Effect of diclofenac sodium and dexamethasone on cultured human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of diclofenac sodium and dexamethasone on cultured human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two experiments were conducted. In the first experiment, fibroblasts were treated with either diclofenac sodium or dexamethasone at different concentrations, and the cell growth was quantified by using Coulter counter and hexosaminidase methods at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after adding the drugs. In the second experiment, the cells were treated with each drug for 24 hours and then the cultures were switched to a drug-free medium. The cell growth was quantified at day 7 after removing the drugs from the medium.

RESULTS

In the first experiment, inhibition of fibroblast growth in a dose-dependent manner was observed from days 1 to 7 in the cultures treated with each drug. The inhibitory was more pronounced in the diclofenac treated cultures. The typical spindle-shaped fibroblasts treated with higher concentrations of the drugs became spherical cells. In the second experiment, inhibition was not observed when the cultures were switched to a drug-free medium. The spherical cells recovered to spindle-shaped cells and proliferated as normal cells.

CONCLUSION

Our results have shown that diclofenac sodium and dexamethasone can significantly inhibit human Tenon's capsule fibroblast growth in a cell culture model. The inhibitory effect was not observed when the cultures were switched after 24 hours to a drug-free culture medium.

In vivo gene therapy with interleukin-12 inhibits primary vascular tumor growth and induces apoptosis in a mouse model

Interleukin-12 is proposed to have anti-neoplastic activity on the basis of both its anti-angiogenic and immunologic effects. Gene gun therapy with interleukin-12 cDNA into the peritumoral area of immunocompetent 129/J mice with life-threatening primary vascular tumors reduced tumor volume 7.5-fold and almost tripled the duration of mouse survival, in contrast with luciferase-bombarded control mice. Epidermal expression of mouse interleukin-12 elevated tumoral and serum levels of interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, increased the tumoral populations of T lymphocyte and natural killer cells, and induced tumor apoptosis. Gene transfer of interleukin-12 had little effect on tumor volumes and survival of tumor-bearing athymic nude mice, emphasizing the requirement for T cell directed cellular immunity. Peritumoral gene gun introduction of interleukin-12 may be a novel, cost-effective approach to limit the growth and associated mortality of life-threatening tumors.

Four new triterpenoidal saponins acylated with one monoterpenic acid from Gleditsia sinensis

Four new oleanane-type triterpenoidal glycosides, named gleditsiosides A-D (1-4), were isolated from the anomalous fruits of Gleditsia sinensis. Using modern NMR techniques, including DQF-COSY, HETCOR, HOHAHA, HMBC, and ROESY experiments and MS analysis as well as chemical methods, their structures were determined as 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->6)- bet a-D-glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->3)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->4)-alpha- L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[(6S,2E)-6-hydroxy-2,6-dimethyl-2, 7-octadienoyl-(1-->6)]-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (1); 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->6)- bet a-D-glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->3)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->4)-alpha- L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[(2E)-2-hydroxylmethyl-6-hydroxy-6-methy l-2 ,7-octadienoyl-(1-->6)]-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (2); 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->6)- bet a-D-glucopyranosyl echinocystic acid 28-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->3)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->4)-[beta- D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[(2E)-2-h ydroxylmethyl-6-hydroxy-6-methyl-2, 7-octadienoyl-(1-->6)]-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (3); and 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->6)- bet a-D-glucopyranosyl echinocystic acid 28-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->3)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->4)-[beta- D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[(6S, 2E)-6-hydroxy-2,6-dimethyl-2, 7-octadienoyl-(1-->6)]-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (4).

[Determination of lignan glycosides in the roots of Gaultheria yunnanensis Rehd. by HPLC]

OBJECTIVE

To determine the contents of four lignan glycosides in the root of Gaultheria yunnanensis, namely, D1: gaultheroside A, D2:(-)-8'-methoxyisolariciresinol-2a-O-beta-D-xylopyranoside, D3:(-)-isolariciresinol-2a-O-beta-D-xylopyranside, D4:(+)-lyoniresinol-2a-O-beta-D-glucoxylopyranoside.

METHOD

Rp-HPLC was used to separate and analyze the lignan glycosides in the root of the title plant.

RESULT

The method for sample preparation was set up; the gradient program for the mobile phase was established; and the retention times of four lignan glycosides were determined.

