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BACKGROUND Methotrexate (MTX) is used as anchor drug for patients with early and established rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Vitamin K2 administration was also reported to be associated with decreased disease activity in RA. OBJECTIVES Immunosuppressive pharmacodynamics of vitamin K2 combined with MTX was investigated. METHODS Mitogen-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were used to evaluate immunosuppressive pharmacodynamics of drugs in vitro. RESULTS Vitamin K2 alone dose-dependently suppressed T cell mitogen-activated proliferation of PBMCs of both healthy subjects and RA patients. 446.5 and 2232.5 ng/mL vitamin K2 significantly decreased the IC50 values of MTX on the proliferation of PBMCs of RA patients, with little influences on the pharmacodynamics of MTX in the healthy PBMCs. 4465 ng/mL vitamin K2 potentiated the pharmacodynamics of MTX in both RA patients and healthy PBMCs. The additional effects of vitamin K2 to potentiate the suppressive effects of MTX seemed not to be related to the regulation of CD4+ CD25+ T cells or CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ Treg cells. MTX alone at 100 ng/mL significantly decreased the percentage of CD4+ T cells in PBMCs of healthy subjects (p

OBJECTIVE To investigate the immunosuppressive effect of vitamin K2 against mitogen-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Concanavalin A-stimulated PBMC culture procedure was used to evaluate the pharmacodynamics of vitamin K2 in vitro. Methotrexate was set up as the positive control. The proliferation of PBMCs was detected by MTT assay. Relationship between IC50 values of drugs on PBMC proliferation and patient-related factors including laboratory data was analyzed by nonparametric Spearman correlation test. RESULTS Vitamin K2 inhibited the proliferation of mitogen-activated PBMCs of RA patients with an IC50 value of 3,288.47 ± 4,910.02 ng/mL (mean ± SD). There was a significant correlation between IC50 values of vitamin K2 and patient-related factors of RA patients (p

Natural compound tetrandrine was reported to inhibit the proliferation of T cells by inhibiting activation of NF-κB. Chemically, isotetrandrine differs from tetrandrine only in the stereochemistry at the chiral centers. The present study aimed to compare their anti-proliferation effects on human T cells with a focus on NF-κB. The IC50 values of tetrandrine against MOLT-4 cells, MOLT-4/DNR cells, and concanavalin A-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy subjects and dialysis patients were 4.43 ± 0.22, 3.62 ± 0.22, 1.91 ± 0.22 and 3.03 ± 0.28 μM, respectively. Whereas, the IC50 values of isotetrandrine against the above immune cells were 2.19 ± 0.27, 2.28 ± 0.33, 1.29 ± 0.14 and 1.55 ± 0.26 μM, respectively. The inhibitory effect of isotetrandrine against the proliferation of T cells was stronger than that of tetrandrine significantly (p p

Suppressive potencies of tetrandrine, isotetrandrine, fangchinoline, berbamine, dauricine, cepharanthine, and armepavine on expression and activation of NF-κB in MOLT-4 cells, MOLT-4/DNR cells, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of healthy subjects and PBMCs of dialysis patients were compared. In MOLT-4 cells, the suppressive potencies evaluated by the IC50 values were isotetrandrine > cepharanthine > tetrandrine > dauricine > fangchinoline > berbamine or armepavine. In MOLT-4/DNR cells, the order was isotetrandrine > tetrandrine > cepharanthine > fangchinoline > dauricine > berbamine or armepavine. In PBMCs of healthy subjects, the order was isotetrandrine > dauricine > fangchinoline > tetrandrine > cepharanthine > berbamine or armepavine. In PBMCs of dialysis patients, the order was isotetrandrine > fangchinoline > tetrandrine > cepharanthine > dauricine > berbamine or armepavine. Among them, isotetrandrine showed the strongest inhibitory effects on the expression of NF-κB and p-NF-κB in these cells. Accordingly, both 7- and 12-substitutions are suggested to influence the suppressive potency of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, though 7-substitution is likely to have less contribution. Bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid seems to be more suitable than monobenzylisoquinoline alkaloid to serve as a lead compound. Bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids with an 18-membered ring formed by two oxygen bridges seem to be superior to those with one oxygen. However, the binding sites of two oxygen bridges on the phenyl ring appear to have limited influence. These findings provide further insight into structure–activity relationships to the development of active analogs of this promising class of drugs for the treatment of diseases mediated by abnormalities of T cell activation.

Purpose We report the case of a male neonate with a respiratory disorder who developed adverse cardiorespiratory symptoms after the continuous infusion of midazolam. Methods To clarify the cause of cardiogenic shock, we performed whole exome sequencing and screened relative single-nucleotide variants of 2 cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms, CYP3A4 and CYP3A5, which play a dominant role in the metabolic elimination of midazolam. We measured endogenous cortisol 6β-hydroxylation clearance to phenotypically assess CYP3A activity. Findings The CYP3A activity level in the patient was significantly lower than the mean CYP3A activity level in healthy adults. Three intronic mutations in the CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 isoforms were detected in the patient. Implications Our findings suggest that the midazolam concentration in plasma was achieved at above the steady-state concentration during continuous infusion used to sedate neonates receiving mechanical ventilatory support. Evaluation of the drug-metabolizing ability based on CYP3A might be useful if adverse electrophysiologic variables or the induction of tachycardia occur because of delayed elimination.

Background Over 20 kinds of steroids, tacrolimus ointments, and cyclosporine capsules are usually recommended for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD), depending on the symptoms of patients. However, several side effects sometimes occur with the extensive use of these agents for the treatment of pediatric AD patients. The purpose of this study was to explore whether vitamin K2 could be a new immunosuppressive candidate for pediatric patients with AD. Methods The immunosuppressive efficacy of vitamin K2 was evaluated through a cell-culture procedure using mitogen-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from pediatric AD patients. Results The mean (SD) IC50 value of vitamin K2 for the proliferation of concanavalin A-activated PBMCs was 15.37 (30.05) μmol/L, while the value for tacrolimus was 0.10 (0.28) ng/mL (0.12 (0.35) nmol/L). There was a significant correlation between the IC50 values for vitamin K2 and those for tacrolimus (P = 0.0001, r = 0.8871). However, there was no significant correlation between the IC50 values of vitamin K2 and those of cyclosporine A or methylprednisolone. A significant correlation between the IC50 values of vitamin K2 or tacrolimus and blood eosinophil counts (P = 0.0099, r = 0.7086 and P = 0.0032, r = 0.7722, respectively) was observed. Conclusion Vitamin K2 -inhibited T-cell mitogen stimulated proliferation of PBMCs from pediatric AD patients in a dose-dependent manner. The PBMCs from pediatric AD patients were more sensitive to the immunosuppressive efficacy of vitamin K2 than the PBMCs from healthy subjects. The individual immunosuppressive pharmacological efficacy of vitamin K2 and of tacrolimus could be inferred from the blood eosinophil count of pediatric AD patients.

