Overexpression of a steroid receptor-binding protein bearing the regulator of the G-protein signaling domain suppresses migration and invasion of human endometrial stromal cells stimulated by 17β-estradiol.

Objective: Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease, a steroid receptor-binding protein bearing the regulator of the G-protein signaling domain (SRB-RGS) can suppress the estrogen receptors-mediated transcriptional activities. We sought to determine whether overexpression of SRB-RGS suppresses the migration and invasion ability of endometrial stromal cells stimulated by 17β-estradiol (E2).

Study Design: Endometrial stromal cells were obtained from endometriosis patients.

Ameliorative effects of lutein on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in rats.

Aim: To investigate the therapeutic effects of lutein against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the related underlying mechanism.

Methods: After 9 d of acclimation to a constant temperature-controlled room (20 °C-22 °C) under 12 h light/dark cycles, male Sprague-Darley rats were randomly divided into two groups and fed a standard commercial diet (n = 8) or a high-fat diet (HFD) (n = 32) for 10 d. Animals receiving HFD were then randomly divided into 4 groups and administered with 0, 12.

Alkaloids from the bulbs of Lycoris longituba and their neuroprotective and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities.

Three novel alkaloids (1-3), together with nineteen known ones (4-22), were isolated from the bulbs of Lycoris longituba. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses, which belong to several Amaryllidaceae alkaloid skeletons. Among them, the harmane-type alkaloids (the new compound 1 and the known compounds 5, 6 and 7) were found for the first time from Lycoris genus.

Melatonin reduces the impairment of axonal transport and axonopathy induced by calyculin A.

Previous studies have reported that calyculin A (CA), a selective inhibitor of protein phosphatase (PP)-2A and PP-1, impairs axonal transport in neuroblastoma N2a cells. Melatonin prevents Alzheimer-like hyperphosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins and the impairment of spatial memory retention induced by CA. In this study, we tested the effects of melatonin on the impairment of axonal transport induced by CA in neuroblastoma N2a cells.

Basic fibroblast growth factor gene transfection to enhance the repair of avascular necrosis of the femoral head.

Objective: To explore a new method for the therapy of avascular necrosis of the femoral head.

Method: The recombinant plasmid pCD-rbFGF was mixed with collagen and was implanted in the necrotic femoral head. Expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was examined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical method.