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• CoFe 2 O 4 nanofiber consists of CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles which is configured to fibers. • CoFe 2 O 4 nanofiber shows a much higher catalytic activity for activating PMS. • The E a of sulfosalicylic acid degradation by CoFe 2 O 4 -activated PMS is much lower. • Sulfosalicylic acid degradation mechanism and pathway are both investigated. While Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles (NPs) are frequently employed for activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to degrade organic contaminants, Co 3 O 4 NPs are easily aggregated and difficult to recover from water; thus cobalt ferrite (CoFe 2 O 4) has been considered as a magnetically-controllable alternative to Co 3 O 4. Moreover, CoFe 2 O 4 can be fabricated into high-aspect-ratio nanofibrous structures to configure NPs into fibrous morphologies for preventing aggregation but exhibiting superior textural properties with. Therefore, the aim of the study is to develop such a CoFe 2 O 4 nanofiber (CFNF) through the electrospinning technique as a magnetic catalyst for activating PMS to degrade SUA. The resultant CFNF consists of CoFe 2 O 4 NPs configured to the fibrous structure in CFNF for enabling CFNF to possess advantageous morphology, and textural properties. Thus, CFNF exhibits a higher catalytic activity for activating PMS to degrade SUA than the typical commercial Co 3 O 4 NP as SUA was completely eliminated by CFNF-activated PMS in 45 min with k obs = 0.08 min−1, whereas Co 3 O 4 NP-activated PMS merely eliminated ~20% of SUA. The E a of SUA degradation by CFNF-activated PMS was 24.6 kJ/mol, which is significantly lower than reported E a values by other catalysts, and CFNF could be reused 5 times without loss of catalytic activities. These features certifies that CFNF is a promising magnetic catalyst for activating PMS to degrade emerging contaminants. The fabrication of CFNF demonstrated here also provides a facile protocol to fabricate fibrous structures of CoFe 2 O 4 for environmental catalytic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fe 3 O 4 aerogel with ferromagnetic properties was prepared. • Ag-Fe 3 O 4 aerogel exhibited high activity for photoassisted oxidation and reduction reactions. • Ag-Fe 3 O 4 aerogel could be easily recycled for further reactions by applying an external magnetic field. In this study, a Fe 3 O 4 -based aerogel was successfully prepared using a sol-gel method followed by supercritical freezing; upon Ag loading, the prepared material exhibited high visible light-assisted Fenton-oxidation and reduction activities for benzoic acid removal and 4-aminophenol production, respectively. The photocatalytic-assisted reaction mechanisms of the Ag-loaded Fe 3 O 4 -based aerogel were investigated. The proposed mechanisms showed that photogenerated holes and electrons play important roles in the generation of hydroxyl radicals involved in the oxidation and reduction processes, respectively. The highly efficient light-assisted oxidation and reduction could be attributed to the unique mesoporous structure of the Fe 3 O 4 -based aerogel and to the Ag loading, which provides a high specific surface area, abundant active sites, and increased amounts of active radicals. In addition, the ferromagnetism of the Fe 3 O 4 -based aerogel endows it with recyclability and reusability. Based on the high activity of the Ag-loaded Fe 3 O 4 -based aerogel for light-assisted oxidation and reduction, this work provides new insights into the design of an efficient aerogel catalyst for environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membrane technology has been widely used to separate oil and water emulsions. However, the applications on this field has been limited to the simple separation of the oil and water phases from synthetic emulsions. This study explores the application of porous superhydrophobic composite SiO 2 /PVDF membranes to separate the emulsion and recover the organic phase containing S(+) ibuprofen ester after the enzyme-catalyzed kinetic resolution of racemic (R,S) ibuprofen by Candida rugosa lipase. Herein, 0.5 wt% - 2.0 wt% superhydrophobic SiO 2 aerogel powder derived from methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) precursors was blended into the casting solution to obtain superhydrophobic composite membranes. The evaluation of the separation kinetics of the pristine and modified membranes were carried out by gravity-driven filtration of water-in-toluene, water-in-hexane, water-in-isooctane emulsions. Fast separation of the 50 mL feed emulsions was achieved because of the high porosity (>70%) and large