The role of PACAP (pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide), a peptidergic transmitter, in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis is not yet clear. This experiment was conducted to examine the action of exogenous PACAP on rat pancreas and on the course of experimental acute pancreatitis. The results showed that 5-30 microg/kg of PACAP slightly raised the serum amylase level, induced pancreatic edema (23.88% +/- 2.532%-25.86% +/- 1.974% of experiment groups versus 29.21% +/- 5.657% of control group), inflammatory cell infiltration, vacuolization of acinar cells, and occasionally fatty and parenchymal necroses. 15-30 microg/kg of PACAP aggravated cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis; the pancreatic edema became more marked (13.45% +/- 2.045%-17.66% +/- 4.652% of expreiment groups versus 21.83% +/- 3.013% of cerulein group, P<0.05), the serum amylase level became higher; and ascites, pancreatic bleeding, fatty and parenchymal necroses, and extensive vacuolization of acinar cells appeared. For sodium taurocholate-induced pancreatitis, 5-10 microg/kg of PACAP mildly attenuated the pancreatic edema, reduced the serum amylase level (1986.91 +/- 710.97-2944.33 +/- 1182.47 IU/L vs 3690.87 +/- 2277.99 IU/L, P<0.05), whereas it caused multifocal hemorrhage and prominent necrosis in pancreas. Except the cerulein-induced pancreatitis groups, other groups were found to have reduced pancreatic functional capillary density (FCD); when pancreatic edema was taken into consideration and calibrated FCD was introduced (FCD weighted against pancreatic wet/dry ratio), all groups revealed increases in pancreatic functional capillaries when compared with normal control. In conclusion, PACAP is proinflammatory in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis, PACAP plus cerulein can induce acute hemorrhagic/necrotizing pancreatitis, and the action of PACAP on cerulein-induced panceatitis may differ from that on sodium taurocholate-induced one. In this experiment, pancreatic FCD was underestimated due to pancreatic edema.
Amylases ; blood ; Animals ; Capillaries ; pathology ; Ceruletide ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Pancreas ; blood supply ; Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing ; chemically induced ; enzymology ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Fluid shear stress plays an important role in vascular biology. In vivo, endothelial cells are continuously exposed to mechanical shear stress generated by the flowing blood. Previous studies have identified the exposure of vascular endothelial cells to fluid mechanical forces can modulate the expression of many genes involved in vascular physiology and pathophysiology. To investigate the role of fluid shear stress on IL-8 expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), we employed quantitative reversal transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to assay the expression of IL-8 mRNA. Here we show that IL-8 mRNA did not express in HUVECs untreated with fluid shear stress. IL-8 mRNA expression increased when HUVECs exposed to fluid shear stress for 1 h, and it reached the summit when HUVECs exposed to fluid shear stress for 2 h. Then IL-8 expression gradually decreased at 3 h of stimulation by shear stress and remained at a constant level throughout the time course of the study. The increase of IL-8 expression by shear stress was time-dependent. The biphasic response of IL-8 gene expression was found in experiments in which the applied shear stress was 2.23 dyne/cm2, 4.20 dyne/cm2, or 6.08 dyne/cm2. IL-8 gene expression in response to shear stress was very similar to NF-kappa B in response to shear stress. The induction of IL-8 gene expression by fluid shear stress is probably due to the activation of NF-kappa B. This in vitro study demonstrates the expression of IL-8 gene can be regulated by shear stress. Fluid shear stress induces a biphasic response of human IL-8 gene expression in HUVECs. These considerations suggest that IL-8 expression induced by fluid shear stress in HUVECs may play an important role in the genesis and development of both inflammation and arterioatherosclerosis.
Cells, Cultured ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stress, Mechanical

