Therapeutic effects of the extract of Sancao Formula, a Chinese herbal compound, on imiquimod-induced psoriasis via cysteine-rich protein 61.

OBJECTIVE: Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease that is prone to recurrence, and the proinflammatory factor, cysteine-rich protein 61 (Cyr61), is important in its pathophysiology. Long-term clinical practice has shown that Sancao Formula (SC), a Chinese herbal compound, is effective in the treatment of psoriasis, but the precise mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we investigate the mechanism by which SC extract alleviates imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis. METHODS: The expression of Cyr61 in psoriatic lesions and normal healthy skin was detected using immunohistochemical analysis to investigate the biological role of Cyr61 in models of psoriatic inflammation. A psoriatic mouse model was established by topical application of IMQ, and the effect of topical application of SC extract was evaluated using the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score, hematoxylin-eosin staining, and histopathological features of the skin. Next, a HaCaT cell inflammation model was established using interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and the effect of SC extract on the mRNA and protein levels of Cyr61 and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) was confirmed using Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining showed that the expression of Cyr61 in psoriatic lesions was higher than that in normal skin samples (78.26% vs 41.18%, P < 0.05), and the number of Cyr61-positive cells in psoriatic lesions was also significantly higher than in normal skin (18.66 ± 2.51 vs 4.33 ± 1.52, P < 0.05). Treatment in mice with IMQ-induced psoriasis showed that SC extract could significantly improve the inflammatory phenotype, PASI score (10.875 ± 0.744 vs 3.875 ± 0.582, P < 0.05), and pathological features compared with those in IMQ model group; SC treatment was also associated with decreased levels of Cyr61 and ICAM-1. In the IFN-γ-induced inflammatory cell model, the mRNA and protein levels of Cyr61 and ICAM-1 were upregulated, while the SC extract downregulated the levels of Cyr61 and ICAM-1. CONCLUSION: The results provide a theoretical basis for the involvement of Cyr61 in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, and suggest that SC should be used to target Cyr61 for the prevention of psoriasis recurrence.

Evidence for the 2008 economic crisis exacerbating depression in Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of population-level research on the relationship between economic contraction and specific mental disorders and how individual-level variables may mediate such a relationship. METHODS: Two cross-sectional surveys using identical random sampling and diagnostic methods were conducted among Hong Kong adults in 2007 (January-February) and 2009 (April-May). 3016 and 2011 Chinese speaking adults completed structured interviews based on the criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition) (DSM-IV). RESULTS: The twelve-month prevalence of DSM-IV major depressive episode (MDE) was significantly higher in 2009 (12.5%) than 2007 (8.5%). A significant increase of prevalence was found in both male and female respondents, those in the highest (55-65 years) age group, having secondary education level, were married/cohabited, divorced/widowed, employed, home-making, and in the lowest and high-middle income groups. Those with large investment loss had a significantly higher prevalence of MDE (20.3%) than those with less or no-investment loss (9.2-13.7%). The symptom pattern and severity of depression in 2007 and 2009 were similar. CONCLUSION: Economic contraction triggered by a global financial crisis was associated with a significant increase in the risk of depression in the Hong Kong population. This increase was not explained primarily by unemployment and had a significant contribution from employed, home-making, high-middle income, and having married people. A holistic perspective that encompasses both ecological and individual levels of analysis is essential for studying the net impact of economic contraction on depression across communities and sociodemographic groups and for health policy planning.