Immunomodulatory effects of cinobufagin isolated from Chan Su on activation and cytokines secretion of immunocyte in vitro.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of cinobufagin (CBG) isolated from Chan Su (Venenum Bufonis) in vitro. In this paper, our results show that CBG significantly stimulated cell proliferation of splenocytes and peritoneal macrophages (PMΦ) and markedly enhanced the phagocytic activation of PMΦ. CBG also significantly increased CD4(+)CD8(+) double-positive T-cell populations and the percentage of S-phase cells of splenic lymphocytes. The levels of several Th1 cytokines, including interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α, are significantly increased after CBG treatment, whereas the levels of the Th2 cytokine interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 are significantly decreased. As a result, the ratio of Th1/Th2 also increased. Taken together, these results indicated that CBG had potential immune system regulatory effects and suggested that this compound could be developed as a novel immunotherapeutic agent to treat immune-mediated diseases such as cancer.

Hormones other than aldosterone may contribute to hypertension in 3 different subtypes of primary aldosteronism.

Blood pressure (BP) level is similar in patients with 3 subtypes of primary aldosteronism (PA), even though aldosterone levels may vary. Glucocorticoids and adrenomedullary hormones may be influenced and may contribute to hypertension in PA. The authors' objective was to investigate the influence of PA on adrenal gland secretion and the roles of these hormones in hypertension. Patients diagnosed with PA (229 cases) were enrolled and classified into 3 subgroups: aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA), unilateral nodular adrenal hyperplasia (UNAH), and idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA). Patients with essential hypertension served as the control group (100 cases). Concentration of the above hormones was measured and compared between groups. Level of plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) in patients with APA was significantly lower than that in patients with IHA (P<.001) and UNAH (P<0.5). The 24-hour urinary free cortisol and adrenomedullary hormone levels were highest in patients with IHA, lower in patients with APA, and lowest in patients with UNAH. Systolic BP level was positively correlated with 8 am plasma cortisol level (r=0.142, P=.039) and plasma ACTH level (r=0.383, P=.016). Cortisol and adrenomedullary hormones were different between PA subtypes and they might involve regulation of BP in those patients.

[Subcellular distribution and phytotoxicity of cadmium in Alternanthera philoxeroides leaves].

A hydroponic experiment was conducted to study the subcellular distribution of Cd and mineral elements in Alternanthera philoxeroides leaves and the leaves anti-oxidative capacity and chlorophyll, soluble protein, and phytochelatins (PCs) contents under the stress of different concentration (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4 mmol x L(-1)) Cd. With the increasing concentration of Cd in culture medium, the Cd content in all subcellular components of A. philoxeroides leaves increased significantly, and mainly distributed in cell wall, followed by in soluble fractions, and in chloroplast and mitochondria. When the Cd concentration in the medium exceeded 0.2 mmol x L(-1), the Cd was more allocated in soluble fractions than in cell wall. Cd stress resulted in an obvious imbalance of mineral elements uptake. With the increasing concentration of Cd, the Ca content in all subcellular components, especially in cell wall, increased significantly, whereas the P and K contents in cell wall and soluble fractions as well as the Mg and Fe contents in chloroplast decreased. In the meantime, the soluble protein and chlorophyll contents showed a decreasing trend, the glutathione and ascorbic acid contents decreased after an initial increase, the total anti-oxidative capacity (T-AOC) increased progressively, and the PCs accumulated in large quantity. These results suggested that A. philoxeroides had definite resistance to the water body Cd, and there was a dosage-effect relationship between the Cd enrichment in the subcellular components of A. philoxeroides leaves and the phytotoxicity of Cd. The imbalance of the mineral elements in subcellular components and the decrease of soluble protein and chlorophyll contents in chloroplast indicated the obvious phytotoxicity of Cd, while the massive accumulation of Ca in cell wall and the increased levels of PCs and T-AOC suggested the stronger resistance of A. philoxeroides to Cd stress. There was a definite correlation between the PCs production by A. philoxeroides and the toxicity of Cd, suggesting that the PCs could be considered as a sensitive biomarker for estimating the Cd phytotoxicity.