The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of anti-inflammatory on activation of nuclear factor-kappaB and mRNA and protein expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in intestinal mucosal biopsy specimens from patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). A total of 27 cases with UC were investigated. 15 cases received sulfasalazine (SASP) treatment or SASP and glucocorticoid treatment, 12 cases did not receive any medication related with UC. Normal mucosa from 9 colon cancer cases served as control. Ten pieces of intestinal mucosal biopsy specimens were obtained from each patient. The mRNA expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were determined by reversal transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The protein levels of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). NF-kappaB DNA binding activity was evaluated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The results showed that NF-kappaB DNA binding activity, mRNA and protein expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were increased significantly in patients with UC, compared with normal control (P<0.05). Glucocorticoids and SASP markedly inhibited NF-kappaB activation and significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 (P<0.05). Adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and VCAM-1) gene activation had significant positive correlation with the NF-kappaB DNA binding activity (r=0.8652 P<0.05, r=0.7902, P<0.05, respectively). We concluded that NF-kappaB is a major and essential factor in regulating the expression of adhesion molecules, it plays an important role in the pathogenesis of UC. SASP and glucocorticoids ameliorate UC via inhibition of NF-kappaB activation and reduction of adhesion molecules expression.
Adult ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Sulfasalazine ; therapeutic use ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics

To investigate if nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) p65 antisense oligonucleotides might affect the expression of NF-kappa B p65 and cytokines in lamina propria mononuclear cells(LPMC) from patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). LPMC were isolated from intestinal mucosal biopsy specimens from 3 patients with UC, and cultured with or without NF-kappa B p65 antisense oligonucleotides (5'-GGAACAGTTCGTCCTATGG-3'), missense oligonucleotides (5'-GGAACAGTTCGTCTATGG-3') and dexamethasone. NF-kappa B p65 expression was determined by western blot analysis. The expression of cytokine mRNA was studied by reversal transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The cytokine levels were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed that NF-kappa B p65 antisense oligonucleotides resulted in down-regulation of NF-kappa B p65 expression, blocked the expression of IL-1 beta mRNA and IL-8 mRNA, and strikingly reduced the production of IL-1 beta and IL-8, and these effects were greater than those of dexamethasone in cultured LPMC from patients with UC(P < 0.05). Therefore, the application of NF-kappa B p65 antisense oligonucleotides may serve as a novel molecular approach for the treatment of patients with UC.
Cells, Cultured ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cytokines ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Humans ; Interleukin-1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Interleukin-8 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Intestinal Mucosa ; cytology ; Monocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; NF-kappa B ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effect of nasal continuous positive airways pressure (nCPAP) combined with antireflux medicine on obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) with gastroesophageal reflux (GER). METHOD: Sixty patients with moderate to severe OSAHS with GER were simultaneously received PSG and esophageal pH monitoring and randomly divided into control group and treatment group with each group 30 patients. The control group were simply received nCPAP for every night. The treatment group were received the same treatment and combined antireflux medicine, with esomeprazole 40 mg/d and mosapride citrate 5 mg, 3 times a day,oral. Both the groups symptomatic status of OSAHS and GER were observed on the third day and the 14th day during therapy, and then the same tests above were repeated on the 14th day. RESULT: Compared with the control group, the symptomatic improvement rate of OSAHS on the third day and 14th day during therapy,the symptomatic improvement rate of GER on the third day during therapy were increased with statistical significance in the treatment group (P<0.05), however, the difference of symptomatic improvement rate of GER between the two groups on the 14th day during therapy did not have statistical significance (P>0.05). Compared with those of the control group on the 14th therapeutic night, AHI, LSaO2, the percentage of time with pH<4, the longest reflux duration,reflux episodes and DeMeester scoring did not have statistical significance in the treatment group (P>0.05). CONCLUSION nCPAP is the most effective method for patients suffering OSAHS associated with GER, but nCPAP used in conjunction with anti-reflux drugs do not improve efficacy.
Adult ; Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; complications ; therapy ; Gastrointestinal Agents ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; complications ; therapy

