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Transforming growth factor-?(TGF-?)was reported to be increased in asthma in some studies. Accumulation of TGF-? in airway promotes smooth muscle cell mitogenesis and hyperplasia, and induces fibroblast and myofibroblast and smooth muscle proliferation as well as increase in protein synthesis in connective tissue(such as collagen deposition on the reticular basement membrane). The autocrine induction of collagen expression by smooth muscle may contribute to the thickening of the reticular basement membrane, irreversible fibrosis and remodeling seen in the airways in some asthmatics. TGF-? is considered to be a major fibrogenic cytokine. It can increase smooth muscle mass and lead to severe bronchial obstruction in an asthma attack.

Objective To evaluate the effect of intravenous Gd-DTPA on 3.0T proton MR spectroscopy (MRS) water suppression and shimming. Methods Prospective study of proton MRS was performed with GE Signa Excite HD 3.0T system and eight-channel phased-array coils with PRESS sequence (head, liver and kidney, respectively). Routine auto prescan program was operated to record full width half maximum (FWHM) and water suppression (WS%). Routine scan was performed after injection of Gd-DTPA, then prescan program was reoperated to record FWHM and WS%. The data of FWHM and WS% in head, liver and kidney were compared between before and after injection of Gd-DTPA with the Wilcoxon matched pairs signed test. Results WS% of spectroscopy of head and liver after administration of Gd-DTPA decreased significantly (T_+=12, T_-=66, P=0.02; T_+=0, T_-=45, P=0.007). The effect of shimming of kidney after administration of Gd-DTPA was poor (T_+=0, T_-=435, P<0.001) and WS% of spectroscopy of kidney after administration of Gd-DTPA decreased significantly (T_+=0, T_-=435, P<0.001). Conclusion WS% of spectroscopy in head, liver and kidney can be impacted negatively by Gd-DTPA. Gd-DTPA has great influence on shimming of spectroscopy of kidney, but has little influence on shimming of spectroscopy of head and liver. It is better to acquire MRS data before administration of contrast medium in kidney.

Objective To observe the effect of full width half max (FWHM) on spectra signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr and water suppression at 3.0T MR. Methods GE Signa Excite HD 3.0T MR scanner with 8 channel phrased-array head and neck coil was used. The respective study of liver 1H-MRS was performed using PRESS sequence. A total of 49 spectrums were obtained with parameters of TR 1500 ms, TE 30 ms, NSA 128. FWHM and water suppression were recorded automatically and the subjects were divided into better shimming group (FWHM<10 Hz) and worse shimming group (FWHM≥10 Hz). Independent t test was used to analyze the Cr_SNR, NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, water suppression and volume of interest (VOI). Results Compared with worse shimming group, better shimming group could provide better Cr_SNR (t=5.976, P<0.001), higher NAA/Cr (t=2.469, P=0.017), lower Cho/Cr (t=-4.460, P<0.001) and smaller VOI (t=3.862, P<0.001). Conclusion When single voxel proton spectroscopy of head is adopted with 3.0T MR, small VOI is easy to achieve effective shimming, and better shimming is helpful to improve SNR, the ratio of main metabolites as well as water suppression.

Objective:To investigate the modulatory effect of IL-29 on trypsin-induced protease activated receptors (PARs) ex-pression on P815 mast cell.Methods:After P815 mast cells were challenged with different concentrations of IL-29 alone or combined with trypsin for 2 h, 6 h and 16 h, the challenged cells were collected and analysed by flow cytometry to detect the protein expression of PARs on P815 cells, and analysed by real time RT-PCR to detect the mRNA expression of PARs on P 815 cells.Results:Compared with the corresponding control , IL-29 induced significantly decreased expression of PAR-1 at protein and mRNA level on P815 cells, and upregulated PAR-3, PAR-4 mRNA level on P815 cells, whereas IL-29 did little effect on the expressions of PAR-2,3,4 at protein level on P815 cells accordingly.Preincubation of mast cell with IL-29 did not alter trypsin-induced PAR-1 expression on P815 cells, whereas up-regulated expression of PAR-2, 3, 4 were detected when P815 cell were pre-treated with IL-29 before being challenged with trypsin compared with the corresponding control .Conclusion: IL-29 can upregulate trypsin-induced PARs expression on mast cells through which participated in mast cell related inflammation .

