Huaier Extract Induces Apoptosis in Hepatoblastoma Cells Via the MEK/ERK Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Huaier extract, whose main active constituent is the proteoglycan, has anti-tumor activity in several types of malignancies. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the effect of Huaier extract in hepatoblastoma cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect of Huaier extract on the proliferation of human hepatoblastoma cell lines HepG2 and HuH-6, was examined. RESULTS: Incubation with Huaier extract resulted in a marked, dose-dependent decrease in hepatoblastoma cell viability. Huaier extract induced S phase arrest in hepatoblastoma cells and upregulated the expression of the cell cycle related proteins cyclin D1 and cyclin D3. It also induced apoptosis in hepatoblastoma cells. Additionally, it significantly suppressed the activity of p-ERK and p-MEK. CONCLUSION: Huaier extract inhibits proliferation, and induces cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest via the MEK-ERK pathway in hepatoblastoma cells. Huaier extract may act as a complementary agent for treating hepatoblastoma.

Effect of long-term exercise training on static postural control in older adults: a cross-sectional study.

We examined the effects of long-term exercise on age-related decline in static balance control through centre-of-pressure (CoP) measurements of four groups of participants: older controls, younger controls, older Tai Chi exercisers and older joggers. The participants stood quietly in a tandem stance on a force platform for 30 s with eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC). The older controls showed remarkably larger CoP and EC/EO ratios than younger controls and older Tai Chi exercisers. The EC/EO ratios of velocity in the mediolateral direction of older joggers were significantly smaller than those of older controls. Results suggest that the static balance of older controls showed a significant decline caused by age-related changes. Long-term Tai Chi and jogging, particularly the former, contributed to static balance control in older people. Older adults relied more on visual information in static postural control than young people. Tai Chi would be an ideal exercise for improving static balance in older people.

Asiaticoside Alleviates Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury via NOD2/Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK)/Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB) Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) remains a serious health problem. Centella asiatica formulations are used to treat central nervous system disorders. In the present study, asiaticoside, an extract of the plant Centella asiatica, was investigated in CIRI in vivo and vitro. MATERIAL AND METHODS We made a CIRI model in vivo in SD rats treated by middle cerebral artery occlusion, and a cell model of ischemia-reperfusion injury was made in PC12 cells treated by deprivation of oxygen and glucose/restoration. CIRI in vivo was assessed by scores of neurological functions, encephaledema, and cerebral infarction area. Inflammation level and oxidative stress level were detected by the appropriate kits. TUNEL assay was performed for assessment of cell apoptosis and Western blot analysis was performed to assess protein expression levels. CCK8 assay was performed for evaluation of cell survival and flow cytometer was used to detect cell apoptosis in vitro. RESULTS Nervous function injury, brain edema, cell apoptosis, infarct size, apoptosis-related protein expressions, and protein expressions of the NOD2/MAPK/NF-kappaB signaling pathway in the CIRI model were all reversed by asiaticoside in rats. The cell apoptosis, inflammation level, and oxidative stress level in the model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury were reduced by asiaticoside. The effects of asiaticoside on CIRI were reversed by NOD 2 agonists. CONCLUSIONS Asiaticoside showed a protective effect against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury via the NOD2/MAPK/NF-kappaB signaling pathway. These findings are vital for future research on use of asiaticoside in CIRI, providing a new avenue for alleviating CIRI.

Effects of regular Tai Chi practice and jogging on neuromuscular reaction during lateral postural control in older people.

This study examined the effects of regular Tai Chi practice and jogging on the neuromuscular activity of the trunk, hip, and ankle joint muscles of older people during lateral postural perturbation. A total of 42 older people participated in the study and formed the Tai Chi, jogging, and sedentary control groups. Electromyography signals were collected from the peroneus longus, anterior tibialis, gluteus medius, and erector spinae during unpredictable mediolateral perturbation. The Tai Chi group exhibited significantly faster latencies of the tibialis anterior and erector spinae than the control group. The jogging group showed a significantly shorter neuromuscular reaction time of the erector spinae than the control group. No significant difference was observed between the Tai Chi and jogging groups. Long-term regular Tai Chi practice enhanced the neuromuscular reaction of the erector spinae and tibialis anterior to lateral perturbation and will help timely posture correction when lateral postural distributions occur.

