Interleukin-33 is regarded as the orphan receptor ST2 that belongs to the cytokine family of interleukin-1 in 2005. IL-33 is found to play a potentially pathogenic roles in the autoimmune disease, allergic disease, vascular disease, inflammatory disease and it might be a useful sera marker for the diagnosis and prognosis in related diseases. Here we make a review on the relationship between IL-33 and autoimmune disease in recent years.

Anti-endothelial cell antibodies (AECA) are heterogeneous autoimmune antibodies, which target at a group of antigens expressed in endothelial cells. In 1971, AECA was reported by Lindquist and Osterland for the first time. Since then, an increasing number of researches have showed that AECA exists and plays potential pathogenic role in the immune or inlfammation-related diseases, especially in systemic vasculitis. AECA may be a useful sera marker for the diagnosis and prognosis judgment of related autoimmune diseases. In this review, we summarize the recent progress on the relationship between AECA and systemic vasculitis.

Adhesion molecules (AM) are a class of molecules that can mediate cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix interaction. They participate in the cellular recognition, signal transduction, cell proliferation and differentiation, cell stretching and movement through ligand-to-receptor interaction. AM are the molecular basis of immune response, inflammation, blood coagulation, tumor metastasis, wound healing and a series of physiological and pathological processes. Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic small vasculitis syndrome, mainly affecting coronary artery. KD is the main cause for acquired heart disease in children. To study the relationship between AM and pathogenesis of KD is important in the understanding of KD pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of coronary artery lesions complicated with KD. This review focused on the relationship between AM and pathogenesis of KD.

Objective:To approach the significance of serum C-Reactive protein(CRP) and matrix metalloproteinases-9(MMP-9) levels in the diagnosis unstable angina(UA) and its forecasting of prognosis .Methods:The serum CRP levels of 38 cases of UA,36 cases of stable angina(SA) and 35 cases of normal controllers was measured by immunoturbidimetric method.And meanwhile,the serum MMP-9 levels of the above-mentioned three groups was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Results:When the groups were hospitalized,the CRP levels of the UA group(5.85?2.23 mg/L)was evidently higher than that of the SA group(2.54?1.07 mg/L)and the normal control group(1.21?1.02 mg/L)( P

Objective To explore the level of soluble intercellular adhension molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in the patients with acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease (AICVD) and its clinical significance. Methods The level of sICAM-1 was determined by double-antibody enzyme linked immunosorbent in 67 patients with AICVD and 45 patients being susceptible to AICVD. 40 healthy subjects served as normal control group. Results The level of sICAM-1 in the patients with AICVD was significantly higher than that in the patients being susceptible to AICVD (P

Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of fluvastatin preventing and curing restenosis. Methods 48 rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups. In control group, rabbits were given basic food. In balloon injury group, rabbits were given basic food and balloon injury of general artery on right neck. In fluvastatin balloon group, rabbits were given basic food,ballon injury of general artery and 10mg?kg -1 ?d -1 fluvastatin. The expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-2 of mRNA was detected at 3, 7, 14 and 30 days after injury respectively by method of in site hybridization. Results There was little expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-2 mRNA in control group, and the expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-2 mRNA in middle membrane of blood vessels began at 3 days after blood injury, and reached maximum at 7 days after injury. There was a little expression of MMP-9 and TIMP mRNA in inner membrane of blood vessels at 14 and 30 days after injury, and MMP-9 expression significantly decreased after the fluvastatin interference(P

Objective To study the expression and distribution of protein STAT3 in the retina after optic nerve transection. Methods Immunocytochemistry, Western blot and computer image analysis techniques were used. Results After optic nerve transection, STAT3 levels in the retina was highly up-regulated, the peak of which appeared at day 1 postaxotomy, then decreased gradually to the normal level 5 days later. More translocations of STAT3 to the nucleus were seen.Conclusion JAK-STAT signal transduction pathway was involved in the pathological processes in the retinal after transection of the optic nerve.

Objective To explore the protective effects of geranylgeranylacetone (GGA) on acute renal failure tats induced by isehemia reperfusion (IR) and the possible mechanism. Methods GGA (400 mg/kg) was administered to induce overexpression of heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) in the kidney of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. IR model was generated by temporary clamping the left renal artery for 45 minutes followed by right nephrectomy and 24 h reperfusion. A sham-operated group was used as normal control. 24 h after reperfnsion, rats were sacrificed. Blood was collected for measurement of serum creatinine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen ( BUN ). Paraffin-embedded sections of the kidney were stained with PAS. Histological changes due to tubular damage were quantitated as tubular damage score. TUNEL assay was used to detect the apoptosis, and Western-blot was used to detect the expression of XIAP. Results After renal IR, the increased level of BUN and Scr, the tubular injury and the apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells were observed (P＜0.01). At the same time, the decreased level of XIAP was observed (P＜ 0.01). Compared with the control groups, the level of HSP72 expression was up-regulated in oral administration of GGA group (P＜0.05). The expression levels of BUN and serum creatinine were significantly decreased after IR injury in pre-conditioned rats with over-expression of HSP72 (P＜ 0.01 ). Kidney morphology was better preserved in GGA group. Rats with over-expression of HSP72 also revealed reduction of apoptotic cells by TUNEL stain and XIAP degradation by Western blot (P＜0.05). Conclusion GGA attenuates renal IR injury at least in part through inhibiting tubular cell apoptosis by decreasing XAIP degradation and restoring XIAP protein level.

ObjectivesTo examine the validity of high-frequency Doppler ultrasound in identifying knees synovitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA).MethodsNinety-five consecutive patients with active RA were examined withhigh-frequency Doppler ultrasound to examine synovitis signals in knees.Synovial tissue samples of 51 patients were obtained by closed needle biopsy from knees after ultrasound examination.Serial synovial tissue sections were stained with H&E and immunohistochemical staining,and the histopathological synovitis scores were evaluated.The relationship among clinical, histopathological and ultrasound synovitis indexes was analyzed by Spearman's rank order correlation test and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.ResultsAmong 95 RA patients,the median thickness of synovial membrane in ultrasound was 2.8 mm,the median depth of effusion was 2.7 mm; Doppler signals of synovial blood flow were detected in 82％(78/95 ) of patients and the median semiquantitive grading of synovial blood flow was 1.0.The thickness of synovial membrane and synovial blood flow at Doppler ultrasound correlated positively with histological synovitis score,hyperplasia of the lining layer,and inflammatory infiltration in sublining area (the thickness of synovial membrane:r=0.438,0.424,0.368,respectively; synovial blood flow:r=0.357,0.377,0.347,respectively; all P＜0.05).Although there was no significant difference in clinical synovitis indexes between patients with histologically low-grade and high-grade synovitis,the thickness of synovial membrane and synovial blood flow in ultrasound in patients with histologically high-grade synovitis was significantly higher than those with low-grade synovitis(P=0.001,0.036,respectively).When the thickness of synovial membrane in ultrasound was ≥ 3.9 mm,the specificity of diagnosing the high-grade synovitis was 96.7％ and the sensitivity was 61.9％.ConclusionSynovitis signals at high-frequency Doppler ultrasound correlate with histopathological synovitis,and it might be helpful in evaluating the severity of histopathological synovitis.

Objectives To study the role of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-gamma (IFN-?) in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis and eczema,and the changes of serum levels of IL-4 and INF-? with topical treatment of co rticosteroid plus antibiotic cream or corticosteroid cream alone.Methods Seru m levels of IL-4 and IFN-? were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assa y(ELISA).Results Serum levels of IL-4 and INF-? were significantly higher in the patients with atopic dermatitis and eczema than those in the normal control s,respectively(both P