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Purpose This retrospective study compares two methods of shelf acetabuloplasty between Staheli technique and Tectoplasty technique to evaluate the efficacy of different surgery in the treatment of Perthes disease in children. Methods The study included 42 patients (35 boys and 7 girls) older than 7 years with Perthes disease was performed by shelf acetabuloplasty. There were 24 children (19 boys and 5 girls; mean months at the surgery of 80.63±10.88) performed by Staheli technique and 18 children (16 boys and 2 girls; mean months at the surgery of 81.38±15.59) performed by Tectoplasty technique. The data and radiographs of patients were retrospectively recorded and analyzed. The clinical outcomes at the final follow-up were evaluated by Stulberg classification at the last follow-up. Results There were no significant statistical differences in the Herring and Catterall classification before surgery and the result of Stulberg classification at the follow-up between two groups (P>0.05). The containment of femoral head in hip was improved by surgery in two groups with the increase of Sharp angle and femoral head size ratio and the decrease of subluxation ratio of femoral head (PConclusion Both of Staheli and Tectoplasty technique of lateral shelf acetabuloplasty could promote the coverage of affected hip and remodeling of femoral head in the treatment of Perthes disease. The lateral acetabuloplasty represents a containment procedure that helps to reduce subluxation of the femoral head, thereby helping to restore the biomechanical function of the hip joint. Staheli technique could provide the more decrease in the subluxation ratio of femoral head than Tectoplasty technique.

The secretory ducts of Ferula ferulaeoides (Steud.) Korov. are the main tissue of synthesis, secretion, and accumulation of resin. The formation of secretory ducts is closely related to the harvest and quality of resin, but the lumen formation mode and corresponding mechanism have not been thoroughly studied. This study of F. ferulaeoides investigated the microstructure and ultrastructure of the secretory ducts from a developmental point of view. Stem samples were analyzed by light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy. The data results showed (1) the walls of secretory cells were intact during the development of secretory ducts in F. ferulaeoides; (2) the plastids and endoplasmic reticulum of secretory cells participated in the synthesis of resin; (3) pectinase was involved in the degradation of the middle lamella; and (4) no features of programmed cell death during the formation of secretory ducts. The results suggested that the formation of F. ferulaeoides' secretory ducts was schizogenous, and pectinase was involved in its formation. These data may be beneficial to further explore the formation of secretory duct in other species of Ferula L. and the formation mechanism of schizogenous secretory structures.

Background: Emodin, one of the most dominant components of the traditional Chinese medicine rhubarb, has been utilized to treat acute pancreatitis (AP). Acute lung injury (ALI) is one of the most common complications of acute pancreatitis, leading to a serious mortality rate. However, the specific mechanism of emodin in the treatment of AP-associated lung injury remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the protective roles of emodin in AP-ALI and its underlying mechanisms in two clinically relevant experimental AP models.Methods: NaT-AP model in rats was constructed using 3.5% sodium taurocholate, and CER+LPS-AP model in mice was constructed using caerulein combined with Lipopolysaccharide. Animals were divided randomly into sham, AP, Ac‐YVAD‐CMK (caspase-1 specific inhibitor, AYC), and emodin groups. AP-associated lung injury was assessed through H&E staining, inflammatory cytokine levels, and myeloperoxidase activity. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) pyroptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry. In bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, the levels of lactate dehydrogenase and inflammatory cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pyroptosis-related protein expressions were detected by Western Blot. Results: Emodin, similar to the positive control AYC, significantly alleviated pancreatic and lung damage in rats and mice. Additionally, emodin decreased the pyroptotic rates of AMs, inflammatory cytokines, and the lactate dehydrogenase level. More importantly, the protein expressions of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase1 p10, GSDMD, and GSDMD-NT in AMs were significantly downregulated after emodin intervention. Conclusion: Emodin has a therapeutic effect on AP-associated lung injury, which is at least partially due to the inhibition of NLRP3/Caspase1/GSDMD-mediated AMs pyroptosis signaling ways.

Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are common life-threatening lung diseases associated with acute and severe inflammation. Both have high mortality rates, and despite decades of research on clinical ALI/ARDS, there are no effective therapeutic strategies. Disruption of alveolar-capillary barrier integrity or activation of inflammatory responses leads to lung inflammation and injury. Recently, studies on the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in regulating normal and pathophysiologic cell activities, including inflammation and injury responses, have attracted attention. Injured and dysfunctional cells often secrete EVs into serum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid with altered cargoes, which can be used to diagnose and predict the development of ALI/ARDS. EVs secreted by mesenchymal stem cells can also attenuate inflammatory reactions associated with cell dysfunction and injury to preserve or restore cell function, and thereby promote cell proliferation and tissue regeneration. This review focuses on the roles of EVs in the pathogenesis of pulmonary inflammation, particularly ALI/ARDS.

Objective. To explore the effect and underlying mechanism of Zengye decoction (ZYD), a traditional formula from China, on the severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) rat model with acute kidney injury (AKI). Methods. The SAP-AKI model was induced by 3.5% sodium taurocholate. Rats were treated with normal saline or ZYD twice and sacrificed at 36 h after modeling. Amylase, lipase, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, kidney injury molecule 1(KIM-1), and multiple organs’ pathological examinations were used to assess the protective effect of ZYD. Gut microbiome detected by 16S rRNA sequencing analysis and serum amino acid metabolome analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry explained the underlying mechanism. The Spearman correlation analysis presented the relationship between microflora and metabolites. Results. ZYD significantly decreased KIM-1( P < 0.05 ) and the pathological score of the pancreas ( P < 0.05 ), colon ( P < 0.05 ), and kidney ( P < 0.05 ). Meanwhile, ZYD shifted the overall gut microbial structure (β-diversity, ANOSIM R = 0.14, P = 0.025 ) and altered the microbial compositions. Notably, ZYD reduced the potentially pathogenic bacteria—Bacteroidetes, Clostridiales vadin BB60 group, and uncultured_Clostridiales_bacterium, but promoted the short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) producers—Erysipelotrichaceae, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Moryella (all P < 0.05 ). Moreover, principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) presented a remarkable change in amino acid metabolome after SAP-AKI induction and an apparent regulation by ZYD treatment (R2Y 0.878, P = 0.01 ; Q2 0.531, P = 0.01 ). Spearman’s correlation analysis suggested that gut bacteria likely influenced serum metabolites levels (absolute r > 0.4 and FDR P < 0.02 ). Conclusions. ZYD attenuated SAP-AKI by modulating the gut microbiome and serum amino acid metabolome, which may be a promising adjuvant treatment.

Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have received considerable attention in human cancer research. However, many circRNAs remain to be detected. In our study, we determined novel circRNAs and investigated their effects on bladder cancer (BCa). Methods Microarray dataset GSE92675 was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Then, we combined computational biology with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to select related circRNAs in BCa. The selected circRNA–microRNA (miRNA)–messenger RNA (mRNA) regulatory subnetwork was determined by Gene Oncology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. Results The regulatory network constructed from the microarray dataset (GSE92675) contained 49 differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs). GO and KEGG analyses showed that the MAPK and PI3K–AKT signaling pathways were statistically significant. On the basis of qRT-PCR and the degree value calculated by the cytoHubba plugin of Cytoscape, hsa_circ_0011385 was finally confirmed. The subnetwork around hsa_circ_0011385 was constructed. In addition, we created a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network composed of 67 nodes and 274 edges after removing independent nodes. GO and KEGG analyses showed that hubgenes were involved in cell cycle activities. Moreover, they could be regulated by miRNAs and play an eventful role in BCa pathogenesis. Conclusions We proposed a novel circRNA–miRNA–mRNA network related to BCa pathogenesis. This network might be a new molecular biomarker and could be used to develop potential treatment strategies for BCa.

Severe acute pancreatitis-associated acute lung injury (SAP-ALI) is a serious disease associated with high mortality. Emodin has been applied to alleviate SAP-ALI; however, the mechanism remains unclear. We report that the therapeutic role of emodin in attenuating SAP-ALI is partly dependent on an exosomal mechanism. SAP rats had increased levels of plasma exosomes with altered protein contents compared to the sham rats. These infused plasma exosomes tended to accumulate in the lungs and promoted the hyper-activation of alveolar macrophages and inflammatory damage. Conversely, emodin treatment decreased the plasma/pancreatic exosome levels in the SAP rats. Emodin-primed exosomes showed less pro-inflammatory effects in alveolar macrophages and lung tissues than SAP exosomes. In detail, emodin-primed exosomes suppressed the NF-κB pathway to reduce the activation of alveolar macrophage and ameliorate lung inflammation by regulating PPARγ pathway, while these effects were amplified/abolished by PPARγ agonist/antagonist. Blockage of pancreatic acinar cell exosome biogenesis also exhibited suppression of alveolar macrophage activation and reduction of lung inflammation. This study suggests a vital role of exosomes in participating inflammation-associated organ-injury, and indicates emodin can attenuate SAP-ALI by reducing the pancreatic exosome-mediated alveolar macrophage activation.