CONCLUSION

The method has been proved to be accurate, reproducible and of higher recovery rate.

Triterpenoidal saponins acylated with two monoterpenic acids from Gleditsia sinensis

The isolation and characterization of three new oleanane-type triterpenoidal saponins, called gleditsiosides E-G, along with two known ones, from the anomalous fruits of Gleditsia sinensis LAM. are described. Their structural details were unambiguously determined by using a combination of modern NMR techniques, including distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer (DEPT), double-quantum filtered 1H-1H correlated spectroscopy (DQF-COSY), homonuclear hartmann-hahn (HOHAHA), 1H-13C heteronuclear correlation (HET-COR), heteronuclear multiple-bond connectivity (HMBC) and rotating-frame overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (ROESY) experiments as well as some chemical methods. The five bisdesmosidic triterpenoidal saponins consisting of the same sugar sequence were all acylated with two different or identical monoterpenic acids to the C-2 and C-3 positions of rhamnose moiety.

Two diterpenoids from the roots of gaultheria yunnanensis

Two new diterpenoids, gaultheric acid (1) and gaultheronoterpene (2), were isolated from the roots ofGaultheria yunnanensis. Their structures were elucidated as 12-hydroxy-13-acetyl-8,11, 13-podocarpatrien-18-oic acid (1) and 3beta, 12-dihydroxy-13-acetyl-4(18),8,11,13-podocarpatetraene (2) on the basis of spectral analysis.

Superior autologous blood stem cell mobilization from dose-intensive cyclophosphamide, etoposide, cisplatin plus G-CSF than from less intensive chemotherapy regimens

The study purpose was to determine if G-CSF plus dose-intensive cyclophosphamide 5.25 g/m2, etoposide 1.05 g/m2 and cisplatin 105 mg/m2 (DICEP) results in superior autologous blood stem cell mobilization (BSCM) than less intensive chemotherapy. From January 1993 until May 1997, 152 consecutive patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 55), breast cancer (n = 47), Hodgkin's disease (n = 14), multiple myeloma (n = 9), AML (n = 9), or other cancers (n = 18) initially underwent BSCM by one of three methods: Group 1: G-CSF alone x 4 days (n = 30). Group 2: disease-oriented chemotherapy, dosed to avoid blood transfusions, followed by G-CSF starting day 7 or 8, and apheresis day 13 or 14 (n = 82). Group 3: DICEP days 1-3, G-CSF starting day 14, and apheresis planned day 19, 20 or 21 (n = 40). A multivariate analysis was performed to determine which factors independently predicted BSCM. The median peripheral blood CD34+ (PB CD34+) cell count the morning of apheresis linearly correlated with the number of CD34+ cells removed per litre of apheresis that day. The median PB CD34+ cell count and median CD34+ cells x 10(6) removed per litre of apheresis were highest for Group 3, intermediate for Group 2, and lowest for Group 1. By multivariate analysis, mobilization group (3 > 2 > 1), disease other than AML, no prior melphalan or mitomycin-C, and less than two prior chemotherapy regimens predicted better BSCM. Out of 15 Group 3 patients who had infiltrated marrows, 11 had no detectable cancer in marrow and apheresis products after DICEP. These data suggest that DICEP results in superior BSCM than less intensive chemotherapy regimens.

[Determination of trace selenium and tellurium in steel by hydride-generation nondispersive atomic fluorescence spectrometry]

A method was developed for the determination of trace Se and Te in steel by ion-exchange-separation hydride-generation nondispersive atomic fluorescence spectrometry. 40% (V/V) chlorhydric acid was selected as the best medium for hydride reaction. The detection limits of Se and Te are 0.27 and 0.33 ng/mL, relative standard deviations are 6.99 and 6.11%, respectively. The recovery was in the range of 96.7-102.0%. The results are satisfactory.

