Objective To investigate the immunity effects of quorum sensing in the pulmonary infection in rats due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Method(1)300 healthy,clean Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups randomly:two different Pseudomonas aeruginosa(the wide-type Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and its double mutant PAO-JP2,in which the quorum sensing systems were defective,embedded in minute seaweed algiante beads which was made by an ejection set with an acuminate hole were inoculated to Sprague-Dawley rats to establish animal model of chronic pulmonary infection.The control group were dealed with the same methods using the sterile brine instead.(2)The levels of antibody IgG,IgM,IgG1,IgG2a to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in sera and cytokines including interferon-?(IFN-?),Interleukin-4(IL-4)in lung homogenate was measured at 3,7,14,28 days after infection.Results(1)The mortality in the PAO1-JP2-infected group(11.0%)was significantly lower than that of the PAO1-infected group(29.7%)and the control group(4.21%).(2) Compared with the PAO-JP2 group,during the early stages of infection(3 days after infection),the IFN-?level in lung homogenates was significantly higher;during the middle stages of infection(7 days after infection),the levels of IFN-?and IL-4 of PAO1-infected rats were significantly higher;In the later stages of infection(14 to 28 days after infection),levles of IFN-?,IgG2a were lower,while levels of IL-4,IgG,IgG1 were higher persistantly in PAO1-infected rats.Conclusions Quorum sensing system play an important role in pathogenesis and immunity effects of pseudomonas aeruginosa infection via modulating the expression of virulence factors and interfering with the immune system of hosts.

Objective To study the effect of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)on the endo-pulmonary natrium channel(ENaC)expression in the lung of rats with acute lung injured.Method Sixteen rats were randomly divided into normal control group and LPS-group.Rats of normal control group and LPS-group were killed at 6 hours after intravenous injection of normal saline(8 ml/kg)or LPS(8 mg/kg).The extent of lung injury was assessed by arterial blood gas analysis and histological examination.At the same time,?-ENaC protein and???- ENaC mRNA expression in the lung tissue were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.Results PaO_2 in LPS-group was noticeably lower than in normal control group(P

Penaeidin-2 (Pen-2) is an important antimicrobial peptide derived from the Pacific white shrimp, Penaeus vannamei, and possesses both antibacterial and antifungal activities. Recent studies suggest that recombinant penaeidins show similar activities to the native Pen-2 protein. Previous researches have shown that some antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exhibit cytotoxic activity against cancer cells. To date, there have been no studies on the antitumor effects of Pen-2. This study evaluated the potential of recombinant pen-2 (rPen-2) in the selective killing of kidney cancer cell lines ACHN and A498, and its action mechanism. MTT assays found the maximal growth inhibition of HK-2, ACHN and A498 cells treated with 100 μg/mL rPen-2 at 48 h was 13.2%, 62.4%, and 70.4%, respectively. DNA-specific fluorescent dye staining showed a high percentage of apoptosis on cancer cells. Flow cytometry revealed that the apoptosis rate of HK-2, ACHN and A498 cells was 15.2%, 55.2%, and 61.5% at 48 h respectively, suggesting that rPen-2 induced higher apoptosis rate in cancer cells than in HK-2 cells. Laser confocal scanning microscopy demonstrated that the plasma membrane was the key site where rPen-2 interacted with and destroyed tumor cells. Scanning electron microscopy showed the morphologic changes of the cell membranes of kidney cancer cells treated with rPen-2. These results suggest that rPen-2 is a novel potential therapeutic agent that may be useful in treating kidney cancers.

This paper introduces a random measurement analysis of, lung function measurement values with two different apparatus. in 41 patients. It shows that the differences are not statistically significant (P>0.05) between two apparatus measurement values except DLCO, FEF25, FEF75 in the group of normal ventilation, FVC in the group of abnormal ventilation. The two groups are both correlated closely (r> 0.9) except MMF(r=0.7725, RV r=0.808) in the normal group of ventilation, and FEF75 (r=0.58) in the abnormal group of ventilation (p<0.001). The two apparatus with different measuring theories have a good correlation.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Respiratory Function Tests ; instrumentation ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinicopathological features and surgical treatment of pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma (PSH).