Background/aim Both bevacizumab (BEV) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) have demonstrated anti-angiogenic effects, thereby causing hypertension and proteinuria. We hypothesized that anti-preeclamptic drugs that combat the action of sFlt-1 may reduce BEV's anti-tumor efficacy. Materials and methods 3D co-cultured human mini-tumors consisting of endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and cancer cells were developed. The influence of anti-preeclamptic drugs and BEV on the invasion of mini-tumors embedded in collagen gel was evaluated. Results Mini-tumor spheroids that contained MDA-MB-231 cells showed higher invasion ability than spheroids with A549. Among the six anti-preeclamptic drugs investigated, only nicorandil enhanced the invasion of mini-tumors and inhibited the action of BEV. Glibenclamide, an ATP-sensitive potassium channel inhibitor, completely quenched the action of nicorandil on mini-tumors. Conclusion In the human mini-tumor model, nicorandil aggravated the invasion of mini-tumors. These data raise the possibility that concomitant use of nicorandil counteracts the efficacy of BEV therapy.

Methotrexate (MTX) is used as anchor drug for patients with early and established rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Vitamin KImmunosuppressive pharmacodynamics of vitamin KMitogen-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were used to evaluate immunosuppressive pharmacodynamics of drugs in vitro.Vitamin KThe above information may partially elucidate the potentiation effects of vitamin K

Recently, steroid reduction/withdrawal regimens have been attempted to minimize the side effects of steroids in renal transplantation. However, some recipients have experienced an increase/resumption of steroid administrations and acute graft rejection (AR). Therefore, we investigated the relationship between the individual lymphocyte sensitivity to steroids and the clinical outcome after steroid reduction/withdrawal. We cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from 24 recipients with concanavalin A (Con A) in the presence of methylprednisolone (MPSL) or cortisol (COR) for four days, and the 50% of PBMC proliferation (IC50) values and the PBMC sensitivity to steroids were calculated. Regarding the experience of steroid increase/resumption and incidence of AR within one year of steroid reduction/withdrawal, the IC50 values of these drugs before transplantation in the clinical event group were significantly higher than those in the event-free group. The cumulative incidence of steroid increase/resumption and AR in the PBMC high-sensitivity groups to these drugs before transplantation were significantly lower than those in the low-sensitivity groups. These observations suggested that an individual’s lymphocyte sensitivity to steroids could be a reliable biomarker to predict the clinical outcome after steroid reduction/withdrawal and to select the patients whose dose of steroids can be decreased and/or withdrawn after transplantation.

Vitamin K2 is suggested to have a suppressive effect on the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of pediatric atopic dermatitis patients. We examined the molecular targets of vitamin K2 to suppress proliferation and cytokine production in T-cell mitogen-activated PBMCs of atopic dermatitis patients from the viewpoint of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling molecules. The study population included 16 pediatric vitamin K2 patients and 21 healthy subjects. The effect of vitamin K2 on concanavalin A-activated PBMC proliferation was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and cell counting assays. T-helper (Th)1/Th2/Th17 cytokine profiles in plasma and PBMC-culture supernatants were analyzed by a cytometric beads array assay. Mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling molecules in concanavalin A-activated PBMCs were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assays. At 10-100 µM, vitamin K2 significantly suppressed the proliferation of mitogen-activated PBMCs derived from atopic dermatitis patients and healthy subjects (p < 0.05). The interleukin (IL)-10 concentrations in plasma and the PBMC culture supernatants of atopic dermatitis patients were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects (p < 0.05). The IL-2 concentrations in the culture supernatants of atopic dermatitis PBMCs were significantly lower than those of healthy PBMCs (p < 0.05). Vitamin K2 significantly inhibited the IL-17A, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) production (p < 0.05), and increased the IL-2 production (p < 0.01) in the culture supernatant of atopic dermatitis PBMCs. At 10-100 µM, vitamin K2 markedly decreased the of Mek1, extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK)1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and SAPK/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) expression in atopic dermatitis PBMCs (p < 0.05). Vitamin K2 is suggested to attenuate activated T-cell immunity in atopic dermatitis patients through the inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase-Mek1-ERK1/2 and SAPK/JNK signaling pathways.

Sinomenine (SN) is a plant-derived alkaloid isolated from Caulis Sinomenii. It has been approved by the State Food and Drug Administration of China for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) nearly 20 years ago. To investigate the anti-RA mechanism of SN, a lot of scholars reported the immunosuppressive effect of SN on T lymphocytes. We continued to evaluate the suppressive function of SN by using human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from RA patients. As the positive control, 10 ng/ml of methylprednisolone (MP) showed the antiproliferation effect on mitogen-activated PBMCs of RA patients significantly (*p < .05). Meanwhile, MP decreased the frequency of CD4+ CD25+ T cells and suppressed the secretion of inflammatory Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokines such as IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, IFN-γ, and TNF-α. However, SN at concentrations of 0.3-30 μM, showed little suppressive effects on the proliferation of PBMCs of RA patients. We did not observe any suppressive effects of SN on percentages of CD4+ T cells and CD4+ CD25+ T cells in the mitogen-activated PBMCs of RA patients. The influence of SN on the percentage of CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ T cells was also limited. Finally, even 30 μM of SN did not influence the secretion of Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokine significantly. The present study provided evidence that anti-RA mechanism of SN seems not to be related with the suppressive effects on peripheral T cells.

