Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD) is a prevalent disease which is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide and will be the major economic burden of diseases according to the World Bank /World Health Organization .However , the pathogenesis of COPD is inadequately understood , oxidative stress and chronic inflammation are considered to be two independent path -ogenetic factors , but the epigenetic put them together because of changes of the environment lead to gene abnormal expression .This ar-ticle summarizes the relationship between histone modifications of genes induced by oxidative stress and the inflammation , antioxidant response, apoptosis, autophagy and the differentiation of T cell subsets in the pathogenesis of COPD .The work will provide more choices for clinical treatment of COPD .

Objective To investigate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of combined application of glucosamine(GS)and chondroitin sulfate(CS).Methods The acute and chronic anti-inflammatory effects of combined application of GS and CS were observed respectively through carrageen-induced paw edema and cotton-induced inguinal granuloma of rats.The analgesic effect of combined application of GS and CS was investigated by the mouse pain model induced by 0.6% acetic acid Results As compared with the control group,the degree of paw edema and the weight of granuloma in combined application of GS and CS group were significantly reduced(P<0.05 and P<0.01,respectively);and the writhing number of mice decreased significantly(P<0.05).Conclusion Combined application of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate demonstrates obviously anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.

Objective: To study the optimal combined ratio of baicalin, icariin and Astragalus saponin I from a Chinese herbal compound Biminne. Methods: Firstly, a mouse model of allergic rhinitis was established by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) and aluminum hydroxide gel suspension, and the effective dose range of baicalin, icariin and Astragalus saponin I was detected by 2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide inner salt method. Secondly, 10 groups of combinations of baicalin, icariin and Astragalus saponin I assembled by U*(10)(10(8)) form were employed to determine the optimal combination by means of analyzing of the inhibitory effect on the splenocyte proliferation. Finally, the effects of each effective ingredient and the optimal combination were compared by observing the splenocyte proliferation, the contents of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in supernatant of the splenocyte cultures and the ratio of IL-4 to IFN-gamma in order to verify the result. Results: Baicalin or icariin at concentrations ranging from 2 to 10 mumol/L, and Astragalus saponin I from 1 to 10 mumol/L effectively suppressed the splenocyte proliferation. When the proportion of baicalin, icariin and Astragalus saponin I was 1:2.14:2.65, the inhibitory effect was most remarkable. Further research confirmed the rationality of the optimal combination. Conclusion: An optimal combination of the major effective ingredients from Chinese herbal compound Biminne most effectively suppresses the proliferation of splenocytes from sensitized mice and regulates the cytokine secreting.

To investigate the effects and the mechanism of visfatin on MIN6 cell signaling pathway and apoptosis induced by palmitate.Human recombinant visfatin promotes protein kinase B (Akt) and extracellularsignal regulating kinase (ERK)1/2 phosphorylation in dose-and time-dependent manner,and prevents MIN6 cell from apoptosis induced by palmitate (P<0.05 or P<0.01).The activation of Akt and ERK1/2 signaling pathway may be one of the molecular mechanisms of visfatin.

Objective To observe if fluoxetine has a potency to inhibit the progression of Lewis lung cancer by combining the fluoxetine and cisplatin to treat the mice bearing Lewis lung cancer with depression .Methods We devel-oped a mouse model of Lewis lung cancer with depression which was intervened with cisplatin and fluoxetine , and the indi-cators related to cancer and depression were tested .Social interaction test was used to measure the behavioral changes of the depressed model mice .The serum cortisol and IL-6, BDNF mRNA in the hippocampus , and NF-κB and VEGF in the tumor tissue were selected for investigation and comparison .Results The mice which were induced by social defeat exhib-ited social avoidance behavior in the social interaction test .The cortisol and IL-6 level in both combination groups was de-creased compared with that in the model group (P<0.05), and the cortisol and BDNF mRNA in the combination group in-creased signifuicantly ( P <0.05 ) .There were no statistically significant differences in the tumor weight , NF-κB and VEGF in tumor tissues between the single and combination groups (P>0.05).Conclusions Fluoxetine has antidepres-sant effect by decreasing the high level of serum cortisol and promoting the BDNF mRNA expression in the hippocampus . However , fluoxetine is not found to have the potency to inhibit the expression of NF -κB related with the progression of tumor.

