Objective To study the relationship between the therapeutic principle and prescription of traditional Chinese medicine and the experimental pharmacologic effects in relation to the treatment of eczema. Methods Murine DNFB allergic contact dermatitis was used as an animal model, and was treated with 4 traditional Chinese medicinal compounds which were composed of Chinese materia medica with activities to suppress type Ⅳ allergic reaction. Results The results showed that the effect of compound Ⅲ composed of Paeoniae obovata Maxim(赤芍), Fructus Gardeniae(栀子), Herba Schizonepetae(荆芥), Herba Spirodelae(浮萍) and Poria(茯苓), possessing multiple potencies of cooling and promoting blood, clearing heat, expelling wind and eliminating dampness, was strongest among the compounds tested, and the compound up regulated the serum level of calcitonin gene related peptide which was lowered in the mice with DNFB induced dermatitis. Conclusion It is suggested that the compounds with suppressive effect on type Ⅳ allergic reaction might improve the therapeutic effect in clinical practice.

A Review The diseases caused by endotoxin have seriously affected human health. Previous studies have shown that p38 MAPK pathway is involved in the intracellular signal transduction induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which plays an important role in the activation of inflammation-related cells to release inflammation mediator. Recently there have been some progresses in the isoforms distribution, substrate, molecular mechanism of regulating the release of inflammatory mediators, cellular specific activation and levels of p38 MAPK. [

In order to study the possible role of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (slL-2R) in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, we measured the levels of slL-2R in the sera and the tissue fluids from skin lesions and uninvolved skin from 41 patients with vitiligo, using the method of sandwich ELISA with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. The results showed that the overall level of serum sIL-2R from patients with vitiligo was significantly higher, than that from normal control group (P0.05). The level of serum sIL-2R from patients with vitiligo in progressive stage was significantly higher than that in stable stage (P

Objective To study the possible role of cytokines interleukin-1beta(IL-1?),interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-8(IL-8),tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-?)and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor(GM-CSF)in the pathogenesis of vitiligo.Methods The serum levels of IL-?,IL-6,IL-8,TNF-?,and GM-CSF were measured in50patients with vitiligo and20healthy volunteers with radioimmunoassay.Results The serum level of IL-6and GM-CSF in focal type and generalized type of vitiligo,and the serum level of IL-1?in generalized type were significantly higher than those in normal controls.In segmental type of vitiligo,the serum levels of all the cytokines tested were not significantly different from those in normal controls.The GM-CSF levels in focal type and generalized type,and the IL-6level in generalized type of the progressive stage were significantly higher than those in the stable stage.Conclusion IL-6and GM-CSF may be involved in the autoimmune mechanism of non-segmental type of vitiligo.

Objective To study the relationship between nitric oxide(NO)and some cytokines and the pathogenesis of vitiligo.Methods Nitric acid reductase assay and ELISA were used to determine the serum levels of NO,and IFN-?,IL-10and IL-12in32patients with vitiligo,compared with18normal controls.The levels of these molecules in suction blister fluids,including involved skin and uninvolved skin from20patients,were also determined.Results The serum levels of NO and IFN-?in vitiligo patients were significantly higher than those in controls,and the serum level of IL-10in the patients was significantly lower than that in controls.The serum level of IFN-?in generalized type of vitiligo and the serum level of NO in localized type of vitiligo in active stage were higher than those in stable stage.The NO level in suction blister fluid of localized vitiligo of involved skin was significantly higher than that of uninvolved skin.Conclusion These findings suggest that NO,IFN-?and IL-10might be involved in the pathogenesis of vitiligo.

Objective To study the relationship between genotypes and phenotypes,geographical distribution,and the sites of infection of Trichophyton rubrum(T.rubrum).Methods The genotypes were determined by Southern blotting with a probe amplified from the small-subunit rDNA and adjacent internal transcribed spacer(ITS)regions.The phenotypes of T.rubrum were determined by conventional method.Results Twenty genotypes(DNA type A to T)and5phenotypes(villous,furrowed,granular,powdery,and woolly)were recognized among49strains of T.rubrum.Genotype A prevailed in all phenotypes except granu-lar type.Type B represented the most common genotype among the strains of villous type and furrowed type.Type A took the first place in powdery type and woolly type.All of the type A strains were from Dalian.Seven of9type B strains were from Nanjing.Six type C strains were all from Nanjing.The majority strains of21strains isolated from tinea unguium were type C,most of the16strains isolated from tinea cruris and tinea corporis were type A,8strains from tinea pedis were type B,and4strains from tinea capitis were type C.Conclusion There are certain possible relationships between genotypes and phenotypes,geographical distri-bution and sites of infection of T.rubrum.

AIM: To investigate the effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced p38 MAPK activation and tumor necrosis factor-? (TNF-?) secretion in macrophages. METHODS: Western blotting was used to detect the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK in mouse macrophages cultured in vitro. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the secretion of TNF-? in macrophages. Electron microscopy was used to study the effect of EGCG on the structure of LPS. RESULTS: LPS caused activation of p38 MAPK and more production of TNF-?, EGCG inhibited LPS-induced phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and TNF-? production and had no effect on the structure of LPS. CONCLUSIONS: EGCG has no direct effect on LPS, but blocks cellular signal pathway. The inhibition of EGCG on LPS-induced TNF-? production is mediated, at least in part, through blocking of p38 MAPK pathway. [

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the DNA polymorphism of Sporothrix schenckii (S. schenckii) and to find the relationship between DNA patterns and geographic areas and clinical manifestations.

METHODThe total DNA was extracted with hexadecyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide. Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay was used to study DNA typing of 24 strains of S. schenckii collected from different areas and isolated from different clinical types.

RESULTSOf seven random primers used, three primers (OPAA11, OPD18 and OPB07) gave good reactions, the sequences of which were 5'-ACCCGACCTG-3', 5'-GAGAGCCAAC-3', 5'-GGTGAC~GCAG-3' respectively. The RAPD patterns of the 24 isolates were not completely identical, showing certain degrees of hereditary variability. Different isolates showed a common conserved DNA band with the same primer. Different clinical types showed different genotypes.

CONCLUSIONRAPD analysis is useful in DNA typing of S. schenckii, the DNA band type of which is related to geographic origin and Clinical manifestation.