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Objective: To investigate whether immune response could change the number of CD4(+);IL-17(+);Th17 cells and the concentrations of IL-17 and IL-23 in the serum and lymph of asthmatic rats., Methods: Both serum and lymph CD4(+);IL-17(+);Th17 cell numbers were measured by flow cytometry. The concentrations of IL-17 and IL-23 in the serum and lymph were assayed by ELISA. The expression of IL-23 p19 mRNA was examined by quantitative real-time PCR., Results: Mononuclear cells (MNC) were collected from the blood and lymph of rats 0, 24 and 48 hours after final ovalbumin stimulation and were subsequently cultured for 18 hours. The serum and lymph of the asthma group produced higher amounts of CD4(+);IL-17(+);Th17 cells, and higher levels of IL-23p19 mRNA, than those of the healthy controls (P < 0.05). In addition, compared to lymph, serum had significantly lower amounts of CD4(+);IL-17(+);Th17 cells, decreased expression of IL-23p19 mRNA, and reduced IL-23 and IL-17 concentratons (P < 0.05). Cytokines and cell numbers of Th17 cells from the asthma group significantly increased compared with that of control group., Conclusion: These data suggested that asthma-driven CD4(+);IL-17(+);Th17-cell proliferation and release of IL-17 and IL-23 may be associated with different immune activities between the serum and lymph.

Objective: To observe the changes of thoracic duct lymph volume and the contents of histamine (HA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), etc. in the lymph after acupuncture or thermal acupuncture interventions, in order to investigate the effect of lymphatic system in transmitting acupuncture and moxibustion signals., Methods: A total of 45 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group, acupuncture group, and thermal acupuncture (acupuncture with the needle warmed by burning moxa) group (n = 15/group). The rat thoracic duct lymphatic fistula model was replicated. Acupuncture or thermal acupuncture was applied to "Zusanli" (ST 36), and the changes of thoracic duct lymph volume and the concentrations of HA, 5-HT in the lymph were observed., Results: Compared with the control group, the thoracic duct lymph volume in acupuncture group and thermal acupuncture group were obviously increased (P < 0.05), while the concentrations of lymph HA and 5-HT in both acupuncture and thermal acupuncture groups had no significant changes (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: Both acupuncture and thermal acupuncture interventions can increase the thoracic duct lymph volume, but have no effects on lymph HA and 5-HT contents in normal rats.

Objective: To investigate the mechanisms of the oil-in-oil nanoemulsions transport through the gastrointestinal tract and the transport efficiency changed with its different particle size in the lymphatic channels., Method: The behavior of nanoemulsions in vivo and their absorption via lymph after oral administration was investigated, with the transport efficiency and absorption pathway of nanoemulsions clarified by lymph duct cannulation in rats., Result: It suggested about 36.8% of puerarin nanoemulsions was transported into systematic circulation via lymph. Nanoparticles with different size absorbed by the lymphatic channels varied as the degree of transportion., Conclusion: The degree of absorption and particle transport is inversely proportional to the size.

Objective: To set up a method for the drainage of lymph fluid and explore the change of active materials in lymph fluid and serum after rat ischemia-reperfusion injury., Methods: The method of the drainage of lymph fluid was well established. Sixteen healthy male rats of SPF grade were selected and randomly divided into 2 groups: intestinal ischemia-reperfusion + drainage group (I/R + drainage group) and drainage group. All the rats were subjected to superior mesenteric artery occlusion for 60 minutes, followed by 120 minutes of reperfusion. We compared the change of high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) protein, endotoxin tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL) -1 beta, IL-6, and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecular-1 (sICAM-1) by draining lymph fluid and collecting serum in 2 groups., Results: The drainage of lymph fluid was successfully performed. The HMGB1, endotoxin, and cytokines in serum and lymph fluid were significantly higher in ischemia-reperfusion group than in drainage group (P < 0. 05)., Conclusions: The method for drainage of lymph fluid is simple and feasible. Endotoxin, HMGB1, and some cytokines in serum and lymph fluid may mediate the ischemia-reperfusion injury.

