Objective To observe the effects of immunologic cytokines or anti-angiogenesis gene transfer mediated by electroporation for choroidal melanoma cells.Methods The human embryo kidney cells and malignant choroidal melanoma cells were transfected with plasmids pNGVL-mIL2, pNGVL-mIL12, pCI-sFLK-1, pCR3.1-antiVEGF121,pCI-ExTek. Then the expression of mIL2, mIL12, sFLK-1, VEGF and ExTek were detected by enzymelinked immunosorbentassay (ELISA) and Western blot. Nude mice models of malignant choroidal melanoma were established and they were divided into four groups randomly. Each group was treated with 30 mu;l of 0.9% NaCl, 30 mu;g pNGVL, 30 mu;g antiVEGF121+sFLK-1+ExTek and 30 mu;g mIL2+mIL12 respectively by electroporation. Seven，14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 days after treatment, the tumor volumes were measured to calculate the tumor inhibition rate. Results ELISA and Western blot showed that mIL2，mIL12，sFLK-1 and ExTek were expressed after electroporation，VEGF expression was decreased remarkably. After treatment，the tumors of mIL2+mIL12 group were greatly inhibited with a tumor inhibition rate of 97.33%，while the tumors of antiVEGF121+sFLK-1+ExTek and pNGVL group were partially inhibited with tumor inhibition rates of 53.33% and 36.33% respectively.Conclusions Immunologic cytokines transfer mediated by electroporation can inhibit the growth of melanoma，but anti-angiogenesis only have a mild effects.
Objective To study the regulative effect of angelica sinensis on cellular immune function in perioperative patients with obstructive jaundice. Methods Fourteen patients with obstructive jaundice were injected with angelica before and after operation for 14 days. The activity of IL-2 and the expression of IL-2R in lymphocytes in peripheral blood were measured, respectively. Results The activity of IL-2 and the expression of IL-2R decreased significantly in patients with obstructive jaundice (P＜0.01). The activity of IL-2 and the expression of IL-2R in peripheral blood lymphocyte increased significantly before and after operations (after treatment using angelica) (P＜0.01), though there was a little decrease after operation but they were still higher than that befor using angelica.Conclusion It maybe useful to use angelica to improve the cellular immune function in patients with obstructive jaundice.
ObjectiveTo investigate the changes of inflammatory cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in rats exposed to paraquat (PQ).
MethodsAdult healthy SD rats were randomly divided into a control group (n=8) and three experimental groups (PQ in low dosage of 15 mg/kg,medium dosage of 30 mg/kg,and high dosage of 60 mg/kg,n=24 in each group). The rats in three experimental groups were intragastrically administered with PQ,and the rats in the control group were treated with saline by gavage. Two rats in the control group and six rats in three experimental groups were sacrificed on 1st,7th,14th,and 21st day after exposure respectively. BALF was collected for measurement of interleukin-1(IL-1),IL-6,macrophage inflammatory protein-2(MIP-2),monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1),and biopterin by ELISA.
ResultsThe levels of cytokines in all experimental groups were higher than those in the control group at any time point. In the exposure day 1 to day 14, IL-1 and biopterin levels in BALF increased significantly with the increase in PQ dose. On 14th and 21st day,IL-6 level in BALF increased significantly with the increase in PQ dosage. The levels of IL-1,IL-6,and biopterin in the experimental groups reached the peak on 14th day. On 14th day,the MIP-2 level in BALF of high-dosage group was significantly higher than that of low-dosage and medium-dosage groups (all P<0.05). The level of MCP-1 in the low-dosage group was lower than that in the medium-dosage and high-dosage groups at any time point (P<0.05).
ConclusionIL-1,IL-6,MIP-2,MCP-1,and biopterin may play important roles in the development and progression of PQ-induce lung inflammation.
