[Clinical efficacies of inhaled corticosteroids plus theophylline in the treatment of bronchial asthma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the therapeutic efficacies of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) plus low-dose theophylline for moderate bronchial asthma. METHODS: A total of 280 patients with moderate bronchial asthma at People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University between January 2011 and December 2011 were recruited and randomized into 2 groups: observation group with inhaled budesonide 400 µg/d plus aminophylline tablet (0.1 g, 3 times/day, oral administration and control group with inhaled budesonide 320 µg/day plus formoterol 9 µg/day. The course of treatment was around 6 months. The forced expiratory volume in one second % predicted (FEV1% predicted), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IgE of peripheral blood were compared before and after treatment. RESULTS: Before and 6 months after treatment, the values of FEV1 % predicted, IL-4, IL-5 and IgE for the observed group were 68% ± 6% and 76% ± 6%, (14.5 ± 4.4) and (7.2 ± 2.6) ng/L, (27.4 ± 6.2) and (24.2 ± 5.9) ng/L, (771 ± 130) × 10(3) and(592 ± 104) × 10(3) U/L, respectively, while those for the control group were 66% ± 8% and 77% ± 6%, (13.7 ± 4.3) and (7.7 ± 4.0) ng/L, (26.9 ± 5.8) and (24.6 ± 4.8) ng/L, (752 ± 154) and (604 ± 122) × 10(3) U/L, respectively. There were significant improvements in both groups (all P < 0.05). No differences existed between two groups (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with ICS plus inhaled long-acting ß2-agonists (LABA), ICS plus low-dose theophylline shows similar efficacies in the improvement of lung function and the control of airway inflammation for asthmatics.

[Preliminary analysis of urinary proteomics in children with steroid-resistant and steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To study and identify the protein markers in the urine of children with steroid-sensitive (SSNS) and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome(SRNS). METHODS: Total urinary proteins were extracted from children with SSNS before and after steroid therapy, SRNS, and healthy children (n=5 in each group). Urinary proteins were separated by immobilized pH gradient based on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). The silver-stained 2-DE gels were scanned with digital Image Scanner and analyzed with Image Master 2-DE Elite 3.01 software. Peptide mass fingerprint (PMF) of differential protein spots was obtained with MALDI-TOF-MS. Proteins were identified by Mascot software based on NCBI protein database. RESULTS: There were 66 spots with different expression of protein between SRNS children and SSNS children before steroid therapy, and 24 spots and 27 spots only occurred in SRNS children and SSNS children before steroid therapy, respectively. There were 75 spots with different expression of protein between SSNS children after steroid therapy and healthy controls, and 11 spots only occurred in SSNS children after steroid therapy. Eighteen protein spots with different expression (6 spots in each nephrotic group) were chose and analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS, and 9 types of proteins were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Nine types of urinary proteins with different expression (6 spots in each nephrotic group) were identified between SRNS and SSNS children, and they might be the biomarkers for SRNS or SSNS.

[Clinical characteristics of Cronkhite-Canada syndrome in Chinese: meta-analysis of 35 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics of Chinese patients with Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS). METHODS: Relevant data of Chinese CCS patients from 1985 to 2006 were retrieved from Medline and Chinese biomedical database and a meta-analysis was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 35 CCS cases had been reported by Chinese hospitals with the clinical characteristics of gastrointestinal polyposis with ectodermal trilogy, mainly manifested as diarrhea, bellyache, weight loss, anemia, and edema. Canceration was reported in 2 patients. Some patients had symptomatic response to combination therapy. There might be racial or regional differences in CCS susceptibility; however, such information was often neglected in the medical records at home and abroad. New techniques, such as (99)Tc(m)-HSA scan, double-balloon enteroscopy and wireless capsule endoscopy provided new information on CCS. CONCLUSION: The clinical features of Chinese CCS patients are similar to those of the European or Japanese patients. Novel appliance, case report standardization and sharing database may promote the understanding of this rare syndrome.

Effect of glucocorticoid receptor beta on glucocorticoid action in glomerular mesangial cells.

OBJECTIVE: To construct mesangial cell lines over- or under- expressing glucocorticoid receptor beta (GRbeta), to investigate the effect of GRbeta on glucocorticoid biological function, and to determine whether the overexpression of GRbeta explains the glucocorticoid-resistant in glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs). METHODS: The recombinant human sense or anti-sense gene of GRbeta was transferred into the rat GMCs by retrovirus-mediated stable transfection technique. Expression of hGRbeta mRNA in GMCs was determined by reverse transcription of total RNA followed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the product of RT-PCR was then analyzed by gene sequencing. The expression of hGRbeta protein in GMCs was tested by Western blot. The inhibitory rate of dexamethasone-mediated cells on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated GMC proliferation was detected to assess the effect of GRbeta at different expression levels on the glucocorticoid action. The cell proliferative activity in different cells with different levels of GRbeta was tested by MTT chromatometry. The change of cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: RT-PCR and gene sequencing showed that the recombinant sense and anti-sense genes were correctly integrated into genomic DNA of mesangial cells. The protein expression tested by Western blot showed that GRbeta in cells inserted with the sense hGRbeta gene was higher than those cells inserted with the anti-sense hGRbeta gene (109.74+/-10.63 vs. 19.08+/-1.01, P<0.05). The inhibitory rate of cell proliferation induced by dexamethasone was lower in GMCs transfected with sense hGRbeta gene than those transfected with anti-sense hGRbeta gene (18.47%+/-2.12% vs. 60.33%+/- 5.29%,P<0.05). Under the inhibition of dexamethasone, the decreased cell number of S-stage cells was significantly lower, and the increased cell number of G1- stage cells was significantly higher in GMCs transfected with sense hGRbeta gene than those of non-transfected cells. CONCLUSION: The overexpression of GRbeta may inhibit the glucocorticoid action in GMCs. The GRbeta level in mesangial cells may be an important factor in determining whether they are sensitive or resistant to glucocorticoid.

[Establishment of urinary proteomic map on two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a urinary proteomic map on two-dimensional polyacrylamide gelelectrophoresis (2-DE) in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS). METHODS: The proteins from INS children were purified by four various means, separated by 2-DEand stained by silver. RESULTS: The sequential preparation of urinary proteins by acetone precipitation and dislysis, when the sample was 300 microg, resulted in a clear background, well-resolved and reproducible 2-DE urinary protemic map in children with INS. CONCLUSIONS: A steady 2-DE technique for urinary protemic map in children with INS was established, which can be effectively applied in urinary proteomics of the disease.