Evaluation of the Effect of Inactivated Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus Vaccine with Nano Silicon on the Phenotype and Function of Porcine Dendritic Cells.

A transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) is a porcine enteropathogenic coronavirus, causing acute swine enteric disease especially in suckling piglets. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are safe vaccine adjuvant, which could enhance immune responses. Our previous research confirmed that nano silicon had immune-enhancing effects with inactivated TGEV vaccine. In this study, we further clarified the immune-enhancing mechanism of the inactivated TGEV vaccine with MSNs on porcine dendritic cells (DCs). Our results indicated that the inactivated TGEV vaccine with MSNs strongly enhanced the activation of the DCs. Expressions of TLR3, TLR5, TLR7, TLR9, and TLR10, cytokines IFN-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-α, cytokine receptor CCR-7 of immature DCs were characterized and showed themselves to be significantly higher in the inactivated TGEV vaccine with the MSN group. In summary, the inactivated TGEV vaccine with MSNs has effects on the phenotype and function of porcine DCs, which helps to better understand the immune-enhancing mechanism.

Potato growth, photosynthesis, yield, and quality response to regulated deficit drip irrigation under film mulching in a cold and arid environment.

The effects of the amount and timing of regulated deficit drip irrigation under plastic film on potato ('Qingshu 168') growth, photosynthesis, yield, water use efficiency, and quality were examined from 2017 to 2019 in cold and arid northwestern China. In the four stages of potato growth (seedling, tuber initiation, tuber bulking, starch accumulation), eight treatments were designed, with a mild deficit was in treatments WD1 (seedling), WD2 (tuber initiation), WD3 (tuber bulking), and WD4 (starch accumulation); and a moderate deficit in WD5 (seedling), WD6 (tuber initiation), WD7 (tuber bulking), and WD8 (starch accumulation). The net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate decreased significantly under water deficit in the tuber formation and starch accumulation stages. Although water deficit reduced potato yields, a mild deficit in the seedling stage resulted in the highest yield and water use efficiency at 43,961.91 kg ha-1 and 8.67 kg m-3, respectively. The highest overall quality was in potatoes subjected to mild and moderate water deficit in the seedling stage. Principal component analysis identified mild water stress in the seedling stage as the optimum regulated deficit irrigation regime. The results of this study provide theoretical and technical references for efficient water-saving cultivation and industrialization of potato in northwestern China.

Afzelin exhibits anti-cancer activity against androgen-sensitive LNCaP and androgen-independent PC-3 prostate cancer cells through the inhibition of LIM domain kinase 1.

Prostate cancer presents high occurrence worldwide. Medicinal plants are a major source of novel and potentially therapeutic molecules; therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the possible anti-prostate cancer activity of afzelin, a flavonol glycoside that was previously isolated from Nymphaea odorata. The effect of afzelin on the proliferation of androgen-sensitive LNCaP and androgen-independent PC-3 cells was evaluated by performing a water soluble tetrazolium salt-1 assay. In addition, the effect of afzelin on the cell cycle of the LNCaP and PC-3 prostate cancer cell lines was evaluated. Western blot analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of afzelin on the kinases responsible for the regulation of actin organization. Afzelin was identified to inhibit the proliferation of LNCaP and PC3 cells, and block the cell cycle in the G0 phase. The anticancer activity of afzelin in these cells was determined to be due to inhibition of LIM domain kinase 1 expression. Thus, the in vitro efficacy of afzelin against prostate cancer is promising; however, additional studies on different animal models are required to substantiate its anticancer potential.

[Effects of hydroxy safflor yellow A on blood vessel and mRNA expression with VEGF and bFGF of transplantation tumor with gastric adenocarcinoma cell line BGC-823 in nude mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Hydroxy Safflor yellow A (HSYA) on the growth of blood vessel of transplantation tumor of gastric adenocarcinoma cell line BGC-823 in nude mice and its underlying mechanism of antagonizing tumor angiogenesis. METHOD: The BGC-823 cells was subcutaneouly injected into the right anterior armpit of BALB/C nu/nu nude mice and established the animal model of transplantation tumor. Then nude mice were divided into 4 groups at random: model group, control group, high or low dosage of HSYA group. The model group were treated with normal sodium by intraperitoneal injection, HSYA groups were treated with HSYA at concentration of 0.056 g x L(-1) and 0.028 g x L(-1) by intraperitoneal injection, and in these groups each mouse was injected 2 times everyday with 0.2 mL by 4-6 hours interval. The control group were injected in enterocoelia 1 times every 2 days starting from the third day with cytoxan at 2 g x L(-1). 20 days later, the volume and weight of nude mice were observed. The pathological change of tumor tissue was observed under optical microscope. The mRNA expression of VEGF and bFGF of transplantation tumor were detected by real time quantitative PCR. RESULT: The volume (607.42 +/- 252.96) mm3, weight (0.88 +/- 0.14) g of transplantation tumor, the mRNA expression level of VEGF 0.49 +/- 0.13 and bFGF 0.60 +/- 0.48 are reduced significantly after treatment with HSYA at the concentration of 0.028 g x L(-1) compared with physiologic saline-treated group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The tumor pathological angiogenesis of HSYA group is also less obvious than the normal sodium-treated group. CONCLUSION: HSYA in given concentration can inhibit the growth of BGC-823 transplantation tumor, and decreasing the mRNA expression of VEGF and bFGF, which suggests that inhibiting tumor angiogenesis may be one of the mechanisms of HSYA antagonizing tumor.