Anticancer activity and underlying mechanism of neogambogic acid / 中国天然药物

Garcinia, a kind of dry resin secreted by Garcinia hanburyi Hook. F. G., is a traditional Chinese medicine with various biological functions such as detoxification, anti-inflammatory, and anthelmintic activities. Recent studies suggest that garcinia has potential anticancer activity. Increasing evidences indicate that the main active monomer gambogic acid isolated from garcinia can inhibit the growth of various cancer cells. Neogambogic acid is an isolated compound with a similar chemical structure as gambogic acid. Preliminary studies show that the neogambogic acid can selectively inhibit the growth of various cancer cells, and has a broader antitumor activity and lower toxicity than gambogic acid. In this review, we summarize the advances made in the investigation of the anti-tumor effect of neogambogic acid in recent years.

Anticancer activity and underlying mechanism of neogambogic acid / 中国天然药物

Garcinia, a kind of dry resin secreted by Garcinia hanburyi Hook. F. G., is a traditional Chinese medicine with various biological functions such as detoxification, anti-inflammatory, and anthelmintic activities. Recent studies suggest that garcinia has potential anticancer activity. Increasing evidences indicate that the main active monomer gambogic acid isolated from garcinia can inhibit the growth of various cancer cells. Neogambogic acid is an isolated compound with a similar chemical structure as gambogic acid. Preliminary studies show that the neogambogic acid can selectively inhibit the growth of various cancer cells, and has a broader antitumor activity and lower toxicity than gambogic acid. In this review, we summarize the advances made in the investigation of the anti-tumor effect of neogambogic acid in recent years.

Anticancer and multidrug-resistance reversing potential of traditional medicinal plants and their bioactive compounds in leukemia cell lines / 中国天然药物

Multidrug resistance remains a serious clinical problem in the successful therapy of malignant diseases. It occurs in cultured tumor cell lines, as well as in human cancers. Therefore, it is critical to develop novel anticancer drugs with multidrug-resistance modulating potential to increase the survival rate of leukemia patients. Plant-derived natural products have been used for the treatment of various diseases for thousands of years. This review summarizes the anticancer and multidrug-resistance reversing properties of the extracts and bioactive compounds from traditional medicinal plants in different leukemia cell lines. Further mechanistic studies will pave the road to establish the anticancer potential of plant-derived natural compounds.

Polymorphisms of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene and clinical outcomes of gastric cancer patients treated with fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy in Chinese population / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), a key enzyme involved in the catabolism of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), is the attractive candidate for pharmacogenetic research on efficacies and toxicities of 5-FU. The aim of this study is to explore the association between polymorphisms of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene (DPYD) and clinical outcomes of gastric cancer patients treated with fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy in the Chinese population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three hundred and sixty-two patients with gastric cancer in the Chinese population were treated with fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy. The single nucleotide polymorphic genotypes of DPYD were determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) using DNA samples isolated from peripheral blood collected before treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The average response rate for chemotherapy was 46.7%. A significantly different distribution of the rs1801159 (c2=8.76, P=0.012) genotypes was observed. Homozygous genotype rs1801159A/A was over-represented in responsive patients. Conversely, carriers of the rs1801159A/G genotype were prevalent in non-responsive patients. In the haplotype association analysis, there was significant difference in global haplotype distribution between the groups (c2=3.96, P=0.0465).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These results suggest that polymorphisms of rs1801159 in DPYD may be used as valuable predictors of the response to fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for gastric cancer patients in the Chinese population. Well-designed, comprehensive, and prospective studies on determining these polymorphisms of DPYD as predictive markers for gastric cancer in response to fluorouracil-based therapies are warranted.</p>

Effects of hyperbaric oxygen combined with adriamycin in inducing apoptosis of K562/A02 cells / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was purposed to explore the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) combined with adriamycin (ADM) on inducing apoptosis of multidrug resistant cells line K562/A02. The cell apoptosis and expression of caspase-3 activity were analyzed by flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy; the expression levels of HIF-1α, BCL-2 and BAX mRNA were detected by quantitative real time PCR; the caspase 8 activity was determined by using caspase 8 kit; the expression level of P-gp was detected by Western blot. The results showed that the apoptosis rate of K562/A02 cells in combination group (0.2 MPa HBO + ADM) was higher than that in ADM group [(47.36 ± 3.87) % vs (28.51 ± 1.09) %], the difference was statistical significant (p < 0.05); the expression levels of HIF-1α mRNA, P-gp and BCL-2 in combination group were lower than those in ADM group, there were significant differences (p < 0.05); the activities of BAX, caspase 3 and caspase 8 proteins in combination group were higher than those in ADM group, the difference was statistical significant (p < 0.05). It is concluded that 0.2 MPa HBO combined with ADM can reverse the drug-resistance of K562/A02 cells to ADM, enhance the apoptosis rate of cells. The molecular mechanism may be related with down-regulation of P-gp and BCL-2 expression, and up-regulation of caspase-3 and caspase-8 activities by HIF-1α.

