AIMTo further elucidate the role of agmatine on the pharmacological effects of opioids. METHODSThe effect of L-arginine and L-arginine decarboxylase(L-ADC) antibodies on pain threshold, morphine ntinociception and tolerance were investigated in mouse acetic acid writhing test, mouse radiant heat tail flick test and mouse hot plate test. RESULTSIn mouse acetic acid writhing test, intracerebroventricular injection of L-arginine dose-ependently inhibited the writhing of mice compared with saline control. L-arginine did not influence the tail flick latency itself in mouse radiant heat tail flick test, but enhanced antinociceptive effect of morphine in a dose-dependent manner. The possible maximal analgesia percentage of morphine 2.5 mg*kg-1 was increased from 23% to 71%. Furthermore, L-arginine inhibited acute tolerance induced by morphine 100 mg*kg-1in mouse radiant heat tail flick test. The effect of L-arginine as mentioned above could be antagonized by idazoxan (3 mg*kg-1, ip), which is a selective antagonist of imidazoline receptors. L-ADC specific antibodies inhibited morphine antinociception and promoted the development of tolerance to morphine in mouse radiant heat tail flick test and 55℃ hot plate test. CONCLUSIONL-Arginine and L-ADC play important roles in the formation of pain threshold, morphine antinociception and tolerance.

Human rhinoviruses (HRVs) are the causative pathogens in more than half of viral upper respiratory tract infections. Currently, no antiviral agents that are active against HRVs are available for clinical use. Because only higher primates are susceptible to HRVs, the screening of new drug is most commonly based on the cell line model. In this study, isolated rabbit airway smooth muscles (ASM) tissue model has been established, and the airway responsiveness with different treatment has been examined. Relative to control tissues, the maximal constrictor (Tmax) response to ACh increased significantly 150% in ASM inoculated with HRV, and relaxation to isoproterenol has been attenuated to 63%. And the abnormal responsiveness can be inhibited in presence of pretreatment with several new compounds which have been exhibited effective anti-HRV activity on cell lines. The results demonstrate that the established ASM model will be applied to screening the anti-HRVs drugs.

Objective:To study the tissue speciality of endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation mediated by endothelial protein activated by acetylcholine (EPA)and its relationship with atherosclerosis.Methods:The tension of the isolated artery preparations was recorded using isometric-tension method and the isolated endothelium-intact vessels derived from normal and hyperlipidemic animal artery.Results:The EPA-mediated endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation was exhibited in rabbit aorta, renal, femoral, carotid, pulmonary arteries and cat aorta, renal, femoral, mesentery, coronary arteries but with different EC50. The sensitivity of EPA to ACh in descending order: pulmonary>renal>aorta>femoral>carotid arteries in rabbits. In cats,coronary>aorta>femoral>mesentary>renal. The endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation mediated by EPA in aorta, carotid and pulmonary arteries decreased significantly in hyperlipidemia rabbits.Conclusions:EPA effect existed wildly in testing artery and was of different tissue sensitivity. The decrease in EPA potency was closely related to occurence of atheroclerosis.

Aim To investigate the effects of Y-IP5 on morphine-induced behavioral sensitization and CPP in mice.Methods Locomotor activity was detected after Y-IP5 administration or co-administration of Y-IP5 with morphine in mice.Mice were treated with morphine to induce behavioral sensitization. Then the effects of Y-IP5 on the development, transfer and expression of morphine-induced behavioral sensitization were investigated. Mice were treated with morphine to induce CPP. Then the effect of Y-IP5 on the acquisition of morphine-induced CPP was studied.Results Y-IP5 itself didn′t influence locomotor activity of mice.Co-administration of Y-IP5 with morphine inhibited morphine-induced hyperactivity (P<0.05) and the development of morphine-induced behavioral sensitization in mice (P<0.05), however, did not influence the transfer and expression of morphine-induced behavioral sensitization.Co-administration of Y-IP5 with morphine also inhibited the acquisition of morphine-induced CPP (P<0.05).Conclusion Y-IP5 may inhibit the psychological dependence induced by morphine.

Background and purpose: Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) is of advantage in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR mutations. However, their clinical effects vary individually. This study aimed to evaluate whether the EGFR ligand, plasma transforming growth factor α (TGF-α), could act as a predictor for the EGFR-TKI treatment e?ciency in NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations and the association between TGF-α and prognosis in these patients. Methods: Seventy-five NSCLC patients with EGFR gene positive mutation were included in the current study from May 2012 to Jul. 2014 in Ruikang Hospital A?liated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine. Plasma TGF-α was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in all of the patients before EGFR-TKI treatment. The radiographic evaluation was performed 2 months after the therapy. The association between TGF-α and clinical outcome and its prediction e?ciency were determined, followed by the further analysis of the association between TGF-α and overall survival (OS) as well as progression-free survival (PFS). Results: After EGFR-TKI treatment, there were 20 patients with partial response (PR), 25 with stable disease (SD) and 30 with progression disease (PD) in all 75 NSCLC patients harboring EGFR positive mutation. The disease control (DC) rate reached 60%. Patients in PD group presented statistically significant higher plasma TGF-αthan patients in the DC group (P<0.01). Multivariate COX model indicated that smoking status, lymph node metastasis and plasma TGF-α levels were independent risk factors for prognosis in these patients. The ROC analysis revealed that baseline plasma TGF-α showed good prediction e?ciency [area under the curve (AUC)=0.926] and the cut-off point of TGF-α was 16.75 pg/mL. Higher level of TGF-α (≥16.75 pg/mL) was associated with smoking history, clinical stage, lymph node metastasis and clinical outcome of the patients (P<0.05). In comparison to patients with low TGF-α, the patients with high TGF-α concentration presented significantly reduced median OS and PFS (log-rank P<0.05). Conclusion: Higher plasma TGF-α (≥16.75 pg/mL) had a predictive role in EGFR-TKI resistance and poor prognosis.

