Nerve growth factor, a kind of neurotrophic factor, plays an important role in neuronal development, differentiation, survival and neurogenesis, and is considered as a link between neuroendocrine system and immune system in asthma attack. The possible mechanism of effects of nerve growth factor on asthma is as follows: (1) nerve growth factor changes airway innervation, and facilitates the synthesis and release of neurotransmitter in nerve terminal, which will contribute to airway remodeling; (2) nerve growth factor induces eosinophils aggregation, proliferation and releasing inflammatory factor, which will lead to the abnormality of immunologic response; (3) nerve growth factor triggers the redundancy of adrenal medullary cells, which results in adrenal medullary cell to nerve cell transition, and then the impairment of chromaffin cell endocrine secretion function. As a result, the concentrations of adrenaline in circulation are not competent to relieve the bronchoconstriction in asthmatic attack.

Objective To observe the effect of theanine in vitro and in vivo, including suppression of lung tumor growth, tumor an-giogenesis and promotion of apoptosis. Methods The inhibitory effects of theanie on lung cancer A549 cells were analyzed by MTT assays. The cell cycle and the apeptotic percentage of A549 cells were detected by FCM. The angiogenesis effect of theanine was observed with CAM model. The inhibitory effects of theanine were observed with lung carcinoma nude mice model, and the immunohistochemic technique was used to investigate the expression of CD34 and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor). Results Treatment of A549 cells with VEGF re-sulted in significant dose-dependent and time-dependent inhibition. FCM detection indicated that administration of EGCG resulted in an in-crease in cells in the S phase of the cell cycle and a typical apoptosis peak before the GI phase with an apoptosis rate of 15.9%. There was a significant difference in tumor volume and weight in theanine group compared with control group after two-week treatment, and the tumor in-hibition rate was 43.6%. There was no significant difference in expression of VEGF in tumor tissue according to tumor MVD marked by CD34 between the theanie group and control group. Thus, theanine could obviously inhibit tumor angiogenesis. Conclusion VEGF can ar-rest lung tumor growth via the promotion of tumor cell apoptosis and the inhibition of tumor angiogenesis.

Objective To determine the characterization of mucA gene mutation in clinically isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.aeruginosa), and the relation between mucA mutation and the mucoid phenotype.Methods A total of 58 strains of P.aeruginosa were collected. Of them,8 were nonmucoid phenotype and 50 were mucoid phenotype.We detected mucA mutations with PCR-SSCP and sequencing analysis. Alginate was examined by colorimetry. Results All strrains had mucA mutations (100%), 16 of the 50 (32%) isolates contained mucA mutations that could alter the encoding sequence of amino acids, and the rate in nonmucoid isolates was 0. Fourteen mutation sites were found, 5 of which could alter the encoding sequence of amino acids, and the others were silent mutations. The alginate concentration of mucoid P.aeruginosa was higher than the nonmucoid P.aeruginos(P＜0.01). The alginate concentration of the isolates which contained mucA mutations that could alter the encoding sequence of amino acid was higher than the strains only with silent mutations (P＜0.01).Conclusion mucA mutation correlates with the alginate production and phenotype of bacterial colonies.

Objective To investigate the effects of staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) DNA on anti-tumor in vivo and its mechanism. Methods The chromatic DNA purified from S.aureus was used in the experiments of antitumor in vivo, and immunological indices were measured. Results S.aureus DNA could inhibit the tumor growth by peritoneal injection, increase the serum IFN-? level and regulate the serum TNF-? level in the nude mice carrying transplant tumor. Conclusion S aureus DNA has a characteristic of anti-tumor immunity, and can be used in immunotherapeutic treatment of tumors.

Objective To study the effect of nerve growth factor on airway inflammation and Th1/Th2 cells immune imbalance.Methods(1)32 SD rats were divided into 4 groups randomly:asthma,control,NGF,anti-NGF-antibody groups.The asthmatic model were established by inhalation and injection of ovalbumin.(2)We investigated the expression of NGF mRNA in the lungs in asthma and control groups by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).(3)In the lungs of the four groups,the expression of interferon-?(IFN-?,one of the Th1 cytokines),interleukin-4(IL-4,one of the Th2 cytokines)mRNA was detected by RT-PCR too.Results(1)As compared with the control group,NGF mRNA was significantly enhanced in the asthma group[(90.4?7.6)% vs(51.8?12.3)%,P

