Complications after radiofrequency ablation of hyperparathyroidism secondary to chronic kidney disease.

OBJECTIVE: To study the complications of ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients undergoing renal replacement therapy with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed the clinical data, including general information, examination results, treatment times, time interval, and postoperative complications, of 103 SHPT patients who received ultrasound-guided RFA treatment from July 2017 to January 2021. RESULTS: Of 103 patients, 52 required two sessions of RFA within a month. The incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury at the second treatment was significantly higher than that at the first treatment (first session vs. second session, 5.77% vs. 21.15%; p = .021). Of all the enrolled 103 patients, 27 suffered complications after the first session of RFA. When we separated patients into complications group and non-complication group, we detected more ablated nodules in the complications group (Z = -2.222; p = .0026). Subgroup analysis further showed that the patients in the severe hypocalcemia group were younger (p = .005), had more ablated nodules (p = .003) and higher blood phosphorus (p = .012) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels (p = .002). Univariate analysis showed that age, serum phosphorus, ALP, and number of ablated nodules were associated with a higher risk of severe hypocalcemia after the first session of RFA. CONCLUSIONS: An interval of more than 1 month between two treatments may help to avoid recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. Age, serum phosphorus, ALP, and number of ablated nodules were associated with a higher risk of severe hypocalcemia after the first session of RFA.

Aryl ketones-derived porous organic polymer for enrichment and sensitive detection of phenylurea herbicides in water, tea drink and mushroom samples.

Three aryl ketones-derived porous organic polymers (ATP-POPM, ATP-POPP and ATP-POPO) were fabricated through the aldol condensation reaction of acetylated triphenylsilane precursor (ATP) with different aromatic aldehydes for the first time. The ATP-POPM exhibited superior extraction capacity toward phenylurea herbicides (PUHs). A sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of six PUHs in water, tea drink and mushroom samples was developed with ATP-POPM as solid phase extraction adsorbent prior to high performance liquid chromatography ultraviolet detection. Under the optimized conditions, the linear response of PUHs was 0.09-80.0 ng mL-1 for water, 0.18-100.0 ng mL-1 for tea drinks and 4.50-200.0 ng g -1 for mushroom samples. The detection limits (S/N=3) of the method were 0.03-0.10 ng mL-1, 0.06-0.18 ng mL-1, 1.50-4.50 ng g -1 for water, tea drink and mushroom, respectively. The method recoveries for spiked samples were in the range of 80.7%-116.0%, with relative standard deviations less than 10.3%. The results proved that the established method was sensitive and suitable to detect PUHs with acceptable accuracy and precision. This work provided a powerful tool to synthesize promising adsorbent by aldol condensation reaction for detecting six PUHs simultaneously in real samples.

Efficacy of Liuzijue Qigong in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Liuzijue is a traditional Qigong exercise that is commonly performed in China. However, the treatment effects of Liuzijue Qigong are controversial. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy of Liuzijue Qigong in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: Randomised controlled trials were identified by searching several English and Chinese databases from inception to August 8, 2020. Study selection and data extraction were independently performed by two investigators. Data synthesis and analysis were carried out with Review Manager software 5.2. Quality assessment for each study was based on the modified Jadad scale. RESULTS: Forty studies with 3137 participants were included. Significant improvements were observed in the following outcomes (mean difference, 95% confidence interval): forced expiratory volume in 1 s (0.17, 0.09-0.25) and its percent predicted normal value (6.04, 3.43-8.65), forced expiratory volume in 1 s to forced volume capacity ratio (6.95, 3.06-10.83), 6-min walking distance (33.06, 23.73-42.38), 30-s sit-to-stand test (2.65, 0.98-4.32), COPD assessment test score (- 2.04, - 2.77 to - 1.30), modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (- 0.34, - 0.48 to - 0.20), Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (- 0.37, - 0.57 to - 0.18), Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome score (- 1.85, - 2.86 to - 0.85), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (- 2.31, - 3.04 to - 1.59), Hamilton Depression Scale (- 2.08, - 2.45 to - 1.71) and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (- 6.94, - 9.20 to - 4.67). CONCLUSIONS: Liuzijue Qigong may be an effective adjuvant therapy for the improvement of lung function, exercise capacity, health status, mental status and quality of life in patients with COPD.

Luteolin combined with low-dose paclitaxel synergistically inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition and induces cell apoptosis on esophageal carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.

