Abdominal puncture drainage alleviates severe acute pancreatitis in rats by activating Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway and promoting autophagy / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To assess the effect of early abdominal puncture drainage (APD) on autophagy and Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and explore the possibile mechanism.@*METHODS@#Thirty-two male SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operated (SO) group, SAP group with retrograde injection of 4% sodium taurocholate, APD group with insertion of a drainage tube into the lower right abdomen after SAP induction, and APD + ZnPP group with intraperitoneal injection of 30 mg/kg ZnPP 12 h before APD modeling. Blood samples were collected from the rats 12 h after modeling for analysis of amylase and lipase levels and serum inflammatory factors. The pathological changes of the pancreatic tissue were observed with HE staining. Oxidative stress in the pancreatic tissue was detected with colorimetry, and sub-organelle structure and autophagy in pancreatic acinar cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The expressions of autophagy-related proteins and Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway were detected using RT-PCR and Western blotting.@*RESULTS@#Compared with those in SAP group, the rats with APD treatment showed significantly alleviated pathologies in the pancreas, reduced serum levels of lipase, amylase and inflammatory factors, lowered levels of oxidative stress, and activated expressions of Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway in the pancreas. The ameliorating effect of ADP was significantly inhibited by ZnPP treatment before modeling. APD obviously reversed mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum damages and p62 accumulation induced by SAP.@*CONCLUSION@#APD treatment can suppress oxidative stress and repair impaired autophagy in rats with SAP by activating the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway, thereby reducing the severity of SAP.

Role of CaMK II in pancreatic injury in mice with severe acute pancreatitis / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the expression of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMK Ⅱ) in pancreatic tissues of mice with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and explore the protective effect of KN93, a CaMK Ⅱ inhibitor, against pancreatic injury in SAP and the possible mechanism.@*METHODS@#Thirty-six healthy male C57 mice were randomly divided into sham operation group, SAP group, KN93 group and SAP + KN93 group (n=9). Serum and pancreatic tissue samples were collected 24 h after modeling. The pathological changes in the pancreatic tissues were observed using HE staining. Serum lipase and amylase activities and the levels of inflammatory factors were detected using ELISA. Western blotting was used to detect the expressions of CaMK Ⅱ, p-CaMK Ⅱ, p-NF-κB, MAPK and p-MAPK in mouse pancreas.@*RESULTS@#Compared with those in sham operation group, the expressions of p-CaMK Ⅱ, p-NF-κB and p-MAPK were significantly increased in SAP group (P < 0.05). KN93 treatment obviously alleviated pathological injuries of the pancreas in SAP mice, and significantly lowered serum levels of lipase, amylase and inflammatory factors (TNF-α and IL-6) and phosphorylation levels of NF-κB, ERK and MAPK proteins (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The activity of CaMK Ⅱ is significantly increased in the pancreatic tissue of SAP mice. KN93 can alleviate pancreatic injury and inflammation in SAP mice possibly through the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway.

Research progress of corneal thickness measurement / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#The thickness of the central cornea has an important influence on various eye diseases and operations such as keratoconus and other corneal diseases, glaucoma, and corneal refractive surgery. Obtaining accurate central corneal thickness is a topic that clinicians have been paying close attention to. It decides the operation method and operation parameters(cutting depth, cutting optical area size, <i>etc.</i>)of refractive surgery. Accurate measurement of central corneal thickness is a great concern to clinicians. At present, there are two kinds of measurement of corneal thickness: the first is ultrasonic measurement, such as traditional Type A ultrasonic corneal thickness meter and ultrasonic biological microscope; the second is optical measurement, including Pentacam, corneal endokeratoscope, optical coherence tomography, <i>etc</i>. Different measuring methods and instruments have their own advantages and disadvantages. However, the ultimate goal of developing corneal thickness measurement is easy operation and good repeatability. Therefore, based on the summarization of current clinically-used corneal thickness measurement instruments and of research progress of corneal thickness measurement, this paper aims at providing theoretical guide for clinical oculists.

