Endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in the rat: A study of inflammatory and immunological mechanisms

Endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) can be produced by systemic injection of endotoxin (ET). It is not clear yet why exclusive ocular involvement occurs in this model. To clarify this question and to establish the sequence of inflammatory events, EIU was induced in Lewis rats by footpad injection of Salmonella ET. Ocular inflammatory response (anterior chamber cells and proteins), aqueous inflammation mediators (thromboxane B₂, prostaglandin E₂, leukotriene B₄ and substance P) and MHC class 2 (Ia) antigen expression in the ciliary body were monitored for 72 hours. Thromboxane B₂ was detected early in the aqueous humor, peaking already 1 hour after ET injection. Prostaglandin E₂ & leukotriene B₄ peaks and a second peak of thromboxane B₂ were recorded 18 hours after ET-injection, at the time of maximal ocular inflammation. MHC-class 2 expression was first detected in the ciliary body stroma at the vascular level 6 hours after ET injection and was massively expressed in the ciliary body epithelium at 18 and 72 hours. It is hypothetized that ciliary body endothelium is particularly sensitive to the effect of ET and is the site of thrombocyte adherence. Vascular damage leads in succession to cellular infiltration, release of inflammation mediators and disruption of blood-ocular barrier. MHC-class 2 expression is a secondary phenomenon and is probably at the origin of additional tissue damage from immune effector mechanisms.     

THE EFFECT OF SOME α2-ADRENOCEPTOR AGONISTS AND ANTAGONISTS ON GASTROINTESTINAL TRANSIT IN MICE: INFLUENCE OF MORPHINE, CASTOR OIL AND GLUCOSE

1. The effects of graded doses of the α₂-adrenoceptor agonists clonidine, tizanidine and BHT-920, and the α₂-adrenoceptor antagonists yohimbine and idazoxan, on gastrointestinal transit were investigated in mice using the charcoal meal test. 2. The agonists produced significant and dose-dependent decreases in gastrointestinal transit, and the antagonists produced the opposite effect. In affecting the gastrointestinal transit, clonidine (1 mg/kg) was as effective as tizanidine (12 mg/kg) and BHT-920 (40 mg/kg), while yohimbine (2 mg/kg) was as effective as idazoxan (1 mg/kg). 3. Morphine (2, 4 and 8 mg/kg) significantly inhibited gastrointestinal transit. This effect was significantly reversed by the co-administration of yohimbine (2 mg/kg) and idazoxan (1 mg/kg). 4. The acute administration of glucose (5.04 g/kg, i.p.) potentiated the inhibition of gastrointestinal transit produced by clonidine (1 mg/kg) and BHT-920 (40 mg/kg). Glucose treatment, however, had no significant effect on the increase in gastrointestinal transit induced by yohimbine (2 mg/kg) or idazoxan (1 mg/kg). 5. Castor oil (0.25 mL/mouse, orally) induced diarrhoea in saline-treated animals within about 45 min. Clonidine (1 mg/kg), tizanidine (12 mg/kg) and BHT-920 (40 mg/kg) delayed the occurrence of diarrhoea to 2.1, 1.2 and 1.4 h, respectively.     

Comparison of the use of bulk to micro culture of cell preparations for lymphokine-activated cytotoxicity assays.

Different assay systems have been used to quantitate lymphokine-induced natural cytotoxic activity as a measure of immune status. This study compares the effects of inducing cytotoxicity in a bulk culture system, where effector cells are transferred to a micro culture well for assay, to a micro culture system where the effector cells are not transferred. The effector/target ratio for both the bulk and micro culture systems was calculated using the number of viable effector cells present at the time of target cell addition. After overnight incubation with interleukin-2 (IL-2), the lytic activity of murine spleen cells to targets using a micro culture system was increased two-fold over the bulk culture method. This increase was amplified further after 5 days of activation with IL-2, in that the micro culture system resulted in a four-fold increase in cytotoxic activity. The loss of some adherent cells in the bulk culture system did not explain the overall decrease in recovered cytotoxicity. The difference appeared to be related to cell loss during centrifugation. Therefore, the E/T ratios are different in the two systems if not corrected for the number of viable cells.     

Multiple sclerosis: myelin basic protein induced mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines in mononuclear cells is suppressed by interferon-β 1b in vitro

Beta-interferon (IFN-β) is a promising treatment in multiple sclerosis (MS), reducing the exacerbation rate and MRI lesion burden, as well as the disease progression in relapsing-remitting MS. IFN-β was originally defined by its antiviral effects, but the interest has recently been focused on its immunomodulatory properties. Myelin basic protein (MBP) is one of several autoantigens considered to be the target for autoaggressive immune responses, which eventually might lead to the development of MS. To study in-vitro effects of IFN-β1b on MBP induced cytokine expression, mRNA for the Th1 cytokines IFN-γ and TNF-α, the Th2 related IL-4 and IL-6, the cytolytic perforin and the immune response downregulating TGF-β was measured with in situ hybridization after culture of blood mononuclear cells (MNC) in the presence and absence of MBP. Numbers of cells expressing IFN-γ, TNF-α, perforin and IL-4 mRNA were significantly suppressed after culture with 10 U/ml IFN-β1b. No such effect was seen on MBP induced IL-6 or TGF-β mRNA expression. These observations suggest that one of the major effects of IFN-β1b is the induction of a shift in the cytokine mRNA profile towards a more immunosuppressive pattern. In parallel in vitro tests, the control substance dexametasone (40 μg/ml) reduced the numbers of cells expressing mRNA for all cytokines under study with the exception of TGF-β, to an extent equal to or even more pronounced than IFN-β1b.     

