Objective To examine the levels of interferon-gamma; (INF-gamma;), tumor necrosis factor-alpha; (TNF-alpha;) and interleukin-6(IL-6) in serum of patients with acute uveitis before and after treatment, and to explore the possible roles of those cytokines in the initiation and progression of the uveitis. Methods A series of 75 patients with acute uveitis,and 30 healthy persons from our hospital were investigated. The levels of INF-gamma;, TNF-alpha; and IL-6 in acute phase and convalescent phase were measured by the enzymelinked immunosorbent assay. Result The serum levels of INF-gamma;, TNF-alpha; and IL-6 in acute phase were significantly higher than that of the convalescent phase and the healthy controls (F=65.805/50.418/155.381, P=0.000). A significant negative correlation was found between the serum levels of INF-gamma;, TNF-alpha; and IL-6 in acute phase with their initial visual acuity(r=-0.656, -0.592 and -0.653, Plt;0.01). There was also a positive correlation among the serum levels of INF-gamma;, TNF-alpha; and IL-6(r=0.340, 0.467 and 0.338, Plt;0.05). Conclusions There are high serum levels of INF-gamma;, TNF-alpha; and IL-6 in patients with acute uveitis, and the cytokines levels were decreased after the treatment. The results suggested that the INF-gamma;, TNF-alpha; and IL-6 involved in initiation and progression of uveitis.
Objective To investigate the expression of hypoxia inducible factor 1(HIF1alpha;) in ratsprime; retinae during the embryonic and earlier postnatal period. Methods The retinal expression patterns of HIF-1alpha; protein and mRNA of embryonic day 12 (E12), E16, E20, and postnatal day 1(P1) and P5 rats were determined by immunohistochemical staining and reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results HIF-1alpha; protein was detected in the neural epithelial layer and the pigment epithelial layer at all those 5 timepoints, with higher expression in the ganglion cell layer and the inner plexiform layer, and seems limited to the ganglion cell layer when re tina became more mature. Embryonic rat retina had higher expression of HIF-1alpha; protein and mRNA than postnatal retina, the difference was significant (P＜0.01）. Conclusion The expression of HIF1alpha; in ratsprime;retina e differs from embryonic to earlier postnatal stages.
Exploring the functional network during the interaction between emotion and cognition is an important way to reveal the underlying neural connections in the brain. Sparse Bayesian network (SBN) has been used to analyze causal characteristics of brain regions and has gradually been applied to the research of brain network. In this study, we got theta band and alpha band from emotion electroencephalogram (EEG) of 22 subjects, constructed effective networks of different arousal, and analyzed measurements of complex network including degree, average clustering coefficient and characteristic path length. We found that: ① compared with EEG signal of low arousal, left middle temporal extensively interacted with other regions in high arousal, while right superior frontal interacted less; ② average clustering coefficient was higher in high arousal and characteristic path length was shorter in low arousal.
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Crocin on structure and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha; (TNF-alpha;) and interleukin-1beta; (IL-1beta;) in rat retina after injury by ischemia-reperfusion. Methods A total of 80 Sprague-Dawley male rats at the age of 8 -10 weeks were divided into control group, model group, low-dose Crocin group and high-dose Crocin group, with 20 rats in each group. The rats of control group were not treated. The rats in model, low-dose Crocin and high-dose Crocin group were induced with normal saline by anterior chamber perfusion creating a retinal ischemia-reperfusion (RIR) model. The rats of the low-dose Crocin and highdose Crocin group received intraperitoneal injection with different doses of Crocin solution (5 mg/kg, or 50 mg/kg) 30 minutes prior to ischemic injury and one time per day after successful RIR. Optical microscopy was used to observe the retinal structure. Enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the expression of TNF-alpha; and IL-1beta; 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after RIR. ResultsThe retinal structure of control group was normal. Pathological changes were found in the RIR model and low-dose Crocin group, such as retinal edema, disorganized structure and loosely packed cells. The degree of pathological changes in lowdose Crocin group was less than the RIR model group. The retinal structure of high-dose Crocin group was similar to the control group. The expression of TNF-alpha; was the highest at 24 hours after modeling, while the expression of IL-1beta; was the highest at 12 and 48 hours after RIR modeling. Six, 12, 24 and 48 hours after RIR modeling, compared with the control group, the TNF-alpha; expression of model (t=5.42, 7.94, 9.32, 9.18;P＜0.05 ), low-dose Crocin (t=3.94, 4.12, 4.98, 3.84;P＜0.05) and high-dose Crocin group (t=2.13, 2.34, 2.96, 2.78;P＞0.05) were increased. Compared with the RIR model group, the TNF-alpha; expression of low-dose Crocin (t=3.95, 4.56, 4.01, 5.12) and high-dose Crocin group (t=5.23, 7.65, 7.74, 7.63) was decreased. Compared with the control group, the IL-1beta; expression of model (t=7.23, 7.87, 7.15, 15.60), low-dose Crocin (t=5.65, 5.10, 5.54, 6.87;P＜0.05) and high-dose Crocin group (t=4.38, 5.21, 4.56, 4.75) was increased (P＜0.05). Compared with the model group, the IL-1beta; expression of low.dose Crocin group was decreased significantly 48 hours after RIR modeling (t=7.56,P＜0.05); but it decreased significantly at each time point in high-dose Crocin group (t=6.94, 5.36, 6.05, 10.50;P＜0.05). Conclusion Crocin can improve the retinal pathologic changes, while down-regulating TNF-alpha; and IL-1beta; expression in RIR rats.
