[Effect of rosmarinic acid from Sarcandra glabra in inhibiting proliferation and migration and inducing apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells via regulation of expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax].

Rosmarinic acid is one of anti-tumor ingredients in the Sarcandra glabra. After treatment with 0, 10, 30, 90, 270 and 810 µmol·L⁻¹ rosmarinic acid for 24, 48, 72 hours respectively, the inhibitory effects on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were observed by CCK-8 and cell wound healing test. No significant inhibition effecton proliferation and migration was observed in MCF-7 cell. However, 90, 270 and 810 µmol·L⁻¹ rosmarinic acid could inhibit the proliferation and migration of MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. Flow cytometry was further used to detect apoptosis ratios of MDA-MB-231 cells after Annexin V-FITC/PI staining, and significant apoptosis was observed after rosmarinic acid treatment. Real-time PCR and Western blot tests were carried out to detect the expressions of apoptosis-related genes. The down-regulation of the Bcl-2 expression and the up-regulation of the Bax expression were observed in MDA-MB-231 cells after rosmarinic acid treatment. The results suggested that rosmarinicacid can inhibit the proliferation and migration, and induce the apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells, which may be correlated with the down-regulation of Bcl-2 gene and the up-regulation of Bax gene.

Comparison of the clinical characteristics and survival between Uyghur patients with hepatitis virus-related and non-B, non-C hepatocellular carcinoma in Xinjiang, China.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical characteristics and prognosis between hepatitis virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (viral HCC) and non-B, non-C HCC (NBC-HCC) among Uyghur patients in Xinjiang province, China. METHODS: Between 01/01/2000 and 31/12/2012, 319 Uyghur HCC patients were treated at the Cancer Centre of The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University. The data for the patients were obtained from a retrospective review of the patients' medical records. A total of 18 patients were excluded from the study because of incomplete information. The patients were classified into two groups: viral HCC and NBC-HCC. The clinical characteristics and prognostic factors were statistically analysed. RESULTS: For all 301 patients, gender (P=0.000), area of residence (P=0.002), diabetes mellitus (P=0.009), BMI (P=0.000), cirrhosis (P=0.000), tumour stage (P=0.004), Child-Pugh class (P=0.000), the TBIL level (P=0.000), and the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level (P=0.000) were significantly different between the NBC-HCC and viral HCC groups. The NBC-HCC patients tended to be diagnosed at advanced stages; however, the NBC-HCC patients exhibited lower Child-Pugh scores than the viral HCC patients. In all patients examined, the 0.5-, 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 35.6%, 20.3%, 12.6% and 4.5%, respectively. No significant difference in OS was observed between the two groups (P=0.124). Cox multivariate analysis revealed that age (RR =1.539, P=0.001), TNM stage (RR =12.708, P=0.000), portal vein tumour thrombus (PVTT) (RR =2.003, P=0.000), Child-Pugh class (RR =1.715, P=0.000), and TACE + radiotherapy/RFA (RR =0.567, P=0.000) were significant independent prognostic factors for HCC patients. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical characteristics differ between Uyghur patients with NBC-HCC and viral HCC. HCC in the Xinjiang region displays specific regional characteristics. Age, TNM stage, PVTT, Child-Pugh class and TACE + radiotherapy/RFA are significant risk factors that influence patient survival.

[Expression profiles and differential diagnostic value of serum Golgi protein-73 in patients with liver cirrhosis and primary hepatic carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression profiles of serum Golgi protein-73 (GP73) in liver cirrhosis and primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC) and determine its clinical value for differential diagnosis. METHODS: Serum protein expressions of GP73 and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and chemiluminescence assay, respectively, in patients with PHC (n=80), liver cirrhosis (n=65), and healthy controls (n=50). Inter-group changes were assessed by Kruskal-Wallis test, and significance of these differences was assessed by Mann-Whitney test. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency and determine the cut-off values for GP73 and AFP. Sensitivity and specificity were compared by the Chi-squared test. Correlation between serum GP73 expression and clinical parameters was determined by Spearman's rank correlation analysis. RESULTS: The PHC group showed significantly higher serum GP73 (282.0 mug/L) than the liver cirrhosis group (211.8 mug/L) and control group (58.3 mug/L) (H = 93.30, P less than 0.01). For differential diagnosis of PHC and liver cirrhosis, the cut-off value was 318.1 mug/L for GP73 and 13.4 mug/L for AFP. Sensitivity of GP73 was lower than AFP (45% (36/80) vs. 65% (52/80); X2 = 8.02, P less than 0.05). Specificity of GP73 was lower than AFP but no significance was found (83.1% (54/65) vs. 87.7% (57/65); X2=0.27, P more than 0.05). The areas under the ROC curves were not significantly different between GP73 and AFP (0.65 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.54~0.72) vs. 0.75 (95% CI: 0.67~0.83); Z = 1.88, P more than 0.05). The area under the ROC curves increased but not significantly (0.80 (95% CI: 0.73~0.88) vs. 0.75 (95% CI: 0.67~0.83); Z=2.61, P more than 0.05). Serum GP73 was correlated with liver cirrhosis (r=0.27), vascular invasion (r=0.29), and TNM staging (r=0.27) (all P less than 0.05), but not with sex (r=0.13), age (r=0.10), enhanced AFP (> 13.4 mug/L; r=0.03), tumor size (r=0.18), or distant metastasis (r=0.04), all P less than 0.05. CONCLUSION: Serum GP73 and AFP have comparable diagnostic efficiency, but the sensitivity of AFP is superior for differential diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and primary hepatic carcinoma. Elevated serum GP73 may be correlated with liver tumor load and aggressiveness.