pore size (>0.5 μm) of the membranes. Among the different conditions prepared, the optimal SiO 2 loading was determined to be at 1.0 wt%. Thus, this composite membrane was chosen to separate the drug emulsion. According to the enzyme activity test, the permeate exhibited 0.12 absorbance units which is highly comparable to the absorbance of the controlled sample (0.10 units). This indicates that the membrane was able to effectively separate the emulsion and recover a high purity organic phase containing the potent enantiomer useful for pharmaceutical applications. Hence, it is realized in this study that membrane technology can be applied in pharmaceutical industries and can provide a more efficient and economical approach to separate drug emulsions. Image 1 • A 2-stage coagulation bath was explored to fabricate porous SiO 2 /PVDF composite membranes. • Fast separation of oil-rich emulsions was achieved under gravity-driven filtration. • Drug emulsion was successfully separated by the composite membrane. • p-Nitrophenyl palmitate (p-NPP) hydrolysis test revealed no enzyme residue in the permeate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hierarchical Co 3 O 4 Microspheres (HCOMs) with Various Nanostructures are fabricated. • Catalytic properties of four HCOMs are greatly influenced by their morphologies. • Co 3 O 4 with pyramid structures (COP) is the most advantageous HCOM for soot oxidation. • These HCOMs could be also recyclable for soot oxidation over multiple cycles. • The relationship between morphologies, properties and catalytic activities can be correlated. While diesel engines are extensively employed, soot from diesel engines lead to serious air pollution, which should be eliminated through catalytic soot oxidation processes. As Co 3 O 4 represents a practical catalyst for oxidizing soot, it is critical to further investigate relationships of morphology-property-reactivity of Co 3 O 4 catalysts for optimizing design of Co 3 O 4 for soot oxidation. Thus, the present study, as the first attempt, aims to manipulate morphologies of Co 3 O 4 microspheres to exhibit different surficial hierarchical nanostructures for comparing their corresponding catalytic activities. Specifically, four hierarchical Co 3 O 4 microspheres (HCOMs) are fabricated, including Co 3 O 4 with flower morphology (COF), Co 3 O 4 with urchin morphology (COU), Co 3 O 4 with sheet morphology (COS), and Co 3 O 4 with pyramid morphology (COP), for comparisons in catalytic soot oxidation. The results indicate that these HCOMs showed much higher catalytic activities than the commercial spherical Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles and most of reported cobalt-based catalysts as these HCOMs possessed high surface areas and porous nanostructures. In particular, among these HCOMs, COP stood out as the most advantageous HCOM for soot oxidation as COP contained more reactive surface and more superior redox properties than other HCOMs, thereby enabling COP to accelerate soot oxidation. These HCOMs could be also recyclable for soot oxidation over multiple cycles without loss of catalytic activities. These results and findings demonstrate that HCOMs are certainly promising cobaltic catalysts for oxidizing soot, and, through this present study, the relationship between morphologies, properties and catalytic activities can be correlated to provide important insights to design and apply hierarchically nanostructured Co 3 O 4 catalysts for soot oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of CO 2 attracts much research attention because of global warming. The CO 2 /epoxide cycloaddition reaction is one technique of CO 2 utilization. However, homogeneous catalysts with both Lewis acidic and basic and toxic solvents, such as DMF, are needed in the CO 2 /epoxide cycloaddition reaction. As a result, this study focuses on the development of heterogeneous catalysts with both Lewis acidic and basic sites for the CO 2 utilization of the CO 2 /epoxide cycloaddition reactions without the addition of a DMF toxic solvent. For the first time, the Zr-Mg mixed oxide aerogels with Lewis acidic and basic sites are synthesized for the CO 2 /propylene oxide (PO) cycloaddition reactions. To further increase the basic sites, 3-Aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APTMS) with -NH 2 functional group is successfully grafted on the Zr-Mg mixed oxide aerogels. The results indicate that the highest yield of propylene carbonate (PC) is 93.1% using the as-developed APTMS-modified Zr-Mg mixed oxide aerogels. The as-prepared APTMS-modified Zr-Mg mixed oxide aerogels are great potential in industrial plants for CO 2 reduction in the future.

