Benznidazole prevents endothelial damage in an experimental model of Chagas disease

ObjectivesTo evaluate the effect of benznidazole on endothelial activation in a murine model of Chagas disease.MethodsA low (30 mg/kg/day) and a high (100 mg/kg/day) dose of benznidazole were administered to mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi during the early phases of the infection. The effects of the treatments were assessed at 24 and 90 days postinfection by evaluating the parasitaemia, mortality, histopathological changes and expression of ICAM in the cardiac tissue. The blood levels of thromboxane A₂, soluble ICAM and E-selectin were also measured. T. cruzi clearance was assessed by the detection of parasite DNA in the heart tissue of infected mice.ResultsBenznidazole decreased the cardiac damage induced by the parasite, and amastigote nests disappeared at 90 days postinfection. Both doses cleared the parasite from the cardiac tissue at 24 and 90 days postinfection. In addition, benznidazole decreased the thromboxane levels and normalized the plasma sICAM and sE-selectin levels by 90 days postinfection.ConclusionsEarly administration of benznidazole at a dose as low as 30 mg/kg eradicates T. cruzi from cardiac tissue. Additionally, benznidazole prevents cardiac damage and modulates endothelial activation as part of its antichagasic activity.     

高压氧辅助治疗对脑梗死患者血清细胞黏附分子及基质金属蛋白酶-9的影响及其临床意义

目的探讨高压氧（HBO）治疗对急性脑梗死患者血清细胞黏附分子及基质金属蛋白-9（MMP-9）水平的影响及其临床意义。方法将112例颈内动脉系统脑梗死患者随机分为HBO治疗组（HBO组）50例和常规治疗组（常规组）62例。常规组仅给予临床常规治疗，HBO组在常规治疗的基础上加用HBO治疗。另选择性别、年龄与之匹配的正常人30名，作为正常对照组（对照组）。采用酶联免疫吸附法检测HBO组和常规组患者治疗前、后以及对照组血清可溶性细胞问黏附分子（sICAM-1）、可溶性血管细胞黏附分子（sVCAM-1）、可溶性E-选择素（sE—selectin）以及MMP-9的水平。于治疗前与治疗10，30d后，采用美国国立卫生院脑卒中评分量表（NIHSS）对HBO组和常规组进行评分，评定其临床疗效。结果与对照组比较，HBO组和常规组入院时血清slCAM-l、sVCAM—1、sE—selectin和MMP-9浓度均明显增高（P〈0．01）。HBO组和常规组各检测指标治疗前比较，差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05），治疗10d后均有下降（P〈0．01），且HBO组低于常规组（P〈0．05或0．01）。HBO组与常规组经治疗后，NIHSS评分明显下降（P〈0．05或0．01），治疗30d后，HBO组NIHSS评分明显低于常规组（P〈0．05），2组临床疗效比较，HBO组优于常规组（P〈0．05）。结论HBO辅助治疗能显著降低脑梗死患者血清sICAM—1、sVCAM-1、sE-selectin和MMP-9的水平，提高临床疗效；HBO可能通过影响细胞黏附功能和MMP-9的表达发挥治疗作用。     

E选择素、P选择素在人脑胶质瘤中的表达意义

目的通过检测E选择素、P选择素在人脑胶瘤中的表达,探讨其与胶质瘤浸润发展的关系。方法采用免疫组织化学SP法分别检测E选择素、P选择素在61例人脑胶质瘤和8例正常人脑组织中的表达。结果①E选择素、P选择素在胶质瘤组中的阳性表达率分别为60.7%、57.4%;较对照组明显增高（P〈0.05）。②E选择素在胶质瘤Ⅰ～Ⅱ级组和Ⅲ～Ⅳ级组中的阳性表达率分别为46.9%、75.9%,随肿瘤级别增高表达水平也明显增高（P〈0.05）。P选择素在不同级别胶质瘤中的表达率差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。③E选择素、P选择素在人脑胶质瘤中的表达无显著相关（R=0.14498,P=0.2649）。结论E选择素、P选择素可能与人脑胶质瘤的浸润发展有关。