Metformin improves polycystic ovary syndrome and activates female germline stem cells in mice / 生理学报

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disease caused by complex endocrine and metabolic abnormalities in women of childbearing age. Metformin is the most widely used oral hypoglycemic drug in clinic. In recent years, metformin has been used in the treatment of PCOS, but its mechanism is not clear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of metformin on PCOS and its mechanism through PCOS mouse model. Female C57BL/6J mice aged 4-5 weeks were intragastrically given letrozole (1 mg/kg daily) combined with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 21 days to establish the PCOS model. After modeling, metformin (200 mg/kg daily) was intragastrically administered. One month later, the body weight and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were measured. Hematoxylin eosin (H&E) staining was used to detect the pathological changes of ovary. The serum levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), E2 and testosterone (T) were measured by ELISA. The expression of DDX4/MVH was detected by immunohistochemistry. DDX4/MVH and PCNA were co-labeled by immunofluorescence. The protein levels of DDX4/MVH, PCNA, cyclin D2, AMPK and mTOR were detected by Western blot. The results showed that after metformin treatment, the body weights of PCOS mice were gradually returned to normal, glucose tolerance was significantly improved, serum E2 levels were increased, while AMH, LH, T levels and LH/FSH ratio were decreased. Ovarian polycystic lesions were reduced with reduced atresia follicles. Furthermore, the number of proliferative female germline stem cells (FGSCs) and levels of proliferation related proteins (PCNA, cyclin D2) were significantly increased, and the p-mTOR and p-AMPK levels were markedly up-regulated. These results suggest that metformin treatment not only improves hyperandrogenemia, glucose intolerance and polycystic ovarian lesions in PCOS, but also activates the function of FGSCs. The underlying mechanism may be related to the phosphorylation of AMPK and mTOR. These findings provide new evidence to use metformin in the treatment of PCOS and follicular development disorder.

The influence of sporadic cases of COVID-19 on the work of Transfusion Department and its countermeasures / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To analyze the impact of sporadic cases of COVID-19 on the work of Transfusion Department, so as to explore the countermeasures. 【Methods】 The admission of inpatient departments, the reception of outpatient(including emergency) departments, the workload of transfusion department(including blood typing, unexpected antibody screening and cross matching), and the consumption of blood components in the Xijing Hospital between October and November in 2021, during COVID-19 outbreak, were collected. All the above data was statistically compared to the data in same period in 2018, before the COVID-19 outbreak. 【Results】 Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, there was a significant decrease in number of inpatients(280±157.1 vs 340.4±110.2), outpatient(including emergency)(8 359±3 615 vs 10 151±3 225), the workload of blood typing(272.0±132.4 vs 341.6±110.4), unexpected antibody screening(78.26±42.22 vs 98.51±43.53) and crossmatch(237.2±99 vs 475.7±155.6), as well as the consumption(U) of all blood components(457.9±50.32 vs 579.4±62.51) in the Xijing Hospital(P<0.05). In detail, the epidemic had the most direct impact on the number of inpatients and outpatients, which shrank continuously on the 2nd day after official announcement of the new COVID-1 cases. While the workload of blood typing, unexpected antibody screening and crossmatch decreased slightly, with a lag, usually on the 2nd, 3rd and 5th day after official announcement. The decrease of the usage of red blood cells and plasma began from the 7th day after the new epidemic to the 6th day after the end of the epidemic. However, the usage platelets and cryoprecipitate coagulation factors decreased from the 8th and 10th day after the new epidemic to the 2nd and 6th day after the end of the epidemic, respectively. 【Conclusion】 The daily work of Blood Transfusion Department has been seriously affected by sporadic COVID-19 epidemic. The working mode, staff structure and inventory ratio of blood components should be adjusted and optimized instantly to maintain the normal conduct of medical treatments in hospitals and ensure the safety of patients.

