Anti-angiogenic effects of thalidomide: expression of apoptosis-inducible active-caspase-3 in a three-dimensional collagen gel culture of aorta

The anti-angiogenic properties of thalidomide have led to the use of the agent as a remedy for multiple myeloma. Nevertheless, the anti-angiogenic moiety of thalidomide remains unidentified. In this study we examined the anti-angiogenic effects of thalidomide in an in vitro model using a three-dimensional collagen gel culture. Angiogenesis was significantly inhibited when the culture was treated with thalidomide plus cytochrome P-450 (CYP2B4), and the migrating cells and tubules were positive for active-caspase-3 in an accompanying immunohistochemical investigation. Transmission electron microscopic observation also confirmed that active-caspase-3-positive cells demonstrated apoptotic characteristics. This study is the first to morphologically demonstrate the effect of thalidomide in directly inducing the apoptosis of new tubules and migrating cells on a three-dimensional collagen gel culture of aorta. Taken together with earlier findings, our new results indicate that the thalidomide-induced inhibition of angiogenesis involves apoptosis in addition to the suppression of TNF- and inhibition of cell migration from aorta explants, i.e., the factors important for capillarogenesis.     

Production of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha by Smilacis rhizoma in mouse peritoneal macrophages

Using mouse peritoneal macrophages, we have examined the mechanism by which, Smilacis rhizoma (SR) regulates nitric oxide (NO) production. When SR was used in combination with recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma), there was a marked cooperative induction of NO production. However, SR had no effect on NO production by itself. The increased production of NO from rIFN-gamma plus SR-stimulated cells was almost completely inhibited by pre-treatment with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), an inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB). Furthermore, treatment of peritoneal macrophages with rIFN-gamma plus SR caused a significant increase in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production. PDTC also decreased the effect of SR on TNF-alpha production significantly. These findings demonstrate that SR increases the production of NO and TNF-alpha by rIFN-gamma-primed macrophages and suggest that NF-kappaB plays a critical role in mediating these effects of SR.     

索拉非尼和沙利度胺对肝癌患者血清中VEGF-C、VEGF-D及微血管密度的影响

目的：探讨索拉非尼和沙利度胺这两种不同的化疗药物,对肝癌患者血清中VEGF-C、VEGF—D及微血管密度的影响。方法：将患者分成3组,每纽16例。对照组采用常规治疗并服用安慰剂;索拉非尼和沙利度胺这两个组患者中,前者服用索拉非尼400mg／次,2次／d,治疗6个月;后者服用沙利度胺每日服200mg,每周增加200mg／d,直至最大剂量每日600mg,至少服用4月。ELISA检测患者血清中VEGF-C、VEGF-D;免疫组织化学检测肝癌组织中微血管密度。结果：对照组患者血清中VEGF-C的水平为210ng／ml,索拉非尼组患者血清中VEGF—C的水平为132ng／ml,而沙利度胺组患者血清中VEGF—C的水平为186ng／ml。与对照组相比,索拉非尼组和沙利度胺组患者血清中VEGF—C的水平均降低。对照组患者血清中VEGF—D的水平为322ng／ml,索拉非尼组患者血清中VEGF—D的水平为217ng／ml,而沙利度胺组患者血清中VEGF—D的水平为256ng／ml。与对照组相比,索拉非尼组和沙利度胺组患者血清中VEGF—D的水平均降低。索拉非尼组患者血清中VEGF—D的水平明显低于沙利度胺高（P〈0．05）。对照组肝癌组织MVD为（44．32±5．16）个,索拉非尼组患者肝癌组织MVD为（21．75±1．49）个,而沙利度胺组患者肝癌组织MVD为（34．78±2．31）个。结论：多靶点化疗药物索拉非尼对肝癌患者血清中VEGF—C、VEGF—D及微血管密度的影响最大,深入探讨其作用机制．可为其肝癌患者提供新的化疗方案。     

Polysaccharide isolated from seeds of Plantago asiatica L. induces maturation of dendritic cells through MAPK and NF-κB pathway

Plantago species are used as traditional medicine in Asian and Europe. Polysaccharide isolated from the seeds of Plantago asiatica L. could stimulate maturation transformation of bone-marrow derived dendritic cells (DCs). We found that blocking p38, ERK1/2 and JNK MAPK signal transduction could significantly decreased the PLP-2 induced expression of MHC II, CD86 surface molecules on DCs. Blocking p38 and JNK signal also significantly inhibited the cytokine secretion of TNF-α and IL-12p70 as well, while blocking ERK1/2 signal only decreased the secretion of TNF-α. Meanwhile, DCs in the three MAPK signal-blocking groups showed dramatically attenuated effects on stimulating proliferation of T lymphocytes. Similarly, blocking signal transduction of NF-κB pathway also significantly impaired the phenotypic and functional maturation development of DCs induced by PLP-2. These data suggest that MAPK and NF-κB pathway mediates the PLP-induced maturation on DCs. Especially, among the three MAPK pathways, activation of JNK signal transduction is the most important for DCs development after PLP-2 incubation. And PLP-2 may activate the MAPK and NF-κB pathway by triggering toll-like receptor 4 on DCs.     

