Open, Double-Blind and Long-Term Study of Vigabatrin in Chronic Epilepsy

We performed an open, double-blind, and long-term study of vigabatrin (gamma-vinyl-GABA, GVG) in patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy who were receiving only one or at most two standard antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). The novel design included a parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase that minimized the number of patients receiving placebo and allowed determination of the optimum dose of GVG for each patient before initiation of the double-blind phase. The study was divided into four phases. The first phase was a 6-week period of baseline observation. In the second phase, GVG was added openly to previous AEDs for 8 weeks. During the first 2 weeks of this phase, the dose of GVG was increased weekly and then, in the absence of adverse effects, was held constant for the next 6 weeks. At the end of this open phase, seizure frequency during the 6 weeks of constant treatment was compared with the baseline seizure frequency for each patient. Patients who experienced reduction greater than 50% in the frequency of any seizure type during the open phase were defined as responders. These responders were then entered into the third and double-blind phase, in which they were randomly allocated wither to continue active GVG treatment or placebo for 8 weeks. Thirty-three patients entered the study; 31 of 33 patients completed the initial open phase. Twenty patients achieved a reduction greater than or equal to 50% in the frequency of one or more seizure types and were eligible for the double-blind phase; 10 were randomized to continue GVG and 10 were randomized to placebo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

益肾调督针法对实验大鼠脑梗死恢复期TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8的影响

目的 观察益肾调督针法对脑梗死恢复期治疗及预防再梗的作用机制。方法 将实验大鼠随机分为对照组、模型组、益肾调督针法组、常规针法组和非穴针刺组各10例，用血栓栓塞法制备局灶性脑梗死模型，观察治疗前后大鼠神经功能改变，应用双抗体夹心ELISA法分别测定各组大鼠血清中TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8的含量。结果 治疗前后大鼠神经功能评分以益。肾调督针法组及常规针法组有效，差异具有显著性（P〈0．01）；模型组大鼠血清中TNF．仅、IL-6和IL．8含量较对照组明显升高（P〈0．01），施予针刺治疗后各针法组含量均有不同程度的下降。结论 益肾调督针法可以有效地抑制TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8的表达．从而在脑梗死恢复期治疗及预防再梗方面发挥作用。     

清炎颗粒对肾盂肾炎小鼠外周血IL-8与IL-10的影响

目的：探讨清炎颗粒治疗肾盂肾炎的免疫学机制。方法：采用孙氏方法改进造模,治疗组分别按剂量3.12、6.24、12.48g·kg^-1·d^-1予清炎颗粒,模型组予生理盐水,对照组予至灵胶囊灌胃,喂养至3d、7d、15d、30d、60d取血清,用ELISA法检测其IL-8、IL-10的水平。结果：清炎颗粒能显著降低不同时段血清IL-8的水平、提高不同时段血清IL-10的水平。结论：免疫调控可能是清炎颗粒治疗肾盂肾炎的作用机制之一。     

糖皮质激素对重度颅脑损伤患者血浆TNF-α、IL-1β水平的影响

目的 研究糖皮质激素对颅脑损伤患者血浆肿瘤坏死因子α（TNF-α）、白细胞介素-1β（IL-1β）水平的影响。方法 随机将重度颅脑损伤患者分为激素治疗组（20例）与非激素治疗对照组（22例），激素组给予地塞米松10mg／d，共7d。正常组选择健康体检者15例。采用ELSIA法检测两组患者伤后第1、2、7、14天血浆中TNF一仪、IL-1β含量。结果 在颅脑损伤第1、2天激素组血浆TNF-α、IL-1β水平明显高于正常组（P（0．01），在第7、14天明显低于非激素组（P（0．01），但与正常组无明显差异（P〉0．05）。非激素组血浆TNF-α、IL-1β水平在各时间点均明显高于正常组（P〈0．01）。结论 糖皮质激素对降低颅脑损伤患者血浆TNF-α、IL-1β水平具有明显的延迟性，使损伤早期因TNF-α、IL-1β显著升高引起的有害作用未能消除，至恢复期又使TNF-α、IL-1β明显降低，其神经保护作用不能发挥。     

云南东川非铀矿山矿工血清IL-2、IL-6、TNF-α检测及其基因多态性的初步研究

目的 通过对云南非铀矿山矿工血清IL-2、IL-6和TNF-α浓度及基因多态性位点的检测,对氡致非铀矿山矿工机体生物效应进行初步探讨。方法 血清中IL-2、IL-6和TNF-α的浓度测定采用双抗夹心ABC-ELISA法。TNF-α(-308,G→A)检测基因型采用基因体外扩增限制性片段长度多态性分析方法,IL-2(-330, T→G)基因型检测采用PCR体外扩增后测序的方法。结果 矿工组与对照组比较,年龄(F＝1.07,P>0.05),工龄(F＝0.40,P>0.05),血清IL-2浓度(F＝0.71,P>0.05),血清IL-6浓度(F＝1.09,P>0.05),血清TNF-α浓度(F＝0.95,P>0.05),IL-2基因型频度(χ²=0.02,P>0.05)和TNF-α基因型频度(χ²=2.21,P>0.05),差异均无统计学意义。结论 云南东川非铀矿山矿工血清IL-2、IL-6和TNF-α平均浓度有下降的趋势, TNF-α(-308,A A)基因型频度有增高的趋势。     

