IL-27 mediates anti-inflammatory effect in cigarette smoke induced emphysema by negatively regulating IFN-γ producing cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in mice.

Chronic airway inflammation mediated by CD8+ T lymphocytes contributes to the pathogenesis of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Deciphering the fingerprint of the chronic inflammation orchestrated by CD8+ T cells may allow the development of novel approaches to COPD management. Here, the expression of IL-27 and IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 cells were evaluated in patients with COPD and in cigarette smoke-exposed mice. The production of IL-27 by marrow-derived dendritic cells (mDCs) in response to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) was assessed. The role of IL-27 in IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 cells was explored. We demonstrated that elevated IL-27 was accompanied by an exaggerated IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 response in a smoking mouse model of emphysema. We noted that lung dendritic cells were one of the main sources of IL-27 during chronic cigarette smoke exposure. Moreover, CSE directly induced the production of IL-27 by mDCs in vitro. IL-27 negatively regulated the differentiation of IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 cells isolated from cigarette smoke-exposed mice in a STAT1- and STAT3-independent manner. Systemic administration of recombinant IL-27 attenuated IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 response in the late phase of cigarette smoke exposure. Our results uncovered that IL-27 negatively regulates IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 response in the late stage of chronic cigarette smoke exposure, which may provide a new strategy for the anti-inflammatory treatment of smoking-related COPD/emphysema.

Ultrastructural and functional characterization of circulating hemocytes from Plutella xylostella larva: cell types and their role in phagocytosis.

The hemocytes of different types encountered in the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella larvae of each instar and the development of the differential hemocytes counts were herein presented. Hemocytes classes/populations characterized based on their affinity with fluorescent dye (acridine orange) and ultrastructural differences comprised the prohemcoytes (<10-16%), plasmatocytes (22-65%), granulocytes (25-72%), oenocytoids (<1-9%), and spherulocytes (<1%). Prohemcoytes were the smallest cells with a comparatively tremendous nucleus. Plasmatocytes and granulocytes occupied the main proportion of total cell numbers. Oenocytoids were in a most stable presence, i.e. rotund in a diameter of 10 µm and with a nucleus deviated from the central location; however, sometimes with two nuclei which were adjoining with each other. Spherulocytes were rare and only could be observed occasionally. Ultrastructural investigation revealed that hemocytes in the diamondback moth larvae were of the typical model as in the Lepidoptera insect larvae. It is interesting to find that the cell which could phagocytize bacteria in vitro was granulocyte, not the other types of hemocytes, although plasmatocyte was usually declared to participate in this reaction in various previous studies.

[Determination of trace elements in cardiocrinum giganteum by FAAS].

Conditions for simultaneous determination of multi-tract elements in Cardiocrinum giganteum by flame atomic absorption spectrometry were studied. Elements K, Ca, Na, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu and Cr in different growth periods of Cardiocrinum giganteum were determined, the relative standard deviation of the method is between 0.20% and 2.1%, and the recovery is between 97.8% and 104.9%. Analytical results were satisfactory. The results showed that some elements essential to human such as Zn, K, Ca, Mg and Mn in Cardiocrinum giganteum are abundant, implying that the nutritive value of Cardiocrinum giganteum is high.