Spontaneous subcapsular hepatic hemorrhage associated with pregnancy: Report of a case

We report herein a case of spontaneous subcapsular hepatic hemorrhage which occurred in a 33-year-old woman 1 day after she had been delivered of her second child by cesarean section following an uneventful pregnancy. She complained of right upper quadrant pain on the 1st postoperative day, and computed tomography (CT) showed subcapsular low-density masses in both liver lobes, while extravasation was demonstrated by CO₂ intraarterial digital subtraction angiography (IADSA). The hemorrhage was successfully controlled by transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE). However, on the 3rd day after TAE, an exploratory laparotomy was performed to establish an exact diagnosis to explain the persistent abdominal pain and abnormal liver function tests. Subcapsular hematomas in both lobes were confirmed and no visible laceration was present. The patient recovered gradually by spontaneous absorption of the hematomas and was discharged on the 22nd postoperative day. Spontaneous hepatic hemorrhage associated with pregnancy is a very rare complication, and establishing a correct diagnosis and initiating appropriate therapy are essential for this life-threatening disease.     

战士体内VitB_1、VitB_2储备水平检测

选择南方热区某特种部队战士５２人，分两组分别口服５ｍｇＶｉｔＢ１和ＶｉｔＢ２，收集４ｈ尿液，用荧光法进行负荷试验。结果：ＶｉｔＢ１组，所测２９人中，１５人缺乏，９人不足，２人正常，３人充裕；ＶｉｔＢ２组，所测２３人中，１１人缺乏，１２人不足，反映该部队全年约５％的发病是由于ＶｉｔＢ１、ＶｉｔＢ２缺乏不足所致。其原因为膳食摄入不够     

白细胞介素—2新的功能位点及其中枢镇痛作用

白细胞介素－２（ＩＬ－２）不仅是重要的免疫调节因子，而且还具有重要的中枢调节作用。本实验以钾离子透入引起大鼠甩尾反应为指标，发现侧脑室注射ＩＬ—２能显著提高动物痛阈，并能被纳洛酮所阻断，表示ＩＬ－２的中枢镇痛作用可能与阿片受体有关。利用基因定位突变技术获得的无免疫活性ＩＬ－２实查体仍具有中枢镇痛作用，表明ＩＬ—２分子上发挥镇痛和免疫调节作用的功能位点是相互独立的。纳洛酮能够阻断ＩＬ—２的中枢镇痛作用，而不能影响ＩＬ—２增殖ＣＴＬＬ－２细胞的作用，提示ＩＬ－２发挥镇痛和免疫调节作用可能通过不同的受体途径。ＩＬ－２分子中第４５位Ｔｙｒ残基突变为Ｖａｌ后，虽仍保留了免疫活性，但丧失了镇痛功能，表示４５位Ｔｙｒ残基是ＩＬ—２发挥中枢镇痛功能的关键残基之一。我们推测ＩＬ—２的镇痛功能位点可能在ＩＬ—２分子中第４５位Ｔｙｒ残基附近区域。     

肠溶阿斯匹林剂量和血阿斯匹林及水杨酸盐浓度与药效关系探讨

本文探讨了ＡＳＡ剂量与药效的关系及血ＡＳＡ、ＳＡ药物浓度监测的临床意义，结果表明：（１）ＡＳＡ剂量与６－ｋｅｔｏ－ＰＧＦ_（１α）抑制率呈正相关（Ｐ＜０．０１），而与ＴＸＢ_２及ＰＡｇＲ抑制率无相关性（Ｐ＞０．１）；（２）本文采用ＨＰＬＣ内标法同时测定血ＡＳＡ和ＳＡ浓度，结果准确，方法简便；（３）当口服小剂量ＡＳＡ防治ＣＩ时，监测血ＡＳＡ和ＳＡ以调整ＡＳＡ用药剂量的临床价值并非十分重要。     

Pain-related somatosensory evoked potentials following CO2 laser stimulation in peripheral neuropathies

Pain-related somatosensory evoked potentials (pain SEPs) following CO2 laser stimulation were examined in 30 patients with peripheral neuropathies, and the results were compared with clinical sensory findings. Pain SEP findings showed a significant correlation with the clinical impairment of pain sensation, but not with the impairment of deep sensations. In contrast, conventional electrically-stimulated SEPs (electric SEPs) showed a significant correlation with deep sensations, but not with the impairment of pain sensation. Examinations of both pain SEPs and electric SEPs, therefore, are considered to be very useful to evaluate physiological functions of sensory nerves in patients with peripheral neuropathies.