AIM To identify potential anti-cancer constituents in natural extracts that inhibit cancer cell growth and migration. METHODS Our experiments used high dose thymoquinone (TQ) as an inhibitor to arrest LoVo (a human co...AIM To identify potential anti-cancer constituents in natural extracts that inhibit cancer cell growth and migration. METHODS Our experiments used high dose thymoquinone (TQ) as an inhibitor to arrest LoVo (a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line) cancer cell growth, which was detected by cell proliferation assay and immunoblotting assay. Low dose TQ did not significantly reduce LoVo cancer cell growth. Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) is an enzyme that is involved in the conversion of arachidonic acid into prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in humans. PGE2 can promote COX-2 protein expression and tumor cell proliferation and was used as a control. RESULTS Our results showed that 20 mu mol/L TQ significantly reduced human LoVo colon cancer cell proliferation. TQ treatment reduced the levels of p-PI3K, p-Akt, p-GSK3 beta, and beta-catenin and thereby inhibited the downstream COX-2 expression. Results also showed that the reduction in COX-2 expression resulted in a reduction in PGE2 levels and the suppression of EP2 and EP4 activation. Further analysis showed that TG treatment inhibited the nuclear translocation of beta-catenin in LoVo cancer cells. The levels of the cofactors LEF-1 and TCF-4 were also decreased in the nucleus following TQ treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with low dose TQ inhibited the COX-2 expression at the transcriptional level and the regulation of COX-2 expression efficiently reduced LoVo cell migration. The results were further verified in vivo by confirming the effects of TQ and/or PGE2 using tumor xenografts in nude mice. CONCLUSION TQ inhibits LoVo cancer cell growth and migration, and this result highlights the therapeutic advantage of using TQ in combination therapy against colorectal cancer.展开更多
Objective: To evaluate the serum Prostaglandin E2(PGE2) level in Acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF) and determine its predicative value for infection.Methods: From April 2014 to April 2015, ninety-one patients with ...Objective: To evaluate the serum Prostaglandin E2(PGE2) level in Acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF) and determine its predicative value for infection.Methods: From April 2014 to April 2015, ninety-one patients with hepatitis B virus and ACLF but without infection were enrolled into this prospective study that was carried out at our Hospital. Twenty patients with stable chronic hepatitis B were enrolled from the outpatient department and twenty healthy control subjects without any disease were enrolled from hospital staff. Serum PGE2 levels were determined using ELISA at enrollment. Clinical and laboratory parameters were collected. Receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves were used to determine optimal cut-off values to predict infection.Results: Significantly higher PGE2 levels were found in patients with ACLF in comparison with healthy controls and patients with stable CHB(P < 0.000 1). In ACLF patients, PGE2 levels were significantly higher in patients that eventually developed infection than those without this complication(P < 0.000 1). ROC analysis showed that serum PGE2(area under the ROC curve, 0.83) could predict infection in patients with ACLF with sensitivity of 78.4% and specificity of 81.5% using a threshold of 141 pg/m L.Conclusions: Serum PGE2 is associated with the susceptibility to secondary infections for patients with ACLF. Increased PGE2 serum levels may serve as a potential biomarker for developing infections in ACLF patients.展开更多
AIM: To investigate the relationship between the levels of prostaglandin E2(PGE2) in tears and dry eye disease severity based on both clinical symptoms and signs.METHODS: Tear samples were collected from 36 non-Sj?gre...AIM: To investigate the relationship between the levels of prostaglandin E2(PGE2) in tears and dry eye disease severity based on both clinical symptoms and signs.METHODS: Tear samples were collected from 36 non-Sj?gren syndrome dry eye patients(10 males and 26 females, mean age 50.11±11.17 y). All participants completed the Ocular Surface Disease Index(OSDI) questionnaire and underwent a detailed ophthalmic examination including, tear film breakup time(TBUT), ocular surface fluorescein staining, Schirmer I test, and meibomian gland assessment. The level of PGE2 in tears was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The independent associations between tear PGE2 levels and other variables including demographics, OSDI scores, TBUT, Schirmer scores, ocular surface staining scores, and stage of meibomian gland dysfunction(MGD) were evaluated using linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean PGE2 level in tears of dry eye patients was 537.85±234.02 pg/mL. The tear PGE2 levels significantly positively correlated with OSDI scores(R=0.608, P<0.001), however, they did not significantly associate with TBUT(R=0.153, P=0.373), Schirmer scores(R=-0.098, P=0.570), ocular surface staining scores(R=0.282, P=0.095), and stage of MGD(R=-0.107, P=0.535).Male sex was significantly negatively correlated with tear PGE2 levels.CONCLUSION: The levels of PGE2 in tears are positively correlated with dry eye symptoms. However, no significant association was found between tear PGE2 levels and the results of other common dry eye diagnostic tests.展开更多
