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We investigated the impact of rice prolamin extract (RPE) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nuclear factor (NF)-κB signalling in intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages, and determined the therapeutic efficacy of RPE in acute murine colitis. The effect of RPE on LPS-induced NF-κB signalling and proinflammatory gene expression was evaluated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blotting, immunofluorescence and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The in-vivo efficacy of RPE was assessed in mice with 3% dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. Apoptotic and cellular proliferative activities were evaluated by immunostaining with cleaved caspase-3 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) antibodies. RPE inhibited LPS-induced expression of monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, interleukin (IL)-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and LPS-induced NF-κB signalling in intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages. RPE-fed, DSS-exposed mice showed less weight loss, longer colon length and lower histological score compared to control diet-fed, DSS-exposed mice. Immunostaining analysis revealed a significant decrease of cleaved caspase-3 positive cells in RPE-fed, DSS-exposed mice compared to DSS-exposed mice. Also, the number of PCNA-positive cells within intact colonic crypts decreased significantly in RPE-fed, DSS-exposed mice compared to control diet-fed, DSS-exposed mice. DSS-induced NF-κB signalling was inhibited by RPE. RPE ameliorates intestinal inflammation by inhibiting NF-κB activation and modulating intestinal apoptosis and cell proliferation in an acute murine colitis., (© 2014 British Society for Immunology.)

Background: At present the addition of thoracic irradiation to combination chemotherapy is a standard treatment for limited staged small cell lung cancer. However, there is still controversy about the optimum timing of chest irradiation. We conducted a phase II study of etoposide (VP-16)-ifosfamide-cisplatin (VIP) combination chemotherapy plus early concurrent thoracic irradiation for the patients with previously untreated limited small cell lung cancer in order to assess if the treatment modality could improve the response rate and the toxicity., Methods: Forty-four patients with limited small cell lung cancer were treated with etoposide-ifosfamide-cisplatin and concurrent thoracic irradiation. Combination chemotherapy consisted of etoposide 100 mg/m2 (on days 1-3), ifosfamide 1000 mg/m2 (on days 1 and 2) and cisplatin 100 mg/m2 (on day 1). Concurrent thoracic irradiation consisted of a total of 4000 cGy over 4 weeks starting on the first day of the first chemotherapy. All patients who showed a complete response were given prophylactic cranial irradiation for 2.5 weeks., Results: Forty-four of the 49 patients who entered the study from May 1994 to August 1998 were evaluable. The median age was 59 years and 40 patients had a performance status of 0 or 1. The median survival time was 22.5 months. Twenty-eight patients (62%) showed a complete response and 16 (38%) a partial response. Twenty-four patients (54%) developed grade 3 or 4 neutropenia; there was a 9% RTOG score 3 or 4 esophagitis., Conclusion: VIP combination chemotherapy and early concurrent thoracic irradiation for patients with limited stage small cell lung cancer revealed excellent antitumor response with tolerable toxicity.