Yangyin Huowei mixture alleviates chronic atrophic gastritis by inhibiting the IL-10/JAK1/STAT3 pathway.

BACKGROUND: The Chinese medicine Yangyin Huowei mixture (YYHWM) exhibits good clinical efficacy in the treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), but the mechanisms underlying its activity remain unclear. AIM: To investigate the therapeutic effects of YYHWM and its underlying mechanisms in a CAG rat model. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated into control, model, vitacoenzyme, and low, medium, and high-dose YYHWM groups. CAG was induced in rats using N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, ranitidine hydrochloride, hunger and satiety perturbation, and ethanol gavage. Following an 8-wk intervention period, stomach samples were taken, stained, and examined for histopathological changes. ELISA was utilized to quantify serum levels of PG-I, PG-II, G-17, IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α. Western blot analysis was performed to evaluate protein expression of IL-10, JAK1, and STAT3. RESULTS: The model group showed gastric mucosal layer disruption and inflammatory cell infiltration. Compared with the blank control group, serum levels of PGI, PGII, and G-17 in the model group were significantly reduced (82.41 ± 3.53 vs 38.52 ± 1.71, 23.06 ± 0.96 vs 11.06 ± 0.70, and 493.09 ± 12.17 vs 225.52 ± 17.44, P < 0.01 for all), whereas those of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α were significantly increased (30.15 ± 3.07 vs 80.98 ± 4.47, 69.05 ± 12.72 vs 110.85 ± 6.68, and 209.24 ± 11.62 vs 313.37 ± 36.77, P < 0.01 for all), and the protein levels of IL-10, JAK1, and STAT3 were higher in gastric mucosal tissues (0.47 ± 0.10 vs 1.11 ± 0.09, 0.49 ± 0.05 vs 0.99 ± 0.07, and 0.24 ± 0.05 vs 1.04 ± 0.14, P < 0.01 for all). Compared with the model group, high-dose YYHWM treatment significantly improved the gastric mucosal tissue damage, increased the levels of PGI, PGII, and G-17 (38.52 ± 1.71 vs 50.41 ± 3.53, 11.06 ± 0.70 vs 15.33 ± 1.24, and 225.52 ± 17.44 vs 329.22 ± 29.11, P < 0.01 for all), decreased the levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α (80.98 ± 4.47 vs 61.56 ± 4.02, 110.85 ± 6.68 vs 89.20 ± 8.48, and 313.37 ± 36.77 vs 267.30 ± 9.31, P < 0.01 for all), and evidently decreased the protein levels of IL-10 and STAT3 in gastric mucosal tissues (1.11 ± 0.09 vs 0.19 ± 0.07 and 1.04 ± 0.14 vs 0.55 ± 0.09, P < 0.01 for both). CONCLUSION: YYHWM reduces the release of inflammatory factors by inhibiting the IL-10/JAK1/STAT3 pathway, alleviating gastric mucosal damage, and enhancing gastric secretory function, thereby ameliorating CAG development and cancer transformation.

Investigating the synergy of Shikonin and Valproic acid in inducing apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells via ROS-mediated EGR1 expression.

