Vitamin D3 enhances antitumor activity of metformin in human bladder carcinoma SW-780 cells.

Objective: To study the effects of vitamin D3 combined with metformin on the proliferation and apoptosis in human bladder cancer cell line SW-780 and its possible mechanism.

Methods: MTT assay and fluorescence microscope observations were used to study the effects of vitamin D3 combined with metformin on the proliferation and apoptosis of SW-780 cells in vitro. Western blot was used to detect the expression of apoptosis-related proteins p-Bcl-2, Bax, Cyclin D1, c-Myc and related signaling pathways activated proteins p-IGF-IR, p-mTOR, p-P70S6K, p-S6.

Synergistic antitumor activity of vitamin D3 combined with metformin in human breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells involves m-TOR related signaling pathways.

Metformin is usually used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Recently, many studies suggest that metformin and vitamin D have broad-spectrum antitumor activities. Our aim in this research was to study the effects of vitamin D3 combined with metformin on the apoptosis induction and its mechanisms in the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231.

Therapeutic effect of ginsenoside Rd in rats with TNBS-induced recurrent ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by oxidative and nitrosative stress and neutrophil infiltration. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of ginsenoside Rd (GRd) in rats with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced recurrent UC. After UC was twice-induced by intracolonic injection of TNBS, rats were intragastrically administered different doses of GRd per day for 7 days.

Pharmacokinetics of rh-IFNalpha-2a-NGR, a tumor targeted-therapy candidate, following intramuscular administration to mice, rats and monkeys.

The compound rh-IFNalpha-2a-NGR can inhibit tumor angiogenesis and could be used for targeted therapy. In the present study, double antibody sandwich ELISA analysis was used to determine the concentration of rh-IFNalpha-2a-NGR in serum after intramuscular administration of various dosages to mice, rats and monkeys. The results showed that the pharmacokinetic properties of rh-IFNalpha2a-NGR after i.

[Clinical research of accurate limb length equalization in total hip arthroplasty].

Objective: To explore the effective method and the feasibility of the accurate limb length equalization in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods: From September 2006 to September 2008, 52 patients underwent unilateral THA, including 36 males and 16 females, with an average age of 61.5 years (range, 46-76 years).

Therapeutic effects of a recombinant mutant of the human ciliary neurotrophic factor in a mouse model of metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is highly prevalent in developed countries and becoming a serious worldwide public health issue. In this study, we established a MS model by feeding male C57BL/6J mice with a high-fat diet (10%) for 18.5 weeks, studied the therapeutic effects of a recombinant mutant of the human ciliary neurotrophic factor (rhmCNTF) 0.

Preclinical safety evaluation of IFNalpha2a-NGR.

IFNalpha2a-NGR is an antitumor agent of bacterial origin. The report presents the preclinical toxicity studies with IFNalpha2a-NGR in mice, rats and monkeys. The single-dose toxicity study showed no effect on general signs, body weight, food consumption, ophthalmology, hematology and clinical chemistry and necropsy analysis.

The relationship between structure and antioxidative activity of piperidine nitroxides.

We have investigated the relationship between structure and antioxidative activity of piperidine nitroxides which were substituted by different groups at the 4-position. All of the tested piperidine nitroxides inhibited malondialdehyde (MDA) generation caused either spontaneously or by a hydroxyl free radical generation system (Fe2+-ascorbic acid) in homogenates of liver, heart and kidney of rats, and antagonized H2O2-induced haemolysis from rat erythrocytes in a concentration-dependent manner. The same rank was followed: Bis-(4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinooxyl) (4-BIS-Tempo) and 4-azido-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinooxyl (4-N(3)-Tempo) > 4-isothiocyanate-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinooxyl (4-ISO-Tempo), 4-2', 4'-dinitrophenylhy-drazone-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinooxyl (4-D-Tempo), 4-sulfonate-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinooxyl (4-S-Tempo) and 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinooxyl (4-NH(2)-Tempo) > 4-acetate ester-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinooxyl (4-A-Tempo) and 4-benzoate-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinooxyl (4-B-Tempo).

Protective effect of 1-(2,6-dimethylphenoxy)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenylethylamino) propane hydrochloride on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of 1-(2,6-dimethylphenoxy)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenylethylamino) propane hydrochloride (DDPH) on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats and the mechanism of its myocardial protection. For this purpose, 50 Wistar rats were divided into five groups: sham group, control group, verapamil treated group, and two DDPH treated groups (20 and 40 mg/kg, respectively). Myocardial I/R injury model was established by reperfusion for 120 min after 40 min ischemia induced by the ligation of left descending coronary artery in rats.

Amelioration of doxorubicin-induced myocardial oxidative stress and immunosuppression by grape seed proanthocyanidins in tumour-bearing mice.

We have investigated the protective effects of grape seed proanthocyanidins on doxorubicin-induced toxicity in tumour-bearing mice. The intraperitoneal administration of doxorubicin (2 mg kg(-1) every other day, cumulative dosage for 18 mg kg(-1)) significantly inhibited the growth of sarcoma 180, and induced myocardial oxidative stress with decreased superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity while increasing malondialdehyde formation in the heart or serum. Doxorubicin-induced myocardial oxidative stress also reduced lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase activity in the heart and elevated their levels in the serum.

Protective effects of pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on gastric ulcer in rats.

Aim: To investigate the protective effects of gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on acute and chronic gastric ulcers in rats and to compare the results in therapy of human gastric ulcers by different administration methods.

Methods: Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 was administered (initial single or continuous administration) into rats either intragastrically or intramuscularly before (induced acute gastric ulcer) or after (induced chronic gastric ulcer) the applications of inducing agents, and each animal was sacrificed to observe the protective effects of BPC 157 on gastric ulcers.

Results: Both intramuscular (im) and intragastric (ig) administration of BPC 157 could apparently reduce the ulcer area and accelerate the healing of induced ulcer in different models and the effect of im administered BPC 157 was better than that of ig.

[Effect of subcutaneous implant of peripheral nerve allograft on sciatic nerve regeneration in rats].

Objective: To study the effect of subcutaneous implant of peripheral nerve allograft on sciatic nerve regeneration in rats.

Methods: Out of 30 male Wistar rats, 6 were donors and 24 were divided randomly into 2 groups. In experimental group (group A, n = 12), a 15 mm segment of sciatic nerve harvested from donors was separately inserted into subcutaneous compartment on the right thigh; two weeks later, the segment of sciatic nerve in subcutaneous compartment was removed and transplanted into a 10 mm sciatic nerve defect of left, which was made immediately.