Comparative Study of M(â ¡)Al (M=Co, Ni) Layered Double Hydroxides for Silicone Foam: Characterization, Flame Retardancy, and Smoke Suppression.

To compare the different actions of the two representative transition metal cations of Co2+ and Ni2+ in layered double hydroxides (LDHs), CoAl-LDH and NiAl-LDH intercalated with CO32- were synthesized, and the chemical structures, microstructures, and surface areas thereof were successfully characterized. Then, the two LDHs were utilized as flame retardants and smoke suppressants for silicone foam (SiF). The densities, flame retardancy, smoke suppression, thermal stabilities, and compressive strengths of the two SiF/LDHs nanocomposites were investigated. The introduction of LDHs slightly decreased the density of SiF due to the catalytic actions of Co and Ni during the foaming process of SiF. With respect to the flame retardancy, the addition of only 1 phr of either CoAl-LDH or NiAl-LDH could effectively improve the limiting oxygen index of SiF from 28.7 to 29.6%. Based on the results of vertical flame testing and a cone calorimeter test, the flame retardancy and fire safety of the SiF were effectively enhanced by the incorporation of LDHs. In addition, owing to the good catalytic action and large specific surface area (NiAl-LDH: 174.57 m2 g-1; CoAl-LDH: 51.47 m2 g-1), NiAl-LDH revealed higher efficiencies of flame retardancy and smoke suppression than those of CoAl-LDH. According to the results of energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Co and Ni participated in the formation of protective char layers, which inhibited the release of SiO2 into the gas phase. Finally, the influences on the thermal decomposition and compressive strength for SiF resulting from the addition of LDHs are discussed.

Nanoplastics Promote Microcystin Synthesis and Release from Cyanobacterial Microcystis aeruginosa.

Although the fate of nanoplastics (<100 nm) in freshwater systems is increasingly well studied, much less is known about its potential threats to cyanobacterial blooms, the ultimate phenomenon of eutrophication occurrence worldwide. Previous studies have evaluated the consequences of nanoplastics increasing the membrane permeability of microbes, however, there is no direct evidence for interactions between nanoplastics and microcystin; intracellular hepatotoxins are produced by some genera of cyanobacteria. Here, we show that the amino-modified polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NH2) promote microcystin synthesis and release from Microcystis aeruginosa, a dominant species causing cyanobacterial blooms, even without the change of coloration. We demonstrate that PS-NH2 inhibits photosystem II efficiency, reduces organic substance synthesis, and induces oxidative stress, enhancing the synthesis of microcystin. Furthermore, PS-NH2 promotes the extracellular release of microcystin from M. aeruginosa via transporter protein upregulation and impaired cell membrane integrity. Our findings propose that the presence of nanoplastics in freshwater ecosystems might enhance the threat of eutrophication to aquatic ecology and human health.

Highly sensitive detection of the PIK3CA (H1047R) mutation in colorectal cancer using a novel PCR-RFLP method.

BACKGROUND: The PIK3CA (H1047R) mutation is considered to be a potential predictive biomarker for EGFR-targeted therapies. In this study, we developed a novel PCR-PFLP approach to detect the PIK3CA (H1047R) mutation in high effectiveness. METHODS: A 126-bp fragment of PIK3CA exon-20 was amplified by PCR, digested with FspI restriction endonuclease and separated by 3 % agarose gel electrophoresis for the PCR-RFLP analysis. The mutant sequence of the PIK3CA (H1047R) was spiked into the corresponding wild-type sequence in decreasing ratios for sensitivity analysis. Eight-six cases of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded colorectal cancer (CRC) specimens were subjected to PCR-RFLP to evaluate the applicability of the method. RESULTS: The PCR-RFLP method had a capability to detect as litter as 0.4 % of mutation, and revealed 16.3 % of the PIK3CA (H1047R) mutation in 86 CRC tissues, which was significantly higher than that discovered by DNA sequencing (9.3 %). A positive association between the PIK3CA (H1047R) mutation and the patients' age was first found, except for the negative relationship with the degree of tumor differentiation. In addition, the highly sensitive detection of a combinatorial mutation of PIK3CA, KRAS and BRAF was achieved using individual PCR-RFLP methods. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a sensitive, simple and rapid approach to detect the low-abundance PIK3CA (H1047R) mutation in real CRC specimens, providing an effective tool for guiding cancer targeted therapy.

