• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.565-571
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• 2016

Paeoniflorin (PAE) is the most abundant compound in Xuebijing injection widely used to treat sepsis. We aimed to investigate effect of PAE on expression of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) in a rat model of sepsis. Wistar rats were divided into Normal, Model, and PAE groups (n=20 each). Endotoxin was administrated at 5 mg/ml/kg in Model and PAE rats to establish rat sepsis model. 1 h after endotoxin administration, PAE was administrated at 4 ml/kg in PAE group once per day for 3 days. Routine blood tests and biochemical indexes were assessed, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB). The plasma sTREM-1 level was measured using quantitative ELISA. At the end of experiment, the small intestine, liver, kidney and lung were subjected to pathological examinations. A rat model of sepsis-induced multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) was established successfully with endotoxin administration (5 mg/ml/kg), evidenced by histo-pathological examinations, routine blood tests and biochemical indexes: platelet count decreased and white blood cell count increased (p<0.05), CK-MB and AST increased (p<0.05). PAE treatment significantly reduced the plasma levels of AST, CK-MB, and sTREM-1, compared to Model group (p<0.05). Meanwhile, sepsis-induced damages in the liver, lung, stomach and intestinal mucosa were also markedly ameliorated by PAE treatment. PAE demonstrated a significantly protective effect in a rat model of sepsis by decreasing plasma sTREM-1 level, reducing inflammation, preventing MODS and protecting organ functions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.16
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• pp.6559-6564
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• 2014

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab in the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Methods: In a single-center, observational study of 91 Chinese patients with mCRC who received bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy was conducted. Objective response rates (ORRs), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and adverse events were recorded, and the relationships between various clinical factors and PFS or OS were evaluated by Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Treatment with bevacizumab and chemotherapy was effective and tolerable. Univariate analysis showed that PFS and OS were significantly associated with the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG-PS) score, duration of bevacizumab exposure, and whether chemotherapy was continued after discontinuation of bevacizumab treatment. A multivariate analysis showed that the duration of bevacizumab exposure and whether chemotherapy was continued after discontinuation of bevacizumab were independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS. Conclusion: In Chinese mCRC population, the shorter the duration of exposure to bevacizumab and chemotherapy, the worse the prognosis is.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.43-47
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• 2014

Patients with neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) are predisposed to develop central nervous system tumors, due to the loss of neurofibromin, an inactivator of proto-oncogene Ras. However, to our knowledge, only three cases of ependymomas with NF1 have been reported in the literature. The authors present a case of NF1 patient with a spinal cord ependymoma. She was referred for about half a year history of increasing numbness that progressed from her fingers to her entire body above the bellybutton. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a relative-demarcated, heterogeneously enhanced mass lesion accompanied by perifocal edema in C5-7 level, a left-sided T11 spinous process heterogeneously enhanced mass in soft tissue, intervertebral disk hernia in L2-5 level, and widespread punctum enhancing lesion in her scalp and in T11-L5 level. The patient underwent C5-7 laminectomies and total excision of the tumor under operative microscope, and intraoperative ultrasonography and physiological monitoring were used during the surgery. Histopathologically, her tumor was found to be a ependymoma without malignant features (grade II in the World Health Organization classification). Therefore, no adjuvant therapy was applied. Following the operation, the patient showed an uneventful clinical recovery with no evidence of tumor recurrence after one year of follow-up.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1057-1063
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• 2011

