BACKGROUNDRecent studies have demonstrated that dexamethasone (DEX) interferes with immune responses by targeting key functions of dendritic cells (DCs) at the earliest stage. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms are still incompletely understood. This study aimed to explore the possible mechanisms by investigating the roles of DEX on differentiation, maturation & function of murine DCs and the effects of DEX on DCs via Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB mediated signal pathway.

METHODSImmature DCs (imDCs) were cultured from murine bone marrow (BM) cells. We added DEX into culture medium at different time. The expression of CD11c, CD86 and I-A(b) (mouse MHC class II molecule) was determined by flow cytometry. We determined the expression of NF-kappaB and its inhibitory protein I-kappaBalpha by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and Western blotting, respectively. The productions of interleukin (IL)-12p70 and IL-10 in cell culture supernatants were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSDEX impaired differentiation of DCs from murine bone marrow progenitors, and inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced maturation of DCs. DEX significantly inhibited NF-kappaB expression of normal DCs, the higher the DEX concentration or the longer the DEX treatment time, the more obvious the effect. However, DEX had little effect on LPS-induced NF-kappaB activation, and partially impaired LPS-induced I-kappaBalpha degradation. DEX significantly decreased LPS induced IL-12p70 production by DCs. Interestingly, our results showed a synergistic effect between DEX and LPS on the production of IL-10 by DCs.

CONCLUSIONSDEX inhibits the differentiation and maturation of murine DCs involved in TLR4-I-kappaB-NF-kappaB pathway, and also indirectly impairs Th1 development and interferes with the Th1-Th2 balance through IL-12 and/or IL-10 secretion by DCs.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Flow Cytometry ; Male ; Mice ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of P63 in human salivary gland development and the existing of salivary gland stem cells.

METHODS24 embryonic salivary gland samples in different stage, 10 normal salivary gland samples were collected. HE-stained and immunochemistry stain were used.

RESULTSIt could be seen on the HE-stained sections that the epithelial buds proliferated to form the epithelial branches and duct systems, finally the terminal cells differentiated into ductal, myoepithelial and acinous. During the development of salivary gland, the expression of P63 was gradually reduced. In normal adult salivary gland samples, the positive cell interspersed in the basal layer of intercalated duct, secretory duct and excretory duct.

CONCLUSIONP63 plays an important role in human salivary gland development. The result of our experiment shows the distributive characteristic of salivary gland stem cells, which exist abroad in bud stage, but decrease and only exist in the basal layer of ducts in normal adult salivary gland.

Adult ; Cell Differentiation ; Humans ; Salivary Glands

OBJECTIVETo analyse the clinical and pathological characteristics of minor salivary gland tumors.

METHODSA retrospective analysis on 615 cases of intraoral minor salivary gland tumors from 1990-2002 with a confirmed pathologic diagnosis was carried out.

RESULTSIn 615 cases of minor salivary gland tumors, 265 cases were benign, 350 cases malignant. Pleomorphic adenoma was the most common entity and accounted for 81.1% of all benign tumors. Adenoid cystic carcinoma comprised 32.9% of the malignant sample and was the most frequent malignant tumor. The principal location was the palate. Female was a little more of the benign and a male prevalence was observed on the malignant tumor. The mean age of patients with benign and malignant tumors were 40.9 and 49.1 years old, respectively (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWe consider extraordinary manifestation as histopathology, tumor, primary location, age and sex, presenting the results of a review of our experience with those minor salivary gland tumors.

Adenoma, Pleomorphic ; pathology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Salivary Gland Neoplasms ; pathology ; Salivary Glands, Minor ; pathology ; Sex Factors

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathological features and diagnostic criteria of Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (Ewing's sarcoma/PNET) in oral and maxillofacial region.

METHODSThere were 15 patients with Ewing's sarcoma/PNET in the last 35 years at our hospital, aged 1-49 years and mean 14.5 years. The most common manifestation was swelling of the affected region. The cases were analyzed and histological and immunohistochemical studies were also conducted to examine CD99 (12E7), Vimentin, NSE, S-100, Syn, CD45 (LCA), desmin.

