Biomedical subjects

Zhang Jian

Publications and source records attributed to Zhang Jian.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Interleukin-4-mediated infiltration of eosinophils into the conjunctiva and its suppression by interferon-gamma.

PURPOSE: Interleukin (IL)-4 is a T helper (Th)2 cytokine that plays an important role in the development of allergic reactions. It has been suggested that IL-4 is responsible for the infiltration of eosinophils into the conjunctiva during the development of allergic conjunctivitis. However, it is still unclear whether IL-4 is able to induce this eosinophilic infiltration on its own. We investigated whether subconjunctival injection of IL-4 can induce eosinophils to infiltrate into the conjunctiva. METHODS: Brown Norway rats were subconjunctivally injected with IL-4, eotaxin, or phosphate buffered saline (PBS), and the conjunctivas were harvested for histologic analysis (including immunohistochemistry) 6, 12, 18, and 24 hr later. The harvested conjunctivas were also subjected to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis to examine chemokine expression. In a separate experiment, the effect of coadministering interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) along with IL-4 was examined. RESULTS: The subconjunctival injection of IL-4 induced eosinophil infiltration into the conjunctiva in a dose-dependent manner. IL-4 was as potent as eotaxin. The eosinophilic infiltration started 6 hr after the injection and persisted for up to 24 hr after the injection. Other infiltrating cell phenotypes were noted but were also observed in conjunctivas injected with PBS alone. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that IL-4 injection did not upregulate chemokine RNA expression in the conjunctiva. Coinjection of IFN-gamma suppressed the infiltration of eosinophils into the conjunctiva induced by IL-4 injection. CONCLUSIONS: The subconjunctival injection of IL-4 specifically induces eosinophils to infiltrate into the conjunctiva. In addition, IFN-gamma in the conjunctiva can counteract this effect of IL-4.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Dissection of antigen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses for the development of experimental immune-mediated blepharoconjunctivitis in C57BL/6 mice.

PURPOSE: Allergic conjunctivitis is characterized by allergen-specific IgE in the serum and infiltration of eosinophils into the conjunctiva. However, it remains unclear whether early-phase reaction (EPR) mediated by Ag-specific IgE links to late-phase reaction (LPR) in the conjunctiva. We aimed to investigate whether LPR is mediated by either cellular or humoral immune responses. METHODS: Experimental immune-mediated blepharoconjunctivitis (EC) was induced in C57BL/6 mice by either active immunization or passive immunization by transfer of ragweed (RW)-primed lymphocytes and RW-specific IgE, followed by RW challenge onto the conjunctiva. Transferring RW-primed lymphocytes were prepared from RW-primed splenocytes which were stimulated in vitro with RW for 3 days. Fifteen minutes after RW challenge, clinical findings were evaluated and 24 hr after challenge, the conjunctivas and sera were harvested for histologic analysis and measurement of IgE, respectively. RESULTS: EPR was most prominent when EC was induced by transfer of RW-specific IgE. EPR was hardly detectable if EC was induced by transfer of RW-primed lymphocytes. Mild EPR was noted when EC was induced by active immunization. LPR, evaluated by infiltration of eosinophils into the conjunctiva, was most severe when EC was induced by transfer of RW-primed lymphocytes. Minimal, but definite LPR was induced when EC was induced by transfer of RW-specific IgE. Intermediate severity of LPR was induced when EC was induced by active immunization. CONCLUSIONS: LPR in the conjunctiva is dominantly mediated by cellular immune responses, whereas EPR in the conjunctiva is putatively mediated by humoral immune responses. Importantly, LPR in the conjunctiva is inducible by Ag-specific IgE alone, although minute.

Allergens↗

PubMed2005

A standardized surgical technique for mastoscopic axillary lymph node dissection.

To standardize the surgical technique for mastoscopic axillary lymph node dissection (MALND). Mastoscopic lymph node dissection was performed consistently by a group of surgeons in 316 cases of breast cancer. The mean operation time was 46.7 minutes with minimal bleeding, and the median number of lymph nodes dissected at each operation was 17.0. There were no operative complications in any case, nor did trocar implantation or tumor diffusion occurring during the mean follow-up time of 15.1 months. MALND is distinctive and practicable in operative anatomy as well as safe and convenient. The location of critical anatomy such as the intercostobrachial nerve, lateral thoracic artery, medial thoracic nerve, and thoracoepigastric vein should be clearly identified to avoid damage to them, so that is the great advantage of MALND.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Papillary adenocarcinoma of the lung is a more advanced adenocarcinoma than bronchioloalveolar carcinoma that is composed of two distinct histological subtypes.

To clarify the clinicopathological nature of papillary adenocarcinoma (PA) of the lung, 20 cases of PA were collected consecutively from resected adenocarcinoma of the lung, studied immunohistochemically and, using molecular techniques, compared with bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC). Clinicopathologically, PA occurred in 7.4% and dominantly in female patients. Morphologically, PA was divided into two subtypes according to the presence of residual alveolar structures, detected by elastica van Gieson stain. One of these subtypes was closely related to the morphology of BAC and might be diagnosed as adenocarcinoma with mixed subtypes. The other PA subtype was composed of tall columnar cells and grew compressively, which was similar to type F adenocarcinoma previously reported by Noguchi et al. Immunohistochemical studies using lung tissue-specific antigens, progression markers and tumor suppressor products found that PA seemed a more advanced adenocarcinoma than BAC, but no differences were observed among PA subtypes. Molecular biological analysis using three microsatellite markers at chromosome 3p revealed more frequent loss of heterozygosity in PA than BAC, with no differences among PA subtypes. These findings suggest that PA is a more advanced adenocarcinoma subtype than BAC. Further investigations are needed to clarify true PA as clinicopathologically and biologically independent from other histological subtypes of adenocarcinoma of the lung.

Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar↗

PubMed2004

ADRB2 polymorphisms and asthma susceptibility: transmission disequilibrium test and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The beta(2)-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2) is the most common adrenergic receptor in the lung, and associations between ADRB2 polymorphisms and intermediate phenotypes of asthma have been reported. Four missense polymorphisms (Arg16Gly, Gln27Glu, Val34Met, and Thr164Ile) and one polymorphism in the 5' leader cistron of the ADRB2 messenger RNA has been identified. In vitro studies have shown that these missense polymorphisms can affect ADRB2 function. METHODS: To examine possible associations of ADRB2 polymorphisms with asthma susceptibility, we performed transmission disequilibrium tests (TDT) of 137 Japanese families identified through children with atopic asthma. RESULTS: We did not find associations between any alleles of the ADRB2 polymorphisms and asthma by TDT (p > 0.1). We also performed a meta-analysis of data from all available studies. The random-effects model showed no significant odds ratio for the Arg16Gln (odds ratio = 1.05, p = 0.53) or Gln27Glu (odds ratio = 1.12, p = 0.22) polymorphism. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that ADRB2 does not contribute substantially to susceptibility to asthma, but it is possible that these polymorphisms influence disease activity and drug responses in individuals with asthma.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Immunohistochemical expression of 14-3-3 sigma protein in various histological subtypes of uterine cervical cancers.

14-3-3 sigma (sigma) has been a major G2/M checkpoint control gene and has demonstrated that its inactivation in various cancers occurs mostly by epigenetic hypermethylation, not by genetic change. In order to confirm 14-3-3sigma protein expression together with p16 and p53 in cervical cancers, immunohistochemistry was performed using various histological subtypes of cervical cancers and dysplasia. Strong and diffuse immunoreactivity for 14-3-3sigma was uniformly observed in all the cervical dysplasia (17/17) and squamous cell carcinomas (29/29) including human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative cases. Even in adenosquamous carcinomas and adenocarcinomas of the cervix, immunohistochemical expression of 14-3-3sigma was shown with relatively high frequency (13/15, 87% and 22/27, 81%). In the in situ hybridization study, mRNA of 14-3-3sigma was expressed in six of eight immunohistochemical-negative cases. Therefore, the undetectable expression of 14-3-3sigma protein in cervical cancers might, at least in part, be due to a proteolysis not epigenetic hypermethylation. It is of interest that cancers without 14-3-3sigma expression were predominantly those lacking HPV DNA, and that there were no cases with concomitant inactivation of 14-3-3sigma and p16 in the present study. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that inactivation of either 14-3-3sigma or p16 has an effect equivalent to the expression of E6 and E7 oncoproteins of HPV.

14-3-3 Proteins↗

PubMed2004

Normal reference value of hemoglobin of middleaged women and altitude.

AIM: In order to supply a scientific basis for uniting the normal reference value standard of hemoglobin of Chinese middlescent women. METHODS: A research is made about the relationship between the normal reference value of 25,917 examples of hemoglobin of middlescent women and altitude in 268 areas in China, the normal reference values of hemoglobin of middlescent women are determined by the hemoglobincyanide method. RESULTS: The correlation between the normal reference value of hemoglobin of middlescent women and altitude is quite significant (r = 0.827). By using the method of univariate linear regression analysis, one regression equation is inferred. CONCLUSION: If the altitude values are obtained in some areas, the normal reference value of hemoglobin of middlescent women of this area can be reckoned by using the regression equation. Furthermore, depending on the altitude, China can be divided into three districts: Qingzang District, Central District, and Eastern District.

Altitude↗

PubMed2003

Immunohistochemical demonstration of 14-3-3 sigma protein in normal human tissues and lung cancers, and the preponderance of its strong expression in epithelial cells of squamous cell lineage.

In order to confirm 14-3-3 sigma (sigma) protein distribution in human tissues, immunohistochemistry was performed using various paraffin-embedded human tissues. In normal human tissues, the strongest immunoreactivity for 14-3-3sigma protein was observed in squamous epithelia at various sites, followed by basal cells of the trachea, bronchus and basal or myoepithelial cells of various glands. Moderate to weak 14-3-3sigma immunoreactivity was seen in the epithelial cells of the alimentary tract, gall bladder, urinary tract and endometrium. In the lung, 14-3-3sigma immunoreactivity was also observed in hyperplastic type II alveolar cells and metaplastic squamous cells. Immunohistochemical study using non-small-cell lung cancers revealed that 14-3-3sigma immunoreactivity was stronger in squamous cell carcinomas than in adenocarcinomas. The present study revealed that 14-3-3sigma expression was exclusively present in various epithelial cells and had a tendency to be stronger in cells destined for squamous epithelium or differentiating toward squamous cells in human normal and neoplastic cells.

14-3-3 Proteins↗