Herein, a novel ginsenosidase, named ginsenosidase type IV, hydrolyzing 6-O-multi-glycosides of protopanaxatriol-type ginsenosides (PPT), such as Re, R1, Rf, and Rg2, was isolated from the Aspergillus sp. 39g strain, purified, and characterized. Ginsenosidase type IV was able to hydrolyze the 6-O-${\alpha}$-L-($1{\rightarrow}2$)-rhamnoside of Re and the 6-O-${\beta}$-D-($1{\rightarrow}2$)-xyloside of R1 into ginsenoside Rg1. Subsequently, it could hydrolyze the 6-O-${\beta}$-D-glucoside of Rg1 into F1. Similarly, it was able to hydrolyze the 6-O-$_{\alpha}$-L-($1{\rightarrow}2$)-rhamnoside of Rg2 and the 6-O-${\beta}$-D-($1{\rightarrow}2$)-glucoside of Rf into Rh1, and then further hydrolyze Rh1 into its aglycone. However, ginsenosidase type IV could not hydrolyze the 3-O- or 20-O-glycosides of protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides (PPD), such as Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rc, and Rd. These exhibited properties are significantly different from those of glycosidases described in Enzyme Nomenclature by the NC-IUBMB. The optimal temperature and pH for ginsenosidase type IV were $40^{\circ}C$ and 6.0, respectively. The activity of ginsenosidase type IV was slightly improved by the $Mg^{2+}$ ion, and inhibited by $Cu^{2+}$ and $Fe^{2+}$ ions. The molecular mass of the enzyme, based on SDS-PAGE, was noted as being approximately 56 kDa.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.4129-4133
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• 2014

Background: The objective was to study the effect of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi ethanol extracts (SBGE) on immune and anti-oxidant function in U14 tumor-bearing mice. Materials and Methods: U14 tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into eight groups: a control group, a cyclophosphamide (CTX) group, three dose groups of SBGEI (high, medium, low), and three dose groups of SBGEII (high, medium, low). After two weeks, the thymus and spleen weight indices of mice bearing U14 cervical cancer were calculated. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) was used to determine the levels of serum IL-2, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-8, and PCNA. MDA activity and SOD activity in plasma were measured with detection kits. Results: In the SBGE groups, thymus weight and spleen weight indices of U14 tumor-bearing mice were significantly higher than in the control group or CTX group (p<0.05). Compared to control group, the levels of serum IL-2 and TNF-${\alpha}$ in U14 tumor-bearing mice increased significantly, whereas the contents of serum IL-8 and PCNA decreased (p<0.05). The activity of SOD increased with the growing dose of SBGE, while the activity of MDA decreased significantly in the highe-rdose groups of SBGE. Conclusions: These findings suggested that SBGE, especially at high dose, 1000 mg/kg, showed significant immune and anti-oxidant effects infU14 tumor-bearing mice, which might be the mechanisms of SBGE inhibition of tumor growth.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.28-33
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• 2005

Seven diterpenes, four polyacetylenes, a lipid glycerol, and two sterols were isolated from the methylene chloride fraction of the root of Aralia cordata. Their chemical structures were determined as (-)-pimara-8(14), 15-dien-19-oic acid (2), pimaric acid (3), (-)-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (4), 17-hydroxy-ent-kaur-15-en-19-oic acid (9), $7{\alpha}$-hydroxy-(-)-pimara-8(14), 15-dien-19-oic acid (10), $16\alpha$, 17 -dihydroxy-(-)-kauran-19-oic acid (11), 16-hydroxy-17-isovaleroyloxy-ent-kauran-19­oic acid (12), falcarindiol (5), dehydrofalcarindiol (6), dehydrofalcarindiol-8-acetate (7), falcarin­diol-8-acetate (8), alpha-mono palmitin (13), stigmasterol (1), and daucosterol (14) by the spectral evidences. These compounds were tested with COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition assays. This study found that compounds 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 inhibited COX-1 dependent conversion of the exogenous arachidonic acid to $PGE_2$ in a dose-dependent manner with $IC_{50}$ values of $134.2{\mu}M$, $121.6{\mu}M$, $170{\mu}M$, $50.4{\mu}M$, $11.7{\mu}M$, $99.6{\mu}M$, and $69.6{\mu}M$, respectively. But, most of these compounds weakly inhibited COX-2 dependent $PGE_2$ generation. Among them, only compound 4 showed relatively significant inhibitory activity $(IC_{50}\;:\;127.6{\mu}M)$.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.3795-3802
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• 2012