IntroductionThe present study was conducted to explore the expression of serum inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress markers in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), with an attempt to analyze their relationship with the coronary artery calcium score (CACS) by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA).Material and methodsIt total 81 patients with coronary heart disease and 81 healthy adults were included as the observation group and the control group, respectively. The levels of serum interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-12 of the two groups were detected by ELISA, and serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) was detected by the hydroxylamine oxidation method. Micro-RNA-497-5p (miR-497-5p) was screened out as a possible new CHD biomarker and its serum level was measured by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. The CACS of patients in the observation group was calculated by the Agatston method to analyze the correlation between the abovementioned indexes and CACS.ResultsWith increase in the number of CHD lesions, the levels of IL-6, IL-12 and miR-497-5p rose gradually while the level of SOD decreased gradually. In the observation group, IL-6, IL-12 and miR-497-5p were positively correlated with CACS while SOD was negatively correlated with CACS.ConclusionsAbnormal expression levels of serum IL-6, IL-12, SOD and miR-497-5p may be able to reveal the severity of the disease, and the combination with CACS is of potential value in terms of evaluating the condition of patients harboring coronary heart disease.

The secretory ducts of Ferula ferulaeoides (Steud.) Korov. are the main tissue of synthesis, secretion, and accumulation of resin. The formation of secretory ducts is closely related to the harvest and quality of resin, but the lumen formation mode and corresponding mechanism have not been thoroughly studied. This study of F. ferulaeoides investigated the microstructure and ultrastructure of the secretory ducts from a developmental point of view. Stem samples were analyzed by light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy. The data results showed (1) the walls of secretory cells were intact during the development of secretory ducts in F. ferulaeoides; (2) the plastids and endoplasmic reticulum of secretory cells participated in the synthesis of resin; (3) pectinase was involved in the degradation of the middle lamella; and (4) no features of programmed cell death during the formation of secretory ducts. The results suggested that the formation of F. ferulaeoides' secretory ducts was schizogenous, and pectinase was involved in its formation. These data may be beneficial to further explore the formation of secretory duct in other species of Ferula L. and the formation mechanism of schizogenous secretory structures.

Background and Aims. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an alarming global health problem that is predicted to be the major cause of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver transplantation by next decade. Gut microbiota have been revealed playing an important role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Sheng-Jiang Powder (SJP), an empirical Chinese medicine formula to treat NAFLD, showed great hepatoprotective properties, but the impact on gut microbiota has never been identified. Therefore, we performed this study to investigate the effect of SJP on gut microbiota in NAFLD mice. Methods. NAFLD was induced by 12 weeks’ high-fat diet (HFD) feeding. Mice were treated with SJP/normal saline daily for 6 weeks. Blood samples were obtained for serum biochemical indices and inflammatory cytokines measurement. Liver tissues were obtained for pathological evaluation and oil red O staining. The expression of lipid metabolism-related genes was quantified by RT-PCR and Western blotting. Changes in gut microbiota composition were analyzed by the 16s rDNA sequencing technique. Results. HFD feeding induced significant increase in bodyweight and serum levels of TG, TC, ALT, and AST. The pathological examination revealed obvious hepatic steatosis in HFD feeding mice. Coadministration of SJP effectively protected against bodyweight increase and lipid accumulation in blood and liver. Increased expression of PPARγ mRNA was observed in HFD feeding mice, but a steady elevation of PPARγ protein level was only found in SJP-treated mice. Meanwhile, the expression of FASN was much higher in HFD feeding mice. Microbiome analysis revealed obvious changes in gut microbiota composition among diverse groups. SJP treatment modulated the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) producing bacteria, including norank-f-Erysipelotrichaceae and Roseburia. Conclusions. SJP is efficient in attenuating HFD-induced NAFLD, and it might be partly attributed to the regulation of gut microbiota.