VPg, coat protein and five non-structural proteins of potato A potyvirus bind RNA in a sequence-unspecific manner

The potato A potyvirus (PVA)-encoded proteins P1, HC-Pro, P3, CI, VPg, NIaPro, NIb and coat protein (CP) were expressed as 6 x His-tagged recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. RNA binding was tested using purified proteins in Northwestern and liquid assays. PVA proteins except P3 bound to positive- and negative-sense transcripts prepared from the nontranslated 5'- and 3'-regions of PVA genomic RNA and to full-length transcripts of PVA RNA. RNA binding by these proteins showed no sequence specificity since they also bound to various non-PVA control RNAs. Binding properties of P1, HC-Pro, CI and NIaPro are consistent with previous studies carried out on a few other potyviruses, but the binding of VPg, NIb and CP to RNA reveal novel interactions between RNA and potyvirus proteins. Furthermore, the RNA-binding properties of all major proteins of a potyvirus have not been reported previously.

[Anthraquinone production and analysis in the hairy root cultures of Rheum palmatum L]

Hairy root culture of the medicinal plant Rheum palmatum L. was established by genetic transformation with Agrobacterium rhizogenes. The effects of various media with different pH on growth of the hairy roots and biosynthesis of free anthraquinones were investigated. The experimental results showed that MS agar medium with pH 5.5-5.8 is suitable for growth of the hairy roots. Dark condition is favourable and 62.5-fold increase in fresh weight was reached within a culture period of 25 days. Auxin (0.1 mg.L-1 IAA) activated the hairy root growth but inhibited the biosynthesis of free anthraquinones. About 28% of the total free anthraquinones was released into the liquid medium from the rhubarb hairy roots.

Low-level prenatal lead exposure and neurobehavioral development of children in the first year of life: a prospective study in Shanghai

We used a prospective study design to assess the effects of prenatal low-level lead exposure on the development of urban, inner-city children in Shanghai. Umbilical cord blood samples wee consecutively collected from 605 live newborns. Two hundred and fifty-seven samples were excluded from the study due to clotting. Lead levels were determined on 348 cord blood samples. The geometric mean was 9.2 micrograms/dl. Based on their cord blood lead levels, infants were classified into two exposure groups: 104 in a relatively low lead group (lead levels < or = 30 percentile), and 104 in a relatively high lead group (lead levels > or = 70 percentile). Seventy-five subjects failed to complete the study, and 133 babies were included in the final cohort: 69 babies in the high lead group and 64 in the low lead group. At 3, 6, and 12 months, the Bayley Scales of Infant Development were administered and capillary blood lead levels were measured. Detailed information was obtained on a wide range of variables relevant to infant development. At all three ages, the Mental Development index (MDI) scores, adjusted for confounders, were inversely related to the infants' cord blood lead levels. The difference of the mean adjusted MDI scores between low and high lead groups was 3.4 at 3 months, 6.3 at 6 months, and 5.2 at 12 months of age. These differences were statistically significant at all time points. No significant association between cord blood lead levels and the Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) scores was detected at all three visits after adjustment for confounders. Postnatal lead levels were unrelated to concurrent developmental status. We conclude that prenatal low-level lead exposure, which is relatively common in Shanghai, is associated with an adverse developmental impact on children through the first year of life.

[Chemical constituents of Conyza blinii Lévl]

OBJECTIVE

To study the chemical constituents in the air-dried part of Conyza blinii.

METHOD

The constituent isolation was done by solvent-extraction together with column chromatography. Several methods, such as IR, 1HNMR, 13CNMR and MS, were used to determine the structures of the isolated constituents.

RESULT

Three compounds were isolated from the air-dried part of Conyza blinii and identified as friedelinol, n-triacontanol and daucosterol on the basis of physical and chemical properties and spectroscopic analysis.

CONCLUSION

These compounds have not been discovered previously in this plant.

[Chemical constituents of Rheum wittrochii Lundstr(II)]

OBJECTIVE

To study the chemical constituents in the root of Rheum wittrochii.

METHOD

Chromatography and spectroscopic analysis to isolate and elucidate the chemical constituents in the plant.

RESULT

Six compounds, namely 3, 5-dihydroxy-4'-methoxystilbene; 3, 5, 4'-tridroxystilbene; piceatannol; desoxyrhaponticin; piceatannol-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside; 2, 5-dimethyl-7-hydroxychromone, have been isolated from ethyl ether and ethyl acetate fractions.

CONCLUSION

These compounds were isolated from the title plant for the first time.

[Chemical constituents of Rheum wittrochii Lundstr(I)]

OBJECTIVE

To study the chemical constituents in the root of Rheum wittrochii.

