HIV-negative plasmablastic lymphoma: report of 8 cases and a comprehensive review of 394 published cases

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a rare entity of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The clinicopathological features of and optimal treatment for HIV-negative PBL remain largely unknown.METHODS: To gain insight into this distinct lymphoma, we summarized the clinicopathologic characteristics of 8 unpublished HIV-negative PBLs and performed a comprehensive review of 394 published cases.RESULTS: Of the 8 unpublished PBLs, the median patient age was 53.0 years. Four patients presented with stage IV disease. All 8 patients showed a plasma cell-like immunophenotype. Of the six patients who received anthracycline-based chemotherapy, including two who received bortezomib, three patients achieved a continuous complete response, two patients died due to disease progression, and one patient was lost to follow-up. The other two patients achieved continuous complete response after receiving chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy and surgery. Of the 402 patients, the majority were male, with a mean age of 58.0 years. EBV infection was detected in 55.7% of the patients. The median survival times of the patients who received CHOP or CHOP-like regimens and intensive regimens were not reached and 23.0 months, respectively, and the intensive regimen did not improve the survival outcome (P=0.981). Multivariate analysis showed that EBER remained the only independent factor affecting overall survival (OS).CONCLUSION: HIV-negative PBL is a distinct entity with a predilection for elderly and immunosuppressed individuals. Intensive chemotherapy had no apparent survival benefits over the CHOP regimen in terms of OS; the prognosis of this disease is poor with current chemotherapy methods, and treatment remains a challenge.

Construction of a chimeric SEA-hPLAP-1 cDNA with gene splicing by overlap extension / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To construct a chimeric SEA-hPLAP-1 cDNA with gene splicing by overlap extension.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The SEA gene and a DNA fragment encoding the signal for GPI-anchor attachment of hPLAP -1 were amplified by PCR. The two amplified gene sequence was annealed to form a chimeric GPI- anchored SEA molecule with gene splicing by overlap extension. The resulting chimera was cloned in pGEM-T vector and verified by sequencing analysis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>A chimeric SEA-hPLAP-1 cDNA was successfully constructed with gene splicing by overlap extension.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Gene splicing by overlap extension is a successful specific PCR technique for gene recombination.</p>

Cloning of transmembrane domain sequence of EGFR gene / 浙江大学学报·医学版

OBJECTIVE: To clone the transmembrane (TM) domain sequence of EGFR gene and lay a good foundation for constructing the transmembrane expression vector of recombinant superantigens and cytokines. METHODS: A pair of primers special to the sequence encoding TM domain of EGFR gene were synthesized, TM domain fragment was cloned by RT-PCR, and the PCR product of TM domain sequence was ligated with the pGEM-T vector and confirmed by DNA sequencing. RESULTS: TM domain sequence was successfully cloned and verified by DNA sequencing. CONCLUSION: The successful cloning of TM domain sequence provides a basis for the construction of transmembrane fusion protein of Superantigen-TM or Cytokines-TM in cancer biotherapy.