BACKGROUND:Mesenchymal stem cel s have an immunoregulatory capacity to suppress the airway inflammation of asthmatic mice, but the mechanism remains unclear. Our preliminary studies indicated that mesenchymal stem cel s can upregulate the CD4+CD25+regulatory T cel s (Treg) of the asthmatic mice. OBJECTIVE:To study the effect of mesenchymal stem cel s on the airway inflammation in asthmatic BALB/c mice depleted of CD4+CD25+Treg. METHODS:Forty BALB/c mice were randomly divided into five groups:normal control group (group A), asthmatic group (group B), asthmatic group depleted of CD4+CD25+Treg (group C), mesenchymal stem cel s group (group D), and asthmatic group depleted of CD4+CD25+Treg and administrated with mesenchymal stem cel s (group E). Except group A, mice in the other groups were sensitized and chal enged by ovalbumin to establish asthma models. In group C and group E, each mouse was treated with anti-CD25+monoclonal antibody to deplete CD4+CD25+Treg. In group D and group E, mice were intravenously administered with 0.2 mL mesenchymal stem cel s 1×109/L) at 10 days after sensitization. At 24 hours after the final activation, the number of CD4+CD25+Treg in the peripheral blood was detected by flow cytometry. The total cel number of inflammatory cel s in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and the number of eosinophils, lymphocytes and neutrophils were counted to analyze the degree of inflammation of the airway together with pathological observation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) The proportion of CD4+CD25+Treg in peripheral lymphocytes was ranged as fol ows:group B

Aim To study the mechanism of DXM and NAC inhibiting the expression of IL-8 and ICAM-1 in A549 cells. Methods The expression of IL-8 and ICAM-1 was detected by ELISA and flow cytometry re-spectively; the expression of GR,HDAC,AP-1,NF-κB was detected by Western blot, while the activity of HDAC was detected by spectrophotometry. ResultsThe increasing expression of IL-8 and ICAM-1 induced by TNF-α could be inhibited by DXM and NAC in A549 cells. DXM could inhibit the transcribed activa-tion of AP-1,NF-κB, and the expression of HDAC and its activity induced by TNF-α and LPS; NAC only in-hibited the transcribed activation of NF-κB, while it had no affection on the transcribed activation of AP-1 and the expression of HDAC and its activity. Conclu-sions DXM and NAC both have the anti-inflammatory effect. DXM plays the role of anti-inflammation through increasing the expression and activation of HDAC, in-hibiting the transcribed activation of AP-1 and NF-κB, while NAC has no effect on the expression and activa-tion of HDAC, which shows that NAC does not exert anti-inflammatory effect through acetylation signal.

Objective To survey the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)in urban areas of Hunan province and relevant risk factors and provide a basis of the prevention and treatment for COPD. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted among 4248 residents, aged over 15, by a simple cluster random sampling method in Changsha, Hunan, Wulipai street North Station community. All the respondents filled out an unified epidemiological survey questionnaire. All of the respondents received examination for lung function. Those respondents showed FEV1/FVC ＜70% were further examined by ECG,X ray inspection for differential diagnosis. The data of epidemiological survey was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression method. Results The response rate was 92%. The total prevalence of COPD was 4. 81%.The prevalence of COPD in the males was 6. 6%, and 3. 0% in the females. The prevalence of COPD in the males was significantly higher than that in the females (x2 = 29. 915, P ＜ 0. 01). The prevalence increased with age increasing (P ＜0. 01). The more the education was, the lower the prevalence of COPD was. Risk factors analyzed with non-conditional logistic were as follow. The odd ratio (OR) for COPD in the age was 1.92(P ＜0. 01) and the odd ratio (OR) for COPD in the sex was 1.81 (P ＜0. 01). The weak lighting in house increased the risk with the OR of 4. 25(P ＜0. 01) and pet feeding further increased the risk with the OR of 12.08(P ＜0. 01). The odd ratio (OR) for COPD in the smokers was 1.74(P ＜0. 01) and the prevalence of COPD was related with smoking intensity (branch years of cigarette). Smoking intensity above 500 increased the risk of COPD. The passive smoking increased the risk with the OR of 16. 39(P ＜0. 01). The odd ratio (OR) for COPD in the paternal family history with chronic pulmonary disease was 2. 13(P ＜0. 01) and 2. 11 (P ＜ 0. 01) in the maternal family history. The odd ratio (OR)for COPD in the education degree was 0. 52(P ＜ 0. 01). Conclusions The prevalence of COPD was high in Changsha city, which might be attributed to the risk factors such as house lighting, pet feeding, cooking,aged, male, smoking, passive smoking, and family history. The education degree was the protective factor of COPD. We should intervene the relevant risk factors of COPD so that the prevalence of COPD might be cut down.

