Objective To evaluate the safety and efficiency of the treatment with autologous cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from blood from patients with HCC, then augmented by priming with interferon-gamma (IFN-?) followed by monoclonal antibody (mAb) against CD3 and interleukin-2 (IL-2). The autologous CIK cells thus obtained were infused back to individual patients. Altogether 30 patients undertook such treatment. The changes in subsets of lymphocytes and dendritic cells (DC1, DC2) in peripheral blood were assessed by using flow cytometry. Results The percentages of CD3 +, CD3 + CD8 + , CD3 + CD56 + , and CD25 + were increased significantly, and the proportions of DC1 and DC2 subsets were also increased after autologous CIK cells transfusion. Most (23 of 30) patients developed a fever 1-2 hours after CIK cells transfusion and the body temperature ranged from 37℃ to 40℃, lasting for 2-8 hours. Most (20 of 23) febrile patients recovered without any treatment, antipyretic medicine was given to 3 patients to allay the fever. The HCC symptoms were markedly relieved in most patients. No major side effects were found. Conclusion Our observation indicates that the treatment with autologous CIK cells for HCC patients is safe and efficacious.

OBJECTIVETo explore protective effects of acupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) on cerebral tissue in rats with sepsis.

METHODSCecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was applied to duplicate the rat model of sepsis. According to random number table, thirty SD rats were divided into a sepsis model group (group A), a sepsis model plus electroacupuncture (EA) group (group B), and a sepsis model plus non-acupoint EA group (group C), ten rats in each one. EA with the same frequency and intensity at "Zusanli" (ST 36) and non-acupoint (0.5 cm laterally to "Zusanli") for 30 min was applied in the group B and group C, respectively. No treatment was given in the goup A. 6 hours after CLP, blood was acquired from abdominal aorta to measure the levels of neuron specific enolase (NSE). Then the rats were sacrificed by abdominal aorta exsanguination to take their cerebral tissue for measuring the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).

RESULTSSix hours after CLP, the level of NSE was (3.51 +/- 0.39) ng/mL in group B, which was significantly lower than (7.72 +/- 0.64) ng/mL in group A (P<0.05). The level of NSE was (8.02 +/- 0.72) ng/mL in the group C, which had no statistical significance with group A (P>0.05). The levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6 in cerebral tissue in group B were significantly lower than that of group A and C (all P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA at "Zusanli" (ST 36) has certain protective effect on septic rat's brain, which has some relationship with decreasing levels of cerebral tissue proinflammatory cytokine and plasma NSE. EA at non-acupoint has no the same action.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; immunology ; Male ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; immunology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sepsis ; enzymology ; immunology ; therapy ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; immunology

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of community-based rehabilitation (CBR) on older stroke patients in ability of activities of daily living (ADL).Methods50 older stroke patients were randomly divided into the rehabilitation group and control group. The rehabilitation group was treated with motor function exercise and ADL training, while the control group only took medicine. Two groups were evaluated with Barthel index before and after treatment. ResultsScores of Barthel index on the rehabilitation group were higher than that on the control group after treatment, and there was a significantly difference between two groups (P<0.01). Conclusions CBR has the significant effect on improving ADL in older stroke patients.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of HBsAg and HBcAg in combination pulsed monocyte-derived DCs(MoDC) derived from patients with HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods MoDCs were generated from 20 HBV-associated HCC patients,and pulsed with recombinant human serum albumin(rHSA)as conDC(control DC),or pulsed with HBsAg andHBcAg in combination as scDC.Phenotypic patterns of MoDCs were characterized by flow cytometry,and the levels of cytokines releasedby MoDCs were analyzed by ELISA,and frequencies of IFN-γ-producing antigen-specific autologous T cells were measured by Elispotassay.HBV-specific CD8 T cells proliferation was determined by pentamer staining.Results 1.The levels of MHC and costimulatorymolecules expressed on scDC were significantly higher than those on immature MoDC(imaDC)in two groups,and the levels of MHC andcostimulatory molecules expressed on imaDC,conDC and scDC in HBsAg+,anti-HBe+,anti-HBc+patients(1-4-5 positive group)were significantly higher than those in HBsAg+,anti-HBc+patients(1-5 positive group);2.The levels of IL-12 and IL-10 produced byscDC were higher than those produced by imaDC and conDC in both groups,and the levels of IL-12 produced by imaDC,conDC and scDCin 1-4-5 positive group were higher than those in 1-5 positive group.3.The frequencies of IFN-γ-producing T cells induced by scDC werehigher than those by conDC in 1-4-5 positive group.4.scDCs from 4 cases of HLA-A2+patients in 1-4-5 positive group could induceautologous T cells to generate HBVcore18-27-specific CD8 T cells.Condusions HBsAg and HBcAg pulse in combination couldsubstantially reverse the impaired function of MoDCs in HBv-associated HCC patients,and boost MoDC to induce HBV-specific T cellsresponse,especially in HBsAg+,anti-HBe+ and anti-HBe+ patients.