Background Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a pancreatic inflammatory disorder that is commonly complicated by extrapancreatic organ dysfunction. Dachengqi decoction (DCQD) has a potential role in protecting the extrapancreatic organs, but the optimal oral administration time remains unclear. Aim To screen the appropriate oral administration time of DCQD for the protection of extrapancreatic organs based on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of AP rats. Methods This study consisted of two parts. In the first part, 24 rats were divided into a sham-operated group and three model groups. The four groups were intragastrically administered with DCQD (10 g/kg) at 4 h, 4 h, 12 h, and 24 h postoperatively, respectively. Tail vein blood was taken at nine time points after administration, and then the rats were euthanized and the extrapancreatic organ tissues were immediately collected. Finally, the concentrations of the major DCQD components in all samples were detected. In the second part, 84 rats were divided into a sham-operated group, as well as 4 h, 12 h, and 24 h treatment groups and corresponding control groups (4 h, 12 h, and 24 h control groups). Rats in the treatment groups were intragastrically administered with DCQD (10 g/kg) at 4 h, 12 h, and 24 h postoperatively, respectively, and rats in the control groups were administered with normal saline at the same time points. Then, six rats from each group were euthanized at 4 h and 24 h after administration. Serum amylase and inflammatory mediators, and pathological scores of extrapancreatic organ tissues were evaluated. Results For part one, the pharmacokinetic parameters (C max, T max, T 1/2, and AUC 0 → t) of the major DCQD components and the tissue distribution of most DCQD components were better when administering DCQD at the later (12 h and 24 h) time points. For part two, delayed administration of DCQD resulted in lower IL-6 and amylase levels and relatively higher IL-10 levels, and pathological injury of extrapancreatic organ tissues was slightly less at 4 h after administration, while the results were similar between the treatment and corresponding control groups at 24 h after administration. Conclusion Delayed administration of DCQD might reduce pancreatic exocrine secretions and ameliorate pathological injury in the extrapancreatic organs of AP rats, demonstrating that the late time is the optimal dosing time.

Objective: To investigate the correlation of serum Leptin and Vaspin contents with renal function, oxidative stress and inflammatory response in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN). Methods: A total of 109 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus alone and 76 patients with diabetic nephropathy were selected as diabetes group and DN group, and 100 healthy volunteers who underwent physical examination in our hospital were selected as normal control group. The differences in serum Leptin and Vaspin contents as well as renal function index, oxidative stress index and inflammatory mediator levels were compared among the three groups, and the internal relationship of serum Leptin and Vaspin contents in DN patients with renal function injury, oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction were further analyzed. Results: Serum Leptin and Vaspin contents of diabetes group and DN group were higher than those of normal control group, and serum Leptin and Vaspin contents of DN group were higher. Peripheral blood renal function indexes serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), β2 microglobulin (β2-MG) and cystatin-C (Cys-C) levels of DN group were higher than those of diabetes group and normal control group; oxidative stress indexes reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) contents were higher than those of diabetes group and normal control group whereas total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) content was lower than that of diabetes group and normal control group; inflammatory mediators transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-18 (IL-18), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and intercellular adhesion molecules-1 (ICAM-1) contents were higher than those of diabetes group and normal control group. Correlation analysis showed that serum Leptin and Vaspin contents in DN patients were positively correlated with the degree of renal function injury, oxidative stress and inflammatory response. Conclusion: Serum Leptin and Vaspin contents abnormally increase in patients with DN, and their specific contents can objectively reflect the degree of renal function injury and inflammation stress.

Satellite laser altimeter data are used for polar ice sheet elevation mapping, vegetation mapping, etc. Data quality mainly depends on complex relationships among several factors in the path of laser transmission and on illuminated surfaces, including clouds, atmospheric aerosol, satellite pointing, laser energy, topography, footprint size, shape and orientation. The precise pointing of the transmitted laser pulse is critical for improving the horizontal accuracy of the footprint on the ground. Thus, we extracted the centroid of the laser profile array (LPA) image of ICESat/GLAS by 1/e2 maximum energy distribution method. The results show that the accuracy of extraction of the LPA’s centroid improved by 0.3 pixel, and the relative positioning accuracy improved by 0.11 pixel. The fast Fourier transform and Fourier series fitting of the LPA centroid has been implemented to detect the periodic change and analyze the model regularity. The results show that the centroid of the LPA undergoes four periodic changes: 1.83 × 10−4, 3.36 × 10−4, 5.19 × 10−4, and 6.71 × 10−4Hz. The correlation of fit is a good indicator (R2=0.86) and accurate up to 0.4 arcsec (approximately 0.13 pixel). Finally, we extract and estimate the LPA characteristic parameters (eccentricity, orientation, total intensity, and major axis) in different campaigns. We observe that the results obtained by the 1/e2maximum energy distribution are only approximate.

