Objective:To determine the relationship between nocturnal oxygen desaturation and ventricular ectopy and study the effect of sleep stages on the frequency of ventricular ectopy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Method:Twenty two clinically stable patients with mild moderate COPD underwent overnight polysomnography,arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) and ECG were recorded simultaneously.The relationship between the frequency of ventricular ectopy (VE) and SaO2,sleep stages and compared the results with those of twelve normal control subjects.Result:The prevalence of nocturnal VE in patients with COPD was 59.1 percent which was obviously higher than that of control group.The frequency of VE had no correlation with the frequency and the degree of oxygen desaturation,the duration of SaO2 below 90 percent,nocturnal mean SaO2 and nadir SaO2.The frequency of nocturnal VE during wake stage,REM stage and NREM stage had no difference.Conclusion:These results suggest that mild moderate nocturnal oxygen desaturation and sleep stages had no apparently influence on the events of VE in stable patients with COPD.

Objective:To study the effect of retinoic acid(RA) which is used in malignant tumor therapy on the secretion of C3 and factor B in human lung cancer cell line A549 induced by TNF-? and IL-6.Methods:C3 and factor B in the culture medium were measured by ELISA and Western blot,the mRNA expression of C3 and factor B was analyzed by RT-PCR.Results:When using TNF-?(10 ?g/L),IL-6(50 ?g/L) and RA(1 ?mol/L),the results of ELISA,Western blot and RT-PCR showed that TNF-? and IL-6 promoted A549 cells excreting C3 and factor B and their mRNA expression;RA alone did not affect C3 and factor B;in TNF-? group and TNF-?+RA group,the amounts of C3 were 91.40?12.59 and 133.59?11.25(ng/10~6 cells) respectively(P0.05),and the amounts of factor B were 13.07?2.50 and 32.89?4.22(ng/10~6 cells) respectively(P

Objective: Our aims were to evaluate the plasma vitamin A status and the function of T-cell dependent immunity in lung cancer patients， so as to explore the correlation between them. Methods：We measured the plasma vitamin A status with HPLC and checked the subsets of T lymphocyte with indirect immunofluorescence technique. Results： The levels of plasma vitamin A in lung cancer patients and in controls were(0.406±0.111)mg/L and(0.548±0.149)mg/L respectively . There was a significant difference between them(P＜0.001) . The levels of CD3， CD4，and CD4/CD8 were lower in lung cancer patients than those in controls， while the level of CD8 was higher. The plasma vitamin A had positive correlation with CD3 , CD4，and negative with CD8. Conclusion： There is defect of the plasma vitamin A and low level of the function of T cell dependent immunity in lung cancer patients，which shows the obvious correlation between them. This research supplies the basis of clinical therapy to lung cancer with vitamin A.

Objective: Our aim was to study whether the cellular bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) profile was associated with the parameters of pulmonary function tests. Methods：Lung function tests and BAL were carried out in 18 untreated, non-smoking patients suffering from sarcoidosis and 18 normal subjects. Results：（1）Lung function tests were normal at rest in patients with sarcoidosis（P＞0.05）, the single breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity decreased (P＜0.05)，and the small airway function decreased too (P＜0.05).（2）The percentage of lymphocytes in BALF of sarcoidosis increased comparing with the normal subjects（P＜0.01），and the ratio of CD+4 to CD+8 in BALF increased significantly in sarcoidosis（P ＜0.05）, furthermore, the increase of both the percentage of lymphocytes and the ratio of CD+4 to CD+8 in BALF of sarcoidosis were well nagatively correlated with the decrease of the percentage of DLCO (r=-0.67, P＜0.01 and r=-0.55, P＜0.05, respectively), the decrease of mid-expiratory flow at 50% of vital capacity (FEF50%) was well correlated with the increase of the percentage of lymphocytes in BALF of sarcoidosis (r=-0.54, P＜0.05). Conclusion：Pulmonary diffusing capacity（DLCO) was significently correlated with BALF lymphocyte phenotype，so was small airway function，and can act as the marker of activity of sarcoidosis.

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate effects of magnesium sulfate(MgSO4) on pulmonary hypertension in patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease(CPHD). Methods: Eight patients with CPHD undergone right-heart catheterization. The parameters of hemodynamics and arterial blood gases in patients were measured before and after MgSO4 intravenous infusion(2% MgSO4,40 mg/min). Results: Mean pulmonary artery pressure(mPAP), pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR),mean systemic artery pressure(mSAP), and total systemic vascular resistance(TSVR) significantly decreased(P＜0.05) at 30 minutes after MgSO4 infusion. The decreased percentage of mPAP and PVR at 60 minute after MgSO4 infusion was 13.37% and 18.70% respectively(P＜0.05), but mSAP and TPVR decreased only by 8.15% and 7.43% respectively. The decreased degree of mPAP and PVR at 60 minutes after MgSO4 infusion significantly correlated with mPAP(r=0.712, P＜0.05)and PVR(r=0.802, P＜0.01) before MgSO4 infusion. No unfavorable effect of MgSO4 on other parameters of hemodynamics and arterial blood gases was found. Conclusion: Magnesium sulfate can attenuate pulmonary hypertension in patients with CPHD but may cause transient systemic hypotension.

