[Advances in combination strategies with oncolytic virotherapy]

Compared with conventional treatments, oncolytic virotherapy has the advantages of enhanced cytotoxicity, improved targeting, and minimal side effects. However, its efficacy is not as good as expected for the single drug treatment. The purpose of synergistic effect is one of the development directions of existing oncolytic virus therapy. In this paper, through a systematic review of the current preclinical and clinical trials progress of oncolytic virus combination therapy, the combined treatment strategies of oncolytic virus and immune checkpoint inhibitors, chemotherapy, targeted therapy,and cell therapy are reviewed to provide reference for further clinical application.

Liver Transplant Recipient With Tumefactive Demyelinating Lesions: A Case Report and Literature Review

Tumefactive demyelinating lesions (TDLs) that may resemble brain neoplasms or abscesses are uncommon but noteworthy. A solid knowledge of how to distinguish TDLs from malignancy or infection is a key step to avoid unnecessary medical or surgical interventions. Almost all the intracranial demyelination diseases after liver transplantation (LT) refer to central pontine myelinolysis or extrapontine myelinolysis; TDLs after LT have never been reported. In 2005, a 45-year-old Chinese male underwent orthotopic LT due to "acute on chronic liver failure" in our hospital. He took triple anti-rejection drugs including tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and corticosteroids after LT. In 2010, he was admitted for right limb weakness, and the head magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed the lesions were more likely to be TDLs. His symptoms disappeared after he was administered corticosteroid therapy which proved the diagnosis. Five years later, he was admitted again to hospital with dizziness and double version. The magnetic resonance image and magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that the new solitary lesion in the cerebellum may in fact be the new TDL. He received corticosteroid therapy and was discharged after symptoms improved. Herein, to our knowledge, we reported the first case of TDL after LT. We reported this case to provide helpful information to clinicians about intracranial demyelination diseases after LT which maybe are not always central pontine myelinolysis or extrapontine myelinolysis.

[Effect of artemether on enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism of Schistosoma japonicum]

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of artemether on several enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism of Schistosoma japonicum.

METHODS

Mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum cercariae for 4-5 weeks were administered intragastrically with artemether 300 mg/kg and killed 24-72 h after medication. The supernatant fluids of female and male worm homogenates were prepared for determining 9 essential enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism by using horizontal starchgel electrophoresis.

RESULTS

The activities of 8 out of 9 enzymes (i.e. hexokinase, aldolase, glucosephophate isomerase, malate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and mannose-6-phosphate isomerase) in female worms from artemether-treated mice were obviously inhibited 24-72 h after treatment. In male worms, only aldolase, mannose-6-phosphate isomerase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase were slightly inhibited.

CONCLUSION

Artemether displayed apparent effects on the carbohydrate metabolism of female schistosomes.

[Effect of artemether on phosphoglucomutase, aldolase, phosphoglycerate mutase and enolase of Schistosoma japonicum harbored in mice]

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of artemether (Art) on phosphoglucomutase (GPM), aldolase (ALD), phosphoglycerate mutase (PGM) and enolase (ENO) of Schistosoma japonicum harbored in mice.

METHODS

Mice infected with S. japonicum cercariae for 4-5 wk were treated ig with Art 100 mg/kg or 300 mg/kg and killed 24 h or 48 h after treatment for collection of worms. The activities of GPM, ALD, PGM and ENO in female and male worms were measured by the formation of NADPH or consumption of NADH.

RESULTS

After the worms were exposed in vivo to Art 100 mg/kg for 24 h, the GPM, ALD, PGM and ENO activities in female worms were significantly decreased by 15%, 19%, 50% and 46%, respectively, while in male worms only the PGM and ENO activities were markedly decreased by 22% and 32%, respectively. Following exposure of the worms to Art 100 mg/kg for 48 h, the GPM and ALD activities in male worms were also significantly reduced by 21% and 18%, respectively, while the activities of GPM, ALD, PGM and ENO in female worms and those of PGM and ENO in male worms declined progressively with time. After the worms were exposed in vivo to Art 300 mg/kg for 24-48 h, all the activities of the above-mentioned enzymes in female and male worms declined significantly in a time-related pattern.

CONCLUSION

Art showed an apparently inhibitory effect on GPM, ALD, PGM and ENO in female schistosomes.