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@#Abstract: Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of silicosis complicated with active pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods A retrospective analysis of 36 patients with silicotuberculosis and 100 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis was performed from January 2018 to December 2021 at Beijing Chest Hospital，Capital Medical University. The patients were confirmed by etiology or pathology. The patients with silicotuberculosis were designed to observation group and the patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis were designed to control group. The enumeration data were expressed as percentage and were treated with the chi-square test and the nonnormal distribution data is expressed as M(P25, P75). The difference was significant with P<0.05. Results In the observation group, there were 7 cases (19.4%) of silicosis in stage Ⅰ, 14 cases (38.9%) in stage Ⅱ and 15 cases (41.7%) in stage Ⅲ. 25 cases (69.4%, χ2=17.099) had a course of TB more than 12 months. 32 cases (88.9%, χ2=16.722) with cough, expectoration and dyspnea as the main symptoms. 32 cases (88.9%, χ2=16.722) had nodular lesions, and 30 cases (83.3%, χ2=19.900) had mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy as the main imaging manifestations on chest CT. 17 cases (47.2%, χ2=7.481) were misdiagnosed. Compared with the control group, the difference was significant in these aspects (P<0.05). 27 cases in the observation group were followed up, 1 case died after 5 months of treatment. The negative conversion time of Mycobacteria growth indicator tube (MGIT) liquid culture in sputum was within 2 months in 17 cases (65.4%), between 2 and 12 months in 5 cases (19.2%) and over 12 months in 4 cases (15.4%), and a significant difference was observed comparing with the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions The patients with silicotuberculosis are mainly in stage Ⅱ and stage Ⅲ with long duration of TB, cough, expectoration and dyspnea as the main symptoms. Chest CT shows that nodules, mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy are the main imaging manifestations. And the silicotuberculosis was easily misdiagnosed. At the same time, screening for latent tuberculosis infection in silicosis patients indispensable due to the poor prognosis of anti-tuberculosis treatment.
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ABSTRACT Our previous work revealed that chrysosplenetin in combination with artemisinin inhibited in vivo P-glycoprotein (P-gp, one of classic multi-drug resistance proteins) mediated digoxin transportation activity by reversing the upregulated P-gp/Mdr1 mRNA expression levels by artemisinin. Therefore, chrysosplenetin might be a potential artemisinin-resistance reversal agent as a P-gp inhibitor. But it still remains unknown if chrysosplenetin has an impact on another pivotal multi-drug resistance protein, breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp), which is co-expressed with P-gp in apical membrane of intestinal epithelial cell and overlaps some of the substrates and inhibitors. This study, therefore, further addressed the impact of chrysosplenetin, per se or in combination with artemisin, on Bcrp/ABCG2 mRNA expression levels in mice small intestine determined by western blot and real time-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay. The drugs were intragastrically administrated once per day for 7 days. Novobiocin, a known Bcrp inhibitor, was observed to have no impact on Bcrp/ABCG2 levels with or without artemisinin versus vehicle. Interestingly, artemisinin alone attenuated Bcrp level while chrysosplenetin alone increased it (p < 0.05). Relative mRNA level was significantly decreased when co-used with artemisinin and chrysosplenetin in ratio of 1:2 (p < 0.05). The discrepant results for chrysosplenetin on Bcrp/ABCG2 mRNA expressions might be closely related to the transcriptional or posttranscriptional regulation.
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ABSTRACT The present study describes the impact of chrysosplenetin, in the absence and presence of artemisinin, on in vitro breast cancer resistance protein-mediated transport activity in Caco-2 cell monolayers using aristolochic acid I as a specific probe substrate. We observed that novobiocin, a known breast cancer resistance protein active inhibitor, increased Papp (AP-BL) of aristolochic acid I 3.13 fold (p < 0.05) but had no effect on Papp (BL-AP). Efflux ratio (PBA/PAB) declined 4.44 fold (p < 0.05). Novobiocin, consequently, showed a direct facilitation on the uptake of AAI instead of its excretion. Oppositely, both artemisinin and chrysosplenetin alone at dose of 10 µM significantly decreased Papp (BL-AP) instead of Papp (AP-BL). Chrysosplenetin alone attenuated the efflux ratio, which was suggestive of being as a potential breast cancer resistance protein suppressant. Oddly, Papp (BL-AP) as well as efflux ratio were respectively enhanced 2.52 and 2.58 fold (p < 0.05), when co-used with artemisinin and chrysosplenetin in ratio of 1:2. The potential reason remains unclear; it might be relative to binding sites competition between artemisinin and chrysosplenetin or the homodimer/oligomer formation of breast cancer resistance protein bridged by disulfide bonds, leading to an altered in vitro breast cancer resistance protein-mediated efflux transport function.
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This study investigated the occurrence and abundance of class 1 integrons and related antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in a sewage treatment plant (STP) of China. Totally, 189 bacterial strains were isolated from influent, activated sludge and effluent, and 40 isolates contained the integons with a complete structure. The intI1-carrying isolates were found to harbor two types of gene cassettes: dfr17-aadA5 and aadA2, conferring resistances to trimethoprim and streptomycin, which were further confirmed by antimicrobial susceptibility analysis. Many other gene cassettes were carried on integron, including qnrVC1, catB-8-blaoxa-10-aadA1-aac(6'), aadB-aacA29b, aadA2, aac(6')-1b, aadA6 and aadA12, which were detected using DNA cloning. Quantitative real time PCR showed that over 99% of the integrons was eliminated in activated sludge process, but average copy number of integrons in given bacterial cells was increased by 56% in treated sewage. Besides integrons, other mobile gene elements (MGEs) were present in the STP with high abundance. MGEs and the associated ARGs may be wide-spread in STPs, which constitute a potential hot spot for selection of antibiotic resistant bacteria and horizontal transfer of ARGs.