ObjectiveTo determine the protein and mRNA expression levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and proportions of Th17 cells in peripheral blood of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD),and to analyze their clinical significance.MethodsVenous blood samples were obtained from 63 patients with AD and 30 normal human controls.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was performed to measure the plasma level of IL-17 protein,real time fluorescence reverse transcription (RT)-PCR to detect the mRNA expression level of IL-17 in peripheral blood,flow cytometry to determine the percentage of Th17 cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs).Spearman's rank correlation analysis was performed to assess the relationship of peripheral blood Th17 cell percentage and IL-17 levels with disease severity in patients with AD.Results The percentage of Th17 cells in PBMCs was 1.83％ ± 0.47％ in patients with acute AD,significantly higher than that in normal human controls (0.85％ ± 0.45％,t =4.128,P ＜ 0.01 ) and in patients with chronic AD ( 1.12％ ± 0.69％,t =2.439,P ＜ 0.05).There was a significant increase in the plasma level (98.37 vs.63.75 ng/L,U =168,P ＜ 0.05) and mRNA expression level of IL-17 in peripheral blood in patients with AD compared with normal controls.Both the Th17 cell percentage and plasma IL-17 level were positively correlated with eczema area and severity index(EASI) score in patients with AD (r =0.681,P ＜ 0.01;r =0.427,P ＜ 0.05).ConclusionsThere is an elevated proportion of Th17 cells and an abnormal expression of IL-17 protein and mRNA in peripheral blood from patients with acute AD,which are positively correlated with disease severity,implicating the possible roles of IL-17 and Th17 cells in the pathogenesis of AD.

Objective To evaluate the biological effect of endothelin (ET) antagonist on cultured B16 murine melanoma cells. Methods B16 murine melanoma cells were cultured in the presence of various concentrations (31.25, 62.5, 125, 250, 500 μg/mL) of ET antagonist or licoflavone. Then, melanoma cells were harvested for the detection of tyrosinase activity and melanin content. The proliferation rate of melanoma cells was measured with MTT method. The effect of ET antagonist was compared with that of licoflavone. Results Licoflavone had a concentration-dependent inhibition on melanogenesis. The ET antagonist selectively suppressed the ET-induced stimulation of tyrosinase and cell differentiation of B16 cells, but had no direct inhibitory effect on melanogenesis in culture, and little influence on melanocyte viability. The addition of ET antagonist at 200 μg/mL could significantly inhibit ET (0.5 μg/mL)-induced melanogenesis in Bl6 cells. The cytotoxity of the antagonist was relatively lower than that of licoflavone. Conclusions The results suggest that the ET antagonist is a safe skin-whitening ingredient, and may have a wide application perspective in the prevention of endothelin-induced skin pigmentation after UVB irradiation.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of different types of rosacea,and to evaluate its benefit by comparing its efficacy with 10％ sodium sulfacetamide and 5％ sulfur emollient foam.Methods Forty-three subjects with rosacea were enrolled in this study.They were randomized to be treated with PDT (twenty-three subjects) or 10％ sodium sulfacetamide and 5％ sulfur emollient foam (twenty subjects).PDT group subjects received PDT once every seven to ten days for three times while the 10％ sodium sulfacetamide or 5％sulfur emollient foam was applied 2 times per day for thirty days in the other group.Digital photographs were taken before and after one month of treatment in both groups.Blinded independent physicians graded improvement based on these photographs utilizing a percentile evaluation scale.A more than sixty percent remission proved the treatment to be effective.All the complications occurred during the therapy were taken notes and their severity was classified by the subjects.Two dermatology life quality index forms were completed before and after treatment by the subjects to evaluate the change in terms of their quality of life.Results After one month of treatment,PDT proved to be effective on sixty-five percent of subjects (seventy-one percent on papulopustular rosacea and fifty percent on erythematotelangiectatic rosacea).The emollient foam proved to be effective on thirty-five percent of subjects.Statistically significant difference was observed between the overall effective rate of PDT and emollient foam (P＜0.05).In addition,a greater improvement in terms of the quality of life was experienced by the PDT group subjects.No irreversible adverse event was observed in both groups during the study.Conclusions PDT proves to be an effective and safe treatment for rosacea with satisfactory efficacy,significant improvement in patients' quality of life and few irreversible side effects.

Objective To prepare a novel monoclonal antibody (mAb) that specifically against Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture filtrate protein 10 (CFP-10).Methods The BALB/c mice were immunized by a peptide with 14 amino acids (aa residues 53 to 66) of CFP-10,and then the splenocytes of mice were fused with myeloma cell line SP2/0.The resultant fused cells were subjected to screening culture,enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay and subcloning by limited dilution to establish hybridoma cell lines of stable secreting anti-the peptide of CFP-10 antibody.The antibody was purified,and its isotypes were analyzed.Then,the antibody was further evaluated by Western blotting,immunoprecipitation and ELISA in 38 culture supernatant samples of Mycobacterium tuberculosis,20 culture supernatant samples of non-Mycobacterium tuberculosis,32 samples of tuberculous pleural effusion,24 samples of non-tuberculous pleural effusion,and 20 serum samples from healthy controls.Results The isotype of the mAb against the specific peptide of CFP-10 was an IgG1 with κ chain,and it was applicable for Western blotting and immunoprecipitation analysis.ELISA quantitative test showed that the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were 78.6％ (55/70) and 92.2％ (59/64),respectively.Conclusion The mAb generated against the specific peptide of CFP-10 is high in sensitivity and specificity,and it might be used in the early diagnosis of tuberculosis.

