Objective To investigate the anti-HBV mechanism of oxymatrine in vitro.Methods The antiviral mechanism of oxymatrine was analyzed through detecting the expression and function of TLR9 signal pathway and the secretion of antiviral cytokines from PBMCs treated by oxymatrine in vitro.Results Oxymatrine could not only induce IFN-α and IFN-γ secretions from PBMCs directly, but also effectively augmented the expressions of TLR9, MyD88 and TRAF6 at mRNA level, and activated the TLR9 signal transduction pathway. TLR9 ligand could induce IFN-α, IFN-γ and TNF-α secretion a lot from PBMCs pretreated by oxymatrine.Conclusion Oxymatrine possesses an anti-HBV activity via activation of TLR9 signal pathway and secretion of antiviral cytokines.

Objective To investigate the damage of mice liver and kidney with the compatibility application of Paeoniae radix rubra and Veratrum nigrum, and explore its mechanism. Methods We examined the alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactic dehydrogenase, creatinine and urea nitrogen from serum, and glutathion peroxidase (GSH-Px) and malondialdehyde (MDA) from liver and kidney tissue after intragastric administration of different ratio (4∶1, 2∶1, 1∶1, 1∶2, 1∶4) of Paeoniae radix rubra and Veratrum nigrum in mice for 22 d. Results Paeoniae radix rubra used with Veratrum nigrum did not induce the obvious damage to liver with AST increase, but induced the obvious damage to kidney. At the same time, the depressed GSH-Px activity and the increased MDA content were observed in kidney tissue. When Paeoniae radix rubra and Veratrum nigrum is on a ratio of 2∶1, the kidney injury was the most obvious. Conclusion Paeoniae radix rubra used with Veratrum nigrum in varying proportions could induce the kidney injury in mice which is related to the oxidation-antioxidation balance disturbance.

Objective To explore the role of receptor-interaction proteins(RIP) in phenethylisothiocyanate(PEITC)-induced apoptosis in human leukemia cells.Methods U937 cells were exposed to PEITC at various concentrations of 0,2,4,6 and 8 ?mol/L for 3 and 6 h,or at 8 ?mol/L for different time intervals of 1,3,6,9,12 and 24 h.Cells were stained with Annexin V/PI,and apoptosis was determined by using flow cytometry.Total protein extracts were prepared and subjected to Western blot assay using antibodies against poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase(PARP),Caspase-3,Caspase-8,and RIP.?-actin was used to ensure equivalent loading.Results After exposure to PEITC at concentrations of 2,4,6 and 8 ?mol/L for 3 h,U937 cells showed an increase in cell apoptosis(9% ,25% ,44% and 56% respectively).While when the time expanded to 6 h,the amount of apoptotic cells was increased to 16% ,28% ,51% and 82% respectively.A dose-dependent manner was seen when U937 cells were exposure to PEITC at different concentrations.When U937 cells were treated by PEITC at concentration of 8 ?mol/L for 1,3,6,9,12,and 24 h,the apoptotic cells covered 12% ,57% ,79% ,86% ,90% ,and 91% of all cells respectively,indicating a time-dependent manner.Western blot assay showed that PEITC caused the activation/cleavage of Caspase-3 and-8,and improved the PARP cleavage,and also decreased the expression of RIP.PEITC-induced apoptosis was proceeded by degradation of RIP.Conclusion Our results indicate that PEITC induces the apoptosis in human leukemia cells through a process that involves death receptor pathway,and RIP may play an important role in the apoptosis.

Objective To investigate the protective function of oxymatrine on the renal intestitial fibrosis in rats.Methods Forty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: sham group,model group,Lotensin group,large-dose oxymatrine group,and small-dose oxymatrine group.The models were established by unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO) of the left side.On the 14~(th) day after operation,the obstructed kidney was taken out.Then,HE,Massion,and immunohistochemistry staining of transforming growth factor-?_(1)(TGF-?_(1)),(?-smooth) muscle acting(?-SMA) and collagen Ⅲ were conducted.After that,semiquantitative analysis was performed.Results After oxymatrine,treatment,the expressions of ?-SMA,TGF-?_(1) and ColⅢ of the obstructed kidney in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the model group(P0.05).Conclusion Oxymatrine may reduce the expression of cytokines such as TGF-?_(1),then the activation of cell producing ECM and then the sendimentation of ECM,thus preventing renal interstitial fibrosis.

