Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Humans ; Mucus ; Pulmonary Eosinophilia ; metabolism ; pathology

Mucociliary clearance system is the primary innate defense mechanism of the lung. It plays a vital role in protecting airways from microbes and irritants infection. Mucociliary clearance system, which is mediated by the actions of airway and submucosal gland epithelial cells, plays a critical role in a multilayered defense system via secreting fluids, electrolytes, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory proteins, and mucus onto airway surfaces. Changes in environment, drugs or diseases can lead to mucus overproduction and cilia dysfunction, which in turn decrease the rate of mucociliary clearance and enhance mucus gathering. The dysfunction of mucociliary clearance system often occurs in several respiratory diseases, such as primary ciliary dysfunction, cystic fibrosis, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which are characterized by goblet cell metaplasia, submucosal gland cell hypertrophy, mucus hypersecretion, cilia adhesion, lodging and loss, and airway obstruction.
Humans ; Mucociliary Clearance ; Respiratory Tract Diseases ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/metabolism* ; Mucus/metabolism* ; Lung ; Respiratory System

Although our present knowledge of the etiology of peptic ulcer is incomplete, the presence or absence of peptic ulcer is determined by the delicate interplay between aggressive factors (secreted gastric acid and pepsin) and defensive factors (mucosal resistance). Peptic ulcer is produced when the aggressive effects of acid-pepsin dominate the protective effects of gastric or duodenal mucosal resistance by predominance of aggressive factors or interruption of defensive factors. KU-54 enhances mucosal resistance to tissue injury by the increase of gastric mucosal blood flow, the stimulation of gastric mucosal metabolism, the increase of glycoprotein of gastric mucus, and the increase of ATP of gastric mucosa. We have treated 38 cases of gastric ulcers with KU-54 300 mg daily for 4-12 weeks for the evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy. Endoscopic, clinical, and laboratory assessments were undergone before and after 4 ~ 12 weeks of the treatment. Major symptoms of gastric ulcer have been improved in 83.3% after the medication with KU-54. The healing rate of gastric ulcer evaluated by endoscopy was observed in 33.3% after 4 weeks, 73.3% after 8 weeks, 76.6% after 12 weeks of the medication with KU-54. The utility rate of KU-54 was 86.7%. We could conclude that KU-54 is the utilizable drug for gastric ulcer.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Endoscopy ; Gastric Acid ; Gastric Mucosa ; Glycoproteins ; Metabolism ; Mucus ; Peptic Ulcer ; Stomach Ulcer*

Lectins are glycoproteins that specifically bind carbohydrate structures and may participate in the biodefense mechanisms of fish. In this study, the binding of three lectins, Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), Bandeiraea simplicifolia BS-1 (isolectin B4), Triticum vulgaris (WGA), Arachis hypogaea (PNA) and Ulex europaeus (UEA-I) were studied in the gill, liver, intestine, kidney, heart, and spleen of the flat fish Paralichthys olivaceus. DBA was detected in intestinal mucous cells, as well as in gill epithelial and mucous cells. It was weakly detected in renal tubule epithelial cells and in bile duct epithelial cells. The strong SBA staining was seen in the intestinal club cells, in bile duct epithelial cells and renal tubule epithelial cells. There were intense positive reactions for isolectin B4 in gill epithelial and mucous cells, and the strong isolectin B4 staining was seen in epithelial cells of the bile duct and intestine. The strong WGA staining was seen in the gill mucosal cells, sinusoid, renal tubule epithelial cells and mucosal cells of the intestine. UEA-I was detected in the gill epithelial and mucosal cells, bile duct epithelial cells and renal tubular epithelial cells. These results suggest that the six lectins examined were localized in the covering epithelia of the various organs of the flat fish and they may participate in the biodefense mechanism of the intra body surface in which is exposed to various antigens.
Animals ; Epithelial Cells/metabolism ; Flatfishes/*metabolism ; Histocytochemistry/veterinary ; Lectins/*metabolism ; Mucus/metabolism ; Peanut Agglutinin/metabolism ; Plant Lectins/metabolism ; Soybean Proteins/metabolism ; Wheat Germ Agglutinins/metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the tumor-associated antigen CA125 expression in the serum and cervical and vaginal secretions in women during normal reproductive period, and explore the clinical value of detecting tumor markers in the cervical and vaginal secretions.

