Honokiol （HNK） is a small organic molecule purified from magnolia species and has demonstrated anticancer activities in a variety of cancer cell lines; however, its effect on oral squamous cell carcinoma （OSCC） cells is unknown. We investigated the antitumor activities of HNK on OSCC ceils in vitro for the first time. The inhibitory effects of HNK on the growth and proliferation of OSCC cells were demonstrated via in vitro 3-（4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl）-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide （MTT） and propidium iodide （PI） assays, and the apoptotic cells were investigated by the observation of morphological changes and detection of DNA fragmentation via PI, TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling （TUNEL）, and DNA ladder assays, as well as flow cytometry assay. The results showed that HNK inhibited the growth and proliferation of OSCC cells in vitro in a time and dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect was associated with the cell apoptosis induced by HNK, evidenced by the morphological features of apoptotic cells, TUNEL-positive cells and a degradation of chromosomal DNA into small internucleosomal fragments. The study also demonstrated here that the inhibition or apoptosis mediated by 15 μg.mL-1 or 20 μg.mL-1 of HNK were more stronger compared with those of 20 μg-mL-1 5-fluorouracil （5-Fu, the control） applied to OSCC cells, when the ratio of OSCC cell numbers were measured between the treatment of different concentrations of HNK to the 5-Fu treatment for 48 h. HNK is a promising compound that can be potentially used as a novel treatment agent for human OSCC.
Xi-rui ChenRui LuHong-xia DanGa LiaoMin ZhouXiao-yu LiNing Ji
Our previous salivary study had demonstrated an apparent T helper 2 （Th2）-predominance in saliva of oral lichen planus （OLP） patients and suggested a potential of salivary interleukin-4 （IL-4） as a biomarker for monitoring disease severity. To further determine the consistency of Th1/Th2 bias of OLP, this study investigated the expression profile of interferon-γ （IFN-γ） and IL-4 in serum and the relationship of the serum levels of these cytokines with their saliva partners. Sixty ethnic Chinese patients with OLP （40 of the erythematous/ulcerative form and 20 of the reticular form） were recruited for this study, with 40 age-sex-matched healthy volunteers as control group. IFN-γ and IL-4 levels in serum and paired saliva samples were screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. OLP patient showed a low-level IFN-γ but high-level IL-4 expression profile in both serum and saliva, with a lower IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio. Serum IL-4 level in the erythematous/ulcerative group was significantly higher than that in the reticular group. Serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 were significantly and positively correlated with their saliva partners. These results provided more evidence for Th2 cytokine- predominant immune imbalance in OLP, as well as the potential of IL-4 as the biomarker for monitoring severity of OLP.
the joint team between Prof.Chen Qianming’s laboratory at the State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and He Yang’s laboratory at the Regenerative Medicine Research Center,Sichuan University,reported the"Complex self-assembly of pyrimido[4,5-d]pyrimidine nucleoside supramolecular structures",which was published and listed as