Melatonin induces apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells through HDAC4 nuclear import mediated by CaMKII inactivation.

Melatonin induces apoptosis in many different cancer cell lines, including colorectal cancer. However, the precise mechanisms involved remain largely unresolved. In this study, we provide evidence to reveal a new mechanism by which melatonin induces apoptosis of colorectal cancer LoVo cells. Melatonin at pharmacological concentrations significantly suppressed cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. The observed apoptosis was accompanied by the melatonin-induced dephosphorylation and nuclear import of histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4). Pretreatment with a HDAC4-specific siRNA effectively attenuated the melatonin-induced apoptosis, indicating that nuclear localization of HDAC4 is required for melatonin-induced apoptosis. Moreover, constitutively active Ca(2+) /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II alpha (CaMKIIα) abrogated the melatonin-induced HDAC4 nuclear import and apoptosis of LoVo cells. Furthermore, melatonin decreased H3 acetylation on bcl-2 promoter, leading to a reduction of bcl-2 expression, whereas constitutively active CaMKIIα(T286D) or HDAC4-specific siRNA abrogated the effect of melatonin. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence that melatonin-induced apoptosis in colorectal cancer LoVo cells largely depends on the nuclear import of HDAC4 and subsequent H3 deacetylation via the inactivation of CaMKIIα.

B7-H1 agonists suppress the PI3K/AKT/mtor pathway by degrading p110γ and independently induce cell death.

The biological role of B7-H1 intrinsic signal is reportedly diverse and controversial, its signal pathway remains unclear. Although B7-H1 blocking antibodies were found to have agonist capacity, their binding features and agonist mechanisms need further investigation. Here, by constructing cell strains with full-length or truncated B7-H1, we found that B7-H1 functioned as a receptor to transmit cell death signal from PD-1 protein or anti-B7-H1s through its cytoplasmic domain. Specific binding to the IgV-like domain of B7-H1 was required for the downstream signal. Upon agonists interaction, B7-H1 regulated the degradation of phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) subunit p110γ, subsequently inhibited the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, and significantly increased autophagy. Moreover, B7-H1 agonists also suppressed ubiquitylation in B7-H1+cells by reducing ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1), eventually leading to cell death. Finally, we validated the receptor role of B7-H1 in multiple tumor cells and demonstrated that B7-H1 agonists could suppress tumor progression independent of T cells in vivo. Our findings revealed that B7-H1 agonists functions as a PI3K inhibitor and may offer new strategies for PI3K targeting therapy.

Structural insights into the evolutionary simplification of human ClpP activators.

In this issue of Structure, Mabanglo et al. characterize five ClpP agonists termed TRs. The co-crystal structures reveal more robust shape and charge complementarities than the anti-cancer agent ONC201. These novel compounds are of potential therapeutic interest because they enhance ClpP proteolytic activity and have an inhibitory effect on tumor cell growth.

Selective activator of human ClpP triggers cell cycle arrest to inhibit lung squamous cell carcinoma.

Chemo-activation of mitochondrial ClpP exhibits promising anticancer properties. However, we are currently unaware of any studies using selective and potent ClpP activators in lung squamous cell carcinoma. In this work, we report on such an activator, ZK53, which exhibits therapeutic effects on lung squamous cell carcinoma in vivo. The crystal structure of ZK53/ClpP complex reveals a π-π stacking effect that is essential for ligand binding selectively to the mitochondrial ClpP. ZK53 features on a simple scaffold, which is distinct from the activators with rigid scaffolds, such as acyldepsipeptides and imipridones. ZK53 treatment causes a decrease of the electron transport chain in a ClpP-dependent manner, which results in declined oxidative phosphorylation and ATP production in lung tumor cells. Mechanistically, ZK53 inhibits the adenoviral early region 2 binding factor targets and activates the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated-mediated DNA damage response, eventually triggering cell cycle arrest. Lastly, ZK53 exhibits therapeutic effects on lung squamous cell carcinoma cells in xenograft and autochthonous mouse models.

