Anti-tumor potential of ethanol extract of Curcuma phaeocaulis Valeton against breast cancer cells

Curcuma phaeocaulis Valeton is a commonly prescribed Chinese medical herb for tumor therapy. In this study, an extract of Curcuma phaeocaulis Valeton referred as Cpv was prepared and its anti-tumor effect was evaluated with MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Curcuma phaeocaulis Valeton power was extracted with ethanol and the main components of the extract (Cpv) were analyzed with HPLC. The effect of Cpv on MCF-7 cells proliferation, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), apoptosis, apoptotic related proteins, MDA-MB-231 cell migration, and integrins expression were determined. Furthermore, the effect of Cpv on some key signal transduction molecules was also investigated. Furanodienone, germacrone and furanodiene were identified as the main components of Cpv. Cpv treatment significantly inhibited cell proliferation, increased LDH release, induced intracellular ROS formation, and decreased ΔΨm in a dose-dependent manner in MCF-7 cells. Cpv induced apoptosis without affecting cell migration. Cpv increased protein expression of Bax, PARP, cleaved PARP, caspase-3, 7, JNK1, p-p42/44MAPK, NF-κB, IKKα, IKKβ, decreased protein expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Bim, Bik, Bad, integrin β5, p42/44MAPK without affecting integrin α5, β1, and p38MAPK protein expression. We concluded that Cpv inhibited MCF-7 cells proliferation by inducing apoptosis mediated by increasing ROS formation, decreasing ΔΨm, regulating Bcl-2 family proteins expression, and activating caspases. Cpv treatment also modulated several signaling transduction pathways. These results might provide some molecular basis for the anti-tumor activity of Curcuma phaeocaulis Valeton.     

面向国家公园管理目标的综合灾害风险管理:一个概念模型

减小阻碍国家公园管理目标实现的灾害风险，实现管理有效性，是保证国家公园体制建设建立的重要途径。研究提出，面向国家公园多元管理目标，保障社会-生态系统稳定性和恢复力，国家公园灾害风险管理具有综合性。这种综合性体现在国家公园内致灾因子与承灾体的多样性、相对性与转化性，需要集成分别侧重社会与生态系统的传统自然灾害风险管理与生态风险管理，让灾害风险管理贯穿国家公园具体管理。为实现集成应对这种综合性，研究首先总结国内外多类型自然保护地灾害风险管理特点与经验，辨析国家公园灾害风险管理在国家公园管理职责和管理规划中的定位，从3个方面提出对我国国家公园灾害风险管理的启示：1）需要与国家公园宏观管理目标紧密相连；2）以维持社会-生态系统理想状态为目标；3）要具有管理空间、时间与运行的整体性。在此基础上提出一个面向国家公园管理目标的综合灾害风险管理框架，其主要特点是：1）具有"层级式"管理目标；2）以社会-生态系统服务为评价终点开展以理想状态为目标的风险管理；3）联结研究与管理、协调科学与价值观进行适应性管理。     

Effect of captopril or verapamil on intracellular sodium in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells

INTR0DUCTIONVascularsmoothmusclecellsp0ssessanumber0fNa transportsystems,namelyNa channels,Na -Ca' ,Na -H exchange,andNa -K -2Cl-c0-transp0rt[1].Hypothesizedr0lesf0rthesesystemsincluderegulati0n0fvasculart0ne,cellvolumeandcellproliferation.Inb0thexperimentalandhumanhypertensi0naberrationsinsm00thmusclecell,univalenti0ntransportsystemplayanimp0rtantroleinthepathogenesisandmaintenanceofhypertensi0n[2].Angiotensinc0nvertingenzyme(ACE)inhibitorsandCa2 antagonistsarewidelyusedforthetreatm…