BACKGROUND: Osteosarcoma is the most prevalent malignant bone tumour with a poor prognosis. Shikonin (SHK) is derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Lithospermum that has been extensively studied for its notable anti-tumour effects, including for osteosarcoma. However, its application has certain limitations. Valproic acid (VPA) is a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACI) that has recently been employed as an adjunctive therapeutic agent that allows chromatin to assume a more relaxed state, thereby enhancing anti-tumour efficacy. PURPOSE: This study was aimed to investigate the synergistic anti-tumour efficacy of SHK in combination with VPA and elucidate its underlying mechanism. METHODS/STUDY DESIGN: CCK-8 assays were utilized to calculate the combination index. Additional assays, including colony formation, acridine orange/ethidium bromide double fluorescent staining, and flow cytometry, were employed to evaluate the effects on osteosarcoma cells. Wound healing and transwell assays were utilized to assess cell mobility. RNA sequencing, PCR, and Western blot analyses were conducted to uncover the underlying mechanism. Rescue experiments were performed to validate the mechanism of apoptotic induction. The impact of SHK and VPA combination treatment on primary osteosarcoma cells was also assessed. Finally, in vivo experiments were conducted to validate its anti-tumour effects and mechanism. RESULTS: The combination of SHK and VPA synergistically inhibited the proliferation and migration of osteosarcoma cells in vitro and induced apoptosis in these cells. Through a comprehensive analysis involving RNA sequencing, PCR, Western blot, and rescue experiments, we have substantiated our hypothesis that the combination of SHK and VPA induced apoptosis via the ROS-EGR1-Bax axis. Importantly, our in vivo experiments corroborated these findings, demonstrating the potential of the SHK and VPA combination as a promising therapeutic approach for osteosarcoma. CONCLUSION: The combination of SHK and VPA exerted an anti-tumour effect by inducing apoptosis through the ROS-EGR1-Bax pathway. Repurposing the old drug VPA demonstrated its effectiveness as an adjunctive therapeutic agent for SHK, enhancing its anti-tumour efficacy and revealing its potential value. Furthermore, our study expanded the application of natural compounds in the anti-tumour field and overcame some of their limitations through combination therapy. Finally, we enhanced the understanding of the mechanistic pathways linking reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and apoptosis in osteosarcoma cells. Additionally, we elucidated the role of EGR1 in osteosarcoma cells, offering novel strategies and concepts for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

A Web-Based Pharmacological Approach to the Mechanism of Action of Rhizoma Phragmitis and Rhizoma Curcumae in the Treatment of Chronic Atrophic Gastritis.

Objective: To analyze and test the effect of Rhizoma phragmitis and Rhizoma curcumae on the network pharmacology of MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) and TNF (tumor necrosis factor) signaling channels and inflammatory factor target gene regulation in successful modeling of chronic atrophic gastritis rats. Methods: Rats with chronic atrophic gastritis that were modeled successfully were randomly divided into control and study groups and were treated with conventional western medicine or Rhizoma phragmitis and Rhizoma curcumae, respectively. The pharmacological mechanism of action and efficacy were evaluated. Results: The treatment efficiency was 76.32% and 97.37% in the control and study group, respectively. After treatment, the serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the study group were lower than those in the control group and the serum epidermal growth factor (EGF) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in the study group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05); the pain behavioral scores in the study group were lower than those in the control group, and the free acid quantity and total acid quantity in the study group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05); the serum MTL index in the study group was higher than that in the control group, and the serum gastrin (GAS) and pepsinogen I (PG I) indices in the study group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05); the number of 24-hour reflux in the study group was less than that in the control group (P < 0.05), and the longest reflux time in the study group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Based on the network pharmacological results, Rhizoma phragmitis and Rhizoma curcumae will modulate MAPK, TNF signaling circuits, and inflammatory factor target genes in the chronic atrophic gastritis rat model. This treatment protocol is efficient and beneficial to enhance the gastric function of the chronic atrophic gastritis rat model, while it can alleviate the inflammatory response and significantly reduce the number and duration of reflux, which is a safe and reliable treatment modality.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation-First Strategy for Acute Life-Threatening Pulmonary Embolism.

