ABSTRACT
Objective:To elucidate the correlation between peripheral blood levels of pentraxin 3 (PTX3) and fibroblast growth factors 2 (FGF2) and clinical manifestations, immunological indexes and disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.Methods:The correlation between peripheral blood levels of PTX3 and FGF2 and clinical manifestations, immunological indexes and disease activity of SLE pa-tients was determined. T test, Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient were analyzed statistically. Results:Plasma PTX3 levels were significantly higher in SLE patients than in healthy controls (3 191±2 423) pg/ml vs (755±432) pg/ml, t=5.595, P<0.01) . The titer of PTX3 in patients with hematologic in-volvement was higher than that in the patients without [(3 810±2 840) pg/ml vs (2 493±1 830) pg/ml, t=2.008, P=0.049). Plasma PTX3 concentration in SLE patients was positively correlated not only with the level of 24 h urine protein ( r=0.498 6, P=0.005 9), but also with ESR ( r= 0.376, P=0.007) and systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) scores ( r=0.405, P=0.003). On the contrast, plasma PTX3 concentration in SLE patients was negatively correlated with complement 3 ( r=-0.405, P=0.005). Increased serum PTX3 levels accompanied by increased serum FGF2 levels was observed. Plasma FGF2 concentration in SLE patients was positively correlated with SLEDAI scores ( r=0.326, P=0.019), but negatively correlated with level of comple-ment 3 ( r=-0.414, P=0.004) and complement 4 ( r=-0.451, P=0.007). Levels of FGF2 were higher in patients with positive anti-NuA antibody [(138±91) pg/ml vs (59±68) pg/ml, t=2.996, P=0.004 2), anti-dsDNA antibody [(120±96) pg/ml vs (56±58) pg/ml, t=3.583, P=0.000 7] and anti-rRNP antibody (151±109) pg/ml vs (63±61) pg/ml, t=3.757, P=0.000 4) than in patients with negative of these antibodies. Conclusion:The levels of PTX3 and FGF2 in peripheral blood may play a role in determining the disease activity and clinical phenotype of SLE, and can help doctors to make diagnosis and treatment decisions.
ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the safety and drug adherence of tocilizumab(TCZ)in patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis(RA)in routine clinical practice. Methods This 24 week single center observational study recruited patients with moderate to severe RA. Therapy adherence rate was calculated by actual dosing/expected dosing×100%. Efficacy end points included physician global assessment of disease activity(PGA),patient global assessment of disease activity(PtGA),28-joint disease activity score(DAS28)and so on. Safety was evaluated by recorded adverse events (AEs). Results Sixty patients were enrolled with a mean (SD) treatment adherence of (67±27)%. PGA, PtGA, pain assessment (VAS), TJC and SJC all decreased during this study. At the 12th week, 25%(6/24) and 29%(7/24) of the patients achieved DAS28 remission and EULAR good response,respectively.Eighteen AEs were recorded,of which only 2 were severe AEs(SAEs)and neither was related to TCZ. Conclusion TCZ is a highly safe treatment for decreasing disease activity in patients with moderate to severe RA in China.However,drug adherence still need to be improved.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effects of recombinant adeno-associated virus-mediated myostatin propeptide (MPRO) on uptake and oxidation of glucose,and glycogen synthesis in C2C12 myotubes,as well as the associated molecular mechanism.Methods Mature C2C12 myotubes were assigned to the following 6 groups:control,insulin,green fluorescent protein (GFP),insulin + GFP,MPRO,and insulin + MPRO groups.Glucose uptake,glucose oxidation,and glycogen synthesis were detected by counting radioactivity of 14CO2 or 14C labeled glycogen derived from 2-deoxy-[1-14 C] glucose.The activity of insulin signal pathway was evaluated by Western blot.Results Compared with control group,glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis were significantly increased in insulin and insulin+GFP groups,and further increased in insulin+MPRO group as compared with insulin alone(all P＜ O.05).However,MPRO and insulin had no effect on glucose oxidation.The phosphorylations of insulin receptor (IR) β,insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1),protein kinase B (Akt),glycogen synthase kinase-3 β (GSK-3β),and the expressions of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and glucose transporter 4 (Glut4) in membrane were significantly increased in insulin and insulin+GFP groups compared with control group(all P＜0.05),and were further increased after MPRO transfection (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion MPRO may increase insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in C2C12 cells by activating the IRS/PI3K/Akt signal pathway.