ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Sub-Family B ; metabolism ; Animals ; Anticonvulsants ; pharmacology ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats

ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; biosynthesis ; Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Glycoproteins ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Status Epilepticus ; metabolism

0.05).The third day after SE,the expressions of MVP in CA1 and CA3 in adult rats experiment group increased,and in CA3,the value reached up to(4.0?1.41)in adult experiment group,which had significant differences compared with control groups(P

Objective To investigate the maturation status of monocytes and their responses to the stimulation of toll like receptor (TLR) ligands during primary HIV-1 infection, and to further understand the correlation between functional status of monocytes and disease progression during primary HIV -1 infection. Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( PBMCs) were collected from 35 subjects with primary HIV-1 infection and 13 HIV-negative healthy subjects to isolate monocytes .Monocytes were stimulated with LPS and Pam3CSK4, respectively, and cultured for 20 hours.The expression of activaion/inhibitory markers on monocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry before and after stimulation .The secretion of proinflammatory cy-tokines ( IL-1β, TNF-αand IL-6) by stimulated monocytes were detected by ELISA .Results The expres-sion of activation markers CD80, CD86, CD40 and inhibitory marker PD-L1 on monocytes were increased in subjects with primary HIV-1 infection (P<0.001 except for CD86 P=0.01).The level of CD40 was posi-tively correlated with viral load in plasma (P<0.001, R=0.553).Compared with control group, primary HIV-1 infection group showed a less increase in the expression of HLA-DR, CD80, CD86 and PD-L1 on monocytes after stimulation with LPS and Pam3CSK4 (P<0.001), but the secretion of proinflammatory cyto-kines TNF-α(LPS:P=0.004, Pam3CSK4:P=0.012) and IL-6 (LPS:P=0.006) were enhanced in mono-cytes from patients with primary HIV-1 infection.Conclusion Monocytes were activated during primary HIV-1 infection.They secreted higher level of proinflammatory cytokines after stimulation with TLR ligands , indicating monocytes might play a role in microbial translocation and immune activation during HIV -1 infection .

Objective To investigate the changes of phenotypes and function of CD56+T cells during primary HIV-1 infection and their relationship with disease progression.Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from 53 subjects with primary HIV-1 infection and 31 HIV-1-negative healthy subjects.The percentages of CD56+T cells and the expression of several phenotypic markers on CD56+T cells including CD16, CD161, NKB1, NKG2A, NKp46, NKG2D, NKG2C and CD158a were analyzed by flow cytometry.IFN-γand TNF-αreleased by CD56+T cells with and without K562 stimulation and the levels of cytotoxic molecular CD107a were measured.Results The percentages of CD56+T cells in patients with primary HIV-1 infection were significantly lower than those of healthy subjects (P=0.025). The levels of CD56+T cells were negatively related to the viral loads in plasma samples ( P=0.021, r=-0.316).Compared with healthy subjects, the expression of CD16 (P=0.003), CD161 (P=0.023), NKB1 (P=0.023) and NKp46 (P=0.021) on CD56+T cells were decreased in patients with primary HIV-1 infection.The levels of NKB1 were positively related to the CD4+T cell counts ( P=0.007, r=0.364), but were negatively related to the viral loads in plasma samples (P=0.030, r=-0.299).Sponta-neous secretion of IFN-γand TNF-αby CD56+T cells and the expression of CD107a were dramatically in-hibited in patients with primary HIV-1 infection as compared with healthy subjects ( all P<0.001 ) . Moreover, the killing ability of CD56+T cells against K562 target cells was weakened in patients with prima-ry HIV-1 infection as the levels of IFN-γ-, TNF-α-and CD107a-producting CD56+T cells were significantly decreased (P<0.001 for IFN-γand TNF-α, P=0.016 for CD107a).Conclusion Inhibited expression and altered phenotypes of CD56+T cells were identified during primary HIV-1 infection.Lower levels of cy-tokines and cytotoxic molecular were also detected, indicating the dysfunction of CD56+T cells appeared dur-ing early stage of HIV-1 infection and was associated with disease progression.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effectiveness of valsartan in combination with amlodipine in therapy of essential hypertension and the consequent changes in red cell distribution width (RDW).Methods One hundred and ten patients of hypertension were selected,then randomly divided into treatment group (56 cases) and control group (54 cases).Valsartan and amlodipine were given to the treatment group,while the control group taking amlodipine only.Bp and RBC were carried out before and after treatment.Results Antihypertensive effect of the treatment group were statistically significant compared with the control group (P ＜ 0.05).The consequent RBC,Hct and Hb,RDW level of treatment group decreased dramatically compared with the control group (P ＜ 0.01 or ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Valsartan in combination with amlodipine in ther apy of hypertension is a prospective combination which achieves superior blood pressure control,low level of RDW and blood viscosity,as a result reducing the incidence of cardiovascular events.

Objective To isolate HIV-specific T cell clone and to expand them in vitro through the activation-induced expression of CD137 molecule.Methods The peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from HIV-infected patients and HIV Gag specific CD3+CD8+CD137+T cell subset were sorted to 96-well plate in 1 cell/well by multicolor flowcytometry and single cell sorting.After 14 days in vitro culture with feeder cells and cytokines, the numbers and phenotypes of the cultured HIV-specific T cells were calcu-lated and identified.Results The CD137 expression was low on rested T cells but up regulated by the stim-ulation with Gag peptide pool.The CD8+CD137+T cells could secret IFN-γ.The number of CD8 T cells reached to 106 after 14 days in culture and expanded to 107-108 cells after 28 days of culture in vitro 100%of the cells remained activated upon Gag stimulation.Conclusion In stead of using IFN-γ, CD137 could be utilized as a novel molecule to isolate and expand HIV specific T cells in vitro.The expanded antigen spe-cific T cell clones could maintain good activation status.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of valproate acid (VPA) on serum lipid and leptin levels and cerebral cortex in juvenile and adult rats.