Bile Acid Transporters Are Expressed and Heterogeneously Distributed in Rat Bile Ducts

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cholangiocytes are capable of reabsorbing bile salts from bile, but the pathophysiological significance of this process is unclear. To this end, we detected the expression and distribution of bile acid transport proteins in cholangiocytes from normal rat liver and analyzed the possible pathophysiological significance. METHODS: Bile duct tissues of Sprague-Dawley rats were isolated by enzymatic digestion and mechanical isolation, and then divided into large and small bile duct tissues. Immunohistochemistry, real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to determine the expression of the apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT), ileal bile acid binding protein (IBABP), and basolateral organic solute transporter α (Ostα) in the biliary tract system of rats. Differences in the expression and distribution of these proteins were analyzed. RESULTS: In cholangiocytes, ASBT and IBABP were mainly expressed in cholangiocytes of the large bile ducts, in which the expression of both was significantly higher than that in the small ducts (p0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Bile acid transporters are expressed and heterogeneously distributed in rat bile ducts, indicating that bile acid reabsorption by cholangiocytes might mainly occur in the large bile ducts. These findings may help explore the physiology of bile ducts and the pathogenesis of various cholangiopathies.

Retraction Note: Nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 maintained by Hotair suppression of miR-568 upregulates S100 calcium binding protein A4 to promote breast cancer metastasis.

The authors are retracting this article [1] after an investigation by the Ethics Committee of the Fourth Military Medical University (Xi'an, Shaanxi, China) of the following concerns that had been raised with respect to two of the figures.

The immune response in acute and chronic pancreatitis / 解放军医学杂志

Acute and chronic pancreatitis are most common gastrointestinal diseases.Recently,there are emerging evidences that immune cell play important roles in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic pancreatitis.Studies have shown that macrophages,high mobility group protein 1 (HMGB 1) and interleukin-33 (IL-33) play an important role in the pathological process of pancreatitis,and are regulated by multiple levels.For example,immune cells are critical in the development and progression of pancreatitis,which not only have the ability to induce microenvironment,but also respond to danger signals derived from endogenous and exogenous molecules.Therefore,further understanding of relevant immune signaling will provide new idea and potential therapeutic targets that can prevent disease progression.Here,we review recent data from animal and human clinical studies that focus on immune responses.

Effects of Yinzhihuang oral liquid and Lonicera japonica extract on hemolysis and hyperbilirubinemia in rats with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of different doses of Yinzhihuang oral liquid and different concentrations of Lonicera japonica extract on hemolysis and hyperbilirubinemia in rats with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 10 groups (n=10 each): normal control group (untreated), negative control group (saline-treated), positive control group (primaquine-treated), low-, medium- and high-dose Yinzhihuang oral liquid groups (13.4, 26.8, and 53.6 mL/kg, respectively), and low-, medium-, high-, and very-high-concentration Lonicera japonica groups (6.7 mL/kg administered, containing 8, 40, 80, and 160 mg/mL Lonicera japonica extract, respectively). A rat model of acetylphenylhydrazine-induced G6PD deficiency was established in all groups except the normal control group, as confirmed by the morphological changes in erythrocytes observed using Wright's stain. After treatment, routine blood and biochemical tests were conducted to measure hemolytic indices, as well as changes in total and indirect bilirubin levels.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Rats with G6PD deficiency demonstrated irregular erythrocytes with a lighter-staining center. In the positive control group, the red blood cell count decreased, while the free hemoglobin count and the reticulocyte percentage increased, as compared with before treatment (P<0.05); in all the Yinzhihuang oral liquid groups and Lonicera japonica extract groups, all the above indices except reticulocyte percentage returned to the levels before treatment (P<0.05). Compared with the positive control group, all the Yinzhihuang oral liquid groups had significantly reduced total and indirect bilirubin levels (P<0.05), and all the Lonicera japonica group had significantly reduced indirect bilirubin levels (P<0.05). However, the total bilirubin level was significantly higher in the Lonicera japonica groups than in the Yinzhihuang oral liquid groups (P<0.05). The low-dose Yinzhihuang oral liquid group demonstrated a significantly greater decrease in total bilirubin level than the medium- and high-dose Yinzhihuang oral liquid group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Administration of high-dose Yinzhihuang oral liquid and different concentrations of Lonicera Japonica extract do not cause hemolysis in rats with G6PD deficiency. Yinzhihuang oral liquid is more effective in treating hyperbilirubinemia than Lonicera Japonica extract. However, the efficacy of Yinzhihuang oral liquid may not be dose-dependent.</p>