A highly potent and stable pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitor as a candidate prophylactic and therapeutic for COVID-19 and other coronavirus diseases

The development of broad-spectrum antivirals against human coronaviruses (HCoVs) is critical to combat the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants, as well as future outbreaks of emerging CoVs. We have previously identified a polyethylene glycol-conjugated (PEGylated) lipopeptide, EK1C4, with potent pan-CoV fusion inhibitory activity. However, PEG linkers in peptide or protein drugs may reduce stability or induce anti-PEG antibodies in vivo. Therefore, we herein report the design and synthesis of a series of dePEGylated lipopeptide-based pan-CoV fusion inhibitors featuring the replacement of the PEG linker with amino acids in the heptad repeat 2 C-terminal fragment (HR2-CF) of HCoV-OC43. Among these lipopeptides, EKL1C showed the most potent inhibitory activity against infection by SARS-CoV-2 and its spike (S) mutants, as well as other HCoVs and some bat SARS-related coronaviruses (SARSr-CoVs) tested. The dePEGylated lipopeptide EKL1C exhibited significantly stronger resistance to proteolytic enzymes, better metabolic stability in mouse serum, higher thermostability than the PEGylated lipopeptide EK1C4, suggesting that EKL1C could be further developed as a candidate prophylactic and therapeutic for COVID-19 and other coronavirus diseases.

Analysis on Chemical Characteristics of Lycii Fructus in Qinghai Province Based on 1H-NMR Plant Metabolomics / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:The chemical differences of Lycii Fructus samples from Qinghai, Ningxia, Gansu, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia provinces were compared based on proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) plant metabolomics. Method:A total of 97 Lycii Fructus samples from five provinces were collected, including 61 samples in Qinghai, and extracted by 50% methanol for detecting. 1H-NMR spectra were obtained and compared by multivariate statistical analysis for investigating the chemical differences of samples from Qinghai and other production areas. And the content of Lycii Fructus polysaccharides in all samples was determined with the wavelength of 490 nm (calculated by anhydrous glucose). Result:A total of 32 chemical components were detected in the Lycii Fructus extract by 1H-NMR. The multivariate statistical analysis revealed that there was no significant difference among the samples from five provinces. The difference between Lycii Fructus from Qinghai and Ningxia, as well as the samples among the six regions of Qinghai province were relatively small. The similarity values of the majority of samples were >0.85. Univariate analysis showed that no significant difference was observed for the most metabolites in Lycii Fructus collected from five provinces, except for sucrose, glucose, proline and so on. There was no significant difference in the content of Lycii Fructus polysaccharides between Qinghai and other provinces. And the correlation coefficient between the content of Lycii Fructus polysaccharides and the small molecular compounds identified by 1H-NMR was -0.2-0.4. Conclusion:In this study, chemical characteristics of Lycii Fructus in Qinghai province are analyzed from the holistic view by 1H-NMR plant metabolomics, in combination of polysaccharide determination, and the results show that there is no significant difference between samples from Qinghai and other four provinces. The quality evaluation method based on 1H-NMR established in this study can provide scientific basis for improving quality control level and selecting planting areas of Lycii Fructus.

Correlation of type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose regulation with chronic kidney disease in middle-aged and elderly individuals / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the correlation of different glucose metabolism statues with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in middle-aged and elderly individuals in Lanzhou.@*METHODS@#Based on the baseline data of REACTION Study in Lanzhou area, we randomly sampled 10 038 residents aged 40-75 years in 3 communities in Lanzhou, who were classified into normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired glucose regulation (IGR) and diabetes groups. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) were used to assess the renal function and albuminuria, respectively. Binary logistic regression was performed to analyze the contribution of the risk factors to CKD. Polynominal regression was used to determine the trends of eGFR with the increment of ACR.@*RESULTS@#Among all the participants, the prevalences of albuminuria, CKD and renal insufficiency (RI) were 26.2%, 27.4% and 2.5%, respectively. The prevalence of albuminuria, CKD and RI were significantly higher in the diabetes group than in IGR and NGT groups (@*CONCLUSIONS@#Diabetes mellitus is a significant risk factor for albuminuria and RI, while IGR is not. Screening for albuminuria and eGFR is highly recommended for individuals with diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, especially in women and the elderly population.

Correlation between vitamin D and thyroid disease / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

In addition to the role of vitamin D in regulating calcium and phosphorus homeostasis and bone metabolism, immune regulation and anti-tumor proliferation have been gradually proposed by researchers. At present, a large number of studies have found that patients with thyroid diseases have low vitamin D levels, and it is believed that vitamin D insufficiency/ deficiency may be involved in the pathogenesis of thyroid diseases, but the specific relationship and mechanism between vitamin D and thyroid diseases have not been fully clarified. This article reviewed in the relationship between vitamin D and several common thyroid diseases in recent years, in order to analyze the role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of thyroid diseases, as well as the influence of vitamin D supplementation on the occurrence and development of thyroid diseases.

