In vitro inhibitory effects of thymol and carvacrol on dendritic cell activation and function

Context: Thyme has been used in traditional medicine for medicinal purposes since ancient times.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of thymol and carvacrol as two major constituents of thyme on dendritic cells (DCs) maturation and T cell activation.

Materials and methods: Splenic DCs were treated with non-cytotoxic concentrations of the components and then analyzed for MHC II, CD86, and CD40 expression by flow cytometry. The effects of compounds on mitogenic, as well as allogenic T cell responses in mixed lymphocyte culture (MLR) and the release of cytokines were investigated.

Results: At 0.1?µg/ml, reduced mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) of CD86 for thymol (80.3?±?0.2% of untreated control) and CD40 for carvacrol (79.5?±?0.14%) was observed (p?<?0.001). Decreased mitogenic T cell proliferation by thymol [proliferation index (PI) from 0.93?±?0.11 at 1?µg/ml to 0.42?±?0.16 at 100?µg/ml (p?<?0.01)] and carvacrol [PI from 1.08?±?0.3 at 1?µg/ml to 0.28?±?0.1 at 100?µg/ml (p?<?0.001)] was seen. Ten micrograms/ml thymol (PI, 0.85?±?0.04) and carvacrol (PI, 0.89?±?0.03) inhibited allogenic T cell response (p?<?0.05). Decreased IFN-γ level in MLR supernatant from 1441?±?27.7?pg/ml in untreated cells to 944?±?32.1 at 10?µg/ml of thymol and of carvacrol (886?±?31.7?pg/ml) (p?<?0.01) was found. IL-4 levels were decreased in the presence of both compounds (p?<?0.01).

Conclusion: These data showed the suppressive effects of thymol and carvacrol on DCs maturation and function, as well as T cell responses.     

Plasma IL-4, IL-8, IL-12, interferon-γ and CRP levels in pregnant women with preeclampsia,and their relation with severity of disease and fetal birth weight

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hypothesis that preeclampsia is associated with increased systemic inflammatory responses of Th1-type as well as decreased Th2-type responses compared with normal pregnancy. We also sought to determine whether there was a correlation between these markers with severity of preeclampsia and fetal birth weight. Methods: The study population consisted of maternal age, gestational age, and body mass index matched 138 pregnant women; 56 normotensive healthy pregnant women (group 1), 42 women with mild preeclampsia (group 2), 40 women with severe preeclampsia (group 3). Results: Plasma interleukin (IL)-8 and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were significantly higher in group 3 than group 1 (p?<?0.05). Plasma IL-4, IL-12, and interferon (IFN)-γ levels were similar in all groups. Although plasma IL-8 and CRP levels of mild preeclamptic group were higher than control group and lower than severe preeclamptic group, the differences were not statistically significant. There was a positive correlation between IL-12 and fetal birth weight in severe preeclamptic group (p?<?0.05). Conclusions: Elevated maternal serum pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8 and CRP in severe preeclamptic women compared with normal pregnant women supports the hypothesis that preeclampsia is associated with increased inflammatory responses.     

无症状生殖道感染的男性不育患者γH2AX、白细胞亚群与精子DNA损伤关系研究

目的分析无症状生殖道感染的男性不育患者γH2AX、白细胞亚群与精子DNA损伤的关系。方法选取2016年8月至2018年8月银川市妇幼保健院泌尿外科门诊诊治的94例无症状生殖道感染男性不育患者作为研究对象。将这94例患者作为观察组,另选取同时期进行健康体检的94例有生育能力的健康男性作为对照组。采用免疫细胞法、流式细胞术检测精液中CD45^+白细胞、巨噬细胞系CD14^+抗原、活化巨噬细胞细胞HLA-DR^+细胞浓度及γH2AX含量,之后比较两组受试者精液中γH2AX、白细胞亚群水平与8-OHDG表达情况。结果观察组患者的精液γH2AX百分含量,CD45^+、CD14^+、HLA-DR^+白细胞亚群水平及8-OHDG精子百分率显著高于对照组受试者精液,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。精液γH2AX百分含量与8-OHDG精子百分率的呈正相关,差异具有统计学意义(r=0.295,P<0.05);CD45^+、CD14^+、HLA-DR^+等白细胞亚群与8-OHDG精子百分率呈正相关,差异具有统计学意义(r=0.376,r=0.191,r=0.252,P<0.05)。结论无症状生殖道感染的男性不育患者精液γH2AX百分含量、CD45^+、CD14^+、HLA-DR^+白细胞亚群水平显著高于健康男性,且精子DNA损伤与γH2AX含量、不同白细胞亚群浓度呈正相关。     

玉屏风散加味方治疗慢性荨麻疹及其对血清白介素-4、干扰素-γ和IgE的影响

目的探讨玉屏风散加味方治疗慢性荨麻疹疗效及其对血清白介素（IL）-4、干扰素（IFN）-γ与IgE的影响。方法97例慢性荨麻疹患者随机分玉屏风散治疗组和咪唑斯汀对照组，观察疗效与复发率。采用双抗体夹心ELISA法检测玉屏风散治疗前后IL-4、IFN-γ和IgE水平。结果两组疗效差异无显著性（P＞0．05），治疗组复发率低于对照组（P〈O．01）。玉屏风散治疗组治疗后血清IgE、IL-4较治疗前明显下降（P〈O．01），而IFN-γ明显升高（P〈O.01）。结论玉屏风散加味方治疗慢性荨麻疹有效，可能与血清IgE、IL-4下降，IFN-γ升高有关。     

