AIM: To prepare anti-Sperm protein 17 (Sp17) immunomagnetic nanoparticles (IMNPs), and make foundation for target diagnosis of ovarian cancer by magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: The anti-human Sp17 IMNPs were prepared by grafting anti-Sp17 antibodies on the surface of chitosan-coated magnetic nanoparticles （MNPs） using the linker of EDC/NHS (1-ethyl-3-［3-dimethylaminopropyl］carbodiimide/N-hydroxysuccinimide). The morphology and properties of the nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), the conjugation of the antibodies was evaluated by native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the immunologic activity of IMNPs was evaluated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A set of in vitro magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) experiments were performed after incubated the IMNPs with human Sp17 gene transfected ovarian cancer HO-8910 cells. RESULTS: We had successfully grafted the MNPs with anti-Sp17 antibody and the IMNPs kept good bioactivity. The MRI showed that the IMNPs were targeted successfully to the positive cells, and no obviously non-specific adsorption was observed. CONCLUSION: The anti-Sp17 IMNPs with good specificity can used for further study of ovarian cancer target therapy.

Objective To investigate the effects of allergens on the expressions of IL-18,IL-18BPa and IL-18Rα protein in peripheral blood CD4+Th1 cells of healthy control subjects(HC)and patients with allergic rhi-nitis(AR),and on the expressions of IL-18,IL-18BPa and IL-18Rα mRNA in the peripheral blood CD4+T cells.Methods Blood samples were collected from patients with rhinitis for negative skin prick test(AR-),rhinitis for positive skin prick test(AR+)and HC.Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the effects of allergens on the expres-sions of IL-18,IL-18BPa and IL-18Rα protein in CD4+Th1 cells.The expressions of IL-18,IL-18BPa and IL-18Rα mRNA in CD4+T cells were determined by qPCR.Results Compared with HC,increased IL-18 while de-creased IL-18BPa expressions in Th1 cells of AR-and AR+patients were observed,increased IL-18Rα expression in Th1 cells of AR+patients was also found.Additionally,allergens induced elevated expression of IL-18Rα pro-tein in Th1 cells of HC,and induced elevated mRNA expressions of IL-18,IL-18BPa and IL-18Rα in isolated blood CD4+T cells of AR+patients and HC.Conclusion Allergens may be involved in the pathogenesis of AR by inducing the expressions of IL-18 and IL-18Rα in blood CD4+Th1 cells.