Objective To investigate the effect of EPO on T lymphocyte subgroup and cytokine in hemodialysis patients. Methods Thirty-two cases of patients underwent long-term hemodialysis were as experimental group, and 20 healthy subjects were as control group. The levels of CD 3, CD 4, CD 8 and CD 4/CD 8 were examined by flow cytometry in the both groups before and 3 months after EPO treatment, and the levels of SIL-2R, IL-6 and TNF? were detected by ELISA. Results CD 4 level significantly increased 3 months after EPO treatment (P

Objective To investigate expression of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) in the kidney of patients with type 2 diabetic mellitus(DM) as well as its clinical significance.Methods Fourty cases with DM were divided into three groups: normal albuminuric group(200 ?g/min,n=12).The urinary excretion rates of CTGF were determined by ELISA in all the cases and 30 subjects of control.Twenty cases of them received renal biopsy.Expression of CTGF in kidney among different groups were detected by immunohistochemical stainning.Results Expression of CTGF in kidney elevated significantly in DM as compared with group of normal control.At the same time the excretion rates of CTGF in DM groups were markedly higher than that in control(P

Objective To investigate the regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 expression and mechanism of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor Celecoxib suppressing tubulointerstitial fibrosis of rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO) model. Methods The UUO models were induced by ligating the left ureter. Rats were randomly divided into bulofen group (group B), Celecoxib group (group R), model group (group C) and sham operation group (group S). Rats in group B were given bulofen 300mg?Kg~ -1?d~ -1, and in group R were given Celecoxib 10mg?Kg~ -1?d~ -1 by gastric gavage from 24 h before the obstruction to 14 days after the induction. Rats were sacrificed at 3d, 6d and 14d in batch after the UUO models were induced. The mRNA expressions of cyclooxygenase-1(COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2), transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-?1), and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) were detected by RT-PCR. The protein expressions of TGF-?1, CTGF and ?-SMA were detected using immunohistochemistry and the content of cAMP was determined by radioimmuno-assay. Results Compared with group S, the mRNA expressions of COX-2, TGF-?1 and CTGF in group C increased markedly after UUO treatment, and the content of cAMP decreased. It showed no significant difference in the mRNA expressions of TGF-?1, CTGF and the content of cAMP for the Bulofen treatment in the UUO model. With the Celecoxib treatment, there was no significant difference on the mRNA expression of TGF-?1, but the content of cAMP increased and the expression of CTGF decreased. Conclusion The COX-2 plays an important role in lesion of tubulointerstitial. Selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor can partially up-regulate the content of cAMP and down-regulate the expression of CTGF, the downstream factor of TGF-?1, which may postpone the renal interstitial fibrosis.

Objective To explore whether or not the function of atragalus membranaceus combined fosinopril on decreasing NF- κB activity and OPN expression in overload albumin stimulating proximal tubuler cells. Methods Cultured cells without stimulation were used as placebo. Cultured cells were incubated with bovine serum albumin fat acid free (BSA) 20mg/ml as the control. Cultured cells were incubated with fosinopril for different hours as the treatment. Cultured cells were incubated with atragalus membranaceus combined fosinopril for different hours as the atragalus membranaceus group. ELISA and RT-PCR were used to observe NF -κB activity and OPN expression after cultured for 12h, 24h. Result Atragalus membranaceus combined fosinopril rapidly decreased NFκB activity and OPN expression. Compared with the other groups, the difference was significant. Conclusion Astragalus membranaceus combined fosinopril can obviously decrease NFκB activity and OPN expression in overload albumine stimulating proximal tubular cells.

Objective To explore the effects of fluvastatin on NF-?B activity and osteopontin(OPN) mRNA expression in albumin-induced renal tubular epithelial cells.Methods The renal tubular epithelial cells were cultured with 30 mg/ml fat free bovine serum albumin(BSA) as the control group.The renal tubular epithelial cells in the treatment group were cultured with different concentrations of fluvastatin for different hours.EMSA and RT-PCR were used to observe NF-?B activity and OPNmRNA expression.Results Fluvastatin can inhibit the NF-?B activity and OPNmRNA expression in a time and dose dependent manner.Conclusion Fluvastatin can inhibit NF-?B activity and OPNmRNA expression in albumin induced tubular epithelial cells.

Objective To study the molecular mechanism of the apoptosis in rat tubular epithelial cells induced by albumin in vitro.Methods The cultured rat renal tubular epithelial cells were incubated with 20 mg/ml delipidated and endotoxin-free bovine serum albumin(BSA) for 2,6,12 and 24 h respectively.The NF-?B activity was assessed by electrophonetic mobility shift assay(EMSA) and the osteopontin(OPN) mRNA expression was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).The cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry.Results The rate of apoptosis was increased when the cultured rat renal tubular epithelial cells were incubated with 20 mg/ml BSA for 2,6,12 and 24 h respectively.The NF-?B activity and expression of OPN were up-regulated in the cultured rat renal tubular epithelial cells with the treatment of BSA,with significant difference compared with those of the control group(P

