[Calibration on chromone reference extract and application on quality control of Saposhnikoviae Radix].

The calibration of chromone reference extract(CRE) was conducted and a quality control method of Saposhnikoviae Radix(SR) was established based on CRE. Meanwhile, the quality control system of SR was improved and the feasibility of using reference extract as a substitute for single reference substance in quality control of Chinese medicine was discussed. In this study, the content of the prepared CRE was calibrated with prim-O-glucosylcimifugin, cimifugin, 4'-O-β-D-glucosyl-5-O-methylvisamminol, and secO-glucosylhamaudol as indicators.

[Construction of "2R network pharmacology" research method for effective components of traditional Chinese medicine based on "prediction of dominant components-screening of potential targets"].

Chinese traditional medicine compound is the main form of Chinese medicine clinical application. The elucidation of the effective components of traditional Chinese medicine is one of the key scientific issues to promote the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. At present, there are many research ideas on the effective components of traditional Chinese medicine compounds.

Deciphering the effective combinatorial components from Si-Miao-Yong-An decoction regarding the intervention on myocardial hypertrophy.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Si-Miao-Yong-An decoction (SMYAD), a classical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, has been used to treat various cardiovascular diseases in clinics.

Aim Of The Study: The aim of this study is to investigate the effective combinatorial components from SMYAD and its mechanism regarding the intervention on myocardial hypertrophy.

Materials And Methods: SMYAD constituents absorbed in rat plasma and heart were identified using UHPLC Q-Exactive-Orbitrap MS/MS.

[Identification of compounds in Lycii Cortex by UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS].

This experiment was performed to analyze and identify the chemical constituents of Lycii Cortex by UPLC-LTQ-OrbitrapMS. The analysis was performed on a Waters Xbridge Shield RP18( 4. 6 mm×250 mm,5 μm) column with the mobile phase of 0.

Tissue engineered esophagus by copper--small intestinal submucosa graft for esophageal repair in a canine model.

Acellular porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) has been used for esophagoplasty with success in a canine model. However, it did not lead to complete epithelialization. For better reconstruction, a cellular component is required.

The poor osteoinductive capability of human acellular bone matrix.

Demineralized bone matrix (DBM) has extensive clinical use for bone regeneration because of its osteoinductive and osteoconductive aptitude. It is suggested that the demineralization process in bone matrix preparation is influential in maintaining osteoinductivity; however, relevant investigations, especially into the osteoinductivity of acellular bone matrix, are not often performed. This study addressed the osteoinductive capability of human acellular cancellous bone matrix (ACBM) after subcutaneous implantation in a rat model.

Tissue engineered esophagus by mesenchymal stem cell seeding for esophageal repair in a canine model.

Purpose: Acellular porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) has been successfully used for esophagoplasty in dogs. However, this has not led to complete epithelialization and muscular regeneration. We undertook the present study to assess the effect of tissue-engineered esophagus generated by seeding bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) onto an SIS scaffold (BMSCs-SIS) in a canine model.

Preparation and characterization of decellularized tendon slices for tendon tissue engineering.

To develop a naturally derived tendon tissue engineering scaffold with the preservation of the native ultrastructure, tensile strength, and biochemical composition of the tendon extracellular matrix (ECM), decellularized tendon slices (DTSs) were prepared using repetitive freeze/thaw of the intact Achilles tendons, frozen section, and nuclease treatment. The DTSs were characterized in the native ultrastructure, mechanical properties, biochemical composition, and cytocompatibility. Histological examination and DNA quantification analysis confirmed that cells were completely removed from tendon tissue by repetitive freeze/thaw in combination with nuclease treatment 12 h.

Sonic hedgehog enhances the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells) may be promising seed cells for tissue regeneration because of their self-renewal and multi-differentiation potential. Shh (sonic hedgehog) is involved in the skeletal formation during embryo development and skeletal regeneration. However, how Shh regulates the biological characteristics of BM-MSCs (bone marrow-derived MSCs) is poorly understood.

Hypoxia inhibits the spontaneous calcification of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) are the popular seed cells for regenerative medicine, and there has been a rapid increase in the number of BM-MSC-based clinical trials. However, the safety of these cells should also be closely studied. In this study, spontaneous calcification of BM-MSCs from rats was evaluated in normoxia (20% O(2)) without osteogenic medium after continuous culture for 21 days; obvious mineralized nodules were observed, which were positive for Alizarin Red, collagen-I (Col-I), osteocalcin (OC) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and mainly consisted of C, O and Ca elements.

Population mutation scanning of human GHR by meltMADGE and identification of a paucimorphic variant.

Current studies of human genetic diversity are focused in two areas: first, detection of rare mutations in highly selected clinical cases; and second, in common single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and haplotype effects in the general population. Less frequent SNPs and "paucimorphisms" remain underexplored, although lower frequency coding SNPs are more likely to have functional impact. We have developed a cost-efficient mutation scanning technology, meltMADGE, for population mutation scanning.

MicroRNA expression in multiple myeloma is associated with genetic subtype, isotype and survival.

Background: MicroRNAs are small RNA species that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally and are aberrantly expressed in many cancers including hematological malignancies. However, the role of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma (MM) is only poorly understood. We therefore used microarray analysis to elucidate the complete miRNome (miRBase version 13.

Biomarkers in clinical medicine.

