Objective To estblish a HPLC method for content determination of ferulic acid in compound prescribe Motherwort Herb capusle. Method The column ZORBAXSB-C18 was used with Acetonitrile-0.2% phosphoric acid aqueous solution (12∶88) as mobile phase, and detective wavelength was 274 nm, the flow rate was 1.0 mL/min. Result Within the range of 0.8～13 ?g, ferulic acid presented a fine linear relationship (r =0.999 99, n =6). The average recovery was 103.0% (RSD=0.4%, n=5). Conclusion The method is suitable, accuracy is high and reproducibility is good, recovery is high, and can control the quality of compound prescribe Motherwort Herb capusle.

Objective To establish a HPLC method for determination of Peoniflorin in Zhongzi Sanda Pill.Method Kromasil-C18 column(5 ?m,4.6 mm?250 mm) was used.Mobile phase was methanol-water(30:70).The detective wavelength was at 230 nm.The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min.Results There was a good linear relationship between the injection amount 0.11～2.14 ?g and a good peak form for Peoniflorin in Zhongzi Sanda Pill.The average recovery rate was 98.2%(RSD=1.72%,n =6).Conclusion This method is convenient,effective and accurate for the quality control of Peoniflorin in Zhongzi Sanda Pill.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the changes of retinoic acid related orphan receptor-γt( ROR-γt),interleukin( IL)-17 A and forkhead / winged helix protein 3( Foxp3) mRNA expression and promoter methylation in the process of asthma induced by toluene-diisocyanate( TDI). METHODS: Specific pathogens free grade healthy male BALB / c mice were randomly assigned into asthma group and control group with 18 animals in each group. In the asthma group,the mice were sensitized with 0. 30% TDI( mass-volume concentration) dropped on the dorsum of both ears( 20 μL / ear) on day 1 and day 8. On day 15,the mice were challenged with 20 μL 0. 01% TDI( mass-volume concentration) by the trachea. The control group mice were sensitized and challenged by the same procedures with the same amount of solvent( acetone / olive oil). The mice were challenged 24 hours,the pathological changes of trachea and lung tissues were observed. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid( BALF) from each group was collected,and the inflammatory cells in BALF were counted and classified. IL-4and Interferon-γ( IFN-γ) levels in BALF supernatant were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ROR-γt,IL-17 A and Foxp3 mRNA expression in the lung tissue were measured by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymease chain reaction. The degree of ROR-γt,IL-17 A and Foxp3 promoter methylation in lung issue were detected by Mass Array system.RESULTS: The asthmatic group demonstrated the symptoms of acute asthma,such as breathing deeply and fastly,bowing the back,lifting the forelimbs,et al. But the control group had no such symptoms in mice. Hematoxylin-Eosin staining showed obvious inflammatory lesions in the trachea and lung tissue of asthmatic mice. Compared with the control group,the white blood cell count,the neutrophil and eosinophil percentages in BALF,the IL-4,IFN-γ levels in BALF supernatant in asthma group were all significantly increased( P < 0. 01),meanwhile the lymphocyte and monocyte percentages in BALF were reduced( P < 0. 01); ROR-γt mRNA expression was significantly increased( P < 0. 01),and the degree of promoter methylation from sites 3,4,5,6,8,11 and 12 was significantly reduced( P < 0. 05); IL-17 A mRNA expression was significantly increased( P < 0. 01),and the degree of promoter methylation from sites 6 and 7 was significantly reduced( P < 0. 01); Foxp3 mRNA expression was significantly reduced( P < 0. 01),and the degree of promoter methylation from sites 1 and 10 was significantly increased( P < 0. 01). CONCLUSION: Th17 / Treg cell immune imbalance occurs in asthma induced by TDI. ROR-γt,IL-17 A and Foxp3 gene promoter methylation abnormalities may be involved in Th17 / Treg cell immune imbalance.

