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BACKGROUND@#The incidence of lung cancer is increasing annually. Clinicians pay special attention to lung tests during physical examinations. Due to the popularity of low-dose computed tomography, not only can lung cancer be diagnosed early, but physical examinations often reveal the presence of pulmonary nodules, an important health issue that cannot be ignored. Patients with pulmonary nodules are prone to adverse emotions such as anxiety and depression. Many studies have shown that patients with emotional disorders have immune system dysfunction and changes in inflammation levels. This study aimed to investigate the changes in anxiety, depression, the ratios of T helper cells 17 (Th17) and regulatory T cells (Tregs), and inflammation levels in patients with pulmonary nodules.@*METHODS@#A total of 143 subjects from The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were included from April 2019 to July 2019. All of the subjects were assessed with the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Overall, 40 cases were healthy controls (HC) and 103 cases were patients with pulmonary nodules. The patients were divided into two groups according to the scale scores: 62 cases in a non-anxiety and non-depression (NAD) group and 41 cases in an anxiety and/or depression (AD) group. The percentage of Th17 and Tregs in the peripheral blood and inflammatory factors in the serum were detected. The absolute Th17 cell counts were calculated and the differences between the groups and correlations between these indicators were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#There were statistically significant differences in the percentage of Th17 cells, the absolute counts of Th17 and Th17/Treg cells, and the levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) among three groups (all P0.05). The previously described indicators had no significant correlation with the severity of anxiety and depression (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the percentage of Tregs or levels of IL-4 and IL-10 between the groups (all P>0.05). The proportion of anxiety and/or depression in female patients with pulmonary nodules was higher than that in males (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Patients with pulmonary nodules are prone to varying degrees of anxiety and depression, which leads to immune dysfunction and low-grade inflammation.
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Objective:To explore how influenza A virus (IAV) regulates airway inflammation via activating Toll-like receptor 7(TLR7)/nuclear factor of κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods:Primary bronchial epithelial cells were isolated and cultured from normal controls and COPD patients. Samples were divided into 6 groups according to different in vitro treatment, including normal epithelial cell group (A), normal cells+IAV group (B), COPD epithelial cell group (C), COPD cells+IAV group (D), normal cells+TLR7 small interference RNA (si-RNA) group (E), COPD cells+TLR7 siRNA group (F). Protein expressions of TLR7 and NF-κB were detected by Western blot after 24h co-culture with IAV and TLR7 siRNA. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF α) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results:(1) Compared with group A [0.350±0.075 and 0.470±0.034, (53.000±6.532)pg/ml and (17.000±1.625)pg/ml],TLR7, NF-κB protein expression and IL-6, TNF α levels were significantly increased in group B[0.950±0.075 and 1.090±0.078,(185.000±7.874)pg/ml and (32.000±0.838)pg/ml], group C[0.780±0.056 and 0.910±0.045,(138.000±5.100)pg/ml and 29.000±1.323)pg/ml) and group D[1.280±0.031 and 1.540±0.051,(432.000±5.734)pg/ml and (52.000±3.453)pg/ml] (all P<0.01). Compared with group C TLR7, NF-κB protein expression and IL-6, TNF α levels were significantly increased in group D ( P<0.01). (2) Compared with the group A[0.530±0.023 and 0.800±0.046,(51.000±0.327)pg/ml and (14.000±0.314)pg/ml], TLR7, NF-κB protein expression and IL-6, TNF α levels were significantly decreased in the group E[0.350±0.047 and 0.510±0.067,(26.000±1.081)pg/ml and(8.000±0.526)pg/ml] ( P<0.05). Compared with group C[1.080±0.078 and 1.280±0.034,(125.000±2.249)pg/ml and (28.000±1.010)pg/ml], TLR7, NF-κB protein expression and IL-6, TNF α levels decreased in the group F[0.880±0.056 and 1.040±0.029,(83.000±1.125)pg/ml and (21.000±0.429)pg/ml] ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Influenza viruses activate TLR7/NF-κB signaling pathway to regulate airway inflammation storms in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD. New therapeutic targets of acute exacerbation COPD may be studied based on these inflammation responses to influenza viruses.
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Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of seven autoantibodies in the differential diagnosis of lung cancer patients. Methods The serum levels of seven autoantibodies p53, PGP9.5, SOX2, GAGE7, GBU4-5, MAGEA1 and CAGE were detected by ELISA in 122 subjects, which include 65 extrapulmonary tumors, 20 benign lung diseases, 3 small cell lung cancers, 20 physical examination subjects and 14 non-small cell lung cancers. Subsequently, the results were statistically analyzed by SPSS. Results The subjects were divided into five sub-groups, included extrapulmonary tumors, benign pulmonary lesions, small cell lung cancer, physical examination and non-small cell lung cancer subgroup. p53, SOX2, GBU4-5 and MAGEA1 in small cell cancer subgroup had significantly higher expression levels. Subjects were categorized differently using a ROC curve for statistical analy-sis. The results showed that p53 (AUC=0.664, P＜0.05) was significantly higher in lung cancer group than an-other group. GBU4-5 (AUC=0.639, P＜0.05) and the combination of the seven indicators (AUC=0.635,P＜0.05) had a certain diagnostic value for differential diagnosis of the non-malignant tumor group and the tumor group. MAGEA1, CAGE, PGP9.5, SOX2 and the combination of the seven indexes(AUC＞0.8,P＜0.05)had a high value in the differential diagnosis of small cell lung cancer group and another group. MAGEA1 ( AUC =0.333,P＜0.05) had some value in the differential diagnosis of the physical examination group and another group. p53 (AUC=0.33), PGP9.5 (AUC=0.355), GBU4-5(AUC=0.280),CAGE(AUC=0.341) and seven indi-cators combined detection( AUC =0.731 ) had certain value in the differential diagnosis of benign lung diseases group and another group. Conclusion According to the different groups, the detection of seven autoantibodies and their combined detection have a certain value for differential diagnosis of lung cancer.
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Aim ToinvestigatetheexpressionofMT1 in the hippocampus and serum melatonin in the asth-matic rats, and explore the mechanism in the develop-mentofasthma.Methods SixtyadultSDratswere randomly divided into two groups: control group ( n=20 ) and asthma group ( n=40 ) . Asthma rat model was established by sensitization and stimulation with ovalbumin ( OVA ) . Immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and reverse transcription PCR ( RT-PCR ) were used to evaluate the expression of MT1 in hippocam-pus. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA ) was used to detect serum melatonin level. Results TheexpressionofMT1inhippocampusatgeneand protein levels were significantly elevated in asthmatic group ( P 0.05).Conclusions MelatoninandMT1maybe involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. The up-regula-tion of MT1 in hippocampus with time-dependent pat-tern may be a compensatory response to decreased pe-ripheral melatonin levels for augmenting melatoninˊs neuroprotective and neuroimmunomodulatory effects a-gainst inflammatory reaction and stress in asthma.
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AIM To investigate the relationships between the alterations in circadian rhythms of cortisol, melatonin and nocturnal asthma METHODS Circadian rhythms of salivary free cortisol and melatonin levels were investigated in 15 control subjects and 8 exacerbation and 7 remission patients with bronchial asthma The serial salivary samples were collected at 12 time points during a 24 hour period The intensity of illumination was restricted to 50 lux during the night Salivary cortisol and melatonin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay RESULTS The 24 hour mean levels (mesor) of salivary cortisol was significantly different by one way ANOVA among the three groups ( P