Although paclitaxel is a promising frontline chemotherapy agent for various malignancies, the clinical applications have been restricted by side effects, drug resistance, and cancer metastasis. The combination of paclitaxel and other agents could be the promising strategies against malignant tumor, which enhances the antitumor effect through synergistic effects, reduces required drug concentrations, and also suppresses tumorigenesis in multiple ways. In this study, we found that luteolin, a natural flavonoid compound, combined with low-dose paclitaxel synergistically regulated the proliferation, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and apoptosis of esophageal cancer cells in vitro, as well as synergistically inhibited tumor growth without obvious toxicity in vivo. The molecular mechanism of inhibiting cell migration and EMT processes may be related to the inhibition of SIRT1, and the mechanism of apoptosis induction is associated with the reactive oxygen species (ROS)/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway-mediated activation of mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

Facile synthesis of conjugated microporous polymer with spherical structure for solid phase extraction of phenyl urea herbicides.

A carbazolic conjugated microporous polymer (designated as CZ-CMP) was successfully synthesized through Scholl reaction of carbazole with 1, 3, 5-triphenylbenzene. The CZ-CMP was characterized by FT-IR spectrum, X-ray diffraction, nitrogen sorption isotherms, and scanning electron microscopy. The characterization results showed that the CZ-CMP had a spherical structure with high surface area and good microporosity. Its adsorption performance was investigated by applying it as an adsorbent for the solid phase extraction (SPE) of phenyl urea herbicides (PUHs) (metoxuron, chlortoluron, isoproturon, monolinuron and buturon) from tea drinks samples prior to high performance liquid chromatographic detection. The CZ-CMP displayed high extraction efficiency for the PUHs, and the primary factors affecting the SPE efficiency including the type and volume of the eluent, sample solution pH, sample loading rate and sample volume were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, a good linear response for the analytes was observed in the range of 0.10-80.0 ng mL-1 with correlation coefficients (r) from 0.9937 to 0.9997. The limits of detection were measured to be in the range of 0.02-0.30 ng mL-1 and the limits of quantitation were in the range of 0.06-0.9 ng mL-1. The developed method was successfully applied for the determination of the five PUHs in four different kinds of drinks with the method recoveries between 83.7% and 118% and the relative standard deviations between 1.0% and 10%. Besides, the application potential of the CZ-CMP was evaluated by using it to extract different types of the organic compounds including some phthalate eaters (PAEs), chlorophenol (CPs), nitroimidazoles and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The results indicated that the CZ-CMP had strong adsorption ability for the compounds with more hydrogen bonding sites and moderate hydrophobicity.

[Rapid determination of 95 herbicide residues in tea by modified QuEChERS coupled with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/electrostatic field orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry].

A qualitative and quantitative method was established based on modified QuEChERS for the simultaneous determination of 95 herbicide residues in tea using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/electrostatic field orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS). The effects of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), graphitized carbon black (GCB), primary secondary amine (PSA) and toluene on the precondition step were evaluated in terms of matrix-spiked recovery and pigment clean-up effect. Finally, the modified QuEChERS method was applied, which involved sample extraction with an acetonitrile-toluene (9:1, v/v) mixture containing 1% (v/v) acetic acid, followed by cleaning with 12.5 mg GCB, 12.5 mg MWCNTs and 150 mg PSA. The sample extract was separated on a Hypersil Gold C18 column and analyzed in full scan/data-dependent MS2(Full MS/dd-MS2) mode. The target herbicides were quantified by using the matrix-matched standard calibration. The three-level spiked recoveries were between 63.3% and 129.1% with the precision of 0.7%-15.2%. This method is easy, sensitive and rapid and can be applicable to the determination of trace herbicide residues in tea and other plant-derived complex matrix samples.

