The anti-tumor effect of pachymic acid on osteosarcoma cells by inducing PTEN and Caspase 3/7-dependent apoptosis

Pachymic acid (PA) is a lanostane type triterpenoid isolated from Poria cocos, which possesses an anti-tumor effect in breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and bladder cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of PA on the growth and apoptosis of human immortalized cell line (HOS) and primary osteosarcoma cells by a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and Annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) staining, respectively. Western blot was used to measure the expression of cleaved Caspase 3, PTEN, and AKT, as well as the AKT phosphorylation. The Caspase 3 activity was determined using the Caspase-3 Colorimetric Assay Kit. From the results, PA significantly reduced cell proliferation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. PA also induced cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent fashion. PA treatment led to increased Caspase 3 activation and PTEN expression, as well as reduced AKT phosphorylation. Moreover, Ac-DEVD-CHO (a Caspase 3/7 inhibitor) pre-treatment or PTEN knockdown partially blocked the effects of PA on cell proliferation and apoptosis. Caspase 3/7 inhibitor had an additive effect with PTEN knockdown. Collectively, our results suggested that induction of apoptosis by PA was mediated in part by PTEN/AKT signaling and Caspase 3/7 activity. This study provides evidence that PA might be useful in the treatment of human osteosarcoma.     

谷氨酰胺联合益生菌治疗失代偿肝硬化患者的临床研究

目的观察谷氨酰胺联合益生菌对失代偿肝硬化患者的疗效与安全性。方法收集本院失代偿肝硬化患者78例,随机分为2组,每组39例:对照组用常规治疗;在常规治疗的基础上,试验组用谷氨酰胺联合益生菌治疗,复方谷氨酰胺肠溶胶囊,每次750 mg;枯草杆菌二联活菌肠溶胶囊口服,每次250 mg,两药均每天3次,连用4周。治疗前后,测定2组的肠黏膜通透性指标、肝功能指标、疗效和药物不良反应(ADR)发生率。结果治疗后,试验组与对照组的尿乳果糖/甘露醇比值分别是0.09±0.06,0.12±0.08,这2组的血清白细胞介素-8水平分别是(15.02±3.69),(18.45±4.10)ng·L^-1,这2组的血清谷丙转氨酶水平分别是(24.61±14.29),(36.82±15.67)U·L^-1,上述3个指标在组间比较差异均有统计学意义(均P<0.05)。对照组和试验组的改善率分别为71.80%,92.31%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。对照组和试验组的ADR发生率分别为15.38%(6例/39例),20.51%(8例/39例),组间比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论谷氨酰胺联合益生菌对失代偿肝硬化患者的治疗效果确切,有助于降低肠黏膜通透性和提高肝功能;且不增加ADR发生率。     

Common Deficiencies of <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> Binding Bioequivalence (BE) Studies Submitted in Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs)

There are several drug products that bind phosphate or bile acid in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to exert their therapeutic efficacy. In vitro binding studies are used to assess bioequivalence (BE) of these products. The objective of this study is to identify the common deficiencies in Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) for these products. Deficiencies were compiled from ANDAs containing in vitro binding BE studies. The deficiencies were classified into eight categories: Pre-Study Method Validation, During-Study Sample Analysis, Study Design, Study Procedure, Dissolution/Disintegration, Analytical Site Inspection, Data Submission, and Formulations. Within each category, additional subcategories were defined to characterize the deficiencies. A total of 712 deficiencies from 95 ANDAs for 11 drug products were identified and included in the analysis. The four categories with the most deficiencies were During-Study Sample Analysis (27.8%), Pre-Study Method Validation (17.3%), Data Submission (16.7%), and Study Design (15.7%). For the During-Study Sample Analysis category, failure to submit complete raw data or analytical runs ranked as the top deficiency (32.8%). For the Study Design category, using an unacceptable alternate study design (26.8%) was the most common deficiency. Within this category, other commonly occurring deficiencies included incorrect/insufficient number of absorbent concentrations, failure to pre-treat drug product with acid, insufficient number of replicates in study, incorrect calculation of k1 and k2 values, incorrect dosage form or pooled samples used in the study, and incorrect pH of study medium. The review and approval of these products may be accelerated if these common deficiencies are addressed in the original ANDA submissions.     

Changes in APRI and FIB-4 in HBeAg-negative treatment-naive chronic hepatitis B patients with significant liver histological lesions receiving 5-year entecavir therapy

Clinical and Experimental Medicine - According to guidelines, antiviral therapy for adults with immune-active chronic hepatitis B (CHB) should be adopted to decrease the risk of liver-related...     

Three months of rifapentine and isoniazid for latent tuberculosis infection in hemodialysis patients: High rates of adverse events

The consequences of once-weekly rifapentine plus isoniazid for 3 months (3HP) against latent tuberculosis infections in hemodialysis patients have not been studied before. This is the first study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of 3HP in this population and revealed a completion rate of 65.4%. The therapy was not associated with hepatotoxicity, but with high rates of adverse events (69.2%).     

Prevalence characteristics of single and multiple HPV infections in women with cervical cancer and precancerous lesions in Beijing,China

We assessed the prevalence characteristics of single and multiple high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infections. A total of 1783 women who underwent colposcopy and cervical biopsy for abnormal ThinPrep Cytology Test and/or HR-HPV subtype genotyping results were enrolled in the study. Among the participants, 770 were diagnosed with cervicitis, 395 with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 (CIN1), 542 with CIN2-3, and 76 with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), with HR-HPV infection rates of 75.8%, 85.8%, 95.9%, and 88.4%, respectively. The prevalence of total and multiple HR-HPV infections exhibited a bimodal age distribution with a peak at ≤25 years, a decline with age and a second peak at ≥55 years, whereas single HR-HPV infections exhibited one peak from 35 to 44 years. The four most dominant HPV genotypes were HPV 16 (29.5%), 52 (15.0%), 58 (14.2%), and 18 (10.4%). In total, 67.0%, 70.4%, and 82.1% of patients with CIN1, CIN2-3, and SCC, respectively, had a single HR-HPV infection, which increased significantly with the aggravation of the cervical lesion grade (P = 0.045). Patients with a single HPV 16 infection had higher incidences of CIN2+ (62.2%) than those with multiple HPV 16 infections (52.4%) (P = 0.021). Patients coinfected with HPV 16 had higher CIN2+ incidence than those with single HPV 52, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 56, or 59 infections (P < 0.001). This study provided baseline data on the prevalence characteristics of single and multiple HR-HPV infections in women attending a gynecological outpatient clinic in Beijing.