Antitumour efficacy of a novel oncolytic adenovirus Ad-TD-RFP for human nasopharyngeal carcinoma / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the antitumor efficacy of Ad-TD-RFP for human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells (C666-1) in vitro and in vivo.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The oncolytic effects of Ad-TD-RFP and control virus dl11520 on C666-1 cells were determined by cytotoxicity assay (MTS assay). Viral replication of Ad-TD-RFP and dl11520 was detected at different time points (24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h) by tissue culture infective dose (TCID(50)) in C666-1 cells implanted subcutaneously into the flank in each of BALB/c nude mice. The xenografts were injected intratumorally with Ad-TD-RFP or dl1520 to investigate their effects on tumor growth.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The concentration for 50% of maximal effect (EC(50)) values of Ad-TD-RFP and dl1520 were (107.6 ± 3.2) pt/cell and (174.1 ± 4.0) pt/cell, respectively (t = 22.6, P < 0.001). The Ad-TD-RFP replication was 3-14 folds more than dl1520 replication at four time points (24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h) in C666-1 cells (t values were 33.6, 23.4, 20.8 and 17.3, respectively, P < 0.001). The average tumor volumes of PBS group, dl1520 group and Ad-TD-RFP group were (1765.5 ± 713.9) mm(3), (1036.9 ± 623.8) mm(3), and (420.8 ± 238.7) mm(3), respectively (F = 12.0, P < 0.05) on day 67 after treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The antitumour efficacy of the novel oncolytic adenovirus Ad-TD-RFP for human nasopharyngeal carcinoma C666-1 cells is superior to that of dl1520 in vitro and in vivo. The outcome of this study provides an experimental basis for the treatment of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma by viral gene therapy.</p>

Relationship between nasal discharge eosinophils and responses to treatment of inhaled glucocorticosteroid in patients with allergic rhinitis / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the treatment responses of persistent allergic rhinitis with and without nasal discharge eosinophilia (EOS) to inhaled glucocorticosteroid (CS), and therefore to verify whether low nasal discharge eosinophils predict poor response to treatment with CS.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-two symptomatic allergic rhinitis patients, who had not received CS therapy in three months preceding the study, were examined before and 2 month,4 months and 6 months after treatment with CS. At each visit, all patients underwent symptom scoring and physical sign scoring. The level of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in the nasal discharge supernatants was measured by radioimmunoassay. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to nasal discharge EOS percentages, an EOS group (group A, EOS > or = 0.03) and a non-EOS group (group B, EOS < 0.03). The response to CS therapy (as measured by symptom and physical sign scores) and the changes of nasal discharge measurements were compared between the 2 groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the group A, the baseline EOS [0.086 (0.065; 0.176)] and ECP level [(326 +/- 145) microg/L] were significantly higher than those of the group B [0.016 (0.005; 0.022)] and ECP level (154 +/- 58) microg/L], respectively, t = 4.40, 3.33, both, all P < 0.01. After 2 month and 6 months CS therapy, the nasal discharge EOS, ECP pred were 0.038 (0.006; 0.070), 0.019 (0.010; 0.060), (175 +/- 122) microg/L, (175 +/- 153) microg/L, respectively in the EOS group, which were significantly different as compared to baseline values (F = 6.73, 7.38, respectively, all P < 0.05). But in the non-EOS group, the nasal discharge EOS ECP pred were 0.014 (0.004; 0.032), 0.015 (0.000; 0.026), (118 +/- 60) microg/L, (112 +/- 60) microg/L, respectively at 2 and 6 months, which showed that the the nasal discharge EOS pred and the symptom and physical sign scores improved did not change (F = 0.82, P > 0.05), but the ECP level improved (F = 3.78, P < 0.05). and the average daily dose of CS wear not different between the two groups at any visits.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In persistent allergic rhinitis with low nasal discharge EOS, CS therapy for 6 months failed to improve symptom and physical sign.</p>

Relationship between alpha- and beta-isoform of corticosteroid receptors and corticosteroid resistant allergic rhinitis / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To clarify the relationship between the expression of alpha- and beta-isoform of corticosteroid receptors (CS) in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and response to corticosteroid in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of CS-alpha, beta in PBMC in patients with AR and to observe the different responses to corticosteroid in controls. Immunocytochemical assay was used to detect the expression of protein of CS-alpha and CS-beta.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>1) The expression of CS-alpha mRNA was detected in the sensitive group and the resistant group of patients with AR and the controls with CS-alpha/GAPDH mRNA (x +/- s) 1.15 +/- 0.75, 1.63 +/- 0.78, 1.27 +/- 0.51 respectively. 2) The expression of CS-beta mRNA in PBMC in the resistant group of patients with AR was significantly higher than that in the sensitive group and the controls (P < 0.05), with CS-beta/GAPDH mRNA 1.42 +/- 0.73, 0.82 +/- 0.59, 0.80 +/- 0.68 respectively. 3) The number of CS-beta-positive PBMC in the resistant group was significantly higher than that in the sensitive group and the controls (P < 0.01), with the number of CS-beta-positive PBMC 28.8% +/- 9. 9%, 5.9% +/- 3.2%, 5.5% +/- 6.8% respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>It is shown that the excessive expression of CS-beta may serve as a novel predictor of corticosteroid resistance in patients with AR.</p>

Serum leptin level in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty on changes of serum leptin levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-one patients with OSAHS diagnosed by polysomnography were treated with uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. Pretreatment and post-uppp serum leptin concentrations in patients with OSAHS and in BMI-matched controls were measured by radioimmunoassay. Correlations between leptin concentrations and AHI, BMI were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The concentrations of leptin in patients with OSAHS were higher than that in controls (P < 0.05). Mean levels (x+/-s) of leptin were (9.8+/-2.1) microg/L, (14.2+/-6.7) microg/L, and (19.3+/-7.9) microg/L in patients with severe, mediate and mild obstructive sleep apnea, respectively. Serum leptin levels correlated positively with the degree of OSAHS as reflected by AHI (r = 0. 68, P < 0.01). The leptin concentration of 51 responders after 6 months were significantly decreased (P < 0.01) than that of pre-operation. However, the difference of leptin concentration between pre-operation and post operation was not significant in 9 nonresponders (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>There are higher leptin concentrations in patients with OSAHS, which are significantly correlated to the severity of disease. Serum leptin levels in responders decreased significantly after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. OSAHS may influence the leptin system, resulting in increased serum leptin level.</p>