Novel therapeutic strategies for breast cancer are urgently needed due to the sustained development of drug resistance and tumor recurrence. Trivalent arsenic derivative (arsenite, AsIII) has been reported to induce cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells. We recently demonstrated that AsIII plus tetrandrine (Tetra), a Chinese plant-derived alkaloid, exerted potent antitumor activity against human breast cancer cells, however, the underlying mechanisms for their action have not been well defined. In order to provide fundamental insights for understanding the action of AsIII plus Tetra, the effects of the combined regimen on two breast cancer cell lines T47D and MDA-MB-231 were evaluated. Compared to T47D cells, MDA-MB-231 cells were much more susceptible to the synergistic cytotoxic effects of AsIII and Tetra. Besides the induction of apoptotic/necrotic cell death, S-phase arrest and autophagic cell death were also observed in MDA-MB-231 cells. Exposure of MDA-MB-231 cells to AsIII and Tetra caused the activation of MAPKs. Cytotoxicity of the combined regimen in MDA-MB-231 cell was significantly abrogated by SP600125, a potent c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor. However, similar abrogation was not caused by p38 and ERK inhibitors. The addition of either autophagy inhibitors (3-methyladenine or wortmannin) or SP600125 corrected the combined regimen-triggered S-phase arrest, whereas had little effect on the apoptosis/necrosis induction in the cells. Surprisingly, SP600125NC, a negative control for SP600125, significantly strengthened S-phase arrest and the cytotoxicity induced by the combined regimen. The addition of SP600125 did not alter autophagy induction. In conclusion, the cytotoxicity of AsIII combined with Tetra was attributed to the induction of S-phase arrest, apoptotic/necrotic and autophagic cell death. The enhanced cytotoxicity of the two drugs by SP600125NC might be explained by its capability to strengthen S-phase arrest. Our results suggested that JNK and autophagy independently contributed to the cytotoxicity via modulating cell cycle progression. The study further provides fundamental insights for the development of AsIII in combination with Tetra for patients with different types of breast cancer.

Cepharanthine (CEP) is a bis-bynzelisoquinoline alkaloid from the same class as the anticancer agent tetrandrine (TET). However, the effects of CEP against breast cancer have not been extensively studied, despite its long therapeutic history with low toxicity against other types of cancer. 3D culture systems more accurately mimic the human body and address the limitations of determining drug effectiveness compared with 2D culture systems. In the present study, the antitumor activities of TET and CEP were compared in 3D culture systems in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) MDA-MB-231 and estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer MCF-7 cell lines. Cell viability, apoptosis and cytotoxicity assays were performed to determine the total number of live or dead cells, the IC50 values, the number of apoptotic cells and spheroid roundness. Viability suppression of MDA-MB-231 cells was significantly greater with both TET and CEP compared with that of MCF-7 cells, and the roundness of MDA-MB-231 spheroids treated with CEP was decreased significantly compared with that of spheroid treated with TET. Cytoplasmic shrinkage in each cell line significantly increased with the treatment of TET compared with the control; however, this effect was stronger with CEP. The ratio of dead/live cells in each cell line treated with TET and CEP increased in a dose-dependent manner. Overall, the present study demonstrated that CEP had greater cell toxicity in 3D spheroids of breast cancer cells compared with TET, suggesting that CEP may have a stronger antitumor activity on TNBC spheroids compared with TET.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate cytotoxic effects of vitamin K1 (phylloquinone), vitamin K2 (menaquinones), and vitamin K3 (menadione) against human T lymphoblastoid leukemia cells, Jurkat T cells, MOLT-4 cells, and P-glycoprotein-expressing multidrug-resistant MOLT-4/DNR cells. Vitamins K2 and K3, but not vitamin K1, reduced viabilities of Jurkat, MOLT-4, and MOLT-4/DNR cells. The influence potency of vitamin K3 was larger than that of vitamin K2 in all of the three cell lines. MOLT-4/DNR cells seemed to be more sensitive toward the effects of vitamins K2 and K3. The cytotoxicity of vitamins K2 and K3 on these leukemia cells seems to be related to apoptosis induction and cell cycle arrest. Vitamin K2 and K3 treatment induced cleavage of PARP obviously. Moreover, vitamins K2 and K3 specifically down-regulated the expressions of cyclin A2 in all of the three cell lines. However, the effects of vitamins K2 and K3 on the cell cycle profiling in Jurkat, MOLT-4, and MOLT-4/DNR cells varied with the cell type. Vitamins K2 and K3 also decreased the viability of mitogen-activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Our observations suggest that vitamins K2 and K3 have bilateral cytotoxic effects on activated human peripheral lymphocytes and the human leukemic T cells.

BACKGROUND Machine perfusion techniques offer a solution to the serious organ shortage. However, to assess the effects of machine perfusion, many detailed studies are required. In this study, an ex vivo reperfusion model using diluted autologous blood was confirmed to evaluate the utility of machine preservation for livers donated after cardiac death (DCD). In particular, beneficial effects of the oxygenated hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) for DCD porcine livers are evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODS Porcine livers were procured under warm ischemia time (WIT) of 60 min. The livers were preserved by hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) or static cold storage (CS) for 4 h. After the preservation, the livers were perfused for 2 h using the ex vivo reperfusion model with diluted blood oxygenated by a membrane oxygenator at 35-38°C. RESULTS At 2 h of ex vivo reperfusion with 60 min of warm ischemic time (WIT), the portal vein pressure for CS was higher than HMP (18.8±15.9 vs. 7.5±3.9 [mmHg] in 60 min). Furthermore, LDH in CS was higher than HMP (528.5±149.8 vs. 194.1±32.2 [IU/L/100 g liver] in 60 min. P

Introduction Subnormothermic machine perfusion (SNMP) shows some advantages for the preservation of grafts donated after cardiac death (DCD) and improvements in machine perfusion (MP) technology are important to enhance organ preservation outcomes for liver transplantation. In this study, we focused on purified subnormothermic machine perfusion (PSNMP) and volumes of perfusate removed to substitute for purification and replaced by modified University of Wisconsin-gluconate after the start of perfusion and investigated, in particular, the optimum perfusate purification volume. Several purification volumes under SNMP were compared. In addition, the perfusate purification during MP was indicated as a potential technique to enhance the organ quality of DCD grafts and extended-criteria donors. Methods The PSNMP at several volumes (0.5 L, 1.5 L, and 3 L) were compared with regular SNMP without any purification treatment (untreated control). In the PSNMP group, all perfusate was removed to substitute for purification of the perfusate by modified University of Wisconsin-gluconate solution after the start of perfusion. After removing the perfusate, new perfusate with the same components was perfused to preserve the porcine livers obtained under warm ischemia for 60 minutes using SNMP at 22°C porcine liver for 4 hours. Results The concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase in the untreated group were significantly higher during perfusion compared to those of the intervention group. There are no significant differences among the volume conditions of the purification groups. Conclusions The optimal volume of perfusate purification was confirmed with a simple experimental comparison between untreated and PSNMP conditions.

