Endotoxin-induced nitric oxide production rescues airway growth and maturation in atrophic fetal rat lung explants

Inflammation induces premature maturation of the fetal lung but the signals causing this effect remain unclear. We determined if nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, evoked by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 2 microg ml-1), participated in this process. Fetal rat lung airway surface complexity rose 2.5-fold over 96h in response to LPS and was associated with increased iNOS protein expression and activity. iNOS inhibition by N6-(1-iminoethyl)-L-lysine-2HCl (L-NIL) abolished this and induced airway atrophy similar to untreated explants. Surfactant protein-C (SP-C) expression was also induced by LPS and abolished by L-NIL. As TGFbeta suppresses iNOS activity, we determined if feedback regulation modulated NO-dependent maturation. LPS induced TGFbeta1 release and SMAD4 nuclear translocation 96 h after treatment. Treatment of explants with a blocking antibody against TGFbeta1 sustained NO production and airway morphogenesis whereas recombinant TGFbeta1 antagonized these effects. Feedback regulation of NO synthesis by TGFbeta may, thus, modulate airway branching and maturation of the fetal lung.     

卵蛋白反复吸入哮喘小鼠气道重构模型的建立与评价

目的：探讨哮喘小鼠气道重构模型的建立的方法。方法：SPF级BALB／C6-8周龄雌性小鼠40只随机分成正常对照组、哮喘模型组,每组20只。哮喘组经卵蛋白（OVA）混悬液0．2ml致敏并反复雾化吸入2周、4周,正常对照组由生理盐水代替。各组分别于末次雾化激发后进行取材,收集肺组织,制作石蜡切片,HE染色观察气道中嗜酸性粒细胞;Masson三色染色法观察气道周围胶原沉积情况;PAS染色法观察气道黏液分泌情况;测定单位气道面积基底膜周径（Pbm）、管壁总面积（WAt）、内壁面积（wAi）、平滑肌面积（WAm）、胶原面积（Wcol）、粘液面积。结果：哮喘模型组WAt／Pbm、WAi／Pbm、WAm/Pbm、Wcol／Pbm、粘液分泌面积较正常对照组明显增加。哮喘4周组上述指标均高于其对应2周组（P〈0．05）。结论：反复的过敏原（OVA）吸入可导致哮喘气道重构的发生,是一种较好的建立哮喘小鼠气道重构模型的的方法。     

Collagen-related gene and protein expression changes in the lung in response to chronic hypoxia

Collagen accumulation likely contributes to increased vascular and airway impedance in hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH). Collagen exists in multiple subtypes and can accumulate via increased synthesis or decreased degradation. To better understand the individual contributions of fibrillar (FB) and basement membrane (BM) collagen, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) to pulmonary vascular and airway remodeling in HPH, we investigated the temporal changes in gene and protein expression in the lungs of mice exposed to hypoxia for 0, 3, 6, 10 and 15 days. The earliest and largest change in gene expression was of type I FB collagen, which was significantly increased over control levels at 6, 10 and 15 days of hypoxia (p  <  0.05). Type III FB and type IV BM collagen were increased at 10 and 15 days of hypoxia (p <  0.05); MMP and TIMP gene expression levels were typically higher but sometimes lower than control levels at various time points. Collagen protein content was increased in whole lungs as early as 6 days of hypoxia and increased monotonically with longer exposures. However, neither qualitative nor semi-quantitative analysis of immunohistochemistry demonstrated accumulation of type I FB collagen in compartments of the lung other than large airways, suggesting that other collagen subtypes may be important contributors to collagen protein accumulation. These results provide insight into the patterns of gene and protein expression relevant to collagen accumulation in the lung in response to chronic hypoxia, through which we can develop a better understanding of the time course of changes in matrix biology and biomechanics that occur in HPH.     

经纤支镜国产气道覆膜支架肺减容术治疗肺气肿模型的应用研究

目的:研究经纤支镜国产气道覆膜支架肺减容术治疗肺气肿动物模型的可行性、治疗效果及并发症发生情况。方法:4只雌性山羊应用局部气管内滴注木瓜蛋白酶方法复制不均一肺气肿模型。经电子支气管镜通过推送装置在肺气肿模型的不同支气管亚段(右肺上叶前段或后段)放入1-2枚气道覆膜支架,术前1天及术后6周测肺功能、查血气分析及胸部CT扫描。观察有无肺部感染等并发症。结果:支架植入后6周发现肺总量(TLC)、功能残气量(FRC)、残气量(RV)均出现下降,与术前比较均有统计学意义(p0.05)。RV/TLC(%)从术前的42.55%降至20.37%。PaO2从(70.50±1.85)mmHg上升至(81.25±1.11)mmHg,有统计学意义(p0.05)。CT检查及肺组织大体标本证实支架远端存在肺不张。仅有一只出现肺部感染早期症状,全部动物未发生气胸、肺脓肿等严重并发症。结论:经纤维支气管镜植入国产气道覆膜支架行肺减容术治疗肺气肿具有治疗效果确切、创伤小、安全性好、操作方便等特点。     

