Irisin inhibits neutrophil extracellular traps formation and protects against acute pancreatitis in mice.

Introduction: Irisin is a newly discovered myokine which links exercise to inflammation and inflammation-related diseases through macrophage regulation. However, the effect of irisin on the activity of inflammation related immune cells (such as neutrophils) has not been clearly described.

Objectives: The objective of our study was to explore the effect of irisin on the neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation.

Impact of Fatty Pancreas on Postoperative Pancreatic Fistulae: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: Soft pancreas is widely recognized as an important risk factor for the development of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF). Although fatty pancreas (FP) has not been formally defined as a cause of pancreatic fistula, existing research has shown that it can increase the incidence of POPF by increasing pancreatic tenderness; therefore, it may be a potential risk factor. This study aimed to discern whether FP was associated with POPF.

Feasibility and effectiveness of prone position ventilation technique for postoperative acute lung injury in infants with congenital heart disease: study protocol for a prospective randomized study.

Background: Prone position ventilation is a widely used lung protection ventilation strategy. The strategy is more convenient to implement in children compared to adults. Due to the precise mechanism of improving oxygenation function, development of pediatric prone ventilation technology has been largely focused on children with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

The mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between family functioning and quality of life among elders with chronic diseases.

Aim: To explore whether self-efficacy has any positive or negative mediating effects between family functioning and quality of life among elders with chronic diseases.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Methods: Questionnaires were collected from 516 community-dwelling elderly individuals with chronic diseases using a convenience sampling method.

Postgraduate nursing internationality education: A study in establishing an English nursing course.

Aim: The study was to explore the significant influence of an English nursing course in nursing postgraduate internationalization education.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Method: The research object included three grades (a total of 18) of nursing postgraduate students in the Nursing School of Yangzhou University.

Peroxiredoxin 1 as an inflammatory marker in diarrhea-predominant and postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome.

Background: Low-grade inflammation occurs in some patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, the exact inflammatory markers of IBS and the relationship of these markers with IBS subtypes and symptoms are poorly defined. Peroxiredoxin 1 (PRDX1) plays an important role in inflammatory responses, including intestinal inflammation.

[Advance in studies on antitumor and immunomodulatory effects of wogonin].

Wogonin is a kind of natural flavonoid compound. According to findings in the latest studies, wogonin shows a wide range of antitumor effects, with the characteristics of multi-pathway, multi-link and multi-target, such as promoting tumor cell apoptosis through ROS or Ca(2+)-mediated signal paths, enhancing tumor cytotoxicity by TNF-α and TRAIL, blocking tumor cell cycle, inhibiting tumor angiogenesis and resisting cancer synergistically with chemotherapeutic drugs. Moreover, Wogonin could enhance body immune function by enhancing immune cell infiltration, regulating the immune cell phenotype and promoting relevant cytokine secretion.

IL-15, in synergy with RAE-1ɛ, stimulates TCR-independent proliferation and activation of CD8(+) T cells.

CD8(+) T cells play critical roles in immunosurveillance by killing malignant or virally infected cells. Interleukin 15 (IL-15) is a critical cytokine for promoting proliferation and the effector capacity of CD8(+) T cells, and has been used to support the growth of CD8(+) T cells in cellular therapies of neoplastic diseases. Recent studies have shown that IL-15, in synergy with other cytokines, such as IL-6, enhances the T-cell receptor (TCR)-independent proliferation and function of CD8(+) T cells.

[Effects of natural killer cells stimulated with immobilized MHC class I chain-related antigen A on activities of dendritic cells].

Aim: To observe the effects of NK cells stimulated with immobilized MHC class I chain-related antigen A (iMICA) on activities of dendritic cells (DCs).

Methods: Firstly fresh allogeneic NK cells, or iMICA-stimulated allogeneic NK cells, and autologous NK cells stimulated with IL-2 or IL-2 and iMICA were co-cultured with immature DCs (iDCs) at the ratio of 5:1 for 24 hours. Frequencies of HLA-DR positive or CD86 positive DCs were detected by flow cytometry.

Construction of a plasmid for co-expression of mouse membrane-bound form of IL-15 and RAE-1ε and its biological activity.

Interleukin 15 (IL-15) is a pivotal cytokine for the proliferation and activation of a specific group of immune cells such as natural killer (NK), IFN-producing killer dendritic cells (IKDC) and CD8 T cells. RAE-1ε, the ligand for the activating NKG2D receptor, which also play an important role in the proliferation and activation of NK cells and IKDCs. In this study, a membrane-bound form of IL-15 (termed mb15) encoding sequence and RAE-1ε gene were obtained by SOE-PCR or PCR amplification.

[The effect of up-regulation of MHC class I chain-related antigen A expression by dendritic cells on activity of NK cells].

