Fourteen new 2-benzylbenzofuran glycosides with cardioprotective activity from Heterosmilax yunnanensis.

Fourteen new 2-benzylbenzofuran O-glycosides (1-13, 15) and one new key precursor, diarylacetone (14) were isolated from the roots of Heterosmilax yunnanensis Gagnep, which all have characteristic 2,3,4-O-trisubstituted benzyl. Their structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS, UV and IR. The isolated compounds were assessed for their cardioprotective activities and compounds 1, 3 and 6 could significantly improve cardiomyocytes viability. Moreover, the mechanistic study revealed that these three compounds could significantly decrease intracellular ROS levels and maintain mitochondrial homeostasis upon hypoxia inducement. Consequently, 1, 3 and 6 might serve as potential lead compounds to prevent myocardial ischemia.

Giant Cardiac Cavernous Hemangioma Diagnosed with Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound: A Case Report.

Presently, there are few reports in the database about a contrast-enhanced ultrasound-assisted diagnosis of cardiac cavernous hemangioma. We report a case of giant cavernous hemangioma of the heart, which was diagnosed using contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Finally, it was confirmed by surgical pathology. This case demonstrates that contrast-enhanced ultrasound can play an important role in the diagnosis of cardiac cavernous hemangioma.

Mechanisms of Compound Kushen Injection for the treatment of bladder cancer based on bioinformatics and network pharmacology with experimental validation.

Bladder cancer is the most common malignancy of the urinary system. Compound Kushen Injection (CKI) is a Chinese medicinal preparation that has been widely used in the treatment of various types of cancers in the past two decades. However, the pharmacological effect of CKI on bladder cancer is not still completely understood. In the current study, network pharmacology combined with bioinformatics was used to elucidate the therapeutic mechanism and potential targets of CKI in bladder cancer. The mechanism by which CKI was effective against bladder cancer was further verified in vitro using human bladder cancer cell line T24. Network pharmacology analysis identified 35 active compounds and 268 target genes of CKI. Bioinformatics data indicated 5500 differentially expressed genes associated with bladder cancer. Common genes of CKI and bladder cancer suggested that CKI exerted anti-bladder cancer effects by regulating genes such as MMP-9, JUN, EGFR, and ERK1. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that CKI exerted therapeutic effects on bladder cancer by regulating certain biological processes, including cell proliferation, cell migration, and cell apoptosis. In addition, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis implicated pathways related to cancer, bladder cancer, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Consistently, cell experiments indicated that CKI inhibited the proliferation and migration of T24 cells, and induced their apoptosis. Moreover, RT-qPCR and Western blot results demonstrated that CKI was likely to treat bladder cancer by down-regulating the gene and protein expression of MMP-9, JUN, EGFR, and ERK1. CKI inhibited the proliferation and migration, and induced the apoptosis of T24 bladder cancer cells through multiple biological pathways and targets. CKI also exhibited significant effects on the regulation of key genes and proteins associated with bladder cancer. Overall, our findings provide solid evidence and deepen current understanding of the therapeutic effects of CKI for bladder cancer, and further support its clinical use.

Diagnostic value of ultrasound in the spontaneous rupture of renal angiomyolipoma during pregnancy: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous rupture and hemorrhage of renal angiomyolipoma (RAML) is a life-threatening clinical emergency. When it occurs during pregnancy, it is compared to a "bomb explosion," which makes the diagnosis and treatment more challenging. An ultrasound examination is a quick and safe examination with the benefit of no radiation exposure, which is always preferred for pregnant women. Currently, cases of spontaneous rupture and hemorrhage of RAML during pregnancy are rare, as is the diagnostic value and characteristics of ultrasound. The lack of understanding of the condition among ultrasound doctors makes it prone to misdiagnosis. In this study, we present the case of a pregnant woman who was preliminarily diagnosed with spontaneous rupture and hemorrhage of the left RAML using ultrasound and discuss the ultrasound characteristics. CASE SUMMARY: A 38-year-old woman in her 19th wk of pregnancy (G2P1) was referred to our clinic for a sudden, persistent pain on the left side of the waist. She had not undergone any previous related abdominal examination. Ultrasound of the urinary system revealed a giant nonhomogenous lump in the left kidney area. The diagnosis was considered spontaneous rupture and hemorrhage of the left RAML in pregnancy via ultrasound. Her left-side waist pain continued to be intense. Subsequently, she underwent computed tomography, which led to the same diagnosis. Based on many factors, the patient underwent left nephrectomy after the induction of labor. The pathological result was the rupture and hemorrhage of a vascular leiomyoma lipoma. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound examination plays an important role in the diagnosis of the spontaneous rupture and hemorrhage of RAML during pregnancy.