The protection of selenium on cadmium-induced inhibition of spermatogenesis via activating testosterone synthesis in mice.

Selenium (Se) is an essential trance element in testis. However, the potential protective effects of Se against cadmium (Cd)-induced reproductive toxicity remained to be elucidated. Male ICR mice were orally administered by gavage with Na2SeO3 (0.1, 0.2, 0.4 mg/kg BW) for 1h prior to CdCl2 (5 mg/kg BW) alone or in combination for 15, 25 or 35 days. Cd exposure caused a significant decrease in body weight, sperm concentration and motility as well as plasma testosterone level which was accompanied by decreased antioxidant enzymatic activity of SOD and GSH-Px and by increased lipid peroxidation (as malondialdehyde, MDA). Se pretreatment compensated deficits in the sperm parameters (concentration, motility and morphology) induced by Cd. Se (0.4 mg/kg BW) treatment significantly increased serum testosterone level that was reduced by Cd (on 15th, 25th and 35th day) (P<0.01). Se treatment ameliorated Cd-induced reduction in testicular steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) and 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17ß-HSD) activities. The present study suggest that the protective potential of Se against Cd-induced reprotoxicity might be due to up-regulation StAR and testosterone synthetic enzyme activity, which could be useful for increasing testosterone synthesis for achieving optimum protection in sperm quality and spermatogenesis.

Investigation on the morphological protective effect of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural extracted from wine-processed Fructus corni on human L02 hepatocytes.

AIM: To determine the mode of action of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) extracted from wine-processed Fructus corni on hepatoprotective activities, the effects of 5-HMF on H(2)O(2)-induced human L02 hepatocytes injury was examined. MTHODS: Hepatocytes L02 injured by H(2)O(2) was treated by 5-HMF. The morphological changes of the cells were observed under inverted phase-contrast, fluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy and the activities of caspase-9 and caspase-3 were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent detector. RESULTS: It revealed that 5-HMF improved the morphology of H(2)O(2)-treated human L02 hepatocytes, and also inhibited the level of caspase-9 and caspase-3 of them. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested a morphological hepatocyte protective effect and the anti-apoptosis mechanism by 5-HMF.

Effect of regular Tai Chi and jogging exercise on neuromuscular reaction in older people.

OBJECTIVES: to investigate the effects of regular Tai Chi (TC) or jogging exercise on neuromuscular reaction in older people. DESIGN: cross-sectional study. SETTING: university biomechanics laboratory. SUBJECTS: 21 long-term elderly TC practitioners were compared with 18 regular elderly joggers and 22 sedentary counterparts. MEASUREMENTS: electromyography (EMG) was used to detect the neuromuscular reaction of the leg muscles to an unexpected ankle inversion perturbation. The latency of the muscles, which was defined as the time that the moment of perturbation began to the onset of the EMG response, was evaluated. RESULTS: a one-way ANOVA revealed that there were significant differences in the latency of the rectus femoris (R) and anterior tibialis (T) muscles between the three groups, but that there were no differences in the latency of the semitendinosus (S) and gastrocnemius (G) muscles. Further tests indicated that the R and T muscles in the TC and jogging groups were activated significantly faster than those in the control group. No significant difference was found for the muscle onset latencies between the TC and jogging groups. CONCLUSION: maintaining information processing speed during ageing is important, because of the role that it plays in many everyday events. The R and T muscles in the regular TC and jogging groups showed faster responses to unexpected ankle inversion perturbations, which is helpful for the timely correction of postural disturbances, than those in the sedentary control group.