Biomarkers have been used in clinical medicine for decades. With the rise of genomics and other advances in molecular biology, biomarker studies have entered a whole new era and hold promise for early diagnosis and effective treatment of many diseases. A biomarker is a characteristic that is objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal biological processes, pathogenic processes or pharmacologic responses to a therapeutic intervention (1).

A multi-step method for preparation of porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS).

Porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) has been widely used in repairing various tissues and organs. Despite this, some SIS products have the capacity to cause variable inflammatory responses after implantation resulting in severe adverse effects due to porcine cell existence. In this study, we described a multi-step method including mechanical disassociation, degrease, enzyme digestion, detergent treatment, freeze-drying and sterilization by irradiation for preparation of SIS.

Mesenchymal stem cells transplantation mildly ameliorates experimental diabetic nephropathy in rats.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy is a common complication of diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to explore whether mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplantation could attenuate diabetic nephropathy in experimental diabetic rats.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (60 mg/kg).

Characterization of MSCs from human placental decidua basalis in hypoxia and serum deprivation.

Recently, we reported that human PDB (placental decidua basalis) is an excellent source of MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells), meanwhile, PDB-MSCs could survive under hypoxia and serum deprivation. Herein, we investigated the proliferation, clonogentic efficiency, phenotypes, metabolic activity and cytokines secretion of PDB-MSCs in hypoxia and serum deprivation. PDB-MSCs were cultured in four groups: normoxia (20% O2) and complete medium [10% FBS (foetal bovine serum)+DMEM-HG (Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium-high glucose)], hypoxia and complete medium, normoxia and serum deprivation (0% FBS), and hypoxia and serum deprivation.

Isolation of mesenchymal stem cells from human placental decidua basalis and resistance to hypoxia and serum deprivation.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the most promising seed cells for cell therapy and tissue engineering, which can be isolated from various sources of human adult tissues such as bone marrow and adipose tissue. However, cells from these tissues must be obtained through invasive procedures and sometimes the individual difference is hard to control. Hence, the search continues for an ethically conducive, easily accessible and controllable source of stem cells.

Grafts of porcine small intestinal submucosa with cultured autologous oral mucosal epithelial cells for esophageal repair in a canine model.

The acellular porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) has been successfully used for esophagoplasty. However, it does not lead to a complete epithelialization in a canine model. A cellular component may be required for better reconstruction.

[Effects of hypoxia on human placental decidua basalis-mesenchymal stem cells proliferation, apoptosis and VEGF expression.].

Human placental decidua basalis-mesenchymal stem cells (PDB-MSCs) are multipotent cells from the human term placenta, which are ethically conducive, easily accessible and high-yielding source. PDB-MSCs can differentiate into adipogenic, osteogenic and neurogenic cells under appropriate conditions, which may be an attractive and alternative source of seed cells for tissue engineering. To investigate the effect of hypoxia (1% O2) on human PDB-MSCs and the expression of cytokine, PDB-MSCs were isolated from human placenta by density gradient centrifugation and cultured in the Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium-high glucose (DMEM-HG) containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), and the fifth passage of PDB-MSCs were taken.

[Stably transfection of DNA to human fibroblasts: a comparative study of three approaches].

Objective: To search for the best approaches to transfect plasmid pEGFP-N1 into human fibroblasts.

Methods: Cationic polymer mediated transfection, cationic liposome transfection and electrotransfection were compared for transfecting plasmid pEGFP-N1, a plasmid that expresses G418 resistance protein and Enhanced green fuluorescent protein (EGFP), into Human fibroblasts. The expression of EGFP was observed 24 hours after the transfection by fluorescence microscope.

Haplotype of growth hormone and angiotensin I-converting enzyme genes, serum angiotensin I-converting enzyme and ventricular growth: pathway inference in pharmacogenetics.

Objectives: An insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) gene is associated with variations in circulating and tissue angiotensin I-converting enzyme activity, and differences in exercise-induced left ventricular hypertrophic response. A genetic marker (CSH1.01) in the syntenic GH-CSH gene cluster correlates with metabolic syndrome in adult life in males.

[A study on selective killing effect of Hsv-tk/GCV driven by human telomerase catalytic subunit promoter on human lung cancer cell A549].

Objective: To study selective killing effect of herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase/ganciclovir (Hsv-tk/GCV) driven by human telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT) promoter on lung cancer cell line A549 in vitro.

Methods: (1) Expression plasmids of Hsv-tk gene driven by hTERT promoter and sv40 promoter respectively (pGL3-hTp-tk and pGL3-sv40-tk) were transfected into telomerase-positive human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 and telomerase-negative fetal lung fibroblast cell line MRC-5. Reverse transcription-PCR was performed to detect expression of tk gene in above transfected cell lines; (2) Inhibition effect on proliferation of above transfected cell lines treated with GCV was investigated with MTT method; (3) Influence of GCV on apoptosis and cell cycle of above transfected cell lines was investigated with flow cytometry.

[Study on cloning of hTERT promoter and its targeting transcriptional activities in telomerase-positive lung cancer cells].

Objective: To clone sequence of hTERT promoter and study its transcriptional activity and its relationship with hTERT mRNA expression and telomerase activity in various kinds of human lung cancer cells and normal cells, and to investigate the targeting transcriptional activity of hTERT promoter in tumor cells.

Methods: About 1.1 kb promoter of the 5'flanking sequence of the hTERT was amplified from genomic DNA isolated from 293 cells by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).