Effects of Low Concentrations of Di-(2-ethylhexyl) and Mono-(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate on Steroidogenesis Pathways and Apoptosis in the Murine Leydig Tumor Cell Line MLTC-1

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of low concentrations of DEHP and MEHP on steroidogenesis in a murine Leydig tumor cell line （MLTC-1） in vitro. The result of flow cytometry analysis revealed that the proportion of apoptotic cells was significantly increased after the exposure to DEHP. All three genes （P450scc, P450c17, and 38HSD） under study showed an increased expression following exposure to DEHP or MEHP, although some insignificant inhibitory effects appeared in the 10μmol/L treatment group as compared with the controls. It was also found that DEHP or MEHP stimulated INSL3 mRNA and protein especially in the 0.001 μmol/L treatment group. Testosterone secretions were stimulated after the exposure to DEHP or MEHP. Alterations of steroidogenic enzymes and INSL3 in MLTC-1 cells might be involved in the biphasic effects of DEHP/MEHP on androgen production.

STUDY ON EFFECTS OF ARSENIC TRIOXIDE ON GASTRIC CANCER CELL LINES

Objective To evaluate the effects of arsenic trioxide (As-2O-3) on apoptosis and differentiation of gastric cancer cell lines (GCCL). Methods MKN45 and SGC7901 cells were treated with As-2O-3 at different concentrations, then the apoptosis rates and cell cycle were determined by flow cytometry assays, the morphologic changes were observed under fluorescence microscopy and electronic microscopy, and the gene expressions were tested with immunohistologic staining. Results Higher apoptosis rates of GCCL were seen in the As-2O-3-treated group at concentrations of 5μmol and 10μmol, as compared with those in the 5-Fu-treated group. Cell-nuclear pyknosis and chromosomal condensation were observed. The As-2O-3 at a concentration of 0.5 μmol could induce the cell cycle changes of GCCL, revealing an increase in the proportion of G1/G0 phase cells and a decrease in the proportion of S phase cells. From the fifth day after treatment of SGC7901 with As-2O-3 at a low concentration, P53 and bcl-XL genes expression rates were reduced, Bax gene expression rate increased, and bcl-2 gene expression showed little change. Conclusion As-2O-3 could induce GCCL apoptosis at a high concentration and differentiation at a low concentration, but it could not completely reverse the malignant biological behaviours of cancer cells.

Cytotoxic 7-Methoxylated Caged Xanthones from the Twigs of Garcinia oligantha

Main observation and conclusion Nineteen unprecedented 7-methoxylated caged xanthones(1—19)were isolated from the twigs of Garcinia oligantha under the guidance of NMR spectroscopy.Their structures and absolute configurations were demonstrated by extensive spectroscopic data,single-crystal X-ray diffraction,electronic circular dichroism(ECD)calculations,and the modified Mosher's method.Compound 1 is a rare scalemic 7-methoxylated neo-caged xanthone,which was resolved using HPLC with CD detection on a chiral-phase AD column,and compounds 2—3 are rare 7-methoxylated caged xanthones with the hydrogenatedΔ^(8(8a))double bond.Fourteen compounds exhibited promising inhibitory activities against four human cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 1.9 to 14.3μmol/L.A cell apoptosis analysis using flow cytometry showed that compound 11 could induce apoptosis in a dose dependent manner.Moreover,PARP,caspase-9,and Bcl-2 western blotting suggested that compound 11-induced apoptosis may be involved in caspase-dependent pathway.