AIM: To explore the mechanism of the therapeutic effect of hypobaric hypoxia on allergic asthmas guinea pigs. METHODS：After the model of asthma was established with ovalbumin(OA) challenge in OA sensitized guinea pigs, the animals were randomized into the asthmas group(AG), the alleviative group(ALG) and hypobaric hypoxia treated group(HHTG). The levels of plasma cortisol and endothelin(ET), ET in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) were determined by radioimmunoassay. The pulmonary pathological changes were observed with optical microscope. RESULTS:(1) Infiltration of eosinophils (EOS) in alveolar septum was found in AG and ALG, while it was reduced in HHTG. (2) The level of plasma cortisol was significantly higher in AG than in normal control group(NCG) (P＜0.01).But it was significantly lower in ALG than in NCG(P＜0.01), there was no difference in plasma cortisol level between HHTG and NCG. (3) The content of ET in plasma was significantly higher in ALG than that in NCG, AG and HHTG(P＜0.01), and ET level in BALF was significantly higher in AG than that in NCG, ALG and HHTG(P＜0.05),however, no significant difference was found among the latter three groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: After the treatment with hypobaric hypoxia, the ET levels of the plasma and BALF were decreaced and the content of plasma cortisol was increaced, and infiltration of EOS in alveolar septum was decreaced in asthmatic guinea pigs.That may be one of the mechanisms by which hypobavic hypoxia prevents and cures asthma.

Serum vitamin A level was determined in 75 healthy primiparae and their neonates and the correlation of serum vitamin A level with the levels of hemoglobin,ferrum rotein,feritin and zinc was analyzed.The serum vitamin A level was 3.06?1.03/imol/L in the mothers and 2.74?1.0?mol/L in the neonates,and it was higher when determined in summer than when determined in autumn but the difference was of no statistical significance.The rate of subclinical vitamin A deficiency was 27 % and 45.3% in the mothers and the neonates respectively.Serum vitamin lev- el was positively correlated with the levels of hemoglobin,ferrum and zinc(P

Objective To investigate the ultrastructural changes of hippocampus in the guinea pigs with chronic asthma and the effects of hypoxia treatment on the hippocampal ultrastructures. Methods The replicated animal model of chronic asthma was divided into hypoxia(low pressure chamber) treatment group, normal pressure hypoxia inhaling treatment group, non treatment group and control group. The ultrastructural changes of hippocampus were observed with electron microscope. Results Expanded rough endoplasmic reticulum, ruptured cloudy mitochondrion carina, decreased synaptic vesicles and swollen postsynaptic membrane, proliferation of astrocytes and microglia proliferated, swelling of cytoplasm, vacuolation, broadened milieu interspace of blood vessels, swelling of cloudy basement membrane with constricted duct cava were found. After hypoxia, clear neuron nucleoli, plenty organells, slightly expanded rough endoplasmic reticulum, fairly plenty synaptic vesicles, more dense post synaptic membrane and slightly broadened synaptic space were also found. No apparent pathologic changes were found in glial cells and the blood vessels. Conclusion Recurrent chronic asthma may result in the ultrastructural changes of hippocampus due to hypoxia. Treatment with low pressure hypoxia and normal pressure hypoxia may be helpful to the improvement of ultrastructural injury of hippocampus due to asthma.

Objective To investigate the effects of the new drug Nordy on malignant glioma cells induced tubule-like structure formation of endothelial cells in a three dimensional culture system with collagen coating.Methods The endothelial cells were divided into three groups.Group A were cultured on the DMEM media coated with collagen;group B were cultured in 2:1(V/V) DMEM to the supernatant of malignant glioma cell culture;group C,based on the group B,were added with Nordy of different concentrations.The cell cycle and apoptosis of ECV304 cells were determined and the process of tubular formation were observed.Moreover,the parameters such as the forming curves,outer and inner diameter,wall thickness and length of the tubules were measured and compared between groups B and C.Results The cell cycle of endothelial cells were restrained,and some cells were induced to apoptosis.The tubule-like structure formation was inhibited,and the tubules in group B appeared earlier,larger in diameter and longer in length than group C.Conclusion The tubular formation induced by malignant glioma cells could be restrained by the new drug Nordy.

Objective To explore the effect of protease-activated receptor 1(PAR-1) activation on the expression of CXCR4 mR-NA of mouse endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and proliferation ,migration of EPCs .Methods Mouse EPCs were activated by different concentration of SFLLRN (one agonist of PAR-1) ,or transfected by small interfering RNA of PAR-1 .The expressions of PAR-1 and CXCR4 mRNA of EPCs were detected by fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR .Proliferation ,migration of EPCs were detected by MTT ,Transwell chambers respectively .Results The expressions of PAR-1 and CXCR4 mRNA in SFLLRN group were higher than that in other groups(P< 0 .05) .The expression of CXCR4 mRNA was highly positive correlation with PAR-1 mRNA(r=0 .991) .The proliferation ,migration of mouse EPCs were induced by activation of PAR-1 .Conclusion Activation of PAR-1 promotes cell proliferation and migration of mouse EPCs ,this effect may be depended on CXCR4 .