Objective Melatonin (MLT) can increase the expression of cartilage-derived growth factor and stimulate the synthesis of cartilage matrix. To investigate the prevention and treatment effects of MLT on damaged cartilage through observing the expressions of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) in articular cartilage of the rats with osteoarthritis (OA). Methods Forty SPF 4-week-old male SD rats (weighing 120-150 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=10): normal control group (group A), OA group (group B), OA/pinealectomy group (group C), and OA/ pinealectomy/MLT group (group D). The rats of group A served as a control without treatment. The rats of groups B, C, andD underwent left knee joint injection of 0.2 mL 4% papain solution 1 time every other day for 2 weeks for establ ishing OAmodel. Two weeks after papain injection, the rats of groups C and D were exposed to continuous l ight for 24 hours (intensity of illumination: 500 lx) for creating pinealectomy models. And at the next day after pinealectomy model establ ishing, the rats of group D were treated with intra-articular injections of 0.2 mL 20 mg/mL MLT solution 4 times a week for 4 weeks. At 1 week after last MLT injection, the venous blood samples were taken in groups A, B, and C to test the level of serum MLT by ELISA, respectively, and then the specimens of left cartilage of femoral condyle were harvested for macroscopic, histological, and immunohistochemical examinations in 4 groups. Results The OA and pinealectomy models of rats were successfully establ ished, and all rats survived. There were significant differences in the serum MLT level among groups A, B, and C, and among different time points at the same group (P lt; 0.05). In group A, articular cartilage surface was smooth and elastic, and chondrocytes arranged regularly. In groups B and C, articular cartilage surface was rough, cartilage defects and subchondral bone exposure were observed in some areas, and chondrocytes arranged irregularly. In group D, cartilage surface was more smooth than that in groups B and C, and the degrees of cartilage defect and subchondral bone exposure decreased with regular arrangment of chondrocytes. There were significant differences in Mankin scores and integral absorbance values among 4 groups (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion Exposure to continuous l ight can accelerate degeneration process of articular cartilage of OA rats. Injections of 0.2 mL MLT solution (20 mg/mL) by intra-articular for 4 weeks can inhibit the progress of cartilage defects. Upregulationof anabol ic factor of BMP-2 as well as down-regulation of catabol ic factors of IL-1β is associated with cartilage repairin the pathological features of OA.
Objective To investigate the impacts of cytokines （interleukin-4，IL-4；tumor necrosis factor-α，TNF-α） and medications of bronchial asthma （dexamethasone，aminophylline，salbutamol） on the activity of histamine N-methyltransferase（HMT） in tracheal epithelial cells.Methods BEAS-2B bronchial epithelial cells were cultured and treated with different concentration of TNF-α, IL-4, dexamethasone, salbutamol and aminophylline respectively. The activity of HMT in BEAS-2B cells was determined by high performance liquid chromatography.Results The activity of HMT in tracheal epithelial cells was (50±7) pmol?min-1?mg pro-1.TNF-α and IL-4 lowered the activity of HMT significantly at the concentration equal to or higher than 1 ng/mL and 5 ng/mL respectively，and reached the maximum inhibitory effect at the level of 10 ng/mL.Dexamethasone and aminophylline could ameliorate distinctly the inhibitory effect of TNF-α on the activity of HMT, while salbutamol had no significant inhibitory effect.Conclusions TNF-α and IL-4 exert the lowering effect on the activity of HMT，which would be one important cause of airway hyperreactivity.Glucocorticoids and theophyllines are administered to treat asthma partly due to its relieving mechanism of TNF-α negative effects on HMT.
Objective To investigate the expression of aquaporin-1( AQP-1) in pulmonary tissues of asthma mice and the effects of acetazolamide( AZ) on AQP-1 expression. Methods Forty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into five groups. Group A was treated with phosphate buffer as a non-asthmatic group.The mice in group B, C, D, and E were sensitized with ovalbumin( OVA) and challenged with aerosol OVA to establish asthma model. The mice in group B, C, and D were interperitoneally injected with AZ at doses of 300, 200, 100 mg/kg, respectively during the challenge period. Results ①Wet/dry weight ratio of lung tissues in group E was significantly higher than that in group A( P lt;0. 05) , while it was lower in B, C and D groups than group E. ②The total number of cells, the number of eosinophils, and interleukin-5( IL-5) inBALF of group E were higher than those in group A( P lt;0. 05) , and interferon-γ( IFN-γ) level was lower in group E than in group A ( P lt; 0. 05) . After AZ treatment, the total number of cells, the number of eosinophils, neutrophils and lymphocytes were significantly decreased( P lt; 0. 05) , which were positively correlated with the dose of AZ. ③AQP-1 were expressed in tracheal epithelium, microvascular endothelial cell and bronchial peripheral vascular bed, and the expression in group E was significantly higher than that in group A( P lt;0. 01) . AQP-1 expression was significantly decreased after the intervention of AZ ( P lt;0. 05) .The decrease was positively correlated with the dose of AZ. The expression of AQP-1 mRNA showed no significant difference among these groups( P gt;0. 05) . Conclusions AQP-1 was over-expressed in the lung tissue of mice with asthma. AZ can inhibit the expression of AQP-1 and relieve lung inflammatory cells infiltrationin a dose-dependent manner. It is the protein expression of AQP-1 not the AQP-1 mRNA which were significantly different in different groups, suggesting that AZ affected AQP-1 in the post-transcriptional stage.
Objective To observe the histopathologic features and expression patterns of tumor necrosis factor-alpha; （TNF-alpha;）, interleukin-1beta;（IL-1beta;） and Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the rat vitreous with LPS inducedendophthalmitis. Methods Wistar rats were randomly divided into saline control group (SC,136 rats）,endophthalmitis group （EO, 168 rats）and blank control group （BC,12 rats）.EO group received an intravitreal injection of 5 mu;l LPS; SC group received 5 mu;l sterile saline and no intervention for BC group.Six,12,24,48, and 72 hours,5 and 7 days after injection, intraocular inflammation were observed and the eyes and vitreous were collected for histopathological examination and measurement of TNF-alpha;, IL-1beta; and LPS expression. Results Severe inflammatory responses in the eyes were observed in EO group between six and 72 hours after LPS injection，ocular inflammation subsided seven days after LPS injection. In the vitreous, a peak neutrophil count was observed at 24 hours （1224.64plusmn;132.2） cells/eye that rapidly declined at 72 hours （342.25plusmn;47.7） cells/eye. The levels of TNF-alpha; and IL-1beta; in EO group were peaked at 24 hours with （996.18plusmn;89.45） and（5556plusmn;1440）pg/ L, respectively；Persisted at 48 hours and began to decline rapidly thereafter. Seven days after LPS injection, levels of TNF-alpha; and IL-1beta; returned to baseline with （22.16plusmn;5.84）and （73.7plusmn;18.7） pg/L, respectively. LPS concentration in EO group decrease rapidly at 72 hours with （11.03plusmn;3.41） ng and disappear on days 7 with (0.22plusmn;0.08) ng after LPS injection.Conclusions Massive neutrophils infiltration, high levels expression of TNF-alpha; and IL-1beta; and spontaneous elimination of bacterial elements in vitreous cavity were major pathologic characteristics in this experimental model. The expression patterns of TNF-alpha;,IL-1beta; were in accord with LPS clearance process.
Objective To observe the effect of glutamine （Gln） on intestinal permeability after surgery of children, also its influence on the plama level of interleukin-2（IL-2）, endotoxin and synthesize of protein through a random nutrition trial. Methods Twenty children suffered from congenital heart disease were divided into Gln group and control group with random number table, 10 cases in each group. They were all given isonitrogenous and isocaloric total paraenteral nutrition after 24 h postoperatively. In Gln group the Dipeptiven [-N （2）-L-alanyl-Lglutamine] was used with 2 ml/kg · 24h additionly. Before operation, 24h and 96 h after operation, intestinal permeability, serum level of endotoxin, IL-2, C-reaction protein, prealbumine were measured. Results Intestinal permeability increased in 24 h after cardiac surgery in two groups, while the concentration of endotoxin also increased, 96 h after surgery the intestinal permeability recovered, but the endotoxin level did not decrease in control group （P〈0. 01）. Conclusion Utilization of Gln can improve immune suppression, elevate the IL-2 level, decrease the endotoxin concentration, alleviate the infection, but has no effect on the protein synthesis after congenital cardiac operation of children.
OBJECTIVE To study the relationship between the changes of mRNA expression in wound tissues of diabetic ulcers and tissue repair. METHODS The mRNA expression of TGF-beta 1 and IL-6 in eight bioptic samples of diabetic ulcers were detected by RT-PCR and pathologic methods, and the surrounding normal skins from the same patients were measured as control group. RESULTS The mRNA expression levels of TGF-beta 1 were markedly decreased in the diabetic ulcers compared with control group, while the mRNA expression levels of IL-6 were increased at the same reaction conditions. CONCLUSION The different changes of mRNA expression level of TGF-beta 1 and IL-6 in wound tissue result in low production and decreased activity of TGF-beta 1 and IL-6, which lower the reparative ability of wound tissue.
Objective To explore clinical significance of interleukin-8 (IL-8), clarada protein 16 (CC16), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and serum samples collected from patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Methods A total of 45 ARDS patients were assigned into a mild ARDS group (n=20), a moderate ARDS group (n=15) and a severe ARDS group (n=10) based on the Berlin definition. During the same study period, 45 healthy subjects were recruited as control. Serum and EBC levels of IL-8, CC16 and ICAM-1 were detected on the first and fifth day of admission. Results Compared with the control group, serum and EBC IL-8, CC16 and ICAM-1 were significantly higher in the ARDS groups (P<0.05). Serum and EBC IL-8 levels increased with the severity of ARDS, whereas no significant difference was detected between the three groups (P>0.05). Compared with the mild group and the moderate group, serum and EBC CC16 levels were significantly higher in the severe ARDS group. At the first day after admission, serum ICAM-1 was higher in the severe and moderate ARDS groups than that in the mild ARDS group (P<0.05). Meanwhile, EBC ICAM-1 was significantly different between the three groups (P<0.05). At the fifth day after admission, different EBC ICAM-1 was identified between the severe ARDS group and the other two groups (P<0.05). Regardless of ARDS severity, there were no significant differences in serum and EBC IL-8 and CC16 levels at the first and fifth days after admission (P>0.05). However, serum and EBC ICAM-1 at the first and fifth days showed significant difference (except in the mild ARDS group) (P<0.05). The levels of ICAM-1 in serum and EBC of death group were significantly higher than those of survival group (P<0.05). Conclusion Serum and EBC IL-8, CC16 and ICAM-1 are of significance in diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of ARDS.