Effect of Different Combinations of Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix on MMP-3 and TIMP-1 in Rheumatoid Arthritis Rats with Wind-cold-dampness Arthralgia / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To observe the effects of different combinations of Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix (Qinjiao) on the ankle joint matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) model rats with wind-cold-dampness arthralgia.Method: Eighty healthy SD rats were randomly divided into 8 groups, namely blank control group, collage Ⅱ model group, wind-cold-dampness syndrome model group, positive control group, single-taste Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix group, Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix-Clematidis Radix et Rhizoma group (GC group), Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix-Taxilli Herba group (GT group), Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix-Stephanlae Tetrandrae Radix group (GS group), with 10 rats in each group. Rat model of wind-cold-dampness RA was induced through the injection with type Ⅱ collagen emulsion and wind-cold-dampness stimulation. After the establishment of the model, the blank control group, collage Ⅱ model group and wind-cold-dampness syndrome model group were given normal saline, and the corresponding liquid medicine was given to each administration group. In the experiment, the thickness of the left posterior metatarsal of rats was measured every 3 days, and the swelling degree of metatarsal was calculated. The arthritis index (AI) was evaluated on the 38th day of the experiment. The serum rheamatoid factor(RF) content of rats was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expressions of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 in ankle joint were detected by Western blot. The expressions of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 mRNA in ankle joint were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (Real-time PCR).Result: Compared with the blank group, the swelling degree, AI score, serum RF content, MMP-3 protein expression and MMP-3 mRNA expression in ankle joints of coll age Ⅱ model group and model wind-cold-dampness syndrome group were significantly increased (PPPPPPConclusion: For rheumatoid arthritis with wind-cold-dampness arthralgia, mild and warm traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a better effect than the combination of mild and cold TCM or mild TCM drugs. The experimental results are basically consistent with the principle of "treating cold diseases with hot medicine". The mechanism of the compatibility in treating rheumatoid arthritis due to wind-cold-dampness arthralgia may be related to the reduction of MMP-3, the increase of TIMP-1 expression and the reduction of articular cartilage damage.

Mechanisms of quinolone resistance of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae / 中国感染控制杂志

Objective To study the prevalence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes in carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and its resistance mechanism.Methods Clinically isolated CRE strains in a hospital from March 2015 to March 2018 were collected, then identified and performed antimicrobial susceptibility test by VITEK2 Compact analyzer, carriage of PMQR genes qnrA, qnrB, qnrS, qepA and acc (6') Ib-cr were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing, the horizontal transfer of PMQR genes were verified by plasmid conjugation test.Results Resistance rates of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae to quinolones were 100％ and 15.56％-33.33％ respectively.Detection rate of acc (6') Ib-cr gene was the highest (87.72％), followed by qnrB (77.19％) and qnrS (17.54％), 2 strains (3.51％) carried qnrA gene, qepA gene was not isolated, 84.21％ of strains harbored 2 or 3 PMQR genes.PMQR gene was transfected into all the 8 conjugated strains, but minimum inhibitory concentration value of quinolones didn't change significantly.Conclusion The detection rate of PMQR genes in CRE in this hospital is high, but there is a certain sensitivity to quinolones.

Investigation and nursing strategy of the current status of insulin therapy in 450 children with type 1 diabetes mellitus / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To investigate in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus and provide evidence for nursing education. Methods From January to December 2016, 450 patients with T1DM were enrolled in this research,all of them were outpatients of diabetes clinic of Beijing Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University. The clinical data of the patients were collected through questionnaires and physical examinations to assess the insulin treatment and related factors. Results Among 450 patients, 221 were males and 229 were females, aged 9.40 (0.83-17.97) years old; body mass index was 17.43 (12.81-28.22) kg/m2; course of disease was 2.32 (0.05-12.89) years; daily insulin dosage was 0.66 (0.11-1.78) IU·kg-1·d-1; glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was 7.54 (4.4-14.9)%, of which HbA1c<7.5% accounted for 55.8%(251/450). 7.5%-9.0% accounted for 30.0(135/450)% , and >9.0% accounted for 14.2% (64/450). 44.9% ,47.1% ,8.0% (202, 212,36 cases) patients were treated respectively with routine treatment, multiple daily injection or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion. There was no significant difference in HbA1c between patients with different insulin regimens (P>0.05), but there were significant differences in age, course of disease, body mass index and insulin dosage (P< 0.05). Conclusion Because children with type 1 diabetes have different physiological and psychological characteristics in different stages, the content of health education should be adjusted according to the patient's condition.

Two new C steroidal glycosides isolated from Cynanchum komarovii / 中国天然药物

The present study was designed to further investigate the C steroidal