The comparison of animal models for premature ovarian failure established by several different source of inducers

The objective of this study was to compare premature ovarian failure animal models established by several different source of inducers. Female ICR mice, KM mice, and SD rats were treated by cyclophosphamide at 120 mg/kg, busulfan at 12 mg/kg, cisplatin at 3 or 4 mg/kg, 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide at 160 mg/kg, 35% galactose food pellet, and tripterygium glycosides at 50 mg/kg, respectively. Parameters were analyzed by body weight, serum concentration level of related hormones, ovarian and uterine pathological examination. The results indicated the body weight of mice increased very slowly following single dose of cyclophosphamide (p < 0.05) with damaged ovary; repeated doses of cisplatin could induce body weight significantly decreased (p < 0.01) with a rising trend of serum LH concentration, declining tendency of serum E2 concentration and injured ovary and uterus; 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide also hindered the mice growing (p < 0.05) with damaged ovary and uterus; the body weight of mice feed by 35% galactose food pellet increased slowly (p < 0.05) with dramatically higher serum concentration level of galactose, albumin, and total protein (p < 0.001) and injured ovary. Busulfan and tripterygium glycosides did not present obvious evidences. In conclusion, the inducers presented their respective features in such animal models and should be appropriately applied in preventive methods.     

Spectrum-effect relationships between UPLC fingerprints and bioactivities of crude secondary roots of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux (Fuzi) and its three processed products on mitochondrial growth coupled with canonical correlation analysis

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The crude secondary roots of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux (Fuzi), together with its processed products, including Yanfuzi, Heishunpian and Paofupian, are commonly applied in clinic using for thousands of years, such as collapse, syncope, rheumatic fever, painful joints and various tumors.Aim of the study: To explore the different effects of Fuzi and its processed products on energy metabolism, with mitochondria as the model with the aim of guiding the clinical use of Fuzi and its products. fingerprints of Fuzi, Yanfuzi, Heishunpian and Paofupian were established by Ultra-high Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) and effects of Fuzi and its processed products on rat’s liver׳s mitochondrial metabolism were studied by microcalorimetry. Spectrum-effect relationships between UPLC fingerprints and energy metabolism of mitochondria were investigated using canonical correlation analysis (CCA).Results: Because of their inherent differences in chemical compositions, the main activities of energy metabolism of mitochondria were different among Fuzi and its processed products. The potential bioactivity sequence of the tested products was Fuzi>Heishunpian>Paofupian>Yanfuzi. Results of CCA showed that compounds mesaconitine, benzoylaconitine, and benzoylhypacoitine might be the principal active components.Conclusion: Altogether, this work provides a general model of combination of UPLC and microcalorimetry to study the spectrum-effect relationships of Fuzi and its processed products which can offer some references for detecting principal components of traditional Chinese medicine on bioactivity to mitochondrial growth.     

Treatment of inflammatory bowel disease with Chinese drugs administered by both oral intake and retention enema

Objective：To study the clinical effect of Chinese drugs administered by both oral intake and retention enema on inflammatory bowel diseases（IBD）.Methods：Adopting a randomized controlled design,78 patients were assigned to three groups：26 patients in group A treated with Chinese drugs given by both oral intake and retention enema,27 in group B with Chinese drugs given by retention enema only,and 25 in group C with given Western medicine.The changes before and after a 30-day treatment of the patients＇ symptoms （including diarrhea,abdominal pain,mucous or pus-bloody stool）,colonoscopic examination scores and histopathology of the colonic membrane were observed.Results：Group A showed the best outcomes in all the aspects of clinical comprehensive effectiveness.Improvements in the main symptoms,colonoscopic scores and histopathology of the colonic membrane were significantly different from those in groups B and C,respectively （P〈0.05）.Meanwhile comparisons between groups B and C showed insignificant differences（P〉0.05）; group B was better in ameliorating tenesmus（P〈0.05）.Conclusion：Through the use of Chinese drugs administered by both oral intake and retention enema to treat IBD,which combined external-internal therapies for both overall regulation and local managment,it was confirmed that the Chinese medicine could embody the therapeutic principle of attending to both disease-diagnosis and syndrome-differentiation.     

Toripalimab plus chemotherapy in treatment-naïve,advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (JUPITER-06): A multi-center phase 3 trial

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Efficacy and Safety of Niraparib as Maintenance Treatment in Patients With Extensive-Stage SCLC After First-Line Chemotherapy: A Randomized,Double-Blind,Phase 3 Study

