Lipid-associated membrane proteins of Mycoplasma penetrans induce production of proinflammatory cytokines in human monocytic cells

The aim of this study is to explore potential pathogenicity of Mycoplasma penetrans, and to investigate whether M. penetrans lipid-associated membrane proteins （LAMPs） could induce human monocytic cell line （THP- 1 ） to produce some proinflammatory cytokines in vitro, including interleukin- 1β （ IL- 1β）, tumor necrosis factor alpha （TNF-α）, and IL-8. THP-1 was stimulated with different concentrations of M.penetrans LAMPs and at different time to analyze the production of human IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-8. The protein levels of human IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-8 were measured by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay （ELISA） and the mRNA levels of these proinflammatory cytokines were detected by reverse transcriptase-PCR （RT-PCR）. It was demonstrated in the present study that the production of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-8 increased in dose- and time-dependent manner after stimulation with M. penetrans LAMPs in THP-1 cells. M. penetrans LAMPs also induced the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-8 mRNA. The production of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-8 and the expression of mRNA were down-regulated by pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate （PDTC）. This study demonstrated that M. penetrans LAMPs can induce the production of proinflammatory cytokines in human monocytic cells in vitro, thus suggesting that it may be an important etiological factor.

Regulation of the expression of proinflammatory cytokines induced by SARS-CoV-2

An outbreak of a novel coronavirus was reported in Wuhan,China,in late 2019.It has spread rapidly through China and many other countries,causing a global pandemic.Since February 2020,over 28 countries/regions have reported confirmed cases.Individuals with the infection known as coronavirus disease-19(COVID-19)have similar clinical features as severe acute respiratory syndrome first encountered 17 years ago,with fever,cough,and upper airway congestion,along with high production of proinflammatory cytokines(PICs),which form a cytokine storm.PICs induced by COVID-19 include interleukin(IL)-6,IL-17,and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1.The production of cytokines is regulated by activated nuclear factor-kB and involves downstream pathways such as Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators transcription.Protein expression is also regulated by post-translational modification of chromosomal markers.Lysine residues in the peptide tails stretching out from the core of histones bind the sequence upstream of the coding portion of genomic DNA.Covalent modification,particularly methylation,activates or represses gene transcription.PICs have been reported to be induced by histone modification and stimulate exudation of hyaluronic acid,which is implicated in the occurrence of COVID-19.These findings indicate the impact of the expression of PICs on the pathogenesis and therapeutic targeting of COVID-19.

Effects of p38 MAPK inhibitor on the rat pain behavior and proinflammatory cytokines in a metastatic bone cancer pain model

Objective： To observe the effects of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase （MAPK） inhibitor SB203580 by intrathecal injection on the pain behavior and the spinal proinflammatory cytokines in a rat model of bone cancer pain induced by breast cancer cells. Methods： Eleven rats were used to establish the models of bone cancer pain, six rats were treated by intrathecal SB203580 injection, and the other 5 were as the controls. The paw withdrawal latency （PWL）, histology and the spinal levels of IL-1β and TNF-α were detected. Results： All the 11 rats presented evident bone destruction and thermal hyperalgesia after intra-tibial injection of breast cancer cells. No effect of SB203580 on the bone destruction was observed. However, following intrathecal injection of SB203580, the left PWLs （12.12± 1.26 s at 16 days and 12.99 ± 1.65 s at 19 days） were significant higher than that of controls （9.05 ± 1.08 s at 16 days and 8.55 ± 1.60 s at 19 days）, P 〈 0.05. Meanwhile, inkathecal injection of SB203580 evidently reduced the levels of spinal IL-1β and TNF-α. Conclusion： Intrathecal injection of SB203580 in a rat model of bone cancer pain cannot prevent the tibial destruction but significantly depress the thermalgia sensitivity, which might result from inhibiting inkacellular p38 MAPK signaling transduction, and thereby reducing the release of the proinflammatory cytokines.