Bronchi ; cytology ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Erythromycin ; pharmacology ; Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glutathione ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation ; drug effects

Objective To investigate the current status of prevalence, prevention and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) in rural area in China. Methods A cross-sectional survey of COPD was conducted in Beijing city, Shanghai city, Guangdong province, Liaoning province,Tianjin city, Chongqing province and Shanxi province. A population-based cluster sample was randomly selected from each rural area. In the selected community,all residents at least 40 years old were recruited,and interviewed with a modified standardized questionnaire from the international burden of obstructive lung diseases (BOLD) study. All participants were tested with spirometry. Those with airflow limitation were performed on post-bronchedilator spirometry. The post-bronchedilator a ratio of forced expiratory volume in one second to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) less than 70% was defined as the diagnostic criteria of COPD. Results (1) Data of 9434 participants was valid for analysis, with a valid response rate of 83. 6% ;the prevalence of COPD in rural was 8. 8% (830/9434), 12. 8% in male and 5.4% in female. (2)The percentage of smoking and the exposure to biomass smoke in rural was 43. 0% (4059/9434) and 83. 1% (7835/9434) respectively; cigarettes cessation rate was 17.5% ; only 12. 4% ( 502/4059 ) of smokers had received advice to quit smoking. (3) Among COPD patients, only 30. 0% (249/830) had ever been diagnosed as COPD, bronchitis, emphysema, or asthma, 2. 4% (20/830) had ever received spirometric tests, and 74. 5% were current smokers; only 7.9% (50/634)COPD patients in stage two or over had received regular drug treatment. Conclusion There was high prevalence and poor prevention and management for COPD in rural areas. Therefore, an enforced prevention and management for COPD are urgent.

Objective To research the effect of PEGylation on rBla g 2 from Blattella germanica.Methods rBla g 2 allergen expressed in E.coli was purified by Ni+affinity chromatographY,then was PEGylated by mPEG2-NHS(Mr,10×103).The PEG-rBla g 2 was purified by CM-Sepharose,a cation exchange chromatography. SDS-PAGE,Western blot and ELISA were used to characterize its biologicat actovoty.Results The relative molecular mass of the purified rBla g 2 was about 39×1023.PEG-rBla g 2 was analyzed by SDS-PAGE.Five bands were visualized by staining with Coomassie Brilliant Blue R-250,while seven bands by staining with I2-KI.Cation exchange chromatography could separate rBla g 2 and PEG-rBla g 2.The 100×103(Mr)and 130×103(Mr)of PEG-rBla g 2 could combined with the special IgE from sera of one cockroach-allergic patient by Western blot.The immunological activities of PEG-rBla g 2 in vitro decreased remarkablv bv ELISA,which was only 42%of rBla g 2.Conclusion PEGylated allergen can retain the ability of combining with special IgE from sera,while its immunological activities reduce enormously,which establishes the basic work of researching recombinant low-sensitive allergens.

Objective To analyze the influence of adenovirus latent infection on gamma-glutamylcysteine systhetase(γ-GCS) in rat alveolar epithelial cells. Methods The rat alveolar epithelial cells were stably transfected with the plasmid pE1Aneo and control plasmid. Glutathione(GSH) contents, the activity of γ-GCS were detected in oxidant stress. Then the leuel of protein expression, mRNA expression, and promoter transcriptional activity of glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit(GCLC) were further detected. Results GSH contents decreased because of adenovirus E1A expression in oxidant stress. E1A repressed the expression and activity of γ-GCS, messenger RNA expression, and promoter transcriptional activity of GCLC. Conclusion Adenovirus E1A decreased the activity of γ-GCS probably by repressed promoter transcriptional activity of GCLC. As a result, GSH contents were downregulated in oxidant stress. Thus Adenovirus latent infection amplified the oxidant/antioxidant imbalance in rat alveolar epithelial cells in oxidants stress, which may be an important mechanism of COPD.

