Objective To observe the immune responses of T helper cells 17 ( Th17) to respiratory syncytial virus ( RSV) infection induced lung inflammation in mice, and explore its roles on the host immune responses to RSV.Methods Female BALB/ c mice aged 3 to 5 weeks were randomly divided into a RSV group ( n=18) and a control group ( n = 12) . The mice were intranasally administrated by a 107.5 50% tissue culture infective dose ( TCID50) of RSV in 0.1 mL of culture medium. Sterile medium ( 0.1 mL/ mouse) was used as control. After infected on 1st , 4th, 8th day, the mice were sacrificed, and specimens from the lungs and lymph nodes were collected. The lung sections were stained by hematoxylin-eosin to observe the changes of lung inflammation after RSV infection. IL-17A, IL-17F and IL-23p19 mRNA expressions in the lung tissue were determined by real-time PCR. The frequencies of Th17 subsets in hilar lymph node were analyzed by flow cytometry. Results On 4th day after RSV infection, a typical lung interstitial inflammation was observed. However, this inflammation was alleviated on 8th day after RSV infection. The viral load in the lung tissue on 4th day after RSV infection were 9.208 ±0.548, which was the highest among all RSV subgroups ( P lt;0.001) . IL-23p19 and IL-17A cytokine expressions in the lung tissue were significantly increased on 4th day and 8th day after RSV infection compared with control groups ( P lt;0.01) , and the peak was on 4th day. However, IL-17F mRNA expression in the lung tissue on different day after RSV infection had no significant difference compared with the control group ( P gt;0.05) . The frequencies of Th17 subsets in hilar lymph node on 4th day and 8th day after RSV infection were ( 0.37 ±0.043) % and ( 0.853 ±0.048) % respectively, which were higher than those in control groups ( P lt;0.05) . The frequencies of Th17 on 8th day after RSV infection were significantly higher than that on 4th day after RSV infection ( P lt; 0.01) . Conclusions The expression of IL-17A in the lung tissue is increased and the level of Th17 cells in hilar lymph nodes is also elevated in the lung infected by RSV, which indicates that Th17 cells might be involved in host antiviral immune.
Objective To investigate whether p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) inhibitor can reduce acute lung injury (ALI) caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by regulating Th17/Treg balance. Methods Balb/c mice were randomly divided into a control group, an ALI group and an intervention group. The mice in the control group were injected with phosphate-buffered saline, the mice in the ALI group were intraperitoneally injected with 40 mg/kg LPS, and the mice in the intervention group were injected with SB203580 (0.5 mg/kg, 1 mg/kg, 2 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg) intraperitoneally 1 h prior to the intraperitoneal injection of LPS. All mice were killed on 12 h later respectively. Hematoxylin-eosinstin staining was used to observe the pathological changes of lung tissue, and cell classification, counting, and total protein levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected. Transcript expression of forkhead box p3 (Foxp3) and retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-γt (RORγt) was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, IL-17, IL-23 and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in lung tissue and IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The Th17 and Treg subset distribution in spleen was determined by flow cytometry. Results Histopathological examination showed that LPS induced inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue, increased cell count and protein levels in BALF (P<0.05), and increased proportion of neutrophils and monocytes in the ALI mice. SB203580 significantly attenuated tissue injury of the lungs in LPS-induced ALI mice. Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the ALI group were significantly higher than those in the control group, and inflammatory cytokines were decreased after SB203580 intervention. Compared with the ALI group, the production of inflammatory cytokines associate with Th17, including IL-17, IL-23, RORγt was inhibited, and the production of cytokines associate with Treg, such as IL-10 and Foxp3 in lung tissue was increased in the intervention group in a concentration-dependent manner with SB203580. After SB203580 intervention, Th17/Treg ratio was significantly decreased compared with the LPS group (P<0.05). Conclusion p38MAPK inhibitor can reduce LPS-induced ALI by regulating the imbalance of Treg cells and Th17 cells.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the combination efficacy with Qingfei Yihuo capsule and routine antibiotics as well as mucopolytic agents in the treatment of bronchiectasis acute exacerbation.MethodsThis was a prospective, multi-center, randomized controlled clinical study. The efficacy of Qingfei Yihuo capsule combine with routine antibiotics and mucopolytic agents in the treatment of bronchiectasis acute exacerbation was compared according to the symptom control as well as exacerbation duration. Through randomization, patients received Qingfei Yihuo capsule or placebo combine with routine antibiotics and mucopolytic agents treatment for 10 days. Symptom score of cough, sputum, short of breath pre- and post-treatment as well as the symptom score in daily card were compared between the two groups. The spirometry and St. George respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ) before and after treatment were compared.ResultsThis study was conducted from June 2017 to August 2018. One hundred and ninety patients from 7 centers in 6 hospitals with bronchiectasis acute exacerbation were enrolled in the study. There was statistically improvement of symptom score (including the 9th and 10th treatment days) according to the daily card recording in Qingfei Yihuo capsule group compared to the placebo group, but no statistically significant difference was found in spirometry results or SGRQ.ConclusionQingfei Yihuo capsule has assistant effect on improving respiratory symptoms of bronchiectasis exacerbation.