OBJECTIVETo study the inhibitory effects of Panax Notoginseng Saponins(PNS) on apoptosis induced by hypoxia/hypoglycemia and reoxygenation in cultured rat hippocampal neurons.

METHODApoptosis were measured by flow cytometry, intracellular free calcium concentration([Ca2+]i) was measured with confocal laser scanning microscopy, morphological changes and neuronal necrosis were observed with fluorescence microscope, and meanwhile the leakage of lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) was measured.

RESULTHypoxia/hypoglycemia cultures for 5 hours and reoxygenation induced neuronal apoptosis and necrosis, and significantly increased neuronal [Ca2+]i and the leakage of LDH. The effects were increased with the extending time of reoxygenation. PNS has could significantly decrease the percentage of neuronal apoptosis and necrosis, and reduce neuronal [Ca2+]i and the leakage of LDH.

CONCLUSIONPNS has inhibitory effect on neuronal apoptosis. This effect might be related to its effect of decreasing intracellular free calcium concentration.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Fetus ; Ginsenosides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; Hypoglycemia ; pathology ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Neurons ; cytology ; Panax ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo study how hepatitis B virus(HBV) 'a' determinant hotpoint mutations were influecing the hepatitis B vaccine efficacy.

METHODSPrimers were designed in HBV conservative region, and the degenerate probes for detecting 16 'a' determinant hotpoint mutations were developed for gene chips. Sensitivity and specificity of the gene chips were evaluated by clone sequencing. Sera of 47 pairs of mothers and infants with immune failure and 323 mothers of children with immune protection of HB vaccine were detected by the gene chips.

RESULTSResult from clone sequencing demonstrated that the gene chips were specific for the detection of 'a' determinant hotpoint mutations. The wild type of HBV was still dominant, with the prevalence of 78.66%, and the mutation frequencies of 126A, 145R, 126S-1, 126S-2, 129H, 144A, and 129R were 11.27%, 5.76%, 5.28%, 4.56%, 1.20%, 0.72% and 0.24%, respectively. The prevalence of 126A mutation was significantly higher than that of other mutations(P < 0.01). No significant differences were found in mother-infant transmission rates of 126A, 126S-1, 126S-2 and 145R variants.

CONCLUSIONThe currently available hepatitis B vaccine could block mother-infant transmission of 126A, 126S and 145R variants. It appears that there is no need to develop a new hepatitis B vaccine against 126 and 145 variants at present, but the consistent epidemiological surveillance on HBV mutants should be carried out.

Adult ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B ; prevention & control ; transmission ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; prevention & control ; Mutation ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; prevention & control ; virology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the kinesis of cellular immunity in adults who were vaccinated with yeast recombinant hepatitis B(rHB) vaccine and the correlation between cellular and humoral immune responses induced by the vaccine.

METHODSEight adults were vaccinated with rHB vaccine according to 0, 1,2 month schedule. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) were collected at the 3, 8, 21, 34 and 65 days after the first dose. The high purity of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells obtained by sorting from PBMCs were restimulated with recombinant hepatitis B surface antigens (rHBsAg) or peptides. The spot forming cell (SFC) of IFN-gamma, IL-2 and IL-4 of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were detected by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT).

RESULTSThe characteristics of IFN-gamma, IL-2 and IL-4 of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells appeared different after immunization with rHB vaccine. IFN-gamma of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells could be detected early with stable SFC, while the IL-2 and IL-4 of CD4+ T cells appeared late but increased after the second and third dose of vaccination. The positive rate of IL-4 of CD4+ T cells were significantly correlated with the positive rate of anti-HBs, while the SFCs of IL-4 and IL-2 of CD4+ T cells were also significantly related to the titers of anti-FIBs.

CONCLUSIONIFN-gamma could be detected early after rHB vaccination in adults, and the positive rates of IL-4 and IL-2 were correlated with that of anti-HBs.

