Immunobiology of lnterleukin-12

Interleukin-12 (IL12) is a heterodimeric cytokine which is produced by phagocytic cells and antigen-presenting cells within a few hours of infection, particularly in the case of bacteria and intracellular parasites, and acts as a proinflammatory cytokine, activating natural killer (NK) cells, and, through its ability to induce interferon-γ (IFNγ) production, enhancing the phagocytic and bacteriocidal activity of phagocytic cells and their ability to release proinflammatory cytokines, including IL12 itself. Furthermore, IL12 produced during the early phases of infection and inflammation, sets the stage for the ensuing antigen-specific immune response, favoring differentiation and function of T helper type 1 (Th1) T cells while inhibiting the differentiation of Th2 T cells. Thus, IL12, in addition to being a potent proinflammatory cytokine, is a key immunoregulator molecule in Th1 responses.     

Dectin-2 is predominantly myeloid restricted and exhibits unique activation-dependent expression on maturing inflammatory monocytes elicited in vivo

Dectin-2 is a recently described dendritic-cell-associated receptor, suggested to be involved in the initiation and maintenance of UV-induced tolerance. To understand the physiological relevance of the proposed functions of this C-type lectin-like receptor, we have generated monoclonal antibodies against its extracellular domain and performed a detailed study of its expression. In naive mice, Dectin-2 has a novel distribution pattern compared with other myeloid markers, but is predominantly expressed by a wide variety of tissue macrophages. Its expression was limited on dendritic cells and notably absent from brain microglia and choroid plexus or meningeal macrophages. On peripheral blood monocytes, Dectin-2 expression was very low on the surface but was transiently and markedly up-regulated on induction of inflammation in vivo using a variety of stimuli. This change in Dectin-2 expression occurs on 'inflammatory' monocytes after arrival at the inflammatory lesion as demonstrated by adoptive cell-transfer studies, and is independent of whether the macrophages elicited by the stimuli ultimately expressed Dectin-2. These observations show Dectin-2 expression to be characteristic of monocyte activation/maturation at an inflammatory lesion and provide a new perspective on the interpretation of Dectin-2 function in vivo.     

Divergent effects of prostaglandin receptor signaling on neuronal survival

Induction of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) with production of prostaglandins occurs in a wide spectrum of acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases and is associated with neuronal death. Inhibition of the COX-2 pathway and downstream production of prostaglandins protect neurons in rodent models of cerebral ischemia and neurodegeneration. Recent studies investigating the functions of selected prostaglandin receptor pathways in mediating COX-2 neurotoxicity have demonstrated both toxic and paradoxically neuroprotective effects of several receptors in models of excitotoxicity. In this study, we investigate the functions of additional prostaglandin receptors not previously characterized in organotypic models of glutamate excitotoxicity. We find that PGD₂, PGI₂, and PGF_2α receptors protect motor neurons in an organotypic spinal cord model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In addition, PGI₂ and TXA₂ receptors rescue CA1 neurons in an organotypic hippocampal model of N-methyl-d-aspartate excitotoxicity. However, in a model of inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide, prostaglandin receptors previously found to be protective in excitotoxicity now cause CA1 neuronal death. Taken together, these studies identify novel eicosanoid receptor signaling pathways that mediate neuronal protection in excitotoxic paradigms; these data also support the emerging hypothesis that the toxic/protective effects of eicosanoid signaling on neuronal viability diverge significantly depending on whether excitotoxicity or inflammation predominates as the underlying toxic stimulus.     

炎症介导的外周神经致敏在感染后肠易激综合征发病中的作用研究

目的： 应用实验性结肠炎动物模型探讨炎症介导的外周神经致敏在肠易激综合征（IBS）内脏高敏感状态发生中的作用。 方法： 应用三硝基苯磺酸（TNBS） 灌肠造成实验性结肠炎动物模型，在炎症的不同时期（灌肠后7 d，21 d,42 d），用免疫组织化学法测定支配远端结肠的脊髓背根神经节初级传入神经元上感觉性神经递质CGRP和感受伤害性刺激的受体VR1的表达,比较炎症不同阶段降钙素基因相关肽（CGRP）和香草酮受体1(VR1) 阳性神经元的比例，以期验证炎症介导的外周神经致敏是否肠易激综合征内脏高敏感状态发生的重要机制。 结果： 炎症急性期（给予TNBS后7 d），支配炎症肠段的脊髓背根神经节初级传入神经元上CGRP和VR1的表达明显高于生理盐水对照组（P<0.05）；而且这种异常增高的表达可以持续存在至炎症消退后,即灌肠后21 d和42 d CGRP和VR1的表达仍高于生理盐水对照组（P<0.05）。 结论： 炎症介导的外周神经致敏是内脏高敏感状态发生的机制之一,这种高敏感状态在炎症消退后一定的时间内可以持续存在,因此炎症介导的外周神经致敏在感染后IBS的发生中具有重要的作用。     

