OBJECTIVE: At present the function of Fas and Bcl-2 gene in the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis has gained more attention and more studies have been extensively made inside and outside, to investigate the modulation of Fas and Bcl-2 gene expression is of extremely significance for exploring the pathogenesis and treatment of myasthenia gravis.DATA SOURCE: The related articles published in English from January 1990 to December 2004 were computer searched in Medline database using the terms of "Fas", "Bcl-2", "Myasthenia Gravis" and "gene".STUDY SELECTION: The data were identified preliminarily and literatures on the relationship between Fas and Bcl-2 gene and myasthenia gravis, as well as on Fas and Bcl-2 gene and genotherapy were remained for searching the full content.DATA EXTRACTION: A great deal of literatures about Fas and Bcl-2 gene were searched, 21 of which were studies on Fas and Bcl-2 gene and myasthenia gravis, and 32 on myasthenia gravis related genotherapy. A total of 20 representative articles were selected for analysis in this study.DATA SYNTHESIS: Eight out of 20 literatures were about the relationship between Fas gene and myasthenia gravis, 5 about the Bcl-2 gene and myasthenia gravis, 7 about the genotherapy in the treatment of myasthenia gravis and immune diseases.CONCLUSION: Abnormal Fas and Bcl-2 gene modulation and uncontrollable expression were closely associated with apoptosis defect of T lymphocyte and thymocytes, and even closely related to the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis. To explore pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis at gene level by inducing cell apoptosis and depressing self-antibody production, would provide new means for the treatment of myasthenia gravis.

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hematopoietic growth factor that has a specific role on erythroid progenitor cells. Recent studies have suggested that EPO has the important neuroprotective effect on brain damage following stroke, and its major mechanisms include neurotrophy, anti-neuronal apoptosis, inhibition of secondary inflammatory response and excitatory amino acid toxicity, maintenance of vascular integrity and promoting angiogenesis, promoting neurogenesis, as well as anti-oxidative stress.

Objective To discuss the effects of Paclitaxel(PTX) on levels of CD28 and CTLA-4,B lymphocyte stimulator(BAFF) in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis(EAE).Methods The 50 rats were divided into 5 groups by the random number table, 10 rats in each group,the doses of small group,Middle group, High group were 1 mg/kg,2 mg/kg,4 mg/kg by intraperitoneal injection for 10 consecutive days, the normal group and model group were injected 0.9% NS 2 mL,Using brain tissue score to estimate the neurological dysfunctions of rats.Using flow cytometry to detect the levels of CD28 and CTLA-4,using enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) to detect the levels of BAFF.Results The brain tissue score in PTX experimental groups were lower than model group,the comparative differences between groups were statistically significant(P < 0.01);The levels of CD28 in PTX groups were lower than EAE group,the comparative differences between groups were statistically significant(P < 0.01).The levels of CTLA-4 in PTX groups were higher than EAE group,the comparative differences between groups were statistically significant(P < 0.01);the content of BAFF in all PTX groups were lower than EAE control group.Conclusions PTX could decrease the brain tissue score,the mechanism may adjust the express of CD28、CTLA-4 in brain and the expression of BAFF.PTX may have preventive and therapeutic effects on EAE rats.

Objective To analyze the clinical features and image characteristic of neuro-Behcet disease with epileptic seizure as the primary symptom. Methods The data of 4 patients with neuro-Behcet disease with epileptic seizure as the first symptom were collected and retrospectively analyzed. Results One patient had recurrent joint pain in the department of dermatology, and 1 patient had blurred vision in the department of ophthalmology. They were shifted to department of neurology because of epileptic seizure. Head CT of four patients were normal. There were abnormal signal in brainstem in 2 cases, and in the other 2 cases, there were symmetry abnormal signals in periventricle, centrum semiovale. The abnormal signal was low in T1 weighted image and high in T2 weighted image, flair, diffuse weighing imaging , but there were no abnormal signals in cortex in these 4 cases. In CSF examination, 3 patients′cell number was high, 1 patient′s cell number was normal, 2 patients′protein levels were high, and the other 2 patients′protein levels were normal. One patient had spike wave and sharp wave in video-EEG, and the other 3 patients were normal. Conclusions Epileptic seizure is rare in neuro-Behcet disease, and CT and MRI is frequently-used in diagnosing nervous system disease. There are no abnormal signals in cortex, but there are generalized tonic-clonic seizure, which may relate with the abnormal discharge of cortex.

