Elevated levels of interleukin-35 and interleukin-37 in adult patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

BACKGROUND: Systemic inflammation has a critical role in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Interleukin (IL)-35 and IL-37 have been identified as novel immune-modulating cytokines with anti-inflammatory activities in numerous types of inflammatory disease. The present study aimed to examine the serum levels of IL-35 and IL-37 in patients with OSA, and to investigate their associations with the severity of OSA. METHODS: A total of 97 patients, including 67 cases of OSA and 30 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects, were enrolled in the present study. All subjects were evaluated by overnight polysomnography. Serum IL-35, IL-37, and pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1ß levels were examined by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with those in the control subjects, serum IL-35, IL-37, and IL-1ß levels were significantly elevated in patients with mild, moderate, or severe OSA. Furthermore, a severity-dependent increase in serum IL-35 and IL-37 levels was observed in patients with OSA. IL-35 and IL-37 levels were positively correlated with the apnea-hypopnea index (r = 0.742 and 0.578, respectively; both p < 0.001), while they were negatively correlated with the mean oxygen saturation (r = -0.461 and -0.339, respectively; both p < 0.001) and lowest oxyhaemoglobin saturation (r = -0.616 and -0.463, respectively; both p < 0.001) in patients with OSA. In addition, a positive correlation was observed between IL-35 or IL-37 and IL-1ß levels (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The serum levels of IL-35 and IL-37 were significantly increased in patients with OSA and associated with the severity of OSA, implying that IL-35 and IL-37 may have a protective role in OSA by counteracting inflammatory responses.

Process for a Free-Standing and Stable All-Metal Structure for Symmetrical Lithium-Oxygen Batteries.

A number of inherent and thorny obstacles still stand in the way of the practical application of Li-O2 batteries, which require development of an advanced lithium anode and O2 cathode. Herein, the strategy of a symmetrical Li-O2 battery is presented. Specifically, Cu nanoneedle arrays with a nanoengineered Au coating are grown directly on a Cu foam substrate (Au/Cu@FCu), which can act as both the anode backbone and the cathode in a Li-O2 battery. The excellent conductivity, high porosity, large specific surface, and superior lithiophilicity as well as high catalytic activity of the Au/Cu@FCu electrodes can simultaneously regulate the deposition behavior of the lithium metal in the anode and catalyze the formation/decomposition of Li2O2 in the cathode. As a result, the Li uniformly deposited on the Au/Cu@FCu anode without Li dendrites, showing a high Coulombic efficiency over 96% and a long and stable cycle lifetime over 970 h. At the same time, the Au/Cu@FCu cathode demonstrates extremely low overpotentials (0.64 V) and a much higher specific capacity of 27 270 mAh g-1 compared to the Li-O2 batteries with a carbon-free cathode reported to date. Moreover, the "ebb and flow" phenomenon of the anode and cathode morphology is also observed in the Li-O2 battery.

[Expression of TLR3 and IL-8, Eotaxin in the airway smooth muscle cells induced by PolyI:C].

AIM: to observe the effect of PolyI:C on the expression of TLR3 and inflammation cytokine in the airway smooth muscle cells ASMCs of rat, to investigate relationship between the expression of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) in the airway smooth muscle cells and airway inflammation. METHODS: airway smooth muscle cells were derived from rat airway tissue and were cultured in vitro, ASMCs were divided into 2 groups: control group and PolyI:C group, PolyI:C group was divided into the different time spots. The mRNA expression of TLR3 was measured by RT-PCR. The level of NF-kappaB was measured by Western blot. The concertration of IL-8 and Eotaxin in ASMCs supernatant were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: the expression of TLR3 mRNA and NF-kappaB protein in the ASMCs in PolyI:C group was significantly higher than those in control group(P<0.05), the concentration of IL-8 and Eotaxin in the ASMCs in PolyI:C group was significantly higher compared to control group (P<0.05); and have time dependent manner. CONCLUSION: poly I:C promoted the expression of TLR3 in ASMCs, activated NF-kappaB, incresead the concentration of IL-8 and Eotaxin, involved in airway inflammation of asthma.