Aim: To observe whether MHC class I chain-related antigen A (MICA) was expressed on monocytes, immature dendritic cells (iDCs), and mature dendritic cells (mDCs), and to study effect of up-regulation of MICA expression by DCs on biologic activity of NK cells.

Methods: MICA expression on monocytes, iDCs, or mDCs stimulated with LPS, TNF-α, CD40L, IL-15 or IFN-α was detected by flow cytometry. Next CD69 expression, degranuation, and IFN-γ production of NK cells stimulated with MICA-positive mDCs were analyzed.

[Association of MICA gene polymorphism and serum soluble MICA level with colorectal cancer].

Objective: To investigate whether the major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related gene A gene (MICA) polymorphism and serum soluble MICA level were associated with the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer.

Methods: DNA samples from 117 colorectal cancer patients and 113 healthy individuals from Yangzhou in Jiangsu province were genotyped by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequence-specific primer (SSP) method and PCR based sequencing. In addition, polymorphism at position 129 was also analyzed by PCR-SSP.

[Identification of T cell epitopes of p210(bcr-abl); antigen and detection of epitope-specific CTLs.].

Aim: To study the immunogenicity of p210(bcr-abl);, the epitopes of HLA-A2 restricted T cells and the distribution of epitope-specific CTLs in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients and in normal controls.

Methods: Two epitopes, BCR-ABL(642); and BCR-ABL(926m);, were selected using bioinfomatics software and further confirmed by T2 cell binding assay. The soluble HLA-A2 tetramers bound with each epitope were generated to detect the CD8(+); T cell frequencies in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

[Effects of recombinant soluble MICA protein on the biologic activities of NK cells].

Aim: To study the effects of recombinant soluble MHC class I chain-related protein A (sMICA) on the cytotoxicity, secretion of IFN-gamma, proliferation and apoptosis of peripheral NK cells.

Methods: After NK cells were co-cultured with recombinant soluble MICA proteins overnight, the cytotoxicity of NK cell on target cells was detected by flow cytometry. The supernant was collected to determine the concentration of IFN-gamma by ELISA.

[Correlation of Helicobacter pylori infection with the expression of COX-2 and EGFR and VEGF in human gastric carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the correlation of Helicobactor pylori (Hp) infection with the expression of COX-2, EGFR and VEGF in human gastric carcinoma.

Methods: The expression of COX-2, EGFR and VEGF was detected by immunohistochemistry in samples of 61 gastric cancers and 20 cancer-adjacent tissues. Western blotting was performed in samples of 10 gastric cancers and corresponding cancer-adjacent tissues.

[Immune protective mechanisms of gene vaccines with co-expressing bcr-abl fusion gene fragment and mouse IL-7 gene].

Objective: To investigate the influence of mIL-7 on the immune response induced by vaccine of bcr-abl fusion gene fragment in mouse.

Methods: BALB/c mice were immunized by i. m.

[Influences of bcr-abl gene vaccine on inoculated SP2/0/bcr-abl tumor cells in mice].

To study the influence of vaccine of bcr-abl fusion gene fragment on inoculated SP2/0/bcr-abl tumor cells in mice, BALB/c mice were immunized with pVbcr-abl, pVbcr-abl/mIL7 plasmids, respectively, then SP2/0/bcr-abl cells expressing the fragment of bcr-abl fusion gene were inoculated subcutaneously into the groin of BALB/c mice in order to observe the effect of vaccine on growth of inoculated SP2/0/bcr-abl tumor cells. The results showed that there were distinct differences on the time of tumor growth, the time of tumor ulceration, tumor volume and survival time of mice bearing tumor between two immunized groups and two control groups (blank and vacant plasmid groups). The mice immunized with pVbcr-abl/mIL7 lived longer as compared to mice immunized with pVbcr-abl.

[Recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmid of bcr-abl gene fragment induces specific immune response in mice].

Objective: To study the specific immune response induced by a recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmid encoding bcr-abl fusion gene fragment so as to explore new immunotherapy in mouse.

Methods: A recombinant eukaryotic vector pVbcr-abl expression cDNA fragment of bcr-abl fusion gene was constructed and used to immunize BALB/c mice. Serum level of bcr-abl specific antibody was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

[Establishment of mouse SP2/0 cell line stably expressing bcr-abl fusion gene fragment].

To establish SP2/0 cell line H-2(d) stably expressing bcr-abl fusion gene fragment, the bcr-abl fusion gene was subcloned into retroviral vector pLXSN from pGEMbcr-abl. The recombinant retroviral vector pLXSNbcr-abl was transfected into PT67 packaging cells with the help of lipofectamine. The positive clones were selected out and cultured after G418 selection.