Characteristics of Proinflammatory Cytokines and Chemokines in Airways of Asthmatics： Relationships with Disease Severity and Infiltration of Inflammatory Cells

Background：Increased proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines might contribute to infiltration of inflammatory cells and remodeling in airways of asthma.Although these molecules may be associated with asthma,there is lack of systemic evidence showing which and how important these events are in the disease.We aimed to analyze the concentrations of these molecules in the airways and relationships with disease severity and with airway infiltration of inflammatory cells in a large cohort of asthmatics （n =70,including 37 mild and 33 moderate/severe asthmatics） compared with controls （n =30）.Methods：Meso scale discovery system and commercial ELISA kits were used to measure the concentrations ofproinflammatory cytokines interleukin （IL）-1 β;tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）;IL-6;and IL-17 and CC and CXC chemokines CCL2,CCL4,CCL 11,CCL 13,CCL17,CCL22,and CCL26 and CXCL8,CXCL9,CXCL10,and CXCL1 1 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of asthmatics and controls.Results：The concentrations ofIL-1,TNF-α,IL-6,CXCL8 and CXCL 10,and CCL4,CCL 11,CCL 17,and CCL22 were significantly elevated in asthmatics compared with controls （P 〈 0.05）.The concentrations of TNF-α and CXCL8,but not others,were negatively correlated with severity of disease （lung function forced expiratory volume in 1 s） （TNF-α vs.total：r =-0.359,P =0.002 vs.moderate/severe：r =-0.541,P =0.001;CXCL8 vs.total：r =-0.327,P =0.006 vs.moderate/severe：r =-0.625,P =0.0001,respectively）.In addition,concentrations of these two molecules were also correlated with the absolute numbers of infiltrating eosinophils and neutrophils in asthmatic airways.Conclusions：Increased concentrations of TNF-α and CXCL8 are associated with pathogenesis of asthma.Targeting these molecules might provide an alternative therapeutic for this disease.

Adipokines,cytokines and body fat stores in hepatitis Cvirus liver steatosis

AIM: To identify patients with or without liver steatosis and its severity in treatment-na?ve patients affected by hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection.METHODS: We included 56 HCV infected patients, and assessed the amount of liver fat by histomorphometry, and its relationships with fat and lean mass at different parts of the body(by densitometry), hormones [insulin, homeostatic model assessment(HOMA)], adipokines(resistin, adiponectin, leptin), and cytokines(tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-6).RESULTS: Although the intensity of liver steatosis is related to trunk fat mass and HOMA, 33% of patients showed no liver steatosis, and this finding was not related to body mass index or genotype. Besides trunkfat mass, no other factor was related to the presence or not of liver steatosis, or to the intensity of it, by multivariate analysis. Lean mass was not related to liver steatosis. Adiponectin levels were lower among patients. No differences were observed in leptin and resistin.CONCLUSION: Steatosis in HCV infection is common(67.2%), and closely related to trunk fat, and insulin resistance, but not with leg fat mass or adipokines.

Antidepressant effects of Yuanzhi (Polygalae Radix) extract on chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression in rats: modulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and NF-κB pathway

Objective To investigate the antidepressant effects of Yuanzhi(Polygalae Radix;PR)aqueous extract on chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS)-induced depression rat models and the underlying mechanisms.Methods A total of 40 male Sprague Dawley(SD)rats were randomly divided into control;model;low dose of PR(PR-L;0.5 g/kg);high dose of PR(PR-H;1 g/kg);and fluoxetine(10 mg/kg)groups;with 8 rats in each group.Except for the rats in control group;those in the other four groups underwent CUMS-induced depression modeling.PR and fluoxetine were administered intragastrically once daily;30 min prior to the CUMS procedure;for 14 consecu-tive days until the behavioral tests were performed.After CUMS modeling;the sucrose prefer-ence test(SPT);open field test(OFT);novelty-suppressed feeding test(NSFT);forced swim test(FST);and tail suspension test(TST)were employed to assess the pharmacological ef-fects of PR on the mitigation of depressive-like behaviors in rat models.Additionally;the en-zyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was utilized to quantify the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α;interleukin(IL)-6;and IL-1βin the rats.Western blot analysis was al-so conducted to evaluate the protein expression levels of nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB);in-ducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS);cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2);nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain(NOD)-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3);apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing caspase recruitment domain(ASC);and caspase-1 in the hippocampal tissues of the rats.Immunofluorescence staining was per-formed to observe the morphological changes in ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 positive(Iba-1+)cells in the dentate gyrus(DG)of rats with CUMS-induced depression.Results(i)Treatment with PR-H and fluoxetine resulted in significant enhancements in both the total distance and time the rats moved during tests(P<0.01 and P<0.05;respectively).Post-administration of PR-H and fluoxetine also led to statistically significant increase in su-crose preference among rats(P<0.05).Besides;PR-L;PR-H;and fluoxetine treatment markedly decreased the latency of ingestion(P<0.05;P<0.05;and P<0.01;respectively).As observed from the FST;PR-L;PR-H;and fluoxetine presented antidepressant effects on rats with CUMS-induced depression;leading to the reduction in time of their immobility(P<0.05;P<0.01;and P<0.01;respectively).The results of TST indicated reduced immobility time in rats receiving PR-H and fluoxetine treatment as well(P<0.01).(ii)Rats in model group showed an increase in the levels of Iba-1+microglia in their left and right brains in compari-son with control group(P<0.01).However;such increase was negated post PR treatment(P<0.01).Treatment with PR-L;PR-H;and fluoxetine considerably reduced the levels of inflam-matory factors(TNF-α;IL-1β;and IL-6;P<0.01).In addition;treatment of PR-L and PR-H ef-fectively counteracted the elevated levels of NLRP3;ASC;and caspase-1;and markedly down-regulated the expression levels of phosphorylated p65(p-p65);COX-2;and iNOS in rats’hip-pocampus(P<0.01).Conclusion Collectively;these findings indicate that PR exerts an antidepressant effect on rats with CUMS-induced depression partially through the modulation of the NLRP3 and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Effects of estradiol and progesterone on the proinflammatory cytokine production by mononuclear cells from patients with chronic hepatitis C