The model of serious hemorrhagic shock was established in the condition of asepsis and mesentery lymph was taken out. As control, normal mesentery lymph fluid, normal portal vein blood and shock portal vein blood of rats were taken out. The primary mesentery micro-lymphatic endothelial cells (MMLECs) of passages 3 were treated by different treatment factors, respectively. The cells proliferation by shock lymph and normal lymph of different final concentrations was measured using MTT method. The cell cycle arrest was analyzed by flow cytometry, and the electrophoresis analyze on DNA of cell nucleus was observed. The expressions of relative genes of apoptosis such as fas, fasL, bcl-2 and bax of MMLECs were detected by RT-PCR. The results showed that the MMLECs proliferation was decreased when the concentration of shock lymph increased to some extent and showed statisticly significant difference compared with normal lymph group. The cells cocultured with shocking lymph fluid at 4% final concentration showed that apoptosis rate of MMLECs was (35.4 +/- 1.6)%, and G0-G1 cell population was higher and the proportion of S+G2-M cell population was lower than that of other groups, and the DNA ladder was observed in electrophoresis of cell nucleus DNA at same time. And the expressions level of fas, fasL and bax mRNA were higher and bcl-2 mRNA was lower in shock lymph group than that of control group. The results demonstrated that shock lymph could reduce the cells proliferation, interfere with cell cycle, and accelerate high expression of apoptosis accelerative genes. As a result, shock lymph could induce the MMLECs apoptosis.

Objective: To investigate the influence of trauma-hemorrhagic shock on endotoxin (ET), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in mesenteric lymph and blood of rats., Methods: Mesenteric lymph from trauma-hemorrhagic shock rats were collected, levels of ET, TNF-alpha and IL-6 in mesenteric lymph were compared with those from blood samples., Results: Levels of ET, TNF-alpha and IL-6 in mesenteric lymph were elevated during shock period (all P<0.05), and they were decreased to normal range after resuscitation, with an exception of high IL-6 level up to 2 hours following resuscitation., Conclusion: The bacterial translocation could occur during shock period via lymphatic pathway, thereby leading to the increase in TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels, as well as systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

Objective: To study the dynamic changes in the lymphokines and the changes in tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels in the lymph during shock stage of rats with major burns., Methods: Forty-two male adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into burn resuscitation group (A, n = 18), burn non-resuscitation (B, n = 18) and the control (C, n = 6) groups. The TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-8 levels in the lymph were determined with radioimmunoassay at 6, 24, 48 postburn hours (PBH). The lymphokines in the mesenteric lymphatic vessels was observed at 6, 24 and 48 PBH with inverted microscopy and digital image processing, and the contraction frequency of the lymphatic was calculated. The lymph was collected by cannulation of the chylous cistern, and its speed of flow was calculated., Results: The lymphatic contents of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in both A and B groups began to increase at 6PBH, reaching the peak values at 24 PBH (TNF-alpha in A and B groups were 1.61 +/- 0.27 ug/L and 1.86 +/- 0.34 ug/L, respectively; IL-6 in A and B groups were 398 +/- 67 ng/L and 572 +/- 97 ng/L, respectively), and they were significantly higher than those in C group at each time points (P < 0.01), meanwhile there was also obvious difference in them between A and B groups (P < 0.01). The lymphatic contents of IL-8 in A and B groups began to increase at 24 PBH, and continued to increase till 48PBH (540.29 +/- 0.32 ng/L in A group, 863.48 +/- 105.16 ng/L in B group), which were evidently higher than those in C group (P < 0.01). There was significant difference in IL-8 contents between A and B groups (P < 0.01). The contraction frequency of the mesenteric lymphatic vessels in A and B groups were decreased, especially so at 24 PBH (P < 0.01). The speed of lymphatic flow in A and B groups was increased at each time points (P < 0.01). The central chylous vessels in the villi of the small intestine were extremely dilated as seen under microscope., Conclusion: After burn injury, the lymphatic vessels dilated, with its motility decreased and speed of flow increased, and the contents of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-8 in lymph were increased during the shock stage of burn rats. Fluid resuscitation could improve the lymph circulation.

Objective: To study the cranial-cervical lymph return and pathway in rabbit in order to provide the experimental and theoretical basis for the study of intracranial metastasis of cervical tumor and extracranial metastasis of intracranial tumor., Method: The distribution and clearance of tracers were observed after microinjection of lymph developer labeled by 99mTc into cerebral cortex and deep cervical lymph nodes of rabbit., Results: In the cerebral cortex microinjection with 99=Tc-labeled lymph developer group, the radioactivity were detected in Willis artery, deep cervical lymph nodes and venous blood. The radioactivity curve was the same in Willis artery and deep cervical lymph nodes. The peak in the artery blood was higher than that in venous blood. In the lymph nodes microinjection with 99mTc-labeled lymph developer cervical group, the radioactivity were detected in skull base dura mater, brain, cerebrospinal fluid and venous blood. The peak in skull base dura mater showed earlier than that in cerebrospinal fluid and brain. The peak in venous blood was the last, but the radioactivity in it was the highest., Conclusion: The cranial-cervical lymph return in rabbit is existent. Their pathway perhaps is Willis artery, skull base dura mater and cerebrospinal fluid circulation.

