Th17 cells were identified as an independent lineage of CD4+ T cells that secrete a distinctive set of immunoregulatory cytokines, which play an important role in the pathogenesis of a diverse group of immune-mediated diseases. Recent data in humans and mice trials suggest that as the hallmark cytokine of Th17 cells, IL-17 involved in the inducement and the inflammation of allergy, such as asthma. IL-17 induces chemokine IL-8, and prominently recruits neutrophils in the airways in severe asthma exacerbations and may contribute to airway gland hypersecretion, bronchial hyper-reactivity and airway wall remodelling in asthma. Given the strong association between excessive Th17 activity and human diseases, new therapeutic approaches targeting Th17 cells are highly promising, but the potential clinical application need further investigation.

In this study, carbontetrachloride was administered orally to male Wistarrats at a dose of 2.5ml/kg body weight. The protective effects of RSM were comparedwith that of verapamil (a well-known calcium antagonist), and regitine (a vasodilator),to study the mechanisms of RSM action. The results showed that a significant correlation between CCl_4-induced liver tissuenecrosis and liver tissue calcium content(r=0.887, P

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of anus misoprostol for cervial dilation for menopausal women in hysteroscopy.Methods 86 menopausal women before hysteroscopy were divided into two groups.The misoprostol group(46 cases) were handled with misoprostal through anus.The control group(40 cases) were injected with lidocaine through cervix.Results Compared with the control group,the effective cervial dilatation rate of misoprostol groupwas significantly higher,and the incidence of abortion syndrome was lower.Conclusion Anus misoprostol can significantly facilitate cervial dilation in menopausal women before hysteroscopy.

Aim To find out the relationship between muscarinic receptor and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the probable differences between the four muscarinic receptor subtypes. Methods We transfected the plasmid encoding muscarinic receptor (including subtypes: M_1, M_2, M_3 and M_4) into PC12 cells. Then PC12 cells were exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H_2O_2), carbachol and other inhibitors such as atropine, LY294002 and PD98059. Results The results showed that activation of muscarinic receptor by carbachol protected PC12-M_1, PC12-M_2,PC12-M_3 and PC12-M_4 cells from apoptosis induced by H_2O_2. There was no statistical difference in the protective effect between these four muscarinic receptor subtypes. By using the inhibitors, we found that atropine and LY294002 blocked the protective effect of activation of muscarinic receptor on apoptosis induced by H_2O_2. Conclusion Activation of muscarinic receptor retarded the apoptosis induced by H_2O_2. There was no difference between the four muscarinic receptor subtypes. The protective effect was mainly mediated by the activation of muscarinic receptor and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K).

BACKGROUND:Osteoporosis caused by diabetes melitus as common secondary osteoporosis has been paid more and more attention recently. Zoledronic acid serves as a novel drug for osteoporosis, and its effect on osteoblasts in vivo remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the changes of the expression of bone morphogenetic protein 2 andNoggin in the femur of type 1 diabetes melitus rats and the effect of zoledronic acid on them. METHODS:Models of type 1 diabetes melitus were established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin in 130 Wistar rats. 3 days later, rats with blood sugar > 16.7 mmol/L for three consecutive times were considered as successful models, 120 in total. These models were randomly divided into model, prevention and treatment groups. Rats in the prevention and treatment groups were intravenously administered zoledronic acid (0.1 mg/kg) on the day of modeling and 2 weeks after model establishment. An additional 40 rats were injected with citrate buffer solution as control group. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the control group, femur bone mineral density, serum alkaline phosphatase levels, and femur bone morphogenetic protein 2 mRNA expression levels were significantly lower in the model group (P < 0.05), butNoggin mRNA expression significantly increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, bone mineral density and bone morphogenetic protein 2 mRNA expression levels were significantly higher in the prevention and treatment groups (P < 0.05), butNoggin mRNA expression significantly lower (P < 0.05), and serum alkaline phosphatase levels gradualy restored. These results indicated that the bone metabolic disturbance occurs in early stage in rats with type 1 diabetes melitus. Zoledronic acid can promote bone formation, increase bone density, and improve bone metabolism.