Effect of rhubarb on neonatal rats with bronchopulmonary dysplasia induced by hyperoxia / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of rhubarb on neonatal rats with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) induced by hyperoxia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 64 rats (postnatal day 4) were randomly divided into four groups: air control, rhubarb control, hyperoxia model, and hyperoxia+rhubarb (n=16 each). The rats in the hyperoxia model and hyperoxia+rhubarb groups were exposed to hyperoxia (60% O2) to establish a BPD model. The rats in the rhubarb control and hyperoxia+rhubarb groups were given rhubarb extract suspension (600 mg/kg) by gavage daily. The pathological changes of lung tissue were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining on postnatal days 14 and 21. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured by spectrophotometry. The mRNA and protein expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The hyperoxia model group showed reduced alveolar number, increased alveolar volume, and simplified alveolar structure, which worsened over the time of exposure to hyperoxia. These pathological changes were significantly reduced in the hyperoxia+rhubarb group. On postnatal days 14 and 21, compared with the air control and rhubarb control groups, the hyperoxia model group had significantly reduced radical alveolar count (RAC), significantly reduced activity of SOD in the lung tissue, and significantly increased content of MDA and mRNA and protein expression levels of TNF-α and IL-6 (P<0.05). Compared with the hyperoxia model group, the hyperoxia+rhubarb group had significantly increased RAC, significantly increased activity of SOD in the lung tissue, and significantly reduced content of MDA and mRNA and protein expression levels of TNF-α and IL-6 (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Rhubarb may play a protective role in rats with BPD induced by hyperoxia through inhibiting inflammatory response and oxidative stress.</p>

Epithelial HO-1/STAT3 affords the protection of subanesthetic isoflurane against zymosan-induced lung injury in mice.

Epithelial dysfunction is a key characteristic of acute lung injury (ALI). Isoflurane (ISO) confers lung protection via anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. However, the specific role and potential mechanisms of subanesthetic ISO in lung epithelium protection during zymosan-induced ALI remain unclear. In this study, zymosan increased the expression and activity of beneficial heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) in the lung and isolated type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECs-II) from wild-type (WT) mice, which was further enhanced by ISO treatment. ISO reduced the mortality, lung edema, histological changes and pulmonary cell apoptosis, and simultaneously decreased total cells, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in the zymosan-stimulated WT mice but not in HO-1-deficient mice. Moreover, ISO abated zymosan-augmented lactate dehydrogenase activity, TNF-α and IL-1ß production, and apoptosis in WT AECs-II but not in HO-1- or STAT3-silenced cells. Mechanisticly, the epithelial protective effects of ISO on zymosan insult in vivo and in vitro were mediated by a positive feedback loop comprising STAT3 and HO-1. Pro-survival and anti-apoptosis by ISO was highly reliant on activated STAT3, involving in downstream Akt activation and reduced ratio of pro-apoptotic/anti-apoptotic molecules. Overall, HO-1/STAT3 signaling is in favor of lung epithelial protection of ISO in zymosan-challenged mice, suggesting ISO as a valuable therapeutic agent for ALI.

Swimming attenuates inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in a rat model of dextran sulfate sodium-induced chronic colitis.

Increasing evidence suggests that regular physical exercise suppresses chronic inflammation. However, the potential inhibitory effects of swimming on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced chronic colitis, and its underlying mechanisms, remain unclear. In this study, rats were orally administered DSS to induce chronic colitis, and subsequently treated with or without swimming exercise. A 7-week swimming program (1 or 1.5 hours per day, 5 days per week) ameliorated DSS-caused colon shortening, colon barrier disruption, spleen enlargement, serum LDH release, and reduction of body weight gain. Swimming for 1.5 hours per day afforded greater protection than 1 hour per day. Swimming ameliorated DSS-induced decrease in crypt depth, and increases in myeloperoxidase activity, infiltration of Ly6G+ neutrophils and TNF-α- and IFN-γ-expressing CD3+ T cells, as well as fecal calprotectin and lactoferrin. Swimming inhibited pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine production and decreased the protein expression of phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB p65 and cyclooxygenase 2, whereas it elevated interleukin-10 levels. Swimming impeded the generation of reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide; however, it boosted glutathione levels, total antioxidant capacity, and superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities. Additionally, swimming decreased caspase-3 activity and expression of apoptosis-inducing factor, cytochrome c, Bax, and cleaved-caspase-3, but increased Bcl-2 levels. Overall, these results suggest that swimming exerts beneficial effects on DSS-induced chronic colitis by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis.

