AIM: To study the characteristic of liver X receptor alpha (LXRα), its target gene expression and cholesterol efflux in human macrophages treated with atorvastatin. METHODS: Human monocyte-derived macrophages were collected and cultured. Macrophages were treated with or without atorvastatin. Apolipoprotein A-I mediated human monocyte-derived macrophage cholesterol efflux was detected by liquid scintillation counting method. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to evaluate the mRNA expression of LXRα and some of its target genes ABCA1, SREBP2, CETP, PLTP, apoE, MMP-9 and MIP-1α. The protein expression of LXRα, ABCA1, MMP-9 and MIP-1α was determined by Western blotting. RESULTS: Pre-incubation of human monocyte-derived macrophages with atorvastatin dose dependently (1-2 μmol/L) stimulated cholesterol efflux mediated by apolipoprotein A-I. Atorvastatin also increased the mRNA expression of LXRα, ABCA1, SREBP2, CETP, PLTP, and protein expression of LXRα, ABCA1, but decreased the expression of MMP-9 and MIP-1α at both mRNA and protein levels. CONCLUSION: Atorvastatin enhances the cholesterol efflux, upregulates LXR and some genes associated with cholesterol metabolism and inhibits inflammatory responses in macrophages, indicating that statins may affect the formation of foam cells by activating LXR signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE:To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Yinzhihuang oral liquid in the adjuvant treatment of neo-natal breast-feeding faundice. METHODS:112 newborns with faundice were randomly divided into control group and observation group. Control group stopped breast-feeding for 3 d and given artificial feeding,as well as keeping warm,nutritional support, maintaining water and electrolyte and acid-base balance,blue light irradiation and severe patients were given liver protection,en-zyme inducers;observation group was additionally given Yinzhihuang oral liquid 10 ml,twice a day. The treatment course was 7 d. Clinical efficacy,and serum total bilirubin(TBIL)level before and after treatment,and incidence of adverse reactions in 2 groups were observed. RESULTS:The total effective rate in observation group was significantly higher than control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). After treatment,TBIL level in 2 groups was significantly lower than before and gradually de-creased with time,and observation group was lower than control group,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions of 2 groups was no statistically significant(P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Based on the conventional treatment,Yinzhihuang oral liquid can be used in the adjuvant treatment of neonatal breast-feeding faundice,with good efficacy and good safety.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the availability and equipment of antidiabetic drugs in public hospitals from Shaanxi prov-ince. METHODS:Using a standardized methodology developed by WHO and Health Action International,the availability and equipping rate of the most common oral antidiabitic drugs were investigated and evaluated in public hospitals of Shaanxi province. RESULTS:The availability and equipping rate of tertiary hospitals and secondary hospitals were all higher than those of community health service centers. Among generic drugs,the availability of metformin was the highest (94.4%),and those of glibenclamide and repaglinide were the lowest(5.6%). Among original drugs,the availability of acarbose was the highest(68.1%). The equip-ping rate of original drugs was higher than that of generic drugs. The equipping rate of generic drugs(25.0%)was higher than that of original drugs(12.5%)in community health service center,but the equipping rates of generic drugs and original drugs were in low level. CONCLUSIONS:General hospitals (especially tertiary hospitals) have high equipping rate of original antidiabetic drugs,the community health services have low availability and equipping rate. Comprehensive measures should be taken to im-prove the availability of drugs in primary medical institutions and ensure drug use of chronic disease patients in primary hospitals.

Objective To explore the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of high density lipoprotein (HDL) by observing the effects of apoprotein (apo) A Ⅰ,a major protein component of HDL,on the inflammatory macrophage cell polarity.Methods Cultured mice marrow-derived macrophages were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide and interferon after 10 μg/ml of apoA Ⅰ were added to the macrophages for 24 hours.The expression of membrane molecules CD16/32,CD206 were detected by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS).ELISA was used to detect the secretion of IL-10 and IL-12.Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of TLR4,MyD88 and IRF5.Results Compared to macrophages stimulated by interferon and lipopolysaccharide but without pretreatment with apoA Ⅰ,pre-incubation with apoA Ⅰ significantly downregulated the expression of CD16/32 (91.17％ ± 1.99％ vs.50.47％ ± 1.02％,P ＜0.05),IL-12 [(747.27 ±3.74) pg/ml vs.(73.80 ±4.56) pg/ml,P ＜0.05],upregulated the expression of CD206 (0.33％ ± 0.12％ vs.3.00％ ± 0.36％,P ＜ 0.05),IL-10 expression [(23.56 ±4.30) pg/ml vs.(32.91 ± 2.47) pg/ml,P ＜ 0.05],and reduced the mRNA expression of TLR4(1.000±0.025 vs.0.708 ±0.003,P＜0.05),MyD88(1.591 ±0.005 vs.1.341 ±0.005,P＜ 0.05),IRF5 (0.954 ± 0.005 vs.0.463 ± 0.003,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion ApoA Ⅰ enhances the switch of inflammatory macrophages to anti-inflammatory macrophages possibly through inhibiting TLR4-MyD88-IRF5 pathway.