Unlocking the Mystery of the Therapeutic Effects of Chinese Medicine on Cancer.

Over the past decade, the rise of cancer immunotherapy has coincided with a remarkable breakthrough in cancer therapy, which attracted increased interests in public. The scientific community clearly showed that the emergence of immunotherapy is an inevitable outcome of a holistic approach for cancer treatment. It is well established that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) utilizes the principle of homeostasis and balance to adjust the healthy status of body.

Activin A suppresses interleukin-1-induced matrix metalloproteinase 3 secretion in human chondrosarcoma cells.

The objective was to investigate the effect of activin A on matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3) production and to identify the role of activin A in chondroprotection. SW1353 cells, a human chondrosarcoma cell line, were stimulated with interleukin (IL) 1alpha and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, and the concentrations of activin A, follistatin, and MMP-3 secreted into the culture media were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Activin A was added to cell cultures in the presence of IL-1alpha or TNFalpha to determine its effect on the production of MMP-3 and sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) (measured by Alcian blue assay).

Increased monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in knee joints of rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis: in vivo microdialysis.

Objective: Imbalance of inflammatory and antiinflammatory cytokines plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Precise determination of these cytokines would lead to better understanding of the progression of RA.

Methods: We developed an in vivo microdialysis technique to directly monitor cytokine profiles in knee joints of rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA).

Dual biological functions of an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist-interleukin-10 fusion protein and its suppressive effects on joint inflammation.

The aim of this study was to construct and purify a novel interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra)-interleukin-10 (IL-10) fusion protein and determine its biological function and anti-inflammatory effects. The isolated cDNAs of two inhibitory cytokines (IL-1ra, IL-10) were used to construct a cDNA for the IL-1ra-IL-10 fusion protein. The expressed recombinant cytokines and fusion product were purified and their biological properties analysed.