Objective To investigate the anti-tumor effects of astaxanthin on A549 lung cancer cells and the related mechanisms. Methods A549 cells were cultured with various concentrations of astaxanthin (20, 40, 60, 80, 100 μmol/L), and DMSO at the same concentrations served as vehicle controls. The viability of A549 cells was detected by CCK-8 assay; cell cycle and apoptosis were observed by flow cytometry; and the expressions of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3), and Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) were evaluated by Western blotting. Results CCK-8 assay showed that astaxanthin decreased the proliferation of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry showed that astaxanthin increased the number of cells in the G0/G1 phase and induced apoptosis in A549 cells. Western blotting showed that astaxanthin up-regulated the expression of Bax and down-regulated the expressions of Bcl-2, STAT3 and JAK1. Conclusion Astaxanthin functions as a potent inhibitor of A549 lung cancer cell growth by targeting JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the anti-tumor effect of Qiyusanlong decoction (QYSL) in the mice with Lewis lung cancer (LLC) and its effect on the expression of programmed death 1 and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1). Methods The model of lung cancer subcutaneous allograft was established using LLC cells. The model mice were randomly divided into six groups: a model group, a chemotherapy group, three QYSL groups of high, middle and low doses, and a combined group, each group containing 8 mice. On the 11th day, the low-, middle- and high-dose QYSL groups were respectively given intragastric administration of 20.12, 40.24, 80.48 g/(kg.d) QYSL; the chemotherapy group were intraperitoneally injected with 0.4 mL cisplatin; the combined group were administrated with cisplatin and high-dose QYSL; the model group were administrated with the same amount of normal saline, once a day for 10 days. Tumor volume was examined and tumor growth curve was drawn. Tumors were weighed and tumor inhibition rates were calculated. The expressions of PD-1, PD-L1 mRNA and protein in spleens and tumor tissues of mice were detected by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Results Compared with the model group, the high-dose QYSL group could inhibit tumor growth with tumor inhibition rate being 23.86%; the tumor inhibition rate between the combined group and the chemotherapy group was equal. The high-dose QYSL could significantly decrease the expression of PD-1 mRNA and protein in spleen and inhibited the expression of PD-L1 mRNA and protein in tumor. The levels of PD-1 and PD-L1 protein in the combined group were obviously lower than those in the chemotherapy group, but the interaction effect of the other indicators had no statistical significance. Conclusion QYSL can moderately inhibit the growth of the transplanted tumor by decreasing PD-1/PD-L1 level.

Objective To investigate the effect of 1, 25-(OH)2-VD3 on collagen type III (Col3), collagen type IV (Col4) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) in rat models of type 2 diabetic nephropathy, and explore the relationships of p38MAPK with Col3 and Col4. Methods Rat models of type 2 diabetic nephropathy were induced by streptozocin (STZ, 30 mg/kg) combined with high-glucose-and-fat diet. Sixty rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, 1, 25-(OH)2-VD3 treatment group [given 1, 25-(OH)2-VD3 6 ng/(100 g.d) after modeling] and insulin group (given 2-3 U insulin after modeling). After 8 weeks' intervention, serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and 24-hour proteinuria were detected in all groups. Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining was used to observe the kidney pathological changes, and immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting were performed to determine p38 MAPK Col3 and Col4 expressions in rat renal interstitium. Spearman method was applied to the correlation analysis. Results Compared with the model group, blood glucose, Scr, BUN, 24-hour proteinuria and impaired renal interstitial area were all reduced in the 1, 25-(OH)2-VD3 treatment group and the insulin group. Compared with the control group, the expressions of Col3, Col4 and p38 MAPK were higher in the model group, and lower in the 1, 25-(OH)2-VD3 treatment group and the insulin group. Correlation analysis showed that 24-hour proteinuria was positively related with p38 MAPK, Col3, Col4 and immunohistochemical results; p38MAPK was positively correlated with Col3 and Col4 expressions. Conclusion Col3, Col4 and p38MAPK are up-regulated in rat models of type 2 diabetic nephropathy. The 1, 25-(OH)2-VD3 might attenuates the progression of renal interstitial fibrosis via down-regulating p38 MAPK, Col3 and Col4.

