Th1/Th2 and Treg/Th17 cell balance in peripheral blood of patients with ovarian cancer / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the changes in the percentages and balance of CD4T cell subsets including T helper cells (Thl, Th2, and Thl7) and T regulatory cells (Treg) in patients with ovarian cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Peripheral blood samples were collected from 30 patients with ovarian cancer and 20 healthy subjects for analysis of the percentages of Thl, Th2, Thl7 and Treg using flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control subjects, the patients with ovarian cancer showed significantly increased percentages of Th2, Thl7 and Treg (P<0.05) but significantly decreased percentage of Th1 in the peripheral blood of patients with ovarian cancer (P<0.05). The changes in CD4T cell subsets were significantly correlated with the clinical stage of the tumor (P<0.05) but not with the histological type or cell differentiation (P>0.05). The Th1/Th2 ratio was significantly decreased in ovarian cancer patients (P<0.05) with obvious Th2 polarization compared with control group. The Treg/Th17 ratio was significantly increased in ovarian cancer patients (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Patients with in ovarian cancer have abnormal expressions of CD4T cell subsets in the peripheral blood with Th1/Th2 and Treg/Th17 imbalance, and these findings provide evidence for clinical immunotherapy of ovarian cancer.</p>

Effect of Sinusitis Mixture on Mucosa Cells after Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the application of sinusitis mixture (SM) in endoscopic sinussurgery, thereby improving clinical curative rate of chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A totalof 50 chronic sinusitis patients were equally assigned to the experimental group (nasal douching by SM)and the control group (nasal douching by Compound Sodium Chloride Injection). Mucosa tissue 0.1 cmbefore natural opening was collected before surgery, at week 4, 12, and 24 after surgery. Changes ofmucosa cilia cells, goblet cells, stroma of mucosal membrane, inflammatory cells, and mucous glandwere observed. The numbers of goblet cells in the upper epithelia and ciliated cells, as well as their ratioswere calculated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was statistical difference in cavity cleaning time, cavity mucosal epithelization time, numbers of goblet cells in the upper epithelia and ciliated cells, as well as their ratio between the two groups (t = -2.342, -2.015, -2.145, respectively; P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SM could effectively promote and accelerate cleaning and mucosal epithelization of functional endoscopic sinus surgery, and significantly promote mucosal ciliary structure and function recovery of ostium-meatus nasicomplex.</p>

The effects of Shadu Cao Mixture on immune functions of immunosuppression mice / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of Shadu Cao Mixture (SDCM, traditional Chinese medicine) on immune functions of immunosuppression mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty BALB/C mice were randomly divided into blank control group, model group, SDCM low-dose, middle-dose and high-dose group. Except the blank control group, other groups were intraperitoneal injected with cyclophosphamide (40 mg/kg) to establish immunosuppression mice model. The blank control group and model group received gavage administration with nonnal saline, while the other groups received gavage administration with different doses of SDCM (10, 20, 40 m/kg for 15 days) respectively. The number of leukocytes and serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in peripheral blood, spleen index, and the function of NK cells were measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the model group , SDCM increased the number of leukocytes and serum concentrations of IL-2, TNF-α and IFN-γ in peripheral blood and improved the spleen index and the function of NK cells significantly (P < 0.05-0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SDCM could remarkably enhance the immune functions of immunosuppression mice induced by cyclophosphamide.</p>

Correlation of bilateral testicular volume discrepancy with semen parameters in men with varicocele / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the influence of varicocele on the volume discrepancy of bilateral testes, and the relationship between testicular volume discrepancy and semen parameters.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study included 181 varicocele patients and 102 normal fertile men without varicocele. We retrospectively analyzed their clinical data, including the grades and locations of varicocele, testis volume and semen parameters.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Bilateral testicular volume discrepancy was found in 132 (72.9%) of the varicocele patients (including 117 cases of left testicular hypotrophy [88.6%]), and 35 (34.3%) of the non-varicocele fertile men. The rates of bilateral testicular volume discrepancy were 61.3%, 3.5%, 20.9% and 14.3% in the grade-III, grade-II, grade-I and non-varicocele groups, respectively (P < 0.05), with statistically significant differences among different age groups (P < 0.05). The percentage of morphologically normal sperm and sperm motility were reduced differently with different degrees of testicular volume discrepancy (P <0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Testicular volume discrepancy is more common in men with left varicocele, and its prevalence and degree are correlated with the grade of varicocele. Semen quality decreases with the increase of testicular volume discrepancy.</p>