Biomedical subjects

A Sun

Publications and source records attributed to A Sun.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

A small molecule based on the pRb2/p130 spacer domain leads to inhibition of cdk2 activity, cell cycle arrest and tumor growth reduction in vivo.

One strategy in the development of anticancer therapeutics has been to arrest malignant proliferation through inhibition of the enzymatic activity of cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks), which are key regulatory molecules of the cell cycle. Over the past few years, numerous compounds with remarkable cdk inhibitory activity have been studied in cancer therapy, although it is very difficult to point out the best cdk to target. An excellent candidate appears to be cdk2, whose alteration is a pathogenic hallmark of tumorigenesis. The small molecule described in our study showed an inhibitory effect on the kinase activity of cdk2, a significant growth arrest observed in a colony formation assay and a reduction in the size of the tumor in nude mice, thus suggesting its potential role as a promising new type of mechanism-based antitumor drug, also for the treatment of hyperproliferative disorders.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed2006

Efficacy of emergent transcatheter transplantation of stem cells for treatment of acute myocardial infarction (TCT-STAMI).

OBJECTIVE: To study whether emergent intracoronary autologous bone marrow cell transplantation (BMT) is applicable for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: 20 patients admitted within 24 h after the onset of a first AMI were randomly allocated to receive intracoronary autologous BMT (n = 10) or bone marrow supernatant (controls, n = 10) immediately after primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end diastolic internal diameter (LVDd) and myocardial perfusion defect scores were examined respectively by echocardiography and single-photon emission computed tomography at one week and six months after AMI. RESULTS: From one week to six months after AMI, LVEF was enhanced from mean 53.8 (SD 9.2)% to 58.6 (9.9)% (p < 0.05) in the BMT group but was unchanged in the control group (58.2 (7.5)% v 56.3 (3.5)%, p > 0.05); LVDd remained unchanged (52.5 (2.8) v 52.1 (3.2) mm, p > 0.05) in the BMT group but was significantly enlarged in the control group (50.4 (6.0) v 55.2 (7.1) mm, p < 0.05). Additionally, myocardial perfusion defect scores decreased from 21 (11) to 13 (10) (p < 0.01) in the BMT group but were unchanged in the control group (20 (14) v 17 (15), p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Emergent intracoronary transplantation of bone marrow mononuclear cells after AMI is practicable, and it improved cardiac function, prevented myocardial remodelling and increased myocardial perfusion at six months' follow up.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗

PubMed2005

PspA family typing and PCR-based DNA fingerprinting with BOX A1R primer of pneumococci from the blood of patients in the USA with and without sickle cell disease.

Disease and mortality rates for Streptococcus pneumoniae infections are much higher in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) than in age-matched patients without SCD. Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) has been proposed as a component in human vaccines against S. pneumoniae to provide greater breadth of coverage than can be obtained with the 7-valent conjugate vaccine. The cross-reactivity of PspA is associated with the 'PspA family' structure. In this study we examined strains of S. pneumoniae from patients with and without SCD to determine whether the strains infecting the hypersusceptible population of SCD patients were limited to the same two PspA families already known to comprise over 95% of strains infecting non-SCD patients. Each strain was also evaluated according to the presence or absence of specific PCR fragments based on repetitive BOX elements to screen for possible SCD-associated clonal structure. Strains from SCD and non-SCD patients were similarly dispersed among the most common BOX PCR groups and strains from both groups expressed a similar distribution of PspA variants. Thus, a PspA vaccine designed for the population at large should also be appropriate for patients with SCD.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Stem cell factor improves SCID-repopulating activity of human umbilical cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in xenotransplanted NOD/SCID mouse model.