IntroductionZL-2306-005 is a randomized, double-blind, multicenter phase 3 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of niraparib, a poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase inhibitor, as first-line maintenance therapy in Chinese patients with platinum-responsive, extensive-stage SCLC (ES-SCLC).MethodsPatients with complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) to standardized, platinum-based first-line chemotherapy were randomized 2:1 to receive niraparib or placebo (300 mg [baseline body weight ≥ 77 kg, platelet count ≥ 150,000/μL] or 200 mg) once daily until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Primary end points were progression-free survival (PFS) (blinded independent central review) and overall survival (sample size planned: 591 patients). Secondary end points included investigator-evaluated PFS and safety.ResultsZL-2306-005 was terminated early owing to ES-SCLC treatment landscape changes (data cutoff: March 20, 2020). During July 2018–February 2020, a total of 185 of 272 patients screened were randomized (niraparib: n = 125 [CR = 1, PR = 124]; placebo: n = 60 [CR = 1, PR = 59]). Median (95% confidence interval [CI]) PFS (blinded independent central review) was 1.54 months (1.41–2.69, niraparib) and 1.36 months (1.31–1.48, placebo); hazard ratio (HR) = 0.66 (95% CI: 0.46–0.95, p = 0.0242). Median overall survival was 9.92 months (9.33–13.54, niraparib) and 11.43 months (9.53–not estimable, placebo); HR = 1.03 (95% CI: 0.62–1.73, p = 0.9052). Median investigator-evaluated PFS was 1.48 months (1.41–2.56, niraparib) and 1.41 months (1.31–2.00, placebo); HR = 0.88 (95% CI: 0.61–1.26; p = 0.4653). Grade greater than or equal to 3 adverse events occurred in 34.4% (niraparib) and 25.0% (placebo) of patients.ConclusionsZL-2306-005 did not reach primary end points. Nevertheless, niraparib as maintenance therapy modestly improved PFS in patients with platinum-responsive ES-SCLC, with acceptable tolerability profile and no new safety signal.     

Effect of intrathymic injection of allogene antigen on immune response to sciatic nerve transplantation in allogenic mice

BACKGROUND: The latest researches demonstrate that intrathymic injection of MHC antigen which reaches a certain dosage (2 mg, i.e., 4 × 108 cell extraction) can induce immunologic tolerance under non-antilymphocyte serum condition. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of intrathymic injection of allogene antigen on survival and function of sciatic nerve in allogenic mice. DESIGN: Randomized controlled animal study. SETTING: The 4th Affiliated Hosptial of Harbin Medical University. MATERIALS: A total of 32 male donor C57BL/6(H-2b) mice of 4–8 weeks old and weighing 18–22 g and 44 female receptor Balb/c(H-2d) mice of 4–8 weeks old and weighing 18–22 g were selected from Heilongjing Veterinary Institution. The animal experiment had got confirmed consent from local ethic committee. METHODS: The experiment was carried out in the Laboratory (Provincial Key Laboratory) of the Fourth Hospital, Harbin Medical University from June 2006 to May 2007. C57BL/6(H-2b) mice were anesthetized to extract MHC (H-2b) antigen from splenic cells and sciatic nerves. Allogenous nerve transplantation group: Mice were given intrathymic injection of 100 μL saline; two weeks later, frozen sciatic nerves of donor mice were transplanted. Immunosuppressive agent group: Mice were given intrathymic injection of 100 μL saline; two weeks later, fresh sciatic nerves of donor mice were transplanted. At three days before transplantation, 10 mg/kg per day cyclosporin A was intraperitoneally injected once a day till mice were sacrificed. MHC (H-2b) antigen injection group: Mice were given intrathymic injection of MHC (H-2b) antigen from C57BL/6(H-2b) donor mice; two weeks later, fresh sciatic nerves of donor mice were transplanted. Autogenous nerve transplantation group: Mice were given intrathymic injection of 100 μL saline; two weeks later, fresh sciatic nerves were transplanted. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Three weeks later, transplanted part of exposured sciatic nerve was used to measure the motor nerve conduction velocity. ② Transplanted nerve was stained with histochemical staining and observed light microscope and electron microscope. ③ Mice received mixed lymphocyte culture and delayed-typed hypersensitiveness to observe absorbency and measure depth of soles. RESULTS: All 76 mice were involved in the final analysis. ① Motor nerve conduction velocity: The nerve recovery in MHC (H-2b) antigen injection group was higher than that in allogenous nerve transplantation group, equal to immunosuppressive agent group and lower than autogenous nerve transplantation group. There were significant differences among them (P < 0.05). ② Histological changes of transplanted nerve: Light and electron microscopes demonstrated that there were a lot of regenerative nerve fibers in autogenous nerve transplantation group, immunosuppressive agent group and MHC (H-2b) antigen injection group, and all nerve fibers passed grafts. ③ Immunological examination: There was no significant difference in mixed lymphocyte culture among allogenous nerve transplantation group, autogenous nerve transplantation group and MHC (H-2b) antigen injection group (P < 0.05). Depth of soles in other groups was deeper than that in the MHC (H-2b) antigen injection group, and there was significant difference (P < 0.05); that was to say, delayed-typed hypersensitiveness was remarkable. CONCLUSION: The intrathymic injection of allogene MHC antigen may induce specific immune tolerance to allogenous sciatic nerve transplantation and promote nerve survival and functional recovery.