The remedial effect of soluble interleukin-1 receptor type Ⅱ on endometriosis in the nude mouse model

Objective： Recent studies have shown that the local expression of soluble interleukin （IL） -1 receptor type Ⅱ （slL-1 R Ⅱ ） in endometrial tissue of women with endometriosis is decreased, and the depression of IL-1 R Ⅱ was more significant in infertile women than that in fertile women with endometriosis. In this research, we investigated the remedial effect of slL-1-R Ⅱ administration on endometriosis in the nude mouse model. Methods： Nineteen nude model mice with endometriosis were randomly divided into three groups： group A was treated by intraperitoneal administration with only slL-1 R Ⅱ for two weeks, group B was similarly treated with only IL- 1, and group C （control） was administered saline. After 2 weeks, the size of the ectopic endometrial lesions was calculated, and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） and B-cell lymphoma leukemia-2 （Bcl- 2） were detected by immunohistochemistry. The IL-8 and VEGF levels in the peritoneal fluid （PF） and serum were also measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Results： The mean size of ectopic endometrial lesion did not differ between the three groups （P 〉 0.05）. Compared with the control, the expression of VEGF and Bcl-2 was significantly lower in group A, and higher in group B. In the three groups, the levels of IL-8 in the PF and serum were highest in group A, and lowest in group B. Conclusion： slL-1 R Ⅱ may suppresse hyperplasia of ectopic endometriosis, perhaps by reducing the expression of certain cytokines, such as VEGF, IL-8, and Bcl-2, which could provide a new clinical strategy for the treatment of endometriosis.

Restraint stress induces and exacerbates intestinal inflammation in interleukin-10 deficient mice

AIM:To investigate the effects of restraint stress on chronic colitis in interleukin(IL)-10 deficient(IL-10^(-/-))mice.METHODS:The first experiment compared the effect of restraint stress on the development of intestinal inflammation in wild-type and IL-10^(-/-) mice.Both wildtype and IL-10^(-/-) mice were physically restrained in a well-ventilated,50 cm3 conical polypropylene tube for2 h per day for three consecutive days.The second experiment was performed to assess the effect of restraint stress on exacerbation of colitis induced by piroxicam in IL-10^(-/-) mice.The IL-10^(-/-) mice were exposed to restraint stress for 2 h per day for 3consecutive days,and then treated with piroxicam for4 d at a dose of 200 ppm administered in the rodent chow.RESULTS:In the first experiment,none of the wildtype mice with or without restraint stress showed clinical and histopathological abnormality in the gut.However,IL-10^(-/-) mice exposed to restraint stress exhibited histologically significant intestinal inflammation as compared to those without restraint stress.In the second experiment,restraint stress significantly reduced body weight and increased the severity of intestinal inflammation assessed by histopathologic grading in IL-10^(-/-) mice.Colonic IL12p40 mRNA expression was strongly increased in mice exposed to restraint stress.CONCLUSION:This novel animal model could be useful in future study of psychological stress in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease.

Effects of urotensin-Ⅱ on cytokines in early acute liver failure in mice

AIM:To investigate urotensin-Ⅱ(UⅡ) and its effects on tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α and interleukin(IL)-1β in early acute liver failure(ALF).METHODS:We investigated the time-dependent alteration in UⅡ levels and its effects on TNF-αand IL-1β in liver and blood in the early stage of lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine-induced ALF.RESULTS:After lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine challenge,UⅡ rose very rapidly and reached a maximal level 0.5 h,and the level remained significantly elevated after 2 h(P < 0.05).Six hours after challenge,UⅡ began to degrade,but remained higher than at 0 h(P < 0.05).Pretreatment with urantide,an inhibitor of the UⅡ receptor,suppressed the degree of UⅡ increase in liver and blood at 6 h after challenge(P < 0.05 vs paired controls).In addition,liver and blood TNF-α increased from 1 to 6 h,and reached a peak at 1 and 2 h,respectively; however,IL-1β did not rise until 6 h after challenge.Urantide pretreatment inhibited the degree of TNF-α and IL-1β increase following downregulation of UⅡ post-challenge(all P < 0.05).CONCLUSION:UⅡ plays a role in the pathogenesis and priming of ALF by triggering an inflammatory cascade and driving the early release of cytokines in mice.

I_κB kinase-beta inhibitor attenuates hepatic fibrosis in mice

AIM: To investigate the anti-fibrosis effect of IκB kinase-beta inhibitor (IKK2 inhibitor IMD0354) in liver fibrosis. METHODS: Twenty male C57BL6 mice were divided into four groups. Five high-fat fed mice were injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 mg/kg) intraperitoneally and five high-fat fed mice were without LPS injection to build models of liver injury, and the intervention group (five mice) was injected intraperitoneally with IKK2 inhibitor (IMD 30 mg/kg for 14 d), while the remaining five mice received a normal diet as controls. Hepatic function, pathological evaluation and liver interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression were examined. Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the expressions of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), tumor growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), typeⅠand type Ⅲ collagen proteins and mRNA. RESULTS: A mouse model of liver injury was successfully established, and IMD decreased nuclear transloca-tion of NF-κB p65 in liver cells. In the IMD-treated group, the levels of alanine aminotransferase (103 ± 9.77 μ/L vs 62.4 ± 7.90 μ/L, P < 0.05) and aminotransferase (295.8 ± 38.56 μ/L vs 212 ± 25.10 μ/L, P < 0.05) were significantly decreased when compared with the model groups. The histological changes were significantly ameliorated. After treatment, the expressions of IL-6 (681 ± 45.96 vs 77 ± 7.79, P < 0.05), TGF-β1 (Western blotting 5.65% ± 0.017% vs 2.73% ± 0.005%, P < 0.05), TNF-α (11.58% ± 0.0063% vs 8.86% ± 0.0050%, P < 0.05), typeⅠcollagen (4.49% ± 0.014% vs 1.90% ± 0.0006%, P < 0.05) and type Ⅲ collagen (3.46% ± 0.008% vs 2.29% ± 0.0035%, P < 0.05) as well as α-SMA (6.19 ± 0.0036 μ/L vs 2.16 ± 0.0023 μ/L, P < 0.05) protein and mRNA were downregulated in the IMD group compared to the fibrosis control groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: IKK2 inhibitor IMD markedly improved non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice by lowering NF-κB activation, which could become a remedial target for liver fibrosis.

小鼠IL-39的克隆及真核表达载体的构建

[目的]构建小鼠白介素(interleukin,IL)-39单链融合基因及其真核表达载体。[方法]通过RT-PCR得到小鼠EB病毒诱导基因3(Epstein-Barr virus-induced gene 3,EBI3)及IL-23p19基因的全长编码区。通过重叠延伸PCR和编码疏水性多肽接头(linker)(Gly4Ser)3的DNA序列将小鼠EBI3全长编码区及IL-23p19成熟肽编码区连接起来,构建小鼠IL-39单链融合基因,并将其克隆至真核表达载体pc DNA3.1/V5-His中,通过限制性内切酶双酶切及基因测序鉴定阳性重组载体。[结果]通过重叠延伸PCR得到1 254 bp大小的目的条带,测序分析显示,小鼠IL-39单链融合基因中EBI3、linker和IL-23p19的基因序列及连接顺序和方向均完全正确。[结论]成功构建了小鼠IL-39单链融合基因及其真核表达载体。

Daifan San intervenes in forkhead box P3 and the interleukin(IL)-23/IL-17A signaling pathway to help prevent and treat primary biliary cirrhosis

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the mechanism by which Daifan San(DFS)prevents and treats primary biliary cirrhosis(PBC)via the forkhead box P3(FoxP3)and interleukin(IL)-23/IL-17A signaling pathways.METHODS:Ninety C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into the control,model,DFS low-dose,DFS middle-dose,DFS high-dose and ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA)groups(n=15 per group).A mouse model of PBC was induced using polyinosinic polycytidylic acids(poly I:C).Lymphocyte subset expression in the peripheral blood was analyzed via flow cytometry.The inflammatory cytokines and antimitochondrial autoantibody(AMA)levels were detected via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.The expressions and location of typeⅠcollagen,typeⅢcollagen,cytokeratin 19 and FoxP3 in the liver tissue were evaluated via immunohistochemistry.FoxP3,IL-23 and IL-17 expressions in the peripheral blood and liver tissue were evaluated via real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting.RESULTS:IL-17,IL-23,IL-8,IL-33,TNF-α,and AMA expressions were significantly increased in the model group and decreased in the DFS and UDCA groups.Conversely,Treg cell and FoxP3 expressions were significantly decreased in the model group and increased in the DFS and UDCA groups.The IL-23/IL-17A signaling pathway was closely correlated with chronic inflammation of the bile duct in PBC and functional deletion of Treg cells,leading to reduced FoxP3 levels and mediating the loss of tolerance in PBC.CONCLUSION:DFS may delay the occurrence and relieve the symptoms of PBC by downregulating IL-23/IL-17A signaling pathway expression and upregulating FoxP3 expression.

Nail Psoriasis in a Child Observed Under Ultraviolet Dermoscopy Treated by a Topical Biological Agent Cream:A Case Report

Introduction:Nail psoriasis is a type of psoriasis involving nail lesions characterized by pitting,onycholysis,longitudinal ridges,and subungual hyperkeratosis.We herein describe a 9-year-old girl with nail psoriasis who presented with nail crumbling and was treated with topical cream containing 45μg/g mouse monoclonal antibody to human interleukin-8.Case presentation:A 9-year-old Chinese girl presented with a 6-month history of a rough,thickened fingernail and toenails.Nail plate crumbling,onycholysis,and fissured periungual folds were observed under dermoscopy and ultraviolet dermoscopy.The nails were soaked in warm water,then topical wrapped with Abcream cream overnight.After about 4 months of treatment,the nails significantly improved by both dermoscopy and ultraviolet-dermoscopy evaluattion.Discussion:Due to the different wavelengths of light emitted by polarized light dermatoscope and ultraviolet-dermatoscope,the characteristics of observation will be different.Abcream acts by antagonizing human interleukin-8,inhibiting leukocyte chemotaxis and neovascularization,and regulating the abnormal proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes.Conclusion:Ultraviolet-dermoscopy is pivotal in evaluating the severity and potency of nail psoriasis.And Abcream can be regarded as a new drug for the treatment of nail psoriasis in children.