Sinomenine has been used as an antirheumatic drug in China. Glucocorticoid combined with sinomenine could be an alternative therapeutic approach. In this study, we evaluated the sinomenine potential effect on glucocorticoid pharmacodynamics in vitro using a human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) culture system. We also disclosed the possible action mechanism of sinomenine with a focus on P-glycoprotein function and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) translocation into nucleus. The median (range) of methylprednisolone IC50 values against the PBMC proliferation was 3.18 (0.45-6.81) ng/mL, whereas the median (range) IC50 values of methylprednisolone combined with 0.03, 0.3, 3, and 30 μM sinomenine were 1.85 (0.05-5.15), 0.83 (0.10-3.90), 0.56(0.09-1.62), and 0.59(0.05-1.30) ng/mL, respectively. Sinomenine significantly decreased the IC50 values of methylprednisolone and enhanced the immunosuppressive effect of methylprednisolone (p < 0.05). Sinomenine alone regulated the GR translocation in both Jurkat T cells and normal human PBMCs, and the combination of sinomenine and methylprednisolone showed stronger GR-modulatory activity than methylprednisolone alone. Thus, the additive effect of sinomenine to promote the methylprednisolone immunosuppressive efficacy was suggested to be related to nuclear GR-translocation. However, sinomenine did not significantly inhibit the P-glycoprotein function in the activated PBMCs, suggesting that sinomenine's additive effect seemed to be unrelated with the P-glycoprotein inhibition.

Objectives The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) and calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) on the occurrence of cramps in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients. Methods The frequency and duration of cramp and serum electrolytes were evaluated in 81 patients with MG. The patients were classified using Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America postintervention status scores based on the treatment and the responsiveness to the treatment. Quantitative MG score, MG activities of daily living score, MG composite score, or MG quality of life 15 score was used to assess the health-related quality of life (QOL). Results Muscle cramps developed in 44 (54.3%) of 81 MG patients. The scores of MG activities of daily living, MG composite, or MG-QOL 15-item questionnaire in patients with cramp were significantly higher than those in patients without cramps (P = 0.002, P = 0.01, or P = 0.0022, respectively). The serum magnesium concentrations were lower in patients treated with CNI (n = 16) than in those not treated with CNI (n = 65) (P = 0.002). The probability of cramps was significantly higher in patients treated with ChEIs (≥180 mg/d) in addition to CNI than in patients who were treated with a low dose of ChEIs (≤60 mg/d) without concomitant CNI treatment (P = 0.017). Conclusions Our data suggested that treatment with a high dose of ChEI and CNI accelerated the probability of cramps and reduced the QOL in MG patients.

Background Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most difficult subtypes of breast cancer to treat due to its aggressive, metastatic behavior, and a lack of a targeted therapy. Trivalent arsenic derivatives (arsenite, AsIII) with remarkable clinical efficacy in acute promyelocytic leukemia has been demonstrated to exhibit inhibitory effect against breast cancer cells. To provide novel insight into the development of new therapeutic strategies, antitumor activity of AsIII and tetrandrine (Tetra), a Chinese plant-derived alkaloid, against the TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231 in vitro and in vivo was investigated. Methods Cytotoxicity was evaluated using cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase leakage and cell cycle assay. Alterations of genes related to cell proliferation and death were analyzed using western blotting. In vivo antitumor activity of AsIII alone or in combination with Tetra was studied using MDA-MB-231 xenografts in nude mice. Results Synergistic cytotoxic effects of two drugs were observed in the cells. In vivo study also showed that co-administration of AsIII and Tetra significantly reduced tumor volume and weight, directly supporting its in vitro antitumor activity. No deaths and reduction of body-weight were observed after a long-term co-administration, indicating its good tolerability. S-phase arrest associated with the upregulation of FOXO3a, p27 along with decreased Cyclin D1 expression was observed in the cells treated with the combined regimen. A substantial upregulated p21 expression and downregulated phospho-FOXO3a and Cyclin D1 expression was observed in the tumor tissues of mice co-administered with AsIII and Tetra. Autophagy induction was observed in the combination treatment in vitro and in vivo. The addition of wortmannin, a potent autophagy inhibitor, significantly rescued MDA-MB-231 cells from their cytotoxicity of AsIII and Tetra. Conclusions S-phase arrest, autophagic and necrotic cell death contribute to the cytocidal effects of the combined regimen of AsIII and Tetra. Considering our previous study showing synergistic cytotoxic effects of the combined regimen in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cell line MCF-7, these results suggest that development of the combination regimen of AsIII plus Tetra may offer many benefits to patients with different types of breast cancer.

Backgrounds Folic acid dose at ≦5 mg/week has been recommended for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients to decrease risk of methotrexate adverse effects. However, higher doses of folic acid is used in some cases. We examined the influence of high-dose folic acid on methotrexate efficacies and safety in Japanese RA patients. Methods 502 RA patients of four hospitals prescribed methotrexate and folic acid were included. These patients were divided into two subgroups according to the threshold of folic acid dose by 5 mg/week. Basic patient characteristics, methotrexate doses, and the efficacies or adverse effects of methotrexate were retrospectively compared between the two patient subgroups. Results The frequency of folic acid use at doses higher than 5 mg/week was significantly different between the four hospitals (P5 mg/week) dose of folic acid was significantly higher than that in the lower (≦5 mg/week) folic acid-treated subgroup (P=0.029). Folic acid dose between patients taking methotrexate less and more than 8 mg/week was not significantly different. Major conclusion Folic acid dose was dependent on the hospitals, while efficacies and hepatotoxicity of methotrexate was not basically different between patients taking less and more than 5 mg/week of folic acid.

