[Rare earth elements contents and distribution characteristics in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissue].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the rare earth elements(REEs) contents and distribution characteristics in nasopharyngeal carcinoma( NPC) tissue in Gannan region. METHOD: Thirty patients of NPC in Gannan region were included in this study. The REEs contents were measured by tandem mass spectrometer inductively coupled plasma(ICP-MS/MS) in 30 patients, and the REEs contents and distribution were analyzed. RESULT: The average standard deviation value of REEs in lung cancer and normal lung tissues was the minimum mostly. Light REEs content was higher than the medium REEs, and medium REEs content was higher than the heavy REEs content. REEs contents changes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma were variable obviously, the absolute value of Nd, Ce, Pr, Gd and other light rare earth elements were variable widely. The degree of changes on Yb, Tb, Ho and other heavy rare earth elements were variable widely, and there was presence of Eu, Ce negative anomaly(δEu=0. 385 5, δCe= 0. 523 4). CONCLUSION: The distribution characteristic of REEs contents in NPC patients is consistent with the parity distribution. With increasing atomic sequence, the content is decline wavy. Their distribution patterns were a lack of heavy REEs and enrichment of light REEs, and there was Eu , Ce negative anomaly.

Oridonin ameliorates lupus-like symptoms of MRL(lpr/lpr) mice by inhibition of B-cell activating factor (BAFF).

Oridonin, a pharmacologically safe agent extracted from Isodon Serra, has been shown to possess potent anti-inflammatory properties. However, it is not clear whether Oridonin affects B-cell activating factor (BAFF) expression, thereby exerting beneficial effects in the treatment of BAFF-associated autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Thus, the current study aimed to find the function of Oridonin in regulation of BAFF and amelioration of SLE. In vitro, we explored the effect of Oridonin on BAFF expression and production in mouse macrophages. Moreover, using a spontaneous murine SLE model, we investigated the role of Oridonin delivery in the treatment of lupus-like disease in MRL(lpr/lpr) mice, by measuring the changes in lupus symptoms, renal damage, BAFF expression, and B cell subsets. Our results showed that Oridonin significantly inhibited BAFF expression in mouse macrophages by suppressing the transcriptional activation of its promoter. And in vivo administration of Oridonin efficiently ameliorated the serological and clinical manifestations of SLE in MRL(lpr/lpr) mice, as shown by increased survival benefit, reduced proteinuria levels, diminished production of specific auto-antibodies, and attenuated renal damage, in association with down-regulation of BAFF and a lower rate of B-cell maturation and differentiation. Thus, it suggests that Oridonin will serve as a novel natural therapeutic strategy for SLE by inhibition of BAFF.

Arsenic trioxide inhibits the growth of human lung cancer cell lines via cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis at both normoxia and hypoxia.

Arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) has been established to be an effective agent for treating acute promyleocytic leukemia. Laboratory data suggest that As(2)O(3) induces apoptosis of several solid tumor cells including lung cancer cells. Regions of tissue hypoxia often arise in aggressive solid tumors, and hypoxic tumors exhibit augmented invasiveness and metastatic ability in several malignancies. Furthermore, hypoxia may impair the treatment efficiency; therefore, we studied the cytotoxic effect of As(2)O(3) on human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines A549 and A549/R (resistant to vincristine, adriamycin and mitomycin etc.) grown under normoxic and hypoxic (1% oxygen) conditions. At both normoxia and hypoxia, 5, 10 and 15 microM As(2)O(3) induced evident growth inhibition and apoptosis in A549 cells as well as A549/R cells after 48 hours of exposure. In contrast, the conventional chemotherapeutic drug vincristine showed lowered efficiency in hypoxic A549 cells. As(2)O(3) induced G(2)/M cell cycle arrest in both normoxic and hypoxic A549 cells. As(2)O(3) significantly decreased the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of Cyclin B(1) and survivin and the protein levels of Cyclin B(1), phospho-CDC(2) (Thr 161) and survivin in both normoxic and hypoxic A549 cells. Together, our findings indicated that As(2)O(3) significantly inhibited the proliferation of lung cancer cells via G(2)/M cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis at both normoxia and hypoxia, and the induction of apoptosis was associated with down regulation of survivin.

Interleukin-10 and interferon-gamma up-regulate the expression of B-cell activating factor in cultured human promyelocytic leukemia cells.

B-cell activating factor (BAFF) is a potent cell-survival factor, expressed in many hematopoietic cells, for B-cell maturation and activation. It is involved in pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders and B-cell malignancies. Although BAFF is produced by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in monocytes, the mechanisms of the modulation of BAFF production and expression under normal and pathologic conditions have not been completely elucidated. In this study, we examined the effects of several inflammatory cytokines on BAFF expression in cultured human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells both at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional level. Incubation of the cells with IL-10 and IFN-gamma elevated the expression of membrane-bound and soluble forms of BAFF. A similar increase in BAFF-specific mRNA was noted in cultured cells. Unexpectedly, interleukin-4 (IL-4) treatment hardly affected BAFF expression at the mRNA and protein levels. Transcriptional regulation was examined in cultures transfected with a human BAFF promoter/reporter gene (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase) construct. IL-10 and IFN-gamma elicited marked enhancement of the human BAFF promoter activity. Collectively, these results demonstrated that IL-10 and IFN-gamma both regulate BAFF expression and synthesis in human promyelocytic leukemia cell cultures, and the activation occurs at the transcriptional level.

