Expression of interleukin-18 by nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells: a factor that possibly initiates the massive leukocyte infiltration

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a single-chain cytokine that is produced by various cells. With interleukin-12 (IL-12), it synergistically stimulates activated T cells and natural killer (NK) cells to produce interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most common form of nasal and nasopharyngeal malignancy, and in NPC tumor tissues there is an intense leukocyte infiltration comprising predominantly T cells and macrophages. We previously showed an increased expression of IFN-gamma in the infiltrating T cells. To identify the cells that provide IL-12 and IL-18 for stimulating the expression of IFN-gamma in activated T cells, NPC cell lines CNE-2 and HK-1, as well as biopsies obtained from NPC and control individuals, were examined. CNE-2 and HK-1 cells were found to express messenger RNA encoding IL-18, but not IL-12. Secreted IL-18 was detected in the culture supernatant. Addition of a caspase-1 inhibitor decreased the secretion level, indicating that this IL-18 secretion was caspase-1 dependent. Moreover, the in vitro IL-18 production in NPC cell lines correlated with the NPC tumor cells in situ. NPC tumor cells in the biopsies produced IL-18, as detected by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescent double staining. In contrast, IL-18 expression was not observed in the control biopsies. We suggest that IL-18 secreted by NPC tumor cells plays a role in initiating the leukocyte infiltration process. IL-18 stimulates T cells and NK cells to produce IFN-gamma, which consequently activates macrophages and other immune cells to secrete chemokines to start a leukocyte recruitment cascade.     

社区老年人心理卫生保健模式分析研究

目的研究社区老年人的心理健康状况及其心理卫生保健模式。方法采用心理调查问卷并进行统计分析，结果社区老年人心理健康水平与全国成人相比存在明显差异。结论本研究顾示，社区老年人心理健康问题突出，对此提出相应心理卫生保健模式以期改善老年人心理健康状况。     

慢性乙肝患者血清趋化因子RANTES水平与肝功能生化指标等的相关性研究

Objective To investigate the level of the serum chemokine RANTES and its correlation with serum biochemical indices of liver function test, HBeAg and HBV DNA load in patients with chronic hepatitis B.Methods 144 patients with chronic hepatitis B (observed group) and 18 normal cases (control group) were enrolled in this study. The serum level of chemokine RANTES was detected with an ABC-ELISA assay. Statistical analysis was performed on the software of SPSS13.0. Results The serum chemokine RANTES level in the observed group (3930.12 ng/ml±2856.96) ng/ml was significantly higher than that in the control group (329.46 ng/ml±152.23) ng/ml. The results from the observed group indicated the positive correlation of serum RANTES level with indices of liver function test, including ALT (r=0. 197, P=0.018), AST(r=0.239, P=0.004) and TBil (r=0.316, P=0.001), but did not with PTA (r=-0.078, P=0.357). Neither difference of serum chemokine RANTES level between HBeAg-positive group and HBeAg-negative group nor that between high HBV DNA load group (≥105 copies/ml) and low HBV DNA load group (< 105 copies/ml) were statistically significant (P=0.407 and 0.185, respectively). Conclusions Serum chemokine RANTES level in patients with chronic hepatitis B elevates significantly and is not affected by HBeAg or HBV DNA load. Its positive correlation with indices of liver function test indicates that RANTES might play an important rule in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B.     