Aberrant human ClpP activation disturbs mitochondrial proteome homeostasis to suppress pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

The mitochondrial caseinolytic protease P (ClpP) is a target candidate for treating leukemia; however, the effects of ClpP modulation on solid tumors have not been adequately explored. Here, we report a potent activator of ClpP with the therapeutic potential for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We first validated that aberrant ClpP activation leads to growth arrest of PDAC cells and tumors. We then performed high-throughput screening and synthetic optimization, from which we identified ZG111, a potent activator of ClpP. ZG111 binds to ClpP and promotes the ClpP-mediated degradation of respiratory chain complexes. This degradation activates the JNK/c-Jun pathway, induces the endoplasmic reticulum stress response, and consequently causes the growth arrest of PDAC cells. ZG111 also produces inhibitory effects on tumor growth in cell line-derived and patient-derived xenograft mouse models. Altogether, our data demonstrate a promising therapeutic strategy for PDAC suppression through the chemical activation of ClpP.

Imbalance Model of Heart Rate Variability and Pulse Wave Velocity in Psychotic and Nonpsychotic Disorders.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with psychiatric disorders have an increased risk of cardiovascular pathologies. A bidirectional feedback model between the brain and heart exists widely in both psychotic and nonpsychotic disorders. The aim of this study was to compare heart rate variability (HRV) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) functions between patients with psychotic and nonpsychotic disorders and to investigate whether subgroups defined by HRV and PWV features improve the transdiagnostic psychopathology of psychiatric classification. METHODS: In total, 3448 consecutive patients who visited psychiatric or psychological health services with psychotic (N = 1839) and nonpsychotic disorders (N = 1609) and were drug-free for at least 2 weeks were selected. HRV and PWV indicators were measured via finger photoplethysmography during a 5-minute period of rest. Canonical variates were generated through HRV and PWV indicators by canonical correlation analysis (CCA). RESULTS: All HRV indicators but none of the PWV indicators were significantly reduced in the psychotic group relative to those in the nonpsychotic group. After adjusting for age, gender, and body mass index, many indices of HRV were significantly reduced in the psychotic group compared with those in the nonpsychotic group. CCA analysis revealed 2 subgroups defined by distinct and relatively homogeneous patterns along HRV and PWV dimensions and comprising 19.0% (subgroup 1, n = 655) and 80.9% (subgroup 2, n = 2781) of the sample, each with distinctive features of HRV and PWV functions. CONCLUSIONS: HRV functions are significantly impaired among psychiatric patients, especially in those with psychosis. Our results highlight important subgroups of psychiatric patients that have distinct features of HRV and PWV which transcend current diagnostic boundaries.

The inhibitory effect of Zingiber corallinum Hance essential oil on drug-resistant bacteria and evaluation of its acute toxicity.

BACKGROUND: The excessive and irregular use of antibiotics could result in the generation and diffusion of drug-resistant bacteria. The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of Zingiber corallinum Hance essential oil (ZCHO) on drug-resistant bacteria, especially on drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. MATERIAL/METHODS: Susceptibility testing was used to evaluate the effect of ZCHO on growth inhibition of drug-resistant bacteria by paper disk method. Mice orally administered with ZCHO were used to observe acute toxicity and to determine median lethal dose (LD50) of ZCHO. Broth dilution method was used to determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of ZCHO on drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. RESULTS: ZCHO exhibited an obvious inhibitory effect not only on gram-negative drug-resistant bacteria including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae and Acinetobacter baumannii, but also on gram-positive drug-resistant bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus haemolyticus. The ZCHO containing 79% terpinen-4-ol revealed better bacteriostatic effect than ZCHO with 34% terpinen-4-ol. The LD50 of ZCHO was 1790.427 mg/kg. The MIC and MBC of ZCHO on drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii were 1457.81 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS: ZCHO has obvious bacteriostasis and bactericidal effects, especially against drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Therefore, ZCHO is a promising natural bioactive component with antibacterial effect and satisfactory safety due to its low toxicity.

Targeting the RNA demethylase FTO for cancer therapy.

