Distribution of Major Pathogens from Sputum and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid in Patients with Noncystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis: A Systematic Review / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Noncystic fibrosis (non-CF) bronchiectasis remains as a common health problem in Asia. Pathogens' distribution in airways of patients with non-CF bronchiectasis is important for doctors to make right decision.</p><p><b>DATA SOURCES</b>We performed this systematic review on the English language literatures from 1966 to July 2014, using various search terms included "pathogens" or "bacteria" or "microbiology" and "bronchiectasis" or "non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis" or "non-CF bronchiectasis" or "NCFB."</p><p><b>STUDY SELECTION</b>We included studies of patients with the confirmed non-CF bronchiectasis for which culture methods were required to sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Weighted mean isolation rates for Haemophilus influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Stapylococcus aureus, Moxarella catarrhails were compared according to different methodology.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total mean bacterial culture positive rates were 63%. For studies using sputum samples, the mean positive culture rates were 74%. For studies using BALF alone or BALF and sputum, it was 48%. The distributions of main bacterial strains were 29% for H. influenzae, 28% for P. aeruginosa, 11% for S. pneumoniae, 12% for S. aureus, and 8% for M. catarrhails with methodology of sputum. Meanwhile, the bacterial distributions were 37% for H. influenzae, 8% for P. aeruginosa, 14% for S. pneumoniae, 5% for S. aureus, and 10% for M. catarrhails with methodology of BALF alone or BALF and sputum. Analysis of the effect of different methodology on the isolation rates revealed some statistically significant differences.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>H. influenzae accounted for the highest percentage in different methodology. Our results suggested that the total positive culture rates and the proportion of P. aeruginosa from sputum and BALF specimens had significant differences, which can be used in further appropriate recommendations for the treatment of non-CF bronchiectasis.</p>

Human decorin regulates proliferation and migration of human lung cancer A549 cells / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Decorin is a small leucine-rich proteoglycan and it plays an important role in regulation of cell growth and migration in various tumor cell lines. Decorin was found down-regulated in non-small cell lung cancer tissue and may be involved in regulation of lung cancer development.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In this study, lentivirus-mediated RNA interference and over expression were employed to change the expression levels of decorin in lung cancer A549 cells. We tested the cell cycle of A549 cells and the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, cyclin D1, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), P53, and P21.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>We found that up-regulation of decorin could inhibit proliferation, block cell cycle at G1 and decrease invasive activity of A549 cells. Moreover, we also show that up-regulation of decorin induced significant decreases of TGF-β1, cyclin D1 expression, phosphorylation of EGFR, and increases of P53 and P21 expression. Opposite results were observed in A549 cells with down-regulation of decorin.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Our results suggest that decorin is a key regulator involved in proliferation and migration of A549 cells.</p>

Impaired upregulation of keratinocyte growth factor in injured lungs induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in immunosuppressed rats / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The number of immunosuppressed patients has increased in the past decades. Among them Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is one of the leading bacteria for pneumonia that are associated with poor prognosis. However, the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa pneumonia in immunosuppressed patients is not understood completely. Previous reports showed keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) is associated with lung injury in immunocompetent hosts. In this study, we investigated the different reactions of lung injury, lung pathology and KGF expressions in P. aeruginosa pneumonia between immunosuppressed and immunocompetent rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Immunosuppression of male rats was induced by injecting immunosuppressive subcutaneously. Pneumonia was established by instilling P. aeruginous tracheally. The immunocompetent rats were the control group. Survival rate, lung histopathology, pulmonary permeability and oedema, KGF mRNA and protein expressions in lungs of both groups were investigated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The survival rate of immunosuppressed group was lower than that of immunocompetent group (33.3% vs 83.3%). After exposure to bacteria, pulmonary permeability and wet/dry ratio in immunosuppressed group were higher than those in immunocompetent group. Pulmonary congestion and haemorrhage were more intensive in immunosuppressed group compared to immunocompetent group. Apoptosis and necrosis were also observed in infected lungs of immunosuppressed rats. Although we detected KGF expressions in lungs of both groups after infection, the expressions of KGF protein and mRNA gene in immunosuppressed group were much lower than in immunocompetent group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Compared with immunocompetent group, there was more intensive lung injury in immunosuppressed group. Severe lung injury may contribute to the poor prognosis of pneumonia. KGF expressions of pneumonia in immunosuppressed rats were less than those in immunocompetent ones.</p>