Recurrent herpes labialis (RHL) is a common skin disease that is often caused by herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1), but its immunology and pathogenesis remain unclear. The balance of Th17/Treg cells is crucial for maintaining immune homeostasis. This study aimed to investigate whether the balance of Th17/Treg cells and related cytokines may be a determinant occurrence in patients with RHL. This is

The narrow therapeutic index and large inter-individual variability in sirolimus pharmacokinetics (PK) make therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) necessary. Factors responsible for PK variability are not well understood, and published PK studies do not include pediatric patients with immune cytopenia. The objective of this study was to characterize the PK of sirolimus in pediatric patients with immune

Betulinic acid (BA) inhibits the migration, invasion, and cytoskeletal reorganization of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Here, to further explore the mechanism of action of BA in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats, we investigated the pharmacodynamic effects of BA on synovial inflammation in a rat model of type II CIA. After inducing hind paw swelling

Taraxasterol (TAX), a pentacyclic triterpene, has been reported to exhibit potent antitumor activity. However, the effects and molecular mechanisms of TAX in gastric cancer (GC) remain undocumented. A network pharmacology approach was applied to identify the collective targets of TAX and GC. Nude mice were subcutaneously injected with MKN-28 cells to establish GC subcutaneous xenograft model, which

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-positive bloodstream infection (BSI) is on the rise worldwide. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of inappropriate initial antibiotic therapy (IIAT) on in-hospital mortality of patients in the emergency department (ED) with Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae BSIs. This retrospective single-center cohort study included all adult patients

Bronchial asthma is a heterogeneous disease whose definition and treatment are based on evidence of variable airway obstruction and airway inflammation. Despite the enormous increase in the amount of information on the pathogenesis of this disease, diagnosis is still an unresolved problem, as we still lack sensitive and specific biomarkers. On the other hand, at the turn of the 20th and 21st century

Eosinophilic cholangiopathy is termed as a rare, benign, and self-limiting disease. Moreover, the interference of malignant tumor to diagnosis and the changing process of disease make the accurate treatment proposal challenging. A significant number of patients require surgery for the definitive diagnosis and resolution of symptoms. We put forward a case of eosinophilic cholangiopathy infiltrating

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in women. The aim of this study was to investigate the functions of Ezrin in cervical cancer cells. Two cervical cancer cell lines, SiHa and CaSki, were cultured in vitro. Following the knockdown of Ezrin using siRNA, real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis were applied to analyze Ezrin expression

Talaromycosis is a rare deep fungal infection caused by Talaromyces marneffei. Currently, methamphetamine has become the second-largest drug abuse category in the world after cannabis and has become a serious public health problem. Methamphetamine can inhibit human immune system and increase the probability of pathogenic microorganism infection. On 8 October 2016, a 20-year-old man with a fever history

Introduction: Resveratrol (RES) exhibits estrogen-like effects and has potential applications to treatment of osteoporosis caused by estrogen deficiency; however, the specific mechanism of action of RES remains unclear. Here, we examined the therapeutic effects of RES on ovariectomized (OVX) rats with osteoporosis and determined the underlying mechanism. Methods: We established an OVX rat model to

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALK + ALCL) is most frequent in youth and possesses a broad morphologic spectrum. However, involvement in central nervous system (CNS) is definitely rare. The case we presented was a 12-year-old Chinese male who presented with headache and emesis for a couple of days. The neoplastic component was smaller cells resembling starry-sky

Emodin is an effective component in rhubarb to cure intestinal dysfunction, but the specific mechanism remains unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of emodin on intestinal dysfunction caused by acute severe pancreatitis and reveal the functional mechanism of emodin in the treatment of this condition. An acute severe pancreatitis model was prepared using taurocholate. In the

Aim of this communication is to remind clinical professionals to be aware of ototoxic side effects of several specific drugs proposed for the treatment of the new virus SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19). In particular, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, as well as antiviral drugs such as remdesivir, favipiravir and lopinavir can all present potential ototoxic side effects. The data in the literature

This current research was performed to investigate the role of typhae pollen polysaccharides (TPP) in hypoxia-treated PC12 cell which was an in vitro cell model of cerebral ischemia. Hypoxia-treated cells were treated with TPP for 12 h. Cell viability and apoptosis were detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2 5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Cell apoptotic

Varicocele is a common cause of sperm damage. Some studies showed higher concentration of seminal leukocytes in patients with varicocele. The aim of the study was to evaluate seminal leukocyte subpopulations in patients with varicocele. We enrolled 20 patients with varicocele and 20 age-matched healthy men. Sperm analysis was conducted according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2010 criteria

