In our previous study, lycorine, a natural alkaloid extracted from Amaryllidaceae, exhibited anti-leukemia effects in vitro. To determine whether lycorine has an anti-tumor effect in vivo, a series of experiments were carried out in this study. HL-60 cells (5 x 10(6)) were inoculated i.v. into severe combined immuno-deficiency (SCID) mice after these mice had been irradiated (total body receiving 200cGy chi irradiation). Treatment was given once a day from day 2 to 6, and from day 14 to 18. Lycorine (5 or 10 mg/kg/day i.p.) was found to decrease the percentages of immature granular leukocytes and of monocytes among the peripheral blood cells, and the mean survival time of both lycorine-treated groups was longer than that of the control group. Compared with the asynchronous and cytosine arabinoside- (Ara-C) treated (20 mg/kg/day i.p.) group, treatment with lycorine was more effective. Lycorine was also found to alleviate the infiltration of tumor cells into the liver, bone, and marrow. When SCID mice inoculated with HL-60 cells were then treated with lycorine, no severe adverse effects were observed. This study revealed that lycorine, when tested in the human leukemia xenograft models, appears to exhibit anti-tumor activity in vivo and is a useful therapy against acute promyelocytic leukemia.

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Aims:  To understand the composition and structure of microbial communities in different acid mineral bioleaching systems, and to present a more complete picture of microbially mediated acid mine drainage production. Methods and Results:  In Tong Shankou Copper Mine, China, two samples (named K1 and K2) from two different sites with bioleaching were studied. A bacterial 16S rDNA library and an archaeal 16S rDNA library of the sample from each site were constructed by 16S rDNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequencing. A total of 18 bacterial representative sequences and 12 archaeal representative sequences were obtained. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that 77·09% of the total bacterial clones were affiliated with Proteobacteria, and 21·22% of the total bacterial clones were closely related to Nitrospira. The rest of the bacterial clones were related to Firmicutes (1·68%). Sequences affiliated with the archaea of the Thermoplasma and Ferroplasma lineages were detected abundantly in the two samples. Unexpectedly, sequences affiliated with Sulfolobales and Methanothermus genera were also detected. Conclusions:  The molecular studies appear to be consistent with the environmental conditions existing at the sites, which coincides with previous studies. High concentrations of some elements (such as copper, iron and sulfur) seemed to be the key factors resulting in the diverse distribution of typical iron‐oxidizing bacteria such as Leptospirillum species and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Significance and Impact of the Study:  Research on micro‐organisms present in bioleaching systems especially archaea is not abundant. The acidophiles in the two bioleaching sites obtained from Tong Shankou Copper Mine, China, have not been reported until now. These results may expand our knowledge of the microbial diversity in the acid mineral bioleaching systems.

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