AIM: To investigate the levels of IL-18, IL-16, IL-8, eotaxin and the chymase activity in the sputum of asthmatics. METHODS: IL-18, IL-16, IL-8 and eotaxin levels were detected with sandwich ELISA procedures and chymase activity was determined spectrophotometrically (410 nm) by the rate of hydrolysis of N-succinyl-L-Ala-L-Ala-L-Pro-L-Phe-p-nitroanilide (SAAPP). RESULTS: The specific chymase activities in the severe and moderate asthmatics were higher than that in controls. Native protease inhibitors ?_1-antitrypsin (?_1-AT) and soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI) inhibited 71.9% and 72.1% enzymatic chymase activity, respectively. The levels of IL-18, IL-16, IL-8 and eotaxin were significantly elevated in the sputum of patients with acute asthma. There were correlations between the levels of IL-8 and IL-16 (r=0.55, P

Objective To investigate the effects of osthole on neural stem cells ( NSCs) differentiation and explore the potential mechanism. Methods Brain-derived NSCs from newborn mice were isolated and cultured in vitro and determined by immunofluorescence. The P5 generations of NSCs were placed in culture solution with osthole at concentrations of (0,10,50, 100 μmol·L-1 ) . The neuron, astrocyte and oligodendroglia cell differentiation were determined by immunofluorescence. The mRNA expression of Notch 1 and its target genes Mash 1 and Neurogenin 2 were assessed by RT-PCR. Results The neurosphere displayed Nestin and Sox 2-postive by immunofluorescence, suggesting that the cultured cells were NSCs. Osthole promoted NSCs differentiating into more neuron(P<0. 01) and oligodendrocyte(P<0. 05), but not astrocyte. Meanwhile, osthole significantly reduced the mRNA expression of Notch 1(P<0. 01) and increased Ngn 2(P<0. 01)at the dose of 100 μmol·L-1. Conclusion Osthole enhances NSCs differentiating into more neuron and oligodendrocyte via probablly inhibiting Notch signal pathway.

Aim To investigate the effects of osthole ( Ost) on the ability of proliferation and differentiation in APP transduced neural stem cells( NSCs) , and neu-ronal apoptosis, in order to find related mechanism. Methods A model of Alzheimer′s disease( AD) cells was successfully established by transducing APP gene into NSCs in vitro. The ability of proliferation and dif-ferentiation was tested by staining. The viability of NSCs was determined by using CCK-8 assay. The cell apoptosis was tested by Hoechst 33258 staining. The expression of GSK-3β and β-catenin mRNA was deter-mined by RT-PCR. The expression of GSK-3β and β-catenin protein was determined by Western blot. Re-sults The ability of proliferation had increased by 10 . 24% with Ost treatment, compared with APP group. The ability of differentiation had increased by 6 . 74%with Ost treatment, compared with APP group. The vi-ability of NSCs had increased and cell apoptotic rate had decreased significantly. From the results of RT-PCR and Western blot, we could find the expression of GSK-3βmRNA and protein had decreased, and the ex-pression of β-catenin mRNA and protein had increased significantly, compared with APP group. Conclusion Ost could enhance the ability of proliferation and dif-ferentiation into more neurons of NSCs transducing APP gene, and reduce neuronal apoptosis. It might be relat-ed with activiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Objective:To isolate,identify and purify the Artemisia sieversiana pollen ,the mostly widespread pollen among the Artemisia pollens in China.Methods: Artemisia sieversiana extract was precipitated by saturated ammonium sulfate and then electrophoresed by SDS-PAGE.The molecular mass of each protein band was determined by gel media system.The primary allergen proteins were identified by Western blot.Allergen proteins were purified and identified by DEAE-cellulose DE-52 ion exchange chroma-tography ( IEC) and Western blot.Results: We isolated more than twenty protein bands from Artemisia sieversiana pollen extract , including the most abundant six bands whose Mr were 62 kD,57 kD,38 kD,29 kD,25 kD,14 kD espectively.The protein bands with Mr were 62 kD and 16 kD had the highest binding capacity with the specific IgE from Artemisia pollen allergic patients.The DEAE-cellulose DE-32 IEC was used to purify the primary allergen proteins with Mr 62 kD and 16 kD.Conclusion:The primary allergens of Artemisia sieversiana include the allergen proteins whose Mr are 62 kD,16 kD and the allergen of Mr 62 kD and 16 kD can be purified by chromatography.

BACKGROUND:Neural stem cells have self-renewal and multidirectional differentiation potential, but under normal circumstances, the number of neural stem cells is less, and most cells are in the resting state. Thus, to promote the proliferation of neural stem cells is the key to the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of osthole on the proliferation of neural stem cells cultured in vitro, and to analyze its mechanism underlying promoting the proliferation. METHODS:Neural stem cells were cultured in vitro, and passage 3 cells were cultured with different concentrations of osthole(10, 50 and 100μmol/L). After 24 hours, cellvitality was determined by cellcounting kit-8. After 3, 5, 7 days of further culture, the radius of neurospheres was measured, and Ki67-positive cells were counted by immunofluorescence staining. Meanwhile, after 3 days of further culture, the gene expression of Notch 1, Hes 1 and Mash 1 in neural stem cells was detected by RT-PCR. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the control group, 50, 100μmol/L osthole could obviously promote the proliferation ability of neural stem cells. 100μmol/L osthole had the most significant effect and increased the expression of Notch 1 gene, Hes 1 gene, but it had no effect on Mash 1 gene. These results suggest that osthole can promote proliferation of neural stem cells cultured in vitro and its mechanism may be associated with activation of Notch 1 gene and Hes 1 gene in Notch signaling pathway.