RESULTS(1) The most common histological pattern of Ewing's sarcoma/PNET was a lobular arrangement of uniform, small, hyperchromatic cells in a fibrous background. Some of these tumors were rich in cytoplasmic glycogen. (2) Of the 7 cases, IHC was positive for CD99 (12E7) and Vimentin and negative for lymphoid (CD45), muscle (desmin) markers. S-100 was positive in 4 cases and NSE negative in 3, Syn positive in 1. NSE, S-100, Syn were all negative in 2 cases.

CONCLUSIONSEwing's sarcoma/PNET is more common in teenagers and young people. Immunohistochemistry is essential to distinguish Ewing's sarcoma/PNET from other small round cell tumors. Immunohistochemistry is useful in the diagnosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Facial Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Jaw Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive, Peripheral ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Sarcoma, Ewing ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the presence of HPV infection of oral mucosa proliferative lesions in children and determine the associations of HPV types with oral mucosa lesions in children.

METHODSImmunohistochemical method and in situ hybridization techniques were applied to detect human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in biopsies taken from clinical lesions in oral mucosa of 30 children.

RESULTSThe most frequent lesions detected were SCP (66.7%), followed by CA and FEH. The HPV viral antigen was present in 73.3% (22/30) of the oral benign epithelial proliferative lesions in children. A high frequency HPV was found in CA (6/6) and SCP (15/20) by means of IHC. In the ISH positive case, high risk HPV 16/18 was observed in 77.3% (17/22).

CONCLUSIONThis study demonstrates a high prevalence of HPV infection in children's oral mucosa proliferative lesions, and high-risk HPV16/18 are predominant in children's oral mucosa proliferative lesions.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Condylomata Acuminata ; virology ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Female ; Focal Epithelial Hyperplasia ; virology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Male ; Mouth Mucosa ; virology ; Papilloma ; virology ; Papillomaviridae ; isolation & purification

In order to characterize the molecular epidemiology of HFMD-associated Coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) in Fujian Province, a total of 1340 specimens from non-EV71 non-CVA16 HFMD patients were collected during 2011-2013. Isolated virus strains were identified and subtyped. Full-length coding regions for the VP1 gene of the predominant serotype CVA6 isolates were amplified and sequenced. Among the 375 non-EV71 non-CVA16 HFMD cases confirmed by virus isolation and molecular subtyping, 182 (48.5%) were found to be caused by CVA6, accounting for 7.9%, 16.2% and 39.6% HFMD-associated enteroviruses in FujianProvince during 2011, 2012, and 2013, respectively. Compared with general features observed in the HFMD epidemic, no difference in CVA6-specificity or severity rates was observed between geographical origins, gender, or age groups. Nucleotide sequence analyses of VP1 genes revealed high diversity levels of 16.2%-18.6% among CVA6 strains from Fujian Province, in contrast to the prototype CVA6 strain, and showed low levels of diversity in the amino acid sequences (4.3%-6.2%). Phylogenetic analysis also indicated that CVA6 isolates from Fujian Province were distinct from the prototype strain and other isolates from abroad; however, it was homologous to domestic strains, although the Fujian isolates clustered into multiple branches. These results suggested that significant changes in the pathogenic spectrum of HFMD in Fujian Province occurred during 2011-2013, as CVA6 was one of the predominant serotypes of HFMD. CVA6 isolates from Fujian Province were co-circulating and co-evolving with other domestic strains as multiple closely related CVA6 transmission chains were observed in Fujian Province overall and within each prefecture.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Enterovirus A, Human ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Evolution, Molecular ; Female ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical value of optoelectronic cervical cancer screening system (TruScreen, TS) in the screening of cervical cancer in comparison with cervical cytology test.

METHODSA total of 392 patients were screened by TS, Pap, TCT, and HPV using the pathological and colposcopical results as the golden standard. The sensitivity, specificity, Kappa value and the area of under ROC of each method and their combinations (parallel tests) were compared.

