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Ming Li,1,&ast; Da-Ming Xu,1,&ast; Shu-Bin Lin,1 Zheng-Liang Yang,1 Teng-Yu Xu,1 Jin-Huan Yang,1 Ze-Xin Lin,1 Ze-Kai Huang,1 Jun Yin2,3 1Division of Urological Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 2Division of Hematology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Jun YinDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Medicine and Division of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Dongxia Road North, Shantou, Guangdong Province, 515041, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 754 8891 5950Email jyin@stu.edu.cnObjective: To investigate the immune profiles in benign prostatic hyperplasia, changes in the absolute number of lymphocyte subsets and the proportion of T lymphocyte subsets were detected.Methods: Absolute value of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood (T, B and NK cells) and the proportion of T lymphocyte (native CD4+ T cell, memory CD4+ T cell, CD8+CD28+ T cell, CD8+CDDR+ T cells and CD8+CD38+ T cell) were measured by flow cytometry.Results: The absolute values of CD3+ T cell (972.55± 330.31 vs 1757.99± 439.38), CD4+ T cell (656.43± 252.39 vs 899.30± 262.10), and CD8+ T cell (301.97± 147.76 vs 728.45± 230.34) in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia were significantly reduced (all P< 0.05). There was no significant difference in NK cell (285.58± 182.84 vs 528.92± 208.17) and B cell (186.66± 86.62 vs 334.17± 130.46). The proportion of naive CD4+ T cell (3.75± 0.50 vs 8.54± 1.61) in T lymphocyte subsets in patients with BPH was significantly reduced (P< 0.05). There was no significant difference in memory CD4+ T cell (87.9± 6.37 vs 92.63± 5.94), CD8+CD28+ T cell (60.52± 13.86 vs 64.32± 12.78), CD8+CDDR+ T cell (36.58± 12.87 vs 31.92± 8.54) and CD8+CD38+ T cell (2.1± 1.90 vs 2.55± 2.01).Conclusion: Immune dysfunction raised the risk of viral infection, inflammatory stimulation, and tumor induction in prostate cells, leading to hyperplasia, and immune non-response was potentially a key factor in the transformation of BPH into prostate cancer.Keywords: benign prostatic hyperplasia, lymphocyte subsets, pathogenesis, flow cytometry

Yong-Liang Yuan,1,* Chang-Run Guo,1,* Ling-Ling Cui,1 Shi-Xia Ruan,1 Chun-Feng Zhang,1 De Ji,2 Zhong-Lin Yang,1 Fei Li1 1State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, 2College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Many synthesized drugs with clinical severe side effects have been used for diabetic nephropathy (DN) treatment. Therefore, it is urgent and necessary to identify natural and safe agents to remedy DN. Timosaponin B-II (TB-II), a major steroidal saponin constituent in Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, exhibits various activities, including anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic functions. However, the anti-DN effects and potential mechanism(s) of TB-II have not been previously reported.Purpose: To investigate the effect of TB-II on DN in alloxan-induced diabetic mice.Methods: TB-II was isolated and purified from A. asphodeloides Bunge using macroporous adsorption resin and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. The effect of TB-II on DN was evaluated in alloxan-induced diabetic mice using an assay kit and immunohistochemical determination in vivo. The expression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), and nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways was also measured using Western blot analysis.Results: TB-II significantly decreased the blood glucose levels and ameliorated renal histopathological injury in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. In addition, TB-II remarkably decreased the levels of renal function biochemical factors, such as kidney index, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, urinary uric acid, urine creatinine, and urine protein, and it reduced lipid metabolism levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides and the levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in alloxan-induced mice. Furthermore, TB-II inhibited the expression of mTOR, TXNIP, and NF-κB.Conclusion: The results revealed that TB-II plays an important role in DN via TXNIP, mTOR, and NF-κB signaling pathways. Overall, TB-II exhibited a prominently ameliorative effect on alloxan-induced DN. Keywords: Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, timosaponin B-II, diabetic nephropathy, TXNIP, mTOR, NF-κB

Jin-Yang Shen,1,* Xiao-Lin Yang,2,* Zhong-Lin Yang,1 Jun-Ping Kou,1 Fei Li11State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, 2Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical and Biological Marine Resources Research and Development of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workPurpose: This present study investigated the absorption kinetics of echinacoside (ECH) in situ and in vitro and its oral bioavailability in rats. Additional aim was to find an agent(s) to promote ECH absorption and oral bioavailability among two efflux proteins and three absorption promoters.Methods: ECH absorption behaviors were investigated by everted gut sac model in vitro and single-pass intestinal perfusion model in situ. Pharmacokinetics study was performed to investigate the influences of verapamil and clove oil on ECH bioavailability in vivo. All samples were measured at different time intervals by high performance liquid chromatography.Results: The results showed that the effective permeability coefficient (Peff) and apparent permeability coefficient of ECH were 0.83×10-6–3.23×10-6 cm/s and 2.99×10-6–9.86×10-6 cm/s, respectively. The Peff among duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were not statistically different, but they were higher than colon (P