AIM:To investigate the effects of estradiol (E2) and progesterone on the unstimulated and oxidative stressstimulated production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, and macrophage chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with chronic hepatitis C and healthy controls. METHODS:The PBMCs were separated from agematched 72 males and 71 females with and without chronic hepatitis C, who were divided into two groups based on a mean menopausal age of 50 years. Oxidative stress was induced by hydrogen peroxide in the cells incubated in serum-free media. Cytokines in the culture supernatant were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS:The highest levels of the spontaneous production of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8, and MCP-1 by the unstimulated PBMCs were in the older male patients with chronic hepatitis C and the lowest levels were in the premenopausal female healthy controls. E2 inhibited the cytokine production by the unstimulated PBMCs from the older male and post-menopausal female patients, which was further stimulated by progesterone. The exposure to hydrogen peroxide in the PBMCs from the younger male and pre-menopausal female healthy subjects induced the production of cytokines. The change rates of the hydrogen peroxide-stimulated cytokine production were suppressed by E2 and enhanced by progesterone. CONCLUSION:These findings suggest that E2 may play a favorable role in the course of persistent liver injury by preventing the accumulation of monocytes-macrophages and by inhibiting proinflammatory cytokine production, whereas progesterone may counteract the favorable E2 effects.

Kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism in pathophysiology and therapy of major depressive disorder

Serotonin deficiency in major depressive disorder(MDD)has formed the basis of antidepressant drug development and was originally attributed to induction of the major tryptophan(Trp)-degrading enzyme,liver Trp 2,3-dioxygenase(TDO),by cortisol,leading to decreased Trp availability to the brain for serotonin synthesis.Subsequently,the serotonin deficiency was proposed to involve induction of the extrahepatic Trp-degrading enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase(IDO)by proinflammatory cytokines,with inflammation being the underlying cause.Recent evidence,however,challenges this latter concept,as not all MDD patients are immune-activated and,when present,inflammation is mild and/or transient.A wide range of antidepressant drugs inhibit the activity of liver TDO and bind specifically to the enzyme,but not to IDO.IDO induction is not a major event in MDD,but,when it occurs,its metabolic consequences may be masked and overridden by upregulation of kynurenine monooxygenase(KMO),the gateway to production of modulators of immune and neuronal functions.KMO appears to be activated in MDD by certain proinflammatory cytokines and antidepressants with anti-inflammatory properties may block this activation.We demonstrate the ability of the antidepressant ketamine to dock(bind)to KMO.The pathophysiology of MDD may be underpinned by both the serotonin deficiency and glutamatergic activation mediated respectively by TDO induction and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activation.Inhibition of TDO and KMO should be the focus of MDD pharmacotherapy.

