Sodium valproate sensitizes non-small lung cancer A549 cells to γδ T-cell-mediated killing through upregulating the expression of MICA.

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I chain-related protein A (MICA) is involved in γδ T-cell recognition of target tumor cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of utilization of sodium valproate (VPA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, to sensitize non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells to γδ T-cell-mediated killing. VPA induced a dose-dependent increase in the mRNA and protein expression of MICA in A549 cells. γδ T cells showed cytotoxicity to A549 cells, which was increased by about 50% in the presence of VPA. The concomitant addition of MICA antibody significantly attenuated the VPA-mediated sensitization to γδ T-cell killing. VPA enhanced the cleavage of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in A549 cells cocultured with γδ T cells, and such enhancement was reversed by the MICA antibody. In conclusion, VPA sensitizes tumor cells to γδ T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity through the upregulation of MICA and may thus have benefits in improving γδ T-cell-based cancer immunotherapy.

[Effects of Rehmannia root decoction serum on cell proliferation and EPO expression in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy of the rehmannia root decoction containing serum in enhencing the proliferation of HUVECs-1 and EPO expression and to give libratory evidence for the tonifying blood and kidney therapy with rehmannia root. METHOD: Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly devided into 4 group and administrered by gastrogavage rehmannia root decoction of 3, 6, 10 g x kg(-1) once a day for 1 weeks. Using serum pharmacologic method, the proliferation of HUVECs-1 cell was determined by MTT chromatometry at 48 h points by co-culturing with medicated serum containing different concentration of rehmannia root decoction. The expression of EPO on HUVECs-1 were observed by immunity cytochemistry and Western blot. NS serum was taken as control. RESULT: After the HUVECs-1 cultivating with medicated serum for 48 h, compared with NS serum, 20% serum containing rehmannia root (6 g x kg(-1)) could obviously increase proliferation of HUVEC-1 (P < 0.05) and increase the level of the expression of EPO on HUVECs-1 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Rehmannia root extract has good actions of proliferation of HUVECs-1 and increase EPO expression, which is the mechanisms of nourishing yin and blood and tonifying essence of rehmannia root.

Anaerobic digestion of kitchen wastes in a single-phased anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) with gas-phased absorb of CO2.

The performance of the single-stage anaerobic digestion of kitchen wastes was investigated in an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor(ASBR) with gas-phased absorb of CO2. The ASBR was operated at four chemical oxygen demand(COD) loading rates, 2.8, 5.1, 6.2 and 8.4 g/(L x d) respectively. The COD loading rate was increased with the TS concentration and HRT changing. At maximum COD loading rate of 8.4 g/(L x d), the COD, total solid(TS) removal rate and methane gas yield were 69%, 68% and 2.5 L/(L x d) respectively. The operation of the reactor with gas-phased absorb of CO2 was stable in spite of the low pH (2.6-3.9) and high concentration of TS (142 g/L) of input mixture. The output volatile fatty acid(VFA) concentration was between 2.7-4.7 g/L and had no inhibition on the methanogenic microorganism. The reactor without gas-phased absorb of CO2 became acidified when the total COD loading rate was increased to 5.1 g/(L x d). Stoichiometry of the methanogenesis for kitchen wastes showed a considerable amount of alkaline will be required to keep pH in the appropriate range for the methanogenic microorganism based on theoretical calculation. Gas-phased absorb of CO2 effectively reduced the alkaline consumption, hence avoided excessive cation into the reactor.

Visible light induced photodegradation of organic pollutants on nitrogen and fluorine co-doped TiO2 photocatalyst.

The nitrogen and fluorine co-doped TiO2 polycrystalline powder was synthesized by calcinations of the hydrolysis product of tetrabutyl titanate with ammonium fluoride. Nitrogen and fluorine co-doping causes the absorption edge of TiO2 to shift to a lower energy region. The photocatalytic activity of co-doped TiO2 with anatase phases was found to be 2.4 times higher than that of the commercial TiO2 photocatalyst Degussa P25 for phenol decomposition under visible light irradiation. The co-doped TiO2 powders only contain anatase phases even at 1000 degrees C. Apparently, ammonium fluoride added retarded phase transformation of the TiO2 powders from anatase to rutile. The substitutional fluorine and interstitial nitrogen atoms in co-doped TiO2 polycrystalline powder were responsible for the vis light response and caused the absorption edge of TiO2 to shift to a lower energy region.