Immunosuppressive therapy for prevention of acute rejection episode occasionally causes serious adverse effects, and thus it is important to develop new therapeutic approach for renal transplant recipients. This study evaluated the immunosuppressive pharmacodynamics of tetrandrine (TET) and/or methylprednisolone (MP) in hemodialysis patients in vitro by using the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from whole blood of hemodialysis patients. The median (range) of MP IC50 values against the proliferation of patients PBMCs was 7.04 (2.30~500.00) ng/mL. In contrast, the median (range) of MP IC50 values against the proliferation of healthy PBMCs was 4.44 (3.19~5.08) ng/mL. The median (range) of TET IC50 values against the proliferation of patients PBMCs was 1.61 (1.04~4.79) μM. Lower concentrations of TET (0.3-300 nM) were able to decrease the IC50 values of MP and thus potentiate the MP immunosuppressive effect on patient PBMCs. The median (range) of MP IC50 values in combination with 0.3, 3, 30, and 300 nM TET were 0.92 (0.49~8.39), 2.10 (0.45~20.00), 0.35 (0.092~1.05), and 0.14 (0.05~6.78) ng/mL, respectively. TET potentiates the MP immunosuppressive pharmacodynamics and thus, it was possible to use the combination of MP and TET to attenuate MP side effects. There were significant correlations between the IC50 values of TET and stimulation indices (P=0.04, r=0.58), the IC50 values of TET and the hemodialysis periods (P=0.04, r=0.57), or the IC50 values of MP combined with 0.3 nM TET and C-reactive protein concentrations (P=0.04, r=0.64), respectively. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The ATP monitoring assay is a useful biomarker for risk monitoring to detect infection and rejection episodes in transplant recipients. Hemodialysis patients have a higher rate of infectious mortality. Infections in hemodialysis patients are mainly caused by venous catheters, uremia, malnutrition and inflammation. However, the risk of infection episodes has not been evaluated using a lymphocyte ATP monitoring assay in hemodialysis and chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. We measured the ATP amounts in the peripheral CD4+ cells of CKD (N = 85) and dialysis patients (N = 17) using an "Immuknow" assay kit. These CKD patients were divided, according to kidney disease stage, into G3a, G3b, G4, and G5 groups. The ATP amounts in CD4+ cells of the dialysis patients and each of the CKD groups were compared with healthy subjects. In both the dialysis and CKD patients, the ATP amounts in CD4+ cells were lower than in healthy subjects. Furthermore, there were significant differences in the ATP amounts between healthy subjects and each of the CKD-G3a, CKD-G3b, and CKD-G4 groups (P

Preeclampsia is a severe complication of pregnancy. Antiangiogenic factors soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and soluble endoglin are secreted in excess from the placenta, causing hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, and multiorgan injury. Oxidative stress and vascular inflammation exacerbate the endothelial injury. A drug that can block these pathophysiological steps would be an attractive treatment option. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are safe in pregnancy where they are prescribed for gastric reflux. We performed functional studies on primary human tissues and animal models to examine the effects of PPIs on sFlt-1 and soluble endoglin secretion, vessel dilatation, blood pressure, and endothelial dysfunction. PPIs decreased sFlt-1 and soluble endoglin secretion from trophoblast, placental explants from preeclamptic pregnancies, and endothelial cells. They also mitigated tumor necrosis factor-α–induced endothelial dysfunction: PPIs blocked endothelial vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression, leukocyte adhesion to endothelium, and disruption of endothelial tube formation. PPIs decreased endothelin-1 secretion and enhanced endothelial cell migration. Interestingly, the PPI esomeprazole vasodilated maternal blood vessels from normal pregnancies and cases of preterm preeclampsia, but its vasodilatory effects were lost when the vessels were denuded of their endothelium. Esomeprazole decreased blood pressure in a transgenic mouse model where human sFlt-1 was overexpressed in placenta. PPIs upregulated endogenous antioxidant defenses and decreased cytokine secretion from placental tissue and endothelial cells. We have found that PPIs decrease sFlt-1 and soluble endoglin secretion and endothelial dysfunction, dilate blood vessels, decrease blood pressure, and have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. They have therapeutic potential for preeclampsia and other diseases where endothelial dysfunction is involved.

Three-dimensionally (3D) cultured tumor cells (spheroids) exhibit more resistance to therapeutic agents than the cells cultured in traditional two-dimensional (2D) system (monolayers). We previously demonstrated that arsenic disulfide (As2[Formula: see text] exerted significant anticancer efficacies in both 2D- and 3D-cultured MCF-7 cells, whereas 3D spheroids were shown to be resistant to the As2S2treatment. L-buthionine-(S, R)-sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of glutathione (GSH) synthesis, has been regarded to be a potent candidate for combinatorial treatment due to its GSH modulation function. In the present study, we introduced BSO in combination with As2S2at a low concentration to investigate the possible enhancing anticancer efficacy by the combinatorial treatment on 2D- and 3D-cultured MCF-7 cells. Our results presented for the first time that the combination of As2S2and BSO exerted potent anticancer synergism in both MCF-7 monolayers and spheroids. The [Formula: see text] values of As2S2in combinatorial treatment were significantly lower than those in treatment of As2S2alone in both 2D- and 3D-cultured MCF-7 cells ([Formula: see text], respectively). In addition, augmented induction of apoptosis and enhanced cell cycle arrest along with the regulation of apoptosis- and cell cycle-related proteins, as well as synergistic inhibitions of PI3K/Akt signals, were also observed following co-treatment of As2S2and BSO. Notably, the combinatorial treatment significantly decreased the cellular GSH levels in both 2D- and 3D-cultured MCF-7 cells in comparison with each agent alone ([Formula: see text] in each). Our results suggest that the combinatorial treatment with As2S2and BSO could be a promising novel strategy to reverse arsenic resistance in human breast cancer.

Improvement of machine perfusion (MP) technologies is required to enhance organ quality for donor after cardiac death (DCD) grafts. Installing a dialyzer or a filter into the perfusion circuit to maintain the perfusate condition has some advantages. However, the consequences of purification perfusate during subnormothermic machine perfusion (SNMP) remain unexplained. In this study, the effects of initial purification perfusate with simple method of replacing the first 0.5-L perfusate during SNMP were investigated to consider installation effect of the filter or the dialyzer. Porcine liver grafts, which have 60-min warm ischemia time, were procured to imitate the DCD graft condition. Purified SNMP (PSNMP) results were compared with simple cold storage and conventional SNMP. In PSNMP, initial perfusate of 0.5 L was removed to substitute for purification. After preservation process, the preserved grafts were reperfused with diluted autologous blood for 2 h under normothermic machine perfusion condition to evaluate the liver function using an isolated reperfusion model. The vascular pressures, enzyme release rates and the metabolic indexes during reperfusion were analyzed. The pressures in the hepatic artery after reperfusion 60 min were significantly lower in PSNMP group compared with cold storage (CS) and SNMP groups. In addition, lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase were significantly lower after PSNMP than after the CS or SNMP. Also, the metabolic indexes of hyaluronic acid and lactate were significantly decreased by purifying the perfusate in MP preservation than in CS or SNMP. The effectiveness of initial purification perfusate during SNMP was investigated.