Bronchial epithelial cells produce IL-5: Implications for local immune responses in the airways

IL-5 is a pleiotropic cytokine that promotes eosinophil differentiation and survival. While naïve bronchial epithelial cells (BEC) produce low levels of IL-5, the role of BEC-derived IL-5 in allergic airway inflammation is unknown. We now show that BEC, isolated from mice with OVA-induced allergic airway disease (AAD), produced elevated levels of IL-5 mRNA and protein as compared to BEC from naïve mice. To determine the contribution of BEC-derived IL-5 to effector responses in the airways, IL-5 deficient bone marrow chimeric mice were generated in which IL-5 expression was restricted to stromal (e.g. BEC) or hematopoietic cells. When subjected to AAD, IL-5 produced by BECs contributed to mucous metaplasia, airway eosinophilia, and OVA-specific IgA levels. Thus, IL-5 production by BEC can impact the microenvironment of the lung, modifying pathologic and protective immune responses in the airways.     

龙脷平喘汤抗痰瘀证小儿哮喘气道炎症的作用机制研究

目的：研究中医理论中的＂鼻肺同治＂以及对于龙脷平喘汤对于小儿哮喘气道炎症的作用机制以及作用的效果进行研究。方法：实验中以小白鼠作为实验对象,选取体重相近,健康的9只小白鼠进行实验,将小白鼠进行致敏和雾化激发从而进行痰癖证哮喘模型造模,之后分为三组,一组进行龙脷平喘汤治疗,一组进行地塞米松治疗,最后一组进行空白对照不作治疗。一段时间治疗之后对它们同时进行外血周EOS浓度、FasmRNA表达以及血清IL-4表达水平分析,同时对两组的治疗状况进行评级对比,从而验证龙脷平喘汤对于小儿哮喘气道炎症的作用效果和机理。结果：通过龙脷平喘汤的治疗,小白鼠的外血周EOS浓度降低,FasmRNA表达水平提高,血清IL-4表达水平下调,同时治疗效果相对地塞米松更为显著。结论：中医中的＂鼻肺同治＂是具有一定科学性的,并且论证了龙脷平喘汤的作用机理主要在于消除病变部位的炎症以及调整血液循环有关。     

BCTC和辣椒辣素对卵清蛋白致敏大鼠气管平滑肌张力的影响

目的：评价BCTC和辣椒辣素对气道高反应性大鼠气管平滑肌张力的影响。方法：健康成年SD大鼠32只,每只大鼠第1天和第8天腹腔加皮下注射卵清蛋白致敏,第15天连续雾化吸入卵清蛋白（OVA）三天,激发建立哮喘模型。分离气管平滑肌,随机分为四组,0组（Ovalbumin）卵清蛋白组,OC组（Ovalbumin＋capsaicin）卵清蛋白＋辣椒辣素组,0B组（Ovalbumin＋BCTC）,DSMO组（DSMO＋Ovalbumin）溶剂组。分别在4组溶液的刺激下测定离体气管平滑肌张力的变化。结果：离体气管平滑肌的张力OC组较0组为高;O组气管平滑肌张力比0B组高。结论：辣椒辣素增加致敏离体气管平滑肌张力,BCTC能够降低致敏大鼠气管平滑肌张力,对致敏离体平滑肌有松弛作用。     

哮喘气道重塑大鼠气道上皮细胞及线粒体超微结构变化

目的探讨哮喘气道重塑大鼠气道上皮细线粒体超微结构变化,为哮喘的治疗寻求新的理论基础。方法雌性Wistar大鼠6只、随机分为2组,采用卵蛋白吸人法制作哮喘气道重塑大鼠模型;取两组大鼠气管制作电镜切片,观察两组大鼠气道纤毛上皮,气道上皮细胞问胶原沉积及细胞内线粒体超微结构改变。结果哮喘组大鼠气道多层纤毛上皮层,纤毛脱落,杯状细胞增多,排列不整齐,上皮细胞中线粒体基膜密度下降,线粒体峡减少,上皮细胞细胞核多切迹,形状不规则;气道上皮细胞间胶原沉积;板层小体和线粒体空泡化。结论哮喘大鼠气道上皮细胞出现早期凋亡改变,线粒体失去正常形态。