MicroRNA-498 promotes proliferation, migration, and invasion of prostate cancer cells and decreases radiation sensitivity by targeting PTEN.

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains the secondary highest cause of cancer-related death in the United States in men. It has been reported that microRNAs can serve as key regulators in tumor development and progression in various cancers including PCa. In this study, we examined the effect of miR-498 on proliferation, radiosensitivity, invasion, and migration of PCa cells. The proliferation of LNCaP and DU-145 PCa cells with altered expression of miR-498 was evaluated by MTT assay. The invasion and migration of LNCaP and DU-145 PCa cells were assess by matrigel invasion assay and transwell migration assay. The protein expression level in PCa cells was examined by western blot. The function of miR-498 on radiation-induced apoptosis in LNCaP and DU-145 PCa cells was detected by Caspase-Glo3/7 assay. Forced expression of miR-498 improved the proliferation, invasion and migration in PCa cells. Furthermore, miR-498 decreased the sensitivity of PCa cells after ionizing radiation treatment. MiR-498 reduced the radiation-induced apoptosis in PCa cells by regulation of BAX and Bcl-2 expression. Meanwhile, miR-498 altered the expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, snail, and Vimentin in both LNCaP and DU-145 PCa cells and regulated epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Further study showed that aberrant expression of miR-498 changed the expression levels of phosphatase and tensin homolog and p-AKT in LNCaP and DU-145 PCa cells. In a summary, miR-498 displayed important roles in tumor development and progression in PCa cells, and might act as a potential prognostic biomarker and predict radiotherapy response in PCa.

A Rare Case of Multiple Myxoma Involving Both Mitral Valve Leaflets.

Mitral valve myxoma is a very rare entity. Multiple myxomas with extensive involvement of the anterior and posterior leaflets of the mitral valve are exceedingly rare. We report a 58-year-old man who was admitted as sudden syncope. Thoracic echocardiography showed several masses adherent to the anterior and posterior leaflets and the mitral annulus with obvious mobility. Intraoperative probing revealed multiple tumors attached to the mitral annulus, valve leaflets, and tendinous cords. Mechanical mitral valve replacement was performed. Histopathological examination confirmed all tumors to be myxomas.

Identification of prognostic factors in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

To identify prognostic factors for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), specifically those classified into conflicting subgroups by Hans' and Choi's classification algorithms. We retrospectively reviewed clinical and pathological data of 154 patients diagnosed with de novo DLBCL in the First Hospital of Jilin University from January 2004 to September 2011. All cases were classified into subgroups based on Hans' and Choi's algorithms with immunohistochemical markers. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The correlation between various clinicopathological factors and 5-year survival rate, the correlation between those factors with the International Prognostic Index, the concordance between Hans' and Choi's approach was evaluated. The survival in different subtypes as classified by Hans' or Choi's approach was mapped. RESULTS: The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score 2-5, positive Bcl-2 expression, negative CD10 expression or negative Bcl-6 expression significantly correlated with worse prognosis. The two algorithms showed good consistency (83% concordance, Kappa = 0.660, P < 0.001). By both classifications, the 5-year overall survival rate in germinal center B-cell-like subtype (GCB) lymphoma is significantly higher than that in the non-GCB subtype. There were 25 cases assigned to conflicting subtypes by the two approaches. Among these 25 cases, ECOG 2-5, positive Bcl-2 expression, negative CD10 expression, or negative Bcl-6 expression significantly correlated with worse prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: ECOG 2-5, positive Bcl-2 expression, negative CD10 expression, or negative Bcl-6 expression are independent markers for poor prognosis of DLBCL patients. There were 15% cases assigned to conflicting subgroups based on the two algorithms. For these cases, ECOG 2-5, positive Bcl-2 expression, negative CD10 expression, or negative Bcl-6 expression still significantly correlate with poor prognosis.

Association of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 expression with extra-gastrointestinal stromal tumor metastasis.

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 are important proteases involved in invasion and metastasis of various tumors. Extra-gastrointestinal stromal tumors (EGISTs) are rare neoplasms. This study was performed to assess MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression in EGIST tissue samples for association with clinicopathological data from the patients. Twenty-one surgical EGIST tissue specimens were collected for analysis of MMP-2 and MMP- 9 expression using immunohistochemistry. MMP-2 and MMP-9 proteins were expressed in all of the epithelial cell types of EGISTs, whereas they were only expressed in 75% of the spindle cell type, although there was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05). Expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 proteins was associated with tumor size, mitotic rate, tumor necrosis, and distant metastasis (p<0.05). MMP-2 expression was linked with MMP-9 levels (p<0.05). However, there was no correlation between MMP-9 expression and age, sex, primary site, or cell morphology in any of these 21 EGIST patients (p>0.05). Moreover, expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 proteins increased with the degree of EGIST risk. This study provided evidence of an association of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression with advanced EGIST behavior.

