Effects of recombinant fusion protein interleukin-18 on expression of immune-inflammatory factors in mice infected with Staphylococcus aureus / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of recombinant fusion protein interleukin (IL)-18 on the expression of immune-inflammatory factors in the mice infected with Staphylococcus aureus (SA), and to investigate the mechanism of action of IL-18 in defense of SA infection in vivo.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 40 specific pathogen-free female BLAB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups: control, SA infection, immunized, and intervention. A mouse model of SA infection was established by nasal inoculation with SA liquid. The immunized group and the intervention group were intranasally given IL-18 before SA modeling, and then the SA infection group and the intervention group received the nasal inoculation with SA liquid; the control group was treated with phosphate buffered saline instead. The levels of IL-4, interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), IgM in the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of mice were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α mRNA and MIP-2β mRNA in the lung tissue of mice were determined by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, the SA infection group and the immunized group had significantly higher levels of IL-4, G-CSF, and IgM in the serum and BALF and expression of MIP-1α mRNA and MIP-2β mRNA in the lung tissue (P<0.05); the SA infection group had a significantly lower level of IFN-γ and a significantly higher level of TNF in the serum and BALF (P<0.05); the immunized group had a significantly higher level of IFN-γ in the serum and BALF (P<0.05). Compared with the SA infection group, the intervention group had significantly higher levels of IL-4, IFN-γ, G-CSF, and IgM in the serum and BALF and expression of MIP-1α mRNA in the lung tissue. In contrast, the intervention group showed a significantly lower level of TNF in the serum and BALF and expression of MIP-2β mRNA in the lung tissue (P<0.05). All the above indicators in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05), except the serum level of IFN-γ.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In the mice infected with SA, the recombinant fusion protein IL-18 by mucosal immunity can affect inflammatory factors in the serum and BALF and the expression of MIP-1α mRNA and MIP-2β mRNA in the lung tissue to promote the anti-infective immune response and enhance the ability to clear pathogens.</p>

Immunological mechanism of wheezing attack in children with cytomegalovirus infection / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the possible immunological mechanism of wheezing attack in children with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 25 under-5-year-old children with wheezing following CMV infection were enrolled. The expression of serum regulatory T cells (Treg)/T helper 17 (Th17) cytokines interleukin (IL)-10, IL-6, and IL-17, and peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were determined. Twenty age-matched healthy children were selected as the control group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The wheezing group had a significantly reduced serum IL-10 level, significantly increased IL-6 and IL-17 levels, significantly reduced levels of natural killer cells, and significantly increased levels of CD8+ T cells and CD19+ B cells, as compared with the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Wheezing children with CMV infection have Treg/Th17 imbalance and cellular immune dysfunction, which may be an important immunological mechanism of the development of wheezing in children after CMV infection.</p>

Effects of sublingual immunotherapy on serum IL-17 and IL-35 levels in children with allergic rhinitis or asthma / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinical effect and mechanisms of specific sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) for the treatment of allergic rhinitis or asthma in children.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty children suffering from Dermatophagoides farinae-allergic rhinitis or asthma (case group) and 30 healthy children (control group) were enrolled in this study. The case group accepted SLIT between January and December 2011. The ratio of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and its expected value, the ratio of airway resistance and its expected value, peripheral blood eosinophil (Eos) count and serum levels of IL-17 and IL-35 were measured before treatment and one and two years after treatment. The rhinitis or asthma symptom scores were rated and the level of asthma control was monitored.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Serum IL-17 level in the case group was significantly higher than in the control group before treatment and one year after treatment (P<0.01). Furthermore, serum IL-17 level in the case group gradually decreased from before treatment to 1 year to 2 years after treatment (P<0.01). By two years of treatment, there was no significant difference in serum IL-17 level between the case and control groups (P>0.05). The changes of serum IL-35 level after treatment were opposite to serum IL-17 in the case group. The ratio of FEV1 and its expected value gradually increased from before treatment to 1 year to 2 years after treatment (P<0.01) in the case group. In contrast, the change of the ratio of airway resistance and its expected value and Eos count gradually decreased from before treatment to 1 year to 2 years after treatment (P<0.01) in the case group. More patients achieved improved rhinitis or asthma symptom scores two years after treatment than one year after treatment in the case group (P<0.01). SLIT was effective in 85% of children with allergic rhinitis one after treatment vs 100% two years after treatment. Asthma control was observed in 76% of the asthmatic patients one after treatment vs 92% two years after treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>SLIT is effective for allergic rhinitis and asthma in children, and the treatment period of two years seems to be superior to one year. The mechanism of action of SLIT for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and asthma may be associated with inhibition of IL-17 expression and promotion of IL-35 expression.</p>