TGF-β and IL-17 serum levels and specific immunotherapy

Two new T cell subsets may be involved in allergic rhinitis (AR) pathogenesis: Th17 and T regulatory cells, mainly producing IL-17 and TGF-β respectively. Successful Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) induces relevant immunological changes, thus the aim of this study was to evaluate serum IL-17 and TGF-β levels in AR patients treated with SLIT for 2 years. Patients' blood samples were collected before initiating SLIT (baseline), three months after the end of the first pre-seasonal SLIT course, and at the end of the second pre-seasonal course. IL-17 was detectable only in the most severe allergic patients. SLIT significantly induced an increase in serum TGF-β levels. There was moreover a significant relationship between TGF-β and symptom severity and drug use at the end of the study. Therefore, this study provides clinically relevant evidence that two pre-seasonal SLIT courses may significantly affect serum TGF-β levels.     

门静脉注射白细胞介素-12治疗肝转移肿瘤的实验研究

目的　探讨通过门静脉系统局部应用白细胞介素 12 (IL 12 )对于肝转移肿瘤的治疗作用。方法　通过门静脉注射 2× 10 5个MCA 2 0 5肿瘤细胞建立小鼠肝转移肿瘤模型 ,同时脾脏被移植到皮下 ,作为反复多次向门静脉系统注射的途径。第 3～ 7天 ,0 1μgIL 12通过腹腔或脾脏注射 ,同时对照组中通过脾脏注射等体积的平衡盐水。第 2 1天检查肝转移肿瘤的情况。结果　在肝转移模型中 ,IL 12腹腔注射组和IL 12脾脏注射组的肝脏重量 (1 33± 0 0 8)g和 (1 2 9± 0 0 7)g明显小于对照组 (1 92± 0 17)g ,P <0 0 5 ,IL 12腹腔注射组和IL 12脾脏注射组的肝脏转移结节数目 (1 5 3± 0 5 8,0 6 0± 0 89)明显少于对照组 (18 2 5± 5 71,P <0 0 5 )。在IL 12脾脏注射组中 (n =6 ) ,3只小鼠的肝脏肿瘤完全消失。结论　通过门静脉系统局部应用IL 12是治疗肝转移肿瘤的有效方法。     

Th2细胞因子调节哮喘炎症细胞转运机制的研究

目的 探讨Th2细胞因子IL-5、IL-13调节哮喘炎症过程中肺和骨髓之间的细胞转运机制。方法 建立哮喘动物模型,获取肺泡灌洗液,检测IL-5、IFN-γ,浓度并进行病理分析;应用原位杂交技术检测肺组织IL-5、IL-13 mRNA表达和骨髓IL-5mRNA表达;免疫组化法观察肺、骨髓IL-5免疫反应细胞;流式细胞仪检测骨髓CD34、CD3阳性细胞。结果 哮喘组肺泡灌洗液IL-5浓度明显高于对照组(P<0.001);哮喘组肺组织病理改变显示小气道痉挛,管壁周围炎性细胞浸润,以嗜酸粒细胞、淋巴细胞为主;哮喘组肺组织IL-5、IL-13 mRNA表达较对照组显著增加(P<0.01);哮喘组骨髓IL-5 mRNA阳性细胞明显增加(P<0.001),与肺组织IL-5 mRNA表达的增高密切相关(P<0.05);此外,哮喘组肺组织和骨髓IL-5免疫反应细胞显著增加(P<0.01),骨髓CD34、CD3细胞均显著增高(P<0.01),并且CD34增高与骨髓细胞表达IL-5 mRNA密切相关(P<0.05)。结论IL-5可能在转录和转录后水平均参与调节骨髓嗜酸粒细胞的功能和炎症细胞在肺和骨髓之间的转运。     

Interleukin 17-Producing γδT Cells Increased in Patients with Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Although it has been known that y8 T cells may play an important role in the immune response to infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb), the mechanisms by which the T8 T cells participate in the innate and/or acquired immunity to tuberculosis (TB) have not been full elucidated. In the present study, 27 patients with active pulmonary TB and 16 healthy donors (HD) were performed. We found that proportion of IL-17-producing cells among lymphocyte was similar between TB patients and HD, whereas the proportions of γδ T cells in IL-17- producing cells (59.2%) and IL-17-producing cells in γδ T cells (19.4%) in peripheral blood were markedly increased in TB patients when compared to those in HD (43.9% and 7.7%, respectively). In addition, the proportions of IFN-γ-producing γδ T cells in TB patients were obviously lower than that in HD. Upon re-stimulated with M. tb heat-treated antigen (M. tb-HAg) in vitro, fewer IL-17-producing γδ T cells were generated from HD and TB patients, whereas IFN-γ-producing γδ T cells were increased in TB patients compared to that in HD. Our findings in TB patients and healthy human were consistent with other murine investigation that the IL-17- producing γδ T cells were main source of IL-17 in mouse model of BCG infection, suggesting that γδ T cells might be involved in the formation of tubercular granuloma in pulmonary TB patients, but need further identification. Cellular & Molecular Immunology. 2008;5(3):203-208.