Estimation of nitric oxide level in vivo by microdialysis with water-soluble iron-N-methyl-d-dithiocarbamate complexes as NO traps: A novel approach to nitric oxide spin trapping in animal tissues

It was found that microdialysis, i.e., passage of aqueous solutions of iron-N-methyl-d-glucamine dithiocarbamate complexes through dialysis fibers implanted into heart, kidney and liver tissues of narcotized rats, was accompanied by effective binding of the complexes to nitric oxide from interstitial fluid. The walls of dialysis fibers used in this study were permeable for compounds with molecular weight not exceeding 5 kDa. The dialyzate samples collected every 20 min and containing diamagnetic nitrosyl Fe³⁺-MGD adducts were reduced to the paramagnetic state with sodium dithionite; their concentration was measured by the EPR method. The basic level of the adducts, which represented mononitrosyl iron complexes with MGD (MNIC–MGD), in the dialyzate samples of all tested organs were similar (1 μМ). Treatment of animals with the water-soluble nitroglycerine analog Isoket or a low-molecular dinitrosyl iron thiosulfate complex as a NO donor increased the concentration of MNIC–MGD with going out into a plateau. The novel approach allows determination of nitric oxide levels in tissue interstitial fluid from concentration of MNIC–MGD formed during microdialysis.     

Evidence for metal to solvent charge transfer photooxidation of iron, cobalt, nickel and copper dithiocarbamato derivatives in poly(vinylchloride) matrices at ca. 90 K: New insights into the bonding of late transition metals with dithiocarbamate ligands through DFT modeling

Photolysis of FeL₃, CoL₃, NiL₂, CuL₂ and ZnL₂, where L = S₂CNEt₂, in PVC matrices at ca. 90 K results in photooxidation of the metal complexes through irreversible metal to solvent charge transfer. DFT quantum mechanical studies of the S₂CNMe₂ anion and the Ni, Cu and Zn derivatives were carried out, providing a more nuanced understanding of the bonding of the dithiocarbamate ligand than suggested by classical resonance arguments.     

沙利度胺对实验性矽肺血管生成的干预研究

目的观察实验性矽肺形成过程中肺组织局部血管生成的动态变化,以及沙利度胺对矽肺肺纤维化血管生成的干预作用。方法SD大鼠54只,随机分为3组,矽肺组和沙利度胺组气管内注入二氧化硅混旋液复制实验性大鼠矽肺模型,对照组在相同条件下给予生理盐水。第二天起沙利度胺组给予沙利度胺饲料喂养,其余各组在相同条件下给予普通饲料喂养。采用HE染色、羟脯氨酸含量测定、免疫组织化学染色等方法,观察实验性大鼠矽肺的发病过程,肺组织中p-Akt蛋白和局部血管生成的动态变化及其与肺胶原蛋白含量的关系。结果矽肺组第7天新生血管明显增多,第30天较第7天有所减少,到第60天肺组织正常结构基本消失,取代为广泛结节性纤维化,少见血管;沙利度胺组血管生成在第7天轻于矽肺组,但仍高于对照组。免疫组化显示p-Akt蛋白在矽肺组第7天明显达到高峰,第30天时较第7天有所减弱,第60天时明显减弱。沙利度胺组p-Akt蛋白和羟脯氨酸含量均低于矽肺组,但高于对照组。结论矽肺早期血管生成显著,血管生成在矽肺肺纤维化发生早期可能起重要作用;沙利度胺能在一定程度上抑制过度的血管生成,对实验性矽肺具有一定的阻抑作用。     

Inhibitory effect of thalidomide on the growth, secretory function and angiogenesis of estrogen-induced prolactinoma in Fischer 344 rats

The process of angiogenesis has been found to be essential for the development of estrogen-induced pituitary prolactinoma in Fischer 344 rats. Thalidomide [(alpha-(N-phthalimido)-glutarimide] is known to be a potent immunomodulatory drug with antiangiogenic properties, but its effect on lactotroph cell secretory function and pituitary prolactinoma formation has not been described yet. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of thalidomide on secretion of prolactin (PRL) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), cell proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis within the anterior pituitary gland in long-term diethylstilboestrol (DES)-treated male F344 rats in vivo and in vitro. It was found that DES sharply increased serum PRL and VEGF levels. On the other hand, simultaneous treatment of F344 rats with thalidomide for the last 15 days of the experiment attenuated the stimulatory effect of DES on PRL and VEGF secretion. It also diminished prolactin cell proliferation evaluated as the number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-positive stained cell nuclei and increased the number of apoptotic bodies determined by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method in sections of the DES-induced pituitary prolactinoma. The density of pituitary microvessels evaluated by microscopic counting of CD-31-positive blood vessels was also diminished by the tested drug. In addition, thalidomide (10(-4) to 10(-6) M) inhibited cell proliferation, prolactin and VEGF secretion from rat pituitary prolactinoma cells cultured in vitro. In conclusion, our results provide strong evidence for the antiprolactin and antitumor activity of thalidomide in experimentally DES-induced pituitary adenoma.