TNF-α Levels In Sera Research Articles

Experimental Study on the Antivirus Effect of Zhongsheng Pills on Influenza Virus H5N1

Abstract The present study reported the inhibitory effect of Zhongsheng Pills on avian influenza virus H5N1 in mice. Oseltamivir was used as the positive control group in order to observe the inhibitory effect and the death prevention effect of Zhongsheng Pills on influenza viral pneumonia in mice. Compared with the viral control group, Zhongsheng Pills reduced the lung index of avian influenza viral pneumonia, regulated the T lymphocyte subgroup, reduced the levels of TNF-α in sera, promoted the development of IFN-γ and IL-10, and weakened interstitial lung disease and inflammation of the alveolar walls. The low dose of Zhongsheng Pills decreased the pulmonary index of the mice infected with the avian influenza virus H5N1, and extended the survival time of the mice. The results showed that Zhongsheng Pills have inhibitory effects on the lung diseases caused by avian influenza virus H5N1.

Taenia crassiceps infection and its antigens abrogate Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, a role for alternatively activated macrophages (AAMφ) (99.51)

Abstract Helminth infections induce strong immunoregulation and may modulate subsequent pathogenic challenges. Taenia crassiceps causes chronic infections, induces Th2-biased responses and recruits AAMΦ with suppressive ability. To test the influence of this cestode on autoimmunity, we infected C57BL/6 mice with 40 T. crassiceps metacestodes, 8 weeks later Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced with MOG35-55 on infected and uninfected mice. It was found that T. crassiceps-infected mice delayed the onset of EAE; only 50% of them displayed symptoms and those were significantly less severe than uninfected mice. They also had decreased MOG-specific spleen cell proliferation, low IL-17 production and low leukocyte infiltration in the spinal cord. Levels of TNFα in sera and transcripts for TNFα and iNOS in CNS were lower in previously infected mice. AAMΦ markers Ym1, Relm-α and Arg1 were over-expressed in CNS of EAE T. crassiceps-bearing mice, whereas T-bet was expressed in EAE mice. Injection of 50μg of soluble T. crassiceps Ag at the onset of EAE abrogated the symptoms. Infection and Ag induced AAMΦ expressing PDL1 & PDL2 which suppressed anti-MOG specific cell proliferation; such effects were inhibited in mice receiving chlodronate-loaded liposomes. Thus, T. crassiceps' immune-regulation decreases EAE severity by dampening T cell proliferation and migration to CNS with a key role for AAMΦ.

Anisodamine inhibits shiga toxin type 2-mediated tumor necrosis factor-alpha production in vitro and in vivo.

Cytokines, in particular tumor necrosis factor (TNF), appear to be necessary to develop the pathological process of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection. In this study we examined the effect of anisodamine, a vasoactive drug, on TNF-alpha production in Shiga toxin type 2 (Stx2)-stimulated human monocytic cells in vitro and in Stx2-injected mice sera in vivo. Human monocytes and THP-1 cells were stimulated by Stx2 (1-100 ng/ml) with or without anisodamine addition (1-400 micrograms/ml). For in vivo evaluations, C57BL/6 mice were given a single intraperitoneal injection of anisodamine (6-50 mg/kg) or saline after intraperitoneal injection of Stx2 (50 ng/kg). The results showed that anisodamine suppressed Stx2-induced TNF-alpha production in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Anisodamine also suppressed Stx2-induced TNF-alpha mRNA expression. Further study showed that endogenous prostaglandin E2 may be involved in this inhibitory effect. In contrast to TNF-alpha mRNA, anisodamine at concentrations as high as 400 micrograms/ml did not decrease Stx2-induced IL-1 beta and IL-8 mRNA levels. In addition, anisodamine (> 50 micrograms/ml) increased Stx2-stimulated THP-1 cell viability. Levels of TNF-alpha in anisodamine-treated mice sera were significantly lower than those in the saline-treated group 1.5 and 24 hr after Stx2 injection. Anisodamine induced a lower percentage of death in Stx2-injected mice. Taken together, our results indicate that anisodamine has an important regulatory effect on Stx2-induced TNF-alpha production in vitro and in vivo. The present study suggested that this drug should be further investigated for its effects on Stx2-mediated diseases in humans.

Analysis of cytokine expression in rheumatoid synovium has provided new insights into the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and new therapeutic opportunities

Circaea mollis Sieb. & Zucc., a genus of Circaea that follows Onagraceae, has been used for centuries as a folk herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Hani Ethnopharmacy for the treatment of joint swelling and pain in rheumatoid arthritis.This study was designed to confirm anti-arthritic effects and its underlying mechanism of ethanol extracts of Circaea mollis Sieb. & Zucc. (EEC), which may contribute to provide the pharmacological basis in the treatment of rheumatoid disease.Dimethylbenzene (DMB)-induced inflammatory swelling model, hot-plate pain model in mice and Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA)-induced arthritis model in rats were used to evaluate the anti-arthritis effect of EEC. Arthritis severity was done by measuring inflammatory swelling, pain threshol, paw swelling, arthritis index, body weight, spleen index and thymus index. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10 in sera were measured using ELISA. The pathological change of the ankle joint was also done. Phenolic composition of EEC was analyzed.EEC inhibited inflammatory swelling and increased heat-induced pain threshold in mice. Furthermore, EEC significantly alleviated paw swelling and arthritis index, decreasing the spleen index and thymus index. Besides, EEC down-regulated the serum TNF-α and IL-1β, and increased the production of serum IL-10 in FCA-induced rats. Histopathological examination demonstrated that EEC can effectively relieve synovial hyperplasia, control the infiltration of the inflammatory and protect cartilage from destruction.Our work demonstrated that EEC possessed the potential therapeutic effect against arthritis in rodents which was attributed to modulating proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and anti-inflammatory factors IL-10. Flavonoids and polyphenols may contribute to the therapeutic effect of EEC on arthritis.

Elevated soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor levels in seasonal allergic rhinitis patients.

In this study, we examined the symptom scores and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), p55 soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR1), and p75 soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR2) levels in the sera and nasal epithelial lining fluids (ELF) of 20 patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis from the pre- to the postseason period, and compared the results with those of 10 nonallergic control subjects. The symptom scores of the allergic subjects were significantly (P<0.01) higher than those of the nonallergic subjects during the early stage and mid-stage of the season. There were no statistical differences between the allergic and nonallergic subjects in the TNF-alpha levels in sera and ELF from the pre- to the postseason. In the allergic subjects, however, the levels of sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 in ELF were significantly elevated during the early stage (P<0.05) and mid-stage (P<0.01) of the season, whereas those in sera did not change from the pre- to the post-season period. The levels of TNF-alpha in ELF were more than 10 times higher than those in sera, whereas the levels of sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 in ELF were less than half of those in sera in the allergic and nonallergic subjects. These results suggest that sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 may play a role in the pathogenesis of nasal allergic reaction.