A comparative analysis of neonatal critical illness score and score for neonatal acute physiology, perinatal extension, version II / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the accuracy and clinical utility of neonatal critical illness score (NCIS) and score for neonatal acute physiology, perinatal extension, version II (SNAPPE-II) in predicting the "dead and abandoned" risk in critically ill neonates.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 269 critically ill neonates were divided into two groups according to their prognosis: dead/abandoned and improved/cured. The accuracy of these two scoring systems, NCIS and SNAPPE-II, in predicting the "dead and abandoned" risk was compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The dead/abandoned group had a significantly higher SNAPPE-II score than the improved/cured group (P<0.001), while there was no significant difference in the NCIS score between the two groups (P=0.091). The children who were in line with the individual indicator in the NCIS results had a significantly higher "dead and abandoned" risk than those who were not (P=0.005).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>SNAPPE-II is more accurate in early prediction of the "dead and abandoned" risk in critically ill neonates compared with NCIS. NCIS has the ability to predict the "dead and abandoned" risk in children in line with the individual indicator.</p>

Subanesthetic isoflurane relieves zymosan-induced neutrophil inflammatory response by targeting NMDA glutamate receptor and Toll-like receptor 2 signaling.

Neutrophil release of NO/ONOO- induces endothelial cell barrier dysfunction in inflammatory acute lung injury (ALI). Previous studies using zymosan-triggered inflammation and ALI model revealed that zymosan promotes inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression in neutrophils, and that isoflurane inhibits zymosan-induced oxidative stress and iNOS biosynthesis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. We found here that in zymosan-primed neutrophils, iNOS is transcriptionally activated by NF-κB, whose nuclear translocation is triggered by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and consequently activated p38 MAPK. ROS production is attributed to zymosan-initiated Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) signaling, in which the adaptor MyD88 recruits and activates c-Src, and c-Src activates NADPH oxidase to generate ROS. Subanesthetic isoflurane counteracts the aforementioned zymosan-induced signaling by targeting N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) glutamate receptor and thereby suppressing calcium influx and c-Src activation. Whereas iNOS accelerates NO/ONOO- production in neutrophils which eventually promote protein leak from pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVEC), isoflurane reduced NO/ONOO- release from zymosan-treated neutrophils, and thus relieves trans-PMVEC protein leak. This study provides novel insights into the roles of neutrophils and the underlying mechanisms in zymosan-induced ALI, and has implications for the therapeutic potential of subanesthetic isoflurane in attenuating inflammatory responses causing lung endothelial cell damage.

Targeting ubiquitin-specific protease 22 suppresses growth and metastasis of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.

Ubiquitin-specific protease 22 (USP22) aberrance has been implicated in several malignancies; however, whether USP22 plays a role in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) remains unclear. Here, we report that USP22 expression is highly elevated in ATC tissues, which positively correlated with tumor size, extracapsular invasion, clinical stages, and poor prognosis of ATC patients. In vitro assays showed that USP22 depletion suppressed ATC cell survival and proliferation by decreasing Rb phosphorylation and cyclin D2, inactivating Akt, and simultaneously upregulating Rb; USP22 silencing restrained cell migration and invasion by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition; USP22 knockdown promoted mitochondrion- mediated and caspase-dependent apoptosis by upregulating Bax and Bid and promoting caspase-3 activation. Consistent with in vitro findings, downregulation of USP22 in ATC cells impeded tumor growth and lung metastasis in vivo. These results raise the applicability for USP22 as a useful predictor of ATC prognosis and a potential therapeutic target for ATC.

MiRNA-101 inhibits breast cancer growth and metastasis by targeting CX chemokine receptor 7.