Objective To investigate the role of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) detection in patients with bron-chial asthma,and to observe the correlation between FeNO level and pulmonary function .Methods The clinical data of 61 patients with acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma were retrospectively analyzed .The patients were included in the case group .According to the disease condition ,the patients were divided into mild asthma group ( 30 cases ) and moderate asthma group (31 cases).A total of 60 healthy people were selected as the control group .All the patients were given corresponding symptomatic treatment ,before and after treatment ,the FeNO and lung function were deter-mined in two groups.Results After treatment,the level of FeNO in the mild asthma group was (22.22 ±8.39)ppb, which was significantly lower than (35.21 ±10.84)ppb in the moderate asthma group (t=5.22,P=0.00).The levels of FEV1 and PEF in the mild asthma group were (2.49 ±0.38)%,(3.82 ±0.24)L/min,respectively,which in the moderate asthma group were (2.52 ±0.41)%,(3.74 ±0.35)L/min,respectively,the differences between the two groups were not statistically significant (t=0.29,1.03,P=0.76,0.30).The FeNO levels of the two groups after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment ,and the FEV1 ,PEF levels were significantly higher than those before treatment (all P<0.05).Before treatment,the levels of FeNO,FEV1 and PEF in the case group were(50.41 ±30.09) ppb,(1.98 ±0.37)%,(3.24 ±0.36) L/min,respectively,which in the control group were (12.59 ±6.39)ppb,(2.79 ±0.34)%,(4.02 ±0.18)L/min,respectively,the differences were statistically signifi-cant between the two groups (t=9.52,12.53,15.03,P=0.00,0.00,0.00).After treatment,the levels of FeNO, FEV1 and PEF in the case group were (23.52 ±10.54)ppb,(2.81 ±0.35)%,(3.91 ±0.40)L/min,respectively, which in the control group were (12.59 ±6.39)ppb,(2.79 ±0.34)%,(4.02 ±0.18)L/min,respectively,the difference of FeNO between the two groups was statistically significant (t=6.88,P=0.00),the differences of FEV1 and PEF were not statistically significant between the two groups (t=0.31,1.94,P=0.75,0.05).The difference of FeNO between males and females was not statistically significant (P >0.05).There was a negative correlation between FeNO and FEV1 before treatment(r=-0.172,P=0.02),and FeNO negatively correlated with FEV (r=-0.163,P=0.01).There was no correlation between FeNO and FEV 1 after treatment(r=-0.031,P=0.754), independent of FEV(r=-0.141,P=0.09).Conclusion The level of FeNO is helpful to evaluate the severity of airway inflammation and lung function in bronchial asthma patients , and it is not related to sex .FeNO level is negatively correlated with pulmonary function ,and is helpful to evaluate the clinical efficacy .

Fluid shear stress plays an important role in many physiological and pathophysiological processes of the cardiovascular system. Previous studies have identified the exposure of vascular endothelial cells to fluid mechanical forces can modulate the expression of many genes, including IL-8 gene expression, and IL-8 expression induced by fluid shear stress was time-dependent. To investigate the role of intensity of fluid shear stress on IL-8 expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), we had HUVECs exposed to shear stress 2.23, 4.20, 6.08, 8.19, 9.67, 12.15, 14.40, 16.87, and 19.29 dyne/cm2 respectively and employed quantitative reversal transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to assay the expression of IL-8 mRNA. The results show that IL-8 mRNA did not express in HUVECs untreated with fluid shear stress. The IL-8 mRNA expression by shear stress was force intensity-dependent. After HUVECs exposed to low fluid shear stress (2.23 dyne/cm2) for 1 h or 2 h, IL-8 mRNA expression increased near 68 or 52 times as that of HUVECs exposed to high fluid shear stress (19.29 dyne/cm2). The linear regression equations between IL-8 mRNA expression (log (copies), y) and shear stress (dyne/cm2, x) are: y = 7.57 - 0.11x, r = 0.97 (for 1 h); y = 7.92 - 0.10x, r = 0.96 (for 2 h). This in vitro study demonstrates the expression of IL-8 gene can be regulated by fluid shear stress. The low shear stress could induces much more expression of IL-8 mRNA, which plays probably an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammation and arteroatherosclerosis.
Cells, Cultured ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; Gene Expression ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Stress, Mechanical