N 6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent internal modification on mRNA and represents a new layer of gene expression in eukaryotes. The field of m6A-encoded epitranscriptomics was rejuvenated with the discovery of fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) as the first m6A demethylase responsible for RNA modification in cells. Increasing evidence has revealed that FTO is significantly involved in physiological processes, and its dysregulation is implicated in various human diseases. Considering this functional significance, developing small-molecule modulators of the FTO protein represents a novel direction for biology research. However, such modulators remain in the early stages of development. Here, our review mainly focuses on the progress of FTO inhibitor development to date. We summarize screening methods used to identify FTO modulators, techniques used to assess the biological effects of these modulators, strategies used to achieve selective inhibition of FTO rather than its homologues, and the results of investigations of FTO modulator modes of action and anticancer efficacy. Thus, this review aims to facilitate novel chemical entity discovery, probe FTO biology, and promote the validation of FTO as a clinical drug target for cancer treatment.

Abscopal Effects of Local Radiotherapy Are Dependent on Tumor Immunogenicity.

Although abscopal tumor regression remains a rare phenomenon, interest in exploiting how radiation stimulates the immune system to induce systemic abscopal response is increasing. Here, we tested the hypothesis that tumor immunogenicity determined the ability of radiotherapy to induce abscopal effects. We established highly (MC-38 and E.G7-OVA) or poorly (LL/2 and B16-F10) immunogenic tumor models in this study and treated them with sham radiation, a single dose of 15 Gy, or three fractions of 5 Gy on three consecutive days. Alterations in the tumor microenvironment after radiation were examined by flow cytometry and RNA sequencing. Our results demonstrated the positive correlation between tumor immunogenicity and the abscopal effect of radiotherapy. The single dose of 15 Gy radiation was an effective regimen for inducing abscopal effects in highly immunogenic tumors. Local radiation reshaped the tumor microenvironment of irradiated and non-irradiated distant tumors by increasing CD8 T-cell infiltration and reducing suppressive immune cell accumulation. However, radiation alone was insufficient to elicit abscopal effects in poorly immunogenic tumors. No significant alterations were detected in the non-irradiated distant tumor microenvironment after radiation of poorly immunogenic tumors. In addition, tumor immunogenic subtypes were associated with the radiological response and clinical outcome of patients receiving radiotherapy. These findings indicated that tumor immunogenicity was the dominant characteristic that could predict the abscopal effect of radiotherapy. Our study provides an in-depth understanding of the immunological mechanisms involved in abscopal effects and highlights the impact of tumor heterogeneity on the therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy and their combination with immunotherapy in clinical trials.

Epidemiology of norovirus gastroenteritis in hospitalized children under five years old in western China, 2015-2019.

OBJECTIVES: Norovirus is associated with one-fifth of all gastroenteritis cases, but basic epidemiological data is lacking, especially in developing countries. As long-term surveillance on norovirus gastroenteritis is scarce in western China, this study aims to update the epidemiological knowledge of norovirus gastroenteritis and to characterize the genotypes of norovirus strains. METHODS: Stool samples were collected from hospitalized children under 5 years old with gastroenteritis in Chengdu, China. All samples were tested for norovirus as well as rotavirus, sapovirus, enteric adenovirus, and astrovirus by real-time RT-PCR. RdRp and VP1 genes were sequenced in norovirus-positive samples to investigate viral phylogenies. RESULTS: Of the 1181 samples collected from 2015 to 2019, 242 (20.5%) were positive for norovirus. Among norovirus-positive cases, 65 cases had co-infection with another virus; norovirus/enteric adenovirus was most frequently detected (50.8%, 33/65). The highest positive rate was observed in children aged 13-18 months (23.7%, 68/287). Norovirus infection peaked in autumn (36.6%, 91/249), followed by summer (20.3%, 70/345). Pearson correlation analysis showed significant correlation between the norovirus-positive rate and humidity (r = 0.773, P < 0.05). GII.4 Sydney 2012 [P31] (48.5%, 79/163) and GII.3 [P12] (35.6%, 58/163) were the dominant norovirus strains. CONCLUSIONS: Norovirus has become one of the most common causes of viral gastroenteritis in children under 5 years old in western China. Continuous monitoring is imperative for predicting the emergence of new epidemic strains and for current vaccine development.

