AIM: To investigate the effects of curcumin (Cur) on the expression of High mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in amyloid-β(Aβ)-induced primary rat microglial cells.METHODS: Microglia were derived from the cerebral cortices of postnatal rat brains.The cells were i-dentified by immunocytochemistry using mouse anti rat Iba-1 monoclonal antibody.A cell model using primary rat microgli-al cells incubated with Aβ25-35 as an inflammation model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was set up.The morphological char-acters of primary rat microglial cells were observed.The concentration of Aβ25-35 and the treatment concentration of curcumin were selected by CCK-8 assay.Cultured primary rat microglial cells were divided into 5 groups: normal cell group, Aβ25-35 group, Cur group, Aβ25-35 +Cur group and Aβ25-35 +DMSO group.The expression of HMGB1, NF-κB, and receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) was detected by Western blot.The levels of HMGB1, IL-1β, and TNF-αin the culture supernatant were measured by ELISA.RESULTS: The purity of primary microglias determined by Iba-1 immuno-fluorescence was more than 95%.The protein levels of HMGB1, RAGE and NF-κB were significantly increased after Aβ25-35 stimulation.After treatment with Cur, the protein levels of HMGB1, RAGE and NF-κB were significantly decreased (P <0.05).The levels of HMGB1, IL-1βand TNF-αin the supernatant were significantly increased after Aβ25-35 stimula-tion.Cur significantly decreased the level of HMGB1, IL-1βand TNF-αin the supernatant.CONCLUSION: Curcumin significantly inhibits neuroinflammation stimulated by Aβ25-35 in primary rat microglial cells.

A model of acute lung injury was reproduced by intravenous injection of endotoxin (700?g / kg) to rabbits. It had been found that the rabbits were in the state of shock, with leukopenia and thrombocytopenia, increased 6 -keto-PGF1? and TXB2, decreased serum ACE and increased permeability of the pulmonary capillaries. Granulocyte sequestration and disturbance in pulmonary microcirculation were found in lungs. A series of changes in epithelial and endothelial cells were also found in both lungs. It was obviously proved that PGE1 had some therapeutic effects in acute lung injury induced by E. coli endotoxin.

Objectives To provide reliable information concerning the presence or the absence of Histoplasma capsulatum (H. capsulatum) infection in China, and data concerning this respect.Methods Three hundred normal people and 435 hospitalized patients, who lived in Hunan and Jiangsu provinces, and the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, were tested with yeast-phase histoplasmin (ALK/Berkerley Biologicals Laboratories, USA) and human pure protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) on the volar surface of the forearm. Any reaction to the antigens over 5.0?mm in diameter of induration at 48-72?hours was considered positive. Results A total of 138 subjects (18.8%) in 735 patients reacted to histoplasmin with 5.0-45.0 (9.1±4.3)?mm indurations. Significant differences of positive skin reaction rates in normal subjects were found in Hunan, Jiangsu and Xinjiang (8.9% vs 15.1% vs 2.1%). The overall positive rate of patients was 25.5%. Patients with tuberculosis [31.7% (78/246)] had a significantly higher positive skin reaction rate in comparison with those suffering from pneumonia [17.7% (11/62)], lung cancer [20.9% (9/43)], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [17.3% (9/52)] and other diseases [12.5% (4/32)] (P<0.01). Of 562 cases, 292 cases (52.0%) reacted to PPD with indurations of 5-50 (13.7±4.9)mm in diameter, 63 cases (11.2%) reacted to both histoplasmin and PPD, while 38 cases (6.9%) reacted to histoplasmin but not to PPD.Conclusions The data suggest that there is H. capsulatum herd infection in China. The infection rate in Southeast China is higher than that in the Northwest, and the infection rate of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis is higher than that of normal persons and other pneumonopathy patients.