Poor in vivo homing capacity of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HS/PCs) from umbilical cord blood (UCB) can be reversed by short-term ex vivo manipulation with recombinant human stem cell factor (rHuSCF). This study was designed to evaluate the effect of ex vivo manipulation of UCB-derived HS/PCs with rHuSCF on human cell engraftment rates in xenotransplanted NOD/SCID mouse model. The human cell engraftment rates in xenotransplanted primary and secondary NOD/SCID mice were characterized using four-color flow cytometric analysis and progenitor assay. Grafts of rHuSCF-treated UCB CD34(+) cells resulted in significantly higher levels of human cell engraftment than that of nontreated ones in both xenotransplanted primary and secondary NOD/SCID recipients. Fresh UCB CD34(+) cells did not express either of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family members MMP-2 or MMP-9. rHuSCF-treated UCB CD34(+) cells expressed significant levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Pretreatment of UCB CD34(+) cells with the specific MMP inhibitor completely blocked human cell engraftment in xenotransplanted NOD/SCID recipients. Our results indicate that ex vivo manipulation of human HS/PCs with rHuSCF might provide an optimal approach to develop more effective stem cell-based therapies in situations where engraftment is delayed due to limiting HS/PCs number, for example, UCB transplantation.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Serum interleukin-8 level is a more sensitive marker than serum interleukin-6 level in monitoring the disease activity of oral lichen planus.

BACKGROUND: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a T-cell-mediated inflammatory disease. Interleukin (IL)-8 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine of host response to injury and inflammation. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether serum IL-8 level was a more sensitive marker than serum IL-6 level in monitoring the disease activity of OLP and to assess whether IL-8 was a useful serum marker in evaluating the therapeutic effects of levamisole on OLP patients. METHODS: In this study, we used a solid phase, two-site sequential chemiluminescent immunometric assay to determine the baseline serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in 158 patients with OLP, nine patients with traumatic ulcers (TU) and 54 normal control subjects. Some OLP patients with the serum IL-6 or IL-8 levels higher than the upper limit of normal serum concentration were treated with levamisole for 0.5-6.0 months and their serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels were measured after treatment. RESULTS: We found that 28% (44 of 158) OLP, 28% (40 of 142) erosive OLP (EOLP), and 25% (four of 16) nonerosive OLP (NEOLP) patients had a serum IL-6 level greater than the upper normal limit of 4.7 pg mL(-1). In contrast, 63% (99 of 158) OLP, 63% (90 of 142) EOLP and 56% (nine of 16) NEOLP patients had a serum IL-8 level greater than the upper normal limit of 8.7 pg mL(-1). In some OLP patients with the serum IL-6 or IL-8 levels higher than the upper limit of normal serum concentration, treatment with levamisole for a period of 0.5-6.0 months could significantly reduce the mean serum IL-6 level from 14.3 +/- 1.9 pg mL(-1) to 3.2 +/- 0.6 pg mL(-1) (P < 0.001) and could significantly reduce the mean serum IL-8 level from 95.8 +/- 17.1 pg mL(-1) to 14.8 +/- 5.8 pg mL(-1) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Because measurement of the serum IL-8 level can detect more OLP patients with an abnormal serum level than measurement of the serum IL-6 level (63% vs. 28%), we conclude that serum IL-8 level is a more sensitive marker than serum IL-6 level in monitoring the disease activity of OLP. Levamisole can modulate both the serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels in OLP patients. IL-8, like IL-6, is also a useful serum marker in evaluating the therapeutic effects of levamisole on OLP patients.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2004

Gender-specific proteomic alterations in glycolytic and mitochondrial pathways in aging monkey hearts.

We utilized proteomic techniques in a primate model (Macaca fascicularis) of aging to determine potential mechanisms to explain gender differences in protection of the aging heart. The majority of prior work in this field utilized rodent models, and importantly no prior study utilized a proteomic approach in the aging heart. We studied changes in proteins in seven monkeys in each group (young and old males and females (YMs, OMs, YFs, and OFs, respectively)), and used two-dimensional gel electrophoresis in combination with mass spectrometry in five monkeys in each group. We found decreases (P < 0.05) in the expression of key enzymes in glycolysis (e.g. pyruvate kinase, alpha-enolase, triosephosphate isomerase), glucose oxidation (e.g. pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 beta-subunit), and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle (2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase) in left ventricular (LV) samples from OM monkeys; these changes in glycolytic, glucose oxidation, and TCA enzymes were not observed either in YMs, YFs or OFs. We found additional gender differences in the reduced expression and function of proteins that are responsible for electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria only in hearts from OM monkeys, with corresponding decreased oxidation rates with NADH and ascorbate-N,N,N',N' ''-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine substrates. The changes in glycolytic and mitochondrial metabolic pathways in OM monkey hearts are similar to changes observed in hearts affected by diabetes or LV dysfunction, and could be involved in the mechanism for the cardiomyopathy of aging. The sparing of these changes in OF hearts could be involved in the mechanism mediating delayed cardiovascular risk in OFs.

Aging↗

PubMed2003

Detection of cancer clones in human gastric adenoma by increased DNA-instability and other biomarkers.

An immunohistochemical differential staining of cancerous cells with anti-cytidine antibody after denaturation of nuclear DNA by acid hydrolysis with 2N HCl at 30 degree C for 20 min (DNA-instability test) has been used as a marker of malignancy. The test was applied to bioptic tissues of human gastric polyp assessed histopathologically as foveolar hyperplastic polyp (13 cases), mild (58 cases), moderate (86 cases), and severe (20 cases) dysplasia, and adenocarcinomas (14 cases). The serial sections of the same tissues were also subjected to immunohistochemical staining for Ki67, p53, DNA-fragmentation factor (DFF45), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The DNA-instability test was positive in 14 (100%) adenocarcinoma cases, 20 (100%) severe dysplasia cases, 52 (60.5%) moderate dysplasia cases, and 12 (20.7%) mild dysplasia cases, indicating malignancy. All foveolar hyperplastic polyps were negative to the DNA-instability testing. Furthermore, the percentage of glands positive in the DNA-instability test steadily increased in going from mild (10%), to moderate (40%), to severe (100%) dysplasia, and adenocarcinoma (100%). All other biological markers tested in the present study showed significantly higher values in the adenoma glands, being positive to DNA-instability testing, irrespective of the dysplasia grade, as compared to those in the adenoma glands that were negative to DNA-instability testing. Furthermore, the former values were comparable to those in adenocarcinoma. These results indicate that cancer cell clones are already present at the adenoma stages showing a positive DNA-instability test, enhanced proliferative activity, p53 mutation, induction of DFF45 and bFGF. These factors allow cancer cell proliferation, producing heterogeneous subclones due to DNA-instability, enhancing their survival by escaping apoptosis, and providing abundant nutrients during the early-stage progression of gastric cancer. Based on these findings, we herein propose the concept of "procancer" (as opposed to "pre-cancer") as being a unique stage during the course of carcinogenesis and cancer progression. We designate the term to cancer clones at the very early stages of malignant progression that do not show distinguishable morphological atypia but do show positive DNA-instability testing and positive staining for various biomarkers such as Ki67, p53, DFF45, and bFGF. We also define the abnormal positive staining of these biomarkers, including the DNA-instability test as "functional atypia", compared to the ordinary morphological atypia.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2002