Objective To detect the effects of cytokines on the expression of early growth response gene-1 (Egr-1) in cultured human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Methods Immunofluorescence staining, Western blotting and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect and quantitatively analyze the expression of Egr-1 protein and mRNA in cultured human RPE cells which were exposed to stimulants, including 20 mu;g/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS), 40 ng/ml tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha;, 10 U/ml interferon (IFN)gamma;, 30% supernatant of monocyte/macrophage strain (THP1 cells) and the vitreous humor from healthy human eyeballs, for 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 60 minutes, respectively. Results The RPE cells stimulated for 0 minute revealed faint green fluorescence of Egr-1 in the cytoplasm. With exposure to the stimulants, the expressionof Egr-1 increased obviously and b green fluorescence was found in cytoplasm in some nuclei of RPE cells. Compared with the untreated RPE cells, after stimulated by 20 mu;g/ml LPS, 40 ng/ml TNFalpha;, 10 U/ml IFNgamma;, 30% supernatant of THP-1 cells and the vitreous humor, the approximate ultimate amplitudes of Egr-1 mRNA enhanced 1.9, 1.3, 14, 1.2, and 1.4 times, respectively; the greatest amplitudes of Egr-1 protein increased 3.4, 1.2, 1.7, 32, and 1.3 times, respectively. Conclusion LPS, TNF-alpha;, IFN-gamma;, supernatant of THP-1 cells and the vitreous humor can upregulate the expression of Egr-1 mRNA and protein in cultured human RPE cells, and induce its nuclear transposition, which suggests the activation of Egr-1.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and a neurodegenerative disease with progressive cognitive dysfunction as the main feature. How to identify the early changes of cognitive dysfunction and give appropriate treatments is of great significance to delay the onset of dementia. Some other researches have shown that AD is associated with abnormal changes of brain networks. To study human brain functional connectivity characteristics in AD, 16 channels electroencephalogram (EEG) were recorded under resting and eyes-closed condition in 15 AD patients and 15 subjects in the control group. The synchronization likelihood of the full-band and alpha-band (8-13 Hz) data were evaluated, which resulted in the synchronization likelihood coefficient matrices. Considering a threshold T, the matrices were converted into binary graphs. Then the graphs of two groups were measured by topological parameters including the clustering coefficient and global efficiency. The results showed that the global efficiency of the network in full-band EEG was significantly smaller in AD group for the values of T=0.06 and T=0.07, but there was no statistically significant difference in the clustering coefficients between the two groups for the values of T (0.05-0.07). However, the clustering coefficient and global efficiency were significantly lower in AD patients at alpha-band for the same threshold range than those of subjects in the control group. It suggests that there may be decreases of the brain connectivity strength in AD patients at alpha-band of the resting-state EEG. This study provides a support for quantifying functional brain state of AD from the brain network perspective.
Objective To observe the effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on integrin alpha;5 expression and its influence on human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells.Methods Human RPE cells were treated in vitro with 0.1,1.0,10.0,20.0 and 100.0 ng/ml of EGF, the mRNA and protein of integrin alpha;5 was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction（RT-PCR）and flow cytometry. Human RPE cells were cultured under 4 conditions including DMEM/F12,DMEM/F12+10 ng/ml EGF, DMEM/F12+10 ng/ml EGF+rabbit antihuman integrin alpha;5 antibody (1∶100)，DMEM/F12+10 ng/ml EGF+rabbit antihuman vimentin antibody (1∶100), and their proliferation and migration were measured by methylthiazole tetrazolium（MTT）and Boyden chamber.Results The integrin alpha;5 mRNA level of human RPE cells was not changed after 12 hours of EGF stimulation (F=0.618, P=0.687), however it was induced in a dosedependent manner after 24 and 48 hours of EGF stimulation (F=465.303, 212.340; P=0.000,0.000).The protein level of integrinalpha;5 was higher in 10 ng/ml EGF stimulation compared with the control group and 0.1 ng/ml group（P＜0.01）.MTT and Boyden chamber showed that the integrin alpha;5 expression increased the proliferation and migration of human RPE cells. Conclusion EGF can induce integrin alpha;5 expression,thus increase the proliferation and migration of human RPE cells.
