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We examined the effects of ulinastatin on the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) in degenerated nucleus pulposus (NP) cells of rabbits induced by interleukin (IL)-1β in vitro. An in vitro NP cell culture model was set up with enzyme digestion. NP cells from adult white rabbits were divided into six groups: the normal control group, the ulinastatin control group (320 U/mL ulinastatin), the induced group (10 ng/mL IL-1β), and three inhibition groups (IL-1β followed by 160, 320, or 640 U/mL ulinastatin). After a 2-day culture, the NP cells were collected for immunohistochemical staining for MMP-2 and MMP-3 and spectrophotometric analysis of the amount of iNOS. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-3 proteins in NP cells decreased in the inhibition groups compared with the induced group, which was in inverse proportion to the ulinastatin concentration. Spectrophotometric results showed that, compared with the induced group, the iNOS content in each inhibition group decreased, most significantly in the 320 U/mL group. Ulinastatin effectively inhibited the increased expression of MMP-2, MMP-3, and iNOS in degenerated NP cells induced by IL-1β in vitro. It suggests that ulinastatin may potentially be useful for clinical therapy of intervertebral disc degeneration.

Objective: To determine whether genetic polymorphisms of GSTP1 Ile105Val (A-->G) predict chemosensitivity and clinical outcome in patients with advanced colorectal cancer, treated by 5-FU/oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy., Methods: In this retrospective study, the population consisted of 122 advanced colorectal cancer patients (III stage 51, IV stage 71). Patients were treated with 5-FU-oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy, and their response was evaluated after at least two cycles of treatments; all patients (122) were evaluated for median survival time (MST). GSTP1 genotypes were detected by TaqMan-MGB probe methods., Results: 75 patients (61.47%) were Ile/Ile genotype, 10 (8.2%) were Val/Val genotype, and 37 (30.33%) were Ile/Val genotype. Patients possessing the glutathione S-transferase P1-105 Val/Val genotype showed a response rate of 60.0% compared to 25.89% in patients harboring at least one GSTP1-105 Ile allele (p = 0.032). GSTP1-105 Val/Val patients demonstrated a significant superior median survival time of 20.4 months (95% CI: 11.85 to 28.95) compared to 6.5 months (95% CI: 4.26 to 8.74) in patients with 105 Ile/Ile genotype and 10.3 months (95% CI: 7.05 to 13.55; p <0.01) in patients with GSTP1 105 Ile/Val genotype., Conclusion: The GSTP1 105Val/105Val genotype is associated with a higher clinical response rate to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy and with increased survival of patients with advanced colo-rectal cancer, receiving 5-FU/oxaliplatin chemotherapy.

To standardize and control herbal medicines, a feasible approach and control system is necessary. In this paper, a high-performance liquid chromatography with a coulometric electrode array detector (HPLC-CEAD) system was applied to fingerprint Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (S. miltiorrhiza Bunge), a popular herbal medicine, for the first time. pH of mobile phase, working potentials and sample preparation were included in our research. Twenty-five common peaks were obtained from extracts of S. miltiorrhiza Bunge (Shandong province), more than that obtained in previous report. Fingerprints of S. miltiorrhiza Bunge from different locations were also studied. The content of main components varied in different samples. Overlapping ratio of peaks (ORP) in 10 batches of S. miltiorrhiza Bunge (Shandong province) was not less than 72.46%. In method validation, relative standard deviation (RSD) of relative retention times and relative peak areas were of not more than 3%. It was concluded that HPLC-CEAD system can be applied in fingerprinting herbal medicines.