Effects of Frozen Storage Time, Thawing Treatments, and Their Interaction on the Rheological Properties of Non-Fermented Wheat Dough.

In this study, the effects of frozen storage time, thawing treatments, and their interaction on the rheological properties of non-fermented dough were evaluated. Texture profile analysis (TPA), rheological measurements, including strain/frequency sweep, and creep-recovery measurement were applied to the dough. Compared with unfrozen fresh dough, the frozen storage time (S) and thawing treatment (T) influenced almost all indicators significantly, and their mutual effects (S × T) mainly affected the hardness and springiness.

Effect of low temperature on the aging characteristics of a potato starch gel.

In this work, the freezing curve of a potato starch gel with different concentrations was determined. The water migration, texture, microstructure and gelatinization of a potato starch gel with 8% starch concentration were studied during aging. The results showed that the freezing characteristics of the potato starch gel with different starch concentrations were quite different.

Effects of sialylated lactulose on the mouse intestinal microbiome using Illumina high-throughput sequencing.

Sialylated oligosaccharides are known to have beneficial effects, such as increasing the level of bifidobacteria, reducing the levels of blood endotoxin and blood ammonia, and enhancing the body's immune system. However, it is unknown whether sialylated lactuloses have modulatory effects on the intestinal microbiota. In this study, 60 healthy mice were randomly divided into six groups, namely, a normal control group, a lactulose group, a Kdn-α2,3-lactulose group, a Kdn-α2,6-lactulose group, a Neu5Ac-α2,3-lactulose group, and a Neu5Ac-α2,6-lactulose group.

Immunomodulatory influences of sialylated lactuloses in mice.

The aim of this study was to investigate the immune modulatory influences of sialylated lactuloses in mice. The effects of the four sialylated lactuloses by gavage methods on the weight gain rate, organ, serum and spleen immunoglobulin of mice were investigated. Neu5Ac-α2,3-lactulose group and Kdn-α2,3-lactulose group had significantly higher weight gain rate than control group.

Ursolic acid-mediated apoptosis of K562 cells involves Stat5/Akt pathway inhibition through the induction of Gfi-1.

Ursolic acid (UA) is a promising natural compound for cancer prevention and therapy. We previously reported that UA induced apoptosis in CML-derived K562 cells. Here we show that the apoptotic process is accompanied by down-regulation of Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 expression and dephosphorylation of Bad.

Sertoli cell-mediated differentiation of male germ cell-like cells from human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells in an in vitro co-culture system.

Background: Microenvironment signals play a critical role in directing the differentiation of stem cells. Sertoli cells (SCs) provide a unique microenvironment that is essential for germ cell differentiation.

Methods: Our previous study has demonstrated that human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSCs) could differentiate towards male germ cells in vitro, but HUMSC-derived germ-like cells expressed only few germ cell markers.

Programming of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in vitro to promote pancreatic gene expression.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSCs) are candidates for tissue engineering and may potentially be used for transdifferentiation into pancreatic endocrine cells. The adenoviral vector is effective in transducing genes into stem cells that are refractory to gene delivery by non‑viral approaches. qPCR was used to detect the pancreatic endogenous gene expression of HUMSCs transfected by islet cell-specific transcription factors (TFs).

Pentamidine sensitizes chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis.

Pentamidine (PMD) is an anti-protozoa drug with potential anticancer activity. Here we show that PMD at clinically achievable plasma drug concentrations slightly inhibited the growth of human leukemia cell lines. PMD close to its therapeutic doses sensitized TRAIL-resistant K562 cells to the cytokine and potentiated TRAIL-induced apoptosis through activation of caspase-8 and -3.

In vitro anti-tumour activities of quinolizidine alkaloids derived from Sophora flavescens Ait.

The dry root of Sophora flavescens Ait. (SF) has long been used in a variety of Chinese herbal formulations to treat patients with cancer. Alkaloids are commonly known to present in SF as main active constituents.

Gossypol inhibits phosphorylation of Bcl-2 in human leukemia HL-60 cells.

Gossypol is an attractive therapeutic anti-tumor agent as an apoptosis inducer and is being evaluated in preclinical tests. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying apoptosis induction by gossypol in malignant cells have not been completely enunciated. Here we investigate the alterations of Bcl-2/Bcl-xL/Mcl-1 protein levels and Bcl-2 phosphorylation in gossypol-induced apoptosis in human leukemia HL-60 cells.

Growth-inhibiting effects of arsenic trioxide plus epigenetic therapeutic agents on leukemia cell lines.

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is an effective therapeutic agent for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and other hematopoietic malignancies. We found that ATO down-regulated the global DNA methylation level in HL-60 cells with high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) assay. Using combination index method of Chou and Talalay, interactions between ATO and epigenetic therapeutic agents were analyzed in three human leukemia cell lines (HL-60, U937, and K562).

Lycorine induces apoptosis and down-regulation of Mcl-1 in human leukemia cells.

Lycorine is an alkaloid isolated from the bulb of the Amaryllidaceae Lycoris. Here, we report that treatment with lycorine resulted in survival inhibition and apoptosis induction in human leukemia cell lines. Lycorine induced apoptosis in human leukemia cells via intrinsic mitochondria pathway and caused a rapid-turnover of protein level of Mcl-1 which occurred before caspases activation.

[Enhancing effect of matrine on the tumor-inhibition by TIM2 gene-modified hepatocarcinoma H22 cells in mice].

Objective: To investigate the effects of matrine on the anti-tumor efficiency of TIM2 gene-modified murine hepatocarcinoma H22 cells.

