Corilagin enhances the anti-tumor activity of 5-FU by downregulating the expression of GRP 78.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Although initially effective, patients who receive chemotherapy ultimately experience various complications and develop chemo-resistance, leading to cancer recurrence. Therefore, we aimed to find a drug with good efficacy and low toxicity that could enhance the treatment with 5-Fluorouracil (a commonly used clinical drug) and reduce its dosing. Corilagin, an anti-tumor natural product, has received widespread attention. Glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) is overexpressed in colorectal cancer cells and plays a key role in the proliferation, migration and drug resistance of cancer cells. Importantly, GRP78 can affect the apoptosis induced by 5-fluorouracil in CRC cells. In the present study, we determined the synergistic anti-tumor activity of the combination treatment by cell proliferation assay, apoptosis assay, fluorescent staining, cell cycle analysis, WB and PCR assays. This synergistic effect was associated with S-phase blockade, intracellular reactive oxygen species production and downregulation of GRP78. Taken together, our results indicate that Corilagin acts as a potentiator of 5-fluorouracil and may have therapeutic potential for patients with CRC.

Oral Pathogenic Bacteria and the Oral-Gut-Liver Axis: A New Understanding of Chronic Liver Diseases.

Liver diseases have long been a prevalent cause of morbidity and mortality, and their development and progression involve multiple vital organs throughout the body. Recent studies on the oral-gut-liver axis have revealed that the oral microbiota is associated with the pathophysiology of chronic liver diseases. Since interventions aimed at regulating oral biological disorders may delay the progress of liver disease, it is crucial to better comprehend this process. Oral bacteria with potential pathogenicity have been extensively studied and are closely related to several types of chronic liver diseases. Therefore, this review will systemically describe the emerging role of oral pathogenic bacteria in common liver diseases, including alcoholic liver disease (ALD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cirrhosis, autoimmune liver diseases (AILD), and liver cancer, and bring in new perspectives for future research.

Probiotic management and inflammatory factors as a novel treatment in cirrhosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The interaction between intestinal microecological dysregulation, altered inflammatory factors, and cirrhosis is unclear. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to synthesize the results of previous studies to assess the efficacy of probiotics in the treatment of cirrhosis and their effect on inflammatory factors, as well as to explore the relationship between gut microecological dysregulation and liver disease to gain a deeper understanding of this interaction. Up to December 2022, eligible studies were identified by searching the following databases: National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Medline, and the Cochrane Library. Statistical analysis was performed using software RevMan Version 5.4. A total of 33 eligible randomized controlled trials were included in the study, and data on probiotic strains, duration of intervention, measures in the control group, and outcomes were extracted and evaluated. Compared to the control group, the experimental group had significant improvements in overall efficacy. The results of the meta-analysis revealed that probiotic use significantly decreased biochemical parameters for liver function, including aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase, and total bilirubin. Similar result was obtained in interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and endotoxin. However, probiotic intervention did not significantly affect interleukin-2 and interleukin-10. The current meta-analysis illustrates that probiotic supplementation reduces inflammatory markers and biochemical parameters for liver function in patients with cirrhosis, suggesting that probiotic management may be a novel treatment for cirrhosis. Furthermore, the interaction of the gut microbiota, associated metabolites, and inflammation factors with cirrhosis may provide a promising therapeutic target for the pharmacological and clinical treatment of cirrhosis.

Study on the Relationship Between Diet, Physical Health and Gut Microflora of Chinese College Students.

Many elements of a modern lifestyle influence the gut microbiota but few studies have explored the effect of physical health level. This study was aimed to explore the relationship between diet, physical health and gut microbiota in Chinese college students. A total of 69 college students were recruited, including 27 college athletes (AS group) and 42 healthy controls (HC group). Fecal samples were collected for 16S rRNA sequencing. According to National Standards for Students' Physical Health (2014 revision), physical fitness measurements, dietary intake and health-related data were collected via questionnaires. ①According to the physical fitness scores, the physical fitness level of AS group was significantly higher than that of HC group (P < 0.05), there were no significant differences between the two groups in the frequency of intake of food. The frequency and duration of physical activity in the AS group were higher than those in the HC group (P < 0.05); ②The proportion and relative abundances of microorganism composition is varying at two groups: on the phylum level, AS group had mainly increased Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and reduced Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria; on the genus level, AS group had mainly increased Faecalibacterium, Bifidobacterium and reduced Bacteroides; ③The associations with the 10 most abundant bacterial genera and physical fitness, dietary factors were investigated. Changes in the gut microbiota abundance can be sometimes reflective of a physical health status. Loss of the balance of gut microbial populations will lead to flora disorders and diseases. Therefore, further studies are needed to reveal the mechanisms behind the gut microbiota in its potential role.

Research on the Necessity of AIDS Intervention for College Students Based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Despite abundant research on AIDS prevention and intervention, many residual factors influence the actual impact of the intervention at a population level. Misconceptions held by subjects lead to patterns of behavior, which do not reflect levels of cognition. METHODS: Cognition and behavioral patterns relating to HIV were investigated without intervention in freshmen before and after a two-year study period. A total of 461 freshmen studying at the university in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, were enrolled in September 2019. Data management and analysis were performed by SPSS 25.0 software. RESULTS: Throughout the two years' study, no significant changes in the cognitive level regarding AIDS were found while the frequency of sexual behavior increased significantly. A trend of inconsistency between cognition and behavior was identified. CONCLUSION: During a two-year period without intervention, it was found that the sexual behavior of university students gradually increased, perceptions regarding AIDS-related subjects were incomplete and awareness of HIV infection risk was still weak. A phenomenon described as the separation of knowledge from behavior was detected. Misconceptions that influenced behavioral patterns were identified as critical factors. Therefore, we propose that cognitive behavioral therapy may change the actual impact of AIDS prevention interventions.

[Cell balance between apoptosis and proliferation in colon cancer and its correlation with prognosis].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: In normal tissues and organs, cell apoptosis and proliferation maintain a homeostasis. Alterations of this physiologic balance may lead to malignant transformation of cells and tumorigenesis. This study was to investigate cell balance (ratio of apoptosis index to proliferation index, AI/PI) in colon cancer and its correlation with prognosis. METHODS: The apoptotic population and the proliferating population of colon cancer cells were quantitatively analyzed by Sub-G1 method and Ki-67/DNA bivariate analysis of flow cytometry. Cell proliferation was observed under confocal microscope. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to analyze patients' survival. RESULTS: AI/PI ratio of cells was significantly higher in normal colon tissue than in colon adenoma tissue, Dukes' A colon cancer, Dukes' B colon cancer, and Dukes' C and D colon cancer (0.45+/-0.19 vs. 0.30+/-0.07, 0.29+/-0.11, 0.28+/-0.10, and 0.26+/-0.07, respectively, P < 0.01). AI/PI ratio showed a down-regulating trend in variables tested including tumor size, pathologic type, differentiation grade, Dukes' stage, and nodal involvement. AI/PI ratio of peripheral lymphocytes was significantly higher in colon cancer patients than in healthy people (0.64+/-0.11 vs. 0.49+/-0.12, P < 0.01). The expression of Ki-67 was observed in normal colon tissue, colon adenoma, and colon cancer under confocal microscope. Survival rate of patients with AI/PI ratio of < 0.285 (using the median value as the cutoff) and >/= 0.285 was not significantly different (P> 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Dysregulation (down-regulation or up-regulation) of cell balance between apoptosis and proliferation in colon cancer cells and lymphocytes might play an important role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. AI/PI ratio can' t be used as a prognostic factor of colon cancer.