[Effect of rosiglitazone on the expression of T-bet/GATA-3 in T lymphocytes in patients with acute asthma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of rosiglitazone on the expression of T-bet/GATA-3 in peripheral blood T lymphocytes and cytokine derived from Th1/Th2 in patients with acute asthma and to compare its mechanism with that of dexamethasone (DXM). METHODS: Peripheral blood T lymphocytes from 10 patients with acute asthma (A group, A) and 10 healthy volunteers (B group, B) were isolated, purificated and cultured, and were divided into 2 groups (3 h and 24 h) based on the treatment time, and each group was further divided, on the basis of the treatment given, into 3 sub-groups respectively: control group (A(1) and B(1)), rosiglitazone treated group (A(2) and B(2)) and DXM treated group (A(3) and B(3)). The levels of IFN-gamma and IL-4 in the culture supernatant were detected by Enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA) and the expression levels of T-bet mRNA/GATA-3 mRNA in T lymphocytes was detected by Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: The levels of INF-gamma and INF-gamma/IL-4 in the culture supernatant of T lymphocytes and T-bet mRNA and T-bet mRNA/GATA-3 mRNA in T lymphocytes from the A at 3 h and 24 h were 357 +/- 31, 783 +/- 47, 5.5 +/- 1.0, 8.4 +/- 1.5, 18.7 +/- 3.7, 11.9 +/- 2.9, 1.20 +/- 0.11, 0.290 +/- 0.020, and those from the B at 3 h and 24 h were 659 +/- 41, 1394 +/- 120, 11.5 +/- 3.0, 17.4 +/- 4.0, 29.0 +/- 4.0, 18.9 +/- 4.0, 3.82 +/- 0.81, 0.870 +/- 0.090, the differences were significant between these groups (t = 18.59, 5.95, 14.87, 6.25, 6.06, 4.63, 10.23, 18.67, all P < 0.05, respectively). The levels of IL-4 in the culture supernatant of T lymphocytes and GATA-3 mRNA in T lymphocytes from the A at 3 h and 24 h were 65 +/- 6, 96 +/- 9, 16.4 +/- 4.2, 41 +/- 6, and those from the B at 3 h and 24 h were 57 +/- 5, 83 +/- 7, 7.8 +/- 2.2, 23 +/- 4, the differences were significant between these groups (t = 3.19, 3.90, 5.77, 7.76, all P < 0.05, respectively). The levels of IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IFN-gamma/IL-4 in the culture supernatant of T lymphocytes from the A and B at 3 h were 357 +/- 31, 65 +/- 6, 5.5 +/- 1.0, 659 +/- 41, 57 +/- 5, 11.5 +/- 3.0, and those from the A and B at 24 h were 783 +/- 47, 96 +/- 9, 8.4 +/- 1.5, 1394 +/- 120, 83 +/- 7, 17.4 +/- 4.0, The differences were significant between these groups (t = 23.8, 9.48, 5.03, 18.21, 9.01, 3.53, all P < 0.05, respectively). The levels of T-bet mRNA and T-bet mRNA/GATA-3 mRNA in T lymphocytes from the A and B at 3 h were 18.7 +/- 3.7, 1.20 +/- 0.11, 29.0 +/- 4.0, 3.82 +/- 0.81, and those from the A and B at 24 h were 11.9 +/- 2.9, 0.290 +/- 0.020, 18.9 +/- 4.0, 0.870 +/- 0.090, the differences were significant between these groups (t = 4.62, 5.66, 29.67, 11.5, all P < 0.05, respectively). The levels of GATA-3 mRNA in T lymphocytes from the A and B at 3 h were 16.4 +/- 4.2, 7.8 +/- 2.2, it was lower than those from the A and B at 24 h (41 +/- 6, 23 +/- 4, t = 10.70, 10.11, all P < 0.05, respectively). The levels of T-bet mRNA from the A showed a positive correlation with the level of IFN-gamma (r = 0.581, P < 0.05), and a negative correlation with the level of IL-4 (r = -0.493, P < 0.05); The levels of GATA-3 mRNA from the A showed a negative correlation with the level of IFN-gamma (r = -0.501, P < 0.05), and a positive correlation with the level of IL-4 (r = 0.579, P < 0.05); The ratio of T-bet mRNA to GATA-3 mRNA from the A showed a positive correlation with the ratio of IFN-gamma to IL-4 (r = 0.696, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Rosiglitazone could regulate the balance of IFN-gamma and IL-4 through effect on the expression of T-bet mRNA and GATA-3 mRNA.

Effect of Yangqixue Qufengshi Recipe on rheumatoid arthritis model mice under different genetic backgrounds.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Yangqixue Qufengshi Recipe (YQXQFS) on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) model mice under different genetic backgrounds. METHODS: Collagen Induced Arthritis (CIA) were established on HLA-DR4 transgenic (TG) mice and non-transgenic (NTG) mice, which partly were raised with YQXQFS, and the onset day of CIA, the level of type II collagen (CII)-reactive antibodies and the pathological scores of CIA were assessed. RESULTS: Under HLA-DR4 TG background (compared with NTG mice), the earlier onset day of CIA (11.22 +/- 3.35 days vs 16.56 +/- 4.75 days, P < 0.05) and higher level of CII-reactive antibodies (0.2274 +/- 0.1390 microg/ml vs 0.1101 +/- 0.0560 microg/ml, P < 0.05) were observed, but the pathological scores of CIA remained unchanged. YQXQFS could not influence the onset day of CIA and the level of CII-reactive antibodies, but had a certain effect on the total pathological scores (6.56 +/- 3.43 scores vs 11.11 +/- 5.64 scores) and bone erosion (0.22 +/- 0.44 scores vs 1.67 +/- 1.50 scores) of CIA on NTG mice (P < 0.05), NTG YQXQFS group compared with NTG experimental group. CONCLUSION: YQXQFS had a certain effect on RA model, but had no significant effect on HLA-DR4 related CIA.

