AIM:This study aims to explore the mechanisms of influenza A virus(IAV)-induced macrophage inflammatory injury based on the interleukin-6(IL-6)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)signaling loop and investigate the intervention effects of Ma-Xing-Shi-Gan decoction(MXSGD)-medicated serum.METHODS:RAW264.7 and BV2 cells were divided into control,Janus kinase(JAK)/STAT signaling pathway activator,inhibitor,model,oseltamivir,antiviral particle,and MXSGD groups.After IAV modeling and serum interventions,the cells were cultured for 24 and 48 h,and the indicators were detected and analyzed.ELISA,RT-qPCR,Western blot,and immuno-fluorescence assay were used to detect the secretion levels of IL-6 in the cell culture supernatant,IL-6 and STAT3 mRNA expressions,protein expression of STAT3,and expression levels of phosphorylated STAT3(p-STAT3),respectively.Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between p-STAT3 and IL-6 in the two cell types.A co-cul-ture model of the two cells was constructed,and the secretion levels of IL-6 in the cell culture supernatant was measured.Molecular docking analyses were performed for STAT3 and MXSGD.RESULTS:After IAV simulation,the secretion lev-els of IL-6 in the cell culture supernatant,mRNA expression levels of IL-6 and STAT3,and protein expression levels of STAT3 and p-STAT3 in both cell lines were elevated(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Pearson correlation analysis revealed that p-STAT3 expression was positively correlated with IL-6 expression.The secretion levels of IL-6 in the co-culture model in-creased(P<0.01).MXSGD down-regulated the secretion levels of IL-6 in the cell culture supernatant mRNA,expression levels of IL-6 and STAT3,and protein expression levels of STAT3 and p-STAT3 in two kinds of cells(P<0.05 or P<0.01),and inhibited the secretion levels of IL-6 in co-culture models.STAT3 demonstrated good binding energies for liquiritin,amygdalin,and ephedrine.CONCLUSION:IAV can induce inflammatory injury in macrophages,and its mechanism may be related to activation of the IL-6/STAT3 signaling loop.MXSGD may alleviate the pathogenic effects of IAV by modulating the signaling loop.

Objective:To investigate the effects of influenza A virus(IAV)on macrophages based on expression of cytokines mediated by Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription(JAK/STAT)pathway,and to further explore the intervention effects of Ma Xing Shigan decoction drug containing serum.Methods:RAW264.7 was divided into control group,JAK/STAT signal pathway activator group,inhibitor group,model group,oseltamivir group,antiviral granule group and Ma Xing Shigan decoction group.Cell samples were collected after the intervention of IAV and subsequent treating of drug-containing serum for 24 and 48 hours.Secretion levels of IL-1β and CXCL2 in supernatant were detected by ELISA.mRNA expression levels of influenza virus Nuclear Pro-tein(NP),JAK1/2 and STAT1 of cells were detected by RT-qPCR.Protein expression levels of JAK1/2 and STAT1 were detected by Western blot,and protein expression levels of p-STAT1 was detected by immunofluorescence.Correlation between protein expression levels of p-STAT1 and secretion of IL-1β and CXCL2 were evaluated by Pearson correlation analysis.Results:Secretion levels of IL-1β and CXCL2,mRNA expression levels of NP,JAK1/2,STAT1,protein levels of JAK1/2,STAT1 and p-STAT1 were increased,and protein levels of p-STAT1 was positively correlated with the secretion of IL-1β and CXCL2.Ma Xing Shigan decoction could down-regulate secretions of IL-1β and CXCL2,mRNA expression levels of NP,JAK1/2 and STAT1,protein expression levels of JAK1,JAK2,STAT1 and p-STAT1.Conclusion:Activation of JAK1/2-STAT1 signal pathway and imbalance of inflammatory factors may be one of the molecular mechanisms of immunopathological damage of macrophages induced by IAV.Ma Xing Shigan decoction may alle-viate pathogenic effects of IAV by regulating this signal pathway.