The factor VIII (FVIII)-neutralizing antibody (inhibitor) seen in 25%–30% of patients with severe haemophilia A (SHA). Vaccination is a non-genetic risk factor of inhibitor development as ‘danger signal’ which may provide a pro-inflammatory microenvironment to increase FVIII immunogenicity. We reported a previously treated SHA patient postponed the first vaccination to 15-month age received diphth

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease, with genetic background and triggering environmental factors; however, several gaps are still present in understanding the intertwined relationship between these elements. Epigenetic mechanisms, including microRNAs (miRNAs), play an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. The relationship between interleukin (IL)-17, a key cytokine in psoriasis, and

Introduction: Sepsis is defined as a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Mortality rates are high, exceeding 50% in patients with septic shock. The sepsis severity score (SSS) was developed to determine the severity of sepsis and as a prognostic model. The aim of this study was to externally validate the SSS model. Methods: Calibration and discrimination

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin that substantially affects a patient’s quality of life. While steroids are the most common therapy used to temporally alleviate the symptoms of AD, effective and nontoxic alternatives are urgently needed. In this study, we utilized a natural, plant-derived phenolic compound, phloretin, to treat allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) on

We presented the clinical data of one patient with renal cell carcinoma associated with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in this case report. We reported a 56-year-old man who presented with petechiae and ecchymoses. Laboratory studies showed the platelet count of 2 × 109/L and an abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan revealed tumors in the right renal. There were purpura on the legs and cough

Nickel (Ni) oral hyposensitization treatment (NiOHT) is an effective management approach for Ni allergy. No health-related quality of life (HRQoL) data exist for the pre- and post-treatment with NiOHT in systemic nickel allergy syndrome (SNAS). The aims of this study were (a) to explore HRQoL in SNAS patients, (b) to assess changes of HRQoL after 1 year of NiOHT; (c) to evaluate psychological status

The infection of the bone marrow system caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) leads to a variety of common diseases which usually occur in children under the age of 12. Vancomycin (VCM) is the first-line therapy for MRSA-caused serious infections such as bacteremia, infective endocarditis, osteomyelitis, meningitis, pneumonia, and severe skin and soft-tissue infection (e.g. necrotizing

In the last years, the attention to the role of gender in physiopathology and pharmacology of diseases in several medical disciplines is rising; however, the data on the relationship between gender and audio-vestibular disorders are still inconclusive and sometimes confusing. With this letter to the editor, we would like to review the role of gender in audio-vestibular disorders. Literature data show

Hepatitis C virus and alcoholic liver disease are major causes of chronic liver diseases worldwide. Little is known about differences between chronic hepatitis C and alcoholic liver disease in terms of lymphocytes’ sub-population. Aim of the present study was to compare the sub-populations of lymphocytes in both ascitic compartment and peripheral blood in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis

We report on a 31-year-old male patient with non-invasive papillary urothelial carcinoma, low grade of the renal pelvis disguised as xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis. The only symptom of the patient was lower back pain. The initial renal-enhanced computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography showed that the right kidney had a benign lesion and this inflammatory

Shenzhiling oral liquid (SZL) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) compound to be approved by the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) (Z20120010) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, its mechanism in early AD is not clear. We studied its mechanism in protecting myelin. Three-month-old APPswe/PS1dE9double transgenic mice were used as AD model and wild-type

Intravenous Xuebijing (XBJ) therapy suppresses paraquat (PQ)-induced pulmonary fibrosis. However, the mechanism underlying this suppression remains unknown. This work aimed to analyze the miR-140-5p-induced effects of XBJ injection on PQ-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. The mice were arbitrarily assigned to four groups. The model group was administered with PQ only. The PQ treatment group was administered

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a highly heterogeneous systemic autoimmune disease, characterized by severe manifestations that involve psoriasis, defined as the presence of erythematous, scaly, well-demarked plaques, with thickening of skin associated to musculoskeletal illness as spondylitis, enthesitis, or peripheral arthritis.1 The PsA is classified into spondyloarthropathies, usually negative for

Allergy to house dust mite (HDM) is the main cause of persistent allergic rhinitis in Poland. It is well known that shrimp tropomyosin has a similar structure to HDM tropomyosin and can cause hypersensitivity. Some researchers suggest that inhalatory allergy to HDM is the primary sensitizing allergen in shrimp-allergic patients.1

As one of leading causes of blindness, diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a progressive microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Despite significant efforts have been devoted to investigate DR over the years, the molecular mechanisms still remained unclear. Emerging evidences demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) were tightly associated with pathophysiological development of DR. Hence, this study

The Editorial Team of the International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology would like to thank the following people for reviewing articles for the Journal during 2019. Their contributions have been instrumental in the Journal’s continued success.

