Doxorubicin Promotes Migration and Invasion of Breast Cancer Cells through the Upregulation of the RhoA/MLC Pathway

Chien-Liang Liu,Ming-Jen Chen,Jiunn-Chang Lin,Chi-Hsin Lin,Wen-Chien Huang,Shih-Ping Cheng,Shan-Na Chen,Yuan-Ching Chang 한국유방암학회 2019 Journal of breast cancer Vol.22 No.2

Purpose: Cancer cells develop acquired resistance induced by chemotherapeutic drugs. In this study, we investigated the effects of brief treatment with cytotoxic drugs on the phenotype of breast cancer cells. Methods: Breast cancer cells MCF7 and BT-474 were briefly treated with paclitaxel or doxorubicin. Clonogenic, migration, and invasion assays were performed on the treated cells. Western blot analysis and RhoA activity assay were also performed. Results: Breast cancer cells when briefly treated with paclitaxel or doxorubicin showed reduced clonogenic ability. Doxorubicin, but not paclitaxel, augmented cell migration and invasion. The invasion-promoting effects of doxorubicin were lost when the two drugs were sequentially used in combination. Myosin light chain (MLC) 2 phosphorylation and RhoA activity were upregulated by doxorubicin and downregulated by paclitaxel. Pretreatment with RhoA inhibitors abolished the migration- and invasion-promoting effects of doxorubicin. Conclusion: Doxorubicin activates the RhoA/MLC pathway and enhances breast cancer cell migration and invasion. Therefore, this pathway might be explored as a therapeutic target to suppress anthracycline-enhanced tumor progression.

Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor-α Subunit Targeting Suppresses Metastasis in Advanced Thyroid Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo

( Ching-ling Lin ),( Ming-lin Tsai ),( Yu-hsin Chen ),( Wei-ni Liu ),( Chun-yu Lin ),( Kai-wen Hsu ),( Chien-yu Huang ),( Yu-jia Chang ),( Po-li Wei ),( Shu-huey Chen ),( Li-chi Huang ),( Chia-hwa Lee 한국응용약물학회 2021 Biomolecules & Therapeutics(구 응용약물학회지) Vol.29 No.5

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. Patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancers, such as papillary and follicular cancers, have a favorable prognosis. However, poorly differentiated thyroid cancers, such as medullary, squamous and anaplastic advanced thyroid cancers, are very aggressive and insensitive to radioiodine treatment. Thus, novel therapies that attenuate metastasis are urgently needed. We found that both PDGFC and PDGFRA are predominantly expressed in thyroid cancers and that the survival rate is significantly lower in patients with high PDGFRA expression. This finding indicates the important role of PDGF/PDGFR signaling in thyroid cancer development. Next, we established a SW579 squamous thyroid cancer cell line with 95.6% PDGFRA gene insertion and deletions (indels) through CRISPR/Cas9. Protein and invasion analysis showed a dramatic loss in EMT marker expression and metastatic ability. Furthermore, xenograft tumors derived from PDGFRA geneedited SW579 cells exhibited a minor decrease in tumor growth. However, distant lung metastasis was completely abolished upon PDGFRA gene editing, implying that PDGFRA could be an effective target to inhibit distant metastasis in advanced thyroid cancers. To translate this finding to the clinic, we used the most relevant multikinase inhibitor, imatinib, to inhibit PDGFRA signaling. The results showed that imatinib significantly suppressed cell growth, induced cell cycle arrest and cell death in SW579 cells. Our developed noninvasive apoptosis detection sensor (NIADS) indicated that imatinib induced cell apoptosis through caspase-3 activation. In conclusion, we believe that developing a specific and selective targeted therapy for PDGFRA would effectively suppress PDGFRA-mediated cancer aggressiveness in advanced thyroid cancers.

Prediction of the Duration to Next Admission for an Acute Affective Episode in Patients with Bipolar I Disorder

Pao-Huan Chen(Pao-Huan Chen),Chun-Ming Shih(Chun-Ming Shih),Chi-Kang Chang(Chi-Kang Chang),Chia-Pei Lin(Chia-Pei Lin),Yung-Han Chang(Yung-Han Chang),Hsin-Chien Lee(Hsin-Chien Lee),El-Wui Loh(El-Wui Lo 대한정신약물학회 2023 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE Vol.21 No.2

