Secondary metabolites isolated from Trichoderma hamatum b-3 and their fungicidal activity.

An undescribed trichodenone derivative (1), two new diketopiperazines (3 and 4) along with a bisabolane analog (2) were isolated from Trichoderma hamatum b-3. The structures of the new findings were established through comprehensive analyses of spectral evidences in HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR, Marfey's analysis as well as comparisons of ECD. The absolute configuration of 2 was unambiguously confirmed by NMR, ECD calculation and Mo2(AcO)4 induced circular dichroism. Compounds 1-4 were tested for their fungicidal effects against eight crop pathogenic fungi, among which 1 showed 51% inhibition against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum at a concentration of 50 µg/mL.

Molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare and rank different targeted therapies or immunotherapies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma based on efficacy. METHODS: A systematic search of the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted. All systematic treatment regimens that reported comparisons with sorafenib were included in this analysis. The primary outcome measures were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and other outcome measures included the objective response rate (ORR) and safety analysis according to reported treatment-related adverse events. RESULTS: A total of 29 RCTs involving 13376 patients were included in the analysis, including 10 single-agent therapies and 17 combination therapies. Compared with sorafenib, sintilimab plus IBI305 (HR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.43-0.75), camrelizumab plus rivoceranib (HR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.49-0.78), and atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (HR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.52-0.83) ranked in the top three in terms of OS. CONCLUSIONS: PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF)-targeting drugs have shown better therapeutic effects in the systematic treatment of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, and the combination of targeted and immune therapy modes should be further developed.

Increased metastatic potential of residual carcinoma after transarterial embolization in rat with McA-RH7777 hepatoma.

Transarterial chemoembolization represents a first-line non-curative therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), although the biological changes in the remaining cancer after embolization are not completely understood. In the present study, we examined whether transarterial embolization (TAE) enhances the metastatic potential of residual HCC and investigated the mechanisms underlying embolization. The hepatoma cell line McA-RH7777, which is marked by green fluorescent protein (GFP), was used in the study. The invasion of cells cultured under hypoxia and normoxia was observed using the Transwell assay. Twenty male buffalo rats were implanted with GFP transfected McA-RH7777 tumors in the left lateral lobe of the liver. After laparotomy and retrograde placement of a catheter into the gastroduodenal artery (on the 14th day after implantation), TAE using lipiodol (0.2 ml/kg) was performed. Tumor volumes were measured before and after treatment using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Lung metastases were observed using fluorescence imaging, and the molecular changes of residual tumor cells were evaluated by western blotting or immunohistochemistry. The invasion assays indicated that the number of invading hypoxic cells was significantly higher than that of normoxic cells (30.2 ± 2.46 vs. 20.4 ± 1.89, P=0.013). Accompanying an increase in hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression, the metastatic potential of tumor cells following hypoxia or TAE was enhanced. This enhanced metastatic potential was indicated by a significant reduction in the expression of E-cadherin and an upregulation of N-cadherin and vimentin expression. The number of lung metastases in the TAE group was 19.20 ± 1.76, whereas this number was 11.30 ± 1.54 in the control group, which represented a statistically significant difference (P=0.003). In conclusion, hypoxia in the residual tumor after TAE can increase the invasiveness and metastatic potential of HCC and may be responsible for the failure of TAE.

Suppression of the p66shc adapter protein by protocatechuic acid prevents the development of lung injury induced by intestinal ischemia reperfusion in mice.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) causes severe histological injury, reactive oxygen species activation, and cell apoptosis in the lung. In this study, we investigated, using a murine intestinal I/R model, the effect of a polyphenolic compound, protocatechuic acid (PCA), in modulation of ShcA and in protection of the lung from I/R-induced injury. METHODS: Fifty ICR mice were randomly divided into five groups, including a control group, intestinal I/R group, control + PCA group, I/R + PCA low-dose group, and I/R + PCA high-dose group. The I/R and I/R + PCA groups were subjected to mesenteric arterial ischemia for 45 minutes and reperfusion for 90 minutes. The control and control + PCA groups underwent a surgical procedure that included isolation of the superior mesenteric artery without occlusion. In all PCA-pretreated groups, the mice received intraperitoneal PCA administration for three consecutive days. Serum specimens were collected for measuring tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 6, while lung tissues were harvested for histopathologic assessment including glutathione (GSH) and GSH peroxidase assay. Lung expression of p66shc, phosphorylated p66shc, manganese superoxide dismutase, caspace-3, and Bcl-xL were determined by Western blotting for protein level and semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis for mRNA level. RESULTS: PCA pretreatment markedly reduced I/R-induced lung injury as indicated by histological alterations; the decreases in tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin 6, and caspase-3 expression levels; and the increases in GSH, GSH peroxidase, manganese superoxide dismutase, and Bcl-xL levels in the lung. Moreover, PCA treatment down-regulated p66shc expression and phosphorylation. CONCLUSION: PCA has a significant protective effect in lung injury induced by intestinal I/R. The protective effect of PCA may be attributed to the suppression of p66shc and the modulation of downstream antioxidative/antiapoptotic factors.