Metabolomic analysis of biochemical changes in the tissue and urine of proteoglycan-induced spondylitis in mice after treatment with moxibustion

Xiao Xu,Ya-Nan Shi,Rong-Yun Wang,Cai-Yan Ding,Xiao Zhou,Yu-Fei Zhang,Zhi-Ling Sun,Zhi-Qin Sun,Qiu-Hua Sun 한국한의학연구원 2021 Integrative Medicine Research Vol.10 No.1

Background: Moxibustion is widely used in East Asian countries to manage the symptom of rheumatic diseases. The aim of this study was to identify potential metabolic profiles of moxibustion on relieving ankylosing spondylitis (AS) mice through UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS metabolomic study. Methods: Thirty-two female Balb/c mice were randomized into healthy control (HC), AS model, moxibustion at acupuncture points (MA) in AS model, and moxibustion at non-acupuncture points (MNA) AS model groups. Moxibustion was administered daily at GV4, bilateral BL23 and bilateral ST36 acupuncture points for four weeks in the MA group. The overall health status, the thickness of hind paws and the tissue concentrations of IL-1β, PGE2, IL-6 and TNF-α were assessed. The UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS was used to explore the perturbations of endogenous metabolites in tissue and urine of AS model mice intervened by moxibustion. Results: Compared with the AS group, the overall health status was significantly improved after 4-week moxibustion intervention (p < 0.05). The results also showed that MA significantly reduced the levels of paw thickness and decreased the levels of four cytokines in the tissue (p < 0.01). Thirty-seven endogenous metabolites identified by the OPLS-DA were considered to be contributing to therapeutic effects of moxibustion. Moreover, metabolic pathway analysis further revealed that the identified metabolites were mainly involved in TCA cycle, Lipid metabolism, Amino Acid metabolism, Intestinal flora metabolism and Purine metabolism. Conclusions: UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS based metabolomics approach, as a novel and powerful tool, can help us to gain the insights into potential mechanisms of action of moxibustion for AS.

ANXA2 Regulates the Behavior of SGC-7901 Cells

Sun, Meng-Yao,Xing, Rui-Huan,Gao, Xiao-Jie,Yu, Xiang,He, Hui-Min,Gao, Ning,Shi, Hong-Yan,Hu, Yan-Yan,Wang, Qi-Xuan,Xu, Jin-Hui,Hou, Ying-Chun Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.10

ANXA2, a member of the annexin family, is overexpressed and plays important roles in tumor development. However, the significance of ANXA2 expression in gastric carcinoma has not been clarified.To elucidate its roles in growth of gastric cancer, ANXA2 expression in SGC-7901 cells was inhibited with a designated siRNA, then cell proliferation, cell cycling, apoptosis and motility were determined by MTT assay, flow cytometry, Hoechst 33342 staining and wound healing assay, respectively. To further assess the behavior of ANXA2 deleted SGC-7901 cells, changes of microstructures were observed under fluorescence microscopy, laser scanning confocal microscopy and electron microscopy. We found that inhibition of ANXA2 expression caused cell proliferation to decrease significantly with G1 arrest, motility to be reduced with changes in pseudopodia/filopodia structure and F-actin and ${\beta}$-tubulin expression, and apoptosis to be enhanced albeit without significance. At the same time, ANXA2 deletion resulted in fewer pseudopodia/filopodia, non-stained areas were increased, contact inhibition among cells reappeared, and expression of F-actin and ${\beta}$-tubulin was decreased, with induction of polymerized disassembled forms. Taken together, these data suggest that ANXA2 overexpression is important to maintain the malignancy of cancer cells, and this member of the annexin family has potential to be considered as a target for the gene therapy of gastric carcinoma.

Simultaneous Blockage of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Cyclooxygenase-2 in a Human Xenotransplanted Lung Cancer Model

Mu, Xiao-Yan,Dong, Xue-Li,Sun, Jie,Ni, Yu-Hua,Dong, Zhang,Li, Xi-Li,Sun, Er-Lian,Yi, Zhou,Li, Gao Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.1

