Amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide measurements under various detection conditions in patients with chronic heart failure / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To find the potential interference factors for the detection of NT-proBNP and BNP in patients with chronic heart failure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>EP15-A2 issued by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) was employed to compare the precision and accuracy of commercial NT-proBNP and BNP analyzer electrochemiluminescence immunoassay system Cobas E601 and chemiluminescence system ADVIA Centaur. Moreover, NT-proBNP and BNP were detected in different time interval and in different interfered sampling conditions (haematolysis, choloplania, lipemia). NT-proBNP and BNP of 203 patients with heart failure or heart failure complicated with acute cerebral infarction were analyzed to find the deviation caused by patients' endogenous factors.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The precision and accuracy were comparable for NT-proBNP and BNP detection using Cobas E601 and ADVIA Centaur (total-CV below 2.9% and 3.5%, the deviation from definite value below 2.38% and 3.91%). The most suitable sample type for NT-proBNP and BNP detection was serum and EDTA-anticoagulant plasma. The detection results of NT-proBNP and BNP were comparable for at least 120 min post sampling and not affected by Hb (2 g/L), DB (428 µmol/L) and chyle (2000 FIU). NT-proBNP was significantly higher in heart failure patients complicated with cerebral infarction (P = 0.003) than in heart failure patients. BNP was significantly higher in heart failure grade III patients complicated with cerebral infarction (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Cobas E601 and ADVIA Centaur supplied satisfactory detection of NT-proBNP and BNP in patients with chronic heart failure with strong anti-interference capacity. The diagnostic value of NT-proBNP and BNP for chronic heart failure should be analyzed objectively in the presence of complicating diseases.</p>

Study on the mechanism of THP-1 cell differentiation imduced by a new steroidal drug NSC67657 / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the potential mechanism of the new steroidal drug NSC67657 induced leukemic cells differentiation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Cell proliferation was assayed by MTT assay. Surface antigen CD14 on THP-1 cells treated by NSC67657 at different time different concentration, was detected by flow cytometry (FCM). The expression of beta-catenin- interacting protein 1 (ICAT) gene and protein were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Eukaryotic expressing vector pDsRed-ICAT was constructed and transfected into HL60 cell line. FCM, Wright's staining and electronmicroscope were employed to analyse the differentiation of transfected THP-1 cells after they were treated with NSC67657 for 24 hours.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The proliferation of THP-1 cells was significantly inhibited by NSC67657 treatment. The level of CD14 expression was elevated in line with the increasing drug concentration and treatment time. 10 µmol/L NSC67657 treatment for five days was the optimal condition for the induction of THP-1 cells differentiation, when the CD14(+) THP-1 cells were more than 90%. Morphological study indentified the THP-1 cells of monocytic differentiation. The eukaryotic expressing vector pDSRed-ICAT was successfully constructed, and almost 90% positive clone could be obtained after G418 screening. Electro-transfection was employed for transfecting the vector into THP-1 cells. After the transfection the expression of ICAT gene and protein was increased. On the NSC67657 treatment, there was not significant difference in CD14 expression on transfected THP-1 cells compared to that on the control groups. After 24 h treatment, the transfected THP-1 cells remained in early differentiated stage.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>NSC67657 can induce THP-1 cell to monocytic differentiation and activate the expression of ICAT gene, but overexpression of ICAT itself is not sufficient to induce such differentiation.</p>

Effect of C/EBPalpha on the monocytic differentiation of HL60 cells induced by NSC67657 / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To figure out the function of C/EBPalpha in the monocytic differentiation of HL60 cells induced by a new steroidal drug NSC67657.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The differentiation of HL60 cells was induced by NSC67657, and the cell surface antigen CD14 expression was detected by flow cytometry. The gene and protein expressions of CCAAT enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha) before and after the induction of cell differentiation were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot. Eukaryotic expressing vector pDsRed-ICAT was constructed and transfected into HL60 cells, and its expression was verified. The effect of C/EBPalpha overexpression in HL60 cells was assessed by MTT assay, Wright's staining and flow cytometry before and after NSC67657 transfection.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HL60 cells could be induced into monocytes by 10 micromol/L ATRA within 5 days, and the coverage of CD14 positive cells reached 93.9% after 5 days of drug treatment. The eukaryotic expressing vector was successfully constructed, and over 90% positive clones were obtained after screening by G418 and electrotransfection. The results of proliferative analysis, chemical staining, ultrastructural observation, and CD11b detection confirmed that HL60 cells could be induced into granulocytic differentiation by overexpression of C/EBPalpha protein. Moreover, in the drug treatment group, transfected cells could not be induced into monocytic differentiation, and their granulocytic differentiation was also inhibited.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The monocytic differentiation of HL60 cells induced by NSC67657 may not be via the regulation by C/EBPalpha protein-mediated signal transduction. However, the overexpression of CEBPalpha may inhibit the process of NSC67657-induced monocytic differentiation in HL60 cells.</p>