International immunopharmacology
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Int. Immunopharmacol. · Aug 2006
Liu-Shen-Wan, a traditional Chinese medicine, improves survival in sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture via reducing TNF-alpha levels, MDA content and enhancing macrophage phagocytosis.
Sepsis in humans is a difficult condition to treat and is often associated with a high mortality rate. Here, we investigated putative protective effects of Liu-Shen-Wan (LSW), a well-known Chinese formula used in treating infectious diseases, against polymicrobial sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The oral administration of LSW, at the first dose of 60 mg/kg and then 30 mg/kg every 12 h, significantly improved the survival of CLP mice during a 4-day observation period. ⋯ Moreover, LSW markedly enhanced clearance of intraperitoneal bacteria associated with the increasing count of peritoneal leukocytes and enhancing phagocytic activity of macrophages partly impaired at 24 h after CLP. In contrast, LSW lightly reduced IL-1 levels at 4 h and failed to improve deactivated respiratory burst activity of neutrophils at 24 h after CLP. Thus, LSW exerts protective effects against sepsis induced by CLP, mainly by reducing plasma TNF-alpha and MDA levels and enhancing peritoneal macrophage phagocytosis, suggesting that it is a potential agent in the prevention and treatment of sepsis.
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Int. Immunopharmacol. · Jun 2006
Bacterial superantigen TSST-1 attenuates suppressive efficacy of glucocorticoids and calcineurin inhibitors against blastogenesis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis and nephrosis.
Successful immunosuppressive therapy is critical for the treatment of patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis and nephrosis. However, a considerable number of patients have shown clinical resistance to therapy. Bacterial infection might influence the clinical response of patients to immunosuppressive drugs, but few studies have been carried out to investigate the effect of bacterial superantigens on the efficacy of the drugs in these patients. ⋯ Whereas, the IC50 values for these immunosuppressive drugs, except methylprednisolone, were not significantly different between con A- and TSST-1-stimulated PBMCs in healthy subjects. The stimulation index was not significantly different between the con A- and TSST-1-stimulated PBMCs in either of the subject groups. These observations raise the possibility that TSST-1 induced by S. aureus infection attenuates the clinical efficacy of glucocorticoids and calcineurin inhibitors in ANCA patients and nephrosis patients.
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Int. Immunopharmacol. · May 2006
Comparative StudyPressure ulcer-induced oxidative organ injury is ameliorated by beta-glucan treatment in rats.
Pressure ulcers (PU) cause morphological and functional alterations in the skin and visceral organs. In this study we investigated the role of oxidative damage in PUs and the probable beneficial effect of beta-glucan treatment against this damage. beta-glucan is known to have immunomodulatory effects. Experiments were carried on Wistar albino rats. ⋯ The light microscopic examination exhibited significant degenerative changes in dermis and epidermis in the PU group. Tissue injury was decreased especially in the locally treated group. Thus, supplementing geriatric and neurologically impaired patients with adjuvant therapy of beta-glucan may have some benefits for successful therapy and improving quality of life.
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Int. Immunopharmacol. · May 2006
Piper longum inhibits VEGF and proinflammatory cytokines and tumor-induced angiogenesis in C57BL/6 mice.
The antiangiogenic activity of Piper longum was studied using in vivo as well as in vitro models. In vivo, antiangiogenic activity was studied using B16F-10 melanoma cell-induced capillary formation in C57BL/6 mice. Intraperitoneal administration of the extract (10 mg/dose/animal) significantly inhibited (50.6%) the number of tumor-directed capillaries induced by injecting B16F-10 melanoma cells on the ventral side of C57BL/6 mice. ⋯ The extract of P. longum at non-toxic concentrations (10 microg/ml, 5 microg/ml, 1 microg/ml) inhibited the VEGF-induced vessel sprouting in rat aortic ring assay. Moreover, P. longum was able to inhibit the VEGF-induced proliferation, cell migration and capillary-like tube formation of primary cultured human endothelial cells. Hence, the observed antiangiogenic activity of the plant P. longum is related to the regulation of these cytokines and growth factors in angiogenesis-induced animals.
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Int. Immunopharmacol. · Feb 2006
beta-glucan protects against burn-induced oxidative organ damage in rats.
Thermal injury may lead to systemic inflammatory response, and multiple organ failure. Generation of reactive oxygen radicals and lipid peroxidation play important roles in burn-induced remote organ injury. In the present study, we investigated the putative protective effect of local or systemic beta-glucan treatment on burn-induced remote organ injury. ⋯ Both local and systemic beta-glucan treatments significantly reversed (p<0.01-p<0.001) the elevations in MDA levels, while reduced GSH levels were reversed back to control levels (p<0.01-p<0.001); and the raised MPO levels were significantly decreased (p<0.05-p<0.001). The results indicate that both systemic and local administration of beta-glucan were effective against burn-induced oxidative tissue damage in the rat. beta-glucans, besides their immunomodulatory effects, have additional antioxidant properties. Therefore, beta-glucans merit consideration as therapeutic agents in the treatment of burn injuries.