METHODSA total of 145 women in reproductive period were divided into 3 age groups (20-29 years, 30-39 years, and over 40 years), and their CA125 levels in cervical secretion, vaginal secretion and serum were detected by automatic electro-chemiluminescent immunoassay.

RESULTSCA125 levels in the cervical secretion, vaginal secretion and serum showed no significant difference between the 3 age groups (P>0.05). In each group, CA125 levels differed significantly between the cervical secretion, vaginal secretion and serum (P<0.001). In the 145 women, the average CA125 level was 497.82 - or + 75.29 U/ml in the cervical secretion, 114.66 - or + 26.40 U/ml in vaginal secretion and 18.06 - or + 3.35 U/ml in serum, showing significant differences between them (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONCA125 expression level is significantly higher in the cervical and vaginal secretions than in the serum in women in normal reproductive period, and its levels in cervical and vaginal secretions can be more sensitive and convenient for early detection of related diseases.

Adult ; Biomarkers ; analysis ; CA-125 Antigen ; blood ; metabolism ; Cervix Mucus ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Vagina ; secretion ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and relationship with mucin MUC5AC, MUC5B secretion.

METHODSThe expression of HIF-1α, MUC5AC and MUC5B were measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC), Western Blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in CRS with or without nasal polyps (CRSwNP: twenty-three or CRSsNP:twenty) and fifteen normal sinus mucosa without CRS. The relationship between HIF-1α and MUC5AC,MUC5B were analyzed by SPSS 16.0 software.

RESULTSPAS and IHC showed that HIF-1α, MUC5AC, MUC5B, total mucins were expressed in nuclear of epithelium and gland cells, which were higher than normal control (t values in epithelium cells were 8.650, 9.305, 9.382, 8.524, 7.533, 5.417, 5.507, 5.556, all P < 0.05; t values in gland cells were 8.285, 7.098, 6.798, 7.308, 8.574, 7.933, 6.798, 7.308, all P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between CRSwNP and CRSsNP (t values in epithelium cells were 0.734, 0.415, 0.572, 0.248, all P > 0.05; t values in gland cells were 0.331, 0.662, 0.249, 0.644, P > 0.05).Western Blot revealed that HIF-1α protein in CRSwNP and CRSsNP were higher than in normal contral (t values were 3.522, 3.314, respectively, P < 0.05). The relative expression levels of HIF-1α, MUC5AC,MUC5B mRNA in CRSwNP and CRSsNP were 1.35 ± 0.84, 1.36 ± 0.94, 0.81 ± 0.54,0.78 ± 0.46, 1.13 ± 1.00, 1.22 ± 1.02. But the relative expression levels of HIF-1α, MUC5AC,MUC5B mRNA in control subjects were 0.43 ± 0.34, 0.42 ± 0.36, 0.48 ± 0.42. There were significant differences between the groups of CRSwNP and control subiects (t values were 4.087, 4.089, 2.519, 2.550, 2.738, 2.955, respectively, all P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation among the expression of HIF-1α and MUC5AC, 5B mRNA in CRSwNP (r values were 0.474,0.464, respectively, all P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation among the expression of HIF-1α and MUC5AC, 5B mRNA in CRSsNP (r values were 0.477,0.514, respectively, all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHIF-1α, MUC5AC and MUC5B expression were upregulated in CRS with or without nasal polyps, indicating CRS is a disease of mucus hypersecretion and there is a close association between HIF-1α with hypersecretion of MUC5AC and MUC5B in mucus.

Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mucins ; secretion ; Mucus ; Nasal Polyps ; RNA, Messenger ; Sinusitis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate that the effect of formula of removing both phlegm and blood stasis in improving cardiac function of Chinese mini-swine with coronary heart disease of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome.

METHODTotally 36 Chinese mini-swine were randomly divided to six groups: the normal control group, the model group, the Danlou tablet group, and Tanyu Tonzhi Fang(TYTZ) groups with doses of 2. 0, 1. 0 and 0. 5 g kg-1, with six in each group. Except for the normal control group, all of other groups were fed with high-fat diet for 2 weeks. Interventional balloons are adopted to injure their left anterior descending artery endothelium. After the operation, they were fed with high-fat diet for 8 weeks to prepare the coronary heart disease model of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome. After the operation, they were administered with drugs for 8 weeks. The changes in the myocardial ischemia were observed. The changes in the cardiac function and structure were detected by cardiac ultrasound and noninvasive hemodynamic method.