Celastrus Orbiculatus Extract Potentiates the Sensitivity of Cisplatin Via Caspase-Depenent Apoptosis in Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cisplatin-based treatment often leads to therapeutic failure because the acquisition of cisplatin resistance. The combination of cisplatin with other agents has been recognized as a promising strategy to overcome cisplatin resistance. OBJECTIVE: Celastrus orbiculatus is a traditional Chinese medicine from Celastraceae family with multiple pharmacological activities. We previously found that the ethyl acetate extract of Celastrus orbiculatus (COE) exhibited significant antitumor activity in gastric cancer. Here, we asked whether COE could increase the sensitivity of cisplatin. METHODS: We use CCK8 assay to show synergistic cytotoxicity of COE and cisplatin. Then, PI single staining and FITC-Annexin V/PI double staining were used to observe apoptotic cells through flow cytometry. The proteins of caspase signaling pathway were examined by Western blotting. RESULTS: COE and cisplatin showed synergistic cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner in BGC 823 and SGC 7901 gastric cancer cells, and COE could increase the number of apoptotic cells upon cisplatin treatment in vitro. Moreover, our results indicated that COE could enhance cisplatin-induced activation of caspase-8 or caspase- 9/caspase-3/PARP1 signaling pathways. The xenograft study further confirmed that COE increased the sensitivity of cisplatin in vivo. CONCLUSION: Our findings provided new evidence that COE could increase the sensitivity of cisplatin on the antitumor effect.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Gingerol on Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated RAW 264.7 Cells by Inhibiting NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

Gingerol was the main functional substance of Zingiberaceous plant which has been known as traditional medicine for thousands of years. The purpose of this experiment was to explore anti-inflammatory effects of gingerol and study the possible mechanism in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW246.7 cells. The cells were treated with 10 µg/mL LPS and 300, 200, 100, and 50 µg/mL gingerol for 24 h. The cytotoxicity of gingerol was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetra-zoliumbromide (MTT) method. Nitric oxide (NO) production was observed using Griess assays. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß, and IL-6 have been analyzed by ELISA. Real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), IL-6, and IL-1ß in LPS-induced RAW246.7 cells. Nuclear transcription factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway-related proteins have been assessed by western blot assays. The determination of MTT showed that cell viability was not significantly affected by up to 300 µg/mL gingerol. Compared with LPS group, 50, 100, 200, and 300 µg/mL gingerol can inhibit the production of NO and the inhibitory rate was 10.4, 29.1, 58.9, and 62.4%, respectively. The results indicated gingerol existed anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, gingerol also observably inhibited LPS-induced TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and PGE2 (p < 0.01) expression and secretion in a dose-dependent manner. At the genetic level, after the intervention of gingerol, mRNA transcriptions of iNOS, COX-2, IL-6, and IL-1ß were all decreased. The protein expressions of iNOS, NF-κB, p-p65, and p-IκB were significantly increased in LPS-induced cells, while these changes were reversed by the treatment with gingerol. This study suggested that gingerol exerts its anti-inflammatory activities in LPS-induced macrophages which can inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines by targeting the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Inhibition of the RhoA/Rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase-1 pathway is involved in the therapeutic effects of simvastatin on pulmonary arterial hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Recent research has shown that statins improve pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but their mechanisms of action are not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the role of RhoA/ROCK1 regulation in the therapeutic effects of simvastatin on PAH. METHODS: For in vivo experiments, rats (N = 40) were randomly assigned to four groups: control, simvastatin, monocrotaline (MCT), and MCT + simvastatin. The MCT group and MCT + simvastatin groups received proline dithiocarbamate (50 mg/kg, i.p.) on the first day of the study. The MCT + simvastatin group received simvastatin (2 mg/kg) daily for 4 weeks, after which pulmonary arterial pressure was measured by right heart catheterization. The protein and mRNA levels of Rho and ROCK1 were measured by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and PCR. For in vitro experiments, human pulmonary endothelial cells were divided into seven groups: control, simvastatin, monocrotaline pyrrole (MCTP), MCTP + simvastatin, MCTP + simvastatin + mevalonate, MCTP + simvastatin + farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), and MCTP + simvastatin + FPP + geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP). After 72 h exposed to the drugs, the protein and mRNA levels of RhoA and ROCK1 were measured by Western blot and PCR. RESULTS: The MCT group showed increased mean pulmonary arterial pressure, marked vascular remodeling, and increased protein and mRNA levels of RhoA and ROCK1 compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). In vitro, the MCTP group showed a marked proliferation of vascular endothelial cells, as well as increased protein and mRNA levels of RhoA and ROCK1 compared to the MCTP + simvastatin group. The MCTP + simvastatin + mevalonate group, MCTP + simvastatin+ FPP group, and MCTP + simvastatin + FPP + GGPP group showed increased mRNA levels of RhoA and ROCK1, as well as increased protein levels of RhoA, compared to the MCTP + simvastatin group. CONCLUSIONS: Simvastatin improved vascular remodeling and inhibited the development of PAH. The effects of simvastatin were mediated by inhibition of RhoA/ROCK1. Simvastatin decreased RhoA/ROCK1 overexpression by inhibition of mevalonate, FPP, and GGPP synthesis.