Adult ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunization Schedule ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of hepatitis B viruse (HBV) vaccination and its influencing factors among children in rural area of Jiangsu province.

METHODSTwenty-five hundred and twenty-two children born after 1998 in rural area were selected as the study population using multistage cluster sampling method. HBsAg and anti-HBs were detected by enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA) and radio-immunoassay (RIA), respectively. Anti-HBs negative children were boosted using different hepatitis B vaccines and the efficacy was compared. Factors causing HBV infection in HBsAg positive children were also investigated.

RESULTSHBsAg positive rates in 1-7 year olds were 0.28%-1.28%, and the anti-HBs positive rates decreased from 76.7% to 45.5%. The HBsAg positive rate in children not timely vaccinated was significantly higher than those with HBV vaccine injection within 24 hours after birth (1.4% vs. 0.5%, P = 0.031). More than 90% of the anti-HBs negative children had protective level of anti-HBs after boosted with HBV vaccine.

CONCLUSIONHBsAg positive rate in children born after 1998 in rural area of Jiangsu province decreased significantly, with an average of 0.8%. The reason for HBsAg carriage in children might be attributed to mother-to-infant transmission or not timely HBV vaccination.

Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; epidemiology ; immunology ; prevention & control ; transmission ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; immunology ; Humans ; Infant ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; Pregnancy ; Rural Population

OBJECTIVETo construct DNA and recombinant adenovirus vector vaccines containing an env gene from the prevalent subtype B strain in China and try to use them for therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines.

METHODSThe candidate plasmid DNA vaccine pVR-gp160 and recombinant adenovirus vaccine rAdV-gp160 were constructed separately. BALB/c mice were immunized with these two vaccines in different administration schemes. HIV-1 Gp120-specific cellular responses and antibody levels were detected by ELISPOT and ELISA respectively.

RESULTSDNA vaccine alone and combined vaccines in a DNA prime/rAdV-gp160 boost vaccination regimen induced high level of Gp120-specific cellular responses. While low level of Gp120-specific antibodies were elicited in all groups.

CONCLUSIONDNA and rAdV vaccines could efficiently express Gp160 protein and activate specific cellular responses.

AIDS Vaccines ; genetics ; immunology ; Adenoviridae ; genetics ; immunology ; Animals ; China ; Genes, env ; immunology ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; immunology ; HIV Antibodies ; genetics ; immunology ; HIV Envelope Protein gp120 ; genetics ; immunology ; HIV Envelope Protein gp160 ; genetics ; immunology ; HIV-1 ; genetics ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Plasmids ; genetics ; immunology ; Vaccines, DNA ; genetics ; immunology ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; genetics ; immunology

Objective To study the kinetics of immune response in mice and human immunized with rHB vaccine or rHBsAg derived from yeast cells(Hansenula polymorpha).Methods With different doses,the level of IFN-γ secreted by spleen mononuclear cells(MNC)including CD8+T cells by MACs of mice were detected by enzyme-linked immunospot(ELISPOT)methods after stimulation in vitro with HBsAg MHC class Ⅰ peptide S28-39,respectively.At serial time points.the immunized mice were detected for IFN-γ by ELISPOT as above and for the lymphocytotoxicity test(CTL)by specific lysis assay.The levels of IFN-γ,IL-2,IL-5 and anti-HBs in mice induced by rHB vaccine were detected after single or three doses.Four adults were vaccinated with rHB vaccine according to 0,1 and 2 month schedule.The peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)were collected at the 3,8,21,34 and 65 days after the first dose.The CD8+T cells with high purity obtained by sorting from PBMcs were stimulated with rHBsAg or HBsAg peptides.The SFC of IFN-γ,IL-2 and IL-4 of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were determined by ELISPOT.Results The cytokine of IFN-γ became detectable on day 7 and its peak value appeared on day 14 by ELISPOT.The CTL was detected on day 7 and the maximum lysis of CTL appeared on day 28.The cellular immune response of IFN-γ of MNCs were significantly correlated with the doses vaccinated from 1 μg to 8 μg(Υpositive rates=0.951,Ppositive rates=0.049＜0.05;rSFC=0.996,PSFC=0.000＜0.05).IFN-γSFC of CD8+T cells were significantly associated with the doses from 1 μg to 4 μg(Υ=0.999,P=0.025＜0.05).The HBsAg specific cellular immune and humoral responses of mice immunized with three doses were significantly higher than that with a single dose(P＜0.05).The characteristics of IFN-γ,IL-2 and IL-4 of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were variable between individuals immunized with the same rHB vaccine.The level of IL-2 and IL-4 of responders were significantly related to the titer of anti-HBs.Conclusion Data from this study showed the kinesis of cellular immunity in mice and adults vaccinated with rHBsAg or rHB vaccine respectively.and the characteristics of cellular immune response in adults induced by the vaccine.Our data provided the basis of standardizing the analysis of cellular immune response to rHB vaccine.