An 18-year-old girl presented with an osteoid osteoma in the ulnar side of the cortex of the distal radius extending into the distal radioulnar joint. The osteoid osteoma was removed from the distal radius at surgery....An 18-year-old girl presented with an osteoid osteoma in the ulnar side of the cortex of the distal radius extending into the distal radioulnar joint. The osteoid osteoma was removed from the distal radius at surgery. The patient’s symptoms were dramatically improved the day after surgery. A high concentration of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) was seen in the joint and surrounding soft tissues, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) receptors were stained in the joint capsule and synovium inside the joint. This case report is the first to describe the concentration of PGE2 and stained COX-2 receptors in an osteoid osteoma in the ulnar cortex of the distal radius extending into the distal radioulnar joint.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the effects of epidural analgesia and intravenous analgesia on serum Cancer 125 (antigen 125, CA125), vascular endothelial growth factor-C (Vascular endothelial growth factor-C, VEGF-C) and pr...Objective:To investigate the effects of epidural analgesia and intravenous analgesia on serum Cancer 125 (antigen 125, CA125), vascular endothelial growth factor-C (Vascular endothelial growth factor-C, VEGF-C) and prostaglandin E2 (Prostaglandin VEGF-C) in patients with uterine fibroids.Methods:A total of 98 cases of uterine myoma treated in our hospital during September 2017 in September 2015 were selected and divided into 49 cases in the observation group and 49 cases in the control group according to the random table method. The two groups were all anaesthetized by subarachnoid block. The control group was controlled by self controlled intravenous analgesia, and the observation group was treated with epidural anesthesia. The operation time and the amount of intraoperative bleeding were compared between the two groups, and the changes of preoperative and postoperative 48 h VAS score, CA125, VEGF-C and PGE2 levels.Results: There was no statistical difference between the two groups of operation time and intraoperative bleeding. Two groups of postoperative 3 h, postoperative 24 h and 48 h VAS score decreased compared with preoperative;the observation group 3 h, 24 h and 48 h VAS scores were lower than those in the control group. Two groups of postoperative 48 h serum CA125, VEGF-C and PGE2 levels decreased;postoperative 48 h serum CA125, VEGF-C and PGE2 levels after operation in the observation group lower than in the control group.Conclusion: The effect of epidural analgesia on uterine myoma is obvious, and it can reduce the level of CA125, VEGF-C and PGE2, which is of great significance.展开更多
To investigate the relationship between tendinopathy and higher production of prostaglandins E2 (PGE2) and leukotriene B4(LTB4) induced by cyclic stretching of human patellar tendon fibroblasts.Methods We used a novel...To investigate the relationship between tendinopathy and higher production of prostaglandins E2 (PGE2) and leukotriene B4(LTB4) induced by cyclic stretching of human patellar tendon fibroblasts.Methods We used a novel in vitro model system to mimic in vivo conditions,where human patellar tendon fibroblasts (HPTFs) were uniaxially stretched with different magnitudes of stretching (4%,8% and 12%).Non-stretched fibroblasts were used as control.The productions of PGE2 and LTB4 as well as the expression of cycloxygenase (COX) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) were then measured every four hours of cyclic stretching.In addition,we treated the cells with inhibitors of COX or 5-LO.Results It was found that cyclic stretching of fibroblasts at 8% and 12% of stretching increased PGE2 and LTB4 levels.Blocking the COX enzyme with indomethacin (25 mol/L) decreased PGE2 levels but increased LTB4 production and vice versa.Whereas decreasing LTB4 production with MK-886 (10 μmol/L) could increase PGE2 levels compared to cells tretched without inhibitors.Conclusion Cyclic stretching of HPTFs produces high levels of PGE2 and LTB4,where a balance exists:blocking PGE2 production increases the production of LTB4,and vice versa.Therefore,this study raises the possibility that the routine use of COX inhibitors in clinical treatment of tendinopathy may exacerbate the condition by causing neutrophil-mediated inflammatory and degenerative changes in the tendon due to increased levels of LTB4,which is a potent chemoattractant for neutrophils.17 refs,3 figs.展开更多
基金Supported by (in part) the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare Clinical Trial and Research Center of Excellence,No.MOHW105-TDU-B-212-133019