METHODSClinic data of PSH patients admitted by surgical resection from January 1985 to December 2010 was analyzed retrospectively. One hundred and sixty-five patients were enrolled in the study. There were 27 male and 138 female patients with a mean age of (48 ± 13) years. Seventy-nine patients were asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis. Eighty-nine tumors arose in the right lung (27 in right upper lobe, 24 in right middle lobe, 34 in right lower lobe, 2 in right upper lobe with invasion of right middle lobe, 1 in right middle lobe with invasion of right lower lobe, and 1 case with multiple lobe lesions), 75 in the left (33 in left upper lobe, 42 in left lower lobe), and 1 in the bilateral. There were huge mass lesions in 2 cases, endobronchial lesions in 2 cases, and multiple lesions in 6 cases. The mean size of the lesion was (2.6 ± 0.9) cm (ranging from 0.9 to 10.0 cm). Forty-eight cases (29.1%) were misdiagnosed as malignancies preoperatively, and 41 cases (24.8%) were misdiagnosed intraoperatively.

RESULTSResections were performed by means of video-assisted thoracoscopy (n = 53) and thoracotomy (n = 112). Surgical resection included pulmonary wedge excision in 61 patients, lobectomy in 89 patients, right bilobectomy in 5 patients, anatomic segmentectomy in 2 patient, enucleation in 6 patients, and synchronous bilateral pulmonary wedge resection in 1 patient. Operative mortality and morbidity occurred in 0 and 2 (4.3%) patients, respectively. Mean follow-up was 34.7 months (ranging from 6 to 62 months). There was no local recurrence or death from PSH.

CONCLUSIONSPSH is a rare benign lung tumor. It is difficult to make accurate diagnosis preoperatively, and sometimes even intraoperative frozen sections can't differentiate it from malignant tumors. Surgical resection is usually indicated for definite diagnosis and treatment. Partial resection is a sufficient treatment in view of uncommon tumor recurrence. Thoracoscopic surgery is recommended for PSH.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonectomy ; Pulmonary Sclerosing Hemangioma ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

AIMTo discuss the merits of "tubes treatment" for esophageal fistula (EF).

METHODSA 66-year-old female who suffered from a bronchoesophageal and esophagothoratic fistula underwent a successful "three tubes treatment" (close chest drainage, negative pressure suction at the leak, and nasojejunal feeding tube), combination of antibiotics, antacid drugs and nutritional support. Another 55-year-old male patient developed an esophagopleural fistula (EPF) after esophageal carcinoma operation. He too was treated conservatively with the three tubes strategy as mentioned above towards a favorable outcome.

RESULTSThe two patients recovered with the tubes treatment, felt well and became able to eat and drink, presenting no complaint.

CONCLUSIONTubes treatment is an effective basic way for EF. It may be an alternative treatment option.

Aged ; Chest Tubes ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drainage ; instrumentation ; methods ; Enteral Nutrition ; methods ; Esophageal Fistula ; Female ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Suction ; instrumentation ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDSomafostatin receptors (SSTRs) have been suggested to involve in mediating the effect of somatostatin on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in an activation-dependent way. We, therefore, try to investigate the relationship between expression of SSTRs and activation of rat HSCs.

METHODSHSCs were isolated from rats by in situ perfusion and single-step density gradient centrifugation. SSTR1-5 mRNA levels in the differentiated first passage HSCs were detected by means of a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. On the other hand, hepatic fibrosis was induced in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats by carbon tetrachloride intoxication, and the expression of SSTR1-5 in normal as well as fibrotic livers was measured by immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTSSSTR mRNA and SSTR could not be found in freshly isolated rat HSCs or normal rat liver. However, SSTR1-3 mRNA appeared as HSCs became wholly activated, and could also be identified on the membrane of activated HSCs in the perisinusoid space, fibrous septa, etc.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of SSTR1-3 in the rat HSC is closely related to its activation. This may reflect one of the main negative regulation mechanisms in the course of HSC activation.

Animals ; Liver ; cytology ; metabolism ; Liver Cirrhosis ; etiology ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Somatostatin ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of hypertonic sodium chloride hydroxyethyl starch 40 (HSH) on brain edema and morphological changes during whole body hyperthermia (WBH) in rats.