Diagnostic significance of DOG-1 and PKC-θ expression and c-Kit/PDGFRA mutations in gastrointestinal stromal tumours.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate discovered on gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST)-1 (DOG-1) and protein kinase C-θ (PKC-θ) expression in a series of GISTs and determine the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic value of these two antigens. METHODS: Immnunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect CD117, DOG-1, PKC-θ, CD34, Ki-67, α-smooth muscle actin (SMA), S100, and Desmin expression in 147 GISTs and 51 non-GISTs. c-Kit gene (exons 9, 11, 13, and 17) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-alpha (PDGFRA) gene (exons 12 and 18) mutations were also detected. RESULTS: About 94.5% GISTs were CD117 positive, 96% were DOG-1 positive, and 90.5% were PKC-θ positive. DOG-1 had a specificity of 100%, while CD117 and PKC-θ had a specificity of 90% and 80%, respectively. There was no significant difference between DOG-1 and PKC-θ expressions when compared to CD117 expression. In 30 out of 42 (71.5%) GISTs, a c-Kit gene mutation was found, and in 3 out of 42 cases (7%), PDGFRA was mutated. Wild-type c-Kit/PDGFRA genes accounted for 21.5% (9/42). Most c-Kit gene mutations were found to be located at exon 11, mainly as in-frame deletions. Mutations in exon 9 were all missense mutations. Most PDGFRA gene mutations were found in exon 18, codon 842. c-Kit gene mutations in exons 13 and 17, and the PDGFRA gene mutation in exon 12 were not detected. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to CD117, DOG-1 is a biomarker with higher sensitivity and specificity. The combination of CD117 and DOG-1 can be used to improve the diagnosis of GIST. Although PKC-θ has a lower specificity than DOG-1, it can be a useful biomarker, especially in CD117(-) and/or DOG-1(-) cases.

[Detection of antigen-receptor gene rearrangement clonality for diagnosis of lymphoma].

This study was aimed to investigate the significance of detecting the antigen-receptor gene rearrangement clonality in the diagnosis of lymphoma. Paraffin-embedding and HE staining of samples from 31 patients with lymphomas were performed for morphologic observation by light microscope. Immunophenotype was analyzed by the immunohistochemistry (IHC) method. The clonality of antigen-receptor gene rearrangement was detected by BIOMED-2 Assay Kit. The results showed that among the 31 cases, 12 cases were suspected to be T-cell lymphoma, 1 case was suspected to be T-cell reactive hyperplasia, and 16 cases were suspected to be B-cell lymphoma, 2 cases were B-cell reactive hyperplasia. The detection results showed that the positivity of Ig gene rearrangement clonality was 94.44% (17/18), the positivity of TCR gene rearrangement clonality was 92.31% (12/13), the other two cases were negative. Finally, 12 cases were diagnosed to be T-cell lymphoma and 17 cases were B-cell lymphoma. The other two cases were reactive lymphoid proliferations. And the positivity rate in the 31 patients with lymphomas was 93%. It is concluded that the detection of antigen-receptor gene rearrangement clonality is a useful assistant method in the diagnosis of lymphoma.

Carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester fluorescent dye for cell labeling.

Our objective was to study the properties of the carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFDA-SE) and the methodology of cell labeling using CFDA-SE fluorescent dye. First, we analyzed the kinetics of CFDA-SE fluorescent dye intensity over time. Second, we determined the optimal concentration of CFDA-SE fluorescent dye for cell labeling. Third, we tested the toxicity of CFDA-SE fluorescent dye on labeled cells. Finally, we determined the optimal staining time of CFDA-SE fluorescent dye for cell labeling. The results show that the optimal concentration of CFDA-SE fluorescent dye for cell labeling varies according to different cell types. CFDA-SE fluorescent dye is non-toxic to cells as the cell death rate caused by CFDA-SE labeling is below 5%. The optimal cell labeling time was determined to be 8 min of incubation with CFDA-SE fluorescent dye. We concluded that the advantages of using CFDA-SE fluorescent dye for cell labeling are as follows: (1) the binding of CFDA-SE fluorescent dye to cells is stable; (2) CFDA-SE fluorescent dye is not toxic and does not modify the viability of labeled cells; and (3) CFDA-SE fluorescent dye is a suitable fluorochrome for cell labeling.