Background: Both venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy (PMT) are increasingly used to treat acute life-threatening pulmonary embolism (PE). However, there are little data regarding their effectiveness. This study aimed to present the short-term outcomes after managing nine patients with acute life-threatening massive or submassive PE by VA-ECMO with or without complemented PMT and propose a preliminary treatment algorithm. Methods: This study was a single-center retrospective review of a prospectively maintained registry. It included nine consecutive patients with massive or submassive pulmonary embolism who underwent VA-ECMO for initial hemodynamic stabilization, with or without PMT, from August 2018 to November 2021. Results: Mean patient age was 54.7 years. Four of nine patients (44.4%) required cardiopulmonary resuscitation before or during VA-ECMO cannulation. All cannulations (100%) were successfully performed percutaneously. Overall survival was 88.9% (8 of 9 patients). One patient died from a hemorrhagic stroke. Of the survivors, the median ECMO duration was 8 days in patients treated with ECMO alone and 4 days in those treated with EMCO and PMT. Five of nine patients (55.6%) required concomitant PMT to address persistent right heart dysfunction, with the remaining survivors (44.4%) receiving VA-ECMO and anticoagulation alone. For survivors receiving VA-ECMO plus PMT, median hospital lengths of stay were 7 and 13 days, respectively. Conclusions: An ECMO-first strategy complemented with PMT can be performed effectively and safely for acute life-threatening massive or submassive PE. VA-ECMO is feasible for initial stabilization, serving as a bridge to therapy primarily in inoperable patients with massive PE. Further evaluation in a larger cohort of patients is warranted to assess whether VA-ECMO plus PMT may offer an alternative or complementary therapy to thrombolysis or surgical thrombectomy. Type of Research: Single-center retrospective review of a prospectively maintained registry.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of current evidence in endograft therapy vs medical treatment for uncomplicated type B aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVE: Best medical therapy (BMT) should be recommended for treating uncomplicated Stanford type B aortic dissection (uSTBAD), whereas thoracic aortic endovascular repair (TEVAR) has been controversial for uSTBAD. METHODS: In this paper, a meta-analysis was conducted on all available randomized controlled trials and observational studies that evaluated the relative benefits and harms of TEVAR and BMT for the management of patients suffering from uSTBAD. Primary endpoints consisted of early adverse events, long-term adverse events, and aortic remodeling. In addition, risk differences (RDs) or odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. The random-effects model or the fixed-effects model was used in accordance with the 50% heterogeneity threshold. RESULTS: Seven observational studies and two randomized controlled studies from 11 articles that contained 15,066 patients with uSTBAD (1518 TEVARs) met the inclusion criteria. For early outcomes, no significant differences were found between the TEVAR group and the BMT group in aortic rupture, retrograde dissection, paraplegia/paraparesis, reintervention, aorta-related death, and all-cause death. In the long run, the TEVAR group was found to have a significantly lower incidence of adverse events, which included aortic rupture (OR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.16-0.42; P < .05; heterogeneity: P = .90, I2 = 0%), reintervention (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.26-0.75; P < .05; heterogeneity: P = .17, I2 = 41%), aorta-related death (OR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.18-0.42; P < .05; heterogeneity: P = .61, I2 = 0%), and all-cause death (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.42-0.66; P < .05; heterogeneity: P = .05, I2 = 53%) as compared with the BMT group. Moreover, in compared with BMT, TEVAR was found to significantly contribute to the complete thrombosis of thoracic false lumen (OR, 55.34; 95% CI, 34.32-89.21; P < .05; heterogeneity: P = .97, I2 = 0%), and aortic regression (true lumen expansion and false lumen shrinkage). CONCLUSIONS: Although early endovascular repair of uSTBAD does not outperform BMT, its implementation is found to be necessary to facilitate the long-term prognosis. Accordingly, if early TEVAR is to be deferred, close follow-up is critical to allow for timely reintervention.

Single-stage treatment with iliac vein stenting and stripping of the great saphenous vein for patients with left iliac vein compression syndrome.

BACKGROUND: We sought to evaluate the safety and feasibility of single-stage treatment with left iliac vein stenting and saphenous stripping in patients with left iliac vein compression (LIVC) and left great saphenous vein (GSV) incompetence. METHOD: s: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 72 patients diagnosed with LIVC and left GSV incompetence between June 2012 to Oct 2018. We evaluated the periprocedural, 30-day, and 1-year outcomes of venous clinical severity score (VCSS), Chronic Venous Insufficiency Questionnaire 2 (CIVIQ2), the success rate of stent placement, duration of intervention, length of hospital stay, duplex recurrence, and clinically visible recurrence. RESULTS: There were 43 patients in the two-staged group and 29 patients in the single-staged group. The clinical characteristics of the two groups were similar. There were no differences between the two groups in the technical success rate, perioperative mortality, and surgical morbidity. There was no significant difference in the duplex and clinically visible recurrence. The length of hospital stay was significantly lower in the single-staged group. The single-staged group was associated with a higher complication rate of ecchymosis. There was no death, pulmonary embolism, or contrast-induced nephropathy among the patients. The 1-year primary patency rate was similar. CONCLUSIONS: Both treatment approaches were equally effective and had a high technical success rate. The single-staged group had a higher complication rate of ecchymosis due to heparin applying during the procedure.