In subjects affected by chronic periodontitis, the chemical control of plaque is a strategy aiming primarily at controlling infection and bacterial loading. The aim is to evaluate the bacterial loading of the so-called 'red complex' associated with a short-term use of a hydrosilver gel (HSG) by using an in vivo model in adult subjects affected by chronic periodontitis. This prospective short-term clinical

Gingival overgrowth is a serious side effect that accompanies the use of amlodipine. Several conflicting theories have been proposed to explain the fibroblast's function in gingival overgrowth. To determine whether amlodipine alters the inflammatory responses, we investigated its effects on gingival fibroblast gene expression as compared with untreated cells. Fragments of gingival tissue of healthy

Gabapentin is one of the most used drugs to treat postoperative pain with antihyperalgesic properties and has a unique mechanism of action, which differentiates it from other commonly used drugs. Various studies have shown that the perioperative use of gabapentin reduces postoperative pain. In our study, fragments of gingival tissue of healthy volunteers were collected during operation. Gene expression

Several distinct classes of drugs, such as anticonvulsants, immunosuppressants, and calcium channel blockers, caused gingival overgrowth. One of the main drugs associated with the gingival overgrowth is the anti-epileptic such as phenytoin, which affects gingival tissues by altering extracellular matrix metabolism. In our study, we evaluate the effect of phenytoin, a drug whose active substance is

The aim of this issue is to describe endosseous distal extension (EDE) surgical technique. This implant technique was conceived and applied since 1993 by Dr Luca Dal Carlo, as an evolution of the classical ramus blade implant technique. With this technique, you attain great stability of the blade implant, due to the following difference compared with the classical blade implant technique: the hard

In recent decades, the role played by the immune response to bacteria in the pathogenesis of chronic periodontal disease (PD) has long been studied. Although from the clinical point of view, adequate oral hygiene is essential to ensure a satisfactory response of the host to infections, modulation of the reaction of immune system could be influenced by genetic factors. The aim of the present study was

Berberine (BBR) is a natural active principle with potential antitumor activity. The compound targets multiple cell signaling pathways, including proliferation, differentiation, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanisms behind the anticancer activity of BBR by comparing the effects of purified BBR with those of the extract of Tinospora cordifolia,

Orofacial clefts are common congenital defects whose prevalence differs between geographical regions and ethnic groups. The inheritance is complex, involving the contribution of both genetic and environmental factors. The involvement of genes belonging to the folate pathway is still matter of debate, with strong evidences of association and conflicting results. After demonstrating the contribution

Non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (nsCL/P) is a frequent orofacial malformation. The comparison of concordance rate observed in monozygotic and dizygotic twins supports high level of heritability and a strong genetic component. However, phenotype concordance for orofacial cleft in monozygotic twins is about 50%. The aim of the present investigation was to detect postzygotic events

Periconceptional folic acid supplementation can reduce the risk of inborn malformations, including orofacial clefts. Polymorphisms of MTHFR, TCN2, and CBS folate-related genes seem to modulate the risk of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) in some populations. CL/P and cleft palate only (CPO) are different malformations that share several features and possibly etiological causes. In the

The aim of this study was to evaluate the abatement power of oral microbial loading of a new gel formulation based on the complex silver-2-mercaptobenzoate, chlorhexidine digluconate and didecyldimethylammonium chloride (named ADC) through polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The study sample consists of a group of 20 patients with chronic periodontal disease. Patients were over 25 years of age and did

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a widespread disease in our country. Urogenital infections, including urinary tract infections, vaginitis, balanitis, balanoposthitis, and male accessory gland infections, show a higher risk of occurrence in patients with DM that non-diabetic subjects. Both non-drug-related and drug-related mechanisms are involved in their pathogenesis. These conditions may impact on glucose

Polysaccharides from Ganoderma lucidum have been demonstrated to possess diverse biological activities. Despite lots of studies on the biological activities of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide (GLP), little is known regarding the medicinal potential of low-molecular weight enzymatically hydrolyzed Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide (EGLP). EGLP was prepared by enzymatic degradation and its potential

