Objective To investigate the medical effect of the ethanol extract of Acorus gramineus Sol.on arthritis of mice induced by collagen-Ⅱ,and explore the potential pharmacological mechanisms.Methods Arthritis mouse model was established by injection of admixture containing type Ⅱ collagen and Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) in male BALB/c mice.Mice were divided into five groups:the normal control group (0.9% of sodium chloride solution),the model control group (0.9% of sodium chloride solution),tripterygium group (15 μg·kg-1 of tripterygium tablets), the high-dose of extract of Acorus gramineus Sol.group (60 mg·kg-1 extract of Acorus gramineus Sol.) and the low-dose of extract of Acorus gramineus Sol.group (15 mg·kg-1 extract of Acorus gramineus Sol.).Each group was administered once a day,lasting 21 days.During the experiment,ankles of all mice were measured at predetermined time.At the end of the experiment,blood of the mice was exsanguinated and centrifuged to get serum for measuring the levels of IL-1β,RF and TNF-α.Spleens of mice were dissected and weighed to calculate the spleen index.All arthritis ankles were dissected to make tissue section,and observed under microscope.Results Compared with the model control group,the perimeter of ankle joints of the high-dose of extract of Acorus gramineus Sol.group significantly changed 6 days after administration (P<0.05);That of the low-dose of extract of Acorus gramineus Sol.group significantly changed 12 days after administration (P<0.05);That of tripterygium group significantly changed 9 days after administration (P<0.05).As compared with the normal control group, the spleen index of the model control group was significantly different (P<0.01).As compared with the model control group,the spleen index of tripterygium group,high-dose and low-dose of extract of Acorus gramineus Sol.groups were significantly different (P<0.05).As compared with the normal control group,levels of IL-1β,RF and TNF-α of the model control group were significantly different (all P<0.01).As compared with the model control group,levels of IL-1β,RF and TNF-α of tripterygium group,high-dose and low-dose of extract of Acorus gramineus Sol.groups were significantly decreased.Conclusion Ethanol extracts of Acorus gramineus Sol.have significant therapeutic effect on arthritis mice.The anti-arthritic mechanism is associated with its ability to regulate levels of IL-1β,RF and TNF-α.

In order to improve the knowledge of clinicians in hypoxia of COPD during the night,the physiological changes of arterial oxygen and carbon dioxide during sleep in healthy population were investigated at first,and the features and state of oxygen deficiency during sleep in patients with COPD were analyzed.Furthermore,the possible mechanism,effect,predictor,diagnosis and therapy were explored.

AIM: To study the effect of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on adhesion and migration of human airway epithelial cells and it's mechanism. METHODS: After 24 h culture, the airway epithelial cells were treated with different concentrations of CSE. The rate of cell attachment and the velocity of cell migration were measured. The expression of FIP200 mRNA and protein were analyzed by RT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: CSE inhibited the rate of cell attachment and the velocity of cell migration. Meanwhile CSE increased the expression level of FIP200 mRNA and FIP200 protein. The effects of CSE became more evident with increased concentration of CSE. Expression of FIP200 mRNA and FIP200 protein were positively correlated to the decreased rate of cell attachment and the velocity of cell migration. CONCLUSION: CSE inhibits the rate of cell attachment, the velocity of cell migration and increases the expression of FIP200.

The effect of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on the proliferation of human airway epithelial cells and the possible mechanism was studied. After airway epithelial cells were treated with different concentrations of CSE for 24 h, the cell proliferation was measured by MTT and the distribution of different cell cycles by flow cytometry. The FAK expression level was detected by Western blot and the degree of tyrosine phosphorylation by immunoprecipitation. The results showed that CSE could inhibit the proliferation of human airway epithelial cells, arrest the epithelial cells in G1 phase of cell cycle, dramatically decrease the number of epithelial cells in S and G2 phases; Meanwhile CSE could decrease the expression level of FAK and the degree of its tyrosine phosphorylation. The above effects of CSE were concentration-dependent. The expression of FAK and the degree of its phosphorylation was positively correlated to the increased number of epithelial cells in G1 phase, and negatively to the number of epithelial cells in S and G2 phases. It was concluded that the mechanism by which CSE could inhibit the proliferation of human epithelial cells was contributed to the increased expression and activation of FAK.
Bronchi/*cytology ; Bronchi/metabolism ; Cell Cycle/drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Enzyme Activation ; Epithelial Cells/*cytology ; Epithelial Cells/enzymology ; Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/biosynthesis ; Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/*metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Tobacco/adverse effects ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution/*adverse effects

