Role of astaxanthin as an efficient antioxidant on the in vitro maturation and vitrification of porcine oocytes.

As one of the most powerful natural antioxidants, astaxanthin (Ax) has begun to be applied to the field of reproductive biology. Here we used porcine oocyte as a model to explore how Ax improves the oocyte potential during in vitro maturation (IVM), and we also investigated the cytoprotective effects of Ax on the vitrified oocytes. Ax supplementation (final concentration of 2.5 µM) was subjected for immature oocytes during vitrification and subsequent IVM; fresh oocytes were also matured in vitro in the presence or absence of 2.5 µM Ax. Our results showed that Ax significantly increased the survival rate of vitrified oocytes, and promoted the blastocyst yield of both fresh and vitrified oocytes after parthenogenetic activation and somatic cell nuclear transfer. The oocytes treated with Ax displayed significantly lower reactive oxygen species generation and higher glutathione level. Vitrification of oocytes had no impact on caspase-3, cathepsin B and autophagic activities; Ax significantly decreased the cathepsin B activity in both fresh and vitrified oocytes. Moreover, the relative fluorescence intensity of lysosomes was significantly increased in vitrified oocytes, which was recovered by Ax treatment. The mitochondrial activity did not differ between fresh and vitrified oocytes, and was significantly enhanced in Ax-treated oocytes. Furthermore, Ax significantly restored the decreased expression of BMP15, ZAR1, POU5F1, GPX4 and LAMP2 genes in vitrified oocytes. Both fresh and vitrified oocytes treated with Ax showed significantly higher mRNA levels of GDF9, POU5F1, SOD2, NRF2 and ATG5. Taken together, this study provides new perspectives in understanding the mechanisms by which Ax improves the developmental competence of both fresh and vitrified porcine oocytes.

A Clinical Study on Juheli (Recombinant Human Interleukin - 11) in the Second Prevention of Chemotherapy Induced Thrombocytopenia.

OBJECTIVE: to investigate the effect and side effects of recombinant human interleukin - 11 (rhIL - 11, in Chinese Juheli, produced by Qi Lu Biotechnology CO., LTD) in the second prevention of chemotherapy induced thrombocytopenia (CIT). METHODS: Cancer patients with CIT were recruited and were treated with rhIL - 11 (treatment phase, TP), and in the following cycle, all these patients administered with rhIL - 11 24 hours immediately after chemotherapy (preventive treatment phase, PTP). Duration and severity of thrombocytopenia between two phases were compared. RESULTS: for patients in TP or PTP, nadir values of platelet were (29.28±20.08)?109/L and (45.24±19.66)?109/L, duration of thrombocytopenia in TP and PTP was (11.52±4.33) and (8.20±+2.77)days, recovery time was (19.40±3.89)and (13.44±3.02)days, duration of rhIL - 11 administration was 10.68±2.46)and (6.28±1.77)days, number of patients needing platelet infusion was 16and4 respectively, all differences were statistically significant (p value were 0.007, 0.002, 0.000, 0.000, 0.034 respectively). For TP and PTP, number of patients with hemorrhage was 8 and 4, duration of bleeding was (5.00±0.82) and (4.50 ± 0.71) days respectively, with no statistically significant difference. Adverse reactions mainly included fever, edema, arrhythmia, joint pain, fatigue, skin rash, headache, dizziness, etc., all were not statistically significant between TP and PTP. CONCLUSION: rhIL - 11 could be well tolerated and is effective that could reduce the duration, severity of CIT, platelet transfusion, and incidence of bleeding, as well as shorten the recovery time, duration of rhIL - 11 administration. Thus, rhIL - 11 could be commended in the second prevention of CIT for patients with cancer.

Clinical efficacy of administering oxaliplatin combined with S-1 in the treatment of advanced triple-negative breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is not amenable to current targeted therapies and carries a poor prognosis; however, a specific systemic regimen cannot yet be recommended. The optimal duration of oxaliplatin (OXA) and S-1 combinatorial chemotherapy in patients with advanced breast cancer is not currently known and is likely to be patient-specific based on efficacy and toxicity. In the present study, 52 patients with advanced TNBC received OXA and S-1 chemotherapy. The efficacy and toxicity were observed. The results showed that the median number of regimens was 4 (range 2-6). The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated in all patients. The complete response, partial response, overall response and disease control rates were 3.8, 30.8, 34.6 and 69.2%, respectively. Four patients were lost to follow-up, and the median follow-up time was 13.7 months. The median progression-free survival time was 6.7 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 4.5-9.0] and the median overall survival (OS) time was 13.3 months (95% CI, 9.1-17.5). From the subgroup analysis, it was found that the median OS time of patients with stage IV disease and ≥2 metastases was significantly shorter than that of patients with stage IIIC disease and only 1 metastasis [11.3 vs. 22.7 months, P=0.010 (stage IV vs. stage IIC); 11.3 vs. 15.7 months, P=0.048 (≥2 vs. 1 metastasis)]. The main grade 3/4 toxic effects were neutropenia (11.5%), nausea (7.7%) and nerve toxicity (3.8%). The other toxic effects were mainly of grades 1-2 and included diarrhea, liver dysfunction, stomatitis, anemia and hand-foot syndrome. In conclusion, OXA combined with S-1 is an effective and tolerable regimen for the treatment of patients with advanced TNBC.

[Synthesis of ternary complexes of rare earth perchlorate with L-alanine and imidazale and the infrared spectral study].

The title complexes RE(Ala)4(Im)(ClO4)3.2H2O (RE = Sm, Pr or Nd) were synthesized by the reaction of rare earth perchlorates with alanine and imidazale in aqueous solution. The infrared spectra of the complexes were measured and their principal IR bands were assigned. The results show that alanine molecules are zwitterions in the complexes and coordinate with rare earth ions through carboxyl groups, and with the atomic weight of rare earth increasing, the ionization of the coordinate band decreases, while the convalence increases. Imidazale was found to coordinate with rare earth by nitrogen atom.