtained from Cirsium genus for the first time, compounds 3 and 4 were obtained from this plant for the first time.

[Mechanisms of algal inhibition by rice straw extract].

An indoor experiment was conducted to investigate the inhibition effects and mechanisms of rice straw extracts to the harmful bloom-forming algae, Microcystis aeruginosa. It was found that there were algae inhibitory chemicals in rice straw. The inhabitation ratio of rice straw extract to Microcystis was 69.3% when stored at a low temperature of - 4 degrees C for 4 days with a concentration of 2.5 g/L. The algal inhibition depends on both chemicals and biological responses from decomposed rice straw extracts. Their relative contributions to the algal inhibition depended on decomposition pathway and time. Algal inhibitory chemicals played more important roles in anaerobic decomposed rice straw extracts than aerobic decomposed ones in the algal-inhibition process. For anaerobically decomposed straw extracts, if stored for 15 and 30 days with the concentration of 1.5 g/L, the inhabitation ratio of rice straw to Microcystis was 83% and 46% respectively. However, for aerobically decomposed straw extracts, the biologic mechanism was more important. The inhibition effects of biologic mechanism increased with the decomposition time. For aerobically decomposed straw extracts, if stored for 15 and 30 days with the concentration of 1.5 g/L, the inhabitation ratio of rice straw to Microcystis was 81% and 93% respectively.

Influence of Scalp Point-through-point Acupuncture on 200 kDa Neurofilament Protein in Rats with Acute Cerebral Infarction / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To investigate the effect of scalp point-through-point acupuncture on 200 kDa neurofilament protein (NF-200) in rats with acute cerebral infarction and explore its mechanism on nerve plasticity in cerebral infarction rats. Methods: Healthy male Wistar rats were randomly allocated to sham operation (Group A), model (Group B) and acupuncture (Group C) groups. A rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of cerebral ischemia was made. NF-200 mRNA was measured by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in each group on the 7th, 14th and 28th days. Results: The cerebral expression of NF-200 in group C was significantly different from those in groups A and B (P＜0.05); there was a significant difference between groups C and B or A at different time windows (P＜0.01),indicating that scalp point-through-point acupuncture could improve the cerebral expression of NF-200. Conclusion: Scalp point-through-point acupuncture can improve neural function,promote the recovery of limb function and increase the expression of NF-200 after cerebral ischemia, exerting a regulative effect on neuronal plasticity in the brain.