Objective To study the leukocyte adhesion molecules in the pathogrnesis of ALI and ARDS.Methods The positive expression rates of CD11a、CD11b and CD18 in peripheral blood were quantitatively analyzed by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies in 26 cases of ALI,18cases of ARDS and 15 healthy controls.Results The expression rates of CD11a、CD11b and CD18 in polymorphonuclear neutrophils and monocytes from the ALI group and ARDS group were much higher than those in the control group(P

To study the effect of Erigeron breviscapini on chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and mechanism，the hypoxic rats were injected intraperitoneally with Erigeron breviscapini. The mPAP，the content of serum nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were measured 5，14 and 28 days after intraperitoneal injection of Erigeron breviscapini in hypoxia respectively，and were compared with those in the single hypoxic group. The results showed that the contents of serum mPAP and ET-1 were higher，and serum NO was lower in single hypoxic group than in the normal rats (both P<0.01). The contents of serum mPAP and ET-1 were lower and NO was higher in the Erigeron breviscapini-treated group than in the single hypoxic group (P<0.01). It was suggested that Erigeron breviscapini could reduce the hypoxic pulmonary hypertension by increasing NO and decreasing ET-1 of serum. Erigeron breviscapini could be used to treat hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.

Objective To study whether focal adhesion kinase (FAK) promotes human pulmonary artery smooth cells (HPASMCs) proliferation.Methods Cultured HPASMCs stimulated by fibronectin (40 mg/L) were passively transfected with sense -FAK oligonucleotides(ODNs), FAK activity was measured by immunoprecipitation and expression of FAK protein was detected by Western blots.Meanwhile, the change of cell proliferation was measured by MTT and 3H-TdR absorbation experiment. Results The change of FAK activity and FAK protein content was dose and time dependent at diferential concentration and time passively transfected with sense-FAK ODNs in Cultured HPASMCs. At the same time, sense-FAK ODNs prompoted HPASMCs proliferation and 3H-TdR absorbation.Conclusion FAK can faciliate HPASMCs proliferation,which may play an important function in pulmonary artery hypertension development.

AIM: To investigate the effect of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on activation of nuclear factor ?B. METHODS: The techniques of culture of human T lymphocytes, Western blot and RT-PCR were applied. The effects of NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) at different concentrations on mRNA and protein expression of I?B ? in human T lymphocytes at 30 min or 120 min after stimulating with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA-P) were observed. RESULTS: SNP at middle or high concentrations reduced the degradation of I?B ? protein 30 min after stimulating with PHA-P, and increased the re-expression of I?B ? mRNA 120 min after stimulating with PHA-P significantly. CONCLUSION: The mechanism of inhibitory effect of SNP at middle or high concentrations may be due to the decrease in degradation and the increase in re-synthesis of I?B ?. The regulatory mechanism of SNP at low concentration may not be through I?B ?.

AIM: To study the role of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha(HIF-1?) on lung cancer cells A549 growth in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: To observe the growth rate of A549 cells after HIF-1? transfected, A549 cells (1?10~6/mouse) were inoculated subcutaneously into 20 nude mice, which were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (group A, n=10), the HIF-1? transfected group (group B, n=10). The weights of subcutaneous tumor were detected. The resected specimens were made into paraffin-embedded sections. The proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was identified by immunohistochemistry(ISH). The expressions of HIF-1?? apoptosis-related protein survivin and bcl-2 were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: The growth rates of the HIF-1? transfected lung cancer cells A549 were significantly increased, and more importantly, the HIF-1? transfected lung cancer cells A549 was able to enhance lung cancer growth in nude mice(P