High incidence of autoantibodies in Taiwanese patients with oral submucous fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Previous study has shown a high incidence of autoantibodies including antinuclear (ANA), antismooth muscle (SMA), antigastric parietal cell (GPCA), antithyroid microsomal (TMA), and antireticulin antibodies in a small group of 26 patients with oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). The reasons why some of the OSF patients have high titers of autoantibodies in serum have not been completely explained and no further study on autoantibodies in OSF patients has been done in a large group of patients. METHODS: In this study, we determined the serum levels of ANA, SMA, GPCA, and TMA in a large group of 109 male Taiwanese patients with OSF by an indirect immunofluorescence technique (for ANA, SMA, and GPCA), and by a semiquantitative microtiter particle agglutination test (for TMA). The presence of serum autoantibodies in OSF patients was further correlated with patients' oral habits and the severity of OSF measured by maximum mouth opening (MMO) and sites of involvement. RESULTS: We found that the frequencies of presence of serum ANA (23.9%), SMA (23.9%), and GPCA (14.7%) in OSF patients were significantly higher than those (9.2, 7.3, and 5.5%, respectively) in healthy control subjects (P < 0.01, P < 0.005, and P < 0.05, respectively). Although the frequency of presence of TMA (5.5%) in OSF patients was also greater than that (2.8%) in healthy control subjects, the difference was not significant (P > 0.05). The presence of serum GPCA in OSF patients was significantly associated with daily areca quid (AQ) consumption (P < 0.05). The presence of serum ANA in OSF patients associated with daily AQ consumption was of borderline statistical significance (P = 0.066). However, no significant correlations were demonstrated between the presence of serum autoantibodies in OSF patients and other variables of oral habits, MMO, and sites of involvement. CONCLUSION: In this study, all the 109 OSF patients had AQ chewing habit and 73.4% of the OSF patients swallowed the 'juice' of AQ during the chewing process. The presence of serum GPCA and ANA in OSF patients was associated with daily consumption of AQs. AQ chewing caused mucosal microtrauma, and ulcerations facilitated the diffusion of genotoxic and cytotoxic AQ ingredients into the oral and gastric tissues. Altered autoantigens released from AQ ingredients-damaged cells may induce autoantibody production. Higher frequencies of specific HLA-DR antigens in OSF patients may also help autoantibody production. Therefore, we conclude that the high incidence of autoantibodies in OSF patients may be due to AQ chewing habit, toxic AQ ingredients, and genetic susceptibility of the OSF patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

[A randomized case-control study on the influence of percutaneous estradiol and progestin in cyclic combined regimen on endometrium and vaginal bleeding pattern in Chinese early postmenopausal women].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of percutaneous estradiol + micronized progesterone or medroxyprogesterone on endometrium and vaginal bleeding in Chinese post-menopausal women. METHODS: A 3-year open randomized clinical study was designed. The estrogen and progestin were used continuous-combined together in a cyclic regimen. The percutaneous estradiol was regarded as estrogen. The microprogesterone (MP) and medroxyprogesterone (MPA) were served as progestin. Sixty healthy women (naturally menopausal for 1 to 5 years) were recruited and divided into four groups. The regimen as follows: (1) percutaneous estradiol gel (gel) containing 1.5 mg of 17 beta-estradiol (E2)/d plus micronized progesterone (MP) 100 mg/d in group 1 (G1, E2 1.5 + MP); (2) gel, 1.5 mg E2/d plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), 2 mg/d in group 2 (G2, E2 1.5 + MPA); (3) gel, 0.75 mg E2/d plus MP, 100 mg/d in group 3 (G3, E2 0.75 + MP); and (4) gel, 0.75 mg E2/d plus MPA, 2 mg/d in group 4 (G4, E2 0.75 + MPA). All were given for 25 d/month, and 5 days free. The transvaginal sonography was performed 0, 12, 24 and 36 months. The thickness of endometrium were measured. The endometrium biopsy by Pipelle tube was conducted at 24th or 36th months. The vaginal bleeding was recorded. RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients (98.3%) finished 1 year and 56 patients (93.3%) for 2 years, 51 (85%) for 3 years. There was no significant changes of endometrium. The thickness of endometrium before treatment in four groups were 0.25 cm, 0.27 cm, 0.22 cm, 0.28 cm and after treatment 0.37 cm, 0.30 cm, 0.326 7 cm and 0.3 cm respectively. No significant differences was found in four groups (P > 0. 05). Fifty -three patients had the Pipelle biopsy. The pathological result showed: 16 cases (25.8%) proliferated, 1 case (1.6%) secretary; 11 cases (17.7%) atrophy; 23 cases (37.1%) mixed cell; tendency to hyperplasia in 2 cases (3.2%). During the treatment, the vaginal irregular bleeding rate was highest in G2 and lowest in G3. CONCLUSIONS: Daily estrogen containing 0.75 mg and 1.5 mg E2 combined with 100 mg progesterone and 2 mg medroxyprogesterone do not increase the thickness of endometrium significantly. The vaginal bleeding rate was low when combined with 100 mg micronized progesterone. Addition of natural progesterone will low down the bleeding rate and improve the HRT compliance.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Improved high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the combined analysis of phospholipase, lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase activities.

