m6A echoes with DNA methylation: Coordinated DNA methylation and gene expression data analysis identified critical m6A genes associated with asthma.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that involves complex gene-environment interactions. Methylation of nucleotides, such as 5-methylcytosine (5mC) in DNA and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in mRNA, carries important information for gene regulation. Our study screened m6A genes and genes associated with asthma from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases GSE63383, GSE119580, GSE38003, GSE34313, GSE13168, and GSE35643.

IL-24 deficiency protects mice against bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis by repressing IL-4-induced M2 program in macrophages.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common type of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia and has one of the poorest prognosis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying IPF progression remain largely unknown. In this study, we determined that IL-24, an IL-20 subfamily cytokine member, was increased both in the serum of IPF patients and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of mice following bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Assessment of proliferation, migration and differentiation potentials of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells labeling with silica-coated and amine-modified superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles have been widely used for cell labeling in preclinical and clinical studies, to improve labeling efficiency, particle conjugation and surface modifications are developed, but some modified SPIONs exert side-effect on physiological activity of cells, which cannot be served as ideal cell tracker. In this study, amine-modified silica-coated SPIO (SPIO@SiO-NH, SPIO@S-N) nanoparticles were used to label bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), then the stem cell potentials were evaluated. It was found BM-MSCs could be efficiently labeled by SPIO@S-N nanoparticles.

Blockade of JAK2 protects mice against hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension by repressing pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Objectives: Hypoxia is an important risk factor for pulmonary arterial remodelling in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) is believed to be involved in this process. In the present report, we aimed to investigate the role of JAK2 in vascular smooth muscle cells during the course of PAH.

Methods: Smooth muscle cell (SMC)-specific Jak2 deficient mice and their littermate controls were subjected to normobaric normoxic or hypoxic (10% O ) challenges for 28 days to monitor the development of PAH, respectively.

[The effect of LPS on airway inflammation, airway remodeling and TLR4 expression in asthmatic rat].

Objective: To investigate the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on airway inflammation, airway remodeling and the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mRNA in asthmatic rats.

Methods: Twenty-four SPF level SD rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 6): control group, low dose of LPS group, high dose of LPS group and asthma group. Using ovalbumin (OVA) to sensitize and challenge to establish asthmatic rat model.

[Effects of TOLL-like receptor 4 on passively sensitized human airway smooth muscle cells proliferation and synthesis and secretion function of TGF-beta1].

Objective: To investigate the activation of Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) on passively sensitized human airway smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) proliferation and the synthesis and secretion function.

Methods: Through the cultivation of primary HASMCs, we studied TLR4 expression on cell surface, cell proliferation and transformation of parturient factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) in asthma under the condition of synthesis and secretion level by passively sensitized HASMCs with asthma serum.

Results: Compared with the control group, in passive sensitized group and TNF-alpha group TLR4 expression were significantly increased (P < 0.

[Arsenic trioxide enhances TRAIL inducing human lung cancer cell line A549 cells apoptosis by down-regulate the expression of NF-kappaB].

Objective: To study the influence of arsenic trioxide combined with human tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) on the apoptosis and the expression of NF-kappaB of human non-small-cell lung cancer cell line.

Methods: The proliferation of human non-small-cell lung cancer cell line A549 cultured in vitro were treated by As2O3, TRAIL alone and combined. The cell proliferation was detected by the assay of MTT, flow cytometry with PI stain was used to detect the apoptosis rate, NF-kappaB mRNA level of A549 cells were detected by RT-PCR.

[Effect of TLR4 on the migration of asthmatic airway smooth muscle cells induced by airway epithelial cells].

Objective: To explore the effect of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation on the migration of asthmatic airway smooth muscle cell (ASMCs) induced by airway epithelial cells.

Methods: Primary ASMCs were cultured by the method of cell digestion. Cell culture supernatant of RTE cells were collected by TNF-alpha stimulation of epithelial cells.

[Role of toll-like receptor 4 in the asthmatic rat airway smooth muscle cells proliferation and apoptosis].

Objective: To explore the role of Toll like receptor 4(TLR4) in the asthmatic rat airway smooth muscle cell (ASMCs) proliferation and apoptosis.

Methods: Established rat model of asthma,isolated and cultured rat ASMCs in asthma, using methods of small molecule RNA interference technology and lipofection method, for small molecule RNA-TLR4 transfection, detected proliferation of ASMCs by MIT minim colorimetry, apoptosis of ASMCs by TUNNEL, the expression of TLR4 protein and mRNA were detected by Western blot and RT-PCR in cells.

Results: The proliferation of ASMCs in TNF-alpha group were significantly higher than that in control group and siRNA-TLR4 transfection group and TNF-alpha + siRNA-TLR4 transfection group respectively and the proliferation of ASMCs in siRNA-TLR4 transfction group was lower than that in control group.

[Effect of triptolide on airway smooth muscle proliferation and the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B, Bcl-2 in asthmatic rats].

Objective: To explore the effect of triptolide on airway remodeling and the expression of nuclear factor-kappaB, Bcl-2 in asthmatic rats.

Methods: 40 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 8): (1) Control group; (2) Asthmatic 4 week group; (3) Asthmatic 6 week group; (4) Therapeutic 4 week group; (5) Therapeutic 6 week group. The airway resistance and eosinophilic inflammation of airway wall were observed.

[Effect of triptolide on airway remodeling and the expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinases in asthmatic rats].

Aim: To explore the effect of Triptolide on airway remodeling and the expression of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinases in asthmatic rats.

Methods: 40 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 8): (1) Control group; (2) Asthmatic 4 weeks group; (3) Asthmatic 6 weeks group; (4) Therapeutic 4 weeks group; (5) Therapeutic 6 weeks group. The airway resistance and eosinophilic inflammation of airway wall were observed.

Cerebrosides of baifuzi, a novel potential blocker of calcium-activated chloride channels in rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells.

Calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCCs) are crucial regulators of vascular tone by promoting a depolarizing influence on the resting membrane potential of vascular smooth muscle cells. However, the lack of a special blocker of CaCCs has limited the investigation of its functions for long time. Here, we report that CB is a novel potential blocker of I(Cl(Ca)) in rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC).

[Experimental study on the effect of ginkgo bioba extract on the expression of heme oxygenase-1 in bronchial asthma].

Aim: To explore the effect of the ginkgo bioba extract on the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in bronchial asthma.

Methods: 30 guinea pigs were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 10): (1) Normal control group; (2) Asthmatic group; (3) Therapeutic group. Blood carbon monoxide Hb (COHb) percent value, Airway resistance and eosinophilic inflammation of airway wall were observed, the expression of HO-1 in lung tissue were observed by immunohistochemical staining.

[The study on expression of heme oxygenase-1 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell from asthmatic patients].

Aim: To explore the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and relationship to ventilatory function in asthmatic patients.

Methods: Eighteen asthmatic patients and eighteen healthy subjects were selected. HO-1 protein levels in PBMC were measured by immunohistochemical staining and PBMC HO-1 mRNA were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), blood carbon monoxide Hb (COHb) percent value, serum total IgE concentration and pulmonary ventilatory function were observed in asthmatic patients and healthy subjects.