Th17 lymphocytes have been recently identified as a novel subset of CD4+ cells. It has been defined that IL-17,the main product of Th17, plays an important role in immunity against parasitic infection. There is a two-way influence between Th17 and cytokine network: on one hand Th17 consummates cytokine network, on the other hand many cytokines regulate Th17's activity in parasitic infection. In the anti-parasitic infection process, Th17 cells protect host or promote inflammation, even cause immune pathogenesis in different cases, which comprise host's immune state, the burden of parasitic infection, as well as the treatment.

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and the inhibitory effect of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on testosterone production in rat Leydig cells.

METHODSRat Leydig cells were primarily cultured and the expression of RAGE in the Leydig cells was detected by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining. The Leydig cells were treated with AGEs at the concentrations of 25, 50, 100 and 200 microg/ml, respectively, and the testosterone content was determined by ELISA.

RESULTSRT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining exhibited the expression of RAGE in the rat Leydig cells. AGEs remarkably suppressed hCG-induced testosterone production in the Leydig cells in a concentration-dependent manner in the 50, 100 and 200 microg/ml groups as compared with the control (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONRAGE exists in rat Leydig cells and AGEs can significantly inhibit the secretion of testosterone in primarily cultured rat Leydig cells.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Glycation End Products, Advanced ; pharmacology ; Leydig Cells ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Male ; Rats ; Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products ; Receptors, Immunologic ; biosynthesis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Testosterone ; biosynthesis

Objective To investigate the effect of antisense oligonucleotides (ASODN) targeting livin on the inhibition of livin mRNA and protein expression and the apoptosis of human renal carcinoma cell line 786-O cells. Methods Specific phosphorothioate antisense oligodeoxynucleotides targeting livin were synthesized and then transfected into 786-O cells. The expressions of livin mRNA were detected by RT-PCR. Expression and location of livin protein were observed by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Apoptosis rate of 786-O cells was investigated by flow cytometer. The activity of Caspase-3 was detected by colorimetric assay. Results After the transfection of ASODN, the expression of livin mRNA was decreased (P

Objective To explore the influence of montelukast on plasma nitric oxide in preschool children with asthma.Methods Forty-four preschool children with asthma aged 2-5 years who firstly met a criterion of asthma and treated 4 weeks with montelukast were investigated;and nitric oxide levels of plasma were inspected respectively before treatment and after treatment 1 week,4 weeks.Results The level of nitric oxide in the plasma of asthmatic children was obviously higher than that in normal control group(P

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect of carbon dioxide laser tonsillectomy.Method:In this prospective,randomized study, One hundred and two patients were divided into laser group or control group. Patients of laser group were cured with carbon dioxide laser tonsillectom,and the control group was cured with routine method. All operations are executed by one person. Observation index included operation time, hemorrhage in operation, ache after operation, inflammatory reaction of raw surface, repair time of raw surface, rehaemorrhagia and scar.Result:Laser group had advantages of less operation time, less hemorrhage, less ache and less inflammatory reaction of raw surface. Laser group have hemorrhage in operation (7.2±2.1)ml, while control group have hemorrhage in operation (92.0±35.0)ml. Laser group have pseudomembrane early but desquamate late.Conclusion:Carbon dioxide laser tonsillectomy is effective to relieve pain, inflammatory reaction and with less time ,it's an safe , efficient and mini-trauma operation.

By means of genetic cloning and recombinant techniques, full genome cDNA sequences of rotavirus strain TB-Chen were isolated from an infantile hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis. Nucleotide sequences analyses showed that the full genome of strain TB-Chen contains 18613 nucleotides, encoding 5791 amino acids. Genotyping results showed that the strain TB-Chen belongs to genotype G2P[4]/NSp4[A]. This is the first report on a full genome of Group A rotavirus in China, and has important significance for deep understanding structure and functions of rotaviruses and developing rotavirus vaccines.

To investigate the effects of telmisartan on steatohepatitis (NASH) in rats by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (r). Thirty male SD rats were randomized into normal control group, NASH control group and telmisartan prevention group. Normal control group was given standard food and the other two groups were given high fat diet for 16 weeks to induce NASH. Prevention group was given telmisartan (5 mg.kg-1.d-1) for 4 weeks by intragastric adminstration after 12 weeks. At the end of the 16th week, all the rats were sacrificed. Pathological changes of liver were observed by optical microscopy. Serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), fasting blood glucose(FBG), fasting insulin(FINS), HOMA-IR(homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance), Serum TNF-a and adiponectin were detected and analyzed.Western blot and RT-PCR were used to detect PPARr expression in hepatic tissues on protein and mRNA levels. (1) Rats were successfully modeled. The liver tissue samples were divided into 4 degrees (F0 - 4) based on total fatty degeneration of liver cells.There was one rat reached F3 and nine rats reached F4 in NASH group, one rat reached F1, six rats reached F2 and three rats reached F3 in prevention group. Inflammatory activity scores of hepatic tissues in the model group were 2.67+/-0.25, while that in the control group was 0 (U=15 and P is less than to 0.01), in the prevention group were 2.67+/-0.25 and 1.36+/-0.12 (U=24 and P is less than to 0.05 ). (2) The levels of serum ALT, AST, FBG, FINS, TNFa and HOMA-IR in the model group were increased than those in the control group( the vaules of q were 13.130, 6.472, 6.909, 26.619, 14.591 and 49.683 respectively, P less than 0.01). The levels of serum ALT, FINS, FBG, TNFa and HOMA-IR in the prevention group were decreased as compared to the model group (the vaules of q were 7.024, 4.145, 14.829, 13.195 and 31.991 respectively, P less than 0.01 ). (3) The serum adiponectin, PPARrmRNA and protein in liver tissues of the model group were lower than those in the control group (q values were 10.696, 8.679 and 16.762 respectively, P is less than to 0.05).The data in the prevention group were higher as compared to the model group(q values were 3.879,3.079,6.400, P is less than to 0.05 respectively). HOMA-IR was positively correlated with the expression of TNFa but negatively correlated with the expression of adiponectin (r = 0.927, P is less than to 0.01; r = -0.891, P is less than to 0.01, respectively). Telmisartan may has preventive effect on rats with steatohepatitis (NASH) by a mechanism of activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor r.
Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Fatty Liver ; Insulin Resistance ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo quantify the CD4+ CD25+ CD127(low) regulatory T cell (Treg), the expression levels of forkhead/winged helix transcription factor FOXP3 and Notch1 mRNA in aplastic anemia (AA) patients before and after treatment, and explore the significance of Treg in pathogenesis of AA.

