Search

Background and Aim: As a newly identified subset of T helper cells, T-helper 17 cells (Th17) are major mediators of inflammation-associated disease. Some reports have revealed significantly increased Th17 cells in hepatitis B virus-infected patients, and a recent study has demonstrated that hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific Th17 cells can be induced in vitro and regulated by transforming growth factor-β. This study attempted to characterize the role of Th17 cells in the disease progression of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Methods: The current study enrolled 53 patients with CHC and 23 healthy controls, in which the circulating and liver-infiltrating Th17 cells were monitored. Results: We found that CHC patients had increased proportions of both circulating and liver-infiltrating Th17 cells compared to healthy individuals, and both measures of Th17 cells were correlated with severity of liver inflammation. We further demonstrated that the HCV-specific Th17 cells were correlated with liver damage but not HCV viral replication. Conclusions: Such a correlation between the severity of liver damage of CHC and Th17 cells illustrated in this study sheds some light on the understanding of the pathogenesis of CHC.

A nonthermal process, high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), was used as a new extraction technique to obtain salidroside from Rhodiola sachalinensis. The leaching rates of salidroside were measured under different treatment conditions. When the material was treated under 500 MPa of hydrostatic pressure with 50 times of volume 60% (v/v) of ethanol solution as the extracting solvent, the leaching rate of salidroside was up to 0.401% in 3 min, while that of ultrasonic extraction was at 0.288% in 30 min and that of reflux extraction was at 0.302% in 120 min. The HHP extraction technique showed high efficiency in extracting salidroside at room temperature using moderate ethanol concentration. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Rhodiola is prevalently used as a safe and effective antifatigue drug and as an adaptogen around the world. But the common extraction methods used to yield commercial products are still traditional ones, which could easily lead some thermosensitive ingredients to lose their biologic activities. The nonthermal extraction method is the key point of the realization of herb modernization. The high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) technique can be operated at room temperature and can shorten processing time. The extract produced by the method has proved to be of higher extraction yield than traditional varieties. In addition, the HHP technique only consumes electric energy without exhaust emission, which is an environment-friendly method. In the future, we will cooperate with those far-seeing companies to achieve its industrialization. The annual sale of herbs in the whole world has reached 30 billion. We do not doubt the prospect of this technique.

CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+)Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play important roles in regulating allergic inflammation. To analyse if allergen-DNA-modified dendritic cells (DC) can suppress allergic responses and what roles Treg cells play in DC-based allergen-specific immunotherapy. Immature DC were transfected with retrovirus encoding Der p2 DNA, and administered to mice that sensitized and challenged with Der p2 protein. After Treg cells were depleted with anti-CD25 mAb, mice were re-challenged to observe the airway inflammation, and Treg cells in spleen CD4(+) T cells. And responses of spleen CD4(+) T cells to Der p2 were determined. Co-culture of naïve CD4(+) T cells with allergen-modified DC induced Foxp3+ Tregs. Sensitized and challenged mice developed allergic airway inflammation and Th2 responses, and decreased Foxp3(+) Tregs. Treatment with allergen-modified-DC suppressed airway inflammation and Th2 responses, and increased IL-10 and IFN-gamma production and Foxp3(+) Tregs significantly; and eliminated the responses of CD4(+) T cells to allergen. Administration of anit-CD25 mAb eliminated all the effects of modified-DC except for the increasing of IFN-gamma. Allergen-modified DC can induce immune tolerance to allergens and reverse the established Th2 responses induced by allergen, with dependence on the induction of Foxp3(+) Tregs.

Objective: Recent studies have found that theophylline exerts anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. This study was performed to compare the efficacy of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) combined with slow-release theophylline (SRT) with that of double-dose ICS in asthma control, anti-inflammatory activity and safety. Methodology: In a randomized, open, parallel, control trial, 41 patients with asthma were randomly treated with either beclomethasone dipropionate 500 µg b.i.d. (BDP group) or a combination of BDP 250 µg b.i.d and SRT 0.2 g b.i.d. (SRT/BDP group) for 6 weeks. At the start and at the end of treatment, lung function testing and sputum induction were performed, and plasma cortisol levels were measured. Sputum was analyzed for cell differential counts and the interleukin (IL)-5 level. Patients kept a record of peak expiratory flow (PEF), symptom score, and β2-agonist use. Results: Significant increases in the morning and the evening PEF and FEV1 were observed (P

Y-PSZ ceramics with 5 wt% Al 2 O 3 were synthesized by a sol-gel route. Experimental results show that powders of metastable tetragonal zirconia with 2.7 mol% Y 2 O 3 and 5 wt% Al 2 O 3 can be fabricated by decomposing the dry gel powder at 500°C. Materials sintered in an air atmosphere at 1500°C for 3 h have high density (5.685 g/cm 3 ), high content of metastable tetragonal zirconia (>96%), and high fracture toughness (8.67 MPa.m 1/2 ). Compared with the Y-PSZ ceramics, significant toughening was achieved by adding 5 wt% Al 2 O 3 .