Extensive monocyte recruitment is an early phenomenon associated with the development of atherosclerotic lesion. Although the molecular mechanisms are not completely understood, monocyte recruitment into these early lesions may involve changes in endothelial adhesion for monocyte, in which adhesion molecules expressed by endothelial cell play an active role. In vivo, the function of endothelial cells is not only affected by the chemical factors, but also by the mechanical factors. The purpose of this article was to investigate the induction of adhesion molecules expression by synergistic effects of Lysophosphatidylcholine (Lyso-PC) and shear stress in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The surface expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin on HUVEC induced by Lyso-PC(30 micrograms/ml) and shear stress(2.23, 4.20 dyne/cm2) were analyzed using flow cytometry. The results showed that: Compared with what were simultaneously exposed to shear stress and Lyso-PC, activating the cells with Lyso-PC prior to shear stress, or pre-conditioning the cells exposed shear stress prior to Lyso-PC incubation, a significantly higher expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1(P < 0.05) was resulted. HUVEC were exposed to shear stress and Lyso-PC at the same time or treated with each agonist alone, E-selectin expression was not significantly different from the control group. However, a sequential action of the two stimuli significantly increased E-selectin expression(P < 0.05). We concluded that: a sequential action of the shear stress and Lyso-PC induced an even greater expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, thus it could be understood that the flows-hear stress in combination with endothelial activated by chemical factors may increase the ability of endothelial cells to recruit leukocytes even under the mechanical environment unfavorable for cell adhesion.
Cell Adhesion Molecules ; biosynthesis ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lysophosphatidylcholines ; pharmacology ; Stress, Mechanical ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo explore the changes in hemorheology and expression of neutrophil adhesion molecules CD18 and CD62L in pancreatic microcirculation of Caerulein induced experimental acute pancreatitis (AP).

METHODSThe Wistar rats (n = 21) were randomized into three groups. The model of AP was established by subcutaneous injection of Caerulein. The changes of apparent viscosity of whole blood were measured by Low- shear 30 rheometer. The expression of adhesion molecules on the surface of neutrophil in duced by shear stress was used with stationary control. CD18 expression was increased on neutrophils treated with shear rate, and andanalyzed using flow cytometry.

RESULTSRat treated with Caerulein showed hyperamyleimia (t = 69.029, t = 79.734, P < 0.05). Blood viscosity of two AP groups were significantly elevated (0.512 s(-1): t = 10.725, t = 16.945; 5.96 s(-1): t = 12.781, t = 11.992, P < 0.05). Compared with stationary control, CD18 expression was increased on neutrophil treated with shear rate, and significantly induced with shear rate >/= 94.5 s(-1) (94.5 s(-1): t = 7.403, t = 13.323, t = 16.655; 128.5 s(-1): t = 10.092, t = 28.531, t = 24.563, P < 0.05). The expression of CD62L was less sensitive to low shear rate, and began to be down-regulated significantly when the shear rate >/= 94.5 s(-1) (94.5 s(-1): t = 10.687, t = 19.376, t = 12.848; 128.5 s(-1): t = 26.152, t = 48.402, t = 56.814, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe changes of apparent viscosity of whole blood, and the effect of fluid shear stress on the expression of neutrophil adhesion molecules CD18, CD62L may play an important role in the pancreatic microcirculatory failure of acute pancreatitis.

To investigate the antitumor effect of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) gene/ganciclovir (GCV) system on human bladder cancer cells (T24), a retroviral vector with the gene (pLXSN-TK) was transduced into the packaging cell line PA317. A nude mouse model with human T24 was established to examine the in vivo efficacy. The animals were randomly assigned to two treatment groups and two control groups. Treatment I and Treatment II were given in situ injection of virus suspension and PA317/TK respectively, followed by treatment with GCV for 14 days. Control I and Control II were given in situ injection of same volume of normal saline and PA317/TK respectively, followed by treatment with GCV and with normaly physiologic saline respectively for 14 days. The weight and the volume of tumor were measured. HSV-TK mRNA expression was determined by hybridization in situ. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry (FCM) and termininal deoxynucleofidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) technique. The results showed: (1) In vivo, the retrovirus transferred HSV-TK gene can be transduced into human bladder cancer cell T24. The tumors in T24 mice with TK gene transduced were much smaller than those in other groups. (2) After treatment with HSV-TK/GCV, the phenomenon of bladder ceancer cell apoptosis was more conspicuous as compared with that of other groups. Therefore, HSV-TK/GCV system can suppress the growth of T24 in vivo and may relate to "bystander effect". It could be a valuable therapy for human bladder cancer.
Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Ganciclovir ; therapeutic use ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Genetic Therapy ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; enzymology ; genetics ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Random Allocation ; Thymidine Kinase ; genetics ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; therapy