AIM: To study changes in IGF-I concentration in serum, IGF-I polypeptide in the wall of pulmonary arterioles during hypoxia and the relationship between their changes and hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. METHODS: Morphological change in pulmonary arterioles was determined by image pattern analysis technique, the concentration of IGF-I in the rat serum was measured by radioimmunoassay. The expression of IGF-I polypeptide was observed by immunohistochemical staining on the walls of pulmonary arterioles, and analyzed quantitatively. RESULTS: After exposing hypoxia for 3 weeks, mPAP of rats was elevated(P

Objective To explore the role of interleukin-8(IL-8) in the pathogene sis of COPD MethodsRat model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) was established by exposure Wistar rats to cigarette smoke dai ly for 120 days Total cell counts and neutrophil counts in BALF were examined The levels of IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-?(TNF-?) in BALF and serum wer e measured with ELISA Lung tissue section stained by HE was observed to study t he morphological alternations and MLI,MAN and PAA were measured Result sMLI and PAA in COPD rat were higher than those in control group (P

Objective To investigate the effect of thrombospondin 1(TSP-1) on the cell proliferation of cultured rat pulmonary artery smooth cell (PASMCs) in vitro .Methods Rat PASMCs were cultured in vitro ,and treated with different concentrations (10-12 、10-11 、10-10 mol/L) of TSP-1 for 12 ,24 ,48 h .The cell proliferation was quantified by MTT assay .The cell cycle of PASMCs was measured by flow cytometric(FCM) analysis .Results MTT assay showed that TSP-1 promoted the proliferation of PASMCs significantly ,and the effect was concentration-dependent and time-dependent .FCM analysis indicated that TSP-1 increased the percentage of S phase .The percentage of S phase of PASMCs were increased after treated with thrombospondin-1 for 12 h , slight down after 24 h ,while reached a maximal level at 48 h .Conclusion The TSP-1 promotes rat PASMCs proliferation in a con-centration-dependent and time-dependent manner .

Mechanical force plays an important role in physiological function and pathophysiologic conditions of respiratory system. Recently, a number of researches focused on how mechanical force affected pulmonary cells. This paper reviews the molecular basis of mechanical force in detail. The significance of mechanical force in respiratory therapy is also discussed.
Airway Resistance ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Humans ; Lung Compliance ; Respiratory Mechanics ; physiology ; Respiratory Physiological Phenomena ; Respiratory System

Objective To investigate the antiviral efficacy of standard treatment with interferon (IFN)-α 2b and ribavirin (RBV) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) originating from a same blood donor.Methods The test group consisted of 65 CHC patients originating from a same blood donor,and was treated with IFN-α 2b 3-5 MU every other day in combination with RBV 0.6-1.0 g/d.Meantime,the control group consisted of 32 CHC patients who visited the Department of Infectious Diseases in Qiannan People's Hospital,and was treated with Peg-interferon (PEG-IFN)-α 2a 180 μg every week in combination with RBV 0.6-1.0 g/d.All the patients in the two groups were treated for 48 weeks and followed up for 96 weeks.Assessment indictors included sustained virological response (SVR),early virological response (EVR),end of treatment virological response (ETVR),biochemical response after withdrawal of treatment.Side effects during treatment were also evaluated.Measurement data were analyzed by x2 test.Results In test group,SVR rate was 83.1％ (54/65),EVR rate was 93.8％ (61/65),ETVR rate was 86.2％ (56/65) and biochemical response rate after withdrawal of treatment was 100.0％.In control group,SVR rate was 87.5％ (28/32),EVR rate was 96.9 ％ (31/32),ETVR rate was 90.6 ％ (29/32) and biochemical response rate after withdrawal of treatment was 100.0 ％.SVR rates of the two groups were not significantly different (x2 =0.072,P=0.086).Patients of the two groups were divided into two subgroups according to viral load:hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA＜1.0 × 106 copy/mL and HCV RNA≥1.0 × 106 copy/mL.SVR rates of patients with low and high viral load in test group were 88.9％ and 54.5％,respectively (x2=7.67,P=0.008),those in control group were 96.0％ and 57.1％,respectively (x2 =4.41,P=0.038).SVR rates were higher in the subgroup of patients with low viral load.Leukopenia and thrombocytopenia were more common in control group than in test group (x2 =9.805,P =0.003 ; x2 =6.643,P=0.009).Conclusion IFN-α 2b and RBV combination therapy has similar antiviral efficacy to that of PEG-IFN-α 2a and RBV combination therapy,and has a lower rate of side effects as well.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of adrenomedullin (AM) in the development of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH), and to assess the expression of AM and adrenomedullin receptor (AMR) in the lungs of rats with HPH.