Whereas miR-101 is involved in the development and progression of breast cancer, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Here, we report that miR-101 expression is inversely correlated with the clinical stage, lymph node metastasis and prognosis in breast cancers. Introduction of miR-101 inhibited breast cancer cell proliferation and invasion in vitro and suppressed tumor growth and lung metastasis of in vivo. CX chemokine receptor 7 (CXCR7) is a direct target of miR-101, positively correlating with the histological grade and the incidence of lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients. The effects of miR-101 were mimicked and counteracted by CXCR7 depletion and overexpression, respectively. STAT3 signaling downstream of CXCR7 is involved in miR-101 regulation of breast cancer cell behaviors. These findings have implications for the potential application of miR-101 in breast cancer treatment.

Nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 maintained by Hotair suppression of miR-568 upregulates S100 calcium binding protein A4 to promote breast cancer metastasis.

INTRODUCTION: The onset of distal metastasis, which underlies the high mortality of breast cancers, warrants substantial studies to depict its molecular basis. Nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5) is upregulated in various malignancies and is critically involved in migration and invasion of neoplastic cells. Nevertheless, the metastasis-related events potentiated by this transcriptional factor and the mechanism responsible for NFAT5 elevation in carcinoma cells remain to be fully elucidated. METHODS: The correlation of NFAT5 with breast cancer invasiveness was investigated in vitro and clinically. The genes transcriptionally activated by NFAT5 were probed and their roles in breast cancer progression were dissected. The upstream regulators of NFAT5 were studied with particular attempt to explore the involvement of non-coding RNAs, and the mechanism underlying the maintenance of NFAT5 expression was deciphered. RESULTS: In metastatic breast cancers, NFAT5 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasion of cells by switching on the expression of the calcium binding protein S100A4, and facilitates the angiogenesis of breast epithelial cells and thus the development of metastases by transcriptionally activating vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C). NFAT5 is directly targeted by miR-568, which is in turn suppressed by the long non-coding RNA, Hotair, via a documented in trans gene silencing pattern, that is recruitment of the polycomb complex (Polycomb Repressive Complex 2; PRC2) and LSD1, and consequently methylation of histone H3K27 and demethylation of H3K4 on the miR-568 loci. CONCLUSION: This study unravels a detailed role of NFAT5 in mediating metastatic signaling, and provides broad insights into the involvement of Hotair, in particular, by transcriptionally regulating the expression of microRNA(s), in the metastasis of breast cancers.

Subanesthetic isoflurane reduces zymosan-induced inflammation in murine Kupffer cells by inhibiting ROS-activated p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling.

Volatile anesthetic isoflurane (ISO) has immunomodulatory effects. The fungal component zymosan (ZY) induces inflammation through toll-like receptor 2 or dectin-1 signaling. We investigated the molecular actions of subanesthetic (0.7%) ISO against ZY-induced inflammatory activation in murine Kupffer cells (KCs), which are known as the resident macrophages within the liver. We observed that ISO reduced ZY-induced cyclooxygenase 2 upregulation and prostaglandin E2 release, as determined by western blot and radioimmunoassay, respectively. ISO also reduced the production of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1ß, IL-6, high-mobility group box-1, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, macrophage inflammatory protein-2, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 as assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. ISO blocked the ZY-induced nuclear translocation and DNA-binding activity of nuclear factor- (NF)-κB p65. Moreover, ISO attenuated ZY-induced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation partly by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS); the interregulation that ROS activated p38 MAPK followed by NF-κB activation was crucial for the ZY-induced inflammatory responses in KCs. An in vivo study by peritoneal injection of ZY into BALB/C mice confirmed the anti-inflammatory properties of 0.7% ISO against ZY in KCs. These results suggest that ISO ameliorates ZY-induced inflammatory responses in murine KCs by inhibiting the interconnected ROS/p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways.

Cell cycle characteristics of the pancreas in an animal model of isolated pancreatic trauma.