Objective To explore the changes of serum sFas levels and its clinical significance in patients with myasthenia gravis(MG).Methods T cell subsets and sFas levels in serum of 45 MG patients and 40 controls were measured by using flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay each.Besides,the sFas levels variety of 24 MG patients using glucocorticoid(GC) were observed.Results(1) The percentage of CD~+_8T cells was much decreased in MG group[(21.50?2.21)%] compared with control group[(27.75?3.00)%]((P

Objective To explore the change of serum uric acid(UA) levels in patients with multiple sclerosis(MS) and its clinical significance.Methods A quantitative enzymatic assay according to the manufacturer's protocol was adopted to detect serum UA levels in 43 patients with MS and 45 normal.Results The mean serum UA level in patients with MS was significantly lower in comparison with controls( P

Objective To explore the effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-?) on brain damage following experimental intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH) in rats.Methods We induced intracerebral hemorrhage models of rats with injecting autologous blood into the left caudate.The levels of TNF-? and water contents in perihematoma at different stages were examined by radioimmunoassay and wet-dry weight measurement,and neurobehavioral outcomes were assessed in the meanwhile.Results The levels of TNF-? at 12~96 h in ICH group were higher than those in control group(all(P

Objective To explore the effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide ( VIP) on the prevention and treatment of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis(EAE) rats by regulating the levels of IFN-γand IL-17A in brain tissue. Methods Sixty healthy female Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:normal control group, EAE control group, VIP low-dose group and VIP high-dose group.Myelin basic protein ( MBP)+complete Freurd′s adjuvant ( CFA) was used to establish an EAE model.The low and high-dose VIP groups were intraperitoneally injected with VIP 4 nmol/kg(0.2 ml) and 16 nmol/kg (0.8 ml) respectively every other day,while normal control group and EAE group with 0.8 ml saline for ten consecutive days.The incubation period, progression and peak of neurological dysfunction score ( NDS) changes of rats were recorded.The pathological changes, the GFAP+astrocyte activation in the brain at the morbidity peak of rats and the cytokine levels of IFN-γand IL-17A in brain tissue were observed.Results The incubation period was extended, the progression and peak NDS were shortened in the two VIP groups.In normal control group, there was no inflammatory cell infiltration or active astrocytes in brain tissue.The degree of infiltration of inflammatory cells and the degree of astrocyte activation in the VIP control group were significantly lower than in the EAE group.The cytokine levels of IFN-γand IL-17A in brain tissue were reduced in VIP groups.Conclusion By lowering IFN-γand IL-17A content in brain tissue, the infiltration of inflammatory cells and astrocyte activation are inhibited.VIP plays an important role in prevention and control of EAE.

Objective To investigate the effects of minocycline on regional cerebral blood flow and the expression of endothe-lin-1(ET-1) in ischemic penumbra of rats after focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury .Methods Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) with nylon suture was used to be established as focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion mode (I/R) ,a total of 35 male Spra-geue-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups :sham-operated group(n= 10) ,model group(n= 15) and minocycline group (n= 15) .After 24 hours of I/R ,The neurobehavioral function of rats was evaluated by Longa′s test ,the regional cerebral blood flow in ischemic penumbra was assessed with laser-Doppler flowmetry .After 6 and 24 hours of I/R ,the expression of ET-1 in peri-in-farct region was measured by both immunohistochemistry and radioimmunoassay .Results Compared with sham-group ,the Longa′s test scales ,ET-1 protein expression increased and the rCBF decreased in ischemic penumbra in model group(P< 0 .05) .the Longa′s test scales ,ET-1 protein expression decreased and the rCBF decreased in ischemic penumbra in minocycline group when compared to the model group(P< 0 .05) .Conclusion Minocycline could promote neurological functional recovery of rats after MCAO ,which might be attributed to increase the cerebral blood flow and regulate the endothelin-1 expression in ischemic penumbra .

Objective To understand the pathogenetic role and clinical significance of interleukin 6(IL－ 6 ),tumor necrosis factor(TNF) and soluble interleukin－ 2 receptor(sIL－ 2R) in patients with cerebral infarction(CI) .Methods The IL－ 6,TNF and sIL－ 2R levels were measured in 46 CI patients with ELISA. Results The serum IL－ 6,TNF and sIL－ 2R levels of CI group were much higher than those of controls group .The variation of IL－ 6,TNF and sIL－ 2R levels was closely related to the size of cerebral infarction. The serum IL－ 6,TNF and sIL－ 2R levels of recovery period were much lower than those of acute period in patients with CI .Conclusions The IL－ 6 ,TNF and sIL－ 2R take part in the pathologic process after CI .The measurement of IL－ 6, TNF and sIL－ 2R is useful in determining the size of cerebral infarction.