Demonstration of synergistic effects of hyperthermia and photodynamic therapy using the chick chorioallantoic membrane model.

The chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model was used to study vascular effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and hyperthermia (HPT) and the synergism of these modalities. The CAM is a convenient medium for monitoring the modifications of the vasculature. It is possible to view the CAM and to examine structural changes of individual blood vessels in real time. Moreover, the CAM is a closed system which lends itself to mathematical modeling of the temporal and spatial temperature profile and in which HPT can be performed quantitatively and to a selected depth, using different lasers. A porphyrin-type photosensitizer solution was applied to areas of the CAM, defined by teflon O-rings placed on the surface. Uptake dynamics of the sensitizer into the CAM was determined by analyzing its fluorescence in vivo. The CAM area was irradiated with a dual-wavelength laser system composed of a dye laser at 644 nm (to induce PDT) and a CO2 laser at 10.6 microns (to bring about HPT). Damage to the CAM vasculature, due to combined PDT+HPT, was compared to the outcome of the separate modalities, and a synergistic effect of about 40% was observed.     

Natural killer cell activity and CSF monoamine metabolites in suicide attempters

The aim of this study was to investigate markers of serotonin and immune function in suicidal patients. Cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells (NK) and CD16 lymphocytes were studied in 28 suicide attempters and 26 healthy controls, and related in patients to 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Patients with CSF 5-HIAA below the median had significantly lower NK cell activity than other patients. CD16 cell frequency was significantly lower in patients than in controls, and patients also tended to have lower NK cell cytotoxicity than healthy controls. There were no statistically significant correlations between 4-hydroxy-3methoxyphenyl glycol (HMPG), homovanillic acid (HVA), CSF cortisol and NK cell activity. The results support the hypothesis of compromised immune function in suicidal patients with evidence of disordered serotonin function.     

Altered enzyme activities of xenobiotic biotransformation in kidneys after subchronic administration of 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone (MX) to rats

Activities of the xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes were measured in the liver, kidney, duodenum and lung microsomes and cytosol fractions of Wistar rats after subchronic administration of 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone (MX), a potent bacterial mutagen in chlorinated drinking water. MX was administered by gavage at the dose level of 30 mg/kg for 18 weeks (low dose), or at the dose level which was raised gradually from 45 mg/kg for 7 weeks via 60 mg/kg for 2 weeks to a clearly toxic dose of 75 mg/kg for 5 weeks (high dose). Microsomal and cytosolic preparations were made and the activities of 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD), pentoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase (PROD), NADPH-cytochrome-c-reductase, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UDPGT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were measured. Kidneys were affected most. A dose-dependent decrease was observed in EROD (90% in males, 80% in females at the high dose) and in PROD (58% in females, at the high dose) in kidneys. An increase was, however, detected in kidney NADPH-cytochrome-c-reductase (66% in females at high dose), UDPGT (89% in males and 97% in females at high dose) and GST activities (56% in males and 50% in females at high dose). MX caused only a few changes in the enzyme activities of the liver. The EROD activity was decreased 25% to 37%, both in the livers of males and females, but the total content of P450s was not altered. Hepatic GST activity was elevated in females in a dose-dependent manner (31% and 44%). GST activity was elevated in duodenum in females (59%) at the high dose. There were no marked changes in the enzyme activities in the lungs. MX was a weak inhibitor of EROD activity both in the liver and kidney microsomes in vitro, decreasing the EROD activity by 53% and 43%, respectively at the concentration of 0.9 mM. The results indicate that MX decreases the activity of phase I metabolism enzymes, but induces phase II conjugation enzyme activities, particularly in kidneys in vivo. It is possible that these changes contribute to metabolism of MX in kidneys and renders them susceptible to MX in the course of repeated exposure.     

Correlation between inflammatory cellular responses and chemotactic activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid following intratracheal instillation of nickel sulfate in rats

In a preceding study, we reported that the numbers of macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) were increased in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) following the intratracheal instillation of nickel sulfate (NiSO₄) in rats. In the present study, BALF chemotactic activities for both macrophages and PMN were measured to investigate if the increases of these inflammatory cells in BALF depend on increases in chemotactic activities in epithelial lining fluid (ELF) of the lung. Both the number of PMN and the PMN chemotactic activity peaked at 2 days post-instillation and they were significantly correlated. However, the PMN chemotactic activity was inversely correlated with concentration of leukotriene B₄ (LTB₄), a well-known chemotaxin. Although PMN were not observed in control BALF, LTB₄ concentration in the control ELF (ca. 5×10^–7 M) was estimated to have a potential to attract PMN chemotactically through a membrane in in vitro migration assay. These results suggest that the presence of LTB₄ in ELF itself does not trigger transpulmonary PMN infiltration. The rat BALF were fractionated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and PMN chemotactic activity of each fraction was measured. The elution profiles of PMN chemotactic activity showed that there were at least two different chemotaxins in BALF obtained from the NiSO₄-exposed rats. Macrophage chemotactic activity in BALF also peaked at 2 days post-instillation. However, the number of macrophages was not significantly correlated with the chemotactic activity for macrophage in BALF. The HPLC study showed that the macrophage chemotactic substance in the BALF obtained from NiSO₄-exposed rats was different from complement fragment (C5a) and its MW was estimated to be 10 – 12 kD. Received: 1 December 1993/Accepted: 16 March 1994     