METHODSTwenty healthy juvenile female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (21-day-old) and twenty healthy adult female SD rats (2-month-old) were randomly divided into four groups (n=10 each): juvenile control, juvenile VPA, adult control and adult VPA. Juvenile and adult VPA groups were fed with VPA 200 mg/kg daily, while the two control groups were fed with normal saline. The body weights were recorded weekly. Six weeks after feeding, serum and brain samples were obtained. Serum lipid levels including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and lower density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were determined. Serum leptin (LEP) levels were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Myelin staining and Nissl staining were used to evaluate the changes of brain tissues.

RESULTSThe weight and serum LEP and lipid levels in both juvenile and adult VPA groups increased significantly compared with those in the control groups (P<0.05). The juvenile VPA group had more increased serum LEP and lipid levels than the adult VPA group (P<0.05). The Myelin staining showed that the average fiber density in the VPA groups was significantly lower than that in the control groups (P<0.05). The Nissl staining showed that the number of toluidine blue staining neurons in the VPA groups was not statistically different from the control groups.

CONCLUSIONSVPA may increase serum LEP and lipid levels in both juvenile and adult rats, and more increased levels may be found in juvenile rats. Long-term VPA treatment may have an adverse effect on brain myelination, but no effect on neurons.

Animals ; Anticonvulsants ; toxicity ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Cerebral Cortex ; drug effects ; pathology ; Female ; Leptin ; blood ; Lipids ; blood ; Myelin Sheath ; drug effects ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Valproic Acid ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and observe the therapeutic effect with integrative Chinese and western medicine (ICWM) approach in treating patients with SARS.

METHODSForty-eight patients selected from the authors' hospital, whose diagnosis confirmed as SARS were analysed to sum-up the diagnostic type and basic feature of patients and the chief clinical characteristics. All the patients were randomly divided into the trial group and the control group, 24 in each. The control group was treated with the western medical therapeutic program and the trial group was treated with ICWM therapeutic program. The differences between the two groups were compared in terms of development of illness, time of using corticosteroid and absorption time of pulmonary inflammatory lesion, etc.

RESULTSMost patients were youth and adult aged between 18 to 40 years old, the initial symptom was mainly the high fever, accompanied with general soreness, chest stuffiness and cough, etc. The hospitalization time, body temperature fluctuation sustaining time and time of using corticosteroid in the trial group were shorter than those in the control group, showing significant difference (P < 0.05). ICWM treatment showed a better effect in defervescence and inflammatory lesion absorption time, but with no statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONPatients of SARS are mainly youth and adults in the prime of life, fever always appears as the initiation of illness and some accompanying symptoms would appear. As compared with the western treatment, ICWM treatment could evidently shorten the course of illness, prevent the rebounding of fever and reduce the time of using corticosteroid.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Methylprednisolone ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; drug therapy

Background Glial cells perform specialized function in many aspects of the development,homeostasis,and function of neurons.Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs)and glia interactions are critically important in glaucomatous neurodegeneration.However,the precise mechanisms of glial activation and ganglion cells damage are still remained unclear. Objective This study was to assess the early responses of glial cells in the retina,optic nerve and optic chiasm in rat models of acute high intraocular pressure (IOP),and to examine the expression of nestin,a neuronal progenitor marker,in the reactive glias. Methods Acute high IOP of 110 mmHg was induced in the right eyes of 6 clean adult female Wistar rats by infusing normal saline solution into the anterior chamber for 60 minutes.Three normal matched Wistar rats were used as controls.The rats were sacrificed by overanaesthesia and sections of retina,optic nerve and optic chiasm were collected on 3 days and 7 days after the injection.Rat retina was examined by Nissl staining to illustrate the gross structure changes.Loss of axons of RGCs in the optic nerve was assessed by immunostaining of β Ⅲ-tubulin.Double labeling of glia] fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and nestin was performed in sections of retina,optic nerve and optic chiasm to evaluate the glial responses.The use of the animals complied with Statement of Animal Ethic Committee of Peking University Third Hospital. Results In control rats,GFAP-positive glial cells were observed in the retina,optic nerve and optic chiasm,where only weak positive response for nestin was noticed.Three days after acute IOP elevation,thickness of inner plexus form layer was significantlydecreased in comparison with the control rats.A loss of 46％ RGCs was found in the rats with ocular hypertension.Obvious increase of GFAP expression was displayed in the retina,and processes of GFAP-positive glia cells extended into outer retina accompanied with significant up regulation of nestin.Axons in the optic nerve demonstrated a tendency of degeneration.Nestin expression increased significantly in the GFAP-positive glias in the optic nerve.Cross-sectional area of optic chiasm corresponding to the injured retina decreased relative to its countcrpart.Astrocyte like GFAP and nestin-colabeled glials were observed in this part of optic chiasm.The pathological changes of the retina,optic nerve and optic chiasm in hypertensive eyes aggravated on 7 days. Conclusions Acute ocular hypertension induce early onset of RGCs loss and axon degeneration.Neuronal injury is accompanied with glial reaction.Reactive glial cells express neuronal progenitor markers.The structural changes of the optic nerve and optic chiasm occur simultaneously with the high IOP.