Objective To investigate the effect of chrysalis oil on blood glucose and oxidative stress in diabetic rats induced by Streptozotocin (STZ).Method Sixty male SD rats were divided into 6 groups according to blood glucose:normal group,diabetic control group,high,medium,low dose (7.5,6.0,4.5ml/kg bw.) chrysalis oil groups and positive control group.Food and fluid intake were monitored every day.blood glucose and body weight were measured at each weekend,and at the end of experiment,glycosylated serum protein (GSP) was tested,and the effect of chrysalis oil on the content of malondialdehyde (MDA),reduced glutathione (GSH),total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in liver and pancreas were observed.Results (1) Diabetic symptoms were ameliorated and blood glucose and GSP were all lowered in therapeutic groups compared with diabetic control group,whereas,high dose chrysalis oil group had the same effect as positive control group.(2) In diabetic groups treated with chrysalis oil,the activity of GSH and T-AOC were significantly increased and the content of MDA decreased compared with diabetic control group.Conclusion Chrysalis oil could decrease blood glucose in a dose-and-effect relationship and improve antioxidant capacity.

Objective To compare the serum levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1,bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-4 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and RA with interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).Methods Twenty-eight RA-ILD patients,32 patients with RA but without ILD and 20 normal controls were enrolled.The RA-ILD group was further divided into early group and late group.All the observed subjects were analyzed using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the determination of serum TGF-β1 and BMP-4 levels.The relationship between the serum levels of TGF-β1,BMP-4 and laboratory examinations were investigated.Comparisions between groups were tested by one-way ANOVA analysis and ttest.Correlation of indexs were observed by Spearman method.Results Patients in the RA-ILD group were older than RA group in disease onset age,in addition,patients with ILD had better joint function and higher serum rheumatoid factor titers.The occurrence time of interstitial lung disease was 2-6 years after the onset of arthritis,with an average time of (3.0±1.2) years.The TGF-β1 levels in the RA-ILD group were slightly higher,but not statistically significant than other groups (P＞0.05).The TGF-β1 serum levels in the early RA-ILD patients were significantly increased than those of the late RA-ILD group and the RA group.BMP-4 levels in patients with RA-ILD group were less than RA without ILD group and healthy control group,and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).BMP-4 level in early RA-ILD group was significantly decreased than those of the late RA-ILD group and RA group.No correlation between the serum BMP-4,TGF-β1 level (P＞0.05) no assay result correlated with laboratory parameters including ESR,CRP,RF and anti-CCP antibodies (P＞0.05).Conclusion TGF-β1 serum levels are increased and BMP-4 levels are decreased in early RA-ILD patients.The serum levels of TGF-β1 and BMP-4 may be indicatior for asymptomatic ILD and reflect disease progression.

Objective:To explore the role of interleukin-18 (IL-18) in the pathogenesis of dermatomyositis (DM) associated with positive anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibodies(MDA5-DM).Methods:Twenty-eight cases of MDA5-DM in the department of rheumatology and immunology, the first hospital of Nanjing medical university and the first affiliated hospital od Wannan medical colledge from August 2018 to December 2011 were included in this study, comprising 15 cases with combined rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonia (RPILD) and 13 cases without RPILD (nonRPILD). Additionally, 28 cases of antisynthetase syndrome (ASS) and 28 healthy volunteers (HC) were included for comparison. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging data were collected for both the DM and ASS groups. Serum IL-18 levels were measured using ELISA. Independent t test, Mann-whitney U test, χ2 test and Fisher′s exact probability method were used for analysis. Results:Significant differences were observed in LDH, hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBDH), ESR, CRP, serum ferritin (SFE), and IL-18 levels between the MDA5-DM group, the ASS group and the HC group ( F=46.65, 43.19, 31.28, 23.94, 30.94, 49.44, all P<0.001). Additionally, lymphocyte counts and hemoglobin levels differed significantly among the three groups( F=35.26, P<0.001; F=18.59, P<0.001). MDA5-DM patients exhibited higher incidences of Gottron′s sign, helitrope rash, periungual erythema, skin ulcers, and RPILD compared to ASS patients ( χ2=20.96, P<0.001; χ2=5.85, P=0.016; χ2=13.69, P<0.001; χ2=9.16, P=0.002; χ2=4.79, P=0.029). However, the incidence of mechanic′s hand was lower in MDA5-DM patients ( χ2=3.90, P=0.048). The level of IL-18 significantly decreased in MDA5-DM after treatment[(104.28(71.96,151.10)pg/ml vs. 78.30(56.20, 94.80)pg/ml, =2.27, P=0.023)]. Similar reductions were observed in the ASS group[(72.30(61.39, 95.94)pg/ml vs. 45.30(29.00,84.10)pg/ml, Z=2.691, P=0.007]. The IL-18 level changes in the MDA5-DM combined with RPILD group were not statistically significant [99.49 (77.65, 130.87)pg/ml vs. 89.40(54.80, 120.20)pg/ml, Z=0.65, P=0.515]. In the MDA5-DM survival group, IL-18 levels decreased significantly after treatment [59.45(53.58, 81.63)pg/ml vs. 106.37(83.62, 152.07)pg/ml, Z=2.80, P=0.005], while the changes in the IL-18 levels of patients in the MDA5-DM death group were not statistically significant [99.49(56.70, 140.15)pg/ml vs. 94.80(71.40, 155.45)pg/ml, Z=1.75, P=0.080]. Conclusion:MDA5-DM patients are different from the ASS patients in clinical manifestations and indicators involved in laboratory tests. The expression level of IL-18 tends to increase during the active phase of MDA5-DM and ASS, and decrease with remission of the disease. MDA5-DM may play an important role in the pathogenesis, and persistent high level of IL-18 is responsible for RPILD and death of MDA5-DM. Sustained high level of IL-18 can be used as a potential biomarker for the estimating development of MDA5-DM into RPILD.

Objective To evaluate the correlation between alterations in DNase1 and DNase1L3 enzyme activities and impairment of NET degradation in patients with sporadic SLE, and to investigate the underlying mechanism. Methods 46 sporadic SLE patients and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were recruited. Serum levels of DNase1, DNase1L3 and corresponding autoantibodies were detected by ELISA. DNase1 and DNase1L3 were isolated by immunoprecipitation; NETs and enzyme degradation activities were detected using a modified immunofluorescence. DNase1L3 secretion by PBMCs was analyzed by ELISPOT, Western blotting and reverse transcription PCR. Results Levels of H3-dsDNA and Ela-dsDNA complexes were significantly elevated in SLE patients. LDGs in SLE population was significantly higher than in the control group, and LDGs was positively correlated with H3-dsDNA and Ela-dsDNA NETs complexes. The ability of SLE patients to degrade NET in vitro was significantly lower than that of the control group. Degradation experiments of DNase1 and DNase1L3 in different proportions showed that the decrease in DNase1L3 activity was the primary contributor to the elevated NET residue level. The concentration of DNase1L3 autoantibodies in SLE patients was significantly elevated compared to the control group. In addition, the capacity of PBMCs to secrete DNase1L3 was significantly lower in the SLE patients compared to the control group. Conclusion Decreased secretion of DNase1L3 and the presence of relevant autoantibodies notably impede NET degradation in patients with SLE, offering new directions for the monitoring and treatment of SLE patients.
Humans ; Autoantibodies ; Blotting, Western ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Extracellular Traps ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic