BACKGROUND: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) protein is widely expressed in cells and tissues of different type and. It is the important component of signal transduction and transcription chain that participates in the regulation of various physiological functions of cells like proliferation and differentiation. However, there is no literature reported regarding if there is STAT3 expression and whether it participates in embryo liver development both at home and abroad.OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects and mechanism of STAT3 signal transduction route on development of embryo liver by. Studying the expression of STAT3 protein during embryo liver development in mice.DESIGN: Randomized controlled study based on STAT3 protein.SETTING: Department of histology and embryology in a military medical university of Chinese PLA.MATERIALS: The study was completed in the Department of Histology and Embryology, Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA during January to June 2004. Kunming mice were provided by Animal Centre of Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA. Ten male mice and 20 female mice with body mass during 25 to 30 grams were randomly chosen.METHODS: Serial frozen sections of mouse embryo was performed in the 13.5 days ( n = 8), 14.5 days ( n = 9) and 15.5 days ( n = 7) after mating respectively. One of the every 2 slices was used as negative control by replacing first antibody of STAT3 with 0. 01 mol/L PBS. Immunochemical technique and immunofluorescence method were used to display the expression of STAT3 protein in embryo liver development in mice.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Expression of STAT3 protein in serial frozen sections of mouse embryo.RESULTS: There was strong expression of STAT3 protein in liver cells in E13.5 days mouse embryo while the expression was decreased in E14.5 days and E15.5 days mouse embryos.CONCLUSION: STAT3 protein has participated in the development of embryo liver. The expression of STAT3 in liver development can be used to explain the mechanism of liver regeneration and provide experimental data for organ repair.

To investigate the effect of Tanreqing injection on immune activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with lung cancer. The peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with lung cancer and healthy persons were separated by the density gradient centrifugation method for subsequent experiments, with those from healthy persons as the positive control. The effect of Tanreqing injection on stimulating the proliferation of lymphocytes with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was determined by MTT method. The effect of Tanreqing injection on the lymphocyte secretions of IFN-γ and TNF-α and the subset ratio of lymphocytes cultured separately or with Tanreqing injection of different concentrations were examined by ELISA and flow cytometry (FCM) respectively. In addition, the LDH release assay was used to detect the cytotoxicity of cytotoxic T cells (CTL) and natural killer cells (NK). According to the findings, all of immunological indexes of lymphocytes from patients with lung cancer were weaker than that of healthy persons, but with the obvious increases in proliferation activity and IFN-γ and TNF-α secretions of lymphocytes co-cultured with Tanreqing Injection (P < 0.05). Among lymphocyte subsets co-cultured with Tanreqing Injection, CD3+, CD3+ CD4+ and CD3- CD16 + 56+ cell ratios notably increased, whereas CD4+ CD25+ Treg cell ratio obviously decreased (P < 0.05). In the meantime, Tanreqing injection can markedly promote the cytotoxicities of CTL and NK (P < 0.05). In conclusion, Tanreqing injection shows a significant effect in promoting the immune activity of lymphocytes from patients with lung cancer and their anti-tumor immunity.
Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; genetics ; immunology ; Killer Cells, Natural ; drug effects ; immunology ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; immunology ; physiopathology ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; drug effects ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; immunology

Adult ; Aorta, Thoracic ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Heart Arrest, Induced ; Humans ; Male

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of acupuncture on the immune function of sepsis patients.

METHODSNinety sepsis patients were assigned to the control group, the thymosin a1 group, and the acupuncture treatment group according to random digit table, 30 patients in each group. Patients in the control group were treated according to the guideline of Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC). Patients in the control group received routine treatment. Those in the thymosin alpha1 group additionally received subdermal injection of thymosin alpha1 (1.6 mg), once per day for 6 successive days. Needling at related points such as Zusanli (ST36), Yanglingquan (GB34), Neiguan (PC6), Guanyuan (RN4), and so on, was performed in patients of the acupuncture treatment group, once per day for 6 successive days. T cell subgroups (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+ /CD8+) and immunoglobulin levels (IgG, IgA, IgM) were detected. The length of ICU hospital stay, hospital readmission rate, and 28-day mortality were compared among the three groups.

RESULTSAfter six days of treatment, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, IgG, IgA, IgM, and CD4+ /CD8+ ratio of three groups were all significantly increased (P < 0.01). Of them, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, IgG, IgA, and IgM increased more significantly in the thymosin alpha1 group and the acupuncture treatment group (P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the ICU hospitalization length was significantly shortened, the hospital readmission rate and the 28-day mortality were lower in the thymosin alpha1 group and the acupuncture treatment group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in each index between the thymosin alpha1 group and the acupuncture treatment group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture could adjust the immune function of sepsis patients, improve their immunological indicators and prognoses.