Herbal medicines are commonly used in many countries after they undergo processing. Quality decoction pieces are a guarantee of the efficacy and safety of the herbal medical products. Here, a strategy based on chemical analysis combined with chemometric techniques was proposed for the classification and prediction of the different grades of the decoction pieces. Considering the necessity for a shared and simple method for the grade classification for the public, in this paper, the characterization of the chemical constituents was determined by utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/diode array detection. HPLC was first established for the characterization of the chemical constituents of the different grade decoction pieces. Furthermore, a simultaneous quantification of several of the marker compounds in these decoction pieces was obtained. Finally, a partial least squares-based pattern recognition method was utilized to obtain a predictive model for the grade classification of the decoction pieces. Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk was used as a case study. The partial least squares -based pattern recognition for the grade classification of the decoction pieces of S. divaricata demonstrated good sensitivity, specificity and prediction performance, which may efficiently validate the identification results of appearance assessment. The proposed strategy is expected to provide a new insight for the grade classification and quality control of the decoction pieces. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a critical abdominal disease associated with high death rates. A systemic inflammatory response promotes disease progression, resulting in multiple organ dysfunction. The functions of neutrophils in the pathology of SAP have been presumed traditionally to be activation of chemokine and cytokine cascades accompanying the inflammatory process. Recently, since their discovery, a new type of antimicrobial mechanism, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and their role in SAP, has attracted widespread attention from the scientific community. Significantly different from phagocytosis and degranulation, NETs kill extracellular microorganisms by releasing DNA fibers decorated with granular proteins. In addition to their strong antimicrobial functions, NETs participate in the pathophysiological process of many noninfectious diseases. In SAP, NETs injure normal tissues under inflammatory stress, which is associated with the activation of inflammatory cells, to cause an inflammatory cascade, and SAP products also trigger NET formation. Thus, due to the interaction between NET generation and SAP, a treatment targeting NETs might become a key point in SAP therapy. In this review, we summarize the mechanism of NETs in protecting the host from pathogen invasion, the stimulus that triggers NET formation, organ injury associated with SAP involving NETs, methods to interrupt the harmful effects of NETs, and different therapeutic strategies to preserve the organ function of patients with SAP by targeting NETs.

Cancer pain is a common and severe complication of human breast cancer, and relieving pain is fundamental strategy in the treatment. Fentanyl, as an opioid analgesic, is widely used in breast cancer patients. However, little is known about its effects on stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of breast cancer cells. Aberrant protein glycosylation is involved in cancer malignancy. The α1, 6-fucosylation is an important type of glycosylation, and the elevated α1, 6-fucosylation catalyzed by fucosyltransferase VIII (FUT8) is found in many tumors. However, whether 1, 6-fucosylation is involved in regulating stemness and EMT, and stimulated by fentanyl is not clear. In this study, we found that fentanyl induced stemness and EMT in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells by analysis of sphere formation, expression of stemness markers (Sox2, Oct4) and EMT markers (N-cadherin, E-cadherin and Vimentin). Results also showed that fentanyl upregulated FUT8 gene and protein expression by qPCR, Western blot and immunofluorescent staining, as well as α1, 6-fucosylation level by Lectin blot and Lectin fluorescent staining. Furthermore, decreased or blocked α1, 6-fucosylation by FUT8 siRNA transfection or LCA Lectin blockage reduced stemness and EMT. Additionally, fentanyl activated the key molecules and target genes in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. LGK-974 (an inhibitor of Wnt ligands) suppressed fentanyl-mediated upregulation of α1, 6-fucosylation, stemness and EMT. The results of tumor xenograft demonstrated that fentanyl enhanced tumor growth, α1, 6-fucosylation, stemness and EMT. Taken together, our study reveals that fentanyl upregulated FUT8 expression, which increased α1, 6-fucosylation level through activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby, induce stemness and EMT of breast cancer cells. This study suggest a potential side effect of fentanyl in the treatment of cancer, which may guide the safety of fentanyl in the clinical application.