Genome-wide sequencing of longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) provides insights into molecular basis of its polyphenol-rich characteristics.

Longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.), an important subtropical fruit in the family Sapindaceae, is grown in more than 10 countries. Longan is an edible drupe fruit and a source of traditional medicine with polyphenol-rich traits. Tree size, alternate bearing, and witches' broom disease still pose serious problems. To gain insights into the genomic basis of longan traits, a draft genome sequence was assembled. The draft genome (about 471.88 Mb) of a Chinese longan cultivar, "Honghezi," was estimated to contain 31 007 genes and 261.88 Mb of repetitive sequences. No recent whole-genome-wide duplication event was detected in the genome. Whole-genome resequencing and analysis of 13 cultivated D. longan accessions revealed the extent of genetic diversity. Comparative transcriptome studies combined with genome-wide analysis revealed polyphenol-rich and pathogen resistance characteristics. Genes involved in secondary metabolism, especially those from significantly expanded (DHS, SDH, F3΄H, ANR, and UFGT) and contracted (PAL, CHS, and F3΄5΄H) gene families with tissue-specific expression, may be important contributors to the high accumulation levels of polyphenolic compounds observed in longan fruit. The high number of genes encoding nucleotide-binding site leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) and leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase proteins, as well as the recent expansion and contraction of the NBS-LRR family, suggested a genomic basis for resistance to insects, fungus, and bacteria in this fruit tree. These data provide insights into the evolution and diversity of the longan genome. The comparative genomic and transcriptome analyses provided information about longan-specific traits, particularly genes involved in its polyphenol-rich and pathogen resistance characteristics.

Berberine blocks the relapse of Clostridium difficile infection in C57BL/6 mice after standard vancomycin treatment.

Vancomycin is a preferred antibiotic for treating Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) and has been associated with a rate of recurrence of CDI of as high as 20% in treated patients. Recent studies have suggested that berberine, an alternative medical therapy for gastroenteritis and diarrhea, exhibits several beneficial effects, including induction of anti-inflammatory responses and restoration of the intestinal barrier function. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of berberine on preventing CDI relapse and restoring the gut microbiota in a mouse model. Berberine was administered through gavage to C57BL/6 mice with established CDI-induced intestinal injury and colitis. The disease activity index (DAI), mean relative weight, histopathology scores, and levels of toxins A and B in fecal samples were measured. An Illumina sequencing-based analysis of 16S rRNA genes was used to determine the overall structural change in the microbiota in the mouse ileocecum. Berberine administration significantly promoted the restoration of the intestinal microbiota by inhibiting the expansion of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae and counteracting the side effects of vancomycin treatment. Therapy consisting of vancomycin and berberine combined prevented weight loss, improved the DAI and the histopathology scores, and effectively decreased the mortality rate. Berberine prevented CDIs from relapsing and significantly improved survival in the mouse model of CDI. Our data indicate that a combination of berberine and vancomycin is more effective than vancomycin alone for treating CDI. One of the possible mechanisms by which berberine prevents a CDI relapse is through modulation of the gut microbiota. Although this conclusion was generated in the case of the mouse model, use of the combination of vancomycin and berberine and represent a novel therapeutic approach targeting CDI.

[Rapid screening and quantitative analysis of 144 pesticide residues in traditional Chinese medicinal herbs by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

An analytical method for the simultaneous determination of 144 pesticide residues in traditional Chinese medicinal herbs was established based on optimized QuEChERS with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The influences of different extraction solvents, different buffer systems and different purifying agents on the recoveries of the pesticides were investigated. The pesticide residues in the samples were extracted with acetonitrile, then cleaned-up by mixed sorbents and analyzed by GC-MS/MS in multi-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The external standard method was applied to quantify the pesticides. The linear range of the method was from 20 to 2 000 microg/kg with the correlation coefficients (r2) of more than 0. 983. The recoveries of the pesticides at the spiked levels of 20, 50 and 200 microg/kg ranged from 74.3% to 111.8% with the relative standard deviations lower than 15%, except for acephate, amitraz and aldrin. The method was successfully used for the analysis of target pesticides in testing samples, and had a good consistency in results with the existed standard one. This multi-residue analytical method allows for a rapid, efficient, sensitive and reliable screening and quantitative analysis of the target pesticides in traditional Chinese medicinal herbs.

