Cytokine Production by Lymphocytes in Pregnancy

PROBLEM: In the presence of progesterone lymphocytes of pregnant women release a 34- kDa protein named the progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF). PIBF mediates the immunomodulatory and anti-abortive effects of progesterone and its presence is related to the outcome of pregnancy. PIBF induces production of Th2 type cytokines by activated lymphocytes. The in vivo relationship between PIBF- and cytokine production of pregnancy lymphocytes and the outcome of pregnancy was investigated. METHOD OF STUDY: Interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-10 production and PIBF expression in peripheral lymphocytes of 111 healthy pregnant women and 120 women at risk for premature pregnancy termination were detected by immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: We found increased IL-12 and low PIBF and IL-10 expression on lymphocytes of “risk” patients, and a high rate of IL-10 and PIBF positivity on lymphocytes from healthy pregnant women. The cytokine production pattern of the lymphocytes was related to the presence or absence of previous abortions as well as to the outcome of pregnancy. CONCLUSION: These data suggest the involvement of an altered cytokine production pattern in the immunologic effects of progesterone.     

Influence of continuous infusion of interleukin-1 alpha on the core protein and the core protein fragments of the small proteoglycan decorin in cartilage.

Decorin, a collagen-binding small proteoglycan, is considered to have a specific function in the organization or stability of the collagen network. Therefore, alteration of its molecular properties may be of pathophysiological relevance during the development of cartilage damage. It is shown here that normal cartilage from rabbit knee-joint contains glycosaminoglycan chain-bearing core protein fragments of 39, 23, and 18 kDa, each one amounting to approximately 5-6% of the intact decorin core protein. Continuous infusion of human recombinant interleukin-1 alpha for 14 days (200 ng/day) into a knee-joint led in condylar cartilage to a reduction in the amount of intact core protein from 2 micrograms/mg wet tissue to about 1.1 micrograms/mg. The increase in its quantity found after infusion of heat-inactivated interleukin-1 was not statistically significant. The concentration of all three core protein fragments became reduced to a similar extent as the intact core protein under the influence of the cytokine, and additional fragments were not found. Surprisingly, there was a much smaller response to interleukin-1-treatment in patellar cartilage.     

Development and proliferation of lymphocytes in mice deficient for both interleukins-2 and -4

Interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-4 are considered as important regulators of growth and differentiation of lymphocytes. We report that in mice made deficient for both IL-2 and IL-4 by gene targeting all major T cell subsets and B cells were normal, indicating that IL-2 and IL-4 are not essential for development of the immune system. Paradoxically, proliferation of T cells was increased in both IL-2- and IL-4-deficient homozygous mice.     

辅酶Q10对大鼠阿霉素心脏毒性的保护作用

目的：研究辅酶Q10（CoQ10）对大鼠阿霉素心脏毒性的保护作用，并探讨可能的机理。方法：采用离体心脏灌流方法，实验分3组：对照组、阿霉素组、CoQ10组，监测大鼠心肌收缩幅度、冠脉流量、心电图的变化，并测定冠脉流出液肌酸磷酸激酶（CPK）活力和大鼠心肌丙二醛含量、超氧化物歧化酶、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）活力以及电镜下超微结构的改变。结果：CoQ10可改善阿霉素引起的大鼠心肌收缩幅度、冠脉流量下降，减少心律失常的发生，降低冠脉流出液CPK活力；CoQ10组心肌丙二醛含量明显低于阿霉素组、SOD和GSH-Px活力高于阿霉素组，电镜下超微结构变化亦优于阿霉素组。结论：CoQ10对阿霉素引起的心脏毒性具有保护作用，其机理可能与CoQ10拮抗阿霉素的氧自由基损伤有关。     

黄芪丹参复方成分对一氧化氮合成阻滞孕鼠模型血浆IL-1、IL-10变化的影响

目的探讨黄芪丹参复方成分提高胎盘血供的分子机制，为临床有效防治胎盘血供不足所致妊娠并发症提供思路。方法提取分离黄芪、丹参复方成分，运用NOS（一氧化氮合酶）阻滞剂L－精氨酸甲酯（L—NAME）建立一氧化氮合成阻滞大鼠模型，ELISA法检测妊娠18d大鼠血浆IL－1、IL－10水平。以及胎盘超微形态学变化，大鼠血压、尿蛋白变化，以及仔鼠重、肝重、脑重、胎盘重等。结果一氧化氮合成阻滞模型组IL－1含量明显高于空白组（P〈0．01），经黄芪丹参注射液治疗后，血浆IL－1水平比模型组降低（P〈0．05）；模型组IL－10含量较空白组低（P〈0．01），中药组血浆IL－10水平高于模型组（P〈0．05）；胎盘形态学、血压、尿蛋白以及仔重、仔肝重、脑重等均有显著差异（P〈0．05，P〈0．01）。结论黄芪丹参复方成分可能对妊娠早期母－胎界面免疫平衡具有调控作用，通过促进局部生理抑制性免疫反应增强和杀伤、排斥免疫反应减弱，从而有利于母胎循环构建，维持胎盘血液供应。     