[Influence of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma on airway inflammation of guinea pigs with asthma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence and mechanism of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma) and its ligand agonist rosiglitazone on airway inflammation of guinea pigs with asthma. METHODS: 35 guinea pigs were divided into 5 groups by random number meter: a control group (A group), an asthma group (B group), a dexamethasone (DXM) group (C group), a rosiglitazone group (D group), and a rosiglitazone + 1/2 DXM group (E group), with 7 guinea pigs in each. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cell count and differential was studied, and the pathologic alteration of the bronchi and the lung tissue was observed. The expression of PPAR-gamma, COX-2 was measured by RT-PCR. RESULTS: BAL eosinophil count was 0.050 +/- 0.020 in D group, 0.110 +/- 0.020 in B group, the difference being significantly (t = 5.61, P < 0.001). The total cell number and neutrophils were (15.5 +/- 3.9) x 10(8)/L and 0.069 +/- 0.020 in D group, and (19.9 +/- 4.3) x 10(8)/L and 0.076 +/- 0.020 in B group, the difference being not significant (t = 2.02, 0.66, P > 0.05 respectively). The thickness of airway wall of D group was (22.0 +/- 5.0) micro m, and in B group it was (28.0 +/- 5.0) micro m, the difference being significant (t = 2.61, P < 0.05), but the thickness of mucosa and submucosa of D group (12.2 +/- 2.9) micro m was not different as compared with B group (14.9 +/- 3.3) micro m (t = 1.63, P > 0.05). Expression of PPAR-gamma mRNA of D group 19.5 +/- 3.0 was not different compared with B group 18.1 +/- 3.1 and A group 15.6 +/- 2.9 respectively (t = 0.92, 0.49, P > 0.05, respectively). When the expression of COX-2 mRNA of B group 49 +/- 7 was compared with D group 39 +/- 6, the difference was significant (t = 2.77, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Rosiglitazone decreases airway eosinophils and the thickness of airway wall in guinea pigs with asthma, via suppression of COX-2 mRNA expression by activating PPAR-gamma. The anti-inflammatory effect of PPAR-gamma may be associated with the use of ligand agonist and(or) glucocorticoids.

[Nuclear factor-kappa B activity at the early stage of brain ischemia and reperfusion in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the activity of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-kappa B) during reperfusion after temporary brain ischemia and to evaluate its effect. METHODS: The brain ischemia-reperfusion(I/R) model of mice was established with ligating bilateral common carotid arteries and bleeding for 0.3 ml in the tail. Abnormal nervous symptoms (ANS) were recorded. Immunohistochemical technique was used to detect the activity of NF-kappa B subunit P65 and the inhibitory factor-kappa B alpha(I-kappa B alpha) in cerebral cortex during different periods of ischemia and reperfusion. Their mRNA expressions were also measured by RT-PCR. RESULTS: NF-kappa B P65 activity significantly increased 30 minutes after the reperfusion, peaking at the 2nd hour, and remaining high within 24 hours (all P < 0.05). But the mRNA expression didn't change much; I-kappa B alpha and its mRNA expression began to decrease at 30 minutes after the reperfusion, peaking at the 2nd hour after the reperfusion (P < 0.05) and then gradually restored. Positive correlation was found between NF-kappa B P65 activity and ANS (P < 0.05), while negative correlation was shown among I-kappa B alpha, its mRNA, and ANS (P < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Both activated NF-kappa B and decreased I-kappa B alpha exist in the neural tissues of mice at the early stage of brain ischemia-reperfusion. The activated NF-kappa B may be involved in the ischemia-reperfusion injury.

[Expression of Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 in bladder transitional carcinoma and their significance].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Tumor growth was the result of cell excessive proliferation and lack of apoptosis. Apoptosis has been considered to be closely associated with Caspase-3 and Bcl-2. This study was designed to investigate the expression of Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 to evaluate their effects on the tumorigenesis and progression in bladder transitional carcinoma (BTCC). METHODS: The immunohistochemistry (SP method) was used to determine the expression of Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 in 52 cases of BTCC and 10 normal bladder mucosas. RESULTS: The protein expression level of Caspase-3 in BTCC (53.8%,28/52) was significantly lower than that in normal bladder samples (90.0%,9/10). Caspase-3 expression level was correlated with the grades of BTCC (P< 0.05), but had no significant correlation with clinical stages. The protein expression of Bcl-2 in BTCC (51.9%,27/52) was significantly higher than that of normal bladder samples (20.0%,2/10), while its expression level was not related to stage and grade of BTCC (P >0.05). The expression of Caspase-3 is negatively related to that of Bcl-2 (r(s)=-0.659,P< 0.01) in bladder tissues. CONCLUSION: Both over expression of Caspase-3 and descended expression of Bcl-2 may play an important role in the tumorigenesis and apoptotic regulation of bladder tissues.