METHODSWe exposed 10 rats to normobaric hypoxic conditions for 3 weeks to establish rat model of pulmonary hypertension; and 10 other rats were used as normoxic controls. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) was measured by a right cardiac catheterization. The thickness of pulmonary arterioles was measured by a computerized image analyzer. We used the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to assess the change of expression of AM and AMR in lung of HPH rat model.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, hypoxic rats developed remarkable pulmonary hypertension, increment in the thickness of pulmonary arterioles and right ventricular hypertrophy (P < 0.01). Chronic hypoxia elicited a considerable increment in expression of AM and AMR in the lungs of rats, and the ratio of AM/beta-actin and AMR/beta-actin in lungs of rats treated with hypoxia were significantly higher (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe AM plays an important role in regulating pulmonary vascular tone and can ameliorate the development of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats.

Adrenomedullin ; Animals ; Arterioles ; pathology ; Gene Expression ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; metabolism ; pathology ; Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular ; etiology ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lung ; metabolism ; Male ; Peptides ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Adrenomedullin ; Receptors, Peptide ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

BACKGROUNDThere have been a lot of studies about surface adhesion molecule (CD44) in recent years, however study on osteopontin (OPN) is still few. The aim of this study is to investigate the levels of OPN and CD44v6 in lung cancer and their correlation.

METHODSOPN and CD44v6 expression were detected in 78 lung cancer tissues by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe positive rate of OPN and CD44v6 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was 58.46% and 66.15% respectively, but no positive case in small cell lung cancer. The expression of OPN and CD44v6 in NSCLC was closely related to TNM stages (P < 0.01), but not to cell differentiation (P > 0.05). There was a remarkably positive correlation between the expression of OPN and CD44v6 (r=0.255, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe co-expression of OPN and CD44v6 may be involved in progression and metastasis of lung cancer. The interrelationship of OPN and CD44v6 was coordinative with development and metastasis of lung cancer. It might be helpful to predict the metastasis and prognosis of NSCLC.

OBJECTIVETo assess the effect of tetrandrine (Tet) pulmonary targeting microspheres on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and evaluate its selective action on pulmonary circulation.

METHODSTwenty rats were exposed to hypoxic conditions for 3 weeks. Ten rats were used as normoxic controls. We administered Tet pulmonary targeting microspheres to 10 hypoxic rats and Tet aqueous solution to 10 hypoxic rats and the 10 control rats. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) was measured by a right cardiac catheterization, and mean systemic blood pressure (mSBP) was measured by left femoral catheterization.

RESULTSRats exposed to hypoxia developed pulmonary hypertension. The decrease in mPAP in rats treated with Tet pulmonary targeting microspheres was significantly greater than that in rats receiving Tet aqueous solution (P < 0.05), and the effects were longer with Tet pulmonary targeting microspheres. Moreover, Tet pulmonary targeting microspheres, unlike Tet aqueous solution, did not decrease mSBP.

CONCLUSIONTet pulmonary targeting microspheres were more effective than Tet aqueous solution treating hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and acted selectively on the pulmonary circulation.

Alkaloids ; administration & dosage ; Animals ; Benzylisoquinolines ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; drug therapy ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Lung ; drug effects ; Male ; Microspheres ; Pulmonary Artery ; drug effects ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein NS(3) (HCV NS3) on telomerase activity and carcinogenesis.

METHODSStreptavidin-peroxidase (SP) conjugated method was used to detect the expression of HCV NS(3) protein in NIH3T3 cells transfected with plasmid pRcHCNS(3)-5' and pRcHCNS(3)-3'. Telomerase activity was detected by an in situ telomerase activity labeling method, telomeric repeat amplification protocol polymerase chain reaction (TRAP-PCR) and telomerase PCR enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technology in the transfected and non-transfected NIH3T3 cells.

RESULTSHCV NS(3) protein was expressed in the NIH3T3 cells transfected with plasmid pRcHCNS(3)-5' expressing HCV NS(3) C-terminal deleted protein or with plasmid pRcHCNS(3)-3' expressing HCV NS(3) N-terminal deleted protein. The positive signal of HCV NS(3) protein was localized in the cytoplasm of NIH3T3 cells, and the signal intensity of the former was stronger. Telomerase activity in NIH3T3 cells transfected with plasmid pRcHCNS(3)-5' was stronger than that in NIH3T3 cells transfected with plasmid pRcHCNS(3)-3' (P < 0.01), whereas telomerase activity in NIH3T3 cells transfected with plasmid pRcCMV or untreated NIH3T3 cells was weaker than that in NIH3T3 cells transfected with plasmid pRcHCNS(3)-3' (P < 0.05). The expression level of HCV NS(3) protein was significantly correlated with the strength of telomerase activity (P < 0.05). The results obtained by in situ telomerase activity labeling corresponded to the results by telomerase PCR ELISA technology.

CONCLUSIONSHCV NS(3) protein may activate telomerase through endogenous mechanism to induce host cell transformation. The effect of HCV NS(3) C-terminal deleted protein on telomerase activity in the host cell may be stronger than that of HCV NS(3) N-terminal deleted protein. In situ telomerase activity labeling was a reliable technology for studying pathological morphology and telomerase activity in tissues and cells.

3T3 Cells ; Animals ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; methods ; Mice ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Telomerase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins ; genetics ; physiology