Methods: A combined eukaryotic expression vector pIRES2-EGFP-TIM2 was constructed and transfected into H22 cells by lipofectamin. The monoclone of positive H22-TIM2 cells and negative control H22-EGFP cells transfected with pIRES2-EGFP vector were selected by G418 pressure and limited dilution method in turn and were inoculated to establish the tumor-bearing mouse model.

[Effects of matrine on oncogenicity of H22 cells modified by TIM2 gene in vivo].

Objective: To investigate the effects of matrine on the anti-tumor efficiency of H22 murine hepatocarcinoma cell-based vaccine modified by TIM2 gene in vivo.

Method: The combinant eukaryotic expression vector pIRES2-EGFP-TIM2 was constructed and transfected into H22 cells by lipofectamin. The monoclone of the positive H22-TIM2 cells and negative control H22-EGFP cells were selected by G418 pressure and limited dilution method in turn.

Anticancer effects of the Chinese medicine matrine on murine hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Matrine is a component of the traditional Chinese medical herb Sophora flavescens Ait, which is widely used to treat diseases such as viral hepatitis, cardiac arrhythmia and skin inflammations. As indicated by previous reports, the molecular mechanism of matrine's anti-cancer effect has been poorly clarified. In this study, we used both in vitro and in vivo models to investigate matrine's antitumor effect and its possible molecular mechanisms.

Induction of apoptosis and regulation of the MAPK pathway by ursolic acid in human leukemia K562 cells.

Ursolic acid (UA) is a pentacyclic triterpene acid naturally occurring in a number of foods and medicinal plants. It is one of the most promising chemopreventive agents and has been reported to induce apoptosis in many cancer cells. Here, we report that treatment with UA induces apoptosis in human leukemia K562 cells and down-regulates protein levels of bcl-xL.

Molecular mechanism of matrine-induced apoptosis in leukemia K562 cells.

Matrine, a low toxic alkaloid purified from the Chinese herb Kushen, has been reported to induce apoptosis in leukemia K562 cells. In this study, the mechanism underling this apoptotic event was investigated. Treatment of K562 cells with matrine resulted in inhibition of cell survival more significantly than treatment of non-cancer fibroblast NIH3T3 cells.

Matrine-induced apoptosis in leukemia U937 cells: involvement of caspases activation and MAPK-independent pathways.

It is reported that matrine, one of the major effective compounds isolated from the root of Sophora flavescens Ait., has anti-leukemia activity. In this study, we find that the treatment of leukemia U937 cells with matrine results in induction of apoptosis.

[Inhibition of tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice treated with matrine].

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect of matrine on tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice and explore its possible mechanisms of anti-tumor action in vivo.

Methods: Hepatocellular carcinoma cells H(22) were subcutaneously injected into BALB/c mice and matrine was administered to the tumor-bearing mice. The kinetics of tumor formation and tumor growth were measured, tumor growth inhibition rate (IR) was calculated, and tumor tissue samples were taken and examined by light and electron microscopy to assess the inhibitory effects of matrine on tumor growth in the mice.

Fractalkine gene therapy for neuroblastoma is more effective in combination with targeted IL-2.

The induction of tumor protective immunity against neuroblastoma remains a major challenge for active immunotherapy. Fractalkine is a unique Th1 CX3C chemokine known to induce adhesion and migration of leukocytes mediated by both, a membrane-bound and soluble form, respectively. Here, we tested the hypothesis that chemokine gene therapy with fractalkine (FKN) induces an effective anti-neuroblastoma immune response amplified by targeted IL-2 using the anti-GD2 antibody ch14.

[Construction of eukaryotic expression vector of unknown KH gene and its effect on cell proliferation].

Objective: To construct an eukaryotic expression vector of open reading frame of unknown KH gene (KH-ORF), and investigate its effect on cell proliferation.

Methods: The pCI-neo-KH-ORF expression vector was constructed by DNA recombinant technique and was introduced into COS-7 cells and K562 cells by lipofectactin-mediated DNA transfection. Expression of KH-ORF mRNA was detected by RT-PCR.

[Gene expression profile in early differentiation of K562 cells induced by matrine].

Objective: To compare gene expression profile in K562 cells induced by matrine, so as to screen for differentiation related genes.

Methods: K562 cells were exposed to 0.1 mg/ml matrine for 3 hours, and gene expression profiles in matrine-treated and non-treated cells were studied by cDNA microarray.

Hydrolytically activated etoposide prodrugs inhibit MDR-1 function and eradicate established MDR-1 multidrug-resistant T-cell leukemia.

Effective therapy of high-risk leukemia with established cytotoxic drugs may be limited by poor antitumor efficacy, systemic toxicity, and the induction of drug resistance. Here, we provide the first evidence that hydrolytically activated prodrugs may overcome these problems. For this purpose, VP16 was functionally blocked by hydrolytically cleavable carbonate linkers with unique characteristics to generate 2 novel prodrugs of VP16.

[Effects of matrine on the activity of protein tyrosine kinase and phosphatase in K562 cells].

Background & Objective: The differentiation of K562 cells can be induced by a given concentration of matrine. This study was designed to investigate the mechanism of signal transduction in induced differentiation of K562 cells.

Methods: ELISA coupled with streptavidin-biotin system was used to dynamically detect the activity of protein tyrosine kinase and phosphatase in the cytoplasm and the membrane of K562 cells treated by matrine.

[Matrine affects early expression of proto-oncogenes in K562 cells].

Background & Objective: It has been reported that matrine had the anti-tumor activity, and our previous study have provided that matrine had the effects of inhibiting proliferation and inducing differentiation in K562 cell line, but its molecular mechanism is unknown yet.

Method: The expression of several proto-oncogenes(c-myc, c-jun, H-ras, p21, and HNF-1 alpha) in K562 cell line treated by 0.2 mg/ml matrine were measured by RT-PCR.