We report herein an improved method for the high-performance liquid chromatographic separation and analysis of eicosanoids formed during the stimulation of human platelets in vitro with collagen. Since the products of interest, excepting arachidonic acid, contain hydroxyl groups (one to several), our method involves the conversion of the hydroxyl groups into acetates (pyridine/acetic anhydride) after derivatization with anthryl diazomethane (ADAM) rendering the compounds with much decreased polarity for separation on a reversed-phase column. This procedure is superior to that involving ADAM esters only, i.e. with free hydroxyl groups, as it leads to the excellent separation of the desired compounds from each other and from extraneous peaks observed due to the ADAM reagent and sharpens the peak of thromboxane. We have successfully applied the method to investigate the formation of thromboxane B2 and 12-hydroxyheptadecatrienoic acid (HHT) (products of cyclooxygenase and thromboxane A2 synthase), 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE, a 12-lipoxygenase product) and arachidonic acid (AA, product of phospholipase A2) formed during the in vitro aggregation of human platelets induced by collagen. A correlation between the inhibition of aggregation by aspirin and thromboxane/HHT formation was observed. All four compounds can be chromatographed in a single run. We employed prostaglandin B1 (PGB1) as internal reference standard to quantify the products. The method is useful to investigate selectivity of drugs which may affect either or all of these enzyme pathways at the same time.

Blood Platelets↗

PubMed2001

A novel fluorescent method for direct visualization of neurofibrillary pathology in Alzheimer's disease.

Methods currently available for detecting neurofibrillary pathology are indirect and depend on staining with exogenous chemicals or antibodies. In the present study, we report a novel method named intrinsic fluorescence induction (IFI), which allows direct visualization of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), neuropil threads (NTs), and neuritic plaques (NPs) in tissue sections of Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain. The IFI method is based on both induction of a red intrinsic fluorescence and quenching red background autofluorescence. The IFI procedure includes sustained hydrophobic treatment, protein secondary structure enhancement and incubation in high concentration of phosphate buffer. Following this procedure, a unique red fluorescence is generated from the structures of NFTs, NTs, and NPs in brain sections from AD patients. Sequential application of mild permanganate oxidation and 1% sodium borohydride selectively removes the red background autofluorescence, while the latter enhances the intrinsic fluorescence of neurofibrillary pathology. Comparative studies reveal that the IFI method is as sensitive as Gallyas silver staining, and more sensitive than Bielschowsky silver staining or PHF-1 immunostaining in detecting NFTs in the pre-alpha layer of entorhinal cortex and the pri-alpha layer of the entorhinal/transentorhinal cortex. Furthermore, the IFI method is sensitive in displaying plaque neurites and threads, but not NFTs in the hippocampus. This novel finding provides a direct method for detecting neurofibrillary pathology in particular regions of AD brain and a novel tool for AD research.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

Novel platelet antiaggregating substances.