Acupuncture Therapy ; CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Prognosis ; Sepsis ; diagnosis ; immunology ; therapy ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; Thymosin ; analogs & derivatives

A systematic review was undertaken, including studies that evaluated the incidence of the blood system adverse events of Tripterygium wilfordii (TWP). Medline, Embase and the Cochrane library were searched for relevant studies, including RCT, cohort studies and case series, of patients treated with TWP published in English and Chinese from inception up until May 25th, 2013 with the keywords including "Tripterygium wilfordii", "toxicity", "reproductive", "side effect", "adverse", "safety" and "tolerability". Relevant information was extracted and the incidence of the blood system adverse events was pooled with MetaAnalyst software. Besides, subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed based on age, mode of medicine, observation time and disease system. According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 49 articles were included in the meta-analysis, they were split into 54 researches incorporated in the analysis. There is a large degree of heterogeneity among the studies, so data was analyzed using random-effects model and the summary estimates of incidence of the blood system adverse events was 6.1%. The weighted combined incidence of three major blood system adverse events were white-blood cells decreasing 5.6% (95% CI, 4.3% - 7.3%), hemoglobin decreasing 1.7% (95% CI, 0.5% - 5.0%) and platelet decreasing 1.8% (95% CI, 1.0% - 3.1%), respectively . Sensitivity analyses based on 45 studies with high quality showed the combined value was close to the summary estimate of total 54 studies. The current evidence indicates that the incidence of the blood system adverse events induced by TWP was high; attentions should be paid on to the prevention and treatment of the blood system adverse events.
Blood Cells ; drug effects ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Humans ; Tripterygium ; adverse effects

0.05).(2)Whereas there was a significant difference in cardiac func- tion in patients received atorvastatin(P

BACKGROUNDThe dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells plays a key role in starting and facilitating restenosis. The acceleration of intima repair and the recovery of endothelial function would reduce the restenosis rate. This study was undertaken to assess the effect of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on the repair of damaged iliac arteries.

METHODSTwenty-four male New Zealand white rabbits undergoing primary iliac artery deendothelization were randomly divided into two groups (GM-CSF group and control group). The GM-CSF group received a subcutaneous injection of GM-CSF [10 microg x kg(-1) x d(-1)], and the control group was given a subcutaneous injection of equivalent saline. The iliac arteries of all animals were damaged by balloon after 7 days. The levels of nitric oxide (NO) were detected before, 1 week, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after angioplasty. The repair and hyperplasia of the intima were observed microscopically and the indices of stenosis were evaluated by computerized planimetry after 4 weeks of angioplasty.

RESULTSThe NO levels of the GM-CSF group were higher than those of the control group 2 weeks and 4 weeks after angioplasty [(91.92 +/- 11.57) micromol/L vs. (81.67 +/- 12.18) micromol/L; (97.67 +/- 10.13) micromol/L vs. (83.16 +/- 12.64) micromol/L]. Four weeks after balloon damage, histological examination showed that neointima formation, vascular smooth muscle cells and fibrous tissue of the GM-CSF group were less than those of the control group. The endothelium of the GM-CSF group was more integrated, and stenosis of lumen was slighter than that of the control group. Morphometry showed the lumen area of the GM-CSF group was larger than that of the control group [(1.27 +/- 0.31) mm(2) vs. (0.92 +/- 0.24) mm(2)], the neointimal area and percent of intima hyperplasia were significantly smaller than those of the control group [(0.85 +/- 0.34) mm(2) vs. (1.18 +/- 0.38) mm(2); (40 +/- 7)% vs. (55 +/- 6)%].

CONCLUSIONGM-CSF could facilitate the repair of the intima, reduce neointima formation, better the function of the endothelium, and decrease the rate of restenosis.

Angioplasty, Balloon ; adverse effects ; Animals ; Endothelium, Vascular ; pathology ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; pharmacology ; Hyperplasia ; Iliac Artery ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Rabbits ; Tunica Intima ; drug effects ; pathology

Objective To investigate the in vitro effects of bladder cancer cell proliferation after silencing Notch1 gene. Methods The siRNA eukaryotic expression vector of Notch1 (psiRNA1)was constructed and transfected into bladder cancer cell lines T24 and BIU-87. Methabensthiazuron (MTT) and flow cytometry (FCM) assays were used to detect bladder cancer cells line growth, cell cycle and apoptosis after the transfection. RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to determine the expression changes of Notch1 in these cell lines. Results After transfection for 72 h, the rate of G0/G1 phase cells inceased from (23.89±1.32) % to (80.13±2.69)% in T24 cell line, and increased from (24.63±1.68)% to (69.44±2.41)% in BIU-87 cell line (both P<0.05). In addition, apop-totic cell index in T24 and BIU-87 cell lines increased from (1.28±0.14)% to (13.75±1.23)%, from (1.01±0.27)% to (8.72±1.01)%, respectively(both P<0.05). The growth of T24 and BIU-87 cell lines was obviously inhibited 24 h after the transfection, and the inhibitory effects lasted until 96 h after the transfection. Notch1 mRNA and protein significantly downregulated after transfection compared to the control(P<0.05). Conclusions Silencing Notch1 expression can inhibit the prolif-eration of bladder cancer cell lines. Notch1 gene might act as a tumor gene in bladder cancer.

Adult ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; etiology ; pathology ; Humans ; Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus ; complications ; pathology ; Male ; Penile Neoplasms ; etiology ; pathology ; Time Factors

Objective To construct an anti-keratin autoantibody (AK auto Ab) transgenic mouse model. Methods Linearized transgene plasmid was microinjected into the zygotes of CBA?C57BL/6 mice, which were transplanted into the oviducts of pseudo-pregnant mice. PCR was used to identify the genotype of the offsprings, and ELISA was applied to measure the serum levels of AK auto Ab. Results Twelve transgene positive founder mice were obtained, and 9 of them produced offsprings as the third generation. The serum level of AK auto Ab was increased in 3 of the transgenic mice. Conclusions AK auto Ab transgenic mice were successfully established; these mice could serve as an animal model with increased serum levels of AK auto Ab.