The effects of erlotinib combined with celecoxib in a lung cancer xenograft model were here explored with a focus on possible mechanisms. A xenotransplanted lung cancer model was established in nude mice using the human lung cancer cell A549 cell line and animals demonstrating tumour growth were randomly divided into four groups: control, erlotinib, celecoxib and combined (erotinib and celecoxib). The tumor major axis and short diameter were measured twice a week and after 40 days tissues were collected for immunohistochemical analyses of Bcl-2 and Bax positive cells and Western-blotting analyses for the epidermal growth factor recepto (EGFR), P-EGFR, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Tumor size in the combined group was smaller than in the others (p<0.01) and the percentage of Bcl-2 positive cells was fewer in most cases (p<0.01), while that of Bax positive cells was greater than in the erlotinib and celecoxib groups (P>0.05). Western blotting showed decreased expression of P-EGFR and COX-2 with both erlotinib and celecoxib treatments, but most pronouncedly in the combined group (P<0.05). Simultaneous blockage of the EGFR and COX-2 signal pathways exerted stronger growth effects in our human xenotransplanted lung cancer model than inhibition of either pathway alone. The anti-tumor effects were accompanied by synergetic inhibition of tumor cell apoptosis, activation of p-EGFR and expression of COX-2.

Low-Charge Electrotherapy in Geriatric Major Depressive Disorder Patients: A Case Series

Xiao-ming Kong,Xin-hui Xie,Shu-xian Xu,Yang Chen,Chen Wang,Hong Hong,Yan Sun 대한신경정신의학회 2019 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.16 No.6

To examine the feasibility of low-charge electrotherapy (LCE) in treating geriatric major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. Bi-temporal LCEs (approximately 25 mC) were performed with an electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) instrument three times per week. We used the Hamilton Depression Scale 17 (HAMD-17) and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) to assess the effects of LCE and the Mini- Mental State Examination (MMSE) to evaluate the cognitive function change before and after LCE. Six visits occurred at the baseline, after LCE sessions 3, 6, and 9, after the last session, and at the end of the one-month follow-up period. Four patients were enrolled in the study. Two patients completed all LCE sessions. Two patients withdrew during the trial, one due to the adverse event of uroschesis potentially caused by atropine and the other due to her own will. All four patients completed the follow-up sessions. The HAMD-17 and HAMA scores were reduced significantly at the last LCE session and the end of the follow-up period compared with the scores at the baseline. As measured by the MMSE, cognitive impairment showed no significant changes at the last LCE session and the end of the follow- up period compared with that at the baseline. In this case series, LCE showed potential as an alternative current-based treatment for treating geriatric MDD patients. Further research is needed to assess the efficiency and safety of LCE.

WRKY Transcription Factor Functions as a Transcriptional Regulator of Xylanase Inhibitor RIXI, Involved in Rice Disease Resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae

Xiao‑qi Gao,Xiang‑yu Sun,Yao‑yao Peng,Ying‑ying Huang,Ming‑Qi Liu,Xiao‑yan Weng 한국식물학회 2020 Journal of Plant Biology Vol.63 No.3

Xylanase inhibitors are known to play important roles in response to fungal pathogens attack. WRKY transcription factors are also involved in plant defence against pathogens. However, whether WRKY transcription factors interacting with rice xylanase inhibitor RIXI remains unknown. 13 W-boxes, binding sites for WRKY transcription factors were found in RIXI promoter sequence of rice by analyzing RIXI promoter. ChIP-PCR analysis and dual luciferase reporter system assay were used to identify interaction between xylanase inhibitor RIXI and WRKY transcription factors. Results showed OsWRKY6 and OsWRKY46 directly bound to RIXI promoter and regulated RIXI expression diferently. Over-expressing OsWRKY6 and OsWRKY46 transgenic plants were achieved, and OsWRKY6 and OsWRKY46 overexpressed transgenic lines showed higher expression levels of RIXI and higher resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae G11 (M. oryzae G11) compared to wild type (WT). Increased RIXI expression in OsWRKY6 and OsWRKY46 overexpressed transgenic lines was accompanied by up-regulation of pathogenesis-related genes (PR genes). Moreover, higher levels of H2O2 and higher activities of antioxidant enzymes were found in transgenic lines compared to WT plants. Results indicated that over-expression of OsWRKY6 and OsWRKY46 in transgenic lines maybe enhanced rice disease resistance by regulating RIXI expression.

The Expression of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Family in Breast Cancer

Yan Qiu,Tianjie Pu,Li Li,Fei Cheng,Changli Lu,Linyong Sun,Xiao Teng,Feng Ye,Hong Bu 한국유방암학회 2014 Journal of breast cancer Vol.17 No.1

Purpose: It is widely accepted that aldehyde dehydrogenase(ALDH) activity is a signature of breast cancer stem cells, andhigh activity has been reported to be associated with poor clinicaloutcome. The aim of this study was to assess the expressionof members of the ALDH family of isozymes in breast cancer tissuesand to evaluate the implications of the results. Methods: Weanalyzed paraffin-embedded tumor tissue from 160 patients withbreast cancer. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was performedon the slides using antibodies against different ALDHfamily members. We collated the IHC results with patient clinicalcharacteristics and determined their prognostic value. In addition,we analyzed normal, hyperplastic, and carcinomatous tissues insitu to check their ALDH distributions. Results: All the testedALDH members were detected in the various tissue types, but atdifferent levels. Only ALDH 1A3 was found to be significantly associatedwith distant metastasis (p=0.001), disease-free survival(p<0.001), and overall survival (p<0.001). Conclusion: The levelof ALDH 1A3 in breast cancer tissue is a predictive marker of apoor clinical outcome.