Imbalance of gut microbiota homeostasis is related to the occurrence of ulcerative colitis (UC), and probiotics are thought to modulate immune microenvironment and repair barrier function. Here, in order to reveal the interaction between UC and gut microbiota, we screened a new probiotic strain by 16S rRNA sequencing from Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice, and explored the mechanism and clinical relevance. Lactobacillus johnsonii ( L. johnsonii ), as a potential anti-inflammatory bacterium was decreased colonization in colitis mice. Gavage L. johnsonii could alleviate colitis by specifically increasing the proportion of intestinal macrophages and the secretion of Il-10 with macrophages depleted model and in Il10 -/- mice. We identified this subset of immune cells activated by L. johnsonii as CD206 + macrophages IL-10 . Mechanistically, L. johnsonii supplementation enhanced the mobilization of CD206 + macrophages IL-10 through the activation of STAT3 in vivo and in vitro . In addition, we revealed that TLR1/2 was essential for the activation of STAT3 and the recognition of L. johnsonii by macrophages. Clinically, there was positive correlation between the abundance of L. johnsonii and the expression level of MRC1, IL10 and TLR1/2 in UC tissues. L. johnsonii could activate native macrophages into CD206 + macrophages and release IL-10 through TLR1/2-STAT3 pathway to relieve experimental colitis. L. johnsonii may serve as an immunomodulator and anti-inflammatory therapeutic target for UC.

Highly stable all-inorganic perovskite quantum dot/polymethylsilsesquioxane aerogel (CsPbBr 3 /PMSQ AG) composites were first produced using two-step hot-injection and encapsulation processes by embedding green-emitting CsPbBr 3 PQDs into modified hydrophobic mesoporous silica AGs. The unique structure of the composites not only considerably enhances the chemical stability of CsPbBr 3 PQDs against moisture, humidity, and blue-light irradiation in air but also prevents anion exchange reactions during light-emitting diode (LED) manufacturing processes. In addition, the composition-optimized CsPbBr 3 /PMSQ AG exhibited excellent stability when soaked in water for more than 14 days and retained half of its initial intensity. Finally, white LED devices were fabricated by combining a blue-emitting GaN-based chip, green-emitting CsPbBr 3 /PMSQ AG, and red-emitting K 2 SiF 6 :Mn 4+ phosphors.

Hematological malignancies are increasingly treated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Unfortunately, iron overload is a frequent adverse effect of allo-HSCT and is associated with poor prognosis. In the present study, we investigated hematopoiesis in iron-overloaded mice and elucidated the effects of iron overload on the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment. Iron-overloaded BALB/C mice were generated by injecting 20 mg/mL saccharated iron oxide intraperitoneally. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to evaluate the effects of an iron overload in mice. BM cells obtained from C57BL/6 mice were transplanted into irradiated BALB/C mice (whole-body irradiation of 4 Gy, twice with a 4-hours interval) by tail vein injection. Two weeks after allo-HSCT, the hematopoietic reconstitution capacity was evaluated in recipients by colony-forming assays. Histopathological examinations showed brown-stained granular deposits, irregularly arranged lymphocytes in the liver tissues, and blue-stained blocks in the BM collected from mice received injections of high-dose saccharated iron oxide (20 mg/mL). Iron-overloaded mice showed more platelets, higher-hemoglobin (HGB) concentration, fewer granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM), erythrocyte colony-forming units (CFU-E), and mixed granulocyte/erythrocyte/monocyte/megakaryocyte colony-forming units (CFU-mix) than healthy mice. Iron-overloaded recipients presented with reduced erythrocytes and HGB concentration in peripheral blood, along with decreased marrow stroma cells, CFU-GM, CFU-E, and CFU-mix relative to healthy recipients. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that iron overload might alter the number of red blood cells after transplantation in mice by destroying the BM microenvironment, thereby affecting the recovery of BM hematopoietic function., (© 2020 The Authors. The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia on behalf of Kaohsiung Medical University.)