A Comparative Study on the Effect of BCG-PSN and Thymopeptides on T-lymphocyte Subsets of Normal and Immunosuppressed Mice

Polysaccharidenucleicacidfractionofbacilluscalmetteguerin (BCG PSN ,SiqikangInjection)andthymopeptidesarenowtwowidelyusedimmunomod ulatorsinclinicalpractice .Theyareusuallyusedasanadjuvanttherapyforvirusinfection ,autoimmunediseasesandneoplasms ,whichhavebeenclinicallyprovedtobeeffective .Somereportsdemonstratedthattheybothcanstimulatetheproliferationanddif ferentiationofT lymphocytes.However ,theexactmechanismshavenotbeenelucidatedyet .InordertocomparetheirmodulatingmechanismsonT lympho c…     

D4S1647、D6S2414基因座在中国汉族、蒙古族、藏族的遗传多态性

目的 调查D4S1647、D6S2414基因座在中国汉族、蒙古族、藏族群体中的遗传分布规律。方法 采集308份血及唾液标本应用PCR技术，扩增产物用非变性聚丙酰胺凝胶电泳分离，银染显色分析。结果 两位点各群体基因型频率分布均符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡，每一位点等位基因频率分布在各群体间无显著差异；通过对10个汉族家系的遗传模式分析，证实了两位点等位基因传递遵循孟德尔遗传规律。结论 D4S1647、D6S2414基因座在中国汉族，蒙古族，藏族群体均具有高度遗传多态性。     

EphB4反义寡核苷酸对人脑胶质瘤细胞增殖、凋亡及迁移的作用

目的观察EphB4反义寡核苷酸(ASODN)对人脑胶质瘤细胞增殖、凋亡及迁移的影响,探讨EphB4的生物学功能。方法人工合成EphB4 ASODN,脂质体转染U87细胞。分别应用RT-PCR以及免疫组织化学染色方法检测EphB4 mRNA和蛋白质,评估阻抑效应;并应用MTT法和流式细胞术检测细胞的增殖和凋亡;采用Boyden侵袭小室法检测细胞迁移和侵袭力。结果(1)由脂质体转染的EphB4 ASODN对U87细胞EphB4 mRNA和蛋白质表达具有不同程度的抑制作用,且呈现一定的时间-剂量依赖性,600nmol/LASODN作用于U87细胞72h,EphB4 mRNA相对表达量为0.30±0.05,EphB4蛋白表达水平亦明显减弱。(2)各实验组EphB4 ASODN对U87细胞增殖均具有抑制作用,呈明显时间-剂量依赖性;以600nmol/LASODN作用72h,U87细胞生长抑制率达到68.70%,而对照组则无明显抑制作用。(3)EphB4 ASODN诱导U87细胞凋亡呈剂量依赖性。(4)EphB4 ASODN组U87细胞的跨膜数为17.82±2.35,与空白对照组及NSODN组比较差异具有统计学意义(P<0.01)。结论EphB4在人脑胶质瘤细胞增殖、凋亡、迁移和侵袭过程中发挥重要作用,可能成为脑胶质瘤基因治疗的一个新靶点。     

异丙酚对MPTP损伤的小鼠黑质多巴胺神经元的保护作用

目的　观察异丙酚对 1 甲基 4 苯基 1,2 ,3 ,6 四氢吡啶 (1 methyl 4 phenyl 1,2 ,3 ,6 tetrahydropyridineMPTP)损伤的小鼠纹状体多巴胺神经元的影响以及可能的作用机制。方法　给予Propofol 10 0mg/ (kg·d)后注射MPTP 2 0mg/ (kg·d) ,用药 6d。 12d后分离纹状体应用高效液相 -电化学方法检测纹状体多巴胺、二羟基苯乙酸及高香草酸的含量水平 ,应用12 5I- β-CIT放射性配基和免疫组化的方法检测多巴胺转运蛋白的活性和黑质神经元的损伤情况。结果　异丙酚可增加MPTP模型鼠多巴胺及其代谢产物的含量 ,异丙酚处理组DA ,DOPAC ,HVA的含量分别为 (8.2 417± 1.692 ) μg/ g、(1.3 81± 0 .486) μg/g和 (1.63 3 9± 0 .5 73 ) μg/ g ,与MPTP损伤组比较 ,明显增加。异丙酚亦可抑制黑质酪氨酸羟化酶 (TH)阳性神经元的减少。MPTP组注射MPTP 6d后 ,纹状体DAT为 (5 .3 13± 0 .64 2 )与正常组 (6.992± 0 .5 48) μg/ g比较显著下降 (P <0 .0 1) ,P +M组纹状体DAT为 (6.5 65± 0 .40 5 ) ,明显高于MPTP组 (P <0 .0 1) ,即减轻纹状体内多巴胺转运蛋白密度下降。结论　异丙酚对MPTP损伤的DA神经元具有一定的保护作用 ,其保护作用可能与抑制多巴胺转运蛋白活性有关     

精神分裂症服用氯氮平能降低其甲状腺素水平的对照分析

目的探索氯氮平治疗是否影响T3、T4和TSH水平.方法对17例精神分裂症患者,给予氯氮平治疗第4天和第4周末分别测定T3、T4和TSH水平.结果治疗第4周末的T3(3.309±0.689)、T4(9.449±1.941)水平比第4天的T3(3.915±0.850)、T4(11.178±2.180)水平明显降低(P均＜0.05).结论氯氮平治疗能降低甲状腺素水平.