精神分裂症患者致炎性细胞因子和酪氨酸羟化酶mRNA表达水平的研究

目的探讨精神分裂症的外周神经免疫机制及其与临床症状的关系。方法检测精神分裂症患者致炎性细胞因子白介素-1β（IL-1β）、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF—α）以及酪氨酸羟化酶（TH）的mRNA表达水平，采用逆转录-聚合酶链反应及半定量检测技术，分别检测39例精神分裂症患者（患者组）、25例同胞（同胞组）及30名正常对照（对照组）外周血单个核细胞（PBMC）IL-1β、TNF-α及TH基因表达水平，同时应用阳性和阴性症状量表（PANSS）评定精神分裂症患者临床症状。结果患者组、同胞组及对照组IL-1β的mRNA表达水平分别为1．52±1．01、1．52±1．09和0．74±0．38；TNF—α的mRNA表达水平分别为1．18±0．99、1．01±0．87和0．70±0．29；TH的mRNA表达水平分别为0．55±0．33、0．61±0．32和0．28±0．20。患者组和同胞组的IL-1β、TNF—α、TH的mRNA表达水平均明显高于对照组（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）。患者组IL-1β（r=0．420）、TNF—α（r=0．430）的mRNA表达水平与PANSS的-般病理症状分呈正相关（P〈0．01）。同胞组与对照组合并统计，IL-1β与TNF-α的mRNA表达水平呈正相关（r=0．847，P〈0．01）；IL-1β与TH的mRNA表达水平呈正相关（r=0．666，P〈0．01）。患者组仅IL-1β与TNF—α的mRNA表达水平呈正相关（r=0．942，P〈0．01）。结论精神分裂症患者PBMC细胞TH、IL-1β和TNF—α的mRNA表达水平高于正常，且与精神分裂症的-般病理症状显著相关。     

休克期切痂对烫伤大鼠全身和肠道局部免疫功能的影响

目的　观察休克期切痂对烫伤大鼠全身和肠道局部免疫功能的影响 ,探讨其可能的机制。　方法　选用 96只Wistar大鼠。取其中 2 4只大鼠的躯干部皮肤冻存于液氮中 ,另取 8只作正常对照组。余下 6 4只造成 30 %TBSAⅢ度烫伤后 ,随机分为A组 2 4只 ,伤后不作任何处理 ;B组 2 4只 ,伤后 2 4h腹腔注射等渗盐水 5 0ml/kg,一次性切痂后用上述冻存异体皮覆盖 ;C组 1 6只 ,伤后 72h进行处理 ,方法同B组。检测A、B组大鼠伤后 2、4、8d和C组伤后 4、8d及正常对照组大鼠的脾淋巴细胞增殖功能、血浆和肠组织白细胞介素 (IL)2水平、肠黏液分泌型免疫球蛋白A(sIgA)及肠组织中二胺氧化酶 (DAO)含量的变化。　结果　各时相点下A、B、C组大鼠脾淋巴细胞增殖功能、血浆IL 2水平、肠组织IL 2及肠黏液sIgA含量均较正常对照组减少。B组伤后 4、8d和C组伤后 8d的脾淋巴细胞增殖功能接近正常对照组 ,血浆和肠组织IL 2水平明显高于A组 (P <0.0 1)。伤后 4、8d,B组肠黏液sIgA含量分别为 (3.5 1± 2 .1 4 )、(3.0 3± 0 .95 )mg/g,C组分别为 (1 .4 0± 0 .6 4 )、(1 .5 2± 1 .2 6 )mg/g,B组较C组增加近 1倍 (P 0.0 1 )。A组伤后 4、8d肠组织DAO活性低于正常对照组和B组 (P 0.0 5)。结论　休克期切痂有助于烫伤大鼠全身和肠道     

卵巢癌细胞多种细胞因子基因表达的研究

本文应用RT-PCR方法,检测5例刚分离的晚期上皮性卵巢癌患者肿瘤细胞和3例卵巢痛患者腹水中肿瘤细胞IL-2、IL-2R、TNF-a,IL-6、TGF-p、IL-10等细胞因子基因的表达,用免疫学方法检测卵巢癌细胞上清液中IL-6活性。结果发现:卵巢癌肿瘤细胞表达IL-6mRNA和抑制性细胞因子TGF-p、IL-10。腹水中存在较多量lL-6可能来自肿瘤细胞。     

Differential effects of IL-1ra on sickness behavior and weight loss induced by IL-1 in rats

Peripheral and central injections of recombinant human interleukin-1β (IL-1β) have been shown to decrease social exploration and to induce body weight loss in rats. To characterize the receptor mechanisms of these effects, we used as a tool a specific antagonist of the receptors of IL-1, IL-1ra. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of IL-1ra (8 mg/kg) blocked the effect of i.p. injection of IL-1β (4 μg/rat) on social behaviour but not on body weight. Central administration of IL-1ra (60 μg/rat, i.c.v.) abrogated the effects of centrally administered IL-1β (30 ngn/rat, i.c.v.) on both social behaviour and body weight. Central injection of IL-1ra (4 μg/rat, i.c.v.) also attenuated the effects of i.p. administered IL-1β (4 μg/rat) on social behaviour but not on body weight. These results suggest that the effects of IL-1β on social behavior are mediated centrally and that its effect on the loss of body weight involves different receptor mechanisms.     

Keratinocyte-derived Cytokines and UVB-Induced Immunosuppression

Ultraviolet radiation (UVB) in sunlight is known to have multiple effects on the immune system. Evidence suggests that UVB-induced immunosuppression is mediated in part by immunosuppressive and immunoregulatory cytokines. Our studies have utilized gene-targeted mutant mice to determine key molecular requirements essential for the development of UVB-induced immunosuppression. Preliminary results from our laboratory suggest that TNF-α plays a regulatory role in contact hypersensitivity, but is not a crucial factor for UVB-induced immunosuppression, and that multiple factors are involved in the induction of UVB mediated immunosuppression.