Strategies for remission induction of inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is an abnormal immune-mediated, chronic, recurrent gastrointestinal inflammatory disorder, which is caused by a variety of factors, including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). IBD is characterized by alternating periods of relapse and remission. During the active period of IBD, clinicians usually formulate an appropriate medical management plan based on the disease activity, location, extent, and the medication history. In this way, remission can be induced as soon as possible. This paper summarizes the strategies for remission induction of IBD.

[Relationship of symptoms with sleep-stage abnormalities in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome]

Objective:To study the relationship between symptoms and sleep staging in OSAHS patients.Method:A cross-sectional study. Adult subjects who attended a sleep laboratory for diagnostic polysomnography for a period of 1 month were recruited consecutively.OSAHS was diagnosed using American Academy of Sleep Medicine criteria.Subjects filled a questionnaire for symptoms prior to polysomnography.Result:Thirty subjects, of whom 83.3% were obese, met diagnostic criteria, with males constituting 46.7% and females constituting 53%.Mean age was (53.40±11.60) years.Sleep architecture comprised N1 (19.50±19.00)%, N2 (53.93±13.39)%,N3 (3.90±19.50)%, and rapid eye movement (8.92±6.21)%.Excessive fatigue or sleepiness, waking up tired, falling asleep during the day, trouble paying attention, snoring and insomnia were significantly related to decreased N3 sleep.Conclusion:Most of the symptoms in OSAHS in adults are related to decreased stage N3 sleep.If confirmed by larger controlled studies, correcting N3 sleep deficiency by pharmacotherapy may become an important adjunct to CPAP/BIPAP therapy to alleviate symptoms.

Role of miR-146a in Enforcing Effect of Specific Immunotherapy on Allergic Rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the common disorders in airway allergic inflammation. The pathogenesis of AR is unclear. It is accepted that immune deregulation is associated with the pathogenesis of AR. Recent reports suggest that a large number of micro RNAs (miR) can regulate immune functions. This study aims to investigate the role of miR-146a in an enforcing immunotherapy of AR. In this study, a mouse AR model was created. The levels of miR-146a in the mouse nasal mucosa were assessed by real time RT-PCR. A specific immunotherapy was performed in AR mice. The results showed that the AR mice had an AR-like inflammation in the nasal mucosa. Compared with naïve mice, markedly lower levels of miR-146a were detected in AR mice. The co-administration with miR-146a significantly enforced the effect of ovalbumin (OVA)-specific immunotherapy on inhibition of AR inflammation in the nasal mucosa. Further analysis showed that miR-146a induced transforming growth factor-β in dendritic cells; the latter induced naïve CD4(+) T cells to differentiate into regulatory T cells. In conclusion, miR-146a can enforce OVA-specific immunotherapy via inducing antigen-specific regulatory T cells. miR-146a may have therapeutic potential to be used in the immunotherapy of allergic diseases.

[Expression and clinical significance of P-gp in colonic gland of chronic schistosomiasis patients]

OBJECTIVE

To study the expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in patients with chronic schistosomiasis and its relationship with gender and age, and to explore its clinical significance.

METHODS

The colonic mucosa specimens of 50 chronic schistosomiasis patients and 4 persons who had a family history of colon cancer but their physical examinations were normal (as a control group) were selected and the expressions of P-gp in the colonic gland of these samples were detected with the immunohistochemical staining method.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, the mean gray value of the positive particles of P-gp of colonic epithelial cells of the chronic schistosomiasis group was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), but positive unit values were significantly increased (P < 0.05), which meant the P-gp expression in colonic gland of the patients with chronic schistosomiasis was significantly increased, but this increase had no relationship with sex and age.

CONCLUSION

Chronic schistosomiasis may induce the increase of P-gp expression which may be a compensatory protection mechanism due to the stimulation of schistosome eggs to the colon tissues.