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Enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-Lingzhiol has been achieved. It is the first example of in tandem semipinacol rearrangement reactions, the migrated aryl group further reacting with the carbonyl oxonium electrophile to furnish a polycyclic skeleton. Our synthesis involves 13 steps and proceeds in 6% overall yield.

The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) in the treatment of arthritis.Mesenchymal stem cells were injected intravenously into mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Arthritic indexes were evaluated, and the levels of the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-10 (IL-10), gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-inducible protein 10 (IP-10), chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 3 (CXCR3), interleukin-17A (IL-17A), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in serum or splenic cells were determined using real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The proliferation of dendritic cell line D2SC cells was determined using (3)H-TdR incorporation assay.Upon injection of MSCs, overall arthritis symptoms were significantly improved in the CIA mouse models as indicated by the paw edema. Consistent with this observation, serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha and inflammatory cell infiltration decreased significantly 12 days after MSC injection, while the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10, IP-10, and CXCR3 was increased in splenocytes. In addition, we provided evidence that MSCs may directly promote the proliferation of D2SC cells and the expression of IP-10 in D2SC cells in vitro.Mesenchymal stem cells significantly enhance the efficacy of collagen-induced arthritis treatment, likely through the modulation of the expression of various cytokines.

Background and Objective Octamer-4 (Oct4), a transcription factor involved in regulating human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), may play a role in tumorigenesis. Since little is known about the efficacy of Oct4 as a potential biomarker for gastric cancer (GC), we investigated its expression in GC tissues and its relationship to various clinicopathological parameters. Methods Primary tumor tissues and matching, adjacent non-cancerous tissues were obtained from 62 GC patients, and Oct4 expression was examined by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and real-time PCR. Twenty biopsy specimens of atrophic gastritis and gastric ulcer individually were collected as control. To detect Oct4 expression in the paired GC and non-cancerous tissues at the protein level, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were employed. Correlation analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between Oct4 expression and clinicopathological parameters. Results Oct4 expression levels were higher in GC tissues compared to matching, adjacent non-cancerous tissues, atrophic gastritis and gastric ulcer tissues. Additionally, Oct4 expression in GC tumors correlated with their differentiation status, but not with patient age or gender, tumor size, TNM stage, depth of invasion, or the presence of lymph node metastasis. Conclusions Oct4 may be a potential biomarker for the initiation, progression, and differentiation of human GC. J. Surg. Oncol. 2009;99:414–419. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Concise synthesis of (±)-Lingzhiol has been achieved. The key reaction involves one-step construction of a 5/5/6/6 tetra-ring backbone of Lingzhiol via epoxy-arene cyclization.

To observe the inhibitive effect of rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) culture supernatant on macrophages activated by soluble egg antigen (SEA) of Schistosoma japonicum.To select optimal SEA effecting concentration and time, macrophages RAW264.7 were induced by 5, 10, 20 or 40 microg/ml SEA for 12 h, or by 20 microg/ml SEA for 4, 8, 12 or 24 h before examination of TNF-alpha mRNA by RT-PCR. Macrophages were divided into five groups, i.e. negative control group, SEA group, SEA+MSC supernatant group (MSC group), SEA+NRK-52E supernatant group (NRK-52E group) and SEA+DMEM group (DMEM group). Except negative control group, macrophages in other four groups were induced by 20 microg/ml SEA for 12 h. SEA was then removed from MSC group, NRK-52E group and DMEM group and replaced with MSC supernatant, NRK-52E supernatant and DMEM, respectively. Morphology of macrophages in each group was observed by microscope after cultured with supernatant for 12 h. TNF-alpha mRNA in macrophages was detected by real-time quantitative PCR after cultured with supernatant for 12 h and 24 h. TGF-beta1 in macrophages was observed by Western blotting analysis after cultured with supernatant for 12 h. Macrophage proliferation was tested by MTT method after cultured with supernatant for 24 h and 48 h.The optimal SEA concentration and time for macrophage activation was 20 microg/ml and 12 h, respectively. Compared with SEA group, NRK-52E group, and DMEM group, macrophages in MSC group were round and small with less pseudopodia after cultured with supernatant for 12 h. TNF-alpha mRNA after cultured with MSC supernatant for 12 h and 24 h was (1.0 +/- 0.4) and (1.0 +/- 0.5) fold of negative control group, respectively, significantly less than NRK-52E group [(10.4 +/- 3.9) and (16.5 +/- 5.0) fold] (12 h: P0.05; 24 h: P0.01) and DMEM group [(6.0 +/- 2.1) and (2.4 +/- 0.7) fold] (P0.05). The grey density image analysis of TGF-beta1/GAPDH was 0.31 +/- 0.10 in MSC group, much lower than 0.88 +/- 0.10 in NRK-52E group (P0.01) and 0.58 +/- 0.06 in DMEM group (P0.05) after cultured with supernatant for 12 h. After 48 h culture, A490 of macrophages in MSC group was 0.22 +/- 0.05, much lower than 0.53 +/- 0.02 in NRK-52E group and 0.31 +/- 0.03 in DMEM group (P0.05).MSC supernatant can inhibit activation and proliferation of macrophages which were induced by SEA of S. japonicum.