Black rice anthocyanidins prevent retinal photochemical damage via involvement of the AP-1/NF-κB/Caspase-1 pathway in Sprague-Dawley rats.

The effects of black rice anthocyanidins (BRACs) on retinal damage induced by photochemical stress are not well known. In the present study, Sprague-Dawley rats were fed AIN-93M for 1 week, after which 80 rats were randomly divided into two groups and treated with (n = 40) or without BRACs (n = 40) for 15 days, respectively. After treatment, both groups were exposed to fluorescent light (3,000 ± 200 lux; 25°C), and the protective effect of dietary BRACs were evaluated afterwards. Our results showed that dietary BRACs effectively prevented retinal photochemical damage and inhibited the retinal cells apoptosis induced by fluorescent light (p < 0.05). Moreover, dietary BRACs inhibited expression of AP-1 (c-fos/c-jun subunits), up-regulated NF-κB (p65) expression and phosphorylation of IκB-α, and decreased Caspase-1 expression (p < 0.05). These results suggest that BRACs improve retinal damage produced by photochemical stress in rats via AP-1/NF-κB/Caspase-1 apoptotic mechanisms.

Supplemental hydrogen sulphide protects transplant kidney function and prolongs recipient survival after prolonged cold ischaemia-reperfusion injury by mitigating renal graft apoptosis and inflammation.

UNLABELLED: What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Hydrogen sulphide (H(2) S) has recently been classified as a member of the family of small gaseous molecules called gasotransmitters and has been found to have many important physiological functions. Several recent studies have elucidated the protective effects of H(2) S in many models of tissue ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), including hepatic, myocardial, pulmonary, cerebral and renal IRI. It has previously been shown that H(2) S has a number of properties that may contribute to its protection against IRI, including vasodilatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects, although the specific actions appear to vary between tissues. The few studies investigating the effects of H(2) S against renal IRI have only involved clamping of the renal pedicle to induce warm IRI. This study investigated the protective effects of H(2) S in the context of renal transplantation (RTx), which generally involves a more severe period of prolonged cold IRI. A previous study investigated the actions of H(2) S in RTx, but it was performed ex vivo and did not involve actual transplantation of donor kidneys. To our knowledge, this is the first study using a clinically relevant model of RTx to show that treatment of donor kidneys with H(2) S during preservation is protective against prolonged cold IRI. These findings suggest that H(2) S has potential utility in improving clinical organ preservation techniques and increasing the overall success of organ transplantation. OBJECTIVE: • To characterize the effects of hydrogen sulphide (H(2) S), an endogenously produced molecule recently described to have protective effects against warm ischaemic tissue injury, in mitigating transplantation-associated prolonged cold ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in a clinically applicable in vivo model of renal transplantation (RTx). MATERIALS AND METHODS: • After undergoing bilateral native nephrectomy, Lewis rats underwent RTx with kidneys that were flushed with either cold (4 °C) standard University of Wisconsin preservation solution (UW) or cold UW + 150 µM NaHS (H(2) S) solution and stored for 24 h at 4 °C in the same solution. • Recipient rats were monitored for a 14-day time course using metabolic cages to assess various characteristics of renal graft function. • Renal grafts were removed at time of death or after the rats were killed for histological, immunohistochemical and quantitative PCR analysis. RESULTS: • H(2) S-treated rats exhibited immediate and significant (P < 0.05) decreases in serum creatinine levels, increased urine output and increased survival compared with UW-treated rats. • H(2) S-treated grafts showed significantly reduced glomerular and tubular necrosis and apoptosis, diminished graft neutrophil and macrophage infiltrates and a trend towards improved inflammatory and anti-apoptotic cytokine profiles. CONCLUSION: • Our results provide the first evidence that supplemental H(2) S can mitigate renal graft IRI incurred during transplantation and prolonged cold storage, improving early graft function and recipient survival in a clinically applicable model of RTx.

Dispersive solid-phase extraction cleanup combined with accelerated solvent extraction for the determination of carbamate pesticide residues in Radix Glycyrrhizae samples by UPLC-MS-MS.