Objective To study the effect of paeoniflorin on inflammatory chemokines and their receptor in a rat model of ovalbumin-induced asthma.Methods Sixty 6-week old SPF female BALB/c mice were used in this study.To es-tablish a mouse model of asthma by sensitizing and challenging with ovalbumin.ELISA was used to analyze the serum IL-6 and TNF-α, and the specific IgE against ovalbumin ( OVA-IgE ) , CCL19 and CCL21 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF).RT-PCR was performed to determine CCR7mRNA and protein expression of chemokine receptor CCR7, and the level of NF-κB was tested by Western blot.ResultsIn In the paeoniflorin groups, the serum IL-6 and TNF-αlevels were significantly lower, and the OVA-IgE, CCL19 and CCL21 levels in BALF were significantly reduced, compared with that in the control group.CCR7mRNA and protein expression of chemokine receptor CCR7 and NF-κB in the lung were significant-ly reduced by paeoniflorin.Conclusions Paeoniflorin has a remarkably inhibitory effect on the airway inflammatory chemo-kines CCL19/CCL21 and the receptor CCR7 in the mouse model of asthma.

10.3969/j.issn.1007-3969.2013.05.002

BACKGROUNDApoptosis is closely related to development of lung cancer. It is a strategy of lung cancer therapy to induce apoptosis. The aim of this study is to explore the effects of growth arrest-specific homeobox (Gax) transfection on apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells.

METHODSA549 cells were transfected with Gax gene by a replication-deficient adenovirus expressing the hemagglutinin-tagged Gax cDNA (Ad-Gax). Apoptosis of A549 cells was observed by transmission electronic microscope and terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) positive staining. Apoptotic rate of A549 cells was evaluated by flow cytometry. Expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in A549 cells were detected by immunocytochemistry.

RESULTSBefore Ad-Gax transfection, none or few of TUNEL-positive A549 cells were detected. After Ad-Gax transfection, a marked increase in TUNEL-positive staining occurred, especially at 24 h later. The ratio of apoptosis of A549 cellsin non-transfection group and transfection groups at 12 h, 24 h, 48 h were 0.25%, 12.57%, 17.29%, 15.03%, respectively. Compared with non-transfection group, the apoptotic rates of transfection groups increased significantly (Chi-square value was 7.357, 11.126 and 9.943 respectively, P < 0.01). The average optical density (AOD) of Bcl-2 protein in A549 cells in non-transfection group and transfection groups at 12 h, 24 h, 48 h were 2.02±0.07, 1.79±0.02, 1.25±0.51 and 1.21±0.24 respectively. Compared with non-transfection group, AOD of Bcl-2 protein in A549 cells in transfection groups decreased significantly (t value was 6.651, 7.089 and 7.438 respectively, P < 0.01). On the other hand, Bax protein expression in transfection groups increased, the AODs of Bax were 4.49±0.61, 4.24±0.37 and 3.95±0.43, respectively. Compared with non-transfection group (3.12±0.42), AOD of Bax protein in A549 celle in transfection groups increased significantly (t value was 7.469, 7.287 and 6.473 respectively, P < 0.01). In the Ad-Gax transfection groups the lower Bcl-2/Bax ratio was, the higher the apoptotic rate of A549 cells was (r=-0.49, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSAd-Gax transfection can induce A549 cells apoptosis. Possible mechanism is that Gax can downregulate Bcl-2 protein expression and upregulate Bax protein expression, and A549 cells apoptosis is related to the Bcl-2/Bax ratio.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the surgical methods for the lesions involved the common carotid artery.METHODS The clinical data of 11 cases with lesions involved the common carotid artery who underwent operations were retrospectively studied.The lesions were 1 case with recurrence tumor after 3/4 partial laryngectomy,1 case with bleeding of the carotid aneurysm caused by tuberculosis,1 case with iatrogenic carotid aneurysm,3 cases with carotid body tumor,1 case with thyroid gland cancer,2 cases with neck tumor,1 case with injury of the carotid artery and 1 case with gas gangrene.RESULTS Common carotid artery was reconstructed in 2 cases after removal of the tumors.The tumors were resected using the carotid shunt in 2 cases.Common carotid artery was sutured in 1 case with neck injury.The common carotid artery was repaired in 1 case with iatrogenic carotid aneurysm after removal of the tumor.The carotid artery was dissected out from the thyroid gland cancer in 1 case.The common carotid artery was reserved in 2 cases after resection of the neck tumors. Neck drainage was performed in the case with gas gangrene.CONCLUSION The surgical methods for lesions involved the carotid artery after removal of the tumors include the reconstruction of the carotid artery, resection and suture the carotid artery,and free of the carotid artery from the tumors.