BACKGROUND: In our previous study, we established a small animal model that mimicked the pathophysiology of isolated pancreatic trauma. To gain further insights into the relationships between tissue damage and the ability of the pancreatic cells to regenerate, we induced pancreatic trauma in rats maintained over 7 days and analyzed both the alteration of the cell death and the cell cycle distribution of the pancreatic cells in this study. METHODS: The rats were divided into two groups as follows: impact and control. The pancreas in the impact group was injured by a BIM-III biotical impact machine. Pancreatic enzyme activity, the level of Ca in the serum, pancreatic cell death, and cell cycle characteristics were examined after the trauma. RESULTS: In the impact groups, lipase was activated later than amylase and lasted persistently. The levels of serum Ca decreased at 6 hours after injury, sharply declined at 24 hours and 72 hours compared with the control groups, and returned to normal levels at 7 days. The pancreatic trauma also induced the compensatory proliferation of pancreatic cells. The results from a TUNEL stain, flow cytometry, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry indicated that pancreatic trauma induces cell death and the compensatory proliferation of pancreatic cells. CONCLUSION: Detecting amylase and lipase at the same time can help us determine the exocrine function of pancreas. Serum Ca can be used as an indicator for estimating the severity of pancreatic trauma. The cell cycle characteristics of the pancreas in the animal model of isolated pancreatic trauma indicate that the proper remedial time is in the first 24 hours after the pancreatic trauma.

MiR-568 inhibits the activation and function of CD4⁺ T cells and Treg cells by targeting NFAT5.

CD4(+) T cells play critical roles in orchestrating adaptive immune responses. Their activation and proliferation are critical steps that occur before they execute their biological functions. Despite the important role of this process, the underlying molecular events are not fully understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to play important roles in lymphocyte development and function. However, the miRNAs that regulate T-cell differentiation, activation and proliferation are still largely unknown. In our previous study, using a miRNA array, we found that several miRNAs (including miR-202, 33b, 181c, 568 and 576) are differentially expressed between resting and activated CD4(+) T cells. In this study, we focused on the function of miR-568 during CD4(+) T-cell activation. We showed that the expression level of miR-568 decreased during the activation of T cells, including Jurkat cells and human peripheral blood CD4(+) T cells. When Jurkat or human peripheral blood CD4(+) T cells were transfected with miR-568 mimics, cell activation was significantly inhibited, as shown by the inhibited expression of activation markers such as CD25, CD69 and CD154; decreased IL-2 production; and inhibited cell proliferation. Using software predictions and confirmatory experiments, we demonstrated that nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5) is a target of miR-568. Treg cells are an important CD4(+) T-cell subpopulation, so we also evaluated the function of miR-568 in Treg-cell activation and differentiation. We showed that the miR-568 level decreased, while the NFAT5 protein level increased during CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg-cell activation, and the transfection of miR-568 mimics inhibited the NFAT5 expression, inhibited the production of both TGF-ß and IL-10 and also inhibited the proliferation of Treg cells. Our further study showed that over-expression of miR-568 can inhibit Treg-cell differentiation and can inhibit the suppressive effect of these cells on effector cells. In addition, inhibition of NFAT5 by siRNA-mediated knockdown can inhibit the activation and differentiation of Treg cells. These findings reveal that miR-568 can inhibit the activation and function of both CD4(+) T cells and Treg cells by targeting NFAT5. Since miR-568 plays an important role in both CD4(+) T cells and Treg cells, these findings may provide leads for the development of novel treatments for human inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

A subanesthetic dose of isoflurane during postconditioning ameliorates zymosan-induced neutrophil inflammation lung injury and mortality in mice.

Anesthetic isoflurane (ISO) has immunomodulatory effects. In the present study, we investigated whether a subanesthetic dose of ISO (0.7%) protected against zymosan (ZY) induced inflammatory responses in the murine lung and isolated neutrophils. At 1 and 6 hrs after ZY administration intraperitoneally, ISO was inhaled for 1 hr, and 24 hrs later, lung inflammation and injury were assessed. We found that ISO improved the survival rate of mice and mitigated lung injury as characterized by the histopathology, wet-to-dry weight ratio, protein leakage, and lung function index. ISO significantly attenuated ZY-induced lung neutrophil recruitment and inflammation. This was suggested by the downregulation of (a) endothelial adhesion molecule expression and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in lung tissue and polymorphonuclear neutrophils (b) chemokines, and (c) proinflammatory cytokines in BALF. Furthermore, ZY-induced nuclear translocation and DNA-binding activity of NF- κ B p65 were also reduced by ISO. ISO treatment inhibited iNOS expression and activity, as well as subsequent nitric oxide generation. Consistent with these in vivo observations, in vitro studies confirmed that ISO blocked NF- κ B and iNOS activation in primary mouse neutrophils challenged by ZY. These results provide evidence that 0.7% ISO ameliorates inflammatory responses in ZY-treated mouse lung and primary neutrophils.