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Free radical-induced oxidative damage occurs rapidly and is of primary importance during the secondary pathophysiological cascades of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) is a constituent of the flower petals of Carthamus tinctorius (safflower) and may represent a potential therapeutic strategy to improve outcomes following TBI. The present study aimed to identify HSYA in the brain tissues of rats exposed to TBI to determine its absorption and to investigate the underlying effects of HSYA on antioxidant enzymes in the brain tissues of TBI rats. To determine the absorption of HSYA for the investigation of the underlying antioxidant effects of HSYA in TBI, the presence of HSYA in the brain tissues of the TBI rats was identified using an ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. Subsequently, the state of oxidative stress in the TBI rat model following the administration of HSYA was investigated by determining the levels of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and catalase (CAT), and the ratio of glutathione (GSH)/glutathione disulfide (GSSG). The data obtained demonstrated that HSYA was absorbed in the brain tissues of the TBI rats. HSYA increased the activities of SOD and CAT, the level of GSH and the GSH/GSSG ratio. However, HSYA concomitantly decreased the levels of MDA and GSSG. These preliminary data suggest that HSYA has the potential to be utilized as a neuroprotective drug in cases of TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) detection has previously been used for diagnosing gastric cancer. However, the previous studies failed to make an agreement whether the detection of CTCs contributes to the diagnosis of gastric cancer. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the overall accuracy of CTCs detection for diagnosing gastric cancer. PubMed, Embase and the Wanfang database were searched in all languages published up to Oct 2012. The pooled sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), positive and negative likelihood ratios (PLR and NLR, respectively), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curve were calculated to evaluate the overall test performance. Results: Twenty studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The diagnostic value of CTCs detection for the gastric cancer was calculated to evaluate the overall test performance. The summary estimates of The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, diagnostic odds ratio were 0.42 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.21-0.67), 0.99 (95% CI, 0.96-1.00), 58.2 (95% CI, 9.8-345.9), 0.58 (95% CI, 0.38-0.89), and 100 (95% CI, 15-663), respectively. The summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.95-0.98). Deek's funnel plot asymmetry test found no evidence of study publication bias in the current study (P = 0.49). Conclusion: This systematic review suggests that CTCs detection alone cannot be recommended as a screening test for gastric cancer. However, it might be used as a noninvasive method for the confirmation of the gastric cancer diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oncolytic adenoviruses are promising as anticancer agents but have limited clinical responses. Our previous study showed that heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) overexpression could increase the anti-tumor efficacy of E1B55kD deleted oncolytic adenovirus through increasing the viral burst. Due to the important roles of heat shock proteins (HSPs) in eliciting innate and adaptive immunity, we reasoned that besides increasing the viral burst, HSF1 may also play a role in increasing tumor specific immune response. Methods: In the present study, intra-dermal murine models of melanoma (B16) and colorectal carcinoma (CT26) were treated with E1B55kD deleted oncolytic adenovirus Adel55 or Adel55 incorporated with cHSF1, HSF1i, HSP70, or HSP90 by intra-tumoral injection. Tumors were surgically excised 72 h post injection and animals were analyzed for tumor resistance and survival rate. Results: Approximately 95% of animals in the Adel55-cHSF1 treated group showed sustained resistance upon re-challenge with autologous tumor cells, but not in PBS, Adel55, or Adel55-HSF1i treated groups. Only 50--65% animals in the Adel55-HSP70 and Adel55-HSP90 treated group showed tumor resistance. Tumor resistance was associated with development of tumor type specific cellular immune responses. Adel55-cHSF1 treatment also showed higher efficacy in diminishing progression of the secondary tumor focus than Adel55-HSP70 or Adel55- HSP90 treatment. Conclusions: Besides by increasing its burst in tumor cells, cHSF1 could also augment the potential of E1B55kD deleted oncolytic adenovirus by increasing the tumor-specific immune response, which is beneficial to prevent tumor recurrence. cHSF1 is a better gene for neoadjuvant immunotherapy than other heat shock protein genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]