METHOD

Chromatography and spectroscopic analysis were used to isolate and elucidate the chemical constituents in the plant.

RESULT

Six compounds, namely chrysophanol, physcion, emodin, chrysophanol-8-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, physcion-8-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and beta-sitosterol, have been isolated from petroleum ether and ethyl acetate fractions.

CONCLUSION

All the above-cited compounds were isolated from the title plant for the first time, and anthraquinone compounds are some of the major constituents of R. wittrochii.

Is there any relation between ischemic cerebrovascular disease and extracranial internal carotid stenosis?

OBJECTIVES

To confirm the existence of plaque or stenosis in the extracranial carotid arteries of patients with transient ischemia attack (TIA) or stroke, and to analyze the prevalence of extracranial carotid atherosclerotic stenosis, as well as the relation between the hemispheric symptoms and the degree of stenosis.

METHODS

From January 1995 to March 1996, 188 patients underwent routine carotid artery duplex scan at Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai. Of the 188 patients, 134 had TIA or stroke in the carotid territory during the previous 12 months, 54 were with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). All patients were divided into three groups, that is, stroke/TIA group (Group 1, n = 128), PAOD group (Group 2, n = 36), and stroke/TIA + PAOD group (Group 3, n = 24). The classification of degree of stenosis in our study was as same as that applied by North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET) and European Carotid Surgery Trial (ECST).

RESULTS

A total of 376 internal carotid arteries were examined by duplex scanning in this study. The prevalence of severe stenosis in the three groups was 12.5%, 8.3% and 37.5% separately. The severity of stenosis had a close relation with patients' symptoms (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with stroke or TIA have atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid arteries. The prevalence of extracranial carotid stenosis is comparable to that reported in the literature. PAOD may be helpful to identify patients at high risk for severe carotid stenosis. Carotid duplex scanning should be performed as a routine examination for patients with stroke, TIA, and PAOD.

[Identification of Radix and Rhizoma Rhei by UV and TLC]

This paper deals with the identification of radix and rhizoma of 24 species (varieties) of Genus Rheum by UV and TLC. This results provide authentic methods for the identification of Radix and Rhizoma Rhei.

[Chemical constituents of Conyza blinii Lévl]

Five compounds were isolated from the aerial part of Conyza blinii. On the basis of physicochemical properties and spectroscopic analysis, they were identified as alpha-spinasterol, 5, 8-dihydroxy-7, 3', 4'-trimethoxyflavone, caffeic acid, quercetin and syringic acid. All these compounds were isolated from the plant of C. blinii for the first time.

Induction of immune tolerance in adult rabbits undergoing heterotopic cardiac transplantation

OBJECTIVE

To induce experimental immune tolerance in rabbits and observe its effects on heterotopic cardiac transplantation.

METHODS

Donor's splenic lymphocytes pretreated with platinum metal chelator were injected into the recipient's mesenteric-portal vein. Cyclosporin A was perfused through the donor's heart.

RESULTS

The injection of donor's splenic lymphocytes before transplantation could significantly prolong the survival time of the heterotopically transplanted heart. The effect of two injections was better than that of one. Radioactive tracer studies showed that the 99mTc-HMPAO tagged lymphocytes injected into the recipient rabbit were later concentrated in the liver, though initially they were distributed in multiple organs. The induced immune tolerance was antigen-specific, and it neither affect the other immune functions of the lymphatic system prominently nor exert any harmful effect on the recipient's liver and renal functions. The perfusion of cyclosporin A through the donor heart could block the glycosyl groups, such as D-glucose, D-mannose or N-acetyl-galactosamine on the surface of the myocardial cells, thus might change the antigenic expression, effectively preventing rejection of the graft by the host, and might be considered as a new method to block graft rejection in cardiac transplantation. The combined use of the above-mentioned two methods acted on both the host and the donor, thus reducing the exposed antigens on the donor organ as well as the immune reaction against the donor antigens, and resulting in synergistic effect in inducing immune tolerance in adult rabbits, and resulting in relatively long-term survival of transplanted hearts.

CONCLUSION

This report may provide the experimental basis for inducing immune tolerance in clinical transplantation.