Anti-angiogenesis effect of arsenic trioxide plus cinobufacin on human hepatocarcinoma transplantation model nude mice / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the anti-angiogenesis effect and toxicity of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) plus cinobufacin on transplanted human hepatocarcinoma in nude mice, and the acting mechanism of the treatment was explored as well.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Human hepatocarcinoma was transplanted in nude mouse, and the modeled mice were divided at random into 4 groups, 8 in each group. They were treated respectively with normal saline (GA), 2.5 mg/kg As2O3 (GB), 5 mL/kg cinobufacin (GC) and 2.5 mg/kg As2O3 + 5 mL/kg cinobufacin (GD), by intraperitoneal injection for 21 days. The anti-tumor effects was evaluated by estimating general condition of nude mice, tumor size, microvessel density(MVD) level. Expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in tumor, in tumor tissue of mice as well as pathology of tumor were detected by immunohistochemistry assay, optical microscope, transmission electron microscope (TEM), respectively. Moreover, blood routine and pathological examinations of liver and kidney were performed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The tumor weight and volume were 0.65 +/- 0.25 g and 0.44 +/- 0.14 cm3 in GB, 0.70 +/- 0.27 g and 0.46 +/- 0.19 cm3 in GC, 0.42 +/- 0.16 g and 0.26 +/- 0.11 cm3 in GD, all significantly lower than those in GA (1.06 +/- 0.25 g and 0.67 +/- 0.17 cm3, P < 0.05). The coefficient of drug interaction (CDI) on tumor weight was 0.97 and that on tumor size was 0.86, all less than 1, showing the synergistic action between the two drugs. Expressions of VEGF and EGFR in tumor as well as the MVD were decreased in GB and GC, and the decreasing of these indices were even more significant in GD. Pathologic examination showed the growth of tumor in GB, GC and GD were all inhibited significantly. No obvious toxicity of the treatments to the hepatic, renal and hematopoietic systems in the nude mice was observed.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>As2O3 and cinobufacini showed synergistic action in inhibiting human hepatocarcinoma in nude mice and the angiogenesis in tumor. Combined use of the two had no obvious toxicity to the hepatic, renal and hematopoietic systems.</p>

Influence of magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticle on functions of lymphocytes and macrophages in mice / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was purposed to investigate the effects of magnetic nanoparticle of Fe3O4 (Fe3O4-MNPs) on murine immune system. ICR mice were assigned randomly into four groups which were treated with normal saline, low, middle and high dose of MNP-Fe3O4 respectively. The mice were killed after being exposed by intragastric administration for 2 weeks. The ratios of spleen weight to body weight, lymphocyte transformation rate in spleen suspension and phagocytic index of macrophage in abdominal cavity were detected. The results showed that the ratios of spleen weight to body weight in Fe3O4-MNP groups were not significantly different in comparison with the control (p > 0.05). The lymphocyte transformation rate in spleen suspension in Fe3O4-MNP groups were all higher than that in control group (-0.1775 +/- 0.0246), especially in the middle dose group (0.1833 +/- 0.0593) (p < 0.05), and the phagocytic index of macrophages in abdominal cavity of middle dose group (0.2051 +/- 0.0213) was higher than that of control group and other two Fe3O4-MNP group (low dose 0.1538 +/- 0.0100, high dose 0.1511 +/- 0.0184) (p < 0.05). It is concluded that suitable dose of Fe3O4-MNP can enhance the cellular immune activity and phagocytic function of macrophages of mice.

Application and advancement of magnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles in tumor-targeted therapy / 癌症

Recently, nanometer-sized magnetic particles have been intensively concerned and investigated due to their particularly large surface-to-volume ratio, quantum-size effect, magnetic character as well as their potential application in the area of bioscience and medicine. The most promising nanoparticles are magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles with appropriate surface modification, which have been widely used experimentally for numerous in vivo applications such as magnetic resonance imaging contrast enhancement, tissue repair, immunoassay, detoxification of biological fluids, drug delivery, hyperthermia and cell separation. To focus on one of the most important and fascinating subjects in nanobiotechnology, this review describes the current situation and development of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and their applications in drug delivery and hyperthermia in tumor-targeted therapy. The possible perspectives and some challenges to further development of these nanoparticles are also analyzed and discussed.