Objective To investigate the expressions of silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog-1 (SIRT1), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) in hypoxic pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells (PVSMCs) treated with Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP). Methods PVSMCs were divided into 10 groups: normal oxygen (200 mL/L oxygen) cells, 2 μmol/mL LBP-treated normal oxygen cells, DMSO-treated normal oxygen cells, DMSO-treated hypoxic (100 mL/L oxygen) cells, (0.5, 1, 2) μmol/mL LBP-treated hypoxic cells; SIRT1 agonist (resveratrol or SRT-1720)-treated hypoxic cells, SIRT1 inhibitor EX-527-treated hypoxic cells. After 6, 12, 24 hours, the mRNA and protein expressions of SIRT1, MMP-9 and HIF-1α were measured by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting, respectively. In LBP-treated groups, the expressions of SIRT1, MMP-9 and HIF-1α mRNA and protein were detected 12 hours after LBP treatment. Results Under the condition of hypoxia, the expression levels of SIRT1 mRNA and protein in PVSMCs decreased, while MMP-9 and HIF-1α mRNA increased. Under hypoxia, SIRT1 expression was raised and MMP-9, HIF-1α were reduced by LBP treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Morever, resveratrol could inhibit the expression of MMP-9. Conclusion LBP can enhance the expression of SIRT1 and decrease the expression of MMP-9 and HIF-1α in hypoxic PVSMCs.

Ion channels are involved in the mechanism of anesthetic action and side effect.The transcription and expression of ion channel genes can be modulated by general anesthetics.The adverse effect of continuous infusion of etomidate has been concerned.However,the effects of etomidate on mRNA expressions of ion channel genes remain unclear.In this study,we exposed Daphnia pulexin 250μmol/L of etomidate for 240 min and observed the change of heart rate,phototactic behavior and blood glucose during the period of exposure,as well as the mRNA expressions of 120 ion channel genes at the end of the experiment.Compared to the controls,heart rate,phototactic behavior and blood glucose were not influenced by 250μmol/L of etomidate.According to the quantitative PCR results,18 of 120Daphnia pulexion channel genes transcripts were affected by persistent 240 min exposure to 250μmol/L of etomidate:2genes were upregulated and 16 genes were down-regulated,suggesting that etomidate showed effects on many different ion channels in transcription level.Systematical exploration of transcriptional changes of ion channels could contribute to understanding of the pharmacological mechanism of etomidate.

To observe the effects of Xinfeng capsule (XFC) treatment on the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3 in the synovium tissues of the adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA) rats and explore the possible mechanisms.

To investigate the effect of sunitinib on the expressions of co-stimulatory molecule ligands, programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), PD-L2, CD80, CD86, B7-H4 and herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) on peripheral blood monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) from patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

To validate the antiviral effect of oxymatrine against hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the construction of the cell culture-based infectious virus system HCVcc.

To explore the influence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the activation of astrocytes and the expression of the inwardly rectifying K(+) channel Kir4.1.

To explore the effect of grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSPs) on the invasion and migration of A549 lung cancer cells and the underlying mechanism.

To investigate the role of transmembrane prostate androgen-induced protein 1 (PMEPA1), an important gene downstream of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling, in the process of breast cancer cell migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

To investigate the effect and mechanism of metformin on endometrial carcinoma subline of progestin-resistance and find whether metformin could regulate progestin-resistance in endometrial carcinoma.

To investigate the effects of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene expression up-regulating on cisplatin resistance in epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines.

To study the effects of berberine on the gene mRNA expressions of BMP4 transcriptional pathways and brown/white adipose tissue conversion transcriptional pathways in visceral white adipose tissues(VWAT) in type 2 diabetic hamsters and explore the relevant mechanisms. The obese insulin-resistant hamster model were induced by using high-fat diet, and then the type 2 diabetic hamster model was created through injection with low-dose streptozotocin in the obese insulin-resistant hamster model. After the modeling, the hamsters were randomly divided into normal control, obese insulin-resistant, type 2 diabetic and berberine-treated diabetic groups. After the nine-week treatment, real-time quantitative PCR was used to measure the changes in gene mRNA expressions of VWAT BMP4 transcriptional pathways, brown/white adipose tissue conversion transcriptional pathways and their target genes in different groups. The results showed that the gene mRNA expressions of BMP4, BMPRⅡ, BMPRlA, Smad1, Smad5, Smad8, p38/MAPK, ATF2, PRDM16, C/EBPβ, PGC1α, PPARγ and brown adipose tissue-specific genes was decreased and that of Smad6, Smurf1 and white adipose tissue-specific genes was increased in VWAT of model hamsters. Treatment with berberine regulated BMP4 transcriptional pathways and brown adipose tissue transcriptional pathways and induced the gene mRNA expression of brown adipose tissue-specific genes in VWAT to develop browning gene phenotype of white adipose tissues, and then improved fat-induced insulin resistance. These findings indicated that BMP4 transcriptional pathways involved in the formation of fat-induced visceral white adipose tissues insulin resistance (FIVWATIR) and the browning molecular mechanism of white adipose tissues induced by berberine.

