AIM: To longitudinally investigate cytokine gene expression and protein levels in Th17 and Treg cells, to observe T-cell phenotypes during hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACHBLF) and to...AIM: To longitudinally investigate cytokine gene expression and protein levels in Th17 and Treg cells, to observe T-cell phenotypes during hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACHBLF) and to analyze changes in Th17 and Treg phenotypes during disease progression.展开更多
The natural history of cirrhosis can be divided into an initial stage, known as compensated cirrhosis, and an advanced stage which encompasses both decompensated cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF). The...The natural history of cirrhosis can be divided into an initial stage, known as compensated cirrhosis, and an advanced stage which encompasses both decompensated cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF). The latter syndrome has been recently described as an acute deterioration of liver function in patients with cirrhosis, which is usually triggered by a precipitating event and results in the failure of one or more organs and high short-term mortality rates. Each stage is characterized by distinctive clinical manifestations and prognoses. One of the key elements involved in cirrhosis physiopathology is systemic inflammation, recently described as one of the components in the cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction syndrome. This syndrome refers to the combination of immune deficiency and exacerbated inflammation that coexist during the course of cirrhosis and relates to the appearance of clinical complications. Since systemic inflammation is often difficult to assess in cirrhosis patients, new objective, reproducible and readily-available markers are needed in order to optimize prognosis and lengthen survival. Thus, surrogate serum markers and clinical parameters of systemic inflammation have been sought to improve disease follow-up and management, especially in decompensated cirrhosis and ACLF. Leukocyte counts(evaluated as total leukocytes, total eosinophils or neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio) and plasma levels of procalcitonin or C-reactive protein have been proposed as prognostic markers, each with advantages and shortcomings. Research and prospective randomized studies that validate these and other markers are clearly warranted.展开更多
Tuberculosis(TB)remains a huge global healthcare challenge even in the 21^(st) century though the prevalence has dropped in developed countries in recent decades.Diabetes mellitus(DM)is an important risk factor for th...Tuberculosis(TB)remains a huge global healthcare challenge even in the 21^(st) century though the prevalence has dropped in developed countries in recent decades.Diabetes mellitus(DM)is an important risk factor for the development and perpetuation of TB owing to the immune dysfunction in patients with DM.The coexistence of both diseases in the same individual also aggravates disease severity,complications,and chance of treatment failure because of gross immune alterations posed by DM as well as TB.Various complex cellular and humoral immunological factors are involved in the dangerous interaction between TB and DM,some of which remain unknown even today.It is highly important to identify the risk factors for TB in patients with DM,and vice versa,to ensure early diagnosis and management to prevent complications from this ominous coexistence.In their research study published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Diabetes,Shi et al elaborate on the factors associated with the development of TB in a large cohort of DM patients from China.More such research output from different regions of the world is expected to improve our knowledge to fight the health devastation posed by TB in patients with diabetes.展开更多
AIM: To investigate hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and different immune conditions.
Drug-induced liver injury(DILI),which refers to liver damage caused by a drug or its metabolites,has emerged as an important cause of acute liver failure(ALF)in recent years.Chemically-induced ALF in animal models mim...Drug-induced liver injury(DILI),which refers to liver damage caused by a drug or its metabolites,has emerged as an important cause of acute liver failure(ALF)in recent years.Chemically-induced ALF in animal models mimics the pathology of DILI in humans;thus,these models are used to study the mechanism of potentially effective treatment strategies.Mesenchymal stromal cells(MSCs)possess immunomodulatory properties,and they alleviate acute liver injury and decrease the mortality of animals with chemically-induced ALF.Here,we summarize some of the existing research on the interaction between MSCs and immune cells,and discuss the possible mechanisms underlying the immunomodulatory activity of MSCs in chemically-induced ALF.We conclude that MSCs can impact the phenotype and function of macrophages,as well as the differentiation and maturation of dendritic cells,and inhibit the proliferation and activation of T lymphocytes or B lymphocytes.MSCs also have immunomodulatory effects on the production of cytokines,such as prostaglandin E2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha-stimulated gene 6,in animal models.Thus,MSCs have significant benefits in the treatment of chemically-induced ALF by interacting with immune cells and they may be applied to DILI in humans in the near future.展开更多
Heart failure(HF) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in western countries and occasions major expenses for public health systems. Although optimal medical treatment is widely available according to current ...Heart failure(HF) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in western countries and occasions major expenses for public health systems. Although optimal medical treatment is widely available according to current guidelines, the prognosis of patients with HF is still poor. Despite the etiology of the disease, increased systemic or cardiac activation of the innate immune system is well documented in several types of HF. In some cases there is evidence of an association between innate immune activation and clinical outcome of patients with this disease. However, the few large trials conducted with the use of anti-inflammatory medication in HF have not revealed its benefits. Thus, greater understanding of the relationship between alteration in the immune system and development and progression of HF is urgently necessary: prior to designing therapeutic interventions that target pathological inflammatory processes in preventing harmful cardiac effects of immune modulatory therapy. In this regard, relatively recently discovered receptors of the innate immune system, i.e., namely toll-like receptors(TLRs) and nodlike receptors(NLRs)-are the focus of intense cardiovascular research. These receptors are main up-stream regulators of cytokine activation. This review will focus on current knowledge of the role of TLRs and NLRs, as well as on downstream cytokine activation, and will discuss potential therapeutic implications.展开更多
Objective:To explore the feasibility of establishing the disease-syndrome combined animal model for immune thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP)without additional conditions.Methods:Three batches of data related to the ITP mo...Objective:To explore the feasibility of establishing the disease-syndrome combined animal model for immune thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP)without additional conditions.Methods:Three batches of data related to the ITP model mice obtained by replication at different time were analyzed,and whether the APS-injected model mice replicated through the passive immune modeling method could simulate the pathogenesis and clinical characteristics of human ITP was evaluated according to the differentiation criteria for diseasesyndrome combined model.Results:The APS-injected replicated ITP model mice possessed the following traits:(1)Compared with the normal group,the platelet count was significantly decreased,and coagulation time was significantly increased in the model group(P<.01).(2)Compared with the normal group,the medullary thrombocytogenous megakaryocytes were significantly decreased(P<.05,.01,.001).(3)The APS-injected sites and other parts of the model mice had spontaneous hemorrhage.(4)Behavioral changing signs were observed 1 week after the modeling(i.e.low activity,delayed activity,poor appetite,skin petechia/hemorrhage and spontaneous hemorrhage at the injected sites or other parts),and were getting more and more severe.Conclusion:According to the syndrome differentiation criteria for disease-syndrome combined model of ITP,the APS-injected animal model of ITP replicated through the passive immune modeling method without additional conditions possesses the characteristics of disease-syndrome combined model.It provides an ideal tool for the development of traditional Chinese medicine pharmacology experiment.展开更多
基金Supported by Grants from Shanghai Natural Science Fund,No.09ZR1400500National Natural Science Foundation of China No.30972600Shanghai Health Bureau Fund,No.2012092
文摘AIM: To longitudinally investigate cytokine gene expression and protein levels in Th17 and Treg cells, to observe T-cell phenotypes during hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACHBLF) and to analyze changes in Th17 and Treg phenotypes during disease progression.
文摘The natural history of cirrhosis can be divided into an initial stage, known as compensated cirrhosis, and an advanced stage which encompasses both decompensated cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF). The latter syndrome has been recently described as an acute deterioration of liver function in patients with cirrhosis, which is usually triggered by a precipitating event and results in the failure of one or more organs and high short-term mortality rates. Each stage is characterized by distinctive clinical manifestations and prognoses. One of the key elements involved in cirrhosis physiopathology is systemic inflammation, recently described as one of the components in the cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction syndrome. This syndrome refers to the combination of immune deficiency and exacerbated inflammation that coexist during the course of cirrhosis and relates to the appearance of clinical complications. Since systemic inflammation is often difficult to assess in cirrhosis patients, new objective, reproducible and readily-available markers are needed in order to optimize prognosis and lengthen survival. Thus, surrogate serum markers and clinical parameters of systemic inflammation have been sought to improve disease follow-up and management, especially in decompensated cirrhosis and ACLF. Leukocyte counts(evaluated as total leukocytes, total eosinophils or neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio) and plasma levels of procalcitonin or C-reactive protein have been proposed as prognostic markers, each with advantages and shortcomings. Research and prospective randomized studies that validate these and other markers are clearly warranted.
文摘Tuberculosis(TB)remains a huge global healthcare challenge even in the 21^(st) century though the prevalence has dropped in developed countries in recent decades.Diabetes mellitus(DM)is an important risk factor for the development and perpetuation of TB owing to the immune dysfunction in patients with DM.The coexistence of both diseases in the same individual also aggravates disease severity,complications,and chance of treatment failure because of gross immune alterations posed by DM as well as TB.Various complex cellular and humoral immunological factors are involved in the dangerous interaction between TB and DM,some of which remain unknown even today.It is highly important to identify the risk factors for TB in patients with DM,and vice versa,to ensure early diagnosis and management to prevent complications from this ominous coexistence.In their research study published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Diabetes,Shi et al elaborate on the factors associated with the development of TB in a large cohort of DM patients from China.More such research output from different regions of the world is expected to improve our knowledge to fight the health devastation posed by TB in patients with diabetes.
基金Supported by China National Science and Technology Major Project,No.2012ZX10002004 and No.2013ZX10002001the Chinese High Tech Research and Development(863)Program,No.2011AA020104Zhejiang CTM Science and Technology Project,No.2011ZB061
文摘AIM: To investigate hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and different immune conditions.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81971756and Stem Cell and Translational Research from National Key Research and Development Program of China,No.2016YFA0101001.
文摘Drug-induced liver injury(DILI),which refers to liver damage caused by a drug or its metabolites,has emerged as an important cause of acute liver failure(ALF)in recent years.Chemically-induced ALF in animal models mimics the pathology of DILI in humans;thus,these models are used to study the mechanism of potentially effective treatment strategies.Mesenchymal stromal cells(MSCs)possess immunomodulatory properties,and they alleviate acute liver injury and decrease the mortality of animals with chemically-induced ALF.Here,we summarize some of the existing research on the interaction between MSCs and immune cells,and discuss the possible mechanisms underlying the immunomodulatory activity of MSCs in chemically-induced ALF.We conclude that MSCs can impact the phenotype and function of macrophages,as well as the differentiation and maturation of dendritic cells,and inhibit the proliferation and activation of T lymphocytes or B lymphocytes.MSCs also have immunomodulatory effects on the production of cytokines,such as prostaglandin E2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha-stimulated gene 6,in animal models.Thus,MSCs have significant benefits in the treatment of chemically-induced ALF by interacting with immune cells and they may be applied to DILI in humans in the near future.
文摘Heart failure(HF) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in western countries and occasions major expenses for public health systems. Although optimal medical treatment is widely available according to current guidelines, the prognosis of patients with HF is still poor. Despite the etiology of the disease, increased systemic or cardiac activation of the innate immune system is well documented in several types of HF. In some cases there is evidence of an association between innate immune activation and clinical outcome of patients with this disease. However, the few large trials conducted with the use of anti-inflammatory medication in HF have not revealed its benefits. Thus, greater understanding of the relationship between alteration in the immune system and development and progression of HF is urgently necessary: prior to designing therapeutic interventions that target pathological inflammatory processes in preventing harmful cardiac effects of immune modulatory therapy. In this regard, relatively recently discovered receptors of the innate immune system, i.e., namely toll-like receptors(TLRs) and nodlike receptors(NLRs)-are the focus of intense cardiovascular research. These receptors are main up-stream regulators of cytokine activation. This review will focus on current knowledge of the role of TLRs and NLRs, as well as on downstream cytokine activation, and will discuss potential therapeutic implications.
基金Project of National Key Basic Research Program(973 Program)(No.2013CB531705).
文摘Objective:To explore the feasibility of establishing the disease-syndrome combined animal model for immune thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP)without additional conditions.Methods:Three batches of data related to the ITP model mice obtained by replication at different time were analyzed,and whether the APS-injected model mice replicated through the passive immune modeling method could simulate the pathogenesis and clinical characteristics of human ITP was evaluated according to the differentiation criteria for diseasesyndrome combined model.Results:The APS-injected replicated ITP model mice possessed the following traits:(1)Compared with the normal group,the platelet count was significantly decreased,and coagulation time was significantly increased in the model group(P<.01).(2)Compared with the normal group,the medullary thrombocytogenous megakaryocytes were significantly decreased(P<.05,.01,.001).(3)The APS-injected sites and other parts of the model mice had spontaneous hemorrhage.(4)Behavioral changing signs were observed 1 week after the modeling(i.e.low activity,delayed activity,poor appetite,skin petechia/hemorrhage and spontaneous hemorrhage at the injected sites or other parts),and were getting more and more severe.Conclusion:According to the syndrome differentiation criteria for disease-syndrome combined model of ITP,the APS-injected animal model of ITP replicated through the passive immune modeling method without additional conditions possesses the characteristics of disease-syndrome combined model.It provides an ideal tool for the development of traditional Chinese medicine pharmacology experiment.
