In vitro arsenic trioxide induces apoptosis in T cells of asthmatic patients by a Bcl-2 related mechanism / 药学学报

This study examined the effects of arsenic trioxide on apoptosis and interleukin-4 release in T cells of asthmatic patients in vitro and investigated the role of Bcl-2 in the active mechanism. T cells were isolated from asthmatic patients (n = 21) and healthy controls (n = 20), and then treated with arsenic trioxide and dexamethasone. Cell apoptosis was measured using fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry and a cytochrome c ELISA kit. Interleukin-4 levels in the serum and in supernatants from T cells were quantified by ELISA. Flow cytometric analysis and immunofluorescence studies were performed to determine Bcl-2 expression. T cells of the asthmatic patients (i. e. without treatment) exhibited decelerated spontaneous apoptosis after 24 h incubation in vitro when compared to T cells of the healthy controls. With dexamethasone treatment, an increase in apoptosis of T cells was not significantly different between both groups, irrespective of the method used. Arsenic trioxide treatment, however, significantly increased the apoptosis of T cells of the asthmatic group and showed a slight effect on the control group. In asthmatic patients, elevated levels of interleukin-4 and up-regulated Bcl-2 expression were detected. Moreover, in vitro, T cells of asthmatic patients spontaneously released more interleukin-4 and exhibited more Bcl-2 expression than T cells from the control group. Arsenic trioxide treatment significantly decreased interleukin-4 release and down-regulated Bcl-2 expression in asthmatic patients, while it only slightly affected healthy controls. Dexamethasone treatment decreased interleukin-4 release in both groups examined. It did not significantly influence Bcl-2 expression. These results suggest that arsenic trioxide induces T cell apoptosis and decreases interleukin-4 release in T cells of asthmatic patients in vitro and that down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression may be an important mechanism.

Clinical observation of teacher tablets in treatment of pharyngitis / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy of teacher tablets in the treatment of pharyngitis.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>One hundred and thirty six patients with acute pharyngitis or chronic pharyngitis in attack were randamly divided into two groups: treated group (n=68), the patients were given teacher tablets for 7 days, control group (n=68), the patients were given Qinlian capsule for 7 days. Before and after the experimental medicine-taking test, general condition, clinical symptoms and features of examinations on laryngo-pharynx, throat swab bacterial culture were measured.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>After 7 day medicine-taking experiment, teacher tablets can improve clinical symptoms (at an efficacy rate of more than 60%) and features (at an efficacy rate of more than 80%) of laryngopharynx, in treated group, the inhibition ratios of alpha streptococcus, neisseria and staphylococcus aureus are more than 50%. There are no significant difference between treated group and control groups in those detected index.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Teacher tablets is effective for pharyagitis.</p>

Effects of arsenic trioxide on apoptosis of peripheral T-lymphocytes from asthmatic patients and normal subjects in vitro / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of arsenic trioxide on apoptosis of peripheral T-lymphocytes from asthmatic patients and normal subjects in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The T-lymphocytes were isolated from the blood of 21 asthmatic patients and 20 healthy controls and treated with arsenic trioxide and dexamethasone. Cell apoptosis was observed by fluorescence microscope and measured with flow cytometry and Cytochrome C ELISA kit.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The T-lymphocytes from the asthmatic patients, when compared to those from of the healthy control, exhibited decelerated spontaneous apoptosis after a 24-hour incubation in vitro. Dexamethasone treatment significantly increased the percentage of apoptotic T-lymphocytes from both asthmatic patients and normal subjects in comparable magnitude. Arsenic trioxide treatment, in contrast, significantly increased the percentage of apoptotic T-lymphocytes from asthmatic patients, but slightly affected the cells from the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Spontaneous apoptosis of T-lymphocytes can be decelerated in asthmatic patients, whose T-lymphocytes are more sensitive to arsenic trioxide-induced apoptosis than those of normal subjects, but the T-lymphocytes from normal subjects and asthmatic patients are equally sensitive to dexamethasone.</p>