OBJECTIVETo investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease by Pulsatilla Decoction.

METHODSForty Wistar male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups( n = 8)control group, model group, model + positive control group (mesalazine), Pulsatilla Decoction treatment group, in addition, the Pulsatilla Decoction treatment group was divided into middle and high dose group. Intragastric administration was used in the positive control group and Pulsatilla Decoction treatment group. The expression of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), interleukin-6(IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were detected by real time PCR after extraction of RNA from colons.

RESULTSCompared with the model group, positive medicine and Pulsatilla Decoction group, especially high-dose group, could effectively inhibit the expression of IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha.

CONCLUSIONPulsatilla Decoction could exert its effect in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease by inhibiting the expression of proinflammatory cytokines.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Interleukin-1beta ; genetics ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Pulsatilla ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate molecular mechanisms underlying in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease by Pulsatilla decoction.

METHODSWistar male rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, model + positive control group (mesalazine), traditional Chinese medicine treatment group, in addition, the Chinese medical treatment group was divided into middle and high dose group ( n = 8). Intragastric administration was used in the positive control group and traditional Chinese medicine treatment group. The expression of Smad7 and p-Smad3 in the colons were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the model group, positive medicine and traditional Chinese medicine group, especially high-dose group, could effectively inhibit the expression of Smad7, while enhancing the p-Smad3 expression.

CONCLUSIONThe activation of TGF-beta1/Smad3 signaling pathway may be the molecular mechanism underlying in the anti-inflammatory effect of inflammatory bowel disease by Pulsatilla decoction.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; drug therapy ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Pulsatilla ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Smad3 Protein ; metabolism ; Smad7 Protein ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo provide a convenient method for screening obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) in pregnant women.

METHODSSeventy-eight pregnant women with suspected OSAHS were calculated for the EP index using Epworth sleepiness score (ESS) with also measurement of the neck circumference (NC) and body mass index (BMI). The apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) was calculated and the lowest SaO(2) (LSaO(2)) measured through a 7-h polysomnography (PSG). The women were then divided into 4 groups according to the AHI and LSaO(2). The ESS was compared with the PSG-AHI and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was generated.

RESULTSAll the clinical indexes (NC, BMI, EP, AHI, and LSaO(2)) showed significant differences between the 4 groups (P<0.05). EP and PSG were found to have greater correlations to AHI (r=0.759, P=0.000) than NC (r=0.668) and BMI (r=0.663). The area under the ROC of the EP (0.825) was greater than that of NC (0.772) and BMI (0.784). The index of EP showed greater clinical diagnostic value of OSAHS in pregnancy. Base on the ROC, EP at the optimal operating point of 7.5 had a sensitivity of 76.8% and specificity of 68.2% for diagnosis of OSAHS in pregnant women.

CONCLUSIONThe ESS is an economic and convenient method for screening OSAHS in pregnant women with high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Polysomnography ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; diagnosis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; diagnosis ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; standards ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) and preeclampsia and the possible pathogenesis of the latter.

METHODSTwenty-five healthy pregnant women, 43 pregnant women with preeclampsia, and 27 with preeclampsia complicated by SAHS were enrolled in this study. Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and the lowest arterial oxygen saturation (LSaO2) were measured through a 7-hour polysomnography (PSG), and the maternal age, gestational age, body mass index and 24-hour urine protein were recorded.

RESULTSAll the indexes except for the maternal age and gestational age showed significant differences between the 3 groups. The two groups of preeclampsia patients showed a significant difference in BMI from the control cases. Significant positive correlations of AHI to BMI, MAP and 24-hour urine protein were noted; LSaO2 was found to inversely correlate to BMI, MAP, and 24-hour urine protein. In spite of the significant correlation of BMI to the other indexes, we found that BMI was less important than AHI and LSaO2.

CONCLUSIONSAHS may induce or aggravate preeclampsia. Greater attention should be given to the presence of SAHS in pregnant women with obesity, but obesity is not the predominant predisposing factor for preeclampsia.

Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Polysomnography ; Pre-Eclampsia ; blood ; etiology ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes ; blood ; complications ; physiopathology ; Snoring ; physiopathology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of myeloma-derived exosomes on surface activating receptors of NK cells, and to explore the mechanism of the function defect of NK cells.

METHODSThe exosomes from the supernatant of multiple myeloma cell lines RPMI8226 and U266 were extracted by ultracentrifugation, and the size of them was identified under electron microscope; the human primary NK cells were extracted, and were co-cultured with the myeloma-derived exosomes (40 µg/ml), then the expression levels of surface activating receptors NKp46, NKp30 and NKG2D of NK cells at 0,1,4 and 24 hours were detected by flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe exosomes showed small vesicular, sized 30-100 nm under electron microscope. The expression of surface activating receptors of NK cells declined at different degree after co-cultured with myeloma-derived exosomes.

CONCLUSIONMyeloma-derived exosomes can inhibit the expression of surface activating receptors of NK cells.