抗原致敏树突状细胞抗小鼠白念珠菌系统感染的实验研究

目的研究不同形态白念珠菌致敏的小鼠骨髓来源树突状细胞(DC)对免疫抑制小鼠白念珠菌系统感染的免疫保护作用及所对应的细胞因子改变。方法孢子相和菌丝相白念珠菌在体外分别致敏小鼠骨髓来源的DC(BM-DC),测定混合培养上清IL-12水平;尾静脉回输免疫抑制小鼠体内后,ELISA法测定各组小鼠脾IFN-γ及IL-4水平,并检测肾携菌量。结果DC孢子致敏组上清IL-12水平(380.2±104.13)pg/mL明显高于DC菌丝致敏组和对照组(P<0.05);而DC菌丝致敏组(74.79±23.47)pg/mL与单纯DC培养组上清IL-12水平(19.71±9.21)pg/mL差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。孢子致敏DC、菌丝致敏DC分别过继免疫小鼠后,前者脾脏IFN-γ水平(269.43±17.34)pg/g明显高于其他组(P<0.05),IL-4水平(6.23±0.37)pg/g则明显低于其他对照组(P<0.05);荷菌一周后孢子致敏DC回输组小鼠肾携菌量(3.58±2.32)×102CFUs与健康小鼠荷菌组比较无统计学意义(P>0.05);其他各组间肾携菌量比较则有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论尾静脉回输白念珠菌孢子体外致敏的小鼠骨髓来源DC可有效诱导免疫抑制小鼠抗白念珠菌保护性免疫。     

清热凉血汤对寻常性银屑病患者Th1／Th2型细胞因子的影响

目的观察清热凉血汤对寻常性银屑病患者Th1／Th2型细胞因子的影响。方法将88例患者随机分为两组，对照组口服阿维A胶囊，治疗组在此基础上给予清热凉血方。结果疗效观察：治疗8周后．两组疗效比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05），治疗8周后干扰素（IFN）-γ、白介素（IL）-2两组均有明显下降（P〈0．05），但治疗组下降更为明显（P〈0．05），与对照组相比有统计学意义（P〈0．05），治疗组IL-4、IL-10有明显升高（P〈0．05），与对照组相比有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论清热凉血汤对于Th1／Th2免疫反应的影响，主要是抑制Th1型免疫反应．提高Th2型免疫反应从而使银屑病患者失衡的Th1/Th2型反应相对地向Th2型免疫反应方向改变而达到临床症状的缓解。     

HR-HPV感染后宫颈微环境中免疫炎症因子变化

目的 探讨宫颈局部微环境中免疫炎症因子白介素（interleukin,IL）-12、白介素-4（IL-4）、干扰素（interferon,IFN）-γ浓度变化与宫颈高危型人乳头瘤病毒（high-risk hapillomavirus,HR-HPV）感染之间的关系.方法收集进行了HPV DNA分型检测的患者宫颈灌洗液共180例,根据患者组织病理结果将宫颈灌洗液分组为：① HPV（-）的非宫颈病变组25例,②HPV（-）的宫颈炎组24例,③ HPV 16/18/58（＋）的试验组131例.其中试验组包括31例宫颈上皮内瘤样病变（CIN）及100例宫颈癌患者.应用酶联免疫法（enzyme linked immunosorbent assay,ELISA）检测180例患者宫颈微环境中IL-12、IL-4、IFN-γ的浓度.结果 ①实验组相对于其他各组IL-4的浓度明显升高,而IL-12、IFN-γ的浓度明显降低（P﹤0.05）;②在试验组中,HPV 16（＋）组中IL-12、IFN-γ浓度明显低于HPV 18（＋）组、HPV 58（＋）组（P﹤0.05）,IL-4浓度明显高于HPV 18（＋）组、HPV 58（＋）组（P﹤0.05）,IL-12、IFN-γ、IL-4在HPV 18（＋）组与HPV 58（＋）组中浓度差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）.结论 宫颈HR-HPV感染及宫颈癌的发生与宫颈局部微环境密切相关,宫颈局部微环境中IL-12、IL-4、IFN-γ因子的变化可促进CIN及宫颈癌的发生发展.     

促愈熏洗方对肛瘘术后患者创面愈合及创面肉芽组织的影响

目的:观察促愈熏洗方对肛瘘术后创面愈合的临床疗效及创面肉芽组织中共刺激分子(CD86)、甘露糖受体1(CD206)、白介素-1β(IL-1β)表达的影响。方法:将93例肛瘘术后患者按随机数字表法分对照组(n=47)、观察组(n=46); 对照组接受痔疾洗液坐浴熏洗治疗,观察组接受促愈熏洗方坐浴熏洗治疗; 比较两组疗效、创面愈合率,记录创面疼痛、创缘水肿、创面分泌物情况,并检测两组创面肉芽组织中CD86、CD206、IL-1β表达及血清干扰素-γ(IFN-γ)、诱导型一氧化氮合酶(iNOS)、转化生长因子-β(TGF-β)水平。结果:两组疗效等级比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05); 术后14、21、28 d观察组创面愈合率高于对照组(P<0.05); 与术后1 d比较,两组术后3、7、14 d的创面疼痛评分、创缘水肿评分、创面分泌物评分显著下降,观察组低于对照组(P<0.05); 观察组肉芽组织中CD86、IL-1β表达较对照组显著减弱,肉芽组织中CD206表达显著增强; 术后14 d,两组IFN-γ、iNOS水平显著下降、TGF-β水平均上升,观察组术后14 d IFN-γ、iNOS水平显著低于对照组,TGF-β水平高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论:促愈熏洗方用于肛瘘术后创面可提高疗效,改善创面局部免疫状态,抑制炎症反应,更利于创面愈合。