The increasing number of bacteria-related problems and presence of trace amounts of phosphate in treated wastewater effluents have become a growing concern in environmental research. The use of antibacterial agents and phosphate adsorbents for the treatment of wastewater effluents is of great importance. In this study, the potential applications of a synthesized polyaniline (PANI)-zirconium dioxide (ZrO 2 ) composite as an antibacterial, phosphate adsorbent and anti-corrosion material were systematically investigated. The results of an antibacterial test reveal an effective area of inhibition of 14 and 18 mm for the Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacterial strains, respectively. The antibacterial efficiency of the PANI-ZrO 2 composite is twice that of commercial ZrO 2 . In particular, the introduction of PANI increased the specific surface area and roughness of the composite material, which was beneficial to increase the contact area with bacterial and phosphate. The experimental results demonstrated that phosphate adsorption studies using 200 mg P/L phosphate solution showed a significant phosphate removal efficiency of 64.4%, and the maximum adsorption capacity of phosphate on the solid surface of PANI-ZrO 2 is 32.4 mg P/g. Furthermore, PANI-ZrO 2 coated on iron substrate was tested for anti-corrosion studies by a natural salt spray test (7.5% NaCl), which resulted in the formation of no rust. To the best of our knowledge, no works have been reported on the synergistic effects of the PANI-ZrO 2 composite as an antibacterial, anti-corrosion, and phosphate adsorbent material. PANI-ZrO 2 composite is expected to be a promising comprehensive treatment method for water filters in the aquaculture industry and for use in water purification applications.

In this work, we describe the successful synthesis of super-hydrophobic polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSQ) aerogels with a porous network by a sol-gel polymerization process using methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) reactants with the addition of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactants. The specific surface area, pore size and hydrophobicity of the CTAB-modified PMSQ aerogels were investigated for different amounts of CTAB doping. The specific surface areas of the pristine and CTAB-modified PMSQ aerogels with C/M molar ratios of 0.001, 0.002 and 0.004 were 491, 301, 342 and 298m 2 /g, respectively. The water contact angles of the CTAB-modified PMSQ aerogels with C/M molar ratios of 0.001, 0.002 and 0.004 were 166.38°, 165.62° and 166.43°, confirming the super-hydrophobicity of the CTAB-modified PMSQ aerogels. Compared to pristine PMSQ aerogels, the as-prepared CTAB-modified PMSQ aerogels exhibit more solvent-resistant properties in ethanol (EtOH) and n-hexane solvents. The as-prepared CTAB-modified PMSQ aerogels were further used for organic solvent and oil adsorption applications. Consequently, the as-prepared CTAB-modified PMSQ aerogels have great potential for organic solvent and oil adsorption in industrial applications., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Wastewater treatment has drawn significant research attention due to its associated environmental issues. Adsorption is a promising method for treating wastewater. The development of an adsorbent with a high surface area is important. Therefore, we successfully developed mesoporous Fe/carbon aerogel (CA) structures with high specific surface areas of 48 7m(2)/g via the carbonization of composite Fe3O4/phenol-formaldehyde resin structures, which were prepared using a hydrothermal process with the addition of phenol. The mesoporous Fe/CA structures were further used for the adsorption of arsenic ions with a maximum arsenic-ion uptake of calculated 216.9 mg/g, which is higher than that observed for other arsenic adsorbents. Ferromagnetic behavior was observed for the as-prepared mesoporous Fe/CA structures with an excellent response to applied external magnetic fields. As a result, the adsorbent Fe/CA structures can be easily separated from the solution using an external magnetic field. This study develops the mesoporous Fe/CA structures with high specific surface areas and an excellent response to an applied external magnetic field to provide a feasible approach for wastewater treatment including the removal of arsenic ions., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In a CO2 membrane contactor system, CO2 passes through a hydrophobic porous membrane in the gas phase to contact the amine absorbent in the liquid phase. Consequently, additional CO2 gas is absorbed by amine absorbents. This study examines highly porous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/siloxane