不同剂量阿托伐他汀对急性冠脉综合征患者体内炎症反应、血小板活性及纤溶活性的影响

目的观察不同剂量阿托伐他汀对急性冠脉综合征(ACS)患者外周血中总胆固醇(TC)、高敏C反应蛋白(hs-CRP)、白细胞介素-6(IL-6)、血栓素B2(TXB2)、血小板颗粒膜蛋白-140(GMP-140)、血浆纤溶酶原激活剂抑制物-1(PAI-1)水平及血浆组织型纤溶酶原激活剂(t-PA)活性的影响。探讨阿托伐他汀对ACS防治的可能机制及不同剂量阿托伐他汀的安全性。方法ACS患者65例,在拜阿斯匹林、氯吡格雷等基础治疗外随机分为三组,分别给予阿托伐他汀10mg/d、20mg/d、40mg/d睡前服用。入院第1天、第14天分别抽取空腹静脉血16ml。测定hs-CRP、IL-6、TXB2、GMP-140、t-PA、PAI-1及TC、天冬氨酸转氨酶(AST)、丙氨酸转氨酶(ALT)、肌酸激酶(CK)。采用SPSS13.0统计软件对检测结果的组间及治疗前后进行比较。结果三组TC、hs-CRP、IL-6、TXB2、GMP-140、PAI-1治疗后均有下降、t-PA活性上升,治疗后三组间比较亦有差异;而三组治疗前后CK、ALT、AST组间无显著差异,治疗后无显著上升,以上结果均有统计学意义。结论阿托伐他汀对ACS患者血脂及炎症反应、血小板活性、纤溶活性有积极作用,并在一定范围内随着剂量的增加而加强,同时具有良好的安全性。     

Changes in extracellular potassium concentration in cat spinal cord in response to innocuous and noxious stimulation of legs with healthy and inflamed knee joints

Summary In 20 cats anaesthetized with alpha-chloralose and spinalized at the thoracolumbar junction we investigated the role of stimulation induced accumulation of extracellular potassium in the spinal cord in the processing of nociceptive discharges from the knee joint. For that we electrically stimulated the posterior articular nerve of the knee. We further performed innocuous and noxious stimulation of the knee and of other parts of the leg and studied the effect of an acute inflammation of the knee on [K⁺]₀ in the spinal cord. Innocuous stimulation of the skin (brushing or touching) and innocuous movements in the knee joint all induced rises in [K⁺]₀ which were maximal at recording depths of 1500 to 2200 m below the surface of the cord dorsum. Peak increases were 0.4 mM for touching the leg and 1.7 mM during rhythmic flexion/ extension of the knee joint. Noxious stimulation of the skin, the paw, the tendon and noxious movements of the knee joint also produced rises in [K⁺]₀, which were somewhat larger for the individual types of stimuli than those produced by innocuous intensities. Electrical stimulation of the posterior articular nerve induced rises in [K⁺]₀ by up to 0.6 mM. Stimulus intensities sufficient to activate unmyelinated group IV fibers were only slightly effective in raising [K⁺]₀ above the levels reached during stimulation of myelinated group II and III fibers. During development of an acute inflammation of the knee joint (induced by kaolin and carrageenan), increases in [K⁺]₀ and associated field potentials became larger by about 25%. We assume that this reflects an increase in neuronal responses. In conclusion, changes in [K⁺]₀ in the spinal cord are some-what larger during noxious stimulation than during innocuous stimulation. The absolute level reached depended more on the site and type of stimulation than on the actual stimulus intensity itself. Hence a critical role of spinal K⁺ accumulation for nociception is unlikely.     

Timosaponin B-II improves memory and learning dysfunction induced by cerebral ischemia in rats

Sapogenins from Anemarrhenae asphodeloides was reported to improve the learning and memory abilities. In this study, we investigated the effect of Timosaponin B-II(TB-II), a purified extract from A. asphodeloidesb on rat vascular dementia (VD) produced by transient (2 h) middle cerebral artery occlusion. The learning and memory abilities of rats were measured by water maze task and passive avoidance task. Daily oral administration of TB-II at two different dose levels of 100 and 200 mg/kg resulted in a significant improvement of the deficit in the learning of the water maze task, beginning 14 days after ischemia. Shortened mean escape latency was detected in TB-II group compared with model group during the same trial days. TB-II treatment also significantly reversed the ischemia-induced retention deficit determined by a one trial step-down type of passive avoidance task. Meanwhile, the expression of interleukin-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, and its receptor were significantly increased in TB-II treated VD rats. The results presented the first evidence of a neuroprotective effect of TB-II in the model of vascular dementia. We suggest that the anti-dementia effect by TB-II is derived at least in part from its anti-inflammatory properties.     

过氧化物酶增殖体激活受体α在急性肺损伤大鼠肺组织的表达及其意义

目的: 观察内毒素(LPS)复制的急性肺损伤（ALI）大鼠肺组织过氧化物酶增殖体激活受体α（PPARα）表达的变化,探讨PPARα在ALI中可能的作用。方法: 将40只雄性Wistar大鼠随机分为对照组、LPS致伤1 h组、2 h组、4 h组和8 h组。用LPS(5 mg/kg) 静脉注射复制大鼠ALI模型，分别在LPS致伤后1 h、2 h、4 h、8 h时处死大鼠，测定各组肺组织湿/干重比（W/D）及肺组织病理变化；采用RT-PCR法检测肺组织中PPARα mRNA的表达；采用免疫组化法检测肺组织中PPARα的表达。结果: LPS致伤后2 h、4 h、8 h肺组织W/D均显著高于对照组（均P< 0.01）；LPS致伤后2h、4h PPARα mRNA表达分别显著低于对照组（均P < 0.01）；而LPS致伤4h和8h组PPARα表达阳性细胞数显著低于对照组（均P< 0.05）。结论: PPARα在ALI大鼠肺组织表达降低。表明PPARα在急性肺损伤的发病机制中具有重要作用。