Animals ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Monocrotaline ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Thrombomodulin ; metabolism

Objective To study the effect of basiliximab,an anti-IL-2R monoclonal antibody,on the prevention of acute rejection and promoting graft survival in renal allograft recipients.Methods Published literature regarding the effects of basiliximab used for the prevention of acute rejection and promoting renal graft survival was reviewed,and Meta analysis was employed to analyze the results.Odds ratio(OR)and its 95% confidence interval(95%CI)were used as the parameters to evaluate the therapeutic effects.The statistical analyses were performed with RevMan 4.2 software.Results A total of 13 pertinent research articles were reviewed,including 2 papers written by Chinese authors and 11 by foreign authors.Meta-analysis of pooled results indicated that basiliximab prevented the recipients of kidney transplantation from acute rejection effectively with half-year prevention of OR 0.49 and 95%CI 0.28-0.87(P=0.01),and one-year prevention of OR 0.48,95%CI 0.35-0.65(P

Objective To investigate the immunological mechanism of inhibitory effect of Danshen injection combined with dexamethasone(DXM) on asthmatic airway inflammation.Methods 50 Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control(NC),asthma,Danshen,DXM and Danshen+DXM group.Cytology study of Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) was conducted.Pathology of lung tissue was done through HE.Flow eytometry was used to detect CD4+CD25+ regulatory T Cells(CD4+CD25+ Treg) ratio in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs).IL-4 and IL-5 levels in BALF were detected by ELISA.Results Total cells number,percentage of lymphocytes,neutrophils and eosinophils(Eos) in BALF of the three treated groups were lower than that in asthma group(P<0.05,P<0.01),particularly in Danshen+DXM group,which showed significant difference as compared with the other two treated groups(P<0.05).There was severe inflammation in lung tissue of asthma group,moderate inflammation in Danshen group and DXM group,and no inflammation of Danshen+DXM group.CD4+CD25+ Treg/CD4+ T ratio in the three treated groups were higher than that in asthma group,and the levels of IL-4 and IL-5 were lower than those in asthma group(P<0.05).In Dansben+DXM group,it showed significant difference on the change of CD4+CD25+ Treg,IL-4 and IL-5 as compared with other treated groups(P<0.05).Conclision Danshen injection combined with DXM could suppress airway inflammation in asthmatic rats,which may be through increasing the expression of CD4+CD25+ Treg,decreasing the levels of IL-4 and IL-5 and resuming the balance of Th1/Th2.

Objective To investigate dexamethasone on airway inflammation and CD4+ CD25 + regulatory T cells (CD4+ CD25 +Tr) of asthmatic rats,and elucidate the possible mechanism of dexamethasone in treatment of asthma.Methods 30 Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group,asthma group and dexamethasone-treated group.Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected,and cytology study was conducted.The lung tissue was obtained and pathologic analysis was done through HE stain.Flow eytometry was used to detect the CD4+ CD25 +Tr ratio in PBMCs.Results Total cells number,the percentage of lymphocytes,neutrophils and eosinophils (Eos)in BALF of dexamethasone-treated group were lower than that of asthma group (P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Compared with the asthma group,less infiltration of inflammatory cells in lung tissues was observed in the dexamethasone-treated group.CD4+ CD25 + Tr of asthma group was lower than that of control and dexamethasone-treated group (P＜0.05).Conclusion Dexamethasone could suppress airway inflammation of asthmatic rats,which probably be due to increasing the number of CD4+ CD25 + Tr.

PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway as a T cell immune response co-stimulatory signaling pathway plays an important role in adaptive immunity. PD-1 is a major co-receptor expressing on T cells, binding with its ligands(PD-L1 and PD-L2), PD-1 can inhibit T cell activation and protect the body against the attacks from its own immune system. In addition to adjusting and maintaining autoimmune tolerance, in tumor cells PD-L1 expression is up-regulated, while in the virus-infected T cells PD-L1 expression is also upregulated. PD-1 / PD-L1 are involved in the tumor and infectious pathogen immune evasion, thus blocking the PD-1 / PD-L1 signaling pathway has become a hot research of cancer and chronic diseases. Currently, there are several anti-PD-1 or PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies approved by the FDA to enter clinical studies, which have shown significant anti-cancer effect.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Troponin I ; metabolism