Objective:To observe effect of immunosuppressant cyclophosphamide on"extrapulmonary transmission"of mouse model of influenza virus pneumonia.Methods:BALB/c mice were randomly divided into normal group,virus group,cyclophospha-mide group,virus+cyclophosphamide group.Cyclophosphamide group and virus+cyclophosphamide group were intraperitoneally injected with cyclophosphamide once,24 h afterwards,virus group and virus+cyclophosphamide group were administered nasal influ-enza virus to establish influenza virus infection model,and 3,5,7 days after nasal instillation,lung index,heart index,liver index,spleen index and kidney index were measured by conventional methods;pathological changes of lung tissue,heart tissue,liver tissue,spleen tissue and kidney tissue were observed by HE staining;ELISA was used to detect levels of serum inflammatory cytokines IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α;RT-qPCR was used to detect influenza virus load and expressions of inflammatory factors IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α in each tissue.Results:Compared with normal group and virus group,lung index and heart index of mice in virus+cyclophosphamide group were significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01);spleen index was significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01);lung tissue,heart tissue,liver tissue and spleen tissue showed different degrees of pathological damage;serum inflammatory factor IL-6 level was increased significantly(P<0.05 or P<0.01);lung tissue,heart tissue,liver tissue,spleen tissue and mRNA levels of IAV NP in kidney tissue were significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01);mRNA levels of IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α in lung and heart tissues were significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion:Immunosuppressant cyclophosphamide can cause damage to extrapul-monary tissues and organs in a mouse model of influenza virus pneumonia,among which heart damage is the most serious.Cyclophos-phamide is beneficial to establish model of"extrapulmonary transmission"of influenza virus pneumonia.

Objective:To investigate the effects of influenza A virus(IAV)on macrophages based on expression of cytokines mediated by Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription(JAK/STAT)pathway,and to further explore the intervention effects of Ma Xing Shigan decoction drug containing serum.Methods:RAW264.7 was divided into control group,JAK/STAT signal pathway activator group,inhibitor group,model group,oseltamivir group,antiviral granule group and Ma Xing Shigan decoction group.Cell samples were collected after the intervention of IAV and subsequent treating of drug-containing serum for 24 and 48 hours.Secretion levels of IL-1β and CXCL2 in supernatant were detected by ELISA.mRNA expression levels of influenza virus Nuclear Pro-tein(NP),JAK1/2 and STAT1 of cells were detected by RT-qPCR.Protein expression levels of JAK1/2 and STAT1 were detected by Western blot,and protein expression levels of p-STAT1 was detected by immunofluorescence.Correlation between protein expression levels of p-STAT1 and secretion of IL-1β and CXCL2 were evaluated by Pearson correlation analysis.Results:Secretion levels of IL-1β and CXCL2,mRNA expression levels of NP,JAK1/2,STAT1,protein levels of JAK1/2,STAT1 and p-STAT1 were increased,and protein levels of p-STAT1 was positively correlated with the secretion of IL-1β and CXCL2.Ma Xing Shigan decoction could down-regulate secretions of IL-1β and CXCL2,mRNA expression levels of NP,JAK1/2 and STAT1,protein expression levels of JAK1,JAK2,STAT1 and p-STAT1.Conclusion:Activation of JAK1/2-STAT1 signal pathway and imbalance of inflammatory factors may be one of the molecular mechanisms of immunopathological damage of macrophages induced by IAV.Ma Xing Shigan decoction may alle-viate pathogenic effects of IAV by regulating this signal pathway.