Over 20 kinds of steroids, tacrolimus ointments, and cyclosporine capsules are usually recommended for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD), depending on the symptoms of patients. However, several side effects sometimes occur with the extensive use of these agents for the treatment of pediatric AD patients. The purpose of this study was to explore whether vitamin KThe immunosuppressive efficacy of vitamin KThe mean (SD) ICVitamin K

Tetrandrine (TET) and cepharanthine (CEP) are two bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids isolated from the traditional herbs. Recent molecular investigations firmly supported that TET or CEP would be a potential candidate for cancer chemotherapy. Prognosis of patients with glucocorticoid resistant T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) remains poor; here we examined the anti-T-ALL effects of TET and CEP and the underlying mechanism by using the glucocorticoid resistant human leukemia Jurkat T cell line in vitro. TET and CEP significantly inhibited cell viabilities and induced apoptosis in dose- and time-dependent manner. Further investigations showed that TET or CEP not only upregulated the expression of initiator caspases such as caspase-8 and 9, but also increased the expression of effector caspases such as caspase-3 and 6. As the important markers of apoptosis, p53 and Bax were both upregulated by the treatment of TET and CEP. However, TET and CEP paradoxically increased the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2 and Mcl-1, and activated the survival protein NF-κB, leading to high expression of p-NF-κB. Cell cycle arrest at S phase accompanied by increase in the amounts of cyclin A2 and cyclin B1, and decrease in cylcin D1 amount in cells treated with TET or CEP will be another possible mechanism. During the process of apoptosis in Jurkat T cells, treatment with TET or CEP also increased the phosphorylation of JNK and p38. The PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway modification appears to play significant role in the Jurkat T cell apoptosis induced by TET or CEP. Moreover, TET and CEP seemed to downregulate the expressions of p-PI3K and mTOR in an independent way from Akt, since these two drugs strongly stimulated the p-Akt expression. These results provide fundamental insights into the clinical application of TET or CEP for the treatment of patients with relapsed T-ALL.

BACKGROUND Everolimus (EVL) plus tacrolimus (TAC) therapy is effective and safe in renal transplantation. However, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic information for EVL combined with TAC is limited. We investigated the pharmacodynamic drug-drug interaction between EVL and TAC at their therapeutic concentration range. MATERIAL AND METHODS Isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 22 healthy participants aged 22 to 24 years were cultured with concanavalin A (Con A) in the presence of EVL and/or TAC for 4 days, and the proliferation rate of the PBMCs was calculated. RESULTS TAC promoted the inhibitory efficacy of EVL against the mitogen-activated proliferation of PBMCs at the EVL therapeutic concentration range. When 0.175 ng/mL or more of TAC was combined with 30 ng/mL or more of EVL, the antagonistic effect of TAC on the inhibitory efficacy of EVL against the mitogen-activated proliferation of PBMCs was observed. Conversely, when 0.4 ng/mL TAC and 10 ng/mL or more of EVL were combined, the antagonistic effect of EVL on the inhibitory efficacy of TAC against the mitogen-activated proliferation of PBMCs was observed. CONCLUSIONS The pharmacodynamic synergistic efficacy of EVL and TAC in combination on mitogen-activated PBMCs was evident at the therapeutic concentration range, which is used in renal transplantation. However, these drugs antagonize each other to suppress the proliferation of activated PBMCs at concentrations higher than those clinically used.

Inappropriately activated T cells mediate autoimmune diseases and T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Glucocorticoid and chemotherapeutic agents have largely extended lives of these patients. However, serious side effects and drug resistance often limit the prognosis of considerable number of the patients. The efficient treatment of autoimmune diseases or T-ALL with drug resistance remains an important unmet demand clinically. Bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids tetrandrine and cepharanthine have been applied for the treatment of certain types of autoimmune diseases and cancers, while studies on their action mechanisms and their further applications combined with glucocorticoids or chemotherapeutic agents remains to be expanded. This review introduced molecular mechanisms of tetrandrine and cepharanthine in T cells, including their therapeutic implications. Both tetrandrine and cepharnthine influence the growth of activated T cells via several kinds of signaling pathways, such as NF-κB, caspase cascades, cell cycle, MAPK, and PI3K/Akt/mTOR. According to recent preclinical and clinical studies, P-glycoprotein inhibitory effect of tetrandrine and cepharnthine could play a significant role on T cell-involved refractory diseases. Therefore, tetrandrine or cepharanthine combined with glucocorticoid or other anti-leukemia drugs would bring a new hope for patients with glucocorticoid-resistant autoimmune disease or refractory T-ALL accompanied with functional P-glycoprotein. In conclusion, bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids tetrandrine and cepharanthine can regulate several signaling pathways in abnormally activated T cells with low toxicity. Bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids deserve to be paid more attention as a lead compound to develop new drugs for the treatment of T cell-involved diseases in the future.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common causes of chronic renal failure. Immunosuppressive efficacies of glucocorticoids, calcineurin inhibitors, and mycophenolic acid are possibly affected by insulin after renal transplantation in these patients.We investigated the effects of insulin on responses of mitogen-activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to several immunosuppressive drugs.Antiproliferative efficacies of prednisolone, hydrocortisone, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, and mycophenolic acid against concanavalin A-stimulated PBMCs were evaluated in the presence of physiological (5 μunits/mL) and super physiological (50 μunits/mL) concentrations of insulin. Insulin-receptor expressions on PBMCs were evaluated by flow cytometry.Insulin itself had no effects on the mitogen-induced proliferation of PBMCs. The IC50 values of cyclosporine against the mitogen-activated PBMCs in the presence of 5 or 50 μunits/mL insulin were significantly higher than those of cyclosporine without insulin (p 0.05). The IC50 values of mycophenolic acid significantly increased by 50 μunits/mL insulin (p 0.01). Insulin receptors were detected on the mitogen-activated CD4(+)/CD14(+ )cells in PBMCs.These results indicate that insulin at even physiological concentration attenuates suppressive efficacies of several immunosuppressive drugs against mitogen-activated proliferation of human PBMCs, possibly via insulin receptors. Insulin used in dialysis patients accompanying diabetes mellitus is suggested to attenuate efficacies of immunosuppressive drugs after renal transplantation.

