To induce immune tolerance in recipient rats of allogenic heart transplantation with hydrocamptothecin (HCPT) and cyclosporin A (CsA) and to study the mechanisms of the tolerance, inbred SD rats were chosen as heart donors and Wistar rats as recipients. After transplantation, the recipients were treated with HCPT and/or CsA. The level of cytokine expression was assessed using RT-PCR. The results showed 3 of 10 heart grafts in group C (HCPT 2. 0mg) and 5 of 10 in group E (HCPT+CsA) survived longer than 730 days even immunosup-pression agents (HCPT and CsA) were withdrawn on day 60 after transplantation. Immune tolerance was verified by challenge with SD and SHR rat skin. The levels of IL-2 and IFN-? rnRNA expression were significantly lower in the grafts of tolerant rats than in those of rejected rats, The levels of IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA were significantly higer in the grafts of tolerant rats than in those of rejected rats. The level of cytokine mRNA expression in the grafts was similar to that in spleen of recipients. Our conclusions is high or low dosage of HCPT combined with CsA could induce tolerance in allogenic heart transplantation in rat recipients. Cytokine deviation is one of the mechanisms in allogenic heart transplantation immune tolerance induced by hydrocamptothecin.

To investigate the kinetic expression of cytokine in allografts in rats and the effect of hydrocamptothecin on such expression, syngenic and allogenic heart transplantation models were developed. Recipient rats were divided into 3 groups: group A, SD-SD; group B, Wistar-SD group C,Wistar-SD plus treatment with HPCT 2. Omg/(kg ?d). The grafts and spleens were harvested on days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 14 post-transplantation for morphology and RT-PCR detecting the expressions of IL-2, IFN-?, IL-4, IL-10 mRNA. The results showed that the cytokine generally increased commensurately with the infiltration of this leukocyte population. The cytokine mRNA transcript could be detected on days 1 and 3 after transplantation in group A. The IL-2 and IFN-? mRNA transcript could be detected on days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 with a peak on day 7 in group B, but on day 3 in group C. The IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA transcript could be detected on days 1,3,5,7 and 14 with a peak on day 5 in group B, while on day 7 in group C. The levels of IL-2 IFN-? mRNA expression were significantly lower in grafts of group C than those in grafts of group B, whereas the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA were significantly higer in grafts of group C than those in grafts of group B. The level of cytokine mRNA expression in the grafts was similar to that of spleen of recipients. Our conculssion is the expression of cytokine mRNA in allografts can be detected on day 1 after transplantation ,with peaking of IL-2 and IFN-? on day 7, IL-4 and IL-10 on day 5. The survival time of allograft can be prolonged by HCPT. The levels of IL-2 and IFN-? mRNA expression can be reduced, while the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA expression be enhanced by HCPT.

Objective To improve the diagnosis and treatment of adrenal myelolipoma. Methods Accord-ing to the clinical characteristics and follow-up outcomes,Adrenal myelolipoma 15 patients confirmed by operation and pathology were retrospectively analysed. Of the 15 patients, 11 presented with abdominal or flank pain, of which 3 presented with hypertention,4 presented no symptom. The diagnosis could be made with the aid of ultrasonography,CT and MRI. Results 15 patients underwent surgery, postoperative followed up from 6 months to 7 years, no reccurrence ever noted. Conclusions The diagnosis of adrenal myelolipoma could he established hased on B-US,CT or MRI. The final diagnosis depends on pathology. The operation should be performed as soon as possible if the symptom is severe or the size of tumor is lager than 3.5cm in diameter.