Objective To find whether heNOS could be expressed in mouse lung after intratracheal administration of recombinant adenovirus vector.Methods heNOS cDNA was obtained by RT-PCR from total RNA which extracted from human HUVEC.The replication-deficient heNOS recombinant adenovirus vector was constructed with a ligation method.High titer of recombinant adenovirus was obtained by chromatographic methods.The expression of heNOS protein was determined by immunohistochemistry staining after intratracheal administration of recombinant adenovirus.Results Sequence confirmed the cloned cDNA containing the whole ORF and the heNOS cDNA was about 3731 bp.It showed 99.93% identity with that of heNOS cDNA in GenBank(163729).The biological activity of heNOS protein was examined in transfected cos7 cell line with heNOS cDNA in eukaryotic expression vector of pcDNA3.0.The replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus vector containing heNOS cDNA was constructed successfully and the purified viral titer was 2.0?1010pfu/mL.After intratracheal administration of the recombinant adenovirus,heNOS expression was found in the majority of bronchial epithelium,alveolar lining cells,endothelial cellsand smooth muscle cells of pulmonary vessels.In control group,little endogenous eNOS immunoreactivity was detected in pulmonary vessels and no eNOS immunoreactivity was shown in bronchial and alveolar epithelial cells.Conclusion The replication-deficient recombinant human endothelial nitric oxide synthase mediated by adenovirus vector constructed could be delivered into the lung tissue of mouse by intratracheal administration of recombinant adenovirus and can be expressed in lung tissue with high-efficiency.

Aim To investigate the role of physiological concentration of glucocorticoids on the inflammation mediator IL-6 expression in response to LPS in rat alveolar epithelial cells(CCL149).Methods The CCL149 were treated with LPS,H2O2 and glucocorticoid respectively.Flammtory mediator IL-6 protein expression was measured with ELISA,and the activity of histone deacetylase(HDAC) was measured using colorimetric HDAC activity assay kit.Results IL-6 protein levels were increased in cells exposed to 10 mg?L-1 LPS.Hydrocortisone decreased IL-6 protein expression induced by LPS.Such effect of hydrocortisone was blunt by HDAC inhibitor trichostatinA treatment(10 ?g?L-1).LPS decreased HDAC activity.Hydrocortisone increased HDAC activity.The expression of IL-6 protein induced by LPS was further enhanced by H2O2 treatment.Pretreatment with H2O2 resulted in the inhibition of antiflammtion effect of glucocorticoids.Conclusion Physiological concentration of glucocorticoids could suppress inflammatory response,and this effects requires recruitment of HDAC.Oxidants such as H2O2 may cause the failure of glucocorticoids to function effectively,and the reason may be related to the reduction of HDAC activity.This mechanism may contribute to the pathogenesis of pulmonary disorder.

AIM:To investigate the transcriptional regulating function of the catalytic subunit(GCLC)gene of ?-glutamylcysteine synthase(?-GCS),the rate-limiting enzyme of glutathione(GSH)synthetic enzymes.METHODS:The regulating region of the human GCLC gene was cloned by PCR method to construct the wild type plasmid,which expressed luciferase reporting gene.Many mutated plasmids expressing luciferase reporting gene were also constructed by the method of exonuclease Ⅲ with S1 nuclease.The transcription regulation of GCLC gene was investigated by transient transfection of the wild type and the mutated plasmids through the observation of relative activities of luciferase.RESULTS:We found that the-2 515～-2 236 bp,-864～-838 bp,-769～-538 bp,-421～-341 bp regions upside from the transcriptional start site up-regulated the gene transcription are the new positive transcription-regulating regions and the-810～-769 bp(especial the-782～-769 bp)region is the negative transcription-regulating region,which is more precise than ever.CONCLUSION:The results of this experiment provide one good foundation to study the transcription management of the GCLC gene and GSH synthesis.