Objective To investigate the expression of nerve growth factor(NGF)in the adrenaline medullary chromaffin cells(AMCC)and the morphological and functional changes in AMCC of asthmatic rats.Methods The 32 SD rats were randomly divided into two groups:control group(n=8)and asthma group(n=8).Asthma models were established by sensitization and challenge with ovalbumin(OVA).By means of immunohistochemistry(SP)combined with the micro-image analysis to investigate the alterations of NGF immunoreactivity in asthmatic rats and by means of light microscopy and electron microscopy to investigate the ultrastructural changes in AMCC,and detect the concentration of adrenaline and noradrenaline in serum by enzyme-linked- immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Results The positive immunoreactivity was increased in asthmatic AMCC compared with the controls(P

Objective To observe the influence of N-acetylcysteine(NAC)on the formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm(BF),and to study the synergism of bactericidal activities of NAC combined with levofloxacinon to the mature Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm.Methods The experiment was done in experiment centre of Xiangya Hospital.Scanning electronic microcopy(SEM)were utilized to demonstrate the effect of NAC on the formation of biofilm.Then biofilm cultured without NAC were detected by optical microscopy after being stained with AgNO3.The minimal inhibitory concentration were detected by double test tube diluted method.The mature biofilm was treated by NAC and/or different concentrations of levofloxacin for 24 hours.The influence of levofloxacin combined with NAC were examined by MTT method on the bacterial quantity in biofilms.Results Biofilm was achieved on the silicon slides in all groups 7 days after the incubation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Scanning electronic microcopy showed that the mucoid materials among bacteria was significantly reduced and the thickness of biofilm was decreased in NAC groups.Levofloxacin beyond 1 MIC could significantly decline the viable cells on biofilms(P

Objective To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-C(VEGF-C) in human non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) and to elucidate its roles in lymph node metastasis and prognosis evaluation. Methods The expression of VEGF-C was examined in 50 NSCLC specimens and 20 archival surgical specimens of human pulmonary inflammatory pseudotumor tissues by immunohistochemistry. Results The positive rate of VEGF-C expression in NSCLC and inflammatory pseudotumor was 44% and 5% respectively. There was significant difference in VEGF-C expression between the two groups. The expression rate of VEGF-C in NSCLC was significantly higher in the patients with lymph node metastasis (66 7%) than that in the patients without lymph node metastasis (23 1%, P

Objective To investigate the mechanism of airway neurogenic inflammation by studying the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and substance P in C7-T5 dorsal root ganglion sensory neuron cells induced by nerve growth factor (NGF) and the role of interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1).Methods The dorsal root ganglia neuron (DRGn) cells were primary cultured,and then stimulated with or without NGF or NGF+interferon (IFN)-γ.Subsequently the DRGn cells were transinfected with or without green fluorescent protein (GFP)-IRF-1-vshRNA,and then stimulated with or without NGF.The expressions of iNOS and substance P were detected by real-time PCR.Results NGF induced the mRNA expression of iNOS and substance P in dorsal root ganglion sensory neuron cells,and IFN-γ increased NGF-induced iNOS mRNA expression.The expressions of iNOS and substance P in sensory neuron cells were decreased significantly at the mRNA level after IRF-1 was blocked down by IRF-1-vshRNA transinfection.Conclusion NGF is involved in the airway neurogenic inflammation by prompting the expression of iNOS and substance P through transcription factor IRF-1 in airway sensory neuron cells.IRF-1 may be a therapeutic target for airway neurogenic inflammation.

Objective To investigate the possible mechanism of the biologic ethology effects of NGF and SP(substance P)on primary cultured adrenaline medullary chromaffin cells(AMCC).Methods To establish primary cultured AMCC by means of enzyme digestion and purify the cells by means of isopycnic gradient centrifugation and differential plating.To observe the morphological and ultrastructural changes after the addition of NGF and SP,and detect the concentration of adrenaline and noradrenaline in serum by ELISA.Results Confervaceous processes could be observed after 2 d of addition of NGF to the culture and the processes strenched longer as days went by the observation of electron microscopy.there are some drumstick-like and villiform processes in the cell membrane and some vesiculation be observed near the cell membrane of the primary cultured AMCC cells after the addition of NGF.The bioblast was abundant but the structure was not clear in the intracytoplasm and the concentration of adrenaline were decreased(P