Comparison of Success Rate and Complications of Totally Percutaneous Decannulation in Patients With Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and Endovascular Aneurysm Repair.

Background: Total percutaneous closure for the site of femoral arterial puncture using Perclose ProGlide (PP) has become prevalent post-percutaneous endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) and veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of total percutaneous closure of the femoral artery access site post-EVAR compared with VA-ECMO. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted over 4 years, including 88 patients who underwent EVAR (64 patients) and VA-ECMO (24 patients). Perclose ProGlide devices were used in the femoral artery puncture sites closed percutaneously. In this study, technical success was defined as successful arterial closure of the common femoral artery (CFA) without additional surgical or endovascular procedures to prevent vessel leaking. Access site complications, including overt bleeding requiring transfusion or surgical intervention, minor bleeding, tinea cruris, pseudoaneurysm, and lymphocele, were recorded 24 h and 30 days after arterial closure. Results: Each group's technical success rates were 95.8% (VA-ECMO) and 92.2% EVAR, respectively. There were no differences in the periprocedural complications of major bleeding, pseudoaneurysm, minor bleeding, acute limb ischemia, and groin infection. Furthermore, we did not observe any complications such as arterial thrombosis, dissection, stenosis, arteriovenous fistula, hematoma, groin infection, or lymphocele at the access site by following-up an ultrasound examination. There was no significant difference in the technical success rate of percutaneous closure by the PP device in the EVAR and VA-ECMO oxygenation groups. Also, no periprocedural or 30-day complications were observed at the access site of the EVAR and VA-ECMO patients.

Identification and Validation of Biglycan as Prognosis and Therapy Markers for Patients with Stomach Adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have confirmed the biglycan (BGN) as a core gene in stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD). Present study aimed at conducting further investigations to reveal the potential function of BGN in STAD. METHODS: The mRNA and protein expressions of BGN in STAD were firstly evaluated, followed by immune infiltration analyses. The influence of BGN expression on the overall survival of STAD patients was subsequently analyzed, and a restrict survival analysis was performed as well. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis on the co-expressed genes with BGN was finally adopted to obtain the most important module in the whole network, and significant Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway associated with hub genes within the main module was further predicted. RESULTS: (1) We verified the mRNA high expression of BGN in STAD (all P<0.05), and higher expression was observed in patients with stage 4 (P<0.001) and grade 3 (P<0.001). The BGN protein was mainly localized to the golgi apparatus, and protein expression displayed an individual difference. (2) Immune infiltration analysis showed the strongest correlation between BGN expression and abundance of natural killer cell (P<0.001), Transforming Growth Factor beta 1 (TGFB1) (P<0.001), TNF Receptor Superfamily Member 4 (TNFRSF4) (P<0.001) and C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 12 (CXCL12) (P<0.001) in STAD. BGN expression was also correlated to immune subtypes (P=0.0347) and molecular subtypes (P=0.0263) in STAD. (3) High expression of BGN shortened the overall survival time of STAD patients (all P<0.01). The influence of BGN expression on the prognosis was statistically affected by several clinical phenotypes and cohorts of patients. Cox regression showed that BGN can be considered as a prognostic predictor of STAD (P<0.05). (4) Pathway analysis indicated that BGN possibly participated in ECM-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, human papillomavirus infection and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway (all P<0.001). CONCLUSION: BGN was highly expressed in STAD, implying a poor prognosis of patients. Relevant signal pathways associated with BGN were distinguished as well. BGN could be used as a potential therapeutic biomarker for STAD.

Multiple Spontaneous Visceral Arterial Dissections in a Patient With Tolosa-Hunt Syndrome on Corticosteroid Therapy.