nanofibrous layers that are modified with hydrophobic fluoroalkylsilane (FAS) functional groups and successfully coated onto a macroporous Al2 O3 membrane. The performance of these materials in a membrane contactor system for CO2 absorption is also investigated. Compared with pristine PVDF nanofibrous membranes, the PVDF/siloxane nanofibrous membranes exhibit greater solvent resistance and mechanical strength, making them more suitable for use in CO2 capture by the membrane contactor. The PVDF/siloxane nanofibrous layer in highly porous FAS-modified membranes can prevent the wetting of the membrane by the amine absorbent; this extends the periods of continuous CO2 absorption and results in a high CO2 absorption flux with a minimum of 500 % enhancement over that of the uncoated membranes. This study suggests the potential use of an FAS-modified PVDF/siloxane nanofibrous membrane in a membrane contactor system for CO2 absorption. The resulting hydrophobic membrane contactor also demonstrates the potential for large-scale CO2 absorption during post-combustion processes in power plants., (Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The use of a membrane contactor combined with a hydrophobic porous membrane and an amine absorbent has attracted considerable attention for the capture of CO2 because of its extensive use, low operational costs, and low energy consumption. The hydrophobic porous membrane interface prevents the passage of the amine absorbent but allows the penetration of CO2 molecules that are captured by the amine absorbent. Herein, highly porous SiO2 aerogels modified with hydrophobic fluorocarbon functional groups (CF3 ) were successfully coated onto a macroporous Al2 O3 membrane; their performance in a membrane contactor for CO2 absorption is discussed. The SiO2 aerogel membrane modified with CF3 functional groups exhibits the highest CO2 absorption flux and can be continuously operated for CO2 absorption for extended periods of time. This study suggests that a SiO2 aerogel membrane modified with CF3 functional groups could potentially be used in a membrane contactor for CO2 absorption. Also, the resulting hydrophobic SiO2 aerogel membrane contactor is a promising technology for large-scale CO2 absorption during the post-combustion process in power plants., (Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Colorectal cancer is a common cancer worldwide, and chemotherapy is a mainstream approach for advanced and recurrent cases. Development of effective complementary drugs could help improve tumor suppression efficiency and control adverse effects from chemotherapy. The aqueous extract of Solanum nigrum leaves (AE-SN) is an essential component in many traditional Chinese medicine formulas for treating cancer, but there is a lack of evidence verifying its tumor suppression efficacy in colorectal cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the tumor suppression efficacy of AE-SN using DLD-1 and HT-29 human colorectal carcinoma cells and examine the combined drug effect when combined with the chemotherapeutic drugs cisplatin, doxorubicin, docetaxel, and 5-fluorouracil. The results indicated that AE-SN induced autophagy via microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 A/B II accumulation but not caspase-3-dependent apoptosis in both cell lines. The IC50s after 48 hours of treatment were 0.541 and 0.948 mg/ml AE-SN in DLD-1 and HT-29, respectively. AE-SN also demonstrated a combined drug effect with all tested drugs by enhancing cytotoxicity in tumor cells. Our results suggest that AE-SN has potential in the development of complementary chemotherapy for colorectal cancer.

The morphological effects of CF66I, an antifungal compound produced by Burkholderia cepacia, on growing hyphae of Fusarium oxysporum were studied by fluorescence microscopy (FM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). At 20 μg/ml, CF66I strongly inhibited growth and induced significant changes of the hyphal morphology. These changes included swelling of hyphae with considerable thickening cell wall and abnormal chitin deposition, which was indicative of the alterations in cell wall structure. Furthermore, fluorescein diacetate (FDA) staining indicated the loss of intracellular esterase activity. CF66I probably inhibits fungal growth by interfering with the cell metabolic pathways. At 120 μg/ml, CF66I killed F. oxysporum (accompanied by propidium iodide permeation, intracellular cytoplasm leakage and crushing of hyphal tips), probably by direct damage to the cell membrane. Thus, there are two different antifungal mechanisms of CF66I, depending on its concentration, and further studies on this compound might be useful for us to develop a new class of antifungal agents.

Objective: To study the biological impact and mechanism of recombinant tissue factor pathway inhibitor (rTFPI) on apoptosis of rat kidney mesangial cells (MsC)., Methods: TFPI expression in human glomerular minor lesion (GML), mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) and cultured rat MsC was detected using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, respectively. Rat MsC were incubated with rTFPI and its variant peptides. Morphological changes of apoptosis were investigated by Hoechst 33258 and the apoptotic rate was assessed by flow cytometry. DNA fragmentation and effect of rTFPI on expression of caspase-3, Fas and bcl-2 were studied using gel electrophoresis and Western blot respectively., Results: The expression of TFPI in MPGN was higher than that in GML. TFPI was expressed in cultured rat mesangial cells. Apoptosis of MsC was induced by rTFPI, especially by its C-termianl, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Apoptosis ratios of MsC treated with rTFPI were 2.1, 3.0 and 4.9 times more than control, respectively. Expression of gene caspase-3 and Fas was up-regulated in a dose-dependent manner wherease bcl-2 expression did not show any changes., Conclusion: rTFPI induces apoptosis in cultured rat mesangial cells by its C-terminal possibly via Fas/FasL pathway.

Objective: To study the effects of aldose reductase (AR) on the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1-induced expression of fibronectin (FN) and collagen IV., Methods: Restriction endonucleases digestion and ligation were used to reconstruct the eukaryotic expression plasmid pCDNA3-AR. Rat mesangial cells (MsCs) were isolated, cultured, and transfected with pCDNA3-AR, or blank vector. The AR expression in the MsCs was examined by immunofluorescence analysis. RT-PCR was performed to detect the mRNA expression of AR in the MsCs and Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of AR. AR inhibitors (ARIs), Sorbinil and Zopolrestat were added and co-incubated, then TGF)-beta1 was added and Western blotting was used to analyze the protein expression of FN, collagen IV (Col IV), and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in the MsCs., Results: Immunofluorescence analysis showed stronger expression of AR in the MsCs transfected with AR then in the normal MsCs and the MsCs transfected with blank vector. In comparison with the normal MsCs and those transfected with blank vector, the MsCs transfected with AR showed stronger protein expression of FN and Col IV (all P < 0.05). After incubation of ARIs the protein expression of FN and Col IV decreased by 1.8 and 2.0 times respectively in the MsCs transfected with AR (all P < 0.05). After stimulation of TGF-beta1, the protein expression of FN and Col IV increased in both the normal MsCs and those transfected with AR (P < 0.05 for the latter). After preincubation with ARIs the protein expression of FN and Col IV in the MsCs transfected decreased significantly (both P < 0.05). After stimulation of TGF-beta1, the normal MsCs showed increased expression of phospho-ERK, phospho-JNK, and phospho-p38; the MsCs preincubated with ARIs showed reduced expression of phospho-JNK and phospho-p38; and the MsCs transfected with AR showed increased expression of phosphor-JNK (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: AR can regulates the expression of FN and Col IV with the stimulation of TGF-beta1 as AR gene is one of the responsive genes of TGF-beta1, which may have relations with the activation of JNK-MAPK and p38-MAPK signaling pathways induced by TGF-beta1. AR may play a role in the pathogenesis of glomerulosclerosis.

Objective: To study the effects of aldose reductase (AR) on the proliferation of rat mesangial cells (MsC) in vitro and to investigate its mechanism., Methods: Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT colorimetric assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. The growth of normal MsC and AR transfected MsC was compared. The proliferation of PDGF-BB and cellular growth stimulation by 10% NBS were investigated using AR inhibitors (ARI) Sorbinil and Zopolrestat. The effects of PDGF-BB on the expression of AR, p65 and c-Jun were assessed by Western blot. Activation of AP-1 was measured by EMSA., Results: AR expression of transfected MsC was distinctly higher than that of the control. Transfected MsC grew quicker than normal cells. ARI partially inhibited the proliferation of transfected MsC under the stimulation of PDGF-BB and 10% NBS, whereas 10% NBS had no effect on normal MsC. PDGF-BB upregulated the expression of AR and c-Jun, but had no effect on p65. The upregulation of c-Jun and the activation of AP-1 could be attenuated by ARI., Conclusion: AR may participate in the pathological proliferation of MsC through the pathway related to the activation of AP-1.