Synthesis of 5α,6-Dihydroveragranines A and B.

The 5α,6-dihydro congeners of veragranines A and B, two steroidal alkaloids with an unprecedented hexacyclic skeleton and potent analgesic effects, were synthesized from hecogenin acetate within six steps. This work enables quick access to the hexacyclic skeleton and is amendable to prepare other D-ring-modified congeners.

Protective Effects of Shenfu Injection against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury via Activation of eNOS in Rats.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of Shenfu injection (SFI) against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) in model rats and to explore its mechanism of action. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were pretreated with SFI and N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) via tail vein injection and then rats were subjected to ischemia by occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 120 min. Left ventricular function was evaluated by echocardiography.

[Effects of glycolytic pathway on generation of regulatory T cells during infection].

Objective: To assess the influence of glycolytic pathway on the proportion and numbers of regulatory T cells during infection.

Methods: A -infected mouse model was established, and C57/BL6 male mice infected with were subjected to intraperitoneal injections of with the glycolytic inhibitor 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) or PBS for 6 times, and then the cells from spleen or mesenteric lymph nodes (LNs) were isolated and analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM) to detect the percentage of Glut1CD4 T cells and Treg cells.

Results: The proportions of Glut1CD4 T cells in the spleen (43.

[ heat shock protein 60 enhances regulatory T cell immunosuppressive function by promoting the expressions of IL-10 and TGF-β].

Objective: To explore the possible mechanisms by which heat shock protein 60 (SjH-SP60) enhances CD4CD25 regulatory T cell (Treg) immunosuppressive function.

Methods: An method was used to investigate the effect of SjHSP60 on Treg immunosuppressive activity. Co-cultures in transwells and suppression assay were performed to investigate how SjHSP60 enhanced the immunosuppressive function of Tregs.

Identifying the optimal gene and gene set in hepatocellular carcinoma based on differential expression and differential co-expression algorithm.

The objective of this study was to identify the optimal gene and gene set for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) utilizing differential expression and differential co-expression (DEDC) algorithm. The DEDC algorithm consisted of four parts: calculating differential expression (DE) by absolute t-value in t-statistics; computing differential co-expression (DC) based on Z-test; determining optimal thresholds on the basis of Chi-squared (χ2) maximization and the corresponding gene was the optimal gene; and evaluating functional relevance of genes categorized into different partitions to determine the optimal gene set with highest mean minimum functional information (FI) gain (Δ*G). The optimal thresholds divided genes into four partitions, high DE and high DC (HDE-HDC), high DE and low DC (HDE-LDC), low DE and high DC (LDE‑HDC), and low DE and low DC (LDE-LDC).

[Sex bias in generation and functional phenotypes of peripheral T follicular helper cells in schistosomiasis japonica].

Objective: To study the influence of sex on the generation and function of T follicular helper (Tfh) cells in the process of infection.

Methods: Totally 50 schistosomiasis patients were selected in the endemic areas of Chizhou City, Anhui Province, and totally 50 healthy people were selected in the non-endemic areas of Chizhou City as the controls. The peripheral bloods were collected from the above study subjects, and the human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from male/female schistosomiasis japonica patients or healthy controls were collected into the sodium heparin tubes and purified by Ficoll-paque plus density gradient centrifugation.

C5a receptor enhances hepatocellular carcinoma cell invasiveness via activating ERK1/2-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

C5a and its receptor, C5a receptor (C5aR), play critical roles in tumor progression. However, mechanisms of C5a-C5aR axis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell invasiveness are not fully elucidated. In this study, we found that C5aR expression was highly expressed in HCC cell lines and tumor tissues, and associated with capsular invasion, tumor stage and some epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers.

IL-33 Promotes Gastric Cancer Cell Invasion and Migration Via ST2-ERK1/2 Pathway.

Background: As a pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-33 has been demonstrated to play an important role in tumor progression. It is reported that IL-33 is highly expressed in the serum and tumor tissues of patients with gastric cancer. However, the function of IL-33 in gastric cancer remains elusive.

Ischemia-induced nitrotyrosine formation and nuclear translocation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in human retinal pigment epithelium in vivo.

Reactive oxidative compounds including superoxide anions and nitric oxide are believed to play a central role in many blinding eye diseases. In the present study, we examine the effect of ischemia on human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells in an unusual clinical case. We show that ischemia leads to extensive nitrotyrosine deposition in the RPE and choroid, thus indicating NO-dependent oxidative stress.

A facile method for immunofluorescence microscopy of highly autofluorescent human retinal sections using nanoparticles with large Stokes shifts.

The human retina is rich in autofluorescent species, such as lipofuscin and melanin. Consequently, it is difficult to localize antigens in the human retina using immunofluorescence microscopy. To address this issue, we have developed a methodology to tag retinal antigens using quantum dot nanoparticles that absorb in the ultraviolet and emit in the infrared, thereby avoiding the visible spectrum.

[Evaluation of the pathogenicity of a field isolate of Marek's disease virus integrated with retroviral long terminal repeat sequence].

The pathogenicity of a field isolate of Marek's disease virus (MDV) named GXY2 integrated with retroviral long terminal repeat (LTR) sequence from a chicken with MD tumors was evaluated. Experimental chickens were divided into group A, B, C, D and E. The later four groups were vaccinated on one-day-old with CVI988/Rispens for group B and D, with HVT for group C and E, while group A was taken as no-vaccinated control.

[Pharmacodynamics of compound danshen pH-dependent delayed release pellets in dogs].

Aim: To prepare the compound danshen pH-dependent delayed release pellets and filled them in capsules and then study thier pharmacodynamics.

Methods: The pH-dependent delayed release pellets were prepared by coating with HPMC, Eudragit L-30D-55 and Eudragit L100-Eudragit S100 (1:6), separately, and mixed in proper proportion to prepare the two pH-dependent delayed release systems T1 and T2. The release of delayed release pellets was determined according to the method of China Pharmacopoeia (2000) in the simulated gastrointestinal pH conditions.