Multiple spontaneous visceral arterial dissections are an infrequent occurrence. The etiology, risk factors and natural history of these dissections have not been elucidated, and the optimal therapeutic strategy has not been established. We report a rare case of multiple spontaneous visceral arterial dissections involving the celiac artery, splenic artery, superior mesenteric artery, and right renal artery in a patient with Tolosa-Hunt syndrome on short-term corticosteroid therapy. The patient was subjected to conservative treatment and endovascular repair, achieving good clinical and radiological outcomes during the long-term follow-up period.

Meta-analysis of the association between P53 codon 72 polymorphisms and gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: This meta-analysis aims to examine whether the P53 codon 72 polymorphisms is associated with gastric cancer risk. METHODS: Pooled odds ratios (ORs) were appropriately derived from random-effects models. Separate analyses were conducted on Asian and Caucasian populations. And a total of 21 studies were eligible (5,867 cases and 7,001 controls); 15 of them were conducted on Asians, others on Caucasians. RESULTS: The combined results based on all studies showed that there was significant difference in genotype distribution between gastric cancer and non-cancer patients in the allele contrast (Pro vs. Arg); the codominant model (Pro/Pro vs. Arg/Arg) and the recessive model (Pro/Pro vs. Pro/Arg + Arg/Arg). When stratifying for race, patients with gastric cancer had a significantly higher frequency of Pro (OR = 1.136, 95% CI = 1.051-1.229), Pro/Pro (OR = 1.314, 95% CI = 1.110-1.555), Pro/Arg (OR = 1.099, 95% CI = 1.009-1.197), (Pro/Pro + Pro/Arg (OR = 1.153, 95% CI = 1.059-1.255) than non-cancer patients among Asians. There was statistically significant heterogeneity across all included studies with the Q statistic and study population may be the most important factor contributed to the heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the P53 codon 72 polymorphisms seems to be associated with gastric cancer risk and the analyses suggested that P53 codon 72 polymorphisms may be an important biomarker of gastric cancer susceptibility for Asians.

Laparoscopic transabdominal transvesical repair of supratrigonal vesicovaginal fistula.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: We investigated the clinical efficacy of early laparoscopic repair of supratrigonal vesicovaginal fistula. METHODS: Laparoscopic repair of vesicovaginal fistula was performed and retrospectively studied in 18 consecutive patients who had clear indications for iatrogenic supratrigonal vesicovaginal fistula following hysterectomy or obstetric trauma during delivery. All patients underwent laparoscopic surgery via the transabdominal transvesical route. Wide mobilization of the bladder and vaginal wall, complete excision of devitalized tissue, tension-free closure, omental interposition, and efficient postoperative bladder drainage provides dependable support for definitive closure of the path. Success was defined as the disappearance of the fistula. RESULTS: Average patient age was 36.7 years; none required open conversion. Mean operative time was 135 (range 75-175) min. Mean duration of bladder catheterization was 15 (range 14-16) days. All patients were cured at the first attempt, with no surgical reintervention or recurrence at a mean follow-up of 22.7 (range 3-45) months. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that laparoscopic repair of supratrigonal vesicovaginal fistula is an excellent alternative to the traditional abdominal approach and provides excellent results.

[Association of SOX9 expression and prognosis in patients with gastric cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of SOX9 expression and clinicopathologic factors and prognosis of gastric cancer. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study including 112 gastric cancer patients admitted to the Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital from 2004 to 2006 was performed. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to evaluate the expression of SOX9 in the 112 specimens of gastric cancer tissues and 70 non-cancerous tissues adjacent to the tumor. RESULTS: Low expression of SOX9 was seen in 5(7.1%) tissues out of 70 non-cancerous tissues adjacent to the tumor. A total of 94(83.9%) patients had varying expression of SOX9, of whom 51(45.4%) had overexpression. Univariate analysis demonstrated that the expression of SOX9 was significantly associated with Lauren classification (P<0.05), tumor invasion(P<0.01), lymph node metastasis(P<0.05), distant metastasis(P<0.05) and tumor stage(P<0.05), however there was no significant association between SOX9 expression and sex, age, histological type, histology differentiation or tumor size. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the 5-year survival rate of patients with SOX9 over-expression was significantly lower than that of patients with low expression(29.4% vs. 49.2%, P=0.031). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that histology differentiation(P=0.046), tumor invasion(P=0.001), and distant metastasis(P<0.01) were independent prognostic factors for gastric cancer, however the over-expression of SOX9 was not significant(P=0.948). CONCLUSIONS: The expression SOX9 is associated with the growth, invasion, and metastasis of gastric cancer, as well as the prognosis. However, SOX9 expression is not an independent factor for the prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.