Objective: Predicting disease relapse and early intervention could reduce symptom severity. We attempted to identify potential indicators that predict the duration to next admission for an acute affective episode in patients with bipolar I disorder. Methods: We mathematically defined the duration to next psychiatric admission and performed single-variate regressions using historical data of 101 patients with bipolar I disorder to screen for potential variables for further multivariate regressions. Results: Age of onset, total psychiatric admissions, length of lithium use, and carbamazepine use during the psychiatric hospitalization contributed to the next psychiatric admission duration positively. The all-in-one found that hyperlipidemia during the psychiatric hospitalization demonstrated a negative contribution to the duration to next psychiatric admission; the last duration to psychiatric admission, lithium and carbamazepine uses during the psychiatric hospitalization, and heart rate on the discharge day positively contributed to the duration to next admission. Conclusion: We identified essential variables that may predict the duration of bipolar I patients’ next psychiatric admission. The correlation of a faster heartbeat and a normal lipid profile in delaying the next onset highlights the importance of managing these parameters when treating bipolar I disorder.

Male Infertility Increases the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan

Chen Peng-Ciao,Chen Yu-Ju,Yang Chia-Chen,Lin Ting-Ti,Huang Chien-Chu,Chung Chi-Hsiang,Sun Chien-An,Chien Wu-Chien 대한남성과학회 2022 The World Journal of Men's Health Vol.40 No.3

Purpose: Some evidence suggests that male infertility increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, the evidence in Asian populations is relatively scarce. The aim of this study is to determine whether male infertility increases the risk of CVDs. Materials and Methods: We used inpatient and outpatient data for the years 2000 to 2015 from the Taiwanese Longitudinal Health Insurance Database. We enrolled 7,016 males over 18 years old and diagnosed with male infertility. Of these, 2,326 matched our inclusion criteria and were assigned to the study group. For each infertility patient, four comparison patients were frequency-matched by age and index date to form a control cohort comprising 9,304 patients. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to estimate the association between male infertility and CVDs. Results: After a 15-year follow-up, the incidence rate of CVDs was higher in the infertility group than the control group (1,460.23 and 1,073.70 per 100,000 person-years, respectively). The Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that the adjusted HR for CVDs was 1.472 for the infertility group (95% CI, 1.288–1.683; p<0.001) relative to the control group. The Kaplan–Meier analysis of the cumulative incidence of CVDs in the two groups showed that the cumulative risk curve for CVDs was significantly higher for the infertility group than the control group. Conclusions: This study shows that men with infertility have a higher risk of developing incident CVDs. In the future, healthcare providers should pay attention to these patients because of their higher health risks.

Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra) Prevents Insulin Resistance and Restores Neuron Autophagy by Regulating Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 and Thus Improving Hippocampal Function

Chien-Ning Huang,Chi-Li Lin,Hsin-Hua Li,Sing-Hua Tsou,Chiung-Huei Peng 한국식품영양과학회 2023 Journal of medicinal food Vol.26 No.7

Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra) Prevents Insulin Resistance and RestoresNeuron Autophagy by Regulating Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4and Thus Improving Hippocampal Function

A High Performance Soft-Switching AC/DC Converter

Chien-Ming Wang,Chang-Hua Lin,Chi-Hsiang Cheng,Bo-Han Wu 전력전자학회 2019 ICPE(ISPE)논문집 Vol.2019 No.5

This paper introduced a high performance single stage soft-switching AC/DC converter. The introduced soft-switching AC/DC converter uses four switches fullbridge circuit construct to achieve the input power factor correction and the output DC voltage regulation. The introduced soft-switching AC/DC converter adopts interleaved operation mode in ac input side to reduce the input current harmonic and increase the supply power level. Moreover, the introduced soft-switching AC/DC converter can get soft-switching function on its main power switches without soft-switching auxiliary circuit. Thus, the cost of circuit in low. A simple phase-shift control strategy is used to synthesize a suitable low harmonics sinusoidal waveform for the ac input current and achieve well dynamic regulation. A design example of 1000W high performance DC power supply system is examined to assess its performance.

Mitigation the Impact and Survive from Extreme Drought of Climate Change and Global Warming

Chien-Hsing Chu,Ching-yuan Lu,Chung-Yan Li,Fang-Lin Liao,Yu-Chi Lee 한국방재학회 2016 Journal of Disaster Management Vol.1 No.2

Tap Water is the lifeline of human existence. Due to the effect of the Climate Change, the world has experienced an uneven distribution of rainfall in recent years, cause of floods or droughts. A series drought broke out in Taipei city gave chance to protect our county and test our reliabilities to citizen. This developments but has also realize the agricultural water should cooperate effectively shift dial [2], active water conservation ordinance relaxed, provide valuable water resources. Water utilities in response to the challenges of extreme drought, should face the New thinking that the difference between the price of water upon request, considering distinguish the dry season and the rainy season in different water, and the water does not hike the basic livelihood of the people; to consider the idea of building “Our sponge cities sponge Taiwan”; avoid low tariff wasted water, or the use of reasonable price adjustments after yearly, water problems can be solved in Taipei area; contributed to the dry season to strengthen water conservation and carbon reduction to achieve the effect or open consumptive water use of large household[2] and strengthen told: the key to sustainable development of water resources, “NO WATER NO FUTURE”.