AIM:This study aims to explore the mechanisms of influenza A virus(IAV)-induced macrophage inflammatory injury based on the interleukin-6(IL-6)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)signaling loop and investigate the intervention effects of Ma-Xing-Shi-Gan decoction(MXSGD)-medicated serum.METHODS:RAW264.7 and BV2 cells were divided into control,Janus kinase(JAK)/STAT signaling pathway activator,inhibitor,model,oseltamivir,antiviral particle,and MXSGD groups.After IAV modeling and serum interventions,the cells were cultured for 24 and 48 h,and the indicators were detected and analyzed.ELISA,RT-qPCR,Western blot,and immuno-fluorescence assay were used to detect the secretion levels of IL-6 in the cell culture supernatant,IL-6 and STAT3 mRNA expressions,protein expression of STAT3,and expression levels of phosphorylated STAT3(p-STAT3),respectively.Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between p-STAT3 and IL-6 in the two cell types.A co-cul-ture model of the two cells was constructed,and the secretion levels of IL-6 in the cell culture supernatant was measured.Molecular docking analyses were performed for STAT3 and MXSGD.RESULTS:After IAV simulation,the secretion lev-els of IL-6 in the cell culture supernatant,mRNA expression levels of IL-6 and STAT3,and protein expression levels of STAT3 and p-STAT3 in both cell lines were elevated(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Pearson correlation analysis revealed that p-STAT3 expression was positively correlated with IL-6 expression.The secretion levels of IL-6 in the co-culture model in-creased(P<0.01).MXSGD down-regulated the secretion levels of IL-6 in the cell culture supernatant mRNA,expression levels of IL-6 and STAT3,and protein expression levels of STAT3 and p-STAT3 in two kinds of cells(P<0.05 or P<0.01),and inhibited the secretion levels of IL-6 in co-culture models.STAT3 demonstrated good binding energies for liquiritin,amygdalin,and ephedrine.CONCLUSION:IAV can induce inflammatory injury in macrophages,and its mechanism may be related to activation of the IL-6/STAT3 signaling loop.MXSGD may alleviate the pathogenic effects of IAV by modulating the signaling loop.

Objective:To observe effect of immunosuppressant cyclophosphamide on"extrapulmonary transmission"of mouse model of influenza virus pneumonia.Methods:BALB/c mice were randomly divided into normal group,virus group,cyclophospha-mide group,virus+cyclophosphamide group.Cyclophosphamide group and virus+cyclophosphamide group were intraperitoneally injected with cyclophosphamide once,24 h afterwards,virus group and virus+cyclophosphamide group were administered nasal influ-enza virus to establish influenza virus infection model,and 3,5,7 days after nasal instillation,lung index,heart index,liver index,spleen index and kidney index were measured by conventional methods;pathological changes of lung tissue,heart tissue,liver tissue,spleen tissue and kidney tissue were observed by HE staining;ELISA was used to detect levels of serum inflammatory cytokines IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α;RT-qPCR was used to detect influenza virus load and expressions of inflammatory factors IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α in each tissue.Results:Compared with normal group and virus group,lung index and heart index of mice in virus+cyclophosphamide group were significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01);spleen index was significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01);lung tissue,heart tissue,liver tissue and spleen tissue showed different degrees of pathological damage;serum inflammatory factor IL-6 level was increased significantly(P<0.05 or P<0.01);lung tissue,heart tissue,liver tissue,spleen tissue and mRNA levels of IAV NP in kidney tissue were significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01);mRNA levels of IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α in lung and heart tissues were significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion:Immunosuppressant cyclophosphamide can cause damage to extrapul-monary tissues and organs in a mouse model of influenza virus pneumonia,among which heart damage is the most serious.Cyclophos-phamide is beneficial to establish model of"extrapulmonary transmission"of influenza virus pneumonia.

Objective To assess the gastric contents before cesarean section using antral cross-sectional area (CSA) measured by ultrasonography.Methods One hundred and seventy-seven American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ-Ⅲ patients,aged 20-44 yr,undergoing cesarean section,were enrolled in this study.The antral CSA in the semi-recumbent and right lateral decubitus positions was measured through the ultrasound images of the antrum in the sagittal plane below xiphoid before anesthesia and qualitatively graded.Qualitative grade 0 was considered as the gold standard,and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of CSA in assessing the preoperative gastric contents was plotted.Results The critical value of ROC curve of CSA in the semi-recumbent position was 6.025 cm2.The critical value of ROC curve of CSA in the right lateral decubitus position was 9.095 cm2.Conclusion CSA ＜ 6.025 cm2 measured by ultrasonography in the semi-recumbent position or CSA＜9.095 cm2 measured by ultrasonography in the right lateral decubitus position can confirm that the gastric emptying state is achieved before cesarean section.