We describe herein a novel action of four stable analogs of the hepoxilins. These analogs inhibit to different degrees, the aggregation of washed human platelets evoked by collagen. One of the analogs, PBT-3, is particularly effective with an IC(50) = 8 x 10(-7) M. The other analogs are about 5-fold less active, but all analogs are about 500-fold more active than the native hepoxilins. The PBT analogs inhibit the collagen-enhanced formation of thromboxane A(2) and HHT but do not affect the formation of 12-HETE or the release of arachidonic acid except at doses higher than those needed to block platelet aggregation. These results demonstrate that these novel compounds may have potential for development into drugs in the treatment of thromboxane-mediated cardiovascular disease.

Arachidonic Acids↗

PubMed2001

Some specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR/DQ haplotypes are more important than individual HLA-DR and -DQ phenotypes for the development of mucocutaneous type of Behçet's disease and for disease shift from recurrent aphthous stomatitis to mucocutaneous type of Behçet's disease.

The phenotype and haplotype frequencies of human leukocyte antigens (HLA)-DR and -DQ in 32 Chinese patients with the mucocutaneous (MC) type of Behçet's disease (BD) were calculated and compared with those in 310 healthy control Chinese and with those in 80 Chinese patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). We found that the phenotype frequency of HLA-DRw8 [corrected P (Pc)<0.005] and the haplotype frequencies of HLA-DRw8/DQw1 (Pc<0.005), -DRw8/DQw5(w1) (Pc<0.0005), -DRw12(5)/DQw1 (Pc<0.005), -DRw12(5)/DQw6(w1) (Pc< 0.0005), and -DRw52/DQw1 (Pc<0.005) in patients with the MC type of BD were significantly greater than those in healthy control subjects. This finding suggests that individual Chinese with HLA-DRw8 antigen and HLA-DRw8/DQw1, -DRw8/DQw5(w1), -DRw12(5)/DQw1, -DRw12(5)/DQw6(w1) and -DRw52/DQw1 haplotypes are more likely to have the MC type of BD. Furthermore, the relative risks (RRs) of HLA-DRw8/DQw1 (5.6), -DRw8/ DQw5 (w1) (10.0), and -DRw12(5)/DQw6(w1) (14.4) haplotypes in patients with the MC type of BD were equal to or higher than the RR of HLA-DRw8 phenotype (5.6), suggesting that some of the HLA-DR/DQ haplotypes may play more important roles than the individual HLA-DR and -DQ phenotypes for the development of the MC type of BD. The phenotype frequencies of HLA-DR5 (Pc<0.01), -DRw8 (Pc<0.005) and -DQw1 (Pc<0.05) as well as the haplotype frequencies of HLA-DR5/DQw1 (P<0.005) and -DRw8/DQw1 (Pc<0.00005) in patients with the MC type of BD were significantly higher than those in patients with RAS. Moreover, the RRs of HLA-DR5/DQw1 (29.1) and -DRw8/DQw1 (47.4) haplotypes were greater than the RRs of HLA-DR5 (10.4), -DRw8 (23.4) and -DQw1 (4.0) antigens. These results suggest that some specific HLA-DR/DQ haplotypes may be more important than the individual HLA-DR and -DQ phenotypes in the disease shift from RAS to the MC type of BD.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Levamisole and/or Chinese medicinal herbs can modulate the serum level of squamous cell carcinoma associated antigen in patients with erosive oral lichen planus.

