Lipopolysaccharide enhances TGF‐β1 signalling pathway and rat pancreatic fibrosis

Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) play a critical role in fibrogenesis during alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP). Transforming growth factor‐beta1 (TGF‐β1) is a key regulator of extracellular matrix production and PSC activation. Endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been recognized as a trigger factor in the pathogenesis of ACP. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which LPS modulates TGF‐β1 signalling and pancreatic fibrosis. Sprague‐Dawley rats fed with a Lieber‐DeCarli alcohol (ALC) liquid diet for 10 weeks with or without LPS challenge during the last 3 weeks. In vitro studies were performed using rat macrophages (Mφs) and PSCs (RP‐2 cell line). The results showed that repeated LPS challenge resulted in significantly more collagen production and PSC activation compared to rats fed with ALC alone. LPS administration caused overexpression of pancreatic TLR4 or TGF‐β1 which was paralleled by an increased number of TLR4‐positive or TGF‐β1‐positive Mφs or PSCs in ALC‐fed rats. In vitro, TLR4 or TGF‐β1 production in Mφs or RP‐2 cells was up‐regulated by LPS. LPS alone or in combination with TGF‐β1 significantly increased type I collagen and α‐SMA production and Smad2 and 3 phosphorylation in serum‐starved RP‐2 cells. TGF‐β pseudoreceptor BAMBI production was repressed by LPS, which was antagonized by Si‐TLR4 RNA or by inhibitors of MyD88/NF‐kB. Additionally, knockdown of Bambi with Si‐Bambi RNA significantly increased TGF‐β1 signalling in RP‐2 cells. These findings indicate that LPS increases TGF‐β1 production through paracrine and autocrine mechanisms and that LPS enhances TGF‐β1 signalling in PSCs by repressing BAMBI via TLR4/MyD88/NF‐kB activation.     

Structure-based design and structure-activity relationships of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives as potential PDE4 inhibitors

This paper describes our medicinal chemistry efforts on 7-(cyclopentyloxy)-6-methoxy1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline scaffold: design, synthesis and biological evaluation using conformational restriction approach and bioisosteric replacement strategy. Biological data revealed that the majority of the synthesized compounds of this series displayed moderate to potent inhibitory activity against PDE4B and strong inhibition of LPS-induced TNFα release. Among them, compound 19 exhibited the strongest inhibition against PDE4B with an IC₅₀ of 0.88?µM and 21 times more potent selectivity toward PDE4B over PDE4D when compared to rolipram. A primary structure-activity relationship study showed that the attachment of CH₃O group or CF₃O group to the phenyl ring at the para-position was helpful to enhance the inhibitory activity against PDE4B. Moreover, sulfonamide group played a key role in improving the inhibitory activity against PDE4B and subtype selectivity. In addition, the attachment of the additional rigid substituents at the C-3 position of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline ring was favored to subtype selectivity, which was consistent well with the observed docking simulation.     

Study on biomolecules in extractives of Camellia oleifera fruit shell by GC–MS

This study aims to present an integrated process that can be used to produce biomedical and biological active components from the fruit shell of Camellia oleifera Abel. Through the Foss method, Aldehyde, acid compounds, acyl and alcohol compounds account for 22.7, 15.93, 0.24 and 61.13% of the extractives which were extracted from Camellia oleifera fruit shell by methanol solvents. Furfural, Pyrazole-4-carboxaldehyde, 1-methyl- and 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural account for 4.74, 1.22 and 58.78% of the extractives which were extracted from the fruit shell of Camellia oleifera Abel by ethanol solvents. Aldehyde, acid and amine compounds account for 5.01, 56.18 and 7.20% of the extractives which were extracted from the fruit shell of Camellia oleifera Abel by ethyl acetate solvents. The extractives of fresh flesh of bayberry were rich in rare drug, biomedical and biological activities.     

The InR/Akt/TORC1 Growth-Promoting Signaling Negatively Regulates JAK/STAT Activity and Migratory Cell Fate during Morphogenesis

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Direct In Vivo Reprogramming with Sendai Virus Vectors Improves Cardiac Function after Myocardial Infarction

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Survival Impact of Delaying Postoperative Radiotherapy in Patients with Esophageal Cancer

The purpose of the current study was to retrospectively assess the effect of postoperative radiotherapy (RT) delay on survival for patients with esophageal cancer. From 2008 to 2011, patients with esophageal cancer who had undergone postoperative RT in five different hospitals in China were reviewed. Clinical data, including time interval between surgery to RT, were prospectively collected. Kaplan-Meier method was conducted to estimate the effect of each variable on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), with differences assessed by log-rank test. Univariate Cox proportional-hazards models were performed for both PFS and OS for all assumed predictor variables. Statistically significant predictor variables (P < .05) on univariate analysis were then included in multivariate Cox proportional-hazards models, which were performed to compare the effects of RT delay on PFS and OS. A total of 316 patients were finally enrolled in this prospectively multicentric study. Time to RT after surgery varied from 12 days to over 60 days (median, 26 days). Multivariate analysis showed that delay to RT longer than the median does not appear to be a survival cost. There was also no statistically difference in PFS (P = .513) or OS (P = .236) between patients stratified by quartiles (≤21 days vs ≧35 days). However, patients with particularly long delays (≧42 days) demonstrated a detrimental impact on OS (P = .021) but not PFS (P = .580). Delaying postoperative RT of esophageal cancer does not impact PFS, but results in a significant reduction on OS if delaying longer than 6 weeks.