Effectiveness study of surface electromyography combined with spine 3D data system to evaluate scoliosis.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of surface electromyography combined with a spine 3D data system.

Methods: 10 idiopathic scoliosis patients (age: 12.90±3.

Activated NKT cells facilitated functional switch of myeloid-derived suppressor cells at inflammation sites in fulminant hepatitis mice.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) confer immunosuppressive properties, but their roles in fulminant hepatitis have not been well defined. In this study, we systematically examined the distribution of MDSCs in bone marrow (BM), liver and spleen, and their functional and differentiation status in an acute fulminant hepatitis mouse model induced by lipopolysaccharide and D-galactosamine (LPS-GalN). Moreover, the interaction between NKT cells and MDSCs was determined.

Coenzyme Q10 inhibits the aging of mesenchymal stem cells induced by D-galactose through Akt/mTOR signaling.

Increasing evidences indicate that reactive oxygen species are the main factor promoting stem cell aging. Recent studies have demonstrated that coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) plays a positive role in organ and cellular aging. However, the potential for CoQ10 to protect stem cell aging has not been fully evaluated, and the mechanisms of cell senescence inhibited by CoQ10 are still poorly understood.

Anti-metastatic effects of DNA vaccine encoding single-chain trimer composed of MHC I and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 peptide.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2)-mediated signaling is the key rate-limiting step in angiogenesis. VEGFR2 serves as the most important target of anti-angiogenic therapy for cancers. Single-chain trimer (SCT) comprising antigen peptide, β2-microglobulin (β2m), and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I heavy chain was a particularly powerful strategy involved in the increase of the potency of DNA vaccine against tumors and infections.

[LIM kinases and their roles in the nervous system].

LIM kinase-1 (LIMK1) and LIM kinase-2 (LIMK2) are kinases that have serine/threonine and tyrosine dual specificity. Although they show significant structural similarity, LIMK1 and LIMK2 have different expression patterns, subcellular localization, and functions. Activation of LIM kinases regulates the downstream of Rho GTPases, and influences the architecture of the actin cytoskeleton by regulating the activity of cofilin.

B7-H4 enhances oncogenicity and inhibits apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells.

B7-H4 is expressed in a variety of tumor cells and functions as a negative regulator of T cells. However, clarification is needed as to whether B7-H4 mediates tumorigenesis through mechanisms, such as apoptosis, in addition to mediating tumor immune escape. We investigate the mechanisms involved in enhanced oncogenicity and the inhibition of apoptosis by B7-H4 in pancreatic cancer cells.

Enhanced antitumor activity by the combination of dasatinib and combretastatin A-4 in vitro and in vivo.

The present study showed that the combination of dasatinib and combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) exhibited synergistic cytotoxicity in multiple types of cancer, including ovarian, hepatocellular, lung and prostate carcinoma. The enhanced apoptosis induced by dasatinib plus CA-4 was accompanied by a greater extent of mitochondrial depolarization, caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage in HO-8910 cells. Furthermore, elevated expression of Mcl-1 led to a reduced apoptosis induced by dasatinib plus CA-4, highlighting that downregulated Mcl-1 was necessary for the potentiating effect of dasatinib to CA-4-triggered apoptosis.

In vitro anti-cancer activity of chamaejasmenin B and neochamaejasmin C isolated from the root of Stellera chamaejasme L.

Aim: To examine the anti-cancer effects of chamaejasmenin B and neochamaejasmin C, two biflavonones isolated from the root of Stellera chamaejasme L (known as the traditional Chinese herb Rui Xiang Lang Du) in vitro.

Methods: Human liver carcinoma cell lines (HepG2 and SMMC-7721), a human non-small cell lung cancer cell line (A549), human osteosarcoma cell lines (MG63, U2OS, and KHOS), a human colon cancer cell line (HCT-116) and a human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) were used. The anti-proliferative effects of the compounds were measured using SRB cytotoxicity assay.

Wnt/β-catenin signaling induces the aging of mesenchymal stem cells through promoting the ROS production.

Recent studies have demonstrated that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays an important role in stem cell aging. However, the mechanisms of cell senescence induced by Wnt/β-catenin signaling are still poorly understood. Our preliminary study has indicated that activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling can induce MSC aging.

[Expression of high mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 in mice with lupus nephritis].

Objective: To determine the role of the novel proinflammatory cytokine high mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 (HMGB-1) in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis.

Methods: Serum levels of anti-dsDNA antibodies were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Renal morphologic features were examined by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and immunohistologic analyses.

Reduced tumorigenesis of EG7 after interleukin-10 gene transfer and enhanced efficacy in combination with intratumorally injection of adenovirus-mediated lymphotactin and the underlying mechanism.