New Model of In-situ Xenograft Lymphangiogenesis by a Human Colonic Adenocarcinoma Cell Line in Nude Mice

Sun, Jian-Jun,Jing, Wei,Ni, Yan-Yan,Yuan, Xiao-Jian,Zhou, Hai-Hua,Fan, Yue-Zu Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.6

Objective: To explore a new model of in-situ xenograft lymphangiogenesis of human colonic adenocarcinomas in nude mice. Method: On the basis of establishing subcutaneous xenograft lymphangiogenesis model of human colonic adenocarcinoms, in-situ xenografts were established through the in situ growth of the HT-29 human colonic adenocarcinoma cell line in nude mice. The numbers of lymphangiogenic microvessels, the expression of lymphatic endothelial cell markers lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaloronic acid receptor-1 (LYVE-1), D2-40 and the lymphatic endothelial growth factors vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C), -D (VEGF-D) and receptor-3 (VEGFR-3) were compared by immunohistochemical staining, Western bolt and quantitative RT-PCR in xenograft in-situ models. Results: Some microlymphatics with thin walls, large and irregular or collapsed cavities and increased LMVD, with strong positive of LYVE-1, D2-40 in immunohistochemistry, were observed, identical with the morphological characteristics of lymphatic vessels and capillaries. Expression of LYVE-1 and D2-40 proteins and mRNAs were significantly higher in xenograpfts in-situ than in the negative control group(both P<0.01). Moreover, the expression of VEGF-C, VEGF-D and VEGFR-3 proteins and mRNAs were significantly higher in xenografts in-situ (both P<0.01), in conformity with the signal regulation of the VEGF-C,-D/VEGFR-3 axis of tumor lymphangiogenesis. Conclusions: In-situ xenografts of a human colonic adenocarcinoma cell line demonstrate tumor lymphangiogenesis. This novel in-situ animal model should be useful for further studying mechanisms of lymph node metastasis, drug intervention and anti-metastasis therapy in colorectal cancer.

Molecular Cloning and Characterization of a Novel Stem-specific Gene from Camptotheca acuminata

Yan Pi,Zhi Hua Liao,You Rong Chai,Hai Nian Zeng,Peng Wang,Yi Fu Gong,Yong Zhen Pang,Xiao Fen Sun,Ke Xuan Tang 한국생활환경학회 2006 BMB Reports Vol.39 No.1

Ethnic Networking in the Transnational Engagement of Chinese American Scientists

( Xiao E Sun ),( Yan Jie Bian ) 경남대학교 극동문제연구소 2012 ASIAN PERSPECTIVE Vol.36 No.3

This study, based on in-depth interviews, applies a social-network approach to examining the important role that ethnic networking has played in promoting the transnational engagement of Chinese American scientists in China`s science sector and in higher education. The study finds that the transnational involvement of Chinese American scientists is facilitated by both their strong and weak ethnic ties: strong ties provide connection and rapport, while weak ties facilitate access to position and resources.

Laser Joining of Ti3Al-Based Alloy to Ni-Based Superalloy using a Titanium Interlayer

Xiao-Long Cai,Da-Qian Sun,Hong-Mei Li,Hong-Ling Guo,Yan Zhang,Ying-ying Che 한국정밀공학회 2018 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol.19 No.8

Joining Ti3Al-based alloy to Ni-based superalloy is of great interest for applications in the aerospace fields. Direct welding of these two materials was very difficult and the joint usually fractured during laser welding which cannot form an effective welding joint. In this work, a pure titanium interlayer with a thickness of 0.4 mm was used between the base metals. The results indicated that the addition of titanium interlayer has a great effect on the joint performance. No macrocracks were found through the whole joint. The average room-temperature tensile strength of the joint with titanium was 177 MPa which still much lower than the two base metals. The weak link of the dissimilar joint was the Ti3Al/weld interface. The presence of Ti2Ni, α2-Ti3Al and AlNi2Ti brittle intermetallic compounds in the Ti3Al/weld interface deteriorated the joint properties.