METHODSSixty adult male SD rats were randomized into control group, WBH group without fluid infusion (group HT), WBH group with Ringer's infusion (group RL), WBH group with HAES + Ringer's infusion (group HRL) and WBH group with HSH infusion (group HSH). WBH was induced by exposure to 36 degrees celsius; for 3 h to achieve a rectal temperature of 41-42 degrees celsius;, and the corresponding fluids were administered intravenously within 30 min at the beginning of WBH. The control rats were housed at a controlled room temperature (22∓1) degrees celsius; for 4 h. After cooling at room temperature for 1 h, the rats were sacrificed and brain water content and morphological changes were evaluated.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, all the WBH groups had significantly increased brain water content (P<0.05 or 0.01), but group HSH showed a significantly lower brain water content than group HT (P<0.05). The rats in groups HT, RL and HRL showed serious to moderate structural changes of the brain tissue and nerve cells, but HSH group had only mild pathologies.

CONCLUSIONHSH can reduce brain edema and ameliorate the damages to brain cells in rats exposed to WBH.

Animals ; Brain ; pathology ; Brain Edema ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Hyperthermia, Induced ; adverse effects ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Saline Solution, Hypertonic ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVENitric oxide (NO) was speculated to play an important role in the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia. Minocycline, a tetracycline derivative, reduced inflammation and protected against cerebral ischemia. To study the neuroprotection mechanism of minocycline for vascular dementia, the influences of minocycline on expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were observed in the brains of Wistar rats.

METHODSThe vascular dementia rat model was established by permanent bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (BCCAO). Wistar rats were divideded into 3 groups randomly: sham-operation group (S group), vascular dementia model group (M group), and minocycline treatment group (MT group). The behaviour was tested with Morris water maze and open-field task. Expressions of iNOS and eNOS were measured by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The optical density value was measured by imaging analysis. Percentage of positive cells with iNOS and eNOS expression was analyzed with optical microscope.

RESULTSMinocycline attenuated cognitive impairment. Inducible NOS was significantly down-regulated in MT group, compared with that in M group (P < 0.01), while eNOS was significantly up-regulated, compared with that in M group (P < 0.01). The expressions of iNOS and eNOS in M and MT groups were higher than those in S group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONMinocycline can down-regulate the expression of iNOS and up-regulate the expression of eNOS in vascular dementia, which restrains apoptosis and oxidative stress to protect neural function.

Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; complications ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Cognition Disorders ; drug therapy ; etiology ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Exploratory Behavior ; drug effects ; Female ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Minocycline ; therapeutic use ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reaction Time ; drug effects ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo determine the expression level of survivin in androgen-independent prostate carcinoma, and to investigate the biological role of survivin in invasion and metastasis of androgen-independent prostate carcinoma.

METHODSHighly metastatic prostatic cancer cell line PC-3M-1E8 was stably transfected with pSilencer plasmid targeting survivin expression by RNA interference. The biological effects were observed, including anchorage-independent growth, in vitro invasion by soft agar colony formation and Boyden chamber assay, and also in vivo tumorigenesis in nude mice. Cell cycle and apoptosis indices were evaluated by flow cytometry and Western blot analysis of bioactive fragments of caspase 3.

RESULTSThe expression of survivin in transfected PC-3M-1E8 cells was markedly depressed at both mRNA and protein levels (about 78% to 80%) as compared with control. The growth of tumor cells was retarded by anchorage-independent growth assay. The survivin transfectants formed smaller and fewer colonies (14.33 +/- 3.51) than the negative (52.33 +/- 6.81) and blank controls (54.00 +/- 6.00). Inhibition of survivin expression was correlated with enhanced apoptosis of tumor cells (percentages of apoptotic cells of the negative control, blank control and experimental groups were 5.88 +/- 0.99, 6.97 +/- 1.60, 16.40 +/- 1.95 respectively), along with an increased expression of activated caspase 3, and cell cycle inhibition at G(0)/G(1) phase (the relative number of cells at G(0)/G(1) phase were 43.65 +/- 3.44, 43.59 +/- 1.83 and 52.71 +/- 1.10, respectively). In addition, multinucleated giant cells were observed along with a marked inhibition of invasion as reflected by fewer penetrating cells by Boyden chamber assay (46.07 +/- 9.97, 47.87 +/- 9.58 and 38.67 +/- 6.59, respectively).

CONCLUSIONSSurvivin expression is high in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells and likely may be related to the apoptosis, growth and invasion of the tumor cells. Targeting the survivin pathway by RNA interference appears to be a promising approach for clinical treatment of androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Androgens ; metabolism ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; NIH 3T3 Cells ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA Interference ; Transfection ; Transplantation, Heterologous