mRNA Expression Levels Of IL-5 Research Articles

Immunopathological changes in the brain of immunosuppressed mice experimentally infected with Toxocara canis.

Toxocariasis is a soil-transmitted helminthozoonosis due to infection of humans by larvae of Toxocara canis. The disease could produce cognitive and behavioral disturbances especially in children. Meanwhile, in our modern era, the incidence of immunosuppression has been progressively increasing due to increased incidence of malignancy as well as increased use of immunosuppressive agents. The present study aimed at comparing some of the pathological and immunological alterations in the brain of normal and immunosuppressed mice experimentally infected with T. canis. Therefore, 180 Swiss albino mice were divided into 4 groups including normal (control) group, immunocompetent T. canis-infected group, immunosuppressed group (control), and immunosuppressed infected group. Infected mice were subjected to larval counts in the brain, and the brains from all mice were assessed for histopathological changes, astrogliosis, and IL-5 mRNA expression levels in brain tissues. The results showed that under immunosuppression, there were significant increase in brain larval counts, significant enhancement of reactive gliosis, and significant reduction in IL-5 mRNA expression. All these changes were maximal in the chronic stage of infection. In conclusion, the immunopathological alterations in the brains of infected animals were progressive over time, and were exaggerated under the effect of immunosuppression as did the intensity of cerebral infection.

Therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of water-soluble extracts of Banxiaxiexin decoction on BALB/c mice with oxazolone-induced colitis.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of water-soluble extracts of Banxiaxiexin decoction, a classical traditional Chinese medicine formulation, on BALB/c mice with experimentally induced ulcerative colitis (UC). Water-soluble extracts of Banxiaxiexin decoction were intragastrically administered to BALB/c mice with oxazolone (OXA)-induced colitis. Sulfasalazine (SASP) was administered intragastrically to OXA-treated mice to establish the SASP group (positive control). Following drug administration, the disease activity index (DAI) and the histopathological inflammation score were recorded. In addition, the expression levels of interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-13 mRNA in the colonic tissue were determined by fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The DAI and histopathological inflammation score of the model group were significantly greater compared with those of the control group, and the mRNA expression levels of IL-5 and IL-13 in the colonic tissue were also significantly higher in the model group compared with those in the control group. The intragastric administration of water-soluble extracts of Banxiaxiexin decoction significantly lowered the DAI and histopathological inflammation score. The mRNA expression levels of IL-5 and IL-13 in the colonic tissue were also significantly lowered. The therapeutic effect of Banxiaxiexin decoction was found to be comparable to that of SASP. In conclusion, the results from the present study demonstrate that water-soluble extracts of the traditional Chinese medicine formulation Banxiaxiexin decoction have a therapeutic effect on BALB/c mice with OXA-induced colitis.

Differences in airway inflammation according to atopic status in patients with chronic rhinitis

BackgroundChronic rhinitis is a heterogeneous group of diseases that cause nasal inflammation. And the nose may be a window into the lung in the concept of "one airway one disease."ObjectiveThis study was conducted to evaluate differences between the different forms of chronic rhinitis in terms of lower airway inflammation.MethodsPatients that attended the allergy clinic and presented with moderate/severe persistent rhinitis symptoms for more than 1 year were enrolled. The patients with chronic rhinitis were classified into two groups (house dust mites [HDM]-sensitive allergic rhinitis [AR] or non-allergic rhinitis [NAR]) according to the presence of atopy, and additionally according to nasal polyposis and airway hyperresponsiveness, respectively. Medical records were reviewed and the mRNA expression levels of IL-5, IFN-γ, TGF-β1, IL-17A, and IL-25 were evaluated in induced sputum samples in each group.ResultsInduced sputum samples of 53 patients were evaluated. Patients with NAR were significantly older than patients with HDM-sensitive AR (p < 0.05). Nasal polyposis was more prevalent in NAR patients than in HDM-sensitive AR patients (10.2% vs. 62.5%, p < 0.001). The expression levels of IL-17A mRNA were higher in NAR patients, regardless of the presence of airway hyperresponsiveness (p = 0.005).ConclusionThese results suggest that patients with different forms of chronic rhinitis could have different inflammatory environments in their lower airway and NAR patients might have bronchial inflammation related to the elevated levels of IL-17A compared to HDM-sensitive AR patients.