1.Effects of Honokiol on airway inflammation in asthmatic mice exposed to PM2.5 and its mechanism
Feng HAN ; Huicong FU ; Xiaoxia LU ; Yurong FANG ; Jiali XU ; Liqiong ZHANG ; Qing DU ; Zongqi DONG
Chinese Journal of Applied Clinical Pediatrics 2018;33(5):373-377
Objective To investigate the protective effect of Honokiol on the airway inflammation induced by particulate matter 2.5(PM2.5)in the asthmatic mice and its mechanism.Methods Fifty male specific pathogen free (SPF)Balb/c mice were randomly divided into 5 groups.Group A:normal control group;group B:asthmatic model group;group C:PM2.5 exposure asthmatic group;group D:TAK -242 group;group E:Honokiol group. Asthmatic mouse models were established by ovalbumin(OVA)sensitization and challenge.On days 0 and 7,the mice in B-E groups were injected intraperitoneally with injection 100 mg/L OVA and aluminum hydroxide for sensitization;on days 14 to 21,10 g/L OVA solution was given 30 min per day to challenge.During challenge phrase,the mice in C -E groups received intratracheal injection of PM2.5,every other day,4 times totally.On this basis,the mice in group D re-ceived TAK-242 intraperitoneal injection,and the mice in group E received honokiol intragastric administration.Group A was given saline instead of OVA.Animals were sacrificed 24 h after the final inhalation challenge,and the bronchoal-veolar lavage fluid(BALF)of the left lung was used for differential inflammatory cell counts.The expressions of Toll-like receptors 4(TLR4)and nuclear factor(NF)-κB at mRNA level were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to measure the levels of Th17 and Treg cells.Results Compared with group A,mice in group B and group C expressed more serious disorders of bronchial epithelial cells,alveolar wall congestion and edema,increased mucus secretion in the airway and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the lung,and those in group C were more obvious than those of group B and group E significantly reduced respiratory inflammation;compared with group A[(4.15 ± 1.35)×108/L,0.012 0 ± 0.002 3],the total number of inflammatory cell counts[(16.79 ± 5.62)×108/L and(24.58 ± 13.46)×108/L],eosinophils proportions(0.113 8 ± 0.022 3 and 0.197 8 ± 0.084 9)in group B and group C,were significantly higher,and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05);The total number of inflammatory cell counts and eosinophils proportion in group E(8.56 ± 3.28)×108/L and 0.041 5 ± 0.013 5)were significantly lower than those in group C,and the differences were statistically significant(all P <0.05);The expressions of TLR4 mRNA and NF-κB mRNA in group B and C(1.85 ± 0.56,1.82 ± 0.28 and 2.97 ± 0.41,2.83 ± 0.32)were significantly higher,and the differences were statistically significant(all P <0.05);The expressions of TLR4 mRNA and NF-κB mRNA in group E(1.60 ± 0.28,1.54 ± 0.25)was significantly lower than those in group C,and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05);the expressions of Th17 in group B and C[(2.89 ± 0.61)% and(4.96 ± 0.27)%]were significantly higher than those of group A[(1.03 ± 0.35)%] (all P<0.05);The expression of Th17 in group E[(1.83 ± 0.23)%]was significantly lower than that of group C,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05);the expressions of Treg in group B and C[(4.96 ± 0.35)%and(2.27 ± 0.41)%]were significantly lower than those of group A[(7.37 ± 0.56)%],and the differences were sta-tistically significant(all P<0.05);The expression of Treg in group E was significantly increased[(6.45 ± 0.38)%] compared with that in group C,and the difference were statistically significant(P<0.05);and those of group D and E were improved remarkably.Conclusions Honokiol can relieve PM2.5 exposure of asthmatic airway inflammation through down-regulating the expression of TLR4 and NF-κB and Th17 and regulating the balance of Th17 and Treg cells.