In this study we analysed the interactions between initial lymphatic and interstitium, examined the procedure of lymph formation, developed the interaction theory for lymph formation, and showed that not only interstitial fluid prssure but also normal stress of interstitial solid phase should be considered and that lymph flow rate is greatly affected by interstitial porosity.

Objective: The regulation of macrophage nitric oxide on peritoneal lymphatic stomata was studied for revealing the mechanism of ultrafiltration failure during long-term peritoneal dialysis., Methods: (1) The model of peritoneal dialysis was created by using peritoneal dialysate; (2) Dynamic measurements of nitric oxide (NO) were made during peritoneal dialysis and its cessation; (3) The pathological change of the peritoneal mesothelium in different dialysis time was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM); (4) Dynamic changes of the peritoneal lymphatic stomata were studied during this experiment by using a computer image processing system attached to SEM., Results: Numerous macrophages went into the peritoneal cavity through the lymphatic stomata to form a lot of milky spots during peritoneal dialysis. A great quantity of NO produced by macrophages damaging mesothelial cells and increasing numbers and density of lymphatic stomata. After 40 days of peritoneal dialysis, the diameters of the lymphatic stomata were significantly increased in Bieffe group (P < 0.05). During cessation of peritoneal dialysis, few macrophage milky spots were observed and NO quantity was gradually decreased. Then the mesothelium damage began to repair and the peritoneal lymphatic stomata tended to become normal., Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that a great quantity of NO produced by macrophages would damage peritoneal mesothelium and relax lymphatic stomata which enhance lymphatic reabsorption from the peritoneal cavity so as to make ultrafiltration failure on long-term peritoneal dialysis.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of NAC (N-acetylcysteine) on endotoxin induced acute lung injury in unanesthetized sheep. The results showed that NAC attenuated the responses to endotoxemia, and the rise in pulmonary artery pressure was significantly diminished, and the rise of TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha in plasma and lung lymph was less significantly for NAC + E than for E alone. The QL (lung lymph flow), PC (lung lymph protein clearance) and PS (pulmonary capillary surface permeability area) were significantly decreased in NAC + E group. The lipid peroxide contents in artery plasma and lung lymph were not increased in NAC-treated group. We conclude that NAC is capable of attenuating all pathophysiologic changes after endotoxin infusion, blocking the reaction of oxygen free radicals, and protecting lungs from oxidant damage.

Unlabelled: Local transvascular fluid exchange and generalized hemodynamic alterations in second degree burned goats were studied. Prefemoral and lung lymph fistulas were prepared in 6 goats under local and pentobarbital anesthesia. The catheters were externalized and secured to the skin for collecting lymph to record the volume and determine the mediators in it. Recovering for 2-3 days after surgery, aortic, central venous and Swan-Ganz catheters were placed through a neck incision under local anesthesia. After baseline measurement of physiological parameters and samples, the goats were given a 30% partial thickness scald burn (85 degrees C water 10-15 sec.) on the hide of bilateral flanks, posterior chest and thighs under ketamine anesthesia. The burned area was reddened. Vascular pressures, cardiac output, hematocrit (Hct), lymph flow, protein concentration and thromboxane B2 (TxB2) were measured prior to burn and hourly after injury for the 7 hr period., Results: Blood pressure and cardiac output decreased rapidly after burn. Pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa) elevated for 2 hours. Hct increased significantly, indicating that 30% second degree burn produced both systemic and pulmonary hemodynamic changes. Burn lymph increased two-fold over baseline, lymph to plasma ratio (L/P) elevated, lymph protein clearance (lymph flow x L/P) increased, suggesting vascular permeability in burn area increased. Burn lymph TxB2 elevated, corresponded in time to lymph protein clearance, however, the cause-result relationship could not be defined. TxB2 in lung lymph and arterial plasma elevated 1 hr postburn, it may be the cause of increased Ppa. Lung lymph flow and L/P postburn unchanged.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)