The serum levels of squamous cell carcinoma associated antigen (SCCA) were determined by a microparticle enzyme immunoassay in a group of patients with stage I oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), major or minor type erosive oral lichen planus (EOLP), recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), Behçet's disease (BD), oral leukoplakia (OL), or oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), and in normal control subjects. About 97% of the normal control subjects and the patients with minor type EOLP, RAS, BD, OL or OSF had a serum level of SCCA within the normal limit of 1.2 ng/ml. However, 6 of the 12 (50%) patients with stage I OSCC and 14 of the 31 (45.2%) patients with major type EOLP had a serum level of SCCA greater than 1.2 ng/ml. The mean serum level of SCCA in stage I OSCC patients (1.38+/-1.16 ng/ml) or in major type EOLP patients (1.32+/-1.23 ng/ml) was significantly higher than that in normal control subjects (P<0.001) and that in the patients with minor type EOLP (P<0.001), RAS (P<0.001), BD (P<0.05), OL (P<0.05), or OSF (P<0.05). Either major or minor type EOLP patients could obtain a significant mean reduction of the serum SCCA level of 0.34-0.63 ng/ml after treatment with levamisole and/or Chinese medicinal herbs for 1-30 months. Combination therapy with levamisole plus Chinese medicinal herbs could achieve a shorter duration of treatment to get complete remission than the single therapy with either levamisole only or Chinese medicinal herbs only. We conclude that levamisole and/or Chinese medicinal herbs can modulate the serum SCCA level in EOLP patients. SCCA may be a useful marker in evaluating therapeutic effects and in monitoring the disease status of EOLP. For EOLP patients, the combination therapy is superior to the single therapy of levamisole or of Chinese medicinal herbs.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMed2001

Oral administration of milk from cows immunized with human intestinal bacteria leads to significant improvements of symptoms and signs in patients with oral submucous fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that the local and systemic upregulation of fibrogenic cytokines and downregulation of antifibrotic cytokine are central to the pathogenesis of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). The milk from cows immunized with human intestinal bacteria (immune milk) contains an anti-inflammatory component that may suppress the inflammatory reaction and modulate cytokine production. Therefore, it was decided to test whether immune milk may have some beneficial effects on controlling the symptoms and signs in OSF patients. METHODS: In this preliminary study, 26 OSF patients who received immune milk treatment (45 g of immune milk powder twice a day) for 3 months and oral habit intervention were included in the experimental group. Another 20 OSF patients who received only oral habit intervention served as the control group. RESULTS: We found that the interincisor distance was significantly improved (> or =3 mm of the baseline measurement) in 18 of the 26 (69.2%) OSF patients in the experimental group at exit. However, in the control group none of the OSF patients had an increase in interincisor distance greater than 2 mm. In addition, disappearance or significant improvement of symptoms at exit was observed in 80% (16/20) of the patients with intolerance to spicy foods (P < 0.001) and 72.2% (13/18) of the patients with xerostomia (P < 0.005) in the experimental group, compared with 17.6% (3/17) of the patients with improvement of intolerance to spicy foods and 15.4% (2/13) of the patients with improvement of xerostomia in the control group. Partial regression of concomitant oral leukoplakia or erythroplakia (judged from the size reduction of the lesions) at exit was noted in 71.4% (5/7) of the patients in the experimental group (P < 0.05), compared with none (0/5) of the patients with improvement in the control group. CONCLUSION: We conclude that oral administration of immune milk leads to significant improvements of symptoms and signs in OSF patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Expression of epidermal growth factor in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma.

This study used an immunohistochemical technique to assess the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in 40 specimens of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), 7 specimens of labial glands adjacent to mucocele, and 5 specimens of normal submandibular glands. In normal submandibular glands, immunohistochemically detectable EGF was demonstrated in all ductal segments, including intercalated, striated, and excretory duct cells. No EGF positive staining was found in acinar compartments. including serous and mucous acinar cells. In degenerated labial glands adjacent to mucocele, no EGF staining was detected in the remaining acinar and ductal cells. In salivary ACCs, positive EGF immunostaining was observed in one of the 5 (20%) ACCs with a solid pattern and in 13 of the 35 (37.1%) ACCs with a tubular-cribriform pattern. The overall EGF expression rate in 40 salivary ACCs was 35%. Positive EGF staining was predominantly found in tubular structures in the tubular ACCs and in duct-like structures in large cribriform patterns or in the stroma of the cribriform ACCs. There was no significant correlation between EGF expression in salivary ACCs and any of the clinicopathological parameters including patient age and sex, cancer location, TNM status, clinical stage, histologic type, perivascular or perineural invasion, focal necrosis of tumor, and cellular atypia. We conclude that the duct segments of the normal submandibular gland are the sites of EGF synthesis and secretion. In degenerated labial glands adjacent to mucocele, EGF synthesis is completely inhibited. Furthermore, EGF is mainly biosynthesized in cells forming tubular or duct-like structures in tubular or cribriform salivary ACCs, and EGF may play a biologic role, particularly as a mitogen in salivary ACC growth.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Expression of transforming growth factor-alpha in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland.

BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) is expressed in both normal and malignant epithelial cells. Although the expression of TGF-alpha has been extensively studied in some human epithelial neoplasms, its expression in adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACCs) of the salivary gland has not been reported. METHODS: This study used an immunohistochemical technique to assess the expression of TGF-alpha in 40 ACC specimens from the salivary glands, seven specimens from labial minor salivary glands adjacent to mucoceles, and five specimens from normal submandibular glands. RESULTS: In the normal submandibular gland specimens, positive TGF-alpha staining was found in all ductal segments as well as in serous and some mucous acinar cells. In labial minor salivary glands adjacent to mucoceles, positive TGF-alpha staining was found in ductal, serous acinar, serous demilune, and a few mucous acinar cells. Positive TGF-alpha immunostaining was observed in all five salivary gland ACC specimens with a solid histologic pattern, and 31 of the 35 salivary gland ACC specimens with a tubulo-cribriform histologic pattern. Overall, 36 of 40 ACCs of the salivary gland expressed TGF-alpha. Positive TGF-alpha staining was found in the salivary gland ACC specimens with solid, tubular, duct-like, and pseudocystic structures. No significant correlation was found between TGF-alpha expression in ACCs of the salivary gland and age, sex, primary cancer location, TNM status, clinical stage, prognosis, histologic type, perivascular or perineural invasion, focal necrosis of the tumor, or cellular atypia. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that ductal and acinar cells of the normal submandibular gland and of labial minor salivary glands adjacent to mucoceles are the major sites of TGF-alpha synthesis and secretion. Furthermore, TGF-alpha is biosynthesized in salivary gland ACC tumor cells, forming solid, tubular, duct-like, and pseudocystic structures. Our data suggest that TGF-alpha may play an important biologic role as a mitogen in the growth of salivary gland ACC.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

How to use progestin in hormone replacement therapy: an animal experiment.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether continuous or cyclic hormone replacement therapy (estrogen and progestogen) is better. METHODS: One hundred and forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into seven groups. The 1st and 2nd groups were normal estrous and ovariectomy (OVX) controls. Treatment of the other groups imitated the clinical regimen (continuous and cyclic) with estradiol valerate (E2V) and medroxy progesterone (MPA) in different ratios of combination. The rats were sacrificed and sections of uterus were stained with HE and histochemical methods to detect mitosis and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), respectively. The mitotic index (MI) and PCNA index were calculated. RESULTS: The MI and PCNA index were similar in luminal and glandular cells. Both markers were low in the two control groups. When E2V was given for 1 to 6 days, both the MI and PCNA index increased with duration of treatment. When MPA was added, both markers were reduced to a very low level. In the continuous regimen, both markers decreased as the MPA dosage increased. The ratio of E2V: MPA = 1:0.5 was enough to suppress markers to a low level similar to that of normal estrous rats. A further increase in the ratio to 1:1.0 showed no further decrease in PCNA index. In the cyclic regimen, MPA was added for the last 5 days. The mitotic index reached a significantly low level near 0 in all ratios, but the PCNA index in each subgroup was still as high as the positive control, even though the dosage of MPA was increased several times to 1:8.0. When MPA was added for the last 10 days, the PCNA index at a ratio of 1:4.0 could be reduced to a low level. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the continuous regimen was better than the cyclic regimen in postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Progestin should be given for at least 10 days in the cyclic regimen.

Animals↗