OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of oxymatrine on the level of serum matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and its inhibitor (TIMP-2) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and post-hepatitis B liver cirrhosis (LC), as well as on liver fibrosis indexes as hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN) and IV type collagen (IV C).

METHODSChanges of all the above-mentioned indexes in patients with CHB (n = 36) and LC (n = 36) before and after treatment were determined, and the relationship of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 with liver fibrosis indexes were analyzed.

RESULTSOxymatrine could decrease the levels of MMP-2, HA, LN and IV C in patients with severe or moderate CHB and LC of Child-pugh A, B and C grade, as compared with the data before treatment (P < 0.05). Serum level of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 was well correlated with the levels of liver cirrhosis indexes.

CONCLUSIONMMP-2 and TIMP-2 can be used as a reference for evaluating the degree of LC, and oxymatrine has a certain anti-LC effect.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Alkaloids ; therapeutic use ; Collagen Type IV ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Laminin ; blood ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Quinolizines ; therapeutic use ; Sophora ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; blood

Objective To study the inflammation and expression of myosin light chain kinase(MLCK) through establishing acute lung injury animal model of mice induced by lipopolysacchride(LPS), and approach the role of MLCK in the mechanism of acute lung injury.Methods Twenty female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into LPS group(n=10) and control group(n=10).The BALB/c mice of LPS and control groups were induced by 30 ?L 0.9% NaCl via intranasal instillation,while only LPS group was treated with LPS(20 ?g/each mice).The pathology,wet/dry lung weight ratio and the total cell quantitation in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)were compared between these two groups.Furthermore,immunohistochemistry assays were used to determine the status of MLCK expression in the lung.And RT-PCR was adopted to determine the status of MLCKmRNA in the lung. Results Compared with the control group,the LPS group showed more serious pulmonary hemorrhage,edema and infiltration of neutrophils, significantly increased water content in the lungs and total cell quantitation in BALF(P

Objective To study the effect of montelukast(MK)and dexamethasone(Dex)on inflammation of asthma.Methods Asthma model was established and treated with MK or Dex.Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) and histopathologic change were observed,IL-5mRNA of lung and bone marrow cells were detected by in situ hybridization,IL-5 immunoreactive cells by immunohistochemistry,and CD34+ and CD3+ of bone marrow cells by flow cytometry. ResultsCompared with asthma group,the number of total cells and eosinophils in BALF of MK group and Dex group were significantly decreased(P0.05). Conclusion MK and Dex can well inhibit airway inflammation and expression of IL-5mRNA in lung and bone marrow cells,though MK may be inferior to Dex in some aspects.The combined treatment of leukotriene receptor antagonist and glucocorticosteroid may be a new direction for asthma.

Objective To study the expression of phosphorylated myosin light chain kinase(P-MLCK) in human pulmonary arterial endothelial cell(HPAEC) induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS). Methods HPAECs were cultured in vitro and treated with LPS(2 ?g/mL) and normal saline for 1 h,respectively.Immunofluorescence method and western blotting were used to detect P-MLCK. Results Compared with normal saline group,the number of HPAECs decreased,but the morphology of cells did not change.After treatment of LPS for 30 and 60 min,the expression of P-MLCK in HPAEC increased from 0.41?0.05 to 0.82?0.43 and 1.56?0.07,respectively(P

Objective To investigate the immunological properties of Rv1009 domain. Methods BALB/c mice were immunized with Rv1009 domain three times at 2-week interval. ELISA was used to detect the antiRv1009 domain antibody titer in the sera of immunized mice sera. The spleen lymphocytes of the immunized mice were separated and the stimulation index (SI) was measured by MTT colorimetry. Levels of secreted IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-12 upon specific antigen stimulation were detected by ELISA. The BALB/c mice immunized with Rv1009 domain were intravenously infected with MTB H37Rv. Four weeks after the final injection, the number of CFU in spleens was determined. Results The titer of the specific antibody in sera of the immunized BALB/c mice was 1:12 800. The SI of Rv1009 domain immunized group (2. 40±0. 18) was significantly higher than that of saline immunized group (0.90±0.21). The IFN-γ,IL-10 and IL-12 levels in culture supematant of spleen lymphecytes from the fusion proteins immunized mice was (1 432±30) ng/L, (503±11) ng/L and (311±11) ng/L respectively, significant different from that of saline immunized group[(256±20) ng/L, (76±6) ng/L and(56±8) ng/L,P<0.01]. Four weeks after the final injection,compared with normal saline immunized mice (6.64±0.13), dramatic reduction in MTB replication was observed in the spleen (4.86±0.14) from BALB/c mice immunized with fusion proteins following a subsequent MTB H37Rv challenge, but the protection efficacy of mice immunized with Rv1009 domain was not as good as that of BCG vaccination group (3.81±0.16). Conclusion Rv1009 domain can be used as a candidate for the new TB vaccine.

0.05).The CD4+ lymphocyte of them was(53.37?4.38)% and(29.25?9.38)%,respectively,and the difference between two groups was significant(P

Carrier Proteins ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; Humans ; Liver ; chemistry ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; genetics

Animals ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Liver Failure ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C

Objective To purify Micrococcus luteus Rpf and Rpf domain fusion protein, and to in-vestigate its effects on growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Methods The recombinant plasmids pPro-EXHT-Rpf and pPro-EXHT-Rpf domain were expressed in E. Coli DHSa and then purified under denaturing condition via Ni-NTA purification system and confirmed by Western blot. The biochemical property of the M. Luteus Rpf and Rpf domain was analyzed by stimulating the resuscitation of M. Tuberculosis H37Ra which were in non-culturable' condition. Results The Rpf and Rpf domain products achieved 95% and 93% pure respectively, and the molecular weight was 30 x 103 and 12 x 103, the yield of purification was about 471 mg/L and 337 mg/L of the culture. The M. Luteus Rpf and Rpf domain from the E. Coli showed activity of stimulating the resuscitation of M. Luteus and M. Tuberculosis H37Ra in non-cuhurable' condition which could be inhibited by monoclonal antibodies of M. Luteus Rpf domain remarkably. Conclusion It was dem-onstrated that the purification of Rpf and Rpf domain have high biological activity for further functional, pharmacological and clinical investigations, and M. Luteus Rpf domain protein is fully active as M. Lateus full-length Rpf.

Objective To report a case of foot hyalohyphomycosis due to Fusarium subglutinans. Methods Medical history was collected and physical examination performed for this patient.Biopsy samples were obtained from the inner side of right ankle of this patient and subjected to pathological examination. Discharge was collected from the lesions for direct microscopic examination and culture.Results A 72-year-old woman presented with an ulcer on the right foot for 3 years.Physical examination disclosed an ulcer,measuring 3 cm x 1.5 cm,with a moist surface and obvious tenderness,at the inner side of the right ankle.Proliferation of dusky-red granulomatous tissue was observed at the base of the ulcer.Pathological examination revealed necrotic granulomatous tissue and slender,septate and hyaline hypha-like structure in the superficial dermis with scattered infiltration of inflammatory cells.PAS staining showed sausage-like hypha and scattered orbicular-ovate spores.Microscopic examination of lesional discharge exhibited septate, branching and hyaline hypha.The isolated fungus was identified as Fusarium subglutinans by culture,and appeared to be highly sensitive to terbinafine,nystatin and amphotericin B.The lesion completely healed after 2 months of treatment with oral terbinafine (0.25 g,twice a day).Conclusions This is a case of foot hyalohyphomycosis due to Fusarium subglutinans,and terbinafine is effective for this condition.