Curative effect of radiotherapy at various doses on subcutaneous alveolar echinococcosis in rats.

BACKGROUND: Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a disease in human and animals, and the cure rate is unsatisfactory. This study aimed to investigate the curative efficacy of different doses of locally applied radiotherapy on alveolar echinococcosis in rats. METHODS: Rats infected with Echinococcus multilocularis were randomly divided into 4 groups of 15 rats each: low-, middle-, and high-irradiation groups and a control group. Rats in the control group underwent no treatment, while rats in the irradiation groups received 6-MeV radiotherapy at 20 Gy/8 f, 40 Gy/8 f, and 60 Gy/8 f respectively, once every 3 days for a total of 8 times. One month after radiotherapy, wet weight and AE vesicle inhibitory rate were detected in rats of each group. Histopathologic and ultrastructural observations of tissues with AE lesions were performed. RESULTS: In the treatment groups, an obvious inhibitory effect was found in AE rats; the inhibitory rates were 50%, 72%, and 82%, respectively. There were also statistical differences in pathological changes and average wet weight of the lesions compared with the control group (P < 0.05). In the treatment groups, injuries of various degrees were found in the ultrastructure of the laminated and germinal layers in the capsular wall of AE, and injury was most severe in the high-dose group. CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy has a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the growth of AE.

[X-ray irradiation against Echinococcus multilocularis protoscoleces in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of X-ray irradiation on Echinococcus multilocularis protoscoleces in vitro. METHODS: Echinococcus multilocularis protoscoleces were collected from cysts of infected Meriones meridianus and then cultured in RPMI 1640 medium. Protoscoleces were subpackaged into culture flasks at a density of about 10(4) per flask after culture for 3 days. Each group has 10 culture flasks. There were seven groups named as blank control group, low dose group (15 Gy and 30 Gy), medium dose group (45 Gy and 60 Gy), high dose group (75 Gy and 90 Gy), albendazole group (2 500 ng/ml), 45 Gy X-ray + 2 500 ng/ml albendazole group, and 75 Gy X-ray + 2 500 ng/ml albendazole group. Protoscoleces received three radiations on every other day with a source-skin distance of 100 cm and at a dose rate of 200 cGy/min after 3 days in culture. At each day after irradiation, protoscoleces were counted by light microscope with 0.1% eosin staining, and calculated mortality rate (per 100 protoscoleces) until all the parasites in experimental groups died. At the same time, the morphological changes of protoscoleces were observed. RESULTS: There were significant differences in protoscolex mortality between X-ray groups and blank control group (P < 0.05), between X-ray + albendazole groups and albendazole group (P < 0.05). Protoscolex mortality in albendazole group were higher than that of blank control group (P < 0.05). Significant difference were also found in protoscolex mortality between albendazole combined with radiation and radiation only (P < 0.05). Before radiation, protoscoleces was normal with complete structure. After radiation, the parasites were mostly valgus type protoscoleces with disordered rostellar hooks and deformed acetabulum, and finally died. CONCLUSION: X-ray can kill Echinococcus multilocularis protoscoleces in vitro.

[Effect of 6 MeV radiotherapy on secondary Echinococcus multilocularis infection in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of 6-MeV X-ray radiotherapy on secondary Echinococcus multilocularis infection in rats. METHODS: Female SD rats were used to develop a secondary infection model, and then randomly divided into experimental group and control group (5/group). Rats in experimental group received two irradiations at 7-day intervals with the same dose (20 Gy) which applied with 6-MeV ray. The rats in control group did not receive any treatment. At one month after the second irradiation, the pathomorphological changes of E. multilocularis cysts were observed. RESULTS: Cysts in experimental group showed different degrees of damage, including that the laminated layer and germinal layer became swollen and separated from each other, brood capsules and protoscoleces were rare. The structure of cysts was normal in control group, laminated layer and germinal layer were clear, and there were many protoscoleces in the brood capsule. CONCLUSION: 6 MeV radiotherapy can inhibit the growth of E. multilocularis.