[Andrographolide inhibits extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 signaling pathway in activated macrophages].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of andrographolide on extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling pathway and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages. METHODS: LPS-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages were cultured in media with different concentrations of andrographolide. Cytotoxicity of andrographolide was detected by cell counting kit-8. The macrophages were lysed, and then expressions of phosphorylated ERK1/2, JNK and p38 and nuclear factor-κB inhibitor (IκBα) protein were detected by Western blotting and TNF-α mRNA expression was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Supernatants of the macrophages were used to detect content of TNF-α protein by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Andrographolide at 1-100 µg/mL showed no cytotoxicity on LPS-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages. Andrographolide inhibited ERK1/2 phosphorylation in LPS-activated murine peritoneal macrophages, which was concentration-dependent (P<0.01). Andrographolide at 1-25 µg/mL had no effects on phosphorylation levels of JNK and p38 and IκBα degradation in LPS-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages. In activated macrophages, TNF-α expression was inhibited by 12 µg/mL andrographolide and 20 µmol/L PD98059 (inhibitor of ERK1/2 signaling pathway) at both mRNA expression and protein secretion levels. CONCLUSION: In LPS-activated macrophages, andrographolide may inhibit the expression of TNF-α by inhibiting ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Serum thymidine kinase 1 concentration as a prognostic factor of chemotherapy-treated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients.

PURPOSE: This study was performed to examine possible use of thymidine kinase 1 concentration in serum (STK1) for prognosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients following chemotherapy treatment. METHODS: The STK1 levels of 37 patients were determined by enhanced chemiluminescent dot-blot assay on the day before chemotherapy, and on day 1 and day 28 after start of the treatment. The specificity and sensitivity was evaluated by Western blot with anti-TK1 IgY antibody and by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: Western blot and ROC analysis of TK1 in serum showed high specificity and sensitivity. The mean STK1 level of the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients was significantly higher compared to healthy persons (p < 0.001). The mean STK1 level increased significantly (p < 0.001) on day 1 and then declined, reaching on day 28 values corresponding to those of healthy persons. The mean STK1 values before treatment and at 1 and 28 days after start of the treatment also correlated significantly with the clinical response (CR, PR and NR) and five-year survival. CONCLUSION: Although the number of patients was limited in this study, TK1 in serum might possess an important reference value in the evaluation of treatment and prognosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma following chemotherapy.