Objective To explore the effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)on the ratio of CD4+CD25+Treg/CD4+T cell and the expression of TGF-β1 in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)rats. Methods We randomly divided 60 healthy female Wistar rats into normal control group,EAE control group,VIP low-dose group and VIP high-dose group.We used myelin basic protein (MBP)+ complete adjuvant (CFA)to establish EAE model. Since the day of model construction, the low- and high-dose VIP groups received intraperitoneal injection of 4 nmol/kg (0.2 mL)and 16 nmol/kg (0.8 mL)of VIP every other day,respectively;normal control group and EAE group received injection of saline of 0.8 mL for 10 days in a row.We recorded the peak of neurological dysfunction score (NDS)changes in the rats,observed the pathological changes and GFAP+astrocyte activation in the brain at the morbidity peak of rats with HE staining,and detected the ratio of CD4+CD25+Treg/CD4+T in the spleen with FACS and TGF-β1 cytokine level in brain tissue with ELISA.Results The peak nerve dysfunction score was decreased in each VIP dose group.In normal control group,there were decreased inflammatory cell infiltration and decreased number of active astrocytes in the brain tissue.The degree of infiltration of inflammatory cells and astrocyte activation in VIP control groups were significantly lower than those in EAE group.The CD4+CD25+Treg/CD4+T cell ratio of the spleen tissue in each dose VIP treated group rats was higher than that in EAE control group.The cytokine level of TGF-β1 in the brain tissue increased in each VIP dose group in the dose-dependent manner.Conclusion Through up-regulating the ratio of CD4+CD25+Treg/CD4+T cell in the spleen tissue,increasing TGF-β1 content in brain tissue,and inhibiting the infiltration of inflammatory cells and the astrocyte activation,VIP plays an important role in prevention and control of EAE.

Objective To compare the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) with that of laparoscopic ultrasonography (LUS) in localization diagnosis of insulinoma. Methods Thirty-three patients with insulinoma,who received operation, were retrospectively reviewed. All cases were examined by both CEUS and LUS before the tumor removed. Both imaging modalities in diagnosis of insulinoma were analyzed. Results By this study the sensitivity and accuracy of CEUS were 92.31% and 90.0% respectively. Those of LUS were consistent with pathologic findings completely. The accuracy of CEUS was not different with that of LUS (χ2 = 4.21, P = 0. 04). Conclusions CEUS can be used for location diagnosis of insulinoma. For the patients expecting laparoscopic treatment, combination of CEUS with LUS will be suggested before insulinoma is removed.