The growth inhibitory effects of bufadienolide compounds were investigated in two intractable cancer cells, a human glioblastoma cell line U-87 and a pancreatic cancer cell line SW1990. Among four bufadienolide compounds, a dose-dependent cytotoxicity was observed in these cancer cells after treatment with gamabufotalin and arenobufagin. The IC50 values of the two compounds were 3-5 times higher in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) than these values for both cancer cell lines. However, similar phenomena were not observed for two other bufadienolide compounds, telocinobufagin and bufalin. These results thus suggest that gamabufotalin and arenobufagin possess selective cytotoxic activity against tumor cells rather than normal cells. Moreover, a clear dose-dependent lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, a well-known hallmark of necrosis, was observed in both cancer cells treated with gamabufotalin, suggesting that gamabufotalin-mediated cell death is predominantly associated with a necrosis-like phenotype. Of most importance, treatment with as little as 8 ng/ml of gamabufotalin, even an almost non-toxic concentration to PBMCs, efficiently downregulated the percentages of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulator T (Treg) cells in mitogen-activated PBMCs. Given that Treg cells play a critical role in tumor immunotolerance by suppressing antitumor immunity, these results suggest that gamabufotalin may serve as a promising candidate, as an adjuvant therapeutic agent by manipulating Treg cells to enhance the efficacy of conventional anticancer drugs and lessen their side-effects. These findings provide insights into the clinical application of gamabufotalin for cancer patients with glioblastoma/pancreatic cancer based on its cytocidal effect against tumor cells as well as its depletion of Treg cells.

Low response to glucocorticoid (GC) predicts therapeutic failure in acute T lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). The efficient and safe strategies are still required for the treatment of relapsed T-ALL. Our previous study revealed that tetrandrine induces apoptosis in human T lymphoblastoid leukemia cells possibly via activation of NF-κB. GCs are recognized as typical NF-κB inhibitors and are used for the treatment of T-ALL patients. In the present study, we examined whether methylprednisolone (MP) potentiates the cytotoxic effect of tetrandrine (TET) via NF-κB regulation by using human T lymphoblastoid leukemia MOLT-4 cells. WST-8 assay data showed that nM grade of MP increased cytotoxicity of TET against MOLT-4 cells in vitro. This effect seemed to be related to the potentiation of TET action by MP to induce apoptosis. Meanwhile, the combination also impeded the transition of cell cycle from G0/G1 phase to S phase. However, the regulation effect of this combination on cell cycle had no relationship with cyclin signaling pathway, since the drug-combination did not influence on the expression of cyclin A2/B1/D1 in MOLT-4 cells. On the other hand, the combination significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of NF-κB (p 0.01). These results suggest that nM grade of MP potentiates the cytotoxic effect of TET possibly via regulation of NF-κB activation and "G0/G1 to S" phase transition in human T lymphoblastoid leukemia MOLT-4 cells. Combination of TET and MP may provide a new therapeutic strategy for relapsed T-ALL.

Glucocorticoids are used as anticancer and immunosuppressive agents, whereas glucocorticoid resistance has been observed in a significant fraction of patients due to overexpression of P-glycoprotein encoded by multi-drug resistance-1 gene. Tetrandrine is a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid isolated from traditional herb Fangji. According to our previous report, tetrandrine potentiated glucocorticoid pharmacodynamics partially via inhibiting P-glycoprotein function. In the present study, we investigated whether glucocorticoid receptor translocation was influenced indirectly by tetrandrine via P-glycoprotein inhibition, using human T lymphoblastoid leukemia MOLT-4 cell line with little P-glycoprotein expression and its multidrug resistant sub-line MOLT-4/DNR exhibiting a large amount of P-glycoprotein. Molecular mechanism investigation suggested that overexpressed P-glycoprotein weakened the glucocorticoid receptor translocation in MOLT-4/DNR cells comparing with the parent MOLT-4 cells. Our data also suggested that tetrandrine enhanced nuclear glucocorticoid receptor translocation in MOLT-4/DNR cells indirectly by dual influences on P-glycoprotein, inhibiting the efflux function and downregulating the protein expression. Therefore, tetrandrine potentiated the cytotoxic effect of methylprednisolone against MOLT-4/DNR cells with less effects on MOLT-4 cells. These effects of tetrandrine were suggested to be beneficial for the treatment of glucocorticoid resistant diseases induced by the overexpression of P-glycoprotein.

In the present study, the antitumor effects of arsenic disulfide (As2S2) on the proliferative, survival and migratory ability of human breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were investigated, and its potential underlying molecular mechanisms with an emphasis on cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, autophagy induction and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were determined. The results indicated that As2S2 significantly inhibited the viability, survival and migration of breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, it was identified that As2S2 induced cell cycle arrest primarily at G2/M phase in the two breast cancer cell lines by regulating the expression of associated proteins, including cyclin B1 and cell division cycle protein 2. In addition to cell cycle arrest, As2S2 also triggered the induction of apoptosis in cells by activating the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins, including caspase-7 and −8, as well as increasing the B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein/Bcl-2 ratio, while decreasing the protein expression of anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma extra-large. In addition, As2S2 stimulated the accumulation of microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3)-II and increased the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio, indicating the occurrence of autophagy. As2S2 treatment also inhibited the protein expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), but increased the intracellular accumulation of ROS in the two breast cancer cell lines, which may assist in alleviating metastasis and attenuating the progression of breast cancer. Taken together, the results of the present study suggest that As2S2 inhibits the progression of human breast cancer cells through the regulation of cell cycle arrest, intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis, autophagy, MMP-9 signaling and ROS generation.

We estimated the pharmacological efficacy of vitamin K1 (VK1 ) and VK2 on the mitogen-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of paediatric atopic dermatitis (AD) patients. VK2 suppressed the in vitro proliferation of T-cell mitogen-activated PBMCs of AD patients. In contrast, VK1 had little effect on the PBMC proliferation. The IL-2 production from the activated PBMCs of AD patients significantly increased (P

What is known and objective Renal transplant recipients receive immunosuppressive therapy to prevent acute rejection. We evaluated the immunopharmacological efficacy of vitamin K1 (VK1) and vitamin K2 (VK2) on T-cell mitogen-activated-peripheral lymphocytes of dialysis patients and healthy subjects. Methods The effects of VK1 and VK2 on the T-cell mitogen-stimulated proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from 12 healthy subjects and 12 dialysis patients were estimated. Seven cytokines produced from the activated PBMCs were measured by a BD Cytometric Beads Array kit. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) in PBMCs were analysed as CD4 + CD25 + FoxP3 + lymphocytes by flow cytometry. Results VK2 dose-dependently suppressed the concanavalin A-stimulated proliferation of PBMCs from healthy subjects and dialysis patients, whereas VK1 had no significant effect on the PBMC proliferation. VK1 and VK2 did not influence the production of most of the Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokines from the activated PBMCs of these subjects, although VK2 increased the IL-4 production from PBMCs of healthy subjects. The Treg percentages in the PBMCs of dialysis patients were markedly decreased compared to healthy PBMCs after the treatment with relatively low concentrations of VK2. What is new and conclusion The present data suggest that VK2 has immunosuppressive efficacy. VK2 may enhance the immunosuppressive efficacies of glucocorticoids while preventing osteoporosis caused by glucocorticoids.