Objective To study the effect of Benazepril on the renal connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) expression and interstitial fibrosis in unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO) rats and to illuminate the possible mechanisms.Methods 24 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into Sham-operated,control and Benazepril groups.From the day before operation,the rats were under intragastric administration of Benazepril 10mg/(kg?d) in Benazepril group,and sodium chloride in tales doses in Sham and control groups.On the 14~(th) day after operation,the obstructed kidney was taken out to be measured by HE,Masson,and immunohistochemistry staining for TGF-?_1,CTGF,?-SMA and ColⅢ.Results The score of renal interstitial lesion and fibrosis index in Benazenpril were significantly lower than those in the control group(P

Objective To investigate the risks of HBV infection among the spouses of HBV surface antigen (HBsAg)carriers and to find out effective control strategies on hepatitis B control and prevention .Methods To use case-control study(1∶2) including spouses of HBsAg carriers aged 18 -59 years-old from the nationwide sero-epidemiological survey for Hepatitis B in Chonqing province in 2005 ,and the spouses of the healthy(HBsAg negative persons)as the control groups ,adopt euzymelinked immunosor-bent assay(ELISA) to carry out the sero-epidemiological testing (HBsAg ,anti-HBc ,anti-HBs) for Hepatitis B .Results The posi-tive rate of HBsAgamong the spouses of HBsAg carriers (14 .8% ) was higher than the rate of spouse among the healthy (7 .5% ) , with difference statistically significant (P<0 .01) ,the positive rate of HBsAg in female spouse was uptrend as the marriage age grown ,multiple factor analysis found that the risks of HBV infection among the spouses were their spouse with HBsAg and without condom when the sexual behavior .Conclusion The spouses of HBsAg carriers have high risks of HBV .Premarital examinations , safety sexual behaviors with condom ,timely hepatitis B vaccination etc .are helpful for the spouses of HBsAg carriers free of hepati-tis B virus ,especially female spouses should insist on using condom when the sexual behavior because of them easier to be infected by the hepatitis B virus .

Objective To assess the risk of nonylphenol in reclaimed wastewater used in city to damage the human endocrine system and to present the data for making the related water quality standard. Methods Based on the monitored results of nonylphenol in the reclaimed wastewater from a reclaimed water plant in Beijing and referenced the phenol toxic parameter from integrated risk information system of the Unite State Environmental Protection Agency and the nonylphenol tested toxicity data from related literature, the risk assessment of nonylphenol on human health was conducted using four step health risk assessments when the sewage was reclaimed as a different approach to use. Results The endocrine disruption risk of nonylphenol in reclaimed wastewater on human health was about in a range of 10-8-10-10, which could even be ignored. Conclusion The risk of nonylphenol is acceptable to human health when the reclaimed wastewater were used for municipal, agricultural irrigation, urban lake supplement, then, nonylphenol as a human health risk factor can be ignored when making the standard of nonylphenol in reclaimed water.

To investigate changes in Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) gene expression in postburn Staphylococcus aureus infection, and its potential signaling mechanism, 68 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups as follows: normal control group (n=6), scald control group (n=6), postburn sepsis group (n=36),AG126 treatment group (n=10) and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) treatment group (n=10). Tissue samples from the liver, kidney and lung were collected from every group to determine TLR2 and tumor necrosis factor-? (TNF-?) mRNA expression. The results showed that TLR2 mRNA expressions in the liver, kidney and lung from postburn septic animals were up-regulated rapidly, peaking at 0.5-2 hours (P

Objective To observe the change in interleukin-18 (IL-18) mRNA expression in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) induced sepsis, and to investigate its potential role in the pathogenesis of endotoxemia. Methods Fifty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal group (n=6), CLP group (n=36) and recombinant bactericidal/permeability increasing protein (rBPI 21) treatment group (n=12). Tissue samples from the liver, lungs and kidneys were collected to determine IL-18 mRNA expression. Meanwhile, tissue endotoxin level and the indexes of organ function were also measured. Results After CLP, endotoxin levels in the liver,lungs and kidneys were significantly increased, peaking at 2-12h (P

Objective To investigate the effect of high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) on immune function of peritoneal macrophages in mice. Methods The peritoneal macrophages were isolated from female BALBc mice in vitro. The macrophages were stimulated with different doses of HMGB1 (1, 10, 100, 1 000ng/ml) for 6 hours, or with 100ng/ml HMGB1 for different duration (0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 hours). The phagocytosis ability of macrophages was determined by the neutral red dye uptake assay and optical densities of samples were read at 540nm. The cytotoxicity to L1210 cells was measured with MTT assay and was expressed by absorbance at 570nm. The chemotaxis was assayed by using the Costar Transwell cell culture chamber inserts and the cells on the lower surface of the transwell membrane were fixed and counted. The cells were harvested at the indicated time points, fixed, and stained for indirect immunofluorescence, then the expressions of I-Ak MHC class Ⅱ alloantigen on macrophages were determined with flow cytometry. Results The effects of HMGB1 on phagocytic activities, cytotoxicity, chemotaxis and I-Ak antigen expression of macrophages were enhanced in a dose-dependent manner, starting at doses as low as 1ng/ml and with a maximal response at 100ng/ml (P