BACKGROUNDEnterovirus 71 (EV71) and coxsackievirus A16 (Cox A16) are major causative agents for hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). Studies indicate that the frequent HFMD outbreaks result in a few hundreds children's death in China in recent years. The vaccine and other research for HFMD need to be developed urgently.

THE AIMS OF OUR STUDY WEREto explore dynamic development of mother-source neutralizing antibodies against EV71 and Cox A16 in infants from Jiangsu Province, China, and to provide the fundamental data for further establishing of corresponding immunization course.

METHODSPeripheral blood samples were collected from 133 of parturient women once immediately before delivery and their infants at two and seven months of age. Method of micro-dose cytopathogenic effect was used to measure neutralizing antibodies against EV71 and Cox A16, respectively.

RESULTSSeropositive rates of anti-EV71 and anti-Cox A16 in prenatal women were 79.7% (106/133) and 92.5% (123/133), respectively; geometric mean titers (GMTs) were 29.0 and 61.9; 75.9% (101/133) prenatal women were both positive in anti-EV71 and anti-Cox A16; seropositive rates of anti-EV71 and anti-Cox A16 were 25.6% (34/133) and 38.3% (51/133) in infants at two months of age; GMTs were 12.3 and 18.0, respectively. GMTs of anti-EV71 were significantly higher for infants at seven months (82.6) compared with that at two months (P < 0.05), showing infants had inapparently infected by EV71 during two to seven months. Although only one offspring (0.75%) at seven months was found having anti-Cox A16 transfered from maternal, this observation suggested no maternal antibody may remain in infants at seven months.

CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence of EV71 and Cox A16 were relatively high in Jiangsu Province. Bivalent vaccine against both EV71 and Cox A16 should be developed, and the ideal time point for prime immunization for infants is around 2-5 months of age.

Antibodies, Neutralizing ; blood ; immunology ; Cells, Cultured ; Enterovirus ; immunology ; Enterovirus A, Human ; immunology ; Female ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; immunology ; virology ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn

Syndrome is the basis and essence of the treatment according to syndrome differentiation theory in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), which comprehensively summarizes the overall reaction state of the organism under the influence of internal and external factors, and has subjective and qualitative characteristics. But the test indexes of modern medicine for diagnosing diseases have the objective and quantitative characteristics. The subjective and qualitative TCM syndromes can be quantitatively treated and combined with the objective and quantitative modern test indexes, this method provides a new idea for the modernization of syndrome differentiation system of TCM. In this paper, the prehypertension with syndrome of upper hyperactivity of liver Yang was taken as an example, a syndrome discriminant model was set up by using the technique of scale and metabonomics, and the feasibility of establishing macro-micro syndrome differentiation system of TCM was also discussed. This paper has important guiding significance for realizing the objectification of diagnosis of TCM syndrome and the standardization of the treatment according to syndrome differentiation theory of TCM.