Toxicodenanes A-C (1-3), representing sesquiterpenoids with three new carbon skeletons, were isolated from the dried resin of Toxicodendron vernicifluum. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic data and X-ray diffraction crystallography. Their plausible biosynthetic route was proposed via the isolated intermediate (4). Compounds 2 and 3 could significantly inhibit overproduction of fibronectin, collagen IV, and IL-6 in high-glucose-induced mesangial cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, showing their potential in diabetic nephropathy.

Toxicodenanes A-C (1-3), representing sesquiterpenoids with three new carbon skeletons, were isolated from the dried resin of Toxicodendron vernicifluum. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic data and X-ray diffraction crystallography. Their plausible biosynthetic route was proposed via the isolated intermediate (4). Compounds 2 and 3 could significantly inhibit overproduction of fibronectin, collagen IV, and IL-6 in high-glucose-induced mesangial cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, showing their potential in diabetic nephropathy.

To explore the expression of Toll-like receptor 8(TLR8)in rheumatoid arthritis induced by chicken II collogen in mice and analyze the relation of TLR8 to IL-10, IL-17A and IL-1beta.Twelve DBA/1J mice were randomly divided into model group(T) and negative group(NC). The paw swelling was seen at the day of 27 post the first immunization with chicken II collogen. The serum TNF-alpha was detected by ELISA and inflammatory cell infiltration was examined by HE. Real-time PCR was used to analysis the expression of IL-10, IL-17A, IL-1beta and TLR8 in spleen mononuclear cells.Severe inflammation was detected in model group mice by histological analysis, which was not seen in negative group. The serum TNF-alpha in model group was enhanced compared with that in negative group(P0.01). The expression levels of IL-10, IL-17A, TLR8 and IL-1beta in spleen mononuclear cells from model group were increased compared with those from negative group(P0.01, P0.05). Statistical analysis showed that there was negative correlation between the expression of TLR8 and IL-10(P0.01), and there was no correlation between the expression of TLR8 and IL-17A or IL-1beta(P0.05).The expression of TLR8 was increased in rheumatoid arthritis-mice induced by chicken II collogen, and there was negative correlation between the expression of TLR8 and the expression of IL-10.

Octamer-4 (Oct4), a transcription factor involved in regulating human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), may play a role in tumorigenesis. Since little is known about the efficacy of Oct4 as a potential biomarker for gastric cancer (GC), we investigated its expression in GC tissues and its relationship to various clinicopathological parameters.Primary tumor tissues and matching, adjacent non-cancerous tissues were obtained from 62 GC patients, and Oct4 expression was examined by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and real-time PCR. Twenty biopsy specimens of atrophic gastritis and gastric ulcer individually were collected as control. To detect Oct4 expression in the paired GC and non-cancerous tissues at the protein level, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were employed. Correlation analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between Oct4 expression and clinicopathological parameters.Oct4 expression levels were higher in GC tissues compared to matching, adjacent non-cancerous tissues, atrophic gastritis and gastric ulcer tissues. Additionally, Oct4 expression in GC tumors correlated with their differentiation status, but not with patient age or gender, tumor size, TNM stage, depth of invasion, or the presence of lymph node metastasis.Oct4 may be a potential biomarker for the initiation, progression, and differentiation of human GC.

To investigate the expression of recombinant human phosphodiesterase 3A (HPDE3A) using baculovirus expression system in Tn cell line.The HPDE3A cDNA was recombined with baculovirus, and then the recombinant was transfected into Tn cell line. The expression of HPDE3A in Tn cell line was detected and identified by the RT-PCR, SDS-PAGE and Western blotting.The recombinant HPDE3A protein was stably expressed in Tn cell line and detected by the distinct morphological changes of Tn cell, RT-PCR, SDS-PAGE and Western blotting using polyclonal antibody. The M(w) of the recombinant protein was about 120 kD.Recombinant HPDE3A can be expressed in Tn cell line using the baculovirus expression system, and thus provided the basic material for studying its bioactivity and application in screening for HPDE3A inhibitor.