Regulatory T Cells: A New Target of Chinese Medicine in Treatment of Atherosclerosis.

Inflammation and immune disorders are integral to the occurrence and progression of atherosclerosis (AS). With the role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in immune regulation attracting attention, it has been widely accepted that Treg decrease and dysfunction are involved in AS pathogenesis. Chinese medicine (CM) has the advantages of being dual-directional, multi-targeted, and having minimal side effects in immune regulation. The anti-atherosclerosis effects of CM via Treg modulation have been revealed in clinical and animal studies. Therefore, this article reviews existing research on Tregs, the relationship between Tregs and AS, and the progress of CM for treating and prevention of atherosclerotic cardio-cerebrovascular diseases by regulating Tregs. Although the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated, CM treatment targeting Treg cells might provide a promising and novel future approach for prevention and treatment of AS.

[Observation of clinical efficacy of acupuncture for cerebral vasospasm after embolization of ruptured aneurysms].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the improvement of acupuncture in cerebral vasospasm (CVS) after embolization of ruptured aneurysms. METHODS: Sixty cases were randomly divided into two groups, an acupuncture-medication group and a conventional treatment group, 30 cases in each one. The cases of CVS in conventional treatment group were treated with Nimodipine. In acupuncture-medication group, on the basis of the treatment as conventional treatment group, Baihui (GV 20) and Fengchi (GB 20) were selected as the main acupoints in the treatment of CVS. The treatment lasted for 3 weeks. Hunt-Hess scale for the standard assessment was adopted to determine the severity of disease before and after treatment and compare the efficacy between two groups. The transcranial Doppler (TCD) was conducted on the 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th, 14th and 21st days successively after operation, and the average flow velocity of 3 pairs of vessels (ACA, MCA, and PCA) was recorded. CT perfusion (CTP) was taken to test cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV) and mean transit time (MTT) on the 1st, 7th, 14th and 21st days successively. RESULTS: The improvement of Hunt-Hess scale in acupuncture-medication group was superior to that in conventional treatment group (P < 0.05). The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was adopted in the comparison of ACA, MCA, PCA, CBF, CBV and MTT between two groups. The results showed that the therapy in either group achieved the effect on CVS (all P < 0.05). But, the improvements in the above mentioned indices in acupuncture-medication group were superior to those in conventional treatment group (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20) and Fengchi (GB 20) down-regulates the peak values or upregulates the valley values. It releases the peak of CVS effectively, improves the clinical prognosis significantly and is the effective therapy for CVS after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Diverse morphologic manifestations of cardiac allograft vasculopathy: a pathologic study of 64 allograft hearts.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a major limitation to the long-term success of cardiac transplantation. Although there are published descriptions of the lesions, there have been no studies delineating the pathology of CAV in a large series of patients who underwent retransplantation for CAV. METHODS: We reviewed archival records and microscopic sections of surgically explanted hearts from 64 patients who underwent cardiac retransplantation: 54 adults (18 to 70 years old) and 10 children (3 to 15 years old). Vascular lesions were categorized as showing intimal fibromuscular hyperplasia, atherosclerosis and/or inflammation. The degree of luminal narrowing was estimated from gross descriptions and microscopic sections. RESULTS: In total, 75% of hearts had evidence of acute cellular rejection, mostly mild. Intramyocardial arteries showed primarily intimal fibromuscular hyperplasia and inflammation with no atheromas present. Large and branch epicardial coronary arteries were narrowed in at least one artery of all hearts. Lesions in the epicardial coronary arteries were composed of intimal fibromuscular hyperplasia, atherosclerosis and/or inflammation affecting one or more vascular layers (intima, media and adventitia). Severe CAV with >75% luminal narrowing was seen in the LAD in 17% of hearts, the LCx in 17% and the RCA in 22% of hearts. Two hearts had severe narrowing of the left main coronary artery. Nineteen arteries had luminal thrombi. All hearts had narrowing of smaller epicardial branch coronary arteries that was often severe. Atheromas were present in arteries of adults and children; thus, not all atheromas could be considered pre-existing prior to transplantation. Both arteries and veins showed intimal hyperplasia and inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: CAV is a pathologically multifaceted disorder that affects large and small epicardial coronary arteries of adults and children, with different types of lesions: intimal fibromuscular hyperplasia; atherosclerosis; and/or inflammation (vasculitis). Therapies to address this disease must take into account the protean nature of the vascular lesions.

[Expression of recombinant extracellular region of human interleukin-1 receptor type I in Pichia pastoris].

OBJECTIVE: To construct pPICZalphaA-soluble interleukin-1 receptor type I (sIL-1RI) recombinant expression vector containing the gene fragment encoding the extracellular domain of sIL-1RI for its expression in Pichia pastoris. METHODS: sIL-1RI gene was amplified by RT-PCR and inserted into the yeast expression vector pPICZalphaA by digestion ligation. The recombinant plasmid pPICZalphaA-sIL1RI was transformed into E.coli Stb13, and the positive clones were analyzed by PCR and DNA sequencing. The pPICZalphaA-sIL1RI recombinant plasmid was electroporated into GS115 cells and the transformants were analyzed by PCR. After phenotype identification, the recombinant strains were induced by methanol to express the target protein, which was analyzed by Western blotting of the cell extract and supernatant. RESULTS: The recombinant plasmid pPICZalphaA-sIL-1RI was constructed successfully, and the results of Western blotting showed that yeast induced by methanol expressed a protein of about 39 kD. CONCLUSION: sIL-1RI protein has been successfully expressed in P.pastoris expression system, which provides the basis for further study of sIL-1RI.