Effect of NF-κB inhibitors on the chemotherapy-induced apoptosis of the colon cancer cell line HT-29.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of the combined use of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) inhibitors pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), bortezomib or SN50, and the chemotherapy agents arsenic acid (As(2)O(3)), fluorouracil (5FU), oxaliplatin or paclitaxel on the growth and apoptosis of HT-29 cells. Cell morphology was observed using inverted microscopy, and cell viability and apoptosis were assessed using the MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The activities of NF-κB were analyzed by western blotting and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA).

Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism and ulcerative colitis susceptibility in Han Chinese.

Objective: Specific polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene have been associated with genetic susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in different ethnic populations.

Methods: A total of 218 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and 251 healthy controls were genotyped for VDR gene polymorphisms using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. VDR gene polymorphisms (Apa I, Taq I, Bsm I and Fok I) were analyzed for both genotypic and phenotypic susceptibilities.