文摘AIM To identify potential anti-cancer constituents in natural extracts that inhibit cancer cell growth and migration. METHODS Our experiments used high dose thymoquinone (TQ) as an inhibitor to arrest LoVo (a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line) cancer cell growth, which was detected by cell proliferation assay and immunoblotting assay. Low dose TQ did not significantly reduce LoVo cancer cell growth. Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) is an enzyme that is involved in the conversion of arachidonic acid into prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in humans. PGE2 can promote COX-2 protein expression and tumor cell proliferation and was used as a control. RESULTS Our results showed that 20 mu mol/L TQ significantly reduced human LoVo colon cancer cell proliferation. TQ treatment reduced the levels of p-PI3K, p-Akt, p-GSK3 beta, and beta-catenin and thereby inhibited the downstream COX-2 expression. Results also showed that the reduction in COX-2 expression resulted in a reduction in PGE2 levels and the suppression of EP2 and EP4 activation. Further analysis showed that TG treatment inhibited the nuclear translocation of beta-catenin in LoVo cancer cells. The levels of the cofactors LEF-1 and TCF-4 were also decreased in the nucleus following TQ treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with low dose TQ inhibited the COX-2 expression at the transcriptional level and the regulation of COX-2 expression efficiently reduced LoVo cell migration. The results were further verified in vivo by confirming the effects of TQ and/or PGE2 using tumor xenografts in nude mice. CONCLUSION TQ inhibits LoVo cancer cell growth and migration, and this result highlights the therapeutic advantage of using TQ in combination therapy against colorectal cancer.
基金supported by the National S&T Major Project(2017ZX10203201-002-002)
文摘Objective: To evaluate the serum Prostaglandin E2(PGE2) level in Acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF) and determine its predicative value for infection.Methods: From April 2014 to April 2015, ninety-one patients with hepatitis B virus and ACLF but without infection were enrolled into this prospective study that was carried out at our Hospital. Twenty patients with stable chronic hepatitis B were enrolled from the outpatient department and twenty healthy control subjects without any disease were enrolled from hospital staff. Serum PGE2 levels were determined using ELISA at enrollment. Clinical and laboratory parameters were collected. Receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves were used to determine optimal cut-off values to predict infection.Results: Significantly higher PGE2 levels were found in patients with ACLF in comparison with healthy controls and patients with stable CHB(P < 0.000 1). In ACLF patients, PGE2 levels were significantly higher in patients that eventually developed infection than those without this complication(P < 0.000 1). ROC analysis showed that serum PGE2(area under the ROC curve, 0.83) could predict infection in patients with ACLF with sensitivity of 78.4% and specificity of 81.5% using a threshold of 141 pg/m L.Conclusions: Serum PGE2 is associated with the susceptibility to secondary infections for patients with ACLF. Increased PGE2 serum levels may serve as a potential biomarker for developing infections in ACLF patients.
基金Supported by a Research Grant from the Faculty of Medicine,Ramathibodi Hospital,Mahidol University and the SCG Foundation
文摘AIM: To investigate the relationship between the levels of prostaglandin E2(PGE2) in tears and dry eye disease severity based on both clinical symptoms and signs.METHODS: Tear samples were collected from 36 non-Sj?gren syndrome dry eye patients(10 males and 26 females, mean age 50.11±11.17 y). All participants completed the Ocular Surface Disease Index(OSDI) questionnaire and underwent a detailed ophthalmic examination including, tear film breakup time(TBUT), ocular surface fluorescein staining, Schirmer I test, and meibomian gland assessment. The level of PGE2 in tears was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The independent associations between tear PGE2 levels and other variables including demographics, OSDI scores, TBUT, Schirmer scores, ocular surface staining scores, and stage of meibomian gland dysfunction(MGD) were evaluated using linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean PGE2 level in tears of dry eye patients was 537.85±234.02 pg/mL. The tear PGE2 levels significantly positively correlated with OSDI scores(R=0.608, P<0.001), however, they did not significantly associate with TBUT(R=0.153, P=0.373), Schirmer scores(R=-0.098, P=0.570), ocular surface staining scores(R=0.282, P=0.095), and stage of MGD(R=-0.107, P=0.535).Male sex was significantly negatively correlated with tear PGE2 levels.CONCLUSION: The levels of PGE2 in tears are positively correlated with dry eye symptoms. However, no significant association was found between tear PGE2 levels and the results of other common dry eye diagnostic tests.
