ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the expression profile of IL-36 family members in patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CAHD) and to assess the regulatory effects of exogenous IL-36 on CD8 + T cell function in CAHD patients. Methods:Twenty controls and 82 CAHD patients including 31 with stable angina pectoris (SAP), 27 with unstable angina pectoris (UAP) and 24 with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were enrolled in this study. Anti-coagulant peripheral blood samples were collected. Plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated. The levels of IL-36α, IL-36β, IL-36γ and IL-36 receptor antagonist (IL-36RA) in plasma were measured by ELISA. CD8 + T cells were enriched. The expression of IL-36 receptor subunits at mRNA level was semi-quantified by real time PCR. Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression of programmed death-1 (PD-1), cytotoxic T lymphocytes associated protein-4(CTLA-4) and lymphocyte-activation gene-3 (LAG-3) in CD8 + T cells. Levels of periforin, granzyme B, granulysin, IFN-γ and TNF-α in the culture supernatants of CD8 + T cells were measured by ELISA. Purified CD8 + T cells from controls and AMI patients were stimulated with recombinant human IL-36RA. Changes in the expression of immune checkpoint molecules and the secretion of cytotoxic molecules and cytokines after IL-36RA stimulation were analyzed. One-way analysis of variance or paired t-test was used for statistical analysis. Results:There were no significant differences in plasma IL-36α, IL-36β or IL-36γ level between the control, SAP, UAP and AMI groups ( P>0.05). Plasma IL-36RA level was significantly down-regulated in the AMI group as compared with that in the control, SAP and UAP groups[(1 159.57±297.83) pg/ml vs (1 773.47±754.29) pg/ml, (1 600.12±740.48) pg/ml and (1 578.72±720.42) pg/ml; P<0.05]. The expression of IL-1 receptor 6 (IL-1R6) and IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP) at mRNA level, the expression of PD-1 and CTLA-4, and the secretion of IFN-γ and TNF-α by CD8 + T cells showed no significant differences between the four groups ( P>0.05). Periforin, granzyme B and granulysin levels secreted by CD8 + T cells of the AMI group were significantly higherthan those of the control, SAP and UAP groups ( P<0.05). In the control group, recombinant human IL-36RA stimulation did not affect the expression of immune checkpoint molecule or the secretion of cytotoxic molecules and cytokines by CD8 + T cells ( P>0.05). In the AMI group, the percentage of PD-1 + CD8 + T cells increased after recombinant human IL-36RA stimulation ( P=0.033), but no significant change in the percentage of CTLA-4 + CD8 + T cells was observed ( P=0.288). Moreover, recombinant human IL-36RA stimulation suppressed the CD8 + T cells of AMI patients to secrete periforin, granzyme B and granulysin ( P<0.05), but not affect the secretion of IFN-γ and TNF-α ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The reduced IL-36RA level in AMI patients might induce the enhancement of CD8 + T cell activity by promoting CD8 + T cells to secrete cytotoxic molecules, which was involved in the immunopathogenesis of AMI.
ABSTRACT
Total 1 452 newborns were home visited within 28 d after birth during January 2016 to December 2016,and 27 cases of skin infections were found.Umbilical inflammation was more common (11 cases),followed by folliculitis (9 cases) and impetigo (7 cases).Samples were collected for bacterial culture and identification from the skin of infected newborns,the hands and nasal cavity of family baby caretakers,and household articles,including faucets,mobile phones,toilet buttons and so on.The pathogens identified were Staphylococcus aureus in 20 cases (including 2 methicillin-resistant strains) and Escherichia coli in 7 cases.The isolation of Staphylococcus aureus in household articles was significantly correlated with newborns infected with Staphylococcus aureus (x2=678.808,P＜0.01);and the isolation of Staphylococcus aureus from family baby caretakers was also significantly associated with neonatal Staphylococcus aureus infection (x2=820.396,P＜0.01).In 7 cases of Escherichia coli infection,the Escherichia coli were detected from samples of baby caretakers or household articles.The study suggests that the awareness of baby caretakers and home hygiene are important to reduce neonatal skin infections.
ABSTRACT
Swabbing samples were routinely collected from health care workers ( HCW) contacting newborns in Obstetrics Department of our hospital on every Wednesday during January to December 2015. Total 495 samples from nasal vestibule and 483 samples from hands of HCW were collected for bacterial culture.The carrying status of methicillin-resistant staphylococccus aureus ( MRSA) was analyzed.The results showed that the average carrying rate of MRSA in the nasal vestibule was 8.1%(40/495) and that in hands was 5.0(24/483)(χ2 =3.871, P<0.05).The MRSA detection rate of nasal vestibular samples in the second quarter was the highest [12.2%(17/139)], while that of hands samples was highest in the first quarter [ 15.3%( 15/98 ) ] . The study indicates that carrying rate of MRSA in health care workers contacting newborns of our hospital is high , and the training and monitoring should be strengthened among health workers to reduce the MRSA carrying rate .