Cochinchina momordica seeds (CMS) have been widely used due to antitumor activity by Mongolian tribes of China. However, the details of the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In the present study, we found that an EtOAc (ethyl ester) extract of CMS (CMSEE) induced differentiation and caused growth inhibition of melanoma B16 F1 cells. CMSEE at the concentration of $5-200{\mu}g/ml$ exhibited strongest anti-proliferative effects on B16 F1 cells among other CMS fractions (water or petroleum ether). Moreover, CMSEE induced melanoma B16 F1 cell differentiation, characterized by dendrite-like outgrowth, increasing melanogenesis production, as well as enhancing tyrosinase activity. Western blot analysis showed that sustained phosphorylation of p38 MAP accompanied by decrease in ERK1/2 and JNK dephosphorylation were involved in CMSEE-induced B16 F1 cell differentiation. Notably, 6 compounds that were isolated and identified may be responsible for inducing differentiation of CMSEE. These results indicated that CMSEE contributes to the differentiation of B16 F1 cells through modulating MAPKs activity, which may throw some light on the development of potentially therapeutic strategies for melanoma treatment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.605-610
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• 2014

Chronic liver diseases, including cancer, are characterized by inflammation and elevated serum ferritin (SF). However, the causal-relationship remains unclear. This study used primary rat hepatic stellate cells (HSC) as a model to investigate effects of physiological SF concentrations (10, 100 and 1000 pM) because HSCs play a central role in the development and progression of liver fibrosis. Physiological concentrations of SF, either horse SF or human serum, induced pro-inflammatory cytokine $IL1{\beta}$, IL6 and $TNF{\alpha}$ secretion in rat activated HSCs (all p<0.05). By contrast, treatment did not alter activation marker ${\alpha}SMA$ expression. The presence of SF markedly enhanced expression of Grp78 mRNA (p<0.01). Furthermore, transient knock down of Grp78 by endotoxin EGF-SubA abolished SF-induced $IL1{\beta}$ and $TNF{\alpha}$ secretion in activated HSCs (all p<0.05). In conclusion, our results showed that at physiological concentrations SF functions as a pro-inflammatory mediator in primary rat HSCs. We also provide a molecular basis for the action of SF and identified Grp78-associated ER stress pathways as a novel potential therapeutic target for resolution of fibrosis and possible prevention of liver cancer.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.289-295
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• 2013

Different functions have been attributed to $CD4^+CD25^+Foxp3^+$ regulatory T-cells (Tregs) during malaria infection. Herein, we describe the disparity in Treg response and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines during infection with Plasmodium berghei ANKA between young (3-week-old) and middle-aged (8-month-old) C57BL/6 mice. Young mice were susceptible to cerebral malaria (CM), while the middle-aged mice were resistant to CM and succumbed to hyperparasitemia and severe anemia. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-${\alpha}$, in young CM-susceptible mice were markedly higher than in middle-aged CM-resistant mice. An increased absolute number of Tregs 3-5 days post-inoculation, co-occurring with elevated IL-10 levels, was observed in middle-aged CM-resistant mice but not in young CM-susceptible mice. Our findings suggest that Treg proliferation might be associated with the suppression of excessive pro-inflammatory Th1 response during early malaria infection, leading to resistance to CM in the middle-aged mice, possibly in an IL-10-dependent manner.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 1997

The infection status of anisakid larvae was examined in 290 marine fish of 25 species and in 108 cephalopods of 3 species purchased in Bayuquan region, Yingko city nearby the coast of the Bohai Sea from may to August 1992. A total of 7,327 laivae were collected from 156 fish of 19 species and 8 squids of one species. The 3rd-stage larvae of Anisokis simplex were collected from 121 fish (63..4%) of 15 species (N : 191) and from 8 squids (14.8%) of one species (N : %4), and they were total, 5,992 (81.8%). Out of remaining 1,335 larvae, 154 (2.1%) were classified as Rvnnqscnris type B from 23 fish of 4 species, 1,013 (13.8%) as avnnosccris type C from 79 fish of 13 species, 164 (2.2%) as Hvsterothylacium China type V from 20 fish of 4 species, 3 (0.04%) as Raphinoscnris from 3 fish of 2 species and one was Pseunotewonovc necipiens larva. Key words: Bohai Sea, Anisokinae, larvae , Anisckis, HvsterothWLacium, Thwnnascaris, Raphinqscaris , Pseudoterranova.