Cryptotanshinone ameliorates cladribine-induced cognitive impairment in rats

Objective:To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of cryptotanshinone against cladribine-induced cognitive impairment in rats.Methods:Rats were administered with cladribine(1 mg/kg,p.o.)and cryptotanshinone(10 and 20 mg/kg,i.p.)for four weeks.Behavioral tests such as Morris water maze and elevated plus maze were conducted to check memory impairment caused by cladribine.On day 29,all rats were sacrificed,and the brains were separated for estimation of neuroinflammatory factors,biochemical parameters,neurotransmitters,Aβ(1-42),blood-brain barrier permeability,nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2),and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF).Results:Treatment with cryptotanshinone dose-dependently enhanced spatial memory,improved the levels of neurotransmitter and antioxidant enzymes,and suppressed proinflammatory cytokine release.Cryptotanshinone also decreased Aβ(1-42)accumulation and increased the levels of Nrf2 and BDNF in the hippocampus.Additionally,the histopathological results showed that cryptotanshinone reduced cladribine-induced neuronal death in the hippocampus.Conclusions:Cryptotanshinone exhibits a promising neuroprotective effect against cladribine-induced cognitive impairment in preclinical studies,and may be a potential phytochemical for the treatment and management of cognitive impairment.

Apigenin ameliorates diabetic neuropathy in rats by modulating the TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway

Objective:To determine the neuroprotective effects of apigenin against streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic neuropathy(DN).Methods:To induce DN,Wistar rats(150-200 g)were administered with STZ(55 mg/kg,i.p.).Then they were randomly assigned to various groups,viz.,normal,diabetic control,insulin(10 IU/kg,s.c.),apigenin(5,10,and 20 mg/kg,p.o.),and insulin(10 IU/kg)plus apigenin(20 mg/kg,p.o.).Various behavioral,biochemical,and molecular markers[tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α),interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-6,Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4),myeloid differentiation primary response 88(MyD88),and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)]were assessed.Results:Apigenin(10 and 20 mg/kg,p.o.)substantially reduced plasma glucose levels,lipid profile,aspartate transaminase,alanine transaminase,glycated hemoglobin,and neural advanced glycation end products in STZ-induced DN rats(P<0.05).After apigenin intervention,STZ-induced changes in food and water intake,body weight,urine output,allodynia,hyperalgesia,and insulin levels were markedly improved(P<0.05).Neural antioxidant enzymes(superoxide dismutase and glutathione)and Na+K+ATPase activity were also considerably elevated(P<0.05)while the level of lipid peroxidation was diminished following apigenin therapy(P<0.05).Furthermore,apigenin markedly upregulated the Nrf2 mRNA level while downregulating the mRNA expressions of TNF-αand ILs and the protein expressions of TLR4 and MyD88(P<0.05).STZ-induced histological abnormalities in the sciatic nerve were also improved by apigenin treatment.Conclusions:Apigenin exerts its neuroprotective effect by modulating the inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways via regulating the TLR4-MyD88 signaling pathway.

Convergence of neuro-endocrine-immune pathways in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome

Disordered signalling between the brain and the gut are generally accepted to underlie the functional bowel disorder, irritable bowel syndrome(IBS). However, partly due to the lack of disease-defining biomarkers, understanding the aetiology of this complex and multifactorial disease remains elusive. This common gastrointestinal disorder is characterised by alterations in bowel habit such as diarrhoea and/or constipation, bloating and abdominal pain, and symptom exacerbation has been linked with periods of stress, both psychosocial and infection-related. Indeed, a high level of comorbidity exists between IBS and stress-related mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Moreover, studies have observed alterations in autonomic output and neuro-endocrine signalling in IBS patients. Accumulating evidence indicates that a maladaptive stress response, probably mediated by the stress hormone, corticotropin-releasing factor contributes to the initiation, persistence and severity of symptom flares.Other risk factors for developing IBS include a positive family history, childhood trauma, dietary factors and prior gastrointestinal infection. An emerging role has been attributed to the importance of immune factors in the pathophysiology of IBS with evidence of altered cytokine profiles and increased levels of mucosal immune cells. These factors have also been shown to have direct effects on neural signalling. This review discusses how pathological changes in neural, immune and endocrine pathways, and communication between these systems, contribute to symptom flares in IBS.