Action mechanism and material base of compound Danshen dripping pills in treatment of carotid atherosclerosis were discussed based on gene expression profile and molecular fingerprint in this paper. First, gene expression profiles of atherosclerotic carotid artery tissues and histologically normal tissues in human body were collected, and were screened using significance analysis of microarray (SAM) to screen out differential gene expressions; then differential genes were analyzed by Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and KEGG pathway analysis; to avoid some genes with non-outstanding differential expression but biologically importance, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were performed, and 7 chemical ingredients with higher negative enrichment score were obtained by Cmap method, implying that they could reversely regulate the gene expression profiles of pathological tissues; and last, based on the hypotheses that similar structures have similar activities, 336 ingredients of compound Danshen dripping pills were compared with 7 drug molecules in 2D molecular fingerprints method. The results showed that 147 differential genes including 60 up-regulated genes and 87 down regulated genes were screened out by SAM. And in GO analysis, Biological Process ( BP) is mainly concerned with biological adhesion, response to wounding and inflammatory response; Cellular Component (CC) is mainly concerned with extracellular region, extracellular space and plasma membrane; while Molecular Function (MF) is mainly concerned with antigen binding, metalloendopeptidase activity and peptide binding. KEGG pathway analysis is mainly concerned with JAK-STAT, RIG-I like receptor and PPAR signaling pathway. There were 10 compounds, such as hexadecane, with Tanimoto coefficients greater than 0.85, which implied that they may be the active ingredients (AIs) of compound Danshen dripping pills in treatment of carotid atherosclerosis (CAs). The present method can be applied to the research on material base and molecular action mechanism of TCM.

To study the effect of sodium aescinate in inducing human breast cancer MCF-7 cells apoptosis and its possible mechanism. MTT assay was used to detect the inhibitory effect of sodium aescinate on the proliferation of MCF-7 cells. The morphological changes were observed under inverted microscope. DAPI nuclear staining was used to detect the changes in cell nucleus. Annexin V-FITC/PI flow cytometry was adopted to test the apoptosis rate. Changes in apoptosis-related proteins (PARP, cleaved caspase-8 and pro-caspase-3), cell survival-associated signal molecules (AKT and ERK) and their common upstream kinase SRC was detected by Western blotting. The result showed that after different concentrations of sodium aescinate were used to treat breast cancer MCF-7 cells, they inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells in a dose-dependent manner, induced cell apoptosis (typical morphological changes in nucleus, significant increase in cell apoptosis rate). The expressions of cleaved PARP and caspase-8 increased, while the expression of pro-caspase-3 decreased, which further verified sodium aescinate's effect in inducing cell apoptosis. Sodium aescinate significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of cell survival-related signal molecules (AKT, ERK) and down-regulate the activation of their common up-stream kinase SRC. The findings indicated that sodium aescinate can block signals transiting to downstream molecules AKT, ERK, inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cell MCF-7 cell apoptosis and induced cell apoptosis by suppressing the activation of SRC.

To investigate the effect of Tripterygium wilfordii polycoride (TWP) on LPS-induced macrophage inflammatory response, particularly the inhibitory effect on inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-1β and the regulatory effect on inflammation via TLR4/NF-κB. The MTT method was adopted to test the effects of tested drugs, TWP, dexamethasone (DXM) and azathioprine (AZA) on cell growth to define the appropriate concentration. LPS was used to induce the inflammatory reaction in mouse RAW264. 7 cell lines. The Elisa kit was adopted to test the release level of TNF-α and IL-1β. The Western blotting was applied to test the protein expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β. The RT-PCR was adopted to test the expressions of TLR4 and NF-κB. According to the results, TWP could inhibit the release of macrophage inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-1β in a dose dependent manner. All of TWP groups showed a weaker efficacy than that of the DXM group. But the TWP high dose group revealed a better effect on TNF-α and equal effect on IL-1β compared with the AZA group. TWP show an equal or better effect in down-regulating TLR4 and NF-κB p65 expressions in a dose dependent manner than DXM and AZA. In conclusion, TWP could inhibit TLR4 and NF-κB p65, which may be related to the down-regulation of TLR4 and NF-κB p65 receptor expressions.

To explore the effect of cryptotanshinone (CTS) on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in U2OS osteosarcoma cells, with a focus on angiogenesis.

Recent research shows thioridazine which is a kind of phenothiazine antipsychotic drugs can inhibit the proliferation of various tumor cells in vitro, but the role of thioridazine on lung cancer has not been reported. So we choose PC9 cell lines as the research object, the aim is to oberve the killing effect of thioridazine on PC9 cells and investigate its possible mechanism.

To investigate the effects of butyl alcohol extract of baitouweng decoction (BAEB) on the fungal cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), filamentation and biofilm formation of Candida tropicalis.