ORMDL3 polymorphisms and their relationship with OPN and TGF-β1 levels in children with asthma in Hunan, China: an analysis of 98 cases / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate ORMDL3 polymorphisms in children with asthma in Hunan, China, and to determine the relationship between ORMDL3 polymorphisms and serum osteopontin (OPN) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) levels.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Peripheral blood samples were collected in children with asthma (n=98; astma group) or without asthma (n=30; control group) from Hunan, China. The asthma group was subdivided into atopic (n=62) and non-atopic (n=36) subgroups. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis was performed, and serum OPN and TGF-β1 levels were measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were no significant differences in genotype and allele frequencies of rs7216389 of the ORMDL3 gene between the asthma and control groups. The serum level of OPN in the asthma group was significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05). Both the atopic and non-atopic subgroups showed increased serum levels of OPN compared with the control group (P<0.05). The serum level of TGF-β1 in the atopic subgroup was significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05). The serum levels of OPN and TGF-β1 showed no significant differences in asthmatic children with different genotypes. The serum levels of OPN and TGF-β1 were in a positive linear correlation in the asthma group (r=0.620; P<0.01) and its two subgroups (r=0.734, 0.649 respectively; P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In children from Hunan, China, the SNP (rs7216389) of ORMDL3 is not related to asthma susceptibility. OPN and TGF-β1 may be involved in the development of asthma, and they are in a positive linear correlation. The SNP (rs7216389) of ORMDL3 does not influence the expression of OPN and TGF-β1, suggesting that it may not be associated with airway remodeling.</p>

Effect of budesonide aerosol treatment on expression of glucocorticoid receptor and nuclear factor-κB in asthmatic mice / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of budesonide aerosol inhalation on the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB in asthmatic mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-four healthy male BALB/c mice aged 6 to 8 weeks were randomly divided into three groups (n=8 each): normal saline (control group), asthma model (asthma group) and budesonide-treated asthma (BUD group). Asthma was induced by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) and aluminium hydroxide suspension and aerosol inhalation of OVA solution. Mice were sacrificed 24 hours after the last challenge. Eosinophil count in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was determined. Pathological examination of the lung tissues was performed and the expression levels of GR and NF-κB were measured by immunohistochemical analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eosinophil count in the BALF was significantly higher in the asthma and BUD groups than in the control group (P<0.05). BUD treatment decreased eosinophil count in the BALF compared with the asthma group (P<0.05). The lung tissues in the BUD group showed a less severe infiltration of eosinophils and lymphocytes compared with the asthma group. The percentage of GR-positive cells in the asthma group decreased significantly compared with the control group (P<0.05), and the percentage of GR-positive cells in the BUD group increased significantly compared with the asthma group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the percentage of NF-κB-positive cells increased significantly in the asthma group (P<0.05), and the percentage of NF-κB positive cells in the BUD group was significantly reduced compared with the asthma group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The action mechanism of budesonide in treating asthmatic mice may be related to the upregulation of GR expression and the inhibition of NF-κB activity.</p>

Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection and drug resistance in children: an analysis of 1026 cases / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection and drug resistance in children with respiratory tract infection and to provide a rational basis for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of MP infection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Throat swabs were collected from 3529 children with respiratory tract infection, who visited the pediatric outpatient department or received treatment in the pediatric ward of our hospital from September 2010 to September 2011. The swabs were cultured to detect MP. The drug sensitivity of MP to azithromycin, roxithromycin, erythromycin, acetylspiramycin and clarithromycin was evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 3529 children with respiratory tract infection, 1026 (29.07%) were MP-positive. There were cases of MP infection in all four seasons of the year but infection rates in summer and autumn were significantly higher than in spring and winter (P < 0.05). The infection rate in females was higher than in males (30.43% vs 28.32%; P > 0.05). The infection rate was negatively correlated with age in these children, and there were significant differences in the infection rate among all age groups (P < 0.05). For macrolide antibiotics suitable for children, the cultured MP developed the highest resistance to roxithromycin, followed by erythromycin, acetylspiramycin, clarithromycin, and azithromycin, with significant differences among them (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>MP infection rate is very high among children with respiratory tract infection. The incidence of MP infection is relatively low among school-age children and children are more susceptible to MP infection in summer and autumn than in spring and winter. Throat swabs should be cultured and drug sensitivity tests should be performed as early as possible in children with respiratory tract infection, so that proper intervention can be undertaken in time to reduce drug-resistant strains of MP.</p>

Studies on the alkaloids from the herb of Corydalis adunca / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the alkaloid constituents of Corydalis adunca.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The constituents were isolated on silica gel column and their structures were elucidated by IR, NMR, MS data.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Eight alkaloid compounds were isolated from alcohol extracts of the herb of C. adunca, and identified as dihydrosanguinarine (I), tetrahydrocolumbamine (II), 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-7-methoxy-1-[(4-methoxy)phenyl]methyl-8-quinolinol (III), protopine (IV) and 6-acetonyl-5,6-dihydrosanguinarine (V).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Five compounds were isolated from C. adunca for the first time.</p>