[Effects of Poly I:C in inducing growth inhibition and apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect and mechanism of Poly I:C in inducing growth inhibition and apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells. METHODS: SMMC-7721 cells were treated with different doses of Poly I:C for 24, 48, and 72 h, and the cell growth inhibition rate was analyzed with CCK-8 assay. The cell cycle and the apoptosis were analyzed using flow cytometry with Annexin-V and PI staining, and quantitative RT-PCR analysis were used to detect the expression of TLR3, TRIF, and IFN-beta mRNA in cells. RESULTS: In the cells exposed to Poly I:C at low, moderate, and high doses, the inhibitory rates was the highest in high-dose Poly I:C group, and at a given Poly I:C dose, prolonged exposure resulted in significantly increased cell growth inhibition rate (P<0.05). Flow cytometry showed that Poly I:C induced cell apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner and significantly increased the percentage of G1-phase cells as compared with that in the control group. The mRNA level of TLR3, TRIF, and IFN-beta were also increased following Poly I:C treatment in comparison with the control group. CONCLUSION: Poly I:C can induce significant growth inhibition and apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner possibly by causing cell cycle arrest and TLR3 signaling pathway activation that leads to IFN-beta production and cell apoptosis.

WITHDRAWN:MicroRNA profile in peripheral blood T cells of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

The Ahead of Print article entitled "MicroRNA profile in peripheral blood T cells of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis", was withdrawn at the author's request.

Characterisation of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand in peripheral blood in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

Apoptosis plays a pivotal role in portal tract damage of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) is an apoptotic inducer, and it has been reported that the expression of TRAIL receptors is up-regulated by increased bile acid level and the serum level of soluble TRAIL (sTRAIL) is elevated in PBC patients. In the present study, we investigated the association of TRAIL in peripheral blood with the pathogenesis of PBC and chronic hepatitis B. The expression levels of TRAIL mRNA and protein on leukocytes and sTRAIL in plasma from 27 patients with PBC, 25 with CHB and 30 healthy controls were determined respectively by real-time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), flow cytometry (FCM) and ELISA. The expression levels of TRAIL mRNA and protein on leukocytes and plasma sTRAIL were all up-regulated in the patients with PBC and CHB compared to controls. In the two diseased groups, TRAIL mRNA showed significant correlation of both membrane-bound TRAIL (mTRAIL) on monocytes and plasma sTRAIL. So did plasma TNF-alpha. In PBC patients, mTRAIL and sTRAIL correlated well with gamma-glutamyltransferase and alkaline phosphatase, but not with aspartate aminotransferase and alanine amino-transferase. The opposite case was found in CHB patients. These results suggested that both mTRAIL and sTRAIL might be involved in the development and progression of PBC and CHB in humans, but the mechanisms might be different.

Establishment and biological characteristics of human multiple myeloma cell line CZ-1.

BACKGROUND: There were only 3 multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines established in China. In this study, we succeeded in establishing a novel MM cell line and analyzed its biological characteristics. METHODS: Mononuclear cells isolated from the peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) of a patient with advanced MM (lambda light chain type) were cultured in medium. Cell morphology was analyzed by Wright-Giemsa-staining and cytochemical staining, immunophenotyping by flow cytometry and cytogenetic analysis by chromosome RHG-banding technique. Quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect Epstein - Barr virus (EBV) DNA. RESULTS: The established cell line could survive and proliferate in the presence of feeder cells or conditioned medium. The cells secreted lambda light chain and were negative for EBV. The Wright-Giemsa-staining showed typical plasmablast or plasma cell morphology. The cytochemical staining of the cells showed the following reactivity patterns: positive for acid phosphatase, negative for myeloperoxidase. The immunoprofile of the cells was concordant with that of MM cells: positive for CD10, CD28, CD38, CD138, CD56, CD49d, CD44, CD54 and CD58, negative for CD19, CD40, CD95, CD95L, CD34, CD2 and CD5. The cytogenetic analysis showed complex chromosome abnormality of i (1q+), 8q+, 13q+, i (17q), i (18q) and +M. There was no difference in morphology, immunophenotype and cytogenetics between cells from PB and BM. CONCLUSIONS: An MM cell line secreting lambda light chain named CZ-1 was established. The cells from both PB and BM have the same biological characteristics.

[Establishment and biological characteristics of human multiple myeloma cell line CZ-1].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a multiple myeloma (MM) cell line and analyze its biological characteristics. METHODS: Mononuclear cells isolated from the peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) of an advanced MM patient (lambda light chain type) were incubated by liquid cell culture, cell morphology was analyzed by Wright-Giemsa-staining and cytochemical staining, immunophenotyping by flow cytometry, cytogenetic analysis by chromosome RHG-banding method. Quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction was used to detect EBV DNA. RESULTS: The established cell line could survive and proliferate in the presence of feeder cells or conditioned medium. The cells secreted lambda light chain and were negative for EBV. The Wright-Giemsa-staining showed typical plasmablast or plasma cell morphology. The cytochemical staining of the cells showed the following reactivity pattern: positive for acid phosphatase, negative for myeloperoxidase. The immunoprofile of the cells was concordant with that of MM cells: positive for CD(10), CD(28), CD(38), CD(138), CD(56), CD(49d), CD(44), CD(54) and CD(58), negative for CD(19), CD(40), CD(95), CD(95)L, CD(34), CD(2) and CD(5). The cytogenetic analysis showed complex chromosome abnormality of i (1q +), 8q +, 13q +, i (17q), i (18q) and + M. There was no difference in morphology, immunophenotype and cytogenetics between cells from PB and BM. CONCLUSION: A MM cell line secreting lambda light chain named CZ-1, was established. The cells from both PB and BM have the same biological characteristics.