Effects of Shenqi Fuzheng injection on immune function in patients with sepsis / 中国中西医结合急救杂志

Objective To observe the effects of Shenqi Fuzheng injection on peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets, T-cell apoptosis and cytokine in patients with sepsis and approach their significance.Methods Forty patients with sepsis admitted into Department of General Surgery of the General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University were randomly divided into two groups: routine group (20 cases, received routine western medicine treatment) and Shenqi Fuzheng treatment group (20 cases, received routine western medicine treatment and intravenous drip of Shenqi Fuzheng injection 250 mL per day), 7 days as a course of treatment in both groups. On the 1st, 3rd and 7th day after treatment, evaluation of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) scores was carried out in the two groups. The percentages of peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subsets CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+ and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry. Meanwhile, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukins (IL-6 and IL-10) levels were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results APACHE Ⅱ scores of two groups on the 3rd day were apparently decreased in comparison with those on the 1st day after treatment, and this situation persisted until the 7th day after treatment; meanwhile, the decrease in APACHE Ⅱ score in Shenqi Fuzheng treated group was more notable than that in routine group (10.05±3.71 vs. 13.15±4.65,P 0.05). On the 1st, 3rd and 7th day after treatment, the percentage of CD4+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were firstly fallen and then elevated up, the percentage of CD8+ T cells was gradually decreased, and the percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ apoptosis showed a trend of rise up first and then fall in the two groups. On the 7th day after treatment, there were significant differences between Shenqi Fuzheng treated group and routine group in terms of the percentage of CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ ratio and the rate of CD4+ apoptosis [CD4+ T cells: (38.3±4.7)% vs. (35.5±5.5)%, CD4+/CD8+: 1.55±0.29 vs. 1.36±0.27, CD4+ T apoptosis: (11.2±3.8)% vs. (14.1±5.5)%, allP 0.05).Conclusion Shenqi Fuzheng injection can effectively reduce the percentage of CD4+ T cell apoptosis, increase the percentage of CD4+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio, lower the inflammatory factors, improve the immune function and disease severity in patients with sepsis.

Ghrelin inhibits insulin release by regulating the expression of inwardly rectifying potassium channel 6.2 in islets.

INTRODUCTION: The objective is to investigate the influence of ghrelin administration on both the insulin secretion and the expression of ATP-sensitive K(+) channels in islet. METHODS: Ghrelin and [D-Lys] growth hormone releasing peptide-6 were administered via intraperitoneal injection in Wistar rats at the doses 10 and 10 µmol/kg/d for 2 weeks, respectively. Then glucose tolerance tests were performed and plasma insulin concentrations were measured. Islets were isolated for insulin release experiments. Single ß cells were isolated for electrophysiological experiments. Determination of the Kir6.2 and SUR1 mRNA and protein expression levels in islets was performed by polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. RESULTS: Intraperitoneal administration of exogenous ghrelin significantly (P < 0.05) increased blood glucose concentrations, attenuated insulin responses during glucose tolerance tests, reduced insulin release from the isolated islets induced by 11.1 and 16.7 mmol/L glucose, hyperpolarized the resting membrane potential and increased the Kir6.2 mRNA and protein expression levels. In contrast, counteraction of ghrelin by intraperitoneal injection of [D-Lys(3)] growth hormone releasing peptide-6 significantly (P < 0.05) attenuated the aforementioned changes. SUR1 expression levels were not altered in this study. CONCLUSIONS: Ghrelin via pancreatic growth hormone secretagogue receptor up-regulates the Kir6.2 expression in islet by hyperpolarizing the resting membrane potential which results in the inhibition of insulin release.

Change of T lymphocyte subsets and their different apoptosis in acute pancreatitis / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Objective To investigate the dynamic change and different apoptosis of T lymphocyte subsets in patients with acute pancreatitis.Methods Forty-four patients with MAP and 32 with SAP were enrolled in this study.Blood samples were collected on the lst,3rd and 7th d after onset.T lymphocyte subsets and their apoptotic rate were determined by flow cytometry.Results Compared with the control group and MAP group,CD4+ T lymphocytes and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+remarkably decreased while the apoptotic rate of CD4+ T cells significantly increased in patients with SAP.However,there was no marked difference in apoptotic rate of CD8+ T cells among different groups.Conclusion The different apoptosis of T lymphocyte subsets in AP,especially in SAP,results in severe and sustained cellular immune suppression.