Efficacy of radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation in the treatment of thoracic cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation are frequently prescribed for thoracic cancer. However, few writers have been able to draw on any systematic research into the differences between the two ablation methods. METHODS: A literature search was carried out using Embase, PUBMED, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and CNKI databases, with additional searches carried out manually using terms associated with thoracic cancer and thermal ablation. Then we used Google Scholar for a complementary search. Data were extracted from studies of patients that underwent radiofrequency ablation or microwave ablation, and the investigator carried out efficacy evaluation and follow up. The data obtained from the literature were summarized and analyzed using Cochrane Revman software Version 5.3 and SPSS 22.0. RESULTS: There were seven comparative studies, but no randomized studies identified for data extraction; 246 patients received radiofrequency ablation therapy and 319 controls received microwave ablation. There was no significant difference in the six-month, one-year, two-year, and three-year survival rates, and adverse reactions were found in the two treatments. For patients' long-term survival rate, the two treatments can achieve a similar survival time. CONCLUSION: In the treatment of thoracic cancer, microwave ablation can achieve the same efficacy as radiofrequency ablation.

Analgesia of percutaneous thermal ablation plus cementoplasty for cancer bone metastases.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to review recent research related to the analgesic effect of ablation therapy combined with cementoplasty, as well as to identify the duration of analgesic effect and risk for cement leaks. METHODS: A systematic literature search using PubMed, Web of Science, and annual meeting proceedings of the oncology society and other organizations were conducted. RESULTS: Twelve retrospective studies met the inclusion criteria. Four of the studies included in the review assessed the changes immediately after treatment. Five studies were subjected to analyses of analgesic effect of combined percutaneous thermal ablation and Cementoplasty at 24 weeks after treatment. Incidences of leakage of bone cement during surgery were detected in 4 out of 12 studies. The change of mean pain scores at 1 days, at 1 week, and at 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks after treatment were -3.90 (95% CI: -4.80 to -3.00), -4.55 (95% CI:-5.46 to -3.64), -4.78 (95% CI: -5.70 to -3.86), -5.16 (95% CI: -6.39 to -3.92), and -5.91 (95% CI: -6.63 to -5.19). The relative risk of cement leakage was 0.10 (95% CI: -6.63 to -5.19). CONCLUSIONS: Our systematic review suggested that thermal ablation combined with cementoplasty could be a safe and effective intervention for the management of bone metastases-induced pain.

Selection of Metastatic Breast Cancer Cell-Specific Aptamers for the Capture of CTCs with a Metastatic Phenotype by Cell-SELEX.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have the potential to predict metastasis, and the capture of CTCs based on their surface markers is mostly applied for CTC detection. Considering that the CTCs with a metastatic phenotype preferably form a metastatic focus and that aptamers have the ability to bind targets with high specificity and affinity, we selected aptamers directed toward metastatic cells by subtractive Cell-SELEX technology using highly metastatic MDA-MB-231 cells as the target cell and low-metastatic MCF-7 cells as the negative cell for the capture of metastatic CTCs. Affinity and selectivity assays showed that aptamer M3 had the highest affinity, with a KD of 45.6 ± 1.2 nM, and had good specificity against several other types of metastatic cancer cells. Based on these findings, we developed an M3-based capture system for CTC enrichment, which has the capability to specifically capture the metastatic cells MDA-MB-231 mixed with non-metastatic MCF-7 cells and CTCs derived from the peripheral blood from metastatic breast cancer patients. A further comparative analysis with the anti-EpCAM probe showed that M3 probe captured epithelial feature-deletion metastatic cells. We developed an aptamer-based CTC capture system through the selection of aptamers by taking whole metastatic cells, not known molecules, as targets, which provided a new insight into CTC capture and Cell-SELEX application.

Correlations between ACE single nucleotide polymorphisms and prognosis of patients with septic shock.