To investigate the protective effects of the n-butanol extract of Potentilla anserina L. (NP) on pituitrin-induced acute myocardial ischemic injury in mice.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics, therapeutic outcomes and prognostic factors of primary nodal peripheral T-cell lymphoma(PTCL). Methods Clinical records, therapy responses as well as prognostic factors of 19 PTCL patients were analyzed. Results The median age of the 19 patients was Ⅲ-Ⅳ, 84.2 % (16/19) with B symptoms, 84.2 % (16/19) with extranodal involvement, 57.9 % (11/19) with bone marrow involvement. After treatment, the complete remission (CR) rate was 36.8 % (7/19). The 2-year overall survival (OS) rate of all patients was 47.2 % and the 2-year progression free survival (PFS) rate was 25 %. The number of sites of extranodal involvement (EN)≥2, ECOG≥2, IPI＞2 and elevated β2-MG were poor prognostic factors. Conclusion Primary nodal PTCL is a heterogeneous group of aggressive T-cell lymphoma with poor chemotherapy results. Multifactors indicate negative prognosis.

This study was aimed to analyze the major protein composition of centipedes (Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans L.Koch.), and the ACE inhibitory activity of its hydrolysis. Albumins, gulbulins, coixins and glutelins were sequentially extracted from centipedes flour with corresponding buffer and then quantified by Kjeldahl method and Brandford. Hydrolysation of four kinds of proteins of centipedes and the residues were conducted with pepsin. The hydrolysis was ultrafiltrated (MWCO=3 000) and lyophilized. The peptides (≤3 kD) were obtained to evalu-ate the ACE inhibitory activity by RP-HPLC. The results showed that the total protein content of centipedes was (62.69±1.41)%. Among which the contents of albumins, globulins, coixins, glutelins and residual were account-ing for (6.42±0.31)%, (7.94±0.24)%, (4.31±0.34)%, (40.66±0.56)% and (25.78±0.60)%, respectively. The inhibition rate of hydrolysis of four kinds of protein and residual were 50.28%, 57.37%, 31.15%, 58.99%, 80.81%, respectively. It was concluded that centipedes were rich in protein and the hydrolyzate of all proteins manifested ACE inhibitory activity at different extent. The residual and glutelins indicated strong ACE inhibitory potential by hydrolysis. This research provided valuable sights for exploring hypotensive activity and functional food from centi-pedes.

