Adult ; Bronchi ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Male ; Trachea ; pathology

Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Enzymes ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Occupational Diseases ; chemically induced ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects

Background Researches demonstrated that CpG ODN,a immunostimulatory sequences,has preventing and treating effect on allergic conjunctivitis caused by protein allergen.However,its effect on allergic conjunctivitis caused by fungal allergen is unclear. Objective This study aimed to investigate into whether the Th1-Th2 switching immunostimulatory CpG ODN could reverse the response in the murine allergic conjunctivitis model caused by aspergillus fumigatus. Methods A mixture of spores and hyphae of aspergillus fumigatus strain was used to induce allergic conjunctivitis in male BALB/C mice aged 6-8 weeks.This experiment was designed into preventive or therapeutical treatment program.Under both settings,allergic conjunctivitis of the animals were treated with CpG ODN,nonstimulatory GpC ODN or PBS.After the last challenge with the allergen,the clinical symptoms of the animals were scored based on the criteria of Magone.The animals were sacrificed and the histopathological examination of conjunctiva was performed.Expression of TLR4 mRNA in conjunctiva was analyzed by real-time PCR assay.The responsiveness and populations of lymphocytes in spleen and draining lymph nodes were analyzed by flow cytometry.The use complied with the Standard of Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. Results In the prevention mode.CpG ODN decreased subconjunctival infiltration compared with GpC ODN and PBS groups with the average neutrophil count index(21.25 ±11.59/section,30.75 ±11.44 section and 69.00±9.90/section,respectively).Expression of TLR4 mRNA was up-regulated significantly by CpG ODN.The clinical scores for CpG ODN group were insignificantly lower than those in GpC ODN group and PBS group(P＞0.05).In the therapeutic mode,compared with GpC ODN and PBS groups,the allergic symptom score in CpG ODN group manifested significantly lower(t=4.000.t=2.750,P＜0.01)and showed fewer cellular infiltration(t=4.870,t=3.829,P＜0.01)and higher expression of TLR4 mRNA(P＜0.01).In cultured splenic and draining lymph node cells,increased percentages of CD4+ CD25+ and CD4+ CD25+ CD69+ in CpG ODN group were observed compared with control groups(|P＜0.05). Conclusion CpG ODN can relieve aspergillus fumigatus-induced allergic conjunctivitis via either subconjunctival injection or topical application by upregulating expression of TLR4 and activating Treg lymphocytes.

Aged ; Coal Mining ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; complications ; physiopathology ; Tachycardia ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo study the flavone constituents in Chrozophora sabulosa (Xinjiang origin).

METHODThe compounds were extracted with 95% ethyl alcohol, isolated by various column chromatography and identified by spectroscopic methods.

RESULTSeven flavanoids were isolated and identified as quercetin (I), kaempferol (II), apigenin (III), chrysoerid (IV), isoquercitrin (V), chrysoerin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside (VI) and quercetin-3-O-alpha-D-arabinfuranoside (VII).

CONCLUSIONAll of these seven compounds were obtained from this genus for the first time.

Apigenin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Euphorbiaceae ; chemistry ; Flavones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Kaempferols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quercetin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

ObjectiveTo investigate the profile of Th17/Treg balance in the peripheral blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).MethodsThirty-two SLE patients in active disease were selected and 30 SLE patients in remission were included in this study.The control group was consisted of 25healthy individuals.The expressions of IL-17 and FoxP3 on CD4+ T cells in the peripheral blood were assessed by flow cytometry and the mRNA levels of these two cytokines were examined by quantitative PCR respectively.ANOVA was used for statistical analysis.ResultsThe percentage of CD4+IL-17+ T cells and IL-17mRNA expression of the active group were significantly higher than those of the remission group and control group[(l.0l±0.22)％,(2.04±0.63)vs (0.48±0.16)％,(1.12±0.34) vs (0.41±0.12)％,1; P＜0.01].There was no difference between the remission group and control group(P＞0.05).However,the percentage of CI4+FoxP3 + T cells and FoxP3 mRNA expression of the active group were significantly lower than those of the remission group and control group [(2.36±t0.54)％,(0.42±0.16) vs (4.34±0.95)％,(0.87±t0.28) vs (5.09±11.17)％,1; P＜0.01 ],and there was also significant differencesbetween the remission group and control group(P＜0.05).ConclusionThl7/Treg balance shift may exist in the peripheral blood of patients with SLE and the degree of imbalance may be related to disease activity of SLE.

Mycoplasmas, the smallest free-living, self-replicating bacteria with diameters of 200 to 800 nm, have been reported to be associated with human diseases. It is well known that the mycoplasma lipoprotein/peptide is able to modulate the host immune system, whose N-terminal structure is an important factor in inducing immunity and distinguishing Toll-like receptors (TLRs). However, there is still no clear elucidation about the pathogenic mechanism of mycoplasma lipoprotein/peptide and the signaling pathway. Some researchers have focused on understanding the structures of these proteins and the relationships between their structure and biological function. This review provides an update on the research in this field.
Lipoproteins ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Models, Biological ; Mycoplasma ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Toll-Like Receptors ; chemistry ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the origin of myofibroblasts in oral submucous fibrosis.

METHODSThe oral keratinocytes and fibroblasts were isolated and cultured. The expression of the alpha-smooth muscle actin in the fibroblasts was examined by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSNo difference was found in expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin between the fibroblasts that were directly stimulated by arecoline and the control. The expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin in the keratinocyte and fibroblast-cocultured group was higher than in the control group, and higher in fibroblasts cocultured with keratinocytes preprocessed by arecoline than in fibroblasts cocultured with keratinocytes without preprocessed by arecoline.

CONCLUSIONSThe differentiation of myofibroblasts from fibroblasts in oral submucous fibrosis might be induced by the interaction of arecoline and keratinocyte.

Actins ; metabolism ; Arecoline ; pharmacology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; cytology ; Mouth Mucosa ; cytology ; Oral Submucous Fibrosis ; metabolism ; pathology

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is considered an important complementary therapy with beneficial effects for cancer patients. Elderly patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are a complex patient group with increasing co-morbidity and shrinking physiological reserve, and may derive substantial benefit from the supportive aspects of TCM. Researchers from Shanghai Longhua Hospital found that qi and yin deficiency is a common syndrome in patients with stage III or IV lung cancer. This project was designed to study the combination of single-agent chemotherapy with TCM methods of benefiting qi and yin in elderly patients with advanced NSCLC.

Animals ; Escin ; pharmacology ; Intestines ; blood supply ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; prevention & control