RESULTSThe sensitivity of TS, Pap, TCT and HPV were 32.2%, 42.2%, 74.4% and 47.8%, with specificity of 96.7%, 93.7%, 78.8% and 84.8% in detecting cervical cancer, respectively. The sensitivity of the parallel tests, namely TCT/HPV, TCT/TS, Pap/TS and HPV/TS were 65.6%, 87.8%, 82.2% and 86.7%, with the specificity of 81.1%, 74.5%, 75.8% and 67.2%, respectively. In light of the areas of under ROC, significant differences were noted between the parallel tests of TS/Pap and TS/TCT (P<0.05), but not between TCT/Pap and TCT/TS (P>0.05); significant differences were found between the parallel tests with TS and those without TS (P<0.05), but not between TS alone and the parallel tests incorporating TS (P>0.05), nor between the 4 parallel tests (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONAs a new modality for early screening of cervical carcinoma, TS offers a means for real-time cancer detection with better diagnostic efficacy than Pap and HPV and equivalent efficacy to TCT. The combination of TS and cytological tests can further enhance the diagnostic accuracy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cytodiagnosis ; Early Detection of Cancer ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Vaginal Smears ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation between neck lymph node metastasis and matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression at the invasive tumor front of oral squamous cell carcinomas(OSCC).

METHODSImmunohistochemistry LsAB technique was used to observe the expression of MMP-2 at the invasive tumor front and center of OSCC, and the correlation between the expression of MMP-2 in OSCC and neck lymph node metastasis were respectively analyzed by statistics.

RESULTSThe results demonstrated that MMP-2 existed in all 71 cases, which the expression of MMP-2 at the OSCC front was more significant than that of MMP-2 at the OSCC center (P < 0.01), and related to neck lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of MMP-2 at the OSCC front could be considered as an index of judging the present of neck lymph node metastasis of OSCC.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; enzymology ; secondary ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; biosynthesis ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the mutation and abnormal expression of p16 gene in peripheral lung carcinoma and its CT manifestations. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry and PCR-SSCP were used to detect P16 protein expression and p16 gene mutation of 52 cases of peripheral lung cancer. All patients were scanned with spiral CT before the operation and proved by pathology. RESULTS: Of the 52 cases of lung cancer tissues, the negative expression rate of p16 gene protein was 53.8% (28/52), and the deletion or mutation rate of the exon 2 was 23.1% (12/52). There were significant statistical differences of p16 gene defect and its protein loss rates among groups of different clinical stages (P < 0.05), but among groups of different tissue types, different differentiation degree p16 gene defect and its protein loss rates showed no significant statistical difference (P > 0.05). In lung cancer patients with CT appearances of thin spicule, speculated protuberance, pleural indentation, and metastasis of lymph node, p16 gene and its protein loss rates were much higher than those without CT manifestations mentioned above (P < 0.05). However, there were no statistical differences among groups of different tumor sizes, with or without lobulation, with or without cavity, and different contrast enhanced CT values (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION p16 gene mutation and abnormal expression may play an important role in the occurrence and development of lung cancer, and it is relative to CT appearances of lung cancer. p16 gene may be used as a predicting index for clinical diagnosis and prognosis assessment.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnostic imaging ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Deletion ; Genes, p16 ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Point Mutation ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo prepare Kushen-Dilong nanoemulsion and nanoemuls-ion gel, and investigate its content, physical and chemical properties. Their transdermal properties in vitro were studied as well.

METHODIPM acted as oil phase, EL35 as surfactant, EtOH as cosurfactant, Pheretima aqueous solution was added dropwise to the oil phase to prepare Kushen-Dilong nanoemulsion at room temperature using magnetic stirring. HPLC was used to determine the content of matrine and oxymatrine in the nanoemulsion. Transmission electron microscopy and laser particle size analyzer was used to determine the shape and size of the nanoemulsion. NP700 was used as substrate to prepare Kushen-Dilong nanoemulsion gel. Franz diffusion cell was used for the nanoemulsion and gel transdermal characteristics in vitro.

RESULTThe Kushen-Dilong nanoemulsion was O/W nanoemulsion, its uniform particle size was 20.6 nm with roundness appearance and stable content. The steady-state permeation rate of Kushen-Dilong nanoemulsion, nanoemulsion gel, saturated aqueous solution, hydro gel were 0.1484, 0.1183, 0.0306, 0.0321 mg x cm(-2) x h(-1), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe 24 h cumulative infiltration and infiltration rate of Kushen-Dilong nanoemulsion and nanoemulsion gel were better than the saturated aqueous solution and hydro gel, which could provide a new dosage form for Kushen-Dilong transdermal drug delivery.

Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Emulsions ; Gels ; Nanostructures ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; metabolism ; Skin Absorption