Melittin can induce apoptosis of human gastric cancer (GC) cells through the mitochondria pathways, and it may be a potent agent in the treatment of human GC.

Apigenin is a naturally occurring plant flavonoid that possesses antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. However, there are few reports has been done on the ability of apigenin to induce apoptosis in macrophages. In this study, mouse macrophage ANA-1 cells were incubated with different concentrations of apigenin. The cell viability was determined by an MTT assay. The cell apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometric analysis. Apoptosis were also analyzed using a TUNEL assay and a DNA ladder. The level of intracellular ROS was detected using a dichlorofluorescein -diacetate probe. The expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins were detected by western blot analysis. The results showed that apigenin decreased the viability of ANA-1 cells and induced apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Apigenin increased the level of intracellular ROS, downregulated the expression of Bcl-2 and upregulated the expression of caspase-3 and caspase-8 in ANA-1 cells. Furthermore, apigenin downregulated the expression of phospho-ERK and phospho-JNK, upregulated the expression of phospho-p38 and had no significant effect on the expression of Bax, ERK, JNK and p38. The results suggested that apigenin induced cell apoptosis in mouse macrophage ANA-1 cells may via increasing intracellular ROS, regulating the MAPK pathway, and then inhibiting Bcl-2 expression.

Background and Aims. Although the differential expression of microRNA (miRNA) genes has been identified in many diseases, little information exists concerning the miRNA expression profile in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS). Therefore, the specific expression of miRNAs in diabetes with D-IBS is identified in the study. Materials and Methods. 201 patients with IBS and 220 matched healthy controls were included in the study. Microarray technology and real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis (RT-PCR) were taken to examine the miRNA expression profiles of T2DM patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS) compared with patients with T2DM, patients with D-IBS, and control subjects. Results. We have found that 35 miRNAs were differentially expressed in T2DM with D-IBS, in which three representative miRNAs, hsa-miR-106b, hsa-miR-26a, and hsa-miR-29b, were found to be significantly elevated in T2DM with D-IBS by RT-PCR. Conclusions. Our study has indicated that hsa-miR-106b, hsa-miR-26a, and hsa-miR-29b were elevated in T2DM with D-IBS, which may be the potential biomarkers of T2DM with D-IBS. To obtain a better understanding of the biological functions of these miRNAs in T2DM with D-IBS, functional annotation analysis suggested that the MAPK pathway may be responsible for T2DM with D-IBS.

Tongxie Yaofang (TXYF), a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with four components as follows: Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (baizhu), Radix Paeoniae Alba (baishao), Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae (chenpi) and Radix Saposhnikovia Divaricata (fangfeng), benefits irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Nonetheless, proofs of this formula ameliorating D-IBS and T2DM are required. This research aimed at investigating the efficacy of TXYF in treating inflammation in rats with D-IBS and T2DM using animal models. In this study, gavage with high-fat diet, fasciculation, and senna was given to develop rat models with target diseases. To determine intestinal inflammations, major inflammatory factors, and intestinal permeability proteins, H&E staining, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry methods were employed, respectively. This study also utilized Western blot to discover potential inflammatory targets. Results of this research illustrates that TXYF treatment reduced the level of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, and raised the IL-10 concentration in liver-depressed spleende ficient rats with D-IBS and T2DM, indicating controlled inflammatory reactions. Staining analysis also showed improved disease states of animal models. Furthermore, efficient rebounds of claudin-1, an intestinal permeability-associated protein, were detected. Moreover, TXYF may treat D-IBS and T2DM in rats via the rage pathway.

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