Potentiation of Taishan Pinus massoniana pollen polysaccharide on the immune response and protection elicited by a highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus glycoprotein 5 subunit in pigs.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) heavily affects the global pork industry. Current available vaccine strategies have inherent drawbacks. In this work, the immune enhancement from Taishan Pinus massoniana pollen polysaccharide (TPPPS) and Freund's adjuvant on the efficacy of a PRRSV subunit vaccine were examined. Titers of specific anti-highly pathogenic PRRSV (HP-PRRSV) ELISA antibody and neutralizing antibody were significantly higher in pigs from the groups inoculated with medium- and high-dose TPPPS (mTPPPS, hTPPPS) adjuvant co-administered with a recombinant HP-PRRSV glycoprotein 5 subunit (GP5) than those from other groups (P < 0.05). Pigs inoculated with GP5 + Freund's adjuvant developed severely delayed humoral immune responses specific to GP5 within 28 days post-inoculation (dpi). The groups treated with mTPPPS and hTPPPS adjuvant exhibited the most potent immune enhancement effects on GP5 inoculation with cellular immunity developing, as shown by the level of T lymphocyte proliferation and the percentage of the CD3(+) T lymphocyte subpopulation. Although complete Freund's adjuvant elicited cell-mediated immune responses, the level of T lymphocyte proliferation in this group decreased quickly and no significant differences were observed compared with other adjuvant-alone groups at 56 dpi (P > 0.05). The ratio between CD3(+)CD4(+) and CD3(+)CD8(+) T lymphocyte subpopulations indicated the inoculums of GP5 + mTPPPS and GP5 + hTPPPS induced consistently higher CD3(+)CD4(+) T lymphocyte subpopulations than other inoculums (P < 0.05). The immune responses caused by complete Freund's adjuvant were mainly mediated by CD3(+)CD8(+) T lymphocyte subpopulation (cytotoxic T lymphocytes) in the early stage of inoculation and had no significant difference compared with other adjuvant-alone groups after 28 dpi (P > 0.05). The low-dose TPPPS (lTPPPS) adjuvant also exhibited enhancement effects on humoral immune and T lymphocyte proliferation responses but these were significantly lower than the mTPPPS and hTPPPS doses (P < 0.05). Pigs challenged with HP-PRRSV from the GP5 + mTPPPS, GP5 + hTPPPS, and GP5 + Freund's adjuvant groups showed lower viremia, fewer clinical signs, and fewer pathological lung lesions compared with the groups of GP5-alone and GP5 + lTPPPS (P < 0.05). There were significant differences between the GP5-alone and GP5 + lTPPPS groups in detection indexes after viral challenge (P < 0.05). In conclusion, moderate doses of TPPPS as an adjuvant with GP5 show promise as a candidate for a HP-PRRSV subunit vaccine to efficiently prevent and control HP-PRRSV.

Downregulation of nitric oxide by electroacupuncture against hypoxic­ischemic brain damage in rats via nuclear factor­κB/neuronal nitric oxide synthase.

The present study aimed to investigate the role of nitric oxide (NO) against perinatal hypoxic­ischemic brain damage (HIBD) in rats by electroacupuncture (EA) and to examine its potential neuroprotective mechanism. NO content, the number of positive cells, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and nuclear factor­κB (NF­κB) in rat cortex cells were determined. The results demonstrated that treatment with EA significantly downregulated the NO content in the cortex cells (*P<0.05, **P<0.01, compared with the control groups) and alleviated cell damage in the cortex of rats with HIBD. The activator, S­adenosyl­L­methionine and the inhibitor, hydroxylamine of cystathionine­ß­synthase (CBS), aggravated and remitted the hypoxic damage in the cortex cells, respectively. In addition, treatment with EA significantly downregulated the expression of nNOS and NF­κB in the rat cortex cells (*P<0.05, **P<0.01, compared with the control groups). The results also indicated that treatment with EA downregulated the NO content of cortical cells against HIBD via the NF­κB/nNOS pathway and further implied that the hydrogen sulfide/CBS system may be involved in the process. The present study provided a significant reference for the prevention and treatment of HIBD using the EA technique and also described a novel protective mechanism.

[Chemical constituents from Callicarpa nudiflora and their hemostatic activity].

OBJECTIVE: To study the hemostatic effect of chemical constituents from Callicarpa nudiflora. METHOD: The chemical constituents were isolated and purified via silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectral analysis. prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT) and fibrinogen (FIB) of the constituents rabbit blood samples were tested with rabbit blood in vitro. RESULT: Eleven compounds were isolated and identified as two diterpenens: 7alpha-hydroxy sandaracopimaric acid (1), 16, 17-dihydroxy-3-oxophyllocladane (2). Two phenoic glycosides: acteoside (3), samioside(4). Three triterpenes: 2alpha, 3alpha, 24-trihydroxy-ursa-12-en-28-oic acid (5), 2alpha, 3alpha, 19alpha-trihydroxyursa-12-en-28-oic acid-28-0-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (6), and 2alpha, 3alpha, 19alpha, 23-tetrahydroxy-ursa-12-en-28-oic acid-28-0-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (7). Four flavones: rhamnazin (8), 5-Hydroxy-3, 7, 4'-trimethoxy-flavone (9) , 5-Hydroxy-3, 7, 3', 4'-tetramethoxyflavone (10), and luteoloside (11). All Compounds cannot significantly shorten the PT (P < 0.01), compounds 3, 4, 7, 10 can remarkedly increase APTT (P < 0.01), compound 5 can prolong the T( P < 0.01) obviously, and compound 8 can significantly increase the contents of FIB (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Compounds 2, 4 and 10 were isolated from this genus for the first time, and compounds 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9 had been isolated from this plant for the first time. The hemostatic effect of C. nudiflora may be related to the activation of the intrinsic blood coagulation system.