Objective: To explore the changes in the autophagy marker microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and yeast autophagy-related gene 6 (Beclin1) in rat lungs exposed to free silica (SiO₂) dust for different periods. Methods: A total of 72 male specific pathogen-free Wistar rats were randomly divided into solvent control group and SiO₂ model group. The SiO₂ model group received one-time non-exposed intratracheal instillation of suspension of SiO₂ particles to establish a model of silicosis. The solvent control group received an equal amount of saline. Six rats each were sacrificed at 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 60 days after model establishment. The pathological changes and fibrosis of rat lungs at different time points were evaluated by H&E staining and Masson staining, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) , interleukin-1 (IL-1) , and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in lung tissue homogenate. Western blot was used to determine the relative expression levels of LC3 and Beclin1 in the lung tissue. Results: The results of H&E staining showed that the model group had continuous inflammation in the lung tissue from day 1 to day 60, and the inflammatory scores were significantly higher in the model group than in the control group (P<0.05) . The results of Masson staining showed that rats in the model group had a small amount of collagen fibers in the lung tissue on day 14 and a large amount of collagen fibers on day 60. The fibrosis score was significantly higher in the model group than in the control group (P<0.05) . No collagen fibrosis was observed in the lung tissue in the control group. The results of ELISA showed that the model group had significantly higher levels of IL-1, TNF-α, and TGF-β in lung tissue homogenate than the control group at each time point after exposure (P<0.05) . The results of Western blot showed that the model group had decreased expression of Beclin1 protein in the lung tissue on days 7, 14, 21, 28, and 60, which was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05) . The model group also had a decreased ratio of LC3II/LC3I on days 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 60, which were significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05) . Conclusion In the rat model of silicosis induced by free SiO₂ dust, the expression levels of autophagy-related proteins, LC3 and Beclin1, are correlated with different stages of silicosis. In the early stage of silicosis, the lung tissue has inflammation, substantially increased ratio of LC3II/LC3I and expression of Beclin1, and active autophagy. With the progression of silicosis, the ratio of LC3II/LC3I and expression level of Beclin1 gradually decrease and autophagy becomes weak.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway on apoptosis induced by chloroacetic acid in human normal bronchial epithelial 16HBE cells. Methods: 16HBE cells were exposed to 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 mmol/L chloroacetic acid for 24 h in vitro. The cytotoxicity induced by chloroacetic acid was assessed by CCK-8 and LDH assays. Cell apoptosis was detected by Annexin V-FITC and PI staining. The protein expression levels of phosphorylation of p38, ERK1/2 and JNK were determined by western blotting. 16HBE cells were pretreated with MAPK signaling pathway specific inhibitors including SB203580, U0126 and SP600125 for 1 h, and these cells were subsequently treated with 2.5 mmol/L chloroacetic acid for 24 h. The expressions of p-p38, p-ERK1/2 and p-JNK as well as the changes of cell viability and apoptosis were measured after pretreated with inhibitors for 1 h. Results: The cell viability by CCK-8 and LDH methods gradually reduced in a dose-dependent manner when chloroacetic acid concentrations elevated (P<0.05) , and their correlation coefficients were -0.902 and -0.825, respectively. The detection efficiency of CCK-8 assay significantly increased compared with LDH assay (P<0.05) . The cell apoptosis rates, which were (17.2±4.0) %, (24.6± 4.2) %, (39.3 ± 5.7) % in 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 mmol/L chloroacetic acid-treated groups, were higher than that of the control group[ (5.6 ± 3.0) %] (P<0.05) . There was a time-or dose-dependent change in the protein