Objective To investigate and compare the features of the HIV-1-specific CTL responses among three HIV-infected groups with varied infection history. Methods Three HIV-infeeted groups were enrolled in this study, including two groups infected by blood transmission (one group has been infected for more than 10 years and the other for 1-2 years) and one group of the man who have sex with man. The HIV-1-specific CTL responses were quantified by an IFN-γ based ELISPot assay with a peptide matrix system containing overlapping peptides spanning the entire HIV-1 Clade B genomic consensus sequences. Results The responding rate of CTL responses against all 17 peptide pools among the group that infected 1-2 years,the group infected more than 10 years and the group of MSM were 40% ,65% ,23%. One way ANOVO analysis showed that the responding rate of CTL responses against all 17 peptide pools were statistical significant among the three groups (F=19.96, P＜0.01);the magnitude of CTL responses of the three groups were 0-5 835 SFCs/106 PBMC, 0-7 225 SFCs/106PBMC, 0-9 740SFCs/106pBMC, Kruskal-Wallis test showed that the magnitude of CTL responses were statistical significant among the three groups( H = 101.90 , P ＜0.01);the breadth of CTL were 7 ( 2-11 ), 11(9-14) and 4 (2-6) respectively and Kruskal- Wallis test showed that the breadth of CTL had no statistical significant among the three groups( H = 34. 75 ,P ＜0. 01 ). The sequence of responding rate, magnitude and breadth of CTL from high to low was the group that had been infected for more than 10 years, the group infected 1-2 years and the sex transmission group. The common characteristics of the CTL response among the three groups were that the responding rate and the magnitude of the peptide Nef and Gag was higher than other peptide's. The magnitude of CTL responses among three different CD4count groups (CD4 ＜ 200/μl, CD4 200-500/μl, CD4 ≥500/μl,) was 0-18 475 SFCs/106pBMC, 350-34 095 SFCs/106pBMC, 490-21 550 SFCs/106 PBMC and had no statistic difference among the three different CD4 groups(H=2.93, P=0.23) while the breadth of CTL was 3(0-8), 10(2-17), 10 (1-17)respoctively and the breadth of CTL was lower in the group of CD4 count less than 200/μl than the other two groups( H = 14. 72, P ＜ 0. 01 ). The magnitude of CTL responses among three different viral load (VL)groups (VL＜ LDL, LDL ＜ VL ＜ 1 × 104 copys/ml, VL≥1 ×104 copys/ml) was 490-18 475 SFCs/106pBMC, 0-24 115 SFCs/106pBMC, 770-34 095 SFCs/106 pBMC and had no statistic difference among the three different viral load groups ( H = 0.79, P=0.67) and the breadth of the three different viral load groups CTL was 8( 1-17), 11 (0-17), 8 (1-16) and Kruskal-Wallis test showed that there was no statistic difference among the three different viral load groups (H =5.27, P =0. 07). Conclusions All groups predominantly develope T cell immune responses against Nef and Gag proteins. With the elapse of HIV infection, the CTL responses are increased in both magnitude and responding rate. This information is important for vaccine development.

Objective To study the genetic diversity of rDNA ITS sequences in the root tuber of Polygonum multiflorum from various habitats and to analyze the utility of ITS sequences in molecular authenticating the genuineness, identifying the varieties of wild resources, and studying the germplasm resources. Methods Firstly, total DNA in the root tuber of P. multiflorum from various habitats was extracted. Secondly, the ITS sequence was amplified by PCR with universal primer of ITS and sequenced after purification. Results The total length of ITS sequence is 648 bp in the different samples, such as 5.8S, 18S, and 26S rDNA. The lengths of three fragments, ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2, are 195 bp, 164 bp, and 189 bp, respectively. There are seventeen variable sites among the sequences. Conclusion ITS Sequence can be used to authenticate the genuineness and identify the varieties of wild resources in the root tuber of P. multiflorum.