[Effects of qingyang toujie mixture in combination with prednisone tablet on Th1/Th2 cytokines in patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus].

OBJECTIVE: To research the effects of Qingyang Toujie Mixture (QTM) in combination with prednisone tablet on the balance of Th1 and Th2 (Th1/Th2) of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients of yin deficiency syndrome (YDS). METHODS: Totally 42 patients with SLE were recruited from clinics of internal medicine and hospitalization department of First Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from August 2009 to March 2011. They were randomly assigned to the treatment group (22 cases) and the control group (20 cases) according to the random digit table. Another 12 healthy subjects were recruited as the healthy control group from employees of First Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and healthy students in physical examinations. All patients took prednisone tablet. The dosage was adjusted according to the severity of SLE activity index and the condition: 40 -60 mg per day for severe active stage; 20-40 mg per day for moderate active stage; 15 -20 mg per day for light active stage; and less than 15 mg per day for those in the stable stage, respectively. When patients' condition had been stabilized for 1 to 2 weeks, the dosage was gradually reduced according to the method of hormone reduction. In case of the recurrence of symptoms or when complicated with lupus nephritis or lupus encephalitis uncontrollable, standard shock therapy with Cyclophosphamide Injection (0.5-1 g/m2 body surface area, intravenous dripping, once every 4 weeks) was performed. Patients in the treatment group took QTM additionally, one dose daily, taken in two portions, once in the morning and once in the evening. Those in the control group took placebos additionally, one dose daily, taken in two portions, once in the morning and once in the evening. The therapeutic course was 6 months for all. No measure was taken for those in the healthy control group. Venous blood was withdrawal before and after treatment. Th1 cytokines (IFN-gamma, IL-12) and Th2 cytokines (IL-10, IL-4) were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with the healthy control group, the serum Th1 cytokines such as IL-12 and IFN-gamma, Th2 cytokines such as IL-10 and IL-4 increased, the Th1/Th2 ratios such as IFN-gamma/IL-4 and IL-12/IL-10 decreased in the treatment group and the control group before treatment (P < 0.01). Compared with before treatment in the same group, the serum Th1 cytokines such as IL-12 and IFN-gamma decreased, the serum Th2 cytokines such as IL-10 and IL-4 decreased, the ratios of Th1/Th2 cytokines such as IFN-gamma/IL-4 and IL-12/IL-10 increased in the treatment group (all P < 0.05). Compared with the control group after treatment, IL-4 decreased, and the ratio of IFN-gamma/IL-4 increased in the treatment group (P < 0.05). Fewer patients suffered from adverse reactions in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: QTM in combination with prednisone tablet was effective to improve the balance of Th1/Th2 cytokines, and alleviate the toxic and adverse reactions of hormone or immune inhibitors.

[Randomized controlled clinical trials for acupuncture treatment of spastic cerebral palsy children by bilateral horizontal puncturing from Yuzhen (BL 9) to Tianzhu (BL 10)].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture of the body surface projection region of the pyramidal decussationes on spastic cerebral palsy (CP) so as to explore an effective therapy for it. METHODS: A total of 120 CP infant patients were randomized into control group (treated with modern rehabilitation training, n = 60) and acupuncture group (treated with acupuncture combined with modern rehabilitation training, n = 60). Four acupuncture needles were penetrated subcutaneously through the region between Yuzhen (BL 9) and Tianzhu (BL 10)equidistantly (the superficial projection region of the pyramidal decussationes), once daily for 3 months. The modified Ashworth rating, gross motor function measure (GMFM)-88 scores and synthetic function scale were adopted to assess the therapeutic effect after the treatment. RESULTS: After the treatment, of the 59 and 58 CP children in the control and acupuncture groups, 17 (28.81%) and 26 (44.83%) experienced marked improvement in their symptoms, 33 (55.84%) and 27 (46.55%) had an improvement, 9 (15.25%) and 5 (8.62%) failed in the treatment, with the total effective rates being 84.75% and 91.38%, respectively. The effective rate of the acupuncture group was significantly superior to that of the control group (P < 0.05). The scores of modified Ashworth rating and GMFM-88 of the control group were significantly lower than those of the acupuncture group after the treatment (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture combined with modern rehabilitation training is effective in the treatment of CP children patients.

Purification and characterization of a novel intracellular 17 beta-estradiol binding protein in estrogen-resistant New World primate cells.

Compared to Old World primates, including man, New World primates display target-tissue resistance to gonadal steroid hormones. In female New World primates this resistant phenotype is characterized by elevated concentrations of plasma estradiol and progesterone. Here we describe the discovery of an intracellular estrogen binding protein (IEBP) that acts to concentrate 17 beta-estradiol (E2) in the cytoplasm of New World primate target cells. IEBP was purified by E2-affinity chromatography from postnuclear extracts of the B95-8 cells established from an E2-resistant New World primate. Compared with unpurified extract, affinity-purified IEBP demonstrated a 300-fold enrichment in specific E2 binding activity; half-maximal displacement of [3H]E2 from affinity-purified IEBP was observed with 0.1 nM E2. Affinity-purified extracts were subjected to SDS-PAGE with isolation of a dominant 27-28 kDa protein. N-terminal sequencing of tryptic peptides of the protein showed sequence homology with human heat shock protein-27 (hsp27). By immunoblot and E2 binding capacity, IEBP was 1] 2-3-fold greater in New World than in Old World primate tissues and cell lines, 2] heat-inducible and 3] up-regulated in vivo in the presence of the functioning female gonad. In conclusion, IEBP is a specific E2-interacting heat shock protein in the hsp-27 family that is relatively overexpressed in estrogen-resistant cells.