Dispersive solid-phase extraction (DSPE) cleanup combined with accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) is described here as a new approach for the extraction of carbamate pesticides in Radix Glycyrrhizae samples prior to UPLC-MS-MS. In the DSPE-ASE method, 15 carbamate pesticides were extracted from Radix Glycyrrhizae samples with acetonitrile by the ASE method at 60 °C with a 5 min heating time and two static cycles. Cleanup of a 1 mL aliquot of the extract by the DSPE method used 20 mg PSA (primary secondary amine), 50 mg Al(2)O(3)-N, and 20 mg GCB (graphitized carbon black) (as cleanup sorbents) under the determined optimum conditions. The linearity of the method was in the range of 10 to 200 ng/mL with correlation coefficients (r(2)) of more than 0.996. The limits of detection were approximately 0.2 to 5.0 µg/kg. The method was successfully used for the analysis of target pesticides in Radix Glycyrrhizae samples. The recoveries of the carbamate pesticides at the spiking levels of 50, 100, and 200 µg/kg ranged from 79.7% to 99.3% with relative standard deviations lower than 10%. This multi-residue analytical method allows for a rapid, efficient, sensitive and reliable determination of target pesticides in Radix Glycyrrhizae and other medicinal herbs.

Effects of berberine on matrix accumulation and NF-kappa B signal pathway in alloxan-induced diabetic mice with renal injury.

One of the main pathological changes in diabetic nephropathy is the renal fibrosis, which includes glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. In vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that berberine could ameliorate renal dysfunction in diabetic rats with nephropathy and inhibit fibronectin expression in mesangial cells cultured under high glucose. However, the molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of berberine on the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activation, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, transforming growth factor-beta1 and fibronectin protein expression in renal tissue from alloxan-induced diabetic mice with renal damage. The distribution of NF-kappaB p65 in glomerulus and the degradation of I kappaB-alpha in renal cortex were examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot, respectively. The protein expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1, transforming growth factor-beta 1 and fibronectin in renal cortex were also detected by Western blot. Our results revealed that in alloxan-induced diabetic mice, the nuclear staining of NF-kappaB p65 was increased in glomerulus, whereas renal I kappaB-alpha protein was significantly reduced. The protein levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1, transforming growth factor-beta 1 and fibronectin were upregulated in kidney from diabetic mice. After berberine treatment, the immunostaining of NF-kappaB was decreased, and the reduced degradation of I kappaB-alpha level was partially restored. The protein levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1, transforming growth factor-beta 1 and fibronectin were all downregulated by berberine compared with diabetic model group. In conclusion, the ameliorative effects of berberine on extracellular matrix accumulation might associate with its inhibitory function on NF-kappaB signal pathway.

Phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase alpha catalytic subunit mutation and response to neoadjuvant endocrine therapy for estrogen receptor positive breast cancer.

Mutations in the alpha catalytic subunit of phosphoinositol-3-kinase (PIK3CA) occur in approximately 30% of ER positive breast cancers. We therefore sought to determine the impact of PIK3CA mutation on response to neoadjuvant endocrine therapy. Exons 9 (helical domain) and 20 (kinase domain-KD) mutations in PIK3CA were determined samples from four neoadjuvant endocrine therapy trials.Interactions with clinical, pathological, and biomarker response parameters were examined. A weak negative interaction between PIK3CA mutation status and clinical response to neoadjuvant endocrine treatment was detected(N = 235 P < or = 0.05), but not with treatment-induced changes in Ki67-based proliferation index (N = 418). Despite these findings, PIK3CA KD mutation was a favorable prognostic factor for relapse-free survival (RFS log-rank P = 0.02) in the P024 trial (N = 153). The favorable prognostic effect was maintained in a multivariable analysis(N = 125) that included the preoperative endocrine prognostic index, an approach to predicting RFS based on post neoadjuvant endocrine therapy pathological stage, ER, and Ki67 levels (HR for no PIK3CA KD mutation, 14, CI 1.9-105 P = 0.01). PIK3CA mutation status did not strongly interact with neoadjuvant endocrine therapy responsiveness in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Nonetheless, as with other recent studies, a favorable interaction between PIK3CA KD mutation and prognosis was detected. The mechanism for the favorable prognostic impact of PIK3CA mutation status therefore remains unexplained.