Objective To construct an electrochemical immunosensor for ultrasensitive determination of myeloperoxidase (MPO) .Methods The electrochemical immunosensor for M PO was prepared by modifying the electrode using Au-graphitized me-soporous carbon nanoparticles(AuNPs@ GMCs) hybrid and immobilizing MPO antibodies onto the glass carbon electrode surface . The effect of experimental parameters on the immunosensor and results comparison with ELISA were investigated .Results The immunosensor was sensitive to M PO with a linear relationship between 2 .000 and 300 .000 ng/mL and a correlation coefficient of 0 .999 ;the detection limit was 0 .5 ng/mL .The correlation coefficient of two methods was 0 .983 .Conclusion The immunosensor can be used for ultrasensitive detection of MPO .

Objective To study the value and effectiveness of surgical management and mapping in supratentorial tumoral complicated with epilepsy and to study the correlations between tumor and the epileptogenic focus.Methods The clinical data of 121 patients with supratentorial cerebral tumor but epilepsy as initial symptom were retrospectively analyzed for the incidence of pre-and postoperative epileptic seizures,including grade Ⅰ glioma in 1 5 cases and grade Ⅱ glioma in 35 cases,grade Ⅲ-Ⅳglioma in 12 cases,menigoma in 32 cases,metastases in 10 cases,cavernous angiomas in 15 cases,and ependymomas in 2 cases.Results Surgery based on CT/MRI,seizure type and EEG changes was conducted.There was no death in operation.The highest incidence was in frontal lobe and the lowest in occipital lobe.Correlations between localization of tumor and the epileptogenic focus:there were 50 cases in the same location,near or beside tumors in 28 cases,far separate apart(＞2 cm)from tumors in 25 cases,no relationship was found in 18 cases.103 patients were followed up for one to nine years.31 patients had a few seizures in the early postoperative period.Epileptic seizures were cured without anti-epilepsy drugs in 83 cases.Conclusion There are some differences between tumors'location and epileptogenic focus in supratentorial tumoral epilepsy.The location and size of epileptogenic zone should be detected before and during operation.The resection of the tumor combined with the resection of the epileptogenic zone"epilepsy surgery"can provide good results.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the outcomes, survival status, and the prognostic factors of Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (EBV-HLH) patients.

METHODSA retrospective study was carried out to analyze the clinical data of 61 EBV-HLH cases, from January 2008 to July 2014. Prognostic factors were analyzed through COX model (single factor and multiple factors).

RESULTSA total of 246 patients with HLH were diagnosed, among which 102 cases were with EBV infection (including 61 EBV-HLH, 36 lymphoma associated HLH, 5 primary HLH. Among the 61 cases, 40 were male and 21 were female, with a ration of 1.9:1. The median age was 28 years (range, 12-78). 1, 3, 6 and 12-month overall survival rates of 61 EBV-HLH were 65.6%, 47.5%, 32.4%, and 25.0%, respectively. The median follow-up time was 3 (0.5-28) months. 12 patients didn't use etoposide within 4 weeks after diagnosis, while HLH-94 protocol was used in 33 patients and HLH-2004 protocol was used in 16 patients. Response rates of theses three groups were 33.3%, 51.5%, and 43.8%, respectively (P=0.401). There was statistically difference between the group without etoposide and the HLH-94/ HLH-2004 group in the overall survival rate (P=0.033). Serum albumin level (P=0.033) and whether EBV could became negative (P=0.010) were independent predictors for EBV-HLH.

CONCLUSIONEBV-HLH patients have severe clinical feature and poor prognosis. Early application of immune chemotherapy based on etoposide can improve survival. Serum albumin level and whether EBV can become negative are independent prognostic factors for survival.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Etoposide ; Female ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical manifestations, laboratory data, therapy, and prognosis in patients with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH).

METHODSA retrospective study was carried out in 192 adult patients with HLH between 2003 and 2013.

RESULTSOf the 192 cases, 70 cases were secondary to cancer and 64 cases secondary to infection. According to HLH-2004 criteria, the coincidence rate of indices were: fever (98.96%), high level of serum ferritin (94.27%), increased level of soluble interleukin- 2 receptor(sCD25) (94.79%), decreased or absent activity of NK cells (94.27%), cytopenias (80.73%), splenomegaly (80.21%), emophagocytosis in bone marrow, spleen or lymph nodes (74.48%), hypofibrinogenemia (50.52%), hypertriglyceridemia (37.50%). In addition, 94.27% of patients were presented with liver dysfunction, 96.35% with infections, and 75.52% with coagulopathy. Incidences of central nervous system symptoms and rash were 19.27% and 20.31%, respectively. Among cancer, infection and rheumatic group, there were statistically differences on white blood cells (WBC), platelet (PLT), sCD25, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin and globulin(GLO) (P<0.05). The differences of WBC, PLT, albumin (ALB), GLO, brain natriuretic peptide, creatinine, urea nitrogen between survival group and death group had statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONThe secondary HLH occurs from various underlined diseases. Cancer, especially T- cell lymphoma, is the main cause, Secondly, it is EB virus infection. The diagnostic sensitive indicators are Persistent fever, higher level of serum ferritin, low or absent NK-cell activity, and increased sCD25 were the most valuable parameters for diagnosis. Cytopenias were not common in early phase of HLH secondary to rheumatic diseases. WBC, PLT, ALB, GLO could be used as the preliminary parameters for diagnosis. Cardiac insufficiency, renal insufficiency and coagulation dysfunction play important roles in prognosis.

Adult ; Bone Marrow ; Fever ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies