Publications by authors named "Qi-Ming Fan"

During re-read of our previously article Plumbagin attenuates cancer cell growth and osteoclast formation in the bone microenvironment of micepublished in Acta Pharmacologica Sinica, we were regretted to point out a mistake shown in Fig. 2a. The representative figure chosen to indicate the inhibitory effect of 4 mg/kg of plumbagin treatment at 1 week against MDA-MB-231SArfp cells localization within bone environment was incorrect due to the mishandling in manuscript preparation.

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The authors regretted to find the mis-representative images in Fig. 3a, c and Fig. 4a, c when re-read our previously published article Synergistic suppression of human breast cancer cells by combination of plumbagin and zoledronic acid In vitro (DOI: 10.

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The loss of appropriate cell adhesion normally induces apoptosis via a process termed anoikis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the cancer microenvironment on the anoikis resistance and pulmonary metastasis of osteosarcoma (OS) cells, and to evaluate the critical role of the interleukin (IL)-8/C-X-C chemokine receptor (CXCR) 1/Akt-signaling pathway in these processes. Metastatic OS subtype cells, which did or did not interact with MSC-conditioned medium (MSC-CM) in vitro, were isolated from the pulmonary site and named Saos2-lung-M.

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Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer in children and adolescents. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs)-3 inhibit matrix metalloproteinases to limit extracellular matrix degradation. Cisplatin is a widely used chemotherapeutic drug used to cure osteosarcoma.

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The endocrine role of the skeleton-which is impaired in human diseases including osteoporosis, obesity and diabetes-has been highlighted previously. In these diseases, the role of AMPK, a sensor and regulator of energy metabolism, is of biological and clinical importance. Since AMPK's main catalytic subunit α has two isoforms, it is unclear whether functional differences between them exist in the skeletal system.

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Gouty arthritis is a rheumatic disease that is characterized by the deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) in synovial joints cause by the increased serum hyperuricemia. This study used a three-dimensional (3D) flowing microfluidic chip to screen the effective candidate against MSU-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) damage, and found kinsenoside (Kin) to be the leading active component of Anoectochilus roxburghi, one of the Chinese medicinal plant widely used in the treatment of gouty arthritis clinically. Cell viability and apoptosis of HUVECs were evaluated, indicating that direct Kin stimulation and conditioned medium (CM) from Kin-treated macrophages both negatively modulated with MSU crystals.

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Several metabolic, genetic and oncogenic bone diseases share the common pathological phenotype of defective bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) differentiation. Many reports in bone science in the past several years have suggested that the skeleton also has an endocrine role. The role of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) as an energy metabolism sensor and how it regulates BMSC differentiation is largely unknown.

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Chemotherapy resistance is a major cause of poor prognoses for osteosarcoma patients. This study aimed to determine whether CXCR1 gene knockdown improves the sensitivity of osteosarcomas to chemotherapy. Both CXCR1 expression and cisplatin sensitivity were investigated and compared in two osteosarcoma cell lines.

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Aim: Zoledronic acid (ZA), a bisphosphonate, is currently used in combination with chemotherapeutic agents to suppress breast cancer cell proliferation or breast cancer-induced osteolysis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ZA combined with a natural anticancer compound plumbagin (PL) against human breast cancer cells in vitro.

Methods: Human breast cancer MDA-MB-231SArfp cells were treated with ZA, PL or a combination of ZA and PL.

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Many skeletal diseases have common pathological phenotype of defective osteogenesis of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), in which histone modifications play an important role. However, few studies have examined the dynamics of distinct histone modifications during osteogenesis. In this study, we examined the dynamics of H3K9/K14 and H4K12 acetylation; H3K4 mono-, di- and tri-methylation; H3K9 di-methylation and H3K27 tri-methylation in osteogenic genes, runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osterix (Osx), alkaline phosphatase, bone sialoprotein and osteocalcin, during C3H10T1/2 osteogenesis.

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Aim: To investigate the effects of plumbagin, a naphthoquinone derived from the medicinal plant Plumbago zeylanica, on human breast cancer cell growth and the cancer cell-induced osteolysis in the bone microenvironment of mice.

Methods: Human breast cancer cell subline MDA-MB-231SA with the ability to spread and grow in the bone was tested. The cell proliferation was determined using the CCK-8 assay.

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Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are among the most important components of the osteosarcoma microenvironment and are reported to promote tumor progression. However, the means by which osteosarcoma cells modulate MSC behavior remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of osteosarcoma cells on both the production of pro-tumor cytokines by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs.

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The balance between osteogenesis and adipogenesis of bone marrow stromal cells is impaired in many human diseases. Knowledge of how to fine-tune this balance is of medical importance. CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα) has been shown to regulate the balance between osteogenesis and adipogenesis of C3H10T1/2 cells, with epigenetic modifications of the C/EBPα promoter playing an important role.

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Background: Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant tumor of bone. Mouse models of human OS can invariably provide greater insight into the complex mechanisms that underlie the development and pathogenesis of this aggressive tumor. Bioluminescence technology favored tracing cancer cells in vivo.

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We previously demonstrated that human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) promote the growth of osteosarcoma in the bone microenvironment. The aim of the present study was to further determine the effect of IL-6/STAT3 signaling on the progression of osteosarcoma. First, conditioned medium from MSCs was used to stimulate the growth of osteosarcoma cells (Saos-2) in vitro.

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Fibrous dysplasia (FD) is characterized by the replacement of normal bone with abnormal fibro-osseous tissue. This disorder is due to activating missense mutations in the GNAS gene and resultant over-production of cAMP. However, the signalling pathways that contribute to FD pathogenesis remain unknown.

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Our previous study showed that exogenous human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) targeted established osteosarcoma and promoted its growth and pulmonary metastasis in vivo. As a follow-up, the present study aimed to investigate how hMSCs would interact with Saos-2 through autocrine/paracrine communication. The results showed that co-injection of hMSCs with Saos-2 into the proximal tibia of nude mice could promote tumor growth and progression.

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In an effort to study the interaction between MSCs and osteosarcoma, we established an animal model of primary osteosarcoma in nude mice using Saos-2 cells. hMSCs, labeled with adv-GFP, were injected through the caudal vein. We observed that exogenous hMSCs targeted the osteosarcoma site and promoted its growth and pulmonary metastasis in vivo.

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