The mechanisms responsible for macular edema with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) remain to be elucidated. It is known that the expression profile of certain proteins in the aqueous humor (AH) changes in some diseases. Accordingly, determining the expression of these AH proteins may aid in the understanding of their potential role in this pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to identify the possible mechanisms involved in the development of BRVO-induced macular edema. A proteomic analysis of the AH composition in the eyes of patients with BRVO was performed and compared with that in the eyes of patients with cataract (non-BRVO; controls). AH from 6 patients with macular edema due to BRVO and 6 patients with cataract (non-BRVO) was collected. A proteomic approach which included 2‑dimensional electrophoresis (2‑DE) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) and bioinformatics analysis were used to identify AH proteins with altered expression in patients with macular edema due to BRVO compared with the controls. An enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay was used to validate the proteomic results. The total protein concentration in the AH of patients with BRVO-induced macular edema was significantly greater than that of the controls. In the patients with BRVO, a total of 56 protein spots were significantly altered on the 2D gels. A total of 49 protein spots were identified by MS; many of these proteins have been implicated in angiogenesis, oxidative stress and collagen synthesis. In conclusion, the protein composition in AH differed significantly between the patients with BRVO and the controls. The identified proteins may be potential biomarkers for the development of macular edema due to BRVO and may play a role in the mechanisms responsible for it.

Purpose A number of studies have shown that the levels of some proteins in the aqueous humor (AH) are altered and correlate with the mechanisms or prognosis of many eye diseases. To identify the possible mechanisms that lead to the development of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a proteomic analysis of the AH composition from wet AMD patients was performed and compared with that from non-AMD cataract patients. Experimental design Six wet AMD and six non-AMD cataract patients were enrolled. A proteomic approach which included two-dimensional electrophoresis coupled with MS and bioinformatics methods were used to identify AH proteins with altered expression in wet AMD compared with non-AMD patients. An ELISA was used to validate the proteomic results. Results We separated 78 protein spots and identified 68 that were differently expressed in the wet AMD group and controls. Numerous proteins identified in this study are implicated in inflammation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and oxidative stress. Conclusions and clinical relevance The AH protein composition was significantly different between wet AMD and non-AMD patients. The proteins identified in this study may be potential biomarkers of wet AMD development and might play a role in the mechanisms of wet AMD.

Due to its variety of functions, rhubarb has been used for thousands of years in many countries. It is commonly used after processing. Processing usually affect the chemical profile and the contents of active compounds in herbals, leading to changes of their bioactivities. Here, an approach of metabolite profiling and diagnostic ion filtering strategy with liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry was established for rapid identification of raw and processed pieces of Rheum palmatum L. (RPL). The comprehensive and unbiased information of 30 batches of RPL covering raw and two general processing methods were given by metabolomic profiles. Using molecular feature extraction algorithm, non-targeted compounds were analyzed in minutes. In total, 73 characteristic markers were extracted and identified by diagnostic ion filtering. They have been further analyzed by partial least squares-support vector machine-based pattern recognition. The comprehensive and rapid method for raw and processed pieces of RPL classification shows good sensitivity, specificity and prediction performance.

BackgroundThe antiproliferative effect of the Hsp90 inhibitor 17-AAG (17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin) on human retinal pigment epithelial cells is investigated.MethodsMTT and flow cytometry were used to study the antiproliferative effects of the 17-AAG treatment of ARPE-19 cells. 2D gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry were applied to detect the altered expression of proteins, which was verified by real-time PCR. Gene Ontology analysis and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) were utilized to analyze the signaling pathways, cellular location, function, and network connections of the identified proteins. And SOD assay was employed to confirm the analysis.Results17-AAG suppressed the proliferation of ARPE-19 cells by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Proteomic analysis revealed that the expression of 94 proteins was altered by a factor of more than 1.5 following exposure to 17-AAG. Of these 94, 87 proteins were identified. Real-time PCR results indicated that Hsp90 and Hsp70, which were not identified by proteomic analysis, were both upregulated upon 17-AAG treatment. IPA revealed that most of the proteins have functions that are related to oxidative stress, as verified by SOD assay, while canonical pathway analysis revealed glycolysis/gluconeogenesis.Conclusions17-AAG suppressed the proliferation of ARPE-19 cells by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and possibly by oxidative stress.