The effects of gastric cancer interstitial fluid on tumors based on traditional Chinese medicine 'phlegm' theory and the investigation on the mechanism through microRNA-21 regulation.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of gastric cancer interstitial fluid (GCIF) on tumors and explore the possible mechanism of Xiaotan Sanjie decoction (XTSJ) on treatment of gastric cancer from the view of regulating microRNA-21 (miR-21) expression. The GCIF was extracted and identified by measuring the levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and miR-21. The effects of GCIF on the proliferation of SGC-7901 cells and tumor growing were assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and subcutaneously transplanted tumor-bearing nude mice model, respectively. Additionally, inhibition effect of XTSJ decoction on proliferation of SGC-7901 cells intervened by GCIF were assessed in vitro and anti-cancer effect of it was further assessed using orthotopic transplanted tumor-bearing nude mice model. The concentration of SGC-7901 gastric cancer cells were dependent on the concentration of the added GCIF. After 72 hours of continuous culture, the interstitial fluid had an obvious proliferative effect on the SGC-7901 tumor cells, which was the most significant in the high concentration group. XTSJ decoction could inhibit the growth-promoting effect (P < 0.01) of GCIF on gastric cancer cells. Intervention of the GCIF might promote the growth (P < 0.05) of the subcutaneously transplanted tumors in nude mice and decrease the net weight of the tumor-bearing nude mice (P < 0.05) after tumor removal. The GCIF was able to up-regulate the expression (P < 0.001) of miR-21 in the subcutaneously transplanted tumors. XTSJ decoction could downregulate the expression (P < 0.05) of miR-21 in SGC-7901 orthotopically transplanted tumors. XTSJ decoction can inhibit the multiplicative effect of GCIF on gastric cancer cells, growth of gastric tumor and promotion effect of GCIF on tumors, probably due to the down-regulating miR-21 expression in tumor tissues.

[Clinical application of a decoction of "fast-developing liquid for gastrointestinal ultrasound"].

B-ultrasound has been widely used in examination of the human organs. Because of the gas and mucus interference in the ultrasound, the ultrasonic examination of stomach so far has been still a knotty problem. On the basis of TCM theory that the drugs for promoting Qi flow and resolving dampness have the function of elimination of gas and mucus, the authors have successfully made a high effective Fast-developing Liquid for Gastrointestinal Ultrasound for B-ultrasound examination of stomach with satisfactory picture-developing results, excellent development rate of the control group and the gastric cancer group being 94.9% and more than 90%, respectively. After the decoction being taken, the tissue structures in the milieu interne were not changed physiologically and pathologically. The five layers of the gastric walls could be distinguished clearly and the values of the normal stomach be measured correctly. Some signs about the gastric cancer, e.g. the size and property of the cancer, the translocation of the cancer inside and outside the gastric cavity as well as of the other organs and lymph nodes could be observed distinctly. The consistent rate of B-ultrasound with gastroscopy, biopsy, X-ray and surgical operation diagnosis for the gastric cancer is over 94%. But no significant differences between B-ultrasound and the above other examinations were found statistically with all the P greater than 0.05. B-ultrasound diagnosis of the gastric cancer is not only highly efficient, but also can be used to observe the infiltration of the cancer cells into the lower layer of the mucous membrane.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)