Objective To examine whether the increase of carbon monoxide (CO) induced by oral methylene chloride (MC) administration in recipients before heart transplantation would protect heart grafts against isehemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury associated with transplantation and to explore the possible mechanism.Methods Inbred male Balb/c mice were used as donors and recipients to establish cervical heart transplantation model Recipients were treated with either MC (100 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg,per os)(group MC 100 mg,n=10;group MC 500 mg,n=12) or olive oil(0.15 ml,per os.group olive,n=10) 3 h prior to anesthesia.Age-matched norwlal mice served as controls (group N,n=5).The serum COHb and the CO content of myocardial tissue were measured at 0,1,3,6,12,24 h after oral MC administration.Half of recipients were killed at 3 and 24h after transplantation for senum or cardiac graft samples.The serum cTnI levels,the mRNA levels of TNF-α,IL-10,Bcl-2,Bax.the protein levels of NF-κB and the ultrastructures of myocardium were examined.Results As tompared with group olive.the serum COHb and tissue CO were increased significantly and peaked within 3 h in group MC 100 mg and group MC 500 mg.The serum cTnI levels in group MC 100 mg and group MC 500 mg were significantly decreased (P<0. 01 ), especially in group MC 500 mg. The increase of CO in recipients of group MC100 mg and group MC 500 mg significantly inhibited the proinflammatory gene expression of TNF-α mRNA and the pro-apoptotic gene expression of Bax mRNA (P<0. 01), and increased the anti-apoptotic gene expression of Bcl-2 mRNA (P<0. 01), but did not increase the anti-inflammatory gene expression of IL-10 mRNA (P>0. 05) in the heart grafts. As compared with group N, the myocardial NF-κB activation was increased significantly in group olive,group MC 100 mg and group MC 500 mg (P<0. 01 ), but there was no significant difference among the later three groups (P>0. 05). The myocardial ultrastructure was also alleviated significantly in group MC 100 mg and group MC 500 mg as compared with group N. Conclusion The increase of CO induced by MC in recipients suppresses pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic gene expression and efficiently ameliorates transplant-induced heart I/R injury. The possible mechanism does not seem to be associated with down-regulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of upper limb lymph node conservation in axillary lymph node dissection(ALND)for early breast cancer patients.Methods This study involved 52 patients.Before ALND,they were,injected 5 ml of methylene blue subcutaneouly in ipsilateral upper limb for upper limb lymphatic mapping.Level II lymph nodes and upper limb lymph nodes were respectively separated from axillary lymph nodes during operation.Level II lymph nodes were given intraoperative imprint cytology and frozen section.All lymph nodes were given routine pathological examination after operation.Results Of the 52 patients,50 cases showed blue stained lymphatic vessels or lymph nodes in the axillary region.The rate of blue dye under naked eyes was 96.2%(50/52).The postoperative pathological examination showed there were 31 cases of axillary lymph nodes metastasis in patients with blue stained lymph nodes.There was 1 case with metastasis to level II lymph nodes only(2.0%)and 30 cases with metastasis to level I lymph nodes(60.0%).There were 10 cases with metastasis to both level II and level I lymph nodes(22.0%).There were 3 cases with metastasis to both level II and upper limb lymph nodes.3 patients with metastasis to upper limb lymph nodes all had metastasis to level II lymph nodes.For cases with metastasis to level I lymph nodes only,pathological examination showed there was no metastasis to the blue stained lymph nodes removed from the axillary region.For the ll cases with metastasis to level II lymph nodes,8 cases were successfully detected by intraoperative imprint cytology,9 cases were detected by frozen section and 10 were detected by the combination of imprint cytology and frozen section.Comparing the combining method(intraoperative imprint cytology and frozen section)and postoperative routine pathological examination,the concordant rate was 98.0%(49/50).Conclusions Subcutaneous methylene blue injection in ipsilateral upper limb call effectively map lymph nodes of upper limb in the axillary region.The upper limb lymph-node-conserving surgery in ALND can be performed if the patients don't have level II lymph node metastasis identified by intraop erative rapid pathological examination.

To develop a more efficient antithrombotic way after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), the anticoagulant effects were compared of human tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) gene transfection and aspirin oral administration (traditional method) on vein grafts. An eukaryotic expression plasmid pCMV-(Kozak) TFPI was prepared. Animal model of carotid artery bypass grafting was constructed. In operation, endothelial cells of vein grafts in TFPI group and empty plasmid control group were transfected with pCMV-(Kozak) TFPI and empty plasmid pCMV respectively, while no transfection was conducted in aspirin control group. After operation, aspirin (2 mg·kg-1·d-1) was administered (I.g.) in aspirin control group. Three days later, grafts (n=10) were harvested for RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemical analyses of exogenous gone expression and for pathological, scanning electron microscopic observation of thrombus. Thirty days later, the patency rates of remnant grafts (n=10) were recorded by vessel Doppler ultrasonography. Human TFPI gene products were detected in gene transferred vein grafts. Three days later, thrombi were found in 7 animals of aspirin control group and in 8 animals of empty plasmid control group, but in only 1 of TFPI group (P<0.01). Thirty days later, 5 grafts were occluded in empty plasmid control group, but none of grafts was occluded in the other groups (P<0.05). The endothelial surfaces of grafts in both of the control groups were covered with aggregated erythrocytes and platelets, and it were not seen in TFPI group. R was suggested that the anticoagulant effects on vein grafts of human TFPI gene trans- fection are better than those of aspirin.