Inflammation and airway remodeling of the lung in guinea pigs with allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma belong to the category of type I allergic diseases, whose pathological features are airway remodeling of the lung and allergic inflammation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate inflammation and remodeling of lung tissue in a guinea pig model of AR in order to confirm consistent pathological changes of upper and lower airways in AR. Male guinea pigs were randomly divided into an experimental and a control group (n=10 in each). The AR model was established by sensitization through intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin for three weeks and bilateral nasal local excitation for twelve weeks. All tissues of nasal mucosa and lung were subjected to hematoxylin and eosin as well as toluidine blue staining, and characteristics of remodeling of lung tissue, including thickness of bronchial wall, epithelial mucosa and smooth muscle were histologically determined. Collagen deposition in lung tissue was observed by Masson's trichrome stain. Severe paroxysmal nose scratching action, frequent sneezing, visible outflow of secretion from the anterior naris and frequent nose friction were observed in the AR model group within 30 min after local excitation. The total symptom scores were significantly increased in the AR model group compared with those in the control group. Obvious inflammatory cell infiltration was observed in the AR model group. Compared with those in the control group, the numbers of eosinophils and mast cells in nasal mucosa and lung tissue were significantly increased. Obvious airway remodeling of the lung was observed in the AR model group. Compared with those in the control group, bronchial wall thickness, epithelial layer thickness and smooth muscle thickness in the airways were significantly increased in the AR model group. Increased collagen deposition was found in the AR model group compared with that in the control group. The results of the present study revealed that inflammation and airway remodeling of lungs arose in guinea pigs with AR, suggesting that pathological changes of upper and lower airways are consistent in this AR model.

[Role and mechanism of the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 and tumor necrosis factor α in upper and lower respiratory tract inflammation in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role and mechanism of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma(AS). METHODS: The rat models of AR and AS were made by injecting ovalbumin. The infiltration of eosinophils and mast cells were detected by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and toluidine blue staining respectively, and the expression of MMP-9 and TNF-α in nasal mucosa and lung tissue were examined by immunohistochemical staining (SP method). The relationship of their expression with upper and lower respiratory tract inflammation was analyzed. SPSS 13.0 software was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The numbers of MMP-9 positive inflammatory cells in nasal mucosa and lung tissue of AR were (154.8 ± 12.0) and (124.0 ± 8.2), (43.2 ± 7.6) and (34.5 ± 5.0) in the control groups, the difference was significant (t value were 24.260, 29.525 respectively, all P < 0.05). The numbers of MMP-9 positive inflammatory cells in nasal mucosa and lung tissue of AS were (149.9 ± 11.7) and (120.1 ± 7.3), (48.6 ± 7.6) and (39.1 ± 5.2) in control groups, the difference was significant (t value were 22.929 and 28.530 respectively, all P < 0.05). The numbers of TNF-α positive inflammatory cells in nasal mucosa and lung tissue of AR were (188.8 ± 17.0), and (134.8 ± 7.9), (57.6 ± 23.3) and (40.3 ± 8.2) in control groups, the difference was significant (t value were 13.836 and 26.220, all P < 0.05). The numbers of TNF-α positive inflammatory cells in nasal mucosa and lung tissue of AS were (179.2 ± 15.4) and (153.5 ± 10.1), (70.5 ± 33.1) and (33.8 ± 14.0) in control groups, the difference was significant (t value were 9.412 and 21.858, all P < 0.05). There was a correlation between the expression of MMP-9 and TNF-α in nasal mucosa and lung tissue of AR (r values were 0.893 and 0.700 respectively, P values were 0.001 and 0.024, respectively) and AS (r values were 0.692 and 0.644 respectively, P values were 0.027 and 0.044 respectively) groups. CONCLUSIONS: The inflammation is similar between AR and AS. The MMP-9 and TNF-α may play an important role in the pathogenesis of upper and lower respiratory tract inflammation.

trans-Diaquabis(thiosemicarbazido-kappa2N,S)nickel(II) dimaleate dihydrate.

In the title compound, [Ni(CH(5)N(3)S)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](C(4)H(3)O(4))(2).2H(2)O, the Ni atom lies on a center of symmetry and is coordinated by N and S atoms from two thiosemicarbazide ligands and the O atoms of two water molecules in a distorted octahedral geometry. In the asymmetric unit, the three components are linked together by one O-H...O and two N-H...O hydrogen bonds. The packing is built from molecular ribbons parallel to the b direction, stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonds, and by one N-H...S and two N-H...O intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The ribbons are further connected into columns by N-H...O interactions and then into a three-dimensional network by three O-H...O hydrogen bonds.