Effect of Helicobacter pylori on gastric epithelial cells

The gastrointestinal epithelium has cells with features that make them a powerful line of defense in innate mucosal immunity. Features that allow gastrointestinal epithelial cells to contribute in innate defense include cell barrier integrity, cell turnover, autophagy, and innate immune responses. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a spiral shape gram negative bacterium that selectively colonizes the gastric epithelium of more than half of the world&#x02019;s population. The infection invariably becomes persistent due to highly specialized mechanisms that facilitate H. pylori&#x02019;s avoidance of this initial line of host defense as well as adaptive immune mechanisms. The host response is thus unsuccessful in clearing the infection and as a result becomes established as a persistent infection promoting chronic inflammation. In some individuals the associated inflammation contributes to ulcerogenesis or neoplasia. H. pylori has an array of different strategies to interact intimately with epithelial cells and manipulate their cellular processes and functions. Among the multiple aspects that H. pylori affects in gastric epithelial cells are their distribution of epithelial junctions, DNA damage, apoptosis, proliferation, stimulation of cytokine production, and cell transformation. Some of these processes are initiated as a result of the activation of signaling mechanisms activated on binding of H. pylori to cell surface receptors or via soluble virulence factors that gain access to the epithelium. The multiple responses by the epithelium to the infection contribute to pathogenesis associated with H. pylori.

Dysregulation of mucosal immune response in pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The exact etiology and pathology of IBD remain unknown. Available evidence suggests that an abnormal immune response against the microorganisms in the intestine is responsible for the disease in genetically susceptible individuals. Dysregulation of immune response in the intestine plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of IBD, involving a wide range of molecules including cytokines. On the other hand, besides T helper (Th) 1 and Th2 cell immune responses, other subsets of T cells, namely Th17 and regulatory T cells, are likely associated with disease progression. Studying the interactions between various constituents of the innate and adaptive immune systems will certainly open new horizons of the knowledge about the immunologic mechanisms in IBD. (c) 2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.

Helicobacter pylori upregulates prion protein expression in gastric mucosa: A possible link to prion disease

AIM： Pathological prion protein （PrP^sc） is responsible for the development of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies （TSE）. While PrPc enters the organism via the oral route, less data is available to know about its uptake and the role of gastrointestinal inflammation on the expression of priori precursor PrPc, which is constitutively expressed in the gastric mucosa.METHODS： We studied PrPc expression in the gastric mucosa of 10 Helicobacter pylori-positive patients before and after successful H pylori eradication compared to non-infected controls using RT-PCR and Western blotting. The effect of central mediators of gastric inflammation, i.e., gastrin, prostaglandin E2 （PGE2）, tumor necrosis factor alpha （TNF-α） and interleukin 1 beta （IL-1β） on PrPc expression was analyzed in gastric cell lines.RESULTS： PrPc expression was increased in H pyloriinfection compared with non-infected controls and decreased to normal after successful eradication. Gastrin, PGE2, and IL-1β dose-dependently upregulated PrPc in gastric cells, while TNF-α had no effect.CONCLUSION： H pylori infection leads to the upregulation of gastric PrPc expression. This can be linked to H pylori induced hypergastrinemia and increased mucosal PGE2 and IL-1β synthesis. H pylori creates a milieu for enhanced propagation of prions in the gastrointestinal tract.

Rutin pretreatment promotes microglial M1 to M2 phenotype polarization

Microglial cells are important resident innate immune components in the central nervous system that are often activated during neuroinflammation.Activated microglia can display one of two phenotypes,M1 or M2,which each play distinct roles in neuroinflammation.Rutin,a dietary flavonoid,exhibits protective effects against neuroinflammation.However,whether rutin is able to influence the M1/M2 polarization of microglia remains unclear.In this study,in vitro BV-2 cell models of neuroinflammation were established using 100 ng/mL lipopolysaccharide to investigate the effects of 1-hour rutin pretreatment on microglial polarization.The results revealed that rutin pretreatment reduced the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-1β,and interleukin-6 and increased the secretion of interleukin-10.Rutin pretreatment also downregulated the expression of the M1 microglial markers CD86 and inducible nitric oxide synthase and upregulated the expression of the M2 microglial markers arginase 1 and CD206.Rutin pretreatment inhibited the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 and myeloid differentiation factor 88 and blocked the phosphorylation of I kappa B kinase and nuclear factor-kappa B.These results showed that rutin pretreatment may promote the phenotypic switch of microglia M1 to M2 by inhibiting the Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway to alleviate lipopolysaccharide-induced neuroinflammation.

