ABSTRACT
Objective The action mechanisms of Qingfei Oral Liquid ( QFOL) in the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus ( RSV) infection need to be studied more deeply.The aim of this study is to examine the expressions of interleukin ( IL)-10 and IL-17 in the lung tissue and those of Treg and Th17 in the spleen tissue of RSV-infected mice before and after treated with QFOL, and to explore the action mechanisms of QFOL from the perspective of the Treg/Th17 cy-tokines balance. Methods Fifty BABL/c mice were equally ran-domized to five groups: blank control, RSV model, Ribavirin, low-dose QFOL, and high-dose QFOL.Models of RSV ( long strain) infec-tion were made in the latter four groups.At 48 hours after viral activa-tion, the mice of the control and RSV model groups were treated intragastrically with 0.9%normal saline and those in the Ribavirin and QFOL groups with Ribavirin at 0.0025 g/mL and QFOL at 1.33 g/mL and 4 g/mL, respectively, all for 72 hours.Then all the mice were killed and the lung tissue harvested from 5 animals in each group for pathological analysis, while the levels of IL-10 and IL-17 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the other 5 detected by ELISA.The expressions of the cytokines Treg and Th17′in the spleen from 4 mice in each group were determined by flow cytometry. Results Compared with the RSV models, pathologic changes were significantly re-duced in the mice of the QFOL, Ribavirin and control groups (P<0.01), the expression of IL-10 remarkably up-regulated in the low-dose QFOL, high-dose QFOL, Ribavirin, and control groups ([39.21 ±1.57] vs [43.54 ±1.03], [46.64 ±0.48], [47.83 ±0.87], and [50.44 ±1.04] ng/L, all P<0.01), while the level of IL-17 markedly down-regulated ([70.96 ±0.53] vs [55.92 ±0.83], [33.66 ±0.70], [21.92 ±1.38], and [9.42 ±0.59] pg/mL, all P<0.01).The expressions of Treg/Th17′were significantly in-creased in the low-dose QFOL, high-dose QFOL, Ribavirin, and control groups (2.89 ±0.52, 6.38 ±0.36, 3.95 ±0.26, and 3.54 ± 0.85) as compared with that in the RSV models (0.96 ±0.16) (all P<0.01).Both low-and high-dose QFOL groups showed statisti-cally significant differences from the Ribavirin group in the levels of Treg, Th17, and Treg/Th17 (P<0.05). Conclusion QFOL can regulate the balance of Treg/Th17, increase the expression of IL-10 and decrease that of IL-17 in the lung tissue of RSV-infected mice, which further proves the efficacy of QFOL in the treatment of RSV-induced pneumonia.
ABSTRACT
Objective To understand the species,species distribution,the dominant species and their interspecies interaction of chigger mites on Eothenomys miletus(a dominant species of rats)in Yunnan.Method The rats were captured with mouse traps in 16 counties(or cities)during 2000-2004.All mites on the surface of two auricles of the hosts were collected and identified.The patch index(m*/m)and the coefficient of association(V)were adopted to judge the spatial distribution patterns and interspecies interaction of the dominant chigger mite species among different individuals of the rats(E.miletus).Results 1157 individuals of E.miletus were captured from 16 counties(citys).37613 chigger mites(belonging to 3 subfamily,9 genus and 80 species)were collected from the auricles(body surface)of 1157 rat hosts with a high “overall mite infestation rate”(68.2%)and “overall mite index”(32.5).Six species of mites were found dominant on E.miletus:Leptotrombidium scutellare,Leptotrombidium sinicum,Helenicula simena,Leptotrombidium eothenomydis,Herpetacarus hastoclavus and Leptotrombidium hiemalis.The distribution of the chigger mites among different individuals of E.miletus showed an aggregation pattern.Both positive and negative association existed between each two dominant species of chigger mites.Conclusion The species composition of chigger mites on Eothenomys miletus is complex with abundant individuals,which reflects a high species diversity of the mites.The main species of chigger mites tend to an aggregation on the body surface of E.miletus.
ABSTRACT
Objective To understand the species diversity of ectoparasites on Niviventer confucianus in the surrounding areas of Erhai Lake.Methods Small mammals were randomly captured in 12 investigated sites surrounding Erhai Lake with baited mouse cages.The cage-traps were examined and re-baited each morning.Trapped small mammals were brought to the laboratory for identification according to color, body length, ear length, hind foot length.All ec-toparasites on the surface of the hosts were collected and identified.The constituent ratio(C), prevalence(P) and average ectoparasite abundance(A) were used to evaluate the prevalence and density of ectoparasites.Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test was used to test differences in the abundance and richness of ectoparasites between female and male hosts.Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between ectoparasites and the body param-eters of hosts.Results Eighty-nine individuals of N.confucianus were captured, of which 79% were found infested with 51 species of ectoparasites, including 31 species of chigger mites, 13 species of mesostigmatid(gamasid) mites, 4 species of fleas and 3 species of sucking lice.Walchia ewingi Fuller(66.2%), Laelaps turkestanicus Lange(38.5%), Paradoxopsyllus custodies Jordan(42.9% ) and Hoplopleura pacifica(80.1% ) were the most predominant species of chigger mites, gamasid mites, fleas, and sucking lice, respectively.Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test showed that there was no significant difference between male and female hosts on the species richness and abundance of total ec-toparasites, chigger mites, sucking lice, fleas or gamasid mites.Spearman correlation analysis showed that the abun-dance and species of total ectoparasites, chigger mites, sucking lice, fleas or gamasid mites were not correlated with the body weight of hosts.Conclusion There is a high speices diversity of ectoparasites on N.confucianus.Sucking lice, fleas, chiggers and gamasid mites are the main ectoparasites.