Objective To observe the inhibition of LipofectamineTM2000 (LF2000)mediated pSUPER recombinant plasmid expressing small interference RNA targeting hypoxia-induced factor (HIF)-1alpha;(pSUPERsiHIF-1alpha;) on retinal neovascularization in mice. Methods pSUPERsiHIF-1alpha; recombinant plasmid was created. Forty-eight (seven-day-old) C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal group, the control group, empty vector group and gene therapy group with 12 mice in each group. Mice in the normal group were kept in normal room air, while the other three groups retinal neovascularization was induced by hypoxia. The mice in control group were not treated. The mice in the vector group received intravitreous injection of pSUPER and LF2000 (1 mu;l), and the gene therapy group received pSUPERsiHIF-1alpha; and LF2000 (1 mu;l)one day before being returned to normal room air．Fluorescent angiography was used to assess the vascular pattern. The proliferative neovascular response was quantified by counting the nuclei of new vessels extending from the retina into the vitreous in cross-sections．HIF-lalpha;and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in retinas were measured by immune histochemical staining method and reverse transeriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results Fluorescent angiography showed radial branching pattern vessels in the normal group and distorted large vessels, obstructed capillaries, many neovascular tuffs, fluorescence leakage in the peripheral retina in the control group and vector group. The gene therapy group demonstrated a significant reduction in neovascular tufts and fluorescence leakage compared with the control group and the vector group. The number of vascular cell nuclei extending breaking through the internal limiting membrane(ILM) of control group and vector group increased significantly compared with normal group (F=5850.016,P＜0.05), while obviously decreasing in the gene therapy group compared with control group (F=3012.469,P＜0.05). Immunohistochemical staining showed the expression of HIF-1alpha; protein in nucleus and VEGF protein in cytoplasm. The expression of HIF-1alpha; protein in retina was negative, while VEGF protein was weakly positive in normal group. The expression of HIF-1alpha; and VEGF protein were both positive in control group and vector group, while weakly positive in gene therapy group. The Results of RT-PCR showed that the expression of HIF-1alpha; mRNA in retina was increased significantly in control group and vector group as compared with normal group (F=3102.326,P＜0.05), while decreasing significantly in gene therapy group as compared with control group (F=3336.425,P＜0.05). Conclusion Retinal neovascularization in the mice is significantly inhibited by intravitreal injection of LF2000-mediated recombinant plasmid pSUPERsiHIF-1alpha;.
Objective To observe the efficacy of the anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha; monoclonal antibody (TNF-alpha; MCAb) in the treatment of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU). Methods EAU animal models were induced by interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) R16 peptide with immunization. The rats were divided into 2 groups according to the injection times. TNF-alpha; MCAb was administered intravenously on day 6 or 4, 6 and 8 post-immunization respectively, and then to observe the clinical expression by slit-lamp microscope. Meanwhile, take the rats which did not accept TNF-alpha; MCAb as control group. Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses were measured on day 13 post-immunization of IRBP R16; the rats were killed on day 14 post-immunization of IRBP R16, and then enucleated the eyes for histopathological examination. To detect the cytokine level of IFN-gamma;, IL-4 in serum and IFN-gamma; in aqueous humor by enzyme-liked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on day 14 post-injection. The hyperplasia responses of antigen specific lymphocyte of draining lymph node cells were detected. Results The TNF-alpha; MCAb group had mitigated ocular inflammation and decreased pathological grades compared with the control group; the IFN-gamma; concentrations in aqueous humor and serum were decreased, IL-4 was increased in serum; DTH responses were decreased; the hyperplasia responses of draining lymphocytes to IRBP R16 peptide were decreased, all the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.01). The rats accepted TNF-alpha; MCAb thrice had much better curative effect than the rats injected once (P＜0.05). Conclusions Injection of TNF-alpha; MCAb can inhibit ocular inflammation and specific immune cells of EAU remarkably and change the Th1/Th2 balance. Many times injections of TNF-alpha; MCAb were more effective than once.
Objective To investigate the effect of small interfering RNA(siRNA) targeting hypoxia inducible factor1alpha; (HIF1alpha;) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on expression of VEGF in human vascular endothelial cells. Methods HIF-1alpha; siRNA recombinant plasmid was constructed. Human vascular ndothelial cells were cultured in vitro and divided into normoxia group (20% O2) and hypoxia group (1% O2). Hypoxia group was then divided into control group, vector group, HIF-1alpha; group (HIF-1alpha; siRNA), VEGF group ( VEGF165 siRNA) and cotransfection group (HIF-1alpha; siRNA+VEGF165 siRNA). LipofectamineTM 2000 (LF2000) mediated vector plasmid was transfected to cells in each group except the control group. The expression of HIF-1alpha; siRNA and VEGF165 siRNA recombinant plasmid were identified by reverse transcriptasepolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression of VEGF mRNA and protein were detected by RTPCR and immunocytochemical method. Results The expression of HIF-1alpha; siRNA and VEGF165 si RNA recombinant plasmid were detected 24 hours after transfected. The expression of VEGF mRNA and protein was faint in the normoxia group, but increased obviously in hypoxia group. The expression of VEGF mRNA and protein in the HIF1alpha;, VEGF and cotransfection groups were lower than which in the control group. Cotransfection group showed the highest inhibitory effect. Conclusion HIF-1alpha; and VEGF165 siRNA can effectively inhibit the expression of VEGF in human vascular endothelial cells.