文摘An 18-year-old girl presented with an osteoid osteoma in the ulnar side of the cortex of the distal radius extending into the distal radioulnar joint. The osteoid osteoma was removed from the distal radius at surgery. The patient’s symptoms were dramatically improved the day after surgery. A high concentration of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) was seen in the joint and surrounding soft tissues, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) receptors were stained in the joint capsule and synovium inside the joint. This case report is the first to describe the concentration of PGE2 and stained COX-2 receptors in an osteoid osteoma in the ulnar cortex of the distal radius extending into the distal radioulnar joint.
文摘Objective:To investigate the effects of epidural analgesia and intravenous analgesia on serum Cancer 125 (antigen 125, CA125), vascular endothelial growth factor-C (Vascular endothelial growth factor-C, VEGF-C) and prostaglandin E2 (Prostaglandin VEGF-C) in patients with uterine fibroids.Methods:A total of 98 cases of uterine myoma treated in our hospital during September 2017 in September 2015 were selected and divided into 49 cases in the observation group and 49 cases in the control group according to the random table method. The two groups were all anaesthetized by subarachnoid block. The control group was controlled by self controlled intravenous analgesia, and the observation group was treated with epidural anesthesia. The operation time and the amount of intraoperative bleeding were compared between the two groups, and the changes of preoperative and postoperative 48 h VAS score, CA125, VEGF-C and PGE2 levels.Results: There was no statistical difference between the two groups of operation time and intraoperative bleeding. Two groups of postoperative 3 h, postoperative 24 h and 48 h VAS score decreased compared with preoperative;the observation group 3 h, 24 h and 48 h VAS scores were lower than those in the control group. Two groups of postoperative 48 h serum CA125, VEGF-C and PGE2 levels decreased;postoperative 48 h serum CA125, VEGF-C and PGE2 levels after operation in the observation group lower than in the control group.Conclusion: The effect of epidural analgesia on uterine myoma is obvious, and it can reduce the level of CA125, VEGF-C and PGE2, which is of great significance.
文摘To investigate the relationship between tendinopathy and higher production of prostaglandins E2 (PGE2) and leukotriene B4(LTB4) induced by cyclic stretching of human patellar tendon fibroblasts.Methods We used a novel in vitro model system to mimic in vivo conditions,where human patellar tendon fibroblasts (HPTFs) were uniaxially stretched with different magnitudes of stretching (4%,8% and 12%).Non-stretched fibroblasts were used as control.The productions of PGE2 and LTB4 as well as the expression of cycloxygenase (COX) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) were then measured every four hours of cyclic stretching.In addition,we treated the cells with inhibitors of COX or 5-LO.Results It was found that cyclic stretching of fibroblasts at 8% and 12% of stretching increased PGE2 and LTB4 levels.Blocking the COX enzyme with indomethacin (25 mol/L) decreased PGE2 levels but increased LTB4 production and vice versa.Whereas decreasing LTB4 production with MK-886 (10 μmol/L) could increase PGE2 levels compared to cells tretched without inhibitors.Conclusion Cyclic stretching of HPTFs produces high levels of PGE2 and LTB4,where a balance exists:blocking PGE2 production increases the production of LTB4,and vice versa.Therefore,this study raises the possibility that the routine use of COX inhibitors in clinical treatment of tendinopathy may exacerbate the condition by causing neutrophil-mediated inflammatory and degenerative changes in the tendon due to increased levels of LTB4,which is a potent chemoattractant for neutrophils.17 refs,3 figs.