expressions of p-p38, p-ERK1/2 and p-JNK. Compared with the control, the levels of p-p38 had 2.1 and 2.6-fold increases in 16 and 24 h treated groups (P<0.01) , while the levels of p-ERK1/2 distinctly decreased by 37% and 52% (P<0.01) . In comparison with the control group, the expressions of p-p38 had 1.9 and 2.6-fold increases in 1.5 and 2.5 mmol/L treatment groups (P<0.01) , whereas the expressions of p-ERK1/2 significantly decreased by 40% and 50% (P<0.01) . No significant change was observed in p-JNK protein expression between the chloroacetic acid-treated and control groups. In comparison with the vehicle control and the exposed group, p-p38, p-ERK1/2, p-JNK protein expressions significantly declined in the inhibitor controls and inhibitor groups. Compared with the controls, the cell survival rates had significant reductions of 28%, 18%, 36% and 26% respectively in chloroacetic acid treated group, SB203580 group, U0126 group and SP600125 group, and the apoptosis rates in the abovementioned groups were 7, 4, 8 and 7 times. Compared with chloroacetic acid-treated group, the cell viability increased by 14% in SB203580 group and decreased by 11% in U0126 group, and the cell apoptosis rates decreased by 36% in SB203580 group and increased by 18% in U0126 group (P<0.05) . But no significant changes were observed in cell viability and apoptosis between SP600125 and chloroacetic acid-treated group. Conclusion Chloroacetic acid might activate p38 MAPK signaling pathway and inhibit ERK1/2 MAPK signaling pathway. The signaling pathways of p38 and ERK1/2 MAPK are involved in 16HBE cell apoptosis induced by chloroacetic acid, but JNK is not involved in chloroacetic acid-induced 16HBE cell apoptosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of toluene diisocyanate(TDI) on the activation of autophagy and expression of inflammatory cytokines interleukin(IL)-4 and IL-6 in normal human bronchial epithelial cells(16 HBE). METHODS: i) We prepared TDI-human serum albumin(HSA) and determined the mass concentration of TDI in TDI-HSA. ii) The cells were treated with TDI-HSA and HSA at concentrations of 0.00-400.00 mg/L for 12 hours. CCK-8 assay was used to determinate the cell viability, and TDI-HSA and HSA doses were selected for subsequent experiments. iii) The cells were treated with TDI-HSA and HSA at doses of 0.00-120.00 mg/L for 12 hours, and the levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS) in the cells were detected by flow cytometry. The levels of IL-4 and IL-6 in the cell supernatant were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. iv) The cells were treated with TDI-HSA at doses of 0.00-120.00 mg/L for 12 hours, and the autophagy activity was observed under transmission electron microscope. Western blot was utilized to detect the expression of Beclin1, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain(LC3β) and P62. RESULTS: i) The mass concentrations of TDI in 40.00, 80.00 and 120.00 mg/L TDI-HSA groups were 0.44, 0.89 and 1.33 mg/L respectively. ii) The results of CCK-8 showed that TDI-HSA and HSA at doses below 120.00 mg/L did not affect cell viability, and 0.00-120.00 mg/L was selected as the TDI-HSA and HSA treatment doses for subsequent experiments. iii) The level of ROS in cells and the levels of IL-4 and IL-6 in the supernatant of 16 HBE cells in the TDI-HSA group at 40.00, 80.00, and 120.00 mg/L were higher than that in HSA group at the same dose(P<0.01). The level of ROS in cells and the levels of IL-4 and IL-6 in the supernatant of 16 HBE cells increased with the increase of TDI-HSA doses(P<0.01). iv) Transmission electron microscopy showed that the number of autophagic lysosomes in 16 HBE cells increased significantly, and the number of mitochondrial vacuoles increased in 40.00, 80.00, 120.00 mg/L TDI-HSA group compared with 0.00 mg/L group. With the increase of TDI-HSA dose, the relative expression of Beclin1 protein and LC3β-Ⅱ/Ⅰ ratio in 16 HBE cell supernatant increased(P<0.05), and the relative expression of P62 protein decreased(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: TDI-HSA induces increased expression of ROS and inflammatory factors and induces autophagy activation in 16 HBE cells. Autophagy may be an important factor for the development of airway inflammation in TDI-induced occupational asthma.