The aim of the present study is to investigate association between septic shock (SS) and angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). From October 2009 to December 2016, 238 SS patients and 242 healthy individuals were selected for our study. ACE activity was detected, ACE rs4291 and rs4646994 polymorphisms were detected using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was employed to evaluate the association between ACE SNPs and patients' survival and univariate and multivariate analyses to estimate risk factors for SS. ACE activity in the case group was increased in comparison with the control group. Allele and genotype frequencies of rs4291 and rs4646994 were different between the case and control groups. The TT genotype frequency of the rs4291 polymorphisms and the DD genotype of the rs4646994 polymorphisms of the case group were higher than those in the control group. The AT and TT genotypes indicated a significant elevation of ACE activity than the AA genotype, while a significant decline was found in the DI and II genotypes in comparison with the DI genotype. Patients with TT or DD genotypes had increased fatality rate within 7 and 30 days when compared with those with non-TT or non-DD genotypes. Lower sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores, rs4291, serum ACE and rs4646994 were all considered as risky factors for SS patients. The study demonstrates that TT genotype of rs4291 or DD genotype of rs4646994 may be indicative of a higher risk of SS and a poorer prognosis in SS patients.

Association between previously identified loci affecting telomere length and coronary heart disease (CHD) in Han Chinese population.

PURPOSE: To replicate previously confirmed telomere-length loci in a Chinese Han population with coronary heart disease (CHD), and investigate these loci and the possibility of and age at onset of CHD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 1514 CHD patients and 2470 normal controls were recruited. Medical data including age, sex, body mass index, lipid profiles, history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia were collected from all the participants. Seven previously identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to leucocyte telomere length were genotyped, including rs10936599 in TERC, rs2736100 in TERT, rs7675998 in NAF1, rs9420907 in OBFC1, rs8105767 in ZNF208, rs755017 in RTEL1, and rs11125529 in ACYP2. RESULTS: No significant difference in genotype frequencies from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium test was noted for all tested SNPs both in the CHD patients and the normal controls. No polymorphism was observed for rs9420907, and AA genotype was noted in both the CHD patients and the controls. Neither the genotype nor the allele frequencies of rs2736100, rs8105767, rs11125529, and rs2967374 were significantly different between the CHD patients and the normal controls. For rs10936599 and rs755017, statistical difference was found for the allele frequency but not genotype. Distributions of genotype and allele were significantly different between the two groups for rs7675998. The odds ratio for carriers of CHD was 2.127 (95% confidence interval: 1.909-2.370) for the A allele of rs7675998. By one-way analysis of variance test, rs7675998 was associated with the onset age of CHD. CHD patients with the AA genotype of rs7675998 had significantly lower onset age (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: In a Chinese Han population, NAF1 gene encoding proteins with known function in telomere biology may influence both the possibility of and the age at onset of CHD, as previously reported in European studies.

Effects of bilateral adrenalectomy on the innate immune responses following trauma in rats.

BACKGROUND: The regulation of neuroendocrine hormones on the innate immune responses in trauma has not been fully understood. Previous studies have shown that the neuroendocrine hormones are important factors in their effects on immune parameters, depending on their concentration and timing instead of the simple suppressive effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 144 Sprague­Dawley rats were divided randomly into sham, pulmonary blast injury (BI) and adrenalectomy plus pulmonary BI groups. Bilateral adrenalectomy was performed on rats, which were then subjected to blast injury. Following this, peripheral leucocyte responsiveness to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, phagocytosis activities of macrophages and bacteria translocation (BT) were examined. Tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) levels and the expression levels of scavenger receptor (SR) A, CD14, Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 and MD2 were assayed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: In adrenalectomised rats after pulmonary BI, the number of peripheral leucocytes was increased and the phagocytosis of peritoneal and splenic macrophages was decreased as compared to the BI group. Simultaneously, the gut-derived BT and TNF-a secretion in lung tissues were elevated, whilst the LPS-stimulated TNF-a synthesis by peripheral leucocyte responsiveness was reduced. Furthermore, the mRNA levels of SR-A, CD14, TLR4 and MD2 in lung tissues of adrenalectomised rats decreased. Adrenalectomised rats showed enhancement of inflammatory responses and severe tissue injuries in trauma. CONCLUSIONS: Release of adrenal hormones might enhance, rather than inhibit, the innate immune functions, particularly in the early stages of trauma.