Induction of Jak/STAT signaling by activation of the type 1 TNF receptor

Cellular responses to TNF are initiated by either of two cell surface receptors, the type 1 TNF receptor (TNFR1) and the type 2 TNF receptor (TNFR2). Although neither receptor contains an intrinsic protein tyrosine kinase, such activity has been implicated in TNF action. In this study, we show that murine TNF induces the tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of the intracellular Janus tyrosine kinases Jak1, Jak2, and Tyk2 in murine 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Activation of Jak kinases by TNF was associated with tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT1, STAT3, STAT5, and STAT6, but not STAT2 or STAT4, showing that TNF acts on a specific subset of these latent cytoplasmic transcription factors in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Agonist antiserum to TNFR1 induced Jak kinase and STAT protein phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of Jak proteins was also induced by human TNF, which selectively binds to TNFR1 on murine cells. 35S-labeled Jak kinases were precipitated from a cell-free system and from lysates of 3T3-L1 adipocytes by a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein containing the cytoplasmic domain of TNFR1. These results suggest that the cytoplasmic domain of TNFR1 can directly interact with and form signaling complexes with Jak kinases. Jak2 was precipitated from HeLa cells by antiserum to TNFR1, directly demonstrating their association in vivo. Thus, TNF activates a Jak/STAT signal-transduction cascade by acting through TNFR1.

[Effect of adrenomedullin on bronchoconstriction responses induced by histamine]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effect of synthetic human adrenomedullin (AM) on anesthetized guinea pigs bronchoconstriction induced by histamine.

METHOD

The guinea pigs were divided into saline group; isoproterenol groups at the dosages of 0.03 microgram/kg, 0.3 microgram/kg, 3 micrograms/kg and 30 micrograms/kg; adrenomedullin groups at the dosages of 0.02 microgram/kg, 0.2 microgram/kg, 2 micrograms/kg and 20 micrograms/kg. There were seven guinea pigs a group. Guinea pigs were anesthetized by sodium pentobarbital, normal saline group, isoproterenol and adrenomedullin at different dose i.v., while histamine (10(-4) mol/L) were vasolated and delivered into the airway. Body plethysmogroph was used to measure airway resistance and lung compliance.

RESULT

The increment of airway resistance and decrement of lung compliance induced by histamine were inhibited significantly by isoproterenol at the dosages of 0.3 microgram/kg, 3 micrograms/kg and 30 micrograms/kg (P < 0.05). The increase of airway resistance was inhibited significantly by adrenomedullin at the dosages of 2 micrograms/kg and 20 micrograms/kg (P < 0.05). The decrease of lung compliance induced by histamine was inhibited significantly by adrenomedullin at 0.2 microgram/kg, 2 micrograms/kg and 20 micrograms/kg (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Adrenomedullin inhibited the bronchoconstriction induced by histamine significantly.

Cloning of the Bacillus firmus OF4 cls gene and characterization of its gene product

The gene that codes for cardiolipin (CL) synthase and an adjacent gene that codes for a MecA homolog in the alkaliphilic bacteria Bacillus firmus OF4 have been cloned and sequenced (GenBank accession number U88888). The cls gene contains 1509 nucleotides, corresponding to a polypeptide of 57.9 kDa. The predicted amino acid sequence has 129 identities and 100 similarities with the Escherichia coli CL synthase. Homologies were also noted with polypeptide sequences from putative cls genes from Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas putida. Conserved histidine, tyrosine, and serine residues may be part of the active site and participate in phosphatidyl group transfer. The B. firmus OF4 cls gene product was inserted into plasmid pET3 to form a recombinant plasmid pDG2, which overproduces CL synthase in E. coli. A membrane fraction containing the overproduced enzyme converts phosphatidylglycerol to CL and glycerol. The B. firmus enzyme is stimulated by potassium phosphate, inhibited by CL and phosphatidate, and has a slightly higher pH optimum than the E. coli enzyme.

[Determination of salidroside in eight Rhodiola species by TLC-UV spectrometry]

Quantitative determination of the salidroside in eight Rhodiola species by TLC-UV spectrometry is reported. The salidroside was separated on a silica GF254 TLC plate using CHCl3-CH3OH-H2O(26:14:3) as developing solvent and determined at wavelength 223.8 nm. The results show that this method in simple and convenient.