2.Immunosuppressive effects of honokiol in a mouse model of particulate matter 2.5 -induced asthma
Huicong FU ; Xiaoxia LU ; Feng HAN ; Yurong FANG ; Jiali XU ; Liqiong ZHANG ; Qing DU ; Zongqi DONG
Chinese Journal of Microbiology and Immunology 2017;37(11):827-833
Objective To investigate the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects of honokiol in a mouse model of particulate matter ( PM ) 2.5-induced asthma .Methods Female SPF BALB/c mice were randomly divided into five groups:normal saline group (group A), ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized group ( group B), PM2.5-exposed+OVA-sensitized group ( group C), dexamethasone-treated group (group D) and honokiol-treated group (group E).All mice except those in group A were sensitized and challenged with OVA, and the mice in groups C, D and E were exposed to PM2.5 every two days since the first challenge.Samples of lung sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) to observe in-flammatory infiltration.Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and PBMCs were collected from each mouse . Expression of RORγt and Foxp3 at mRNA level was detected by quantitative real-time PCR.Flow cytometry analysis was performed to measure the percentages of Th 17 and Treg cells.ELISA was performed to measure the levels of IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-17 in the supernatants of cell culture .Results Compared with group B , group C showed an enhanced expression of RORγt at mRNA level, increased IL-17 level and up-regulated percentage of Th17 cells (all P<0.05), but a suppressed expression of Foxp3 at mRNA level, decreased IL-10 level and down-regulated percentage of Th17 cells (all P<0.05).No significant difference in the per-centage of Th1 cells or in the expression of Th 1-related cytokines was observed .The expression of RORγt at mRNA level, IL-17 level and the percentage of Th 17 cells were decreased in PM2.5-exposed mice upon honokiol intervention (all P<0.05), while the expression of Foxp3 at mRNA level, IL-10 level and the per-centage of Treg cells were increased after honokiol intervention (all P<0.05).Honokiol had similar efficacy to dexamethasone in the treatment of asthma .Conclusion Honokiol can alleviate airway inflammation in mice with PM2.5 exposure-induced asthma through regulating the percentages of Th 17 and Treg cells.
3.Case report of pleural ectopic gastric mucosa
Chinese Journal of Applied Clinical Pediatrics 2022;37(13):1032-1033
The clinical data of a child with congenital ectopic gastric mucosa and infections admitted to Wuhan Children′s Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology in May 2020 were analyzed retrospectively.The child was a female who presented to the doctor with " phlegm in the throat with mild cough for more than 1 month" at the age of 1 month and 27 days.The pleural biopsy showed that the gastrointestinal mucosa tissue submitted for examination resembled the gastric mucosa under the microscope.The patient was diagnosed with pleural ectopic gastric mucosa.The child was discharged after her conditions improved.Twenty four days after the discharge, she returned to the hospital due to hemoptysis once.Closed thoracic drainage, partial lobectomy, thoracoscopic resection of mediastinal lesions and thoracoscopic conversion were then performed.In chest exploration, gastric mucosa-like tissue was seen on the top of the left pleura.The first case of pediatric pleural ectopic gastric mucosa in China was analyzed in this study.The results suggested that chest exploration should be performed on children with cough and hemoptysis if necessary to confirm the diagnosis as soon as possible.
4.Development and primary evaluation of a minimally invasive surgical robot system in endoscopic submucosal dissection: an ex vivo feasibility study
Xiaoxiao YANG ; Huxin GAO ; Shichen FU ; Jianxiao CHEN ; Cheng HOU ; Zhifeng ZHOU ; Rui JI ; Huicong LIU ; Hongliang REN ; Lining SUN ; Jialin YANG ; Xiaoyun YANG ; Yanqing LI ; Xiuli ZUO
Chinese Journal of Digestive Endoscopy 2023;40(3):182-188
Objective:To develop a novel, flexible, dual-arm, master-slave digestive endoscopic minimally invasive surgical robot system named dual-arm robotic endoscopic assistant for minimally invasive surgery (DREAMS) and to evaluate its feasibility for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) by using ex vivo porcine stomachs.Methods:A novel endoscopic robot (DREAMS) system was developed which was composed of a flexible two-channel endoscope, two flexible robotic manipulators, a master controller, a robotic arm, and a control system. A total of 10 artificial round-like lesions with diameters ranging from 15 to 25 mm were created (5 in gastric antrum and 5 in gastric body) by using fresh peeled stomach of healthy pigs as the model. Submucosal dissection was performed with the assistance of the DREAMS system by two operators. The main outcome was submucosal dissection speed, and the secondary outcomes included muscular injury rate, perforation rate, and grasping efficiency of the robot.Results:All 10 lesions were successfully dissected en bloc by using the DREAMS system. The diameter of the artificial lesions was 22.34±2.39 mm, dissection time was 15.00±8.90 min, submucosal dissection speed was 141.79±79.12 mm 2/min, and the number of tractions required by each ESD was 4.2 times. Muscular injury occurred in 4/10 cases of ESD. No perforation occurred. Conclusion:The initial animal experiment shows the DREAMS system is safe and effective.