Complete mitochondrial genome of Basilepta melanopus Lefèvre, 1893 (coleoptera: chrysomelidae: eumolpinae), a tea pest from Southern China.

The tea pest, Basilepta melanopus Lefèvre 1893 (Chrysomelidae), belongs to the subfamily Eumolpinae. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of B. melanopus from southern China was sequenced using the next-generation sequencing technique, assembled, and annotated using bioinformatics tools. The complete mitochondrial genome was 15,905 bp in length. The overall GC content was 22.51%, in which the percentages for the bases A, T, C, and G were 41.23%, 36.26%, 8.92%, and 13.59%, respectively. Thirty-seven genes were predicted, including 13 protein-coding, 22 transfer RNA, and two ribosomal RNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete mitochondrial genome sequences of 18 Chrysomelidae taxa revealed that B. melanopus was closely related to Basilepta fulvipes.

Lipoxin A4 regulates PM2.5-induced severe allergic asthma in mice via the Th1/Th2 balance of group 2 innate lymphoid cells.

BACKGROUND: Urban particulate matter (PM) contributes to the increasing number of people with asthma, which is closely related to the development of industrialization. Especially, PM with an aerodynamic diameter of <2.5 µm (PM2.5) enhances the risk of damaging respiratory organs. It has reported that PM2.5-induced pathological changes could be considered as a remarkable molecular mechanism of PM2.5-mediated cytotoxicity in respiratory disease and even lung cancer. METHODS: In this study, we have investigated the effects of PM2.5 on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma mice and the therapeutic effect of Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) on improving the poor pathology. RESULTS: The exposure of PM2.5 showed that both cytokines of T helper-2 (Th2) cells and transcription factors of group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) were significantly increased, and inflammatory cell infiltration occurred in lung tissue. The LXA4 was used to treat asthma, which was an effective option in reducing inflammatory cytokines and relieving pathological symptoms, probably by regulating the Th1/Th2 balance. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that PM2.5-induced inflammation plays a key role in the progression of asthma mice. In addition, LXA4 has a significant therapeutic effect on asthma, which indicates the direction for the treatment of asthma related inflammatory diseases.

[Changes in IL-17 and TGF-ß1 levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and their clinical significance among children with asthma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in the levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1) in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and their clinical significance among children with asthma. METHODS: Fifty-six children with asthma were divided into moderate or severe asthma (n=37) and mild asthma groups (n=19) and 18 children without asthma were selected as the control group. Cells in BALF were counted under a microscope. The levels of IL-17 and TGF-ß1 in serum and BALF were measured using ELISA. RESULTS: were no significant differences in total cell count and percentage of macrophages between the two asthma groups and the control group (P>0.05). The percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF were significantly higher in the two asthma groups than in the control group (P<0.05). The two asthma groups had significantly higher levels of IL-17 and TGF-ß1 in serum and BALF than the control group (P<0.05), and the moderate or severe asthma group had significantly higher levels of IL-17 and TGF-ß1 in serum and BALF than the mild asthma group (P<0.05). Levels of IL-17 and TGF-ß1 in serum were significantly positively correlated with those in BALF (r=0.935 and 0.943, P<0.05 for both). In children with asthma, serum IL-17 level was significantly positively correlated with the percentage of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF (r=0.802, 0.799, and 0.674, P<0.05 for all), and a significant positive correlation was also seen between serum levels of IL-17 and TGF-ß1 (r=0.878, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Levels of IL-17 and TGF-ß1 in serum and BALF are elevated in children with asthma. IL-17 and TGF-ß1 may be involved in the occurrence and development of asthma, and they play important roles in asthma attack and aggravation.

Changes in interleukin-17 and transforming growth factor beta 1 levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and their clinical significance among children with asthma.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the changes in the levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1) in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and their clinical significance among children with asthma. METHODS: A total of 56 children with asthma were divided into moderate or severe asthma (n=37) and mild asthma groups (n=19) and 18 children without asthma were selected as the control group. Cells in BALF were counted under a microscope. The levels of IL-17 and TGF-ß1 in serum and BALF were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in total cell count and percentage of macrophages between the two asthma groups and the control group (P>0.05). The percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF were significantly higher in the two asthma groups than in the control group (P<0.05). The two asthma groups had significantly higher levels of IL-17 and TGF-ß1 in serum and BALF than the control group (P<0.05), and the moderate or severe asthma group had significantly higher levels of IL-17 and TGF-ß1 in serum and BALF than in the mild asthma group (P<0.05). The serum levels of IL-17 and TGF-ß1 were positively correlated with those in BALF (r=0.935 and 0.943, both P<0.05). In children with asthma, serum IL-17 level was positively correlated with the percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils, and epithelial cells in BALF (r=0.802, 0.799, and 0.674, all P<0.05), and a positive correlation was also seen between serum levels of IL-17 and TGF-ß1 (r=0.878, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Levels of IL-17 and TGF-ß1 in serum and BALF are elevated in children with asthma. IL-17 and TGF-ß1 may be involved in the occurrence and development of asthma, and they play important roles in asthma attack and aggravation.