Objective To explore the relationship between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes of state of evil domination and clinical and laboratory indicators of IgA nephropathy. Methods A prospective study was used to collect data on clinical and laboratory examination of IgA nephropathy in multi clinical centers. Patients’ TCM syndrome types were determined according to the national diagnostic criteria at the same time. Totally 266 patients with IgA nephropathy were included in the study to establish a database for analyzing the relationship between TCM syndrome of state of evil domination and clinical and laboratory indicators. Results In the relationship between syndromes of state of evil domination distribution and clinical subtypes, patients of wind-heat syndrome had more macroscopic hematuria;patients of phlegm-damp syndrome had more nephrotic syndrome;patients of damp-heat syndrome had more chronic nephritis type Ⅰ;patients of blood stasis syndrome had more chronic nephritis type Ⅱ. In the relationship between syndrome of state of evil domination distribution and clinical manifestation, the incidence of hypertension was higher in patients of blood stasis syndrome than in other three types. It was more serious for hematuresis in the patients of wind-heat syndrome. For patients of phlegm-damp syndrome, the incidence of heave proteinuria was highest. In the relationship between syndrome of state of evil domination distribution and laboratory examination, 24-hour urinary protein quantification was higher than in patients of wind-heat and damp-heat syndrome, but the level of blood albumin was lowest. For patients of blood stasis syndrome, serum creatinine level was significantly higher than in other three types;the level of eGFR was just the opposite. The levels of blood cholesterol and triglyceride in patients of phlegm-damp syndrome were higher than in other three types. The activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) levels in patients of blood stasis and phlegm-damp syndrome were lower than in other patients, but the FIB level was the exact opposite of APTT. In the relationship between syndrome of state of evil domination distribution and the stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD), patients of wind-heat syndrome were more in the first stage of CKD;patients of blood stasis syndrome were more in the third stage of CKD. Conclusion There is relative correlation between TCM syndromes of state of evil domination and clinical and laboratory indicators in IgA nephropathy, which would provide some reference to narrow the gap in the information of the four methods of TCM with clinical and laboratory indicators to enhance accurate diagnosis of TCM syndrome.

Objective To investigate the quality of life and psychological status of donors and recipients of living-related donor kidney transplantation. Methods Selected the treatment of living donors in the hospital (n = 80)and recipients(n = 80)from January 2014 to January 2017 as the research objects,and 80 cases of hemodialysis patients at the same period as the control group. Using the SF-36,Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS),and the Self-rating Depression Scale(SDS)to evaluate the psychological status of the two groups and com-pared.Results Scores of donors′physiological function,and general health compared with the norms were not sig-nificant(P>0.05),while the somatic pain scores were significantly lower than the norms(P<0.05).There was no difference between the donors group and the norms in scores of vitality,social function and emotional function (P>0.05).The scores of physical health and mental health of recipients were significantly higher than those of the control group(P < 0.05). The donors′ SAS and SDS anxiety and depression scores were significantly higher than the norms(P<0.05).Besides,SAS and SDS anxiety and depression scores of the recipients were also significantly higher than the norms(P < 0.05),but significantly lower than the control group(P < 0.05). Conclusion The living-related donor kidney transplantation does not affect the quality of life and psychological state of the donor, but can improve the quality of life and reduce the anxiety and depression of the recipient.

Objective To analyze the safety of renal transplant from donors with primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors.Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 33 donors with primary CNS tumors and the 63 corresponding renal recipients between January 2013 and December 2016 in Tongji Hospital.Results The mean period from diagnosis as primary CNS tumor to donation was about (21.8± 46.4) months (range:0.5 to 192.0 months).The pathological classification of these tumors included gliomas,meningioma,medulloblastoma,etc.Besides,there were 10 donors with high-grade CNS malignancies.Eleven donors have ever been through at least one of the four treatments (craniotomy,V-P/V-A shunt,radiotherapy and chemotherapy),14 donors have undergone none,and the clinical data of rest were unavailable.All the 63 recipients got well renal function after transplant.During an average follow-up of (15.9 ± 8.2) months (range:2.7 to 35.5 months),one recipient got donor-derived rhabdoid tumor 4 months posttransplant,underwent comprehensive treatments,including allograft nephrectomy,radiotherapy,chemotherpy and returned to hemodialysis,while the 62 cases got no donor-derived tumors.Conclusion Tumor transmission of renal allograft from donors with primary CNS tumors is inevitable but with low risk,which means this kind of donors can be used with careful assessment,full informed consent and good balance between wait-list death and tumor transmission.