Objective: Our aim was to study the effect of endothelin-1 (ET-1) on the development of chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and mechanism of QF-8 (the extract of baihua qianhu, a Chinese traditional medicine) in lowering pulmonary hypertension. Methods: The indexes of hemodynamics and the levels of plasma ET-1 in systemic vein, pulmonary artery, and systemic artery in 11 patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were measured with right-heart catheterization and radioimmunoassay. Results: The ET-1 level in patients was significantly higher in systemic vein than that in 15 controls (P<0.01), pulmonary artery (P<0.05), and systemic artery (P<0.01). The levels of plasma ET-1 in patients had significant negative correlation with PaO2 and positive correlation with pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRI). After taking QF-8, mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and PVRI significantly decreased, meanwhile, the levels of plasma ET-1 in systemic vein, pulmonary artery, and systemic artery also decreased by 25%, 21%, and 10%, respectively. Conclusion: Abnormality in synthesis or secretion of ET-1 may play a role in the development of chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. The effect of QF-8 on pulmonary hypertension in patients with COPD may be related with its inhibition on the synthesis or secretion of ET-1.

AIM: To investigate the influence and mechanism of recombinant interleukin-13 (rIL-13) on fibroblasts. METHODS: 3T3 fibroblasts were divided into two groups: the treated group was treated with rIL-13 (80 ?g/L, 24 h or 48 h) and the control was without rIL-13 treatment. Transmission electron microscope and Hoechst kit were used to observe morphology of 3T3 fibroblasts in both groups. The activity of proliferation in both groups was investigated and compared by MTT means. Western blot was used to analyze the level of collagen type I induced by rIL-13 in fibroblasts. The levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in the culture supernatants were determined by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: The more ribosomes and mitochondrions, as well as bigger nuclei were found in the treated group. The production of IL-6 and IL-8, and proliferation ratio of fibroblasts treated with rIL-13 for 24 h or 48 h were increased obviously, compared with the control (P

BACKGROUNDIt is urgently necessary to research an effective method to prevent and treat lung cancer since its incidence has increased sharply. The aim of this study is to investigate the regulated effects of retinoic acid (RA) on IL-1β and IFN-γ induced C3 and factor B secretion in human lung cancer cell line A549.

METHODSC3 and factor B in cultured medium were measured in lung cancer cell line A549 by ELISA and Western blot, and their cellular mRNA levels were measured by RT-PCR analysis.

RESULTSELISA, Western blot and RT-PCR results showed that IL-1β and IFN-γ could significantly increase C3 and factor B secretion and their mRNA levels in A549 cells. RA alone did not affect C3 and factor B level in A549 cells, but it could potentiated C3 and factor B secretion and their mRNA expression induced by IL-1β, as well as factor B secretion and its mRNA expression induced by IFN-γ.

CONCLUSIONSRA can up-regulate C3 and factor B secretion induced by IL-1β and IFN-γ in human lung cancer cell A549. It may stabilize the balance between stimulator cytokines and inhibitor cytokines in complement system, and play a certain role in killing tumor cells. The results suggest that combination of RA and cytokines might be effective in the treatment of lung cancer.

OBJECTIVETo determine if aquaporin1 (AQP1) and aquaporin5 (AQP5) are expressed in the alveolar capillary membrane in rats. Moreover, to investigate the alteration of AQP1 and AQP5 in acute injured lungs.

METHODSThe distribution of AQP1 and AQP5 in alveolar capillary membrane were investigated by immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy with affinity-purified antibodies to human AQP1 and AQP5. To study the possibility that alveolar capillary membrane AQP1 and AQP5 undergo altered regulation, we established a rat model using alveolar instillation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

RESULTSImmunolabelling showed AQP1 was stained primarily in the microvascular endotheli a of normal lungs, while AQP5 was expressed in type I pneumocytes. Immunohisto chemical analysis showed a significant decrease in the expression of AQP1 and AQP5 in injured lungs at 4h-48h after LPS instillation. AQP1 protein was resumed partly at 24h after LPS instillation and steroid administration, whereas AQP5 was unchanged.

CONCLUSIONThe decreased expressions of AQP1 and AQP5 in injured lungs suggest that both of them may play a role in abnormal fluid transportation.

Animals ; Aquaporin 1 ; Aquaporin 5 ; Aquaporins ; analysis ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lipopolysaccharides ; toxicity ; Lung ; metabolism ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; Microscopy, Immunoelectron ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; metabolism ; pathology