Interleukin-10 of red nucleus plays anti-allodynia effect in neuropathic pain rats with spared nerve injury.

Our previous studies have shown that pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) in red nucleus (RN) are involved in the development of neuropathic pain and play facilitated roles on the mechanical allodynia induced by peripheral nerve injury. The current study was designed to evaluate the expression and effect of IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, in the RN of rats with spared nerve injury (SNI). Immunohistochemical staining results demonstrated when 3 weeks after SNI, the expression level of IL-10 in the contralateral RN of SNI rats was apparently higher than those of sham-operated and normal rats.

A point mutation in the DNA-binding domain of HPV-2 E2 protein increases its DNA-binding capacity and reverses its transcriptional regulatory activity on the viral early promoter.

Background: The human papillomavirus (HPV) E2 protein is a multifunctional DNA-binding protein. The transcriptional activity of HPV E2 is mediated by binding to its specific binding sites in the upstream regulatory region of the HPV genomes. Previously we reported a HPV-2 variant from a verrucae vulgaris patient with huge extensive clustered cutaneous, which have five point mutations in its E2 ORF, L118S, S235P, Y287H, S293R and A338V.

[The enhancement of DNA binding ability of a mutated E2 (A338V) protein of HPV-2].

HPV-2 is a very common type of HPV which causes common warts. The E2 protein of virus can repress the activity of the viral early promoter through binding to the specific binding sites in viral LCR. Previously we reported that the repression of a mutated E2 protein of HPV-2 isolated from a patient with huge common wart on the viral early promoter was obviously decreased, and A338V mutation located at the C terminal DNA binding region of E2 protein.

Nerve growth factor of red nucleus involvement in pain induced by spared nerve injury of the rat sciatic nerve.

Nerve growth factor (NGF), a member of the neurotrophin family, is essential for the development and maintenance of sensory neurons and for the formation of central pain circuitry. The current study was designed to evaluate the expression of NGF in the brain of rats with spared nerve injury (SNI), using immunohistochemical technique. The results showed that the level of NGF in the Red nucleus (RN) of SNI rats was apparently higher than that of sham-operated rats.

Evaluation of protective effect of multi-epitope DNA vaccine encoding six antigen segments of Toxoplasma gondii in mice.

To investigate the vaccine potential of multi-epitope vaccines against toxoplasmosis, a multi-epitope DNA vaccine, eukaryotic plasmid pcDNA3.1/T-ME expressing six antigen segments (SAG1(238-256), SAG1(281-320), GRA1(170-193), GRA4(331-345), GRA4(229-245), and GRA2(171-185)) of Toxoplasma gondii was constructed. We investigated the efficacy of pcDNA3.

[Construction of multi-epitope DNA vaccine for Toxoplasma gondii and the study on protective immunity response in mice].

Aim: To construct multi-epitope DNA vaccine for Toxoplasma gondii and study its protective immunity response.

Methods: The gene encoding six polypeptides of T. gondii, which consists of plenty of T and B epitopes, was cloned into the eucaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.

[Bactericidal activity of GLL-37, a novel derivative of the human antimicrobial peptide LL-37].

Objective: To develop and investigate GLL-37, a substitution analogue of the human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 with anti-enzymatic degradation activity and improved efficacy.

Methods: The bactericidal activities of LL-37 and newly developed GLL-37 against 6 Gram-negative and -positive bacteria were determined by Broth microdilution assays. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of LL-37 and GLL-37 against E.

[Analgesic effect of interleukin-2 in mouse models of spared nerve injury].

Objective: To investigate the analgesic effect of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in mice with spared nerve injury (SNI).

Method: IL-2 was intraperitoneally injected in mice with induced SNI, and von Frey Filaments test and cold plate test were carried out to accesses the analgesic effects of IL-2 and the effect of naloxone in antagonizing the effects of IL-2.

Results: IL-2 produced analgesic effects against hyperalgesia and allodynia in mouse models of SNI, and the effect of IL-2 lasted for more than 24 h, showing a double-peak pattern in its action with the two peaks occurring at 30 and 105 min, respectively.

Resveratrol induces apoptosis, influences IL-6 and exerts immunomodulatory effect on mouse lymphocytic leukemia both in vitro and in vivo.

Resveratrol, a dietary polyphenol found in grapes, has been proposed to act as a chemopreventive or anti-tumor agent in numerous epidemiologic studies. In this study, we investigate the antitumor and immunomodulation effects of resveratrol on mouse lymphocytic leukemia cells L1210 both in vitro and in vivo. Our finding indicates that resveratrol inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis, and influences cell cycle of L1210 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner in vitro.

Effective induction of type 1 cytotoxic T cell responses in mice with DNA vaccine encoding two hepatitis C virus cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes.

The aims of this study were to explain whether a multiple cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitope-based anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) DNA vaccine can induce specific CTL responses to each HCV CTL epitope independently and long-term CD8(+) T cell memory responses, and to determine the cytokine secretion pattern and subtype of epitope-specific cytotoxic T cells. A multi-CTL epitope gene, which consists of two epitopes of HCV (H-2(d)-restricted HCV core(133142) and E1(315322)), was cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1.

[Inducement of cytotoxic T cell responses in mice by constructing a multi-CTL epitope-based DNA vaccine].

Aim: To construct a multi-CTL epitope-based DNA vaccine to induce specific CTL responses.

Methods: Multi-CTL epitope gene which encoded two HCV epitopes(H-2(d)) was cloned into the eucaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1 to construct a multi-CTL epitope-based DNA vaccine.

mu- but not delta- and kappa-opioid receptor mediates the nucleus submedius interferon-alpha-evoked antinociception in the rat.

Previous studies have indicated that interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) can bind to opioid receptors and exerts an antinociceptive effect in both peripheral and central nervous systems. The current study investigated the antinociceptive effect of IFN-alpha unilaterally microinjected into the thalamic nucleus submedius (Sm) of rats on noxious thermal stimulus, and the roles of different subtypes of opioid receptors in mediating the Sm IFN-alpha-evoked antinociception. The results indicated that unilateral microinjection of IFN-alpha (4, 8, 16 pmol) into the Sm dose-dependently increased the hind paw withdrawal latency from the noxious heat stimulus, and this effect was reversed by pretreatment with non-selective opioid receptor antagonist naloxone (200 pmol) and specific mu-opioid receptor antagonist beta-FNA (1 nmol) into the same sites, whereas delta-opioid receptor antagonist ICI174,864 (1 nmol) and kappa-opioid receptor antagonist nor-BNI (1 nmol) failed to alter the effect of IFN-alpha.

[Preliminary study on anti-tumor function of resveratrol and its immunological mechanism].

Aim: To explore the immunological mechanism of the anti-tumor function of resveratrol (Res) through in vitro or vivo experiments.

Methods: The tumor cell growth repression rate was measured by MTT colorimetry. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell cycle of Hep2 cells (laryngeal squamous cancer cell line).