Oridonin induces apoptosis in gastric cancer through Apaf-1, cytochrome c and caspase-3 signaling pathway.

AIM: To investigate the effect and mechanism of oridonin on the gastric cancer cell line HGC-27 in vitro. METHODS: The inhibitory effect of oridonin on HGC-27 cells was detected using the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. After treatment with 10 µg/mL oridonin for 24 h and 48 h, the cells were stained with acridine orange/ethidium bromide. The morphologic changes were observed under an inverted fluorescence microscope. DNA fragmentation (a hallmark of apoptosis) and lactate dehydrogenase activity were examined using DNA ladder assay and lactate dehydrogenase-release assay. After treated with oridonin (0, 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 µg/mL), HGC-27 cells were collected for anexin V-phycoerythrin and 7-amino-actinomycin D double staining and tested by flow cytometric analysis, and oridonin- induced apoptosis in HGC-27 cells was detected. After treatment with oridonin for 24 h, the effects of oridonin on expression of Apaf-1, Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3 and cytochrome c were also analyzed using reverse-transcript polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. RESULTS: Oridonin significantly inhibited the proliferation of HGC-27 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The inhibition rates of HGC-27 treated with four different concentrations of oridonin for 24 h (1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 µg/mL) were 1.78% ± 0.36%, 4.96% ± 1.59%, 10.35% ± 2.76% and 41.6% ± 4.29%, respectively, which showed a significant difference (P < 0.05). The inhibition rates of HGC-27 treated with oridonin at the four concentrations for 48 h were 14.77% ± 4.21%, 21.57% ± 3.75%, 30.31% ± 4.91% and 61.19% ± 5.81%, with a significant difference (P < 0.05). The inhibition rates of HGC-27 treated with oridonin for 72 h at the four concentrations were 25.77% ± 4.85%, 31.86% ± 3.86%, 48.30% ± 4.16% and 81.80% ± 6.72%, with a significant difference (P < 0.05). Cells treated with oridonin showed typical apoptotic features with acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining. After treatment with oridonin, the cells became round, shrank, and developed small buds around the nuclear membrane while forming apoptotic bodies. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay showed that after treated with 1.25 µg/mL and 20 µg/mL oridonin for 24 h, LDH release of HGC-27 caused by apoptosis increased from 22.94% ± 3.8% to 52.68% ± 2.4% (P < 0.001). However, the change in the release of LDH caused by necrosis was insignificant, suggesting that the major cause of oridonin-induced HGC-27 cell death was apoptosis. Flow cytometric analysis also revealed that oridonin induced significant apoptosis compared with the controls (P < 0.05). And the apoptosis rates of HGC-27 induced by the four different concentrations of oridonin were 5.3% ± 1.02%, 12.8% ± 2.53%, 28.5% ± 4.23% and 49.6% ± 3.76%, which were in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). After treatment for 24 h, DNA ladder showed that oridonin induced a significant increase in DNA fragmentation in a dose-dependent manner. RT-PCR revealed that mRNA expression levels were up-regulated compared with the controls in caspase-3 (0.917 ± 0.103 vs 0.357 ± 0.019, P < 0.05), cytochrome c (1.429 ± 0.111 vs 1.002 ± 0.014, P < 0.05), Apaf-1 (0.688 ± 0.101 vs 0.242 ± 0.037, P < 0.05) and Bax (0.856 ± 0.101 vs 0.278 ± 0.027, P < 0.05) (P < 0.05), whereas down-regulated in Bcl-2 (0.085 ± 0.012 vs 0.175 ± 0.030, P < 0.05). Western blotting analysis also confirmed this result. CONCLUSION: Apoptosis of HGC-27 induced by oridonin may be associated with differential expression of Apaf-1, caspase-3 and cytochrome c, which are highly dependent upon the mitochondrial pathway.