Clinical analysis of immune function changes in children with bronchial pneumonia / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate changes in serum complement, immunoglobulins and lymphocyte subsets in children with common and severe bronchial pneumonia, and the role of immune function testing in bronchial pneumonia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty children with common bronchial pneumonia, 20 with severe bronchial pneumonia and 20 healthy children (as controls) were enrolled in this study. Immunization rate scattering turbidimetry and six-color flow cytometry were used to detect changes in serum levels of IgA, IgG and IgM, complement C3 and C4 and CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), CD16(+), CD56(+) and CD19(+) cells.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The IgA levels of children with common and severe pneumonia were significantly lower than in the control group (P<0.05). The IgG level of children with severe pneumonia was significantly lower than in the control group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the levels of IgM and complement C3 and C4 between the two pneumonia groups and the control group (P>0.05). Compared with the controls, the children with severe pneumonia showed significantly lower CD4(+) and CD3(+) counts (P<0.05) and a significantly higher CD19(+) count (P<0.05), and the CD16(+) and CD56(+) counts of children with severe pneumonia were significantly lower than in the controls and in children with common pneumonia (P<0.05). There were no differences in CD8(+) count and CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio between the two pneumonia groups and the control group (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Immune dysfunction exists in children with bronchial pneumonia, especially those with severe pneumonia. Changes in immune function are correlated with the severity of pneumonia. Immune function testing in children with pneumonia has important clinical significance.</p>

Cytokine Imbalance and Its Function in Morbidity of Autoimmune Thyroid Disease in Children / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To explore the changes of cytokine levels and their roles in morbidity of autoimmune thyroid disease(AITD) in children.Methods The serum concentrations of interleukin-4(IL-4),interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-?(TNF-?),interferon-? (IFN-?) were determined with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) among 30 patients with Graves′ disease (GD) and 20 patients with Hashimotos thyroiditis(HT) and 30 children without AITD subjects.Results The serum levels of IL-4 and IL-6 in patients with GD were higher than those of subjects (Pa

Expressions of Hepatocyte Growth Factor and Its Receptor in Children with Primary Nephrotic Syndrome / 实用儿科临床杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the expressions of hepatocyte growth factor(HGF) and its receptor c-Met in renal tissues of children with primary nephrotic syndrome(PNS) and the changes of serum HGF,and to explore its role in PNS chronic progress.MethodsForty-five children with PNS in active stage were studied.Among them,5 cases had severe tubulointerstitial lesions,12 cases had moderately tubulointerstitial lesions,21 cases were mild,7 cases without lesions.Serum from 20 normal cases and 10 normal renal tissues were evaluated as well.Inter-group comparison using One-Way ANOVA.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to examine the serum HGF,and immunohistochemistry staining and image analysis methods were used to study the expressions of HGF,c-Met,transforming growth factor-?1(TGF-?1) and ?-smooth muscle actin(?-SMA) in renal tissues.ResultsThe levels of HGF and c-Met protein expressions in renal tissues of children with severe tubulointerstitial lesions were significantly lower than those in the mild group and moderate group(Pa0.05).The level of HGF expression had positive correlation with the levels of TGF-?1,?-SMA among children with mild and moderately renal tubulointerstitial lesions(r=0.521,0.603Pa