Plasma Intermedin Level Indicates Severity and Treatment Efficacy of Septic Shock in Sprague-Dawley (SD) Rats.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the value of plasma intermedin (IMD) in assessing severity and treatment efficacy of septic shock. MATERIAL AND METHODS Healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were chosen and divided into a normal control group (n=15) and a shock model group (n=27) that received intravenous injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Then, 3 specimens were taken from each group. The shock model group rats were divided into an LPS group and a treatment group with 12 rats each. The treatment group received intravenous injection of compound sodium lactate solution. Plasma IMD and IMD1-47 mRNA expressions were compared and analyzed. RESULTS Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was lower while white blood cell count and TNF-α were higher in the shock model group than in the normal control group (P<0.05). After 10 h and 20 h, the treatment group had lower plasma IMD and IMD1-47 mRNA expressions compared with the LPS group (P<0.05). Plasma IMD and IMD1-47 mRNA expressions in the LPS group after 20 h were significantly higher than after 10 h (P<0.05). IMD was positively correlated with interleukins (IL-3, IL-6, and IL-8), white blood cell count, and body temperature (all P<0.05), but were negatively correlated with systolic pressure (r=-0.8474, P=0.0040). CONCLUSIONS Plasma IMD level can effectively reflect the severity of septic shock and can be used as an important indicator of septic shock treatment effectiveness.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Streblus indicus.

The bark of Streblus indicus, a Dai medicine in China, has been listed in the Chinese Materia Medica as possessing hemostatic and analgesic properties. Ethnic medicine books record that its bark or leaves for the treatment of mumps and lymphoma. However, according to the literature survey, anti-inflammatory and analgesic studies available for leaves and branches of S. indicus have been seldom reported so far. The current study focuses on the metabolites of S. indicus bark and leaves responsible for anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects on the basis of bioactive-included acetic acid writhing, hot-plate, and xylene-induced ear swelling. The secretion of inflammatory mediators, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß, IL-4, and IL-10, were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory by xylene-induced in mouse ear cells. Histological examination was used to assess the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of the branches and leaves of S. indicus, and Western blot analysis determined the mechanism of the methanolic extract of branches and leaves. Different metabolites of S. indicus significantly alleviated analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, with no discernable differences among them. All metabolites decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 and increased the levels of IL-4 and IL-10. The analgesic and anti-inflammatory mechanism of the methanolic extract was related to the NF-kB signaling pathway. These results not only would account for scientific knowledge for the traditional application of S. indicus, but also provide a credible theoretical foundation for the further development of anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents.

Clinical values of elevated serum cytokeratin-18 levels in hepatitis: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: As an important intermediate filament protein within liver cells, cytokeratin-18 (CK-18) has been confirmed as a potential indicator in various hepatitis progressions. OBJECTIVES: We sought to clarify the connection between serum CK-18 levels and hepatitis pathogenesis in the present meta-analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: With the application of various computerized databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Web of Science, China BioMedicine (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), published papers that assessed the relationship between serum CK-18 levels and hepatitis were obtained. The main key words used are "Hepatitis", "hepatitides", "Cytokeratin-18", "Keratin-18" and "CK-18". Statistical analysis was conducted using the STATA software (version 12.0). RESULTS: Eight case-control studies published between 2010 and 2014 were confirmed eligible, according to our selection criteria. The results of the meta-analysis showed that serum levels of CK-18 in hepatitis patients were higher compared to healthy controls (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 3.71, 95%CI: 2.27-5.14, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis by ethnicity and disease implicated that high serum CK-18 levels might be a risk factor for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), chronic hepatitis C (CHC), and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) (all P < 0.05) among Asians (SMD = 2.89, 95%CI: 2.35-3.43, P < 0.001), Africans (SMD = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.12-1.26, P = 0.017), and Caucasians (SMD = 4.86, 95%CI: 1.82-7.89, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Serum CK-18 levels in hepatitis patients were higher, compared with healthy controls. Our results revealed the clinical values of CK-18, in combination with other apoptosis markers, in identifying the development of hepatitis.