METHODCD4+ CD25+ and CD4+ CD25+ CD127(low) T cells in peripheral blood were examined with FACS in 29 AA patients at active phase, 14 at recovery phase, 11 at unrecovery phase, and 15 normal controls. The levels of FOXP3 mRNA and Notch1 mRNA expression were detected with RT-PCR, and the correlations between Treg, FOXP3 mRNA and Notchl mRNA were analyzed.

RESULTSThe percentages of peripheral activated CD4+ CD25+ T cells in AA patients at active phase (4.3 +/- 0.7)% and unrecovery phase (4.2 +/- 0.6)% were significantly higher than those in normal controls (2.4 +/- 0.8)% (P < 0.05). The proportion of these cells in AA patients at recovery phase was reduced to (2.6 +/- 0.7)% (P < 0.05), being no difference from that in control group. The number of CD4+ CD25+ CD127(low) T cells in AA patients at active phase (2.4 +/- 1.2)% and unrecovery phase (2.5 +/- 1.1)% was decreased significantly compared with those in normal controls (7.1 +/- 2.7)% (P < 0.01) and in AA patients at recovery phase (5.3 +/- 1.0)% (P < 0.01), there was no difference between the latter two groups. In active phase AA patients, the levels of FOXP3 mRNA and Notchl mRNA (0.260 +/- 0.011 and 0.018 +/- 0.005, respectively) were lower than that in control group (1.307 +/- 0.011 and 0.308 +/- 0.028, respectively) (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01). After treatment, the levels significantly increased to 1.287 +/- 0.012 and 0.281 +/- 0.013 (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01), but there was no difference with that of normal controls (P > 0.05). CD4+ CD25+ CD2(low) T cells and FOXP3 were positively related with Notchl (P < 0.01) in AA patients.

CONCLUSIONThe decreased number and suppressive activity of CD4 CD25+ CD127(low) Treg cells in the peripheral blood of AA patients cause over-activation of autoreactive T cells and suppression of haematopoiesis. One of the mechanisms maybe the reduced expression of Notch1 in the target cells.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anemia, Aplastic ; immunology ; metabolism ; CD4 Antigens ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit ; Male ; Middle Aged ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Receptor, Notch1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of Acanthopanacis senticosi injection, theophylline and caffeine on human sperm mobility in vitro.

METHODSWe incubated the sperm aseptically obtained by masturbation from 12 asthenospermia men and treated by swim-up technique in Acanthopanacis senticosi injection (10 g/L), theophylline (3 mmol/L) and caffeine (7 mmol/L) respectively, and detected various sperm parameters with the computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system at 0 h, 1 h and 3 h.

RESULTSAcanthopanacis senticosi injection significantly increased sperm motility, the percentage of progressive motile sperm, straight line velocity (VSL) and curvilinear velocity (VCL) as compared with theophylline and caffeine (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcanthopanacis senticosi injection can activate the mobility of human sperm in vitro.

Caffeine ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Eleutherococcus ; chemistry ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Theophylline ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVEFamilial left ventricular noncompaction(LVNC) is quite rare. We screened for the presence of LVNC and related clinical characteristics in a 5-generation Chinese family.

METHODSComprehensive medical history was obtained from 40 members in a 5-generation Chinese family. Systemic clinical investigations including echocardiography (UCG), routine and ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG), X-rays were performed in 33 family members. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance image (MRI) was carried out in 2 family members.

RESULTSSudden cardiac death (including 1 occurred while following-up) was reported in 7 family members (17.5%, 7/40). LVNC was diagnosed in 10 out of the 33 family members (30.3%) and heart enlargement was evidenced in 3, heart failure in 2, complete left branch conductive block in 3, serious sick sinus syndrome (SSS) treated with permanent pacemaker implantation in 1 and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia treated with radiofrequency ablation procedure in 1 out of these 10 LVNC patients. Primary pedigree analysis revealed that offspring from female patients were at the highest risk to be affected by LVNC (15/18, 83.3%) while LVNC was absent in offspring of male LVNC patients (0/8). Moreover, clinical heart failure symptoms and arrhythmias were more severe in female LVNC patients than in male LVNC patients.

CONCLUSIONPrimary familial investigation reveals the matrilineal inheritance of familial LVNC in this 5-generation Chinese family, further investigations are warranted to explore the potential mutations in the mitochondrial genome responsible for LVNC in this family.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Cardiomyopathies ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; Young Adult