急性鸭乙型肝炎病毒感染病毒清除机理研究

目的 :进一步阐明嗜肝病毒自然感染过程中病毒清除机理。方法 :7只 2～ 3月龄成年重庆麻鸭静脉接种 10～ 2 0mlDHBV阳性血清 (5× 10 8～ 1× 10 9genome) ,接种后每周采血检测外周血中DHBVDNA、DHBsAg和特异抗体的产生 ;感染后第10、35天分离外周血单个核细胞用于抗原特异细胞增殖实验 ;第 5、30、6 0天取肝组织标本进行DHBVDNASouthern杂交、DHB sAg免疫组化及肝组织病理检测。结果 :DHBV感染成年鸭在 1～ 2w潜伏期后出现急性、一过性感染 ,感染高峰期肝内存在多拷贝的DHBV所有复制中间体形式 ,包括cccDNA。进一步分析显示病毒血症的消失是在快速抗原特异细胞增殖反应和高滴度特异抗体产生之后 ;与此同时 ,整个急性感染期间 ,肝细胞并无明显的损害。结论 :非细胞直接损伤机制在嗜肝病毒清除过程中发挥了重要作用。     

人参银杏复方制剂对缺氧复氧后大鼠海马CA1区GABA、Glu表达的影响

目的：探讨人参银杏复方制剂对缺氧复氧后海马CAI区神经元的保护作用机制。方法：应用低压氧舱仿海拔8000米高空缺氧模型，采用免疫组织化学及免疫荧光方法并结合图像分析等技术，观察预防性应用人参银杏复方制剂对缺氧24h复氧0h、24h时段海马CAI区GABA、Glu表达的影响。结果：缺氧24h复氧卟组海马CAI区GABA免疫反应阳性神经元数量、Glu免疫反应阳性神经元荧光强度分别较常氧对照组减少和减弱，复氧24h后上述变化更加明显。预防性应用人参银杏复方制剂后海马CAI区GABA免疫反应阳性神经元数量在复氧0h和24h时较常氧对照组多，以复氧0h时增加最明显；Glu免疫反应阳性神经元荧光强度在复氧0h、24h时段也较缺氧复氧实验组相应时段增加。结论：人参银杏复方制剂可增加缺氧复氧后海马CAI区GABA表达及防止Glu过度释放，对缺氧复氧性脑损伤具有保护作用。     

音乐疗法治疗慢性精神分裂症疗效分析

目的 观察音乐疗法对慢性精神分裂症的治疗效果。方法 住院慢性精神分裂症患者64例，随机分为实验组和对照组，各32例，观察8周，以BPRS、SANS量表评定疗效。结果 两组患者BPRS、SANS评分差异均有显著性意义。结论 音乐疗法对慢性精神分裂症病人的康复治疗有一定疗效。     

Purification and characterization of a hemolysin produced by a clinical isolate of Kanagawa phenomenon-negative Vibrio parahaemolyticus and related to the thermostable direct hemolysin.

A clinical isolate (strain 4037) of Kanagawa phenomenon-negative Vibrio parahaemolyticus was studied. Although the strain was judged to be Kanagawa phenomenon-negative by various conventional tests, it produced a new hemolysin (named Vp-TRH, for thermostable direct hemolysin [Vp-TDH]-related hemolysin) that was related to the Vp-TDH produced by ordinary Kanagawa phenomenon-positive V. parahaemolyticus. Vp-TRH was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation and successive column chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose, hydroxyapatite, and Mono Q. The molecular weight of Vp-TRH was estimated as 48,000 by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, and the molecular weight of the subunit was estimated to be 23,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-slab gel electrophoresis. Thus, like Vp-TDH, Vp-TRH seems to be composed of two subunits. The isoelectric point of Vp-TRH was determined to be 4.6. Vp-TRH showed lytic activities different from those of Vp-TDH on erythrocytes from various animals, especially those from calves, chickens, and sheep. The hemolytic activity of Vp-TRH was labile on heat treatment at 60 degrees C for 10 min, unlike that of Vp-TDH. The immunological similarities, but not the identities of Vp-TRH and Vp-TDH, were demonstrated by Ouchterlony, neutralization, and latex agglutination tests. Thus, we conclude that this clinical isolate of Kanagawa phenomenon-negative V. parahaemolyticus produces a new type of hemolysin that is similar, but not identical, to Vp-TDH, which is usually produced by Kanagawa phenomenon-positive V. parahaemolyticus.