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is one of the most common gynecological cancers in many developing countries. Although tremendous advances have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of EC, there is still no adequate biomarker currently available for predicting the prognosis of this cancer. In this study, we found that miR-103 expression was significantly upregulated in EC tissues than their paired non-carcinoma

It is of significance to alleviate oxidative damages for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). Studies have ascertained that green tea polyphenols (GTPs) exert protective activities against oxidative damages. In this study, we aimed to investigate the protective effects of GTP against H2O2-caused injuries in PC12 cells as well as the molecular underpinnings associated with long non-coding RNA

The treatment of severe chronic immune thrombocytopenia (SCITP) in pediatric patients is challenging. We evaluated the clinical efficacy and safety of eltrombopag in children with SCITP in China. This observational study was carried out at the Hematology Oncology Center, Beijing Children's Hospital between April 2017 and July 2018. Patients with SCITP who had at least 12 weeks of eltrombopag treatment

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of Astragalus membranaceus extract and ligustrazine combination on ameliorating inflammation in cerebral ischemic rats that have undergone thrombolysis. Astragalus membranaceus and ligustrazine per se, or a combination of A. membranaceus and ligustrazine was administered by intraperitoneal injection immediately after surgery and sham surgery. After

Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that encompasses Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Inflammatory bowel disease is not exclusive to the gastrointestinal system, as it has been identified to be associated with extraintestinal manifestations that encompass every other organ system in the human body. This review article will comprehensively review the current knowledge

Ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1) possesses a cardioprotective effect via mediating microRNAs (miRs), while it is unexplored whether miR-210 is regulated by Rb1 in response to oxidative stress. Human endothelial EA.hy926 cells were stimulated with H2O2 before Rb1 treatment. After transfection, cell viability, apoptosis, migration, and invasion assays were conducted. Western blot was applied to quantify protein

We aimed to analyze the action of berberine on the neuropathic pain and neuroglia activation in experimental diabetes mellitus (DM) model. Diabetes in mice was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) followed by the administration of berberine. Mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia and activations of microglia and astrocytes were evaluated. The levels of pro-inflammatory

Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) is a clinical condition that may lead to cellular injury and organ dysfunction that can be observed in different conditions, such as trauma, shock, liver resection, and transplantation. Moderate levels of nitric oxide (NO) produced by the endothelial isoform of the NO synthase protect against liver IRI. GIT-27NO is a NO-derivative of the toll-like receptor

Primary prostate lymphoma (PPL) is rare. This article reports a case of PPL by retrospective analysis of the clinical data and review of the literature, in an attempt to explore the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of this rare disease. The present case involves a male patient who came to our hospital for medical consultation of dysuria. Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was not remarkable.

Autoimmunity is an identified factor for development of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) play a fundamental role in preventing autoimmunity. This study aimed to determine Treg frequency and its effects on cytokine profile of ESRD patients with and without systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Moreover, this study also determines how Treg number is affected by blood transfusion

This study aims to study the potentials of sulforaphane (SFN) against retinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. A rat retinal I/R injury method was established. Retinal thickness change and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death were determined using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and Fluoro-Gold (FG) labeling. The inflammatory cytokines production and microglia activation were evaluated by using

Accumulating evidence shows that curcumin exerts antitumor activities in a variety of malignancies. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is associated with vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF-D)-induced lymphangiogenesis and tumor metastasis in gastric cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms by which curcumin regulates HMGB1-mediated lymphangiogenesis in gastric cancer remain unclear. In this

This study was to investigate the expression correlation between long non-coding RNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (lncRNA MALAT1), miR-200a-3p and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and their roles in NSCLC. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect the expressions of MALAT1, miR-200a-3p and PD-L1 in NSCLC tissues

The aim of this study was to discuss the clinical significance of perirenal puncture and drainage with urokinase treatment of perirenal hematoma complicated by infection following surgery for upper urinary tract calculi. Two cases of perirenal hematoma complicated by infection following surgery for upper urinary tract calculi in 2017, and later received perirenal puncture and drainage of perirenal

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a serious heart disease in which cardiomyocytes are damaged, caused by hypoxia. This study explored the possible protective activity of Skullcapflavone I (SF I), a flavonoid isolated from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, on hypoxia-stimulated cardiomyocytes cell injury in vitro. Viability and apoptosis of H9c2 cells and primary cardiomyocytes were tested using

Learning and motivation are critical in the development of children, and to their acquisition of knowledge and skills. A case in point is autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impaired social interactions and communication, as well as by stereotypic movements. Maternal stress has been strongly associated with increased risk of developing ASD. Children experience