BACKGROUND: It is reported that ceramide signal pathway may play an important role in the apoptosis of vascular endothelial cell and then lead to the progress of atherosclerosis, such as the formation of foam cells and the proliferation of smooth muscular cells.OBJECTIVE: To study the changes of the sphingomylinase activity and ceramide content in aorta of rabbits with experimental atherosclerosis and investigate the regulative effects and mechanism of emodin on them as compared with positive fenofibrate.DESIGN: Completely randomized controlled design.SETTING: Laboratory of Pharmacology & Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Science of Sun Yat-sen University.MATERIALS: The experiment was completed at the Laboratory of Pharmacology & Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Science of Sun Yat-sen University from July to December 2003. Totally 48 New Zealand male rabbits were selected. Forty animal models of atherosclerosis were made with high cholesterol feed, and the other 8 rabbits were selected as the normal controls. Model animals were divided randomly into model group, 5 mg/kg emodin group, 10 mg/kg emodin group, 20 mg/kg emodin group and 25mg/kg fenofibrate group with 8 in each group.METHODS: At the seventh weeks of model duplication, 5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg emodin were perfused in rabbits of emodin groups respectively, and 25 mg/kg fenofibrate was perfused in rabbits of fenofibrate group. Emodin and fenofibrate were diluted or suspensed with 2 mL saline once per day respectively. Rabbits in normal control group and model group were administrated with the same volume of saline for 4 weeks. The rabbits were raised separately and were fed with 135-150 g food per day.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: [1] The area of the lipid plaque in aortal intima; [2] the content of serum TC and TG; [3] SOD activity and MDA content; [4] SMase activity and CER content in aorta.RESULTS: Totally 48 rabbits entered the final analysis. [1] Area of the lipid plaque: Area of the lipid plaque was (48.87±15.5) % in the model group, which was larger than that in each emodin group (P ＜ 0.05 or 0.01),especially larger than that in the 10 mg/kg emodin group (22.19±12.9)%while that in the fenofibrate group was similar to that in the model group (P ＞ 0.05). [2] Content of serum TC and TG: The anrtal intima of control was smooth. Content of serum TC and TG in each emodin group were similar to those in the model group (P ＞ 0.05), but those in the 25 mg/kg fenofibrate group were lower than those in the model group (P ＜ 0.05). [3]Content of SOD and MDA in plasma: SOD activity of rabbits in each emodin group was higher than that in the model group (P ＜ 0.05, P ＜ 0.01),but the MDA activity in the 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg emodin group was lower than that in the model group (P ＜ 0.05). The MDA activity in the25 mg/kg fenofibrate group was similar to that in the model group (P ＞ 0.05).[4] Content of SMase and CER: Those in the model group were higher than those in the normal control group, but those in the 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg emodin groups were lower than those in the model group; those in the 25 mg/kgfenofibrate group were similar to those in the model group (P ＞ 0.05). [5]Analysis of correlation: Content of SMase was in positive relation with blood cholesterol (r=0.542, P ＜ 0.01), in positive relation with blood MDA (r=0.789, P ＞ 0.01), and in negative relation with blood SOD(r=-0.936, P ＞ 0.01); content of CER was in positive relation with blood cholesterol (r=0.433, P ＞ 0.05), in positive relation with blood MDA (r=0.673, P ＞ 0.01), and in negative relation with blood SOD (r=-0.876, P ＞ 0.01).CONCLUSION: The study finds that emodin, despite its insignificant effects on decreasing TG or TC, can protect vascular endothelial cells and reduce the area of lipid-laden plague of aortal intima by antioxidation, inhibition of the sphingomyelinase activity and reduction of the content of ceramide. It is suggested that moderate dosage of emodin employed in the study may be most appropriate to atherosclerosis treatment.

ObjectiveTo explore the changes of the levels of cytokines in patients with first-episode depression and the effect on the levels of cytokines after the treatment with duloxetine.MethodsThe serum levels of interleukin 1 ( IL-1 ),interleukin 6 ( IL-6 ),tumor necrosis factor-alpha ( TNF-αt ),interleukin4 ( IL-4 ),interleukin10(IL-10) were measured in 38 patients with depression before and after duloxetine treatment by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).HAMD score were assessed at pre- treatment and post-treatment to assess curative effect.The control group was 30 healthy individuals.All data were statisticaly analyzed by SPSS.ResultsBefore treatment,the HAMD score and the levels of serum IL-6,TNF-α,IL-1 in first-episode depressant patients were remarkablely higher than those in the control group( IL-6:( 10.66 ± 3.12 ) pg/ml vs (2.72 ± 0.91 ) pg/ml ;TNF-α:(77.49 ±3.12) pg/ml vs (37.48 ±5.87) pg/ml; IL-1:(39.09 ± 3.77 ) pg/ml vs ( 10.31 ± 1.05 ) pg/ml ),the levels of serum IL-4 and IL-10 in first-episode depressant patients were remarkablely lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01 ).The HAMD score and the levels of serum IL-6,TNF-α,IL-1 in post-treatment were remarkablely lower than pre-treatment (P ＜ 0.05 ),but which were still higher than the control group(P＜ 0.05 ).The levels of serum IL-4 and IL-10 in post-treatment were remarkablely increased than pre-treatment(P＜0.05).The levels of serum IL-6,TNF-α,IL-1 were positively correlated with the HAMD score( r =0.667,0.486,0.727,P ＜0.01 ),but the levels of serum IL-4 and IL-10 were negatively correlated with the HAMD scorae ( r=-0.433,-0.269,P＜0.05,P＜ 0.01 ).ConclusionsThe first-episode depressant patients show immune disorder induced by cytokines.Anti-depressant activity of duloxetine may participate in the regulation of cytokines and Th1/Th2 unbalance.