Protective Effect of Millettia reticulata Benth Against CCl4-Induced Hepatic Damage and Inflammatory Action in Rats

Chien-Chen Hsu,Chin-Lin Hsu,Shao-En Tsai,Timothy Yu-Chi Fu,Gow-Chin Yen 한국식품영양과학회 2009 Journal of medicinal food Vol.12 No.4

The effects of the water extracts of Millettia reticulata Benth (WEMRB) and its active compound (protocatechuic acid [PCA]) on acute hepatic injury and inflammation in CCl4-induced Sprague-Dawley rats were investigated. Sprague-Dawley rats were orally treated with WEMRB or PCA for 28 consecutive days, and then the rats were given an intraperitoneal injection with CCl4. Pretreatment with WEMRB or PCA significantly lowered the CCl4-induced serum levels of hepatic enzyme markers (aspartate and alanine aminotransferases). Liver histopathology showed that WEMRB reduced the incidence of cytoplasmic vacuolization and necrosis induced by CCl4 in rats. Pretreatment with WEMRB also showed anti-inflammation on the expression of cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and myeloperoxidase, as well as nitrite and nitrate levels in the CCl4-induced Sprague-Dawley rats. The results suggest that oral administration of WEMRB decreases the hepatotoxic effects by increasing glutathione-dependent antioxidant enzyme activity, thereby reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in CCl4-induced Sprague-Dawley rats.

The simple and easy way to manufacture counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

Jo-Lin Lan,Yung-Yun Wang,Chi-Chao Wan,Tzu-Chien Wei,Hsien-Ping Feng,Chao Peng,Hai-Peng Cheng,Ya-Huei Chang,Wen-Chi Hsu 한국물리학회 2010 Current Applied Physics Vol.10 No.2

We previously developed poly-N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (PVP)-capped Pt nanoclusters on ITO glass via a simple ‘‘2-step dip coating process” as counter electrode for DSSC. This new counter electrode was examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and current–voltage curve (I–V curve). The TEM results revealed that PVP-capped Pt nanoclusters’ size is about 3 nm, and the amount of Pt deposited on ITO glass is about 5 ㎍/㎠. Comparing with sputtered Pt and Solaronix thermal cluster Pt-catalyst T/SP, the PVP-capped Pt counter electrode has lower amount of Pt deposited on TCO glass,more positive potential of tri-iodide reduction, and better performance for the charge-transfer resistance (RCT) and the cell efficiency (g).

Protective Effect of Millettia reticulata Benth Against $CCl_4$-Induced Hepatic Damage and Inflammatory Action in Rats

Hsu, Chien-Chen,Hsu, Chin-Lin,Tsai, Shao-En,Fu, Timothy Yu-Chi,Yen, Gow-Chin The Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition 2009 Journal of medicinal food Vol.12 No.4

The effects of the water extracts of Millettia reticulata Benth (WEMRB) and its active compound (protocatechuic acid [PCA]) on acute hepatic injury and inflammation in $CCl_4$-induced Sprague-Dawley rats were investigated. Sprague-Dawley rats were orally treated with WEMRB or PCA for 28 consecutive days, and then the rats were given an intraperitoneal injection with $CCl_4$. Pretreatment with WEMRB or PCA significantly lowered the $CCl_4$-induced serum levels of hepatic enzyme markers (aspartate and alanine aminotransferases). Liver histopathology showed that WEMRB reduced the incidence of cytoplasmic vacuolization and necrosis induced by $CCl_4$ in rats. Pretreatment with WEMRB also showed anti-inflammation on the expression of cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and myeloperoxidase, as well as nitrite and nitrate levels in the $CCl_4$-induced Sprague-Dawley rats. The results suggest that oral administration of WEMRB decreases the hepatotoxic effects by increasing glutathione-dependent antioxidant enzyme activity, thereby reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in $CCl_4$-induced Sprague-Dawley rats.