RESULTCompared with the normal control group, the model group showed significant increase in myocardial ischemia and SVR and obvious decrease in CO, SV and LCW in noninvasive hemodynamic parameters (P <0.05 or P <0.01). The ultrasonic cardiogram indicated notable decrease in IVSd, LVPWs, EF and FS, and remarkable increase in LVIDs (P<0. 05 orP<0.01). Compared with the model group, TYTZ could reduce the myocardial ischemia, strengthen cardiac function, and improve the abnormal cardiac structure and function induced by ischemia (P <0. 05 or P <0. 01).

CONCLUSIONTYTZ shows a significant effect in improving cardiac function of Chinese mini-swine with coronary heart disease of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome. The clinical cardiac function detection method could be adopted to correctly evaluate the changes in the post-myocardial ischemia cardiac function, and narrow the gap between clinical application and basic experimental studies.

Animals ; Coronary Circulation ; Coronary Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Hemodynamics ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Mucus ; metabolism ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature ; Ultrasonography

The aim of this study was to investigate whether a relationship exists between the presence of low numbers of leukocytes in normal ovulatory cervical mucus and sperm quality and lipid content after migration. The percentages of live, motile and morphologically normal spermatozoa, movement parameters assessed by computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA), and ionophore-induced acrosome reaction measured by flow cytometry were determined before and after migration. High-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection was used to measure the sperm lipid content, including the various diacyl subspecies. The number of leukocytes found in solubilized mucus samples was counted using a haemocytometric method. Overall, the presence of leukocytes in the cervical mucus samples did not significantly influence sperm motility and morphology, sperm kinematic parameters, or the sperm content in sphingomyelin or cholesterol. In contrast, after migration, the decrease in various sperm diacyls and the level of induced acrosome reaction was significantly less pronounced in mucus samples containing>or=10(4) leukocytes than in mucus samples with no or rare leukocytes whereas the level of induced acrosome reaction was higher. The present data suggest that the low level of leukocytes found in normal ovulatory cervical mucus could influence the process of sperm lipid remodelling/capacitation.
Acrosome Reaction ; physiology ; Cervix Mucus ; immunology ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; cytology ; Lipids ; Male ; Ovulation ; Sperm Motility ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; cytology ; metabolism ; Tissue Donors

This study examined the expression of the anterior gradient-2 (AGR2) protein and Muc5ac protein in the lung tissues of asthmatic mice and the effect of dexamethasone, with an attempt to explore the role of AGR2 in the over-secretion of mucus in the airway. Eighteen BALB/c mice were divided into asthma group, control group and dexamethasone group. In dexamethasone group, dexamethasone was intraperitoneally administered. Expression of AGR2 protein and Muc5ac protein in the murine lung tissues was immunohistochemically detected. IL-13 level was determined in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) by ELISA. The results exhibited that the expression of AGR2 protein in asthma group (0.522±0.041) was significantly higher than that in normal controls (0.361±0.047) (P<0.01) and bore a positive linear relationship to the expression of Muc5ac protein (r=0.873, P<0.05) and IL-13 level (r=0.828, P<0.05). Expression of AGR2 protein in the dexamethasone group (0.456±0.049) was significantly lower than that in the asthma group. It was concluded that: (1) the expression of AGR2 protein was significantly higher in asthmatic mice as compared with their normal counterparts; (2) the expression was obviously related to the expression of Muc5ac protein and IL-13; (3) dexamethasone could down-regulate the expression of AGR2 protein. Our findings suggested that AGR2 might be involved in the over-secretion of mucus in the airway in asthma.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Female ; Interleukin-13 ; metabolism ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mucin 5AC ; metabolism ; Mucoproteins ; metabolism ; Mucus ; secretion ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the expression of eosinophil major basic protein (MBP) in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and discuss the role of MBP in the pathogenesis in CRS. METHOD: Thirty-eight nasal mucus obtained from CRS patients were used to detect the expression of MBP by Elisa assay. Thirty nasal mucus samples from health people were used as control. RESULT: The expression of MBP of nasal mucus obtained from CRS patients was obviously higher than that of nasal mucus obtained from control. There was significant statistical difference (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION MBP was involved in the formation of CRS.
Adult ; Aged ; Blood Proteins ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Chronic Disease ; Eosinophil Major Basic Protein ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mucus ; metabolism ; Nasal Mucosa ; metabolism ; Proteoglycans ; metabolism ; Sinusitis ; metabolism ; pathology