ABSTRACT
The aim of the current study was to investigate Fas and FasL expression and myocardial cell apoptosis in viral myocarditis patients. Human heart specimens were selected from patients who were autopsied between February 2012 and February 2015; of these, 25 patients were diagnosed with viral myocarditis. Another 15 cases with no diagnosis of myocarditis were selected for the control group. All tissue specimens were divided into two parts, one for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis and the other for immunohistochemical and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) analyses. In situ detection of apoptosis was performed by the TUNEL method, which revealed that myocardial cells from the viral myocarditis group exhibited significant apoptosis, whereas no apoptotic cells were observed in the control group. The number of cells staining positive for Fas and FasL protein in the viral myocarditis group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). There was also a correlation between Fas and FasL protein expression levels and scores (r = 0.92, P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of Fas and FasL was significantly higher in the viral myocarditis group than in the control group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the Fas-FasL system may be involved in the pathogenesis of viral myocarditis. Furthermore, cytotoxic T lymphocytes may mediate cardiac muscle cells apoptosis via Fas-FasL signaling, and thus participate in the pathogenesis of viral myocarditis.
Subject(s)
Apoptosis , Fas Ligand Protein/metabolism , Myocarditis/metabolism , Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism , Virus Diseases/metabolism , fas Receptor/metabolism , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Fas Ligand Protein/genetics , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Signal Transduction , T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/metabolism , fas Receptor/geneticsABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiosensitizing effects of gemcitabine towards human pancreatic cancer xenografts. A human pancreatic cancer xenograft model was established in nude mice, 36 of which were randomly divided into 6 treatment groups. Tumors were measured every 2 days, and the tumor volumes, growth delays, and inhibition rates were compared to evaluate the gemcitabine enhancement factor. The apoptotic index was determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labeling assay, and apoptosis inhibitory protein Bcl-2 and apoptosis-related protein Bax expression were detected by immunohistochemistry. Compared with the control group, xenograft growth was significantly inhibited in the 25 (G25) and 50 mg/kg gemcitabine (G50) groups (P < 0.05). In the 25 (G25R) and 50 (G50R) mg/kg gemcitabine + radiotherapy groups, local tumor growth was significantly inhibited, with inhibition rates of 88.22 and 91.23%, respectively, significantly higher than those of the simple radiotherapy (SR), G25, and G50 groups (44.11, 72.88, and 77.53%, respectively; P < 0.05). The tumor growth delay in the G25R and G50R groups were 9 and 15 days, respectively, higher than the SR, G25, and G50 groups (each 4 days, P < 0.05). The apoptosis of tumor cells in the intervention groups significantly increased, and the apoptotic index among the intervention groups exhibited significant differences (P < 0.05). The immunohistochemical results indicated that Bcl-2 was downregulated to different degrees in the intervention groups, whereas Bax was upregulated (P < 0.05). Therefore, gemcitabine appears to enhance the radiotherapeutic sensitivity of human pancreatic cancer xenografts significantly.
Subject(s)
Apoptosis/drug effects , Apoptosis/radiation effects , Deoxycytidine/analogs & derivatives , Pancreatic Neoplasms/metabolism , Pancreatic Neoplasms/pathology , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism , Radiation Tolerance/drug effects , bcl-2-Associated X Protein/metabolism , Animals , Cell Line, Tumor , Deoxycytidine/pharmacology , Disease Models, Animal , Gene Expression , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Male , Mice , Mice, Nude , Pancreatic Neoplasms/drug therapy , Pancreatic Neoplasms/genetics , Pancreatic Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics , Tumor Burden , Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays , bcl-2-Associated X Protein/genetics , GemcitabineABSTRACT
We investigated the effects of a modified Shoutaiwai recipe on integrin ß3 and leukemia-inhibitory factor (LIF) in the endometrium of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) mice during the implantation window. Seventy non-pregnant mice were randomly divided into 3 groups: a traditional medicine (TCM) treatment group (N = 30), an aspirin treatment (N = 30) group, and a control group (N = 10). After the model was successfully established, mice in the drug treatment groups and the control group were respectively treated with the modified Shoutaiwai recipe, aspirin, or 0.9% physiological saline. During the implantation window of mice, the middle segment of the mouse uterus was recovered, and integrin ß3 and LIF expressions in the endometrium were respectively detected using an immunohistological two-step method and reverse transcription-PCR. Expressions of integrin ß3 and LIF in the endometrium of mice in the TCM treatment group were significantly increased compared to aspirin-treated and control mice, and those of aspirin-treated mice were increased compared to the control group. Our modified Shoutaiwai recipe may improve the endometrial receptivity of COH mice by increasing the expression of integrin ß3 and LIF in the endometrium during the implantation window.
Subject(s)
Diet/veterinary , Embryo Implantation/physiology , Endometrium/metabolism , Integrin beta3/metabolism , Leukemia Inhibitory Factor/metabolism , Ovulation Induction/methods , Animals , Aspirin/pharmacology , Diet Therapy , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Endometrium/pathology , Female , Mice , Models, Animal , PregnancyABSTRACT
We analyzed synonymous codon usage patterns of the mitochondrial genomes of 43 parasitic platyhelminth species. The relative synonymous codon usage, the effective number of codons (NC) and the frequency of G+C at the third synonymously variable coding position were calculated. Correspondence analysis was used to determine the major variation trends shaping the codon usage patterns. Among the mitochondrial genomes of 19 trematode species, the GC content of third codon positions varied from 0.151 to 0.592, with a mean of 0.295 ± 0.116. In cestodes, the mean GC content of third codon positions was 0.254 ± 0.044. A comparison of the nucleotide composition at 4-fold synonymous sites revealed that, on average, there was a greater abundance of codons ending on U (51.9%) or A (22.7%) than on C (6.3%) or G (19.14%). Twenty-two codons, including UUU, UUA and UUG, were frequently used. In the NC-plot, most of points were distributed well below or around the expected NC curve. In addition to compositional constraints, the degree of hydrophobicity and the aromatic amino acids also influenced codon usage in the mitochondrial genomes of these 43 parasitic platyhelminth species.