α-Lipoic acid protects against cholecystokinin-induced acute pancreatitis in rats

AIM: α-Lipoic acid (ALA) has been used as an antioxidant.The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of α-lipoic acid on cholecystokinin (CCK)-octapeptide induced acute pancreatitis in rats.METHODS: ALA at 1 mg/kg was intra-peritoneally injected, followed by 75 μg/kg CCK-octapeptide injected thrice subcutaneously after 1, 3, and 5 h. This whole procedure was repeated for 5 d. We checked the pancreatic weight/body weight ratio, the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the levels of lipase,amylase of serum. Repeated CCK octapeptide treatment resulted in typical laboratory and morphological changes of experimentally induced pancreatitis.RESULTS: ALA significantly decreased the pancreatic weight/body weight ratio and serum amylase and lipase in CCK octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis. However,the secretion of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were comparable in CCK octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis.CONCLUSION: ALA may have a protective effect against CCK octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis.

Association Between IL-6 （Interleukin-6） and Iron Status in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

The study was performed to determine whether the srum concentrations of IL （interleukin）-6 are elevated in patients with RA （rheumatoid arthritis） and to investigate the relationship between IL-6 levels and iron status in RA patients. 95 serum samples were obtained, 70 of them from patients with RA who had visited the department of Rheumatology at Al-Sadder medical city in Najaf governorate （Iraq） and 25 age and sex-matched healthy controls. The authors assessed the clinical parameters of the disease, including ESR （erythrocyte sedimentation rate）, CRP （C-reactive protein）, and RF （rheumatoid factor）. Serum levels of iron and TIBC （total iron binding capacity） were measured spectrophotometrically, while TS% （transferrin saturation percentage） and transferrin concentration were calculated mathematically. Serum concentrations of IL-6 （interleukin-6） and ferritin were measured using an ELISA （enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay）. The results of serum concentration of IL-6 （interleukin-6） and ferritin were significantly elevated （P 〈 0.0001） in patients with RA compared to those of healthy controls. On the other hand, serum concentrations of iron, TIBC （total iron binding capacity）, TS% （transferrin saturation percentage） and transferrin concentration were significantly decreased in patients with RA compared with those of healthy controls. These findings suggest that anemia is the most frequent observations in patients with RA and mostly associative with increasing level of interleukin-6.

Cytotoxicity of Mongolian Medicine <i>Aconitum kusnezoffii</i>

Aconitum kusnezoffii used as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory. It is often used not only in Mongolian medicine but also in traditional Chinese medicine. However, there are few studies on its impact of inflammatory cytokines. This study explored the effects of Aconitum kusnezoffii in vitro used human colon cancer (Caco-2) cells. Cytotoxicity was assessed by measuring effects on expression of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In vitro study demonstrated that incubation of Caco-2 cells with some kinds of Aconitum kusnezoffii at some concentrations inhibit secretion of TNF-α and FAXIU ACONITUM KUSNEZOFFII could inhibit the secretion of IL-1β. While IL-6 and IL-8 levels were unaffected after 24 h of treatment with Aconitum kusnezoffii, qujian Aconitum kusnezoffii, faxiu Aconitum kusnezoffii.

Cardiac Autonomic Control in Relation to Other Prognostic Markers in Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Objectives: We set out to study cardiac autonomic tone in patients with idiopathic dilated cardio-myopathy (IDC), and whether it correlates with other established markers of disease progression and patient ultimate outcome. Design: Fifty-one IDC patients in sinus rhythm underwent extensive non-invasive and invasive evaluation during a three-day hospitalization period. The control group consisted of thirty-eight apparently healthy subjects who underwent 24-hour ambulatory ECG recording. Results: Heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate turbulence (HRT) correlated with many previously established prognostic markers of IDC and congestive heart failure, especially measures of cardiorespiratory performance capacity and circulating neurohumoral factors (p < 0.05 for all). Furthermore, attenuated HRV correlated with worse prognosis during a median follow-up of 6.8 years (range 5.1 - 8.1). Additionally, 24-hour time domain, low and high frequency components of frequency domain and non-linear HRV, excluding scaling exponents (α), were lower in IDC patients as compared with controls (p < 0.05 for all);however, HRT was not significantly different. Conclusions: The magnitude of impairment in cardiac autonomic control correlates well with other prognostic markers of IDC, and is associated with unfavorable outcome.