In China, arsenic disulfide (As2S2) has been used for the treatment of hematological malignancies. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of As2S2 on the human breast cancer MCF‑7 cell line cultured in both two‑dimensional (2D) monolayers and three‑dimensional (3D) spheroids to explore its therapeutic potential in breast cancer treatment. Cellular viability and the induction of apoptosis were examined with a cell counting kit‑8 (CCK‑8) assay and flow cytometric analysis, respectively. Alterations in the expression levels of apoptosis‑associated proteins, including Bcl‑2‑associated X protein (Bax), B‑cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‑2), p53, and caspase‑7, as well as the cell survival‑associated proteins, phosphatidylinositol 3‑kinase (PI3K), Akt, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), were assessed by western blotting. Although a dose‑dependent reduction in cell viability, which occurred in association with the induction of apoptosis triggered by the addition of 2‑24 µM As2S2, was observed in both 2D‑ and 3D‑culture systems, 3D spheroids were less sensitive to the cytotoxic effect of As2S2 compared with the 2D cultured cells. A significant increase in the expression levels of Bax, p53, and caspase‑7 was observed in treated 2D‑cultured cells, whereas a similar increase in the expression levels of Bax was only confirmed in treated 3D spheroids, although there was a trend towards the increased expression of p53 and caspase‑7 in the 3D spheroids. These results suggested that these molecules are closely associated with As2S2‑mediated cytotoxicity in the two culture systems, and further suggested that the difference in the sensitivity to As2S2 between 2D monolayers and 3D spheroids may be attributed to the differential alterations in the expression levels of proteins associated with cell mortality. Significant downregulation of the expression levels of Bcl‑2, PI3K, Akt and mTOR was observed in the two culture systems. Taken together, the results of the present study demonstrated that As2S2 inhibits cell viability and induces apoptosis in both 2D‑ and 3D‑ cultured MCF‑7 cells, which may be associated with activation of the pro‑apoptotic pathway and the inhibition of pro‑survival signaling. These results have provided novel insights into clinical applications of As2S2 in the treatment of patients with breast cancer.

Background Machine perfusion (MP) techniques are expected to prove useful for preserving the organ viability and recovering organ function for organ transplantation. Furthermore, an accurate assessment of organ viability using MP is important for expanding the donor criteria. In this study, an ex vivo reperfusion model (ERM) simulating transplantation using diluted autologous blood under normothermic conditions was evaluated for its utility of MP under subnormothermic conditions for livers donated after cardiac death (DCD). Methods The liver preservation methods for DCD porcine livers were evaluated using the ERM. This investigation was performed using a novel perfusion system developed by our research group. Porcine livers were procured with a warm ischemia time (WIT) of 60 minutes. The organs were then preserved using subnormothemic machine perfusion (SNMP) or static cold storage (CS) for 4 hours. We also compared these tissues with SNMP livers procured under a WIT of 0 minutes. After the preservation, the livers were reperfused for 2 hours using the ERM with diluted autologous blood oxygenated by a membrane oxygenator under NMP conditions. Reperfusion was evaluated based on perfusion flow dynamics and outflow of deviating enzymes. Results In the early stages of reperfusion, pressure in the blood vessels increased sharply in the CS group. Furthermore, the amount of aspartate aminotransferase accumulation was lower in the SNMP group than in the other groups. These results suggest ischemia-reperfusion injury is suppressed in SNMP conditions. Conclusion An ERM has use in evaluating the utility of MP for the DCD liver.

To provide novel insight into the development of new therapeutic strategies to combat breast cancer using trivalent arsenic (AsIII)-based combination therapy, the cytotoxicity of a combination of AsIII and tetrandrine (Tetra), a Chinese plant-derived alkaloid, was investigated in the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using cell viability, colony formation, wound healing, lactate dehydrogenase leakage and cell cycle assay. Alterations of genes associated with cell proliferation and death were analyzed using real-time PCR and western blotting. Intracellular arsenic accumulation (As[i]) was also determined. Tetra significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of AsIII in MCF-7 cells in a synergistic manner. The combined treatment upregulated the expression level of FOXO3a, and subsequently resulted in a concomitant increase in the expression levels of p21, p27, and decrease of cycline D1, which occurred in parallel with G0/G1 phase arrest. Autophagy induction was also observed in the combination treatment. Importantly, combining AsIII with Tetra exhibited a synergistic inhibitory effect on the expression level of survivin. Furthermore, enhanced As[i] along with synergistic cytotoxicity was observed in MCF-7 cells treated with AsIII combined with Tetra or Ko134, an inhibitor of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), suggesting that Tetra or the BCRP inhibitor probably intervened in the occurrence of resistance to arsenic therapy by enhancing the As[i] via modulation of multidrug efflux transporters. These results may provide a rational molecular basis for the combination regimen of AsIII plus Tetra, facilitating the development of AsIII-based anticancer strategies and combination therapies for patients with solid tumors, especially breast cancer.

Glucocorticoids play significant roles in treatments of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Some patients show a poor or absent response even to high doses of glucocorticoids. The purpose of this study was to explore whether tetrandrine combined with glucocorticoids could be a new treatment strategy to resolve glucocorticoids resistance. Information on glucocorticoids sensitivity was usually obtained through mitogen-activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in cell culture procedures. Thus, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells was chosen as a model to study the immunosuppressive effect of methylprednisolone combined with tetrandrine, including the possible action mechanisms. Tetrandrine decreased the IC50 value of methylprednisolone significantly, but it showed little toxic effect on the concanavalin A-activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Both tetrandrine and methylprednisolone inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNFα and IL-6 significantly and the combination showed stronger inhibitory ability. Tetrandrine and/or methylprednisolone did not increase the percentage of CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in CD4+ T cells. However tetrandrine with or without methylprednisolone significantly inhibited the function of drug efflux pump P-glycoprotein 170 of CD4+, CD8+ T cells and lymphocytes. Tetrandrine tended to suppress the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and this effect was potentiated by methylprednisolone. These tetrandrine effects were suggested to be beneficial for improving the immunosuppressive efficacy of glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoids combined with tetrandrine could be a new therapeutic approach to resolve glucocorticoids-resistance possibly via inhibiting the function of P-glycoprotein and blocking mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway from but not affecting on CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ regulatory cells.