Characteristics of electrophysiological changes in the process of astrocytes pyroptosis after hyperoxia exposure / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#To observe the electrophysiological changes of astrocytes in the process of hyperoxia induced apoptosis and analyze the relationship between electrophysiological characteristics and morphological changes.@*METHODS@#Astrocytes were exposed to 90% hyperoxia for 12-72 h. The electrophysiological characteristics of astrocytes in each group were detected by patch clamp technique, and the morphological characteristics of astrocytes were observed at the same time. Then the same batch of astrocytes were collected, and the expression levels of caspase-1, caspase-3, gasdermin D (GSDMD) and gasdermin E (GSDME) were detected by Western blotting.@*RESULTS@#From 12 h to 72 h after hyperoxia exposure, the inward current was significantly lower than that of the control group (0.05). At each time point, the morphology of cells changed correspondingly. Western blotting showed that the expression of caspase-1 was increased significantly at 24 h and decreased significantly at 72 h after hyperoxia exposure (0.05), but began to decrease at 48 h (<0.05); GSDME increased gradually at 24 h after hyperoxia exposure (<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Under hyperoxia exposure, the ion channels of astrocytes are damaged, which can maintain the dysfunction of ion homeostasis, activate GSDME, induce the damaged cells to break away from the apoptotic pathway, and mediate the pyroptosis.

Effects of Qi-Boosting Toxin-Resolving Formula on CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T Cells and Th17 Cells of Patients with Middle to Late Staged Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To investigate the effects of Qi-Boosting Toxin-Resolving Formula (QBTRF) on CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and Th17 cells of patients with middle to late staged nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods Flow cytometry was performed to detect the ratio of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and Th17 cells in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBC) among 18 patients with middle to late stage of NPC treated by QBTRF added to conventional therapy (treatment group), Foxp3 mRNA and ROR-γt mRNA in PMBC was determined by RT-PCR technique. Furthermore, serum levels of IL-6 and TGF-β were assayed by ELISA. Meanwhile, 15 patients with NPC treated by conventional therapy were taken as the control group. Results The ratio of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells to the total CD4+ T cells and the transcriptional level of Foxp3 mRNA in PMBC were significantly lower in treatment group than that of control group (P<0.05), the ratio of Th17 cells to the total CD4+T cells and the transcriptional level of ROR-γt mRNA in PMBC were significantly higher in treatment group than that of control group (P<0.05). However, the serum level of IL-6 was obviously higher in treatment group than that of control group (P<0.05), and the serum leve of TGF-βwas obviously lower in treatment group than that of control group (P<0.05). Conclusion QBTRF can significantly affect the number ratio and functional activity of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and enforce the differentiation of Th17 cells among patients with middle to late staged NPC, which it may be reversed the immune tolerance of NPC through regulating the level of IL-6 and TGF-β.