Changes of interleukin-2 and interferon-γ in serum and synovial fluid of patients with joint injure with Kashin-Beck disease / 中国地方病学杂志

Objective To investigate the changes of interleukin(IL)-2 and interferon(IFN)-γin serum and synovial fluid of patients with joint injure with Kashin-Beck disease(KBD), and study the roles of IL-2 and IFN-γ in KBD joint injure. Methods In accordance with the "Diagnostic Criteria of Kashin-Beck disease"(GB16003-1995),48 cases of KBD patients and 26 healthy people(control group) from KBD endemic area in Long county Shaanxi province were enrolled in the study. KBD patient were 24 males and 24 females, respectively, aged 40 to 65 years (mean age 51 years). Forty-eight serum specimens and 28 synovial fluid specimens of patients(14 males and 14 females,respectively) were collected. Healthy control group were 13 males and 13 females, respectively. Twenty-six serum specimens of healthy controls were collected. Serum and synovial fluid IL-2 and IFN-γ levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Results In healthy controls and KBD patients, the midian of serum IL-2 were 46.8 ng/L and 55.7 ng/L, respectively, and IFN-γ were 52.3 ng/L and 48.8 ng/L, respectively. The difference was not statistically significant between healthy controls and KBD patients(t = 0.62, 0.70, all P ＞ 0.05).In synovial fluid of KBD patient, the midian of IL-2 and IFN-γwere 48.3 ng/L and 44.1 ng/L, respectively. The difference was not statistically significant between serum and synovial fluid in KBD patients(t = 0.69, 1.72, all P ＞0.05). Conclusion Serum and synovial fluid IL-2 and IFN-γare not significantly increased in KBD patients with articular damage, indicating that IL-2 and IFN-γare not involved in KBD joint injury.

Bone marrow stromal cells transfected with ciliary neurotrophic factor gene ameliorates the symptoms and inflammation in C57BL/6 mice with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) transfected with recombinant adenovirus-mediated ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) gene in C57BL/6 mice with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>An adenovirus vector containing CNTF gene Ad-CNTF-IRES-GFP was constructed and transfected in the MSCs (MSC-CNTF). After examination of CNTF expression, the transfected cells were transplanted in C57BL/6 mice with MOG 35-55-induced EAE, which were monitored for the changes in the symptoms scores. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), inteferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-12P35 (IL-12P35), and IL-10 in the peripheral blood of the mice were detected, and the number of MSC-CNTF cells in the spleen and spinal cord was counted. CD3+ T cell infiltration and TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma expressions in the lesions were also observed after the cell transplantation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CNTF gene transfection resulted in significantly increased CNTF expression in the MSCs. The mice receiving MSC-CNTF transplantation exhibited significantly improved symptoms with shortened disease course and lessened disease severity. The cell transplantation also resulted in significantly decreased peripheral blood TNF-alpha levels, ameliorated CD3+T cell infiltrations and lowered TNF-alpha expression in the lesions, while the levels of IFN-gamma underwent no significant changes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Transplantation of CNTF gene-transfected MSCs results in decreased peripheral blood TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma levels and reduced inflammatory cells, CD3-positive cells and TNF-alpha expression in the lesion of EAE, therefore providing better effect than MSCs in relieving the symptoms of EAE in mice.</p>

Investigation of drinking water fluoride and fluorosis in Shaanxi Province from 2005 to 2007 / 中国地方病学杂志

Objectives To investigate fluoride in drinking waters and fluorosis status and evaluate the effectiveness of fluoride-reducing projects in Shaanxi Province from 2005 to 2007. Methods In the Shaanxi province-wide, the 10 endemic areas of fluorosis were chosen according to historical data as focusing areas for investigation. The village was considered as investigation spot, 5 water samples were collected from each village for investigating of fluoride content. Four water samples were collected from each fluoride-reducing project for evaluating its effectiveness. Fluoride concentrations in drinking water were measured by fluoride-selective electrode method or speetrophotometry. When fluoride content in drinking water was greater than 1.00 mg/L, the epidemical study wasd conducted to investigate fluorosis patients, focusing on investigating of dental fluorosis prevalence in 8 to 12-year-old children and skeletal fluorosis prevalence in adults. Dental fluorosis of children was diagnosed by using Dean's method, and adult skeletal fluorosis was diagnosed according to National Standard for Clinical Diagnosis of Endemic Skeletal Fiuorosis(GB 16396-1996). Results The fluoride content in drinking water from 6390 villages was measured. The fluoride content of drinking water of 2619 villages ranged from 1.0 to<2.0 mg/L, where 1 654 998 people exposed. Additionally, the fluoride content of water of 845 villages ranged from 2.0 to<4.0 mg/L, where 355 623 people exposed. Moreover, the fluoride contents of water of 272 villages exceeded 4.0 mg/L, where 111 466 people exposed. The median of fluoride content in drinking water was 1.15% in the whole province, and fluoride content in drinking water exceeded 1.00 mg/L in Weinan, Xianyang and Yulin where were concentrated distribution areas of high fluoride water. Among 3115 fluoride-reducing projects, the fluoride content of drinking water of 1269 projects ranged from 1.0 to<2.0 mg/L, where 1 415 877 people exposed. Additionally, the fluoride content of drinking water of 120 projects ranged from 2.0 to<4.0 mg/L, where 43 888 people exposed. Moreover, the fluoride content of drinking water of 14 projects exceeded 4.0 mg/L, where 5960 people exposed. The detectable rate of dental fluorosis of 8 to 12 year-old children and skeletal fluorosis of adults reached 37.4%(16 489/44 081) and 5.1%(15 877/310 993), respectively. Conclusions The widely distribution of high-fluoride in drinking water still contributes to the prevalence of fluorosis in Shaanxi Province. The quality of fluoride-reducing projects should be further improved.