Although interleukin-10 (IL-10) is commonly regarded as an immunosuppressive cytokine, a wealth of evidence is accumulating that IL-10 also possesses some immunostimulating antitumor properties. Previous studies demonstrated that forced expression of the IL-10 gene in tumor cells could unexpectedly produce antitumor effects. In this study, we explored the tumorigenesis of EG7 cells transduced with IL-10 gene.

[Effects of Sema3A derived from tumor cells on functions of dendritic cells].

Objective: To investigate the effects of tumor cell-derived Sema3A on the immunological functions of murine dendritic cells (DCs).

Methods: Lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells were transfected with small interference RNA, Si-Sema and Si-mut, and the interference efficiency was determined by real-time PCR and Western-blot. The concentrated supernatants from cultured tumor cells, Si-Sema and Si-mut-infected tumor cells were subjected to DCs respectively.

[Expression of B7-H4 in prostate cancer and its clinical significance].

Objective: To investigate the expression of B7-H4 in prostate cancer tissue and the relationship between the expression and the clinicopathological features.

Methods: Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of B7-H4 in prostate cancer tissue. And the relationship between the expressions and pathology was evaluated.

Enhanced effect of soluble transforming growth factor-beta receptor II and IFN-gamma fusion protein in reversing hepatic fibrosis.

Objective: To examine the in vivo anti-fibrotic effect of rat soluble transforming growth factor beta receptor II (RsTbetaRII) and IFN-gamma fusion protein (RsTbRII-IFN-gamma) in rat hepatic fibrosis model.

Methods: Model rats were divided into five groups and treated i.m.

[Inhibitory effect of triptolide on interleukin-18 and its receptor in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts].

Aim: To determine the effects of triptolide (TP) on the expression of interleukin-18 (IL-18) and its receptor in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASF).

Methods: RASF were pretreated with TP (0-100 microg/L) for 2 h before stimulation with PMA (50 microg/L). The bioactivity of IL-18 in the supernatant was detected based on IFN-gamma secretion from IL-18-responding human myelomonocytic KG-1 cells.

[Expression and identification of recombinant mouse gene B7-H4].

Objective: To construct a eukaryotic expression vector encoding the gene of extracellular region of mouse B7-H4, to express it in yeast cell line and to determine its biological activity.

Methods: The extracellular region of the mouse B7-H4 gene was amplified with Xho I and EcoR I by PCR from a mouse B7-H4 chimeric plasmid. Digested with Xho I and EcoR I, the mB7-H4 gene was inserted into the yeast expression plasmid Ppic9.

The PcG protein hPc2 interacts with the N-terminus of histone demethylase JARID1B and acts as a transcriptional co-repressor.

JARID1B (jumonji AT rich interactive domain 1B) is a large nuclear protein that is highly expressed in breast cancers and is proposed to function as a repressor of gene expression. In this paper, a phage display screen using the N-terminus of JARID1B as bait identified one of the JARID1B interacting proteins, namely PcG protein (Polycomb group) hPc2. We demonstrated that the C-terminal region, including the COOH box, was required for the interaction with the N-terminus of JARID1B.

[Construction and identification of recombinant adenoviral vector encoding B7-H4 gene].

Objective: To construct the recombinant adenovirus containing B7-H4 gene with AdEasy XL system and to identify its biological activities.

Methods: The full-length mouse B7-H4 gene was amplified by RT-PCR from C57 mouse lung and put into T vector, then verified by sequencing. Digested with Xhol I and EcoR V the B7-H4 gene was inserted into pshuttle-CMW(PSC).

Local blockade of TSLP receptor alleviated allergic disease by regulating airway dendritic cells.

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) emerges as a central mediator of T helper cell (Th)2-dominant allergic diseases. However, the role of TSLP receptor (TSLPR) in allergen-induced Th2 priming, and the effects of TSLP signaling blocking on the development of asthma remain unclear. Here we showed that allergen challenge caused a rapid accumulation of TSLP in the airways of asthmatic mice, correlating well with eosinophils counts and interleukin (IL)-5 productions.

Membrane protein hMYADM preferentially expressed in myeloid cells is up-regulated during differentiation of stem cells and myeloid leukemia cells.

We report here the molecular cloning and characterization of a novel human gene (hMYADM) derived from a human bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) cDNA library, which shares high homology with mouse myeloid-associated differentiation marker (MYADM). hMYADM is also closely related to many other eukaryotic proteins, which together form a novel and highly conserved MYADM-like family. hMYADM with 322-residue protein contains eight putative transmembrane segments and confocal microscopic analysis confirmed its membrane localization by using anti-hMYADM monoclonal antibody.