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Background: Cayratia albifolia C.L.Li (CAC) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used to treat inflammatory diseases. Our laboratory has firstly reported that the water extract from CAC relieved lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation, however stronger evidence is still needed to prove its anti-inflammatory effects and the mechanisms involved are also ambiguous.Purpose: This study sought to provide more evidence for the application of CAC in alleviating infectious inflammation and disclose novel pharmacological mechanisms.Methods: Mice were injected with zymA into their paws or peritoneal cavities, and then treated with CAC. ELISA, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry were performed to detect the cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10) generation, the cell infiltration, and the CD86 or CD206 expression of macrophages. Then in vitro assays were performed on bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and peritoneal macrophages (PMs) to detect their expression of iNOS, arg-1 and the cytokines above. On mechanisms, western blotting (WB), electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and flow cytometry were carried out to measure NF-κB transcriptional activity, mitochondrial bioactivity and the mTORC1 activation when BMDMs were stimulated by zymA and treated with CAC. Finally, the chemical components consisted in the extract were analyzed by LC-MS.Results: 200 mg/kg CAC clearly inhibited zymA induced mouse paw edema and reduced the contents of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α rather than IL-10 in local tissues. CAC also reduced CD86 but not CD206 in macrophages in situ. Through in vitro experiments, it was discovered that CAC reduced the protein and mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, and also inhibited iNOS expression, but showed no influence on IL-10 and arg-1 in macrophages. We found CAC reduced NF-κB transcriptional activity, down-regulated mitochondrial membrane potential and ROS levels, and inhibited mTORC1 activity. Finally, we identified 15 major compounds in the extract, among which 4-guanidinobutyric acid and kynurenic acid were the most abundant.Conclusion: This study provides further evidence that CAC significantly reduces zymA induced infectious inflammation. In addition, this novel data revealed that CAC restrained M1 rather than promoting M2 macrophages polarization via multi-target inhibitory effects, based on its potentially active components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale and Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of exogenous endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) on the growth and invasiveness of glioma in vivo to provide an experimental basis for the value and safety of using magnetically labeled EPCs as target vectors to detect early infiltration of glioma. Materials and Methods: EPCs were collected from the spleens of healthy Sprague-Dawley rats, made EPCs conditioned medium after identification. Four models of Sprague-Dawley rat glioma (60 rats in total) were established as a control and three experimental groups (group A, B, and C). In the control group, orthotopic transplantation of C6 glioma cells was performed. Compared to the control group, EPCs conditioned medium was added in group A and P7228-labeled EPCs were added in group B. In group C, P7228-labeled EPCs were transplanted via the tail vein. Magnetic resonance imaging and perfusion-weighted imaging were performed on several days. Tumor microvascular density and vascular endothelial growth factor expression were determined through immunohistochemistry. Results: In group C, hypointense areas were detected at the periphery of the tumor on the first day after transplantation of EPCs, and more hypointense areas were found inside the tumor over time. Tumor size in all four groups developed significantly with increasing time (P < .01), but there was no marked difference among these groups at the same time (P > .05). No remarkable differences in microvascular density and cells positive for vascular endothelial growth factor were found at the same time among the four groups (P > .05). Conclusions: Both magnetic resonance imaging and immunohistochemical findings confirmed that exogenous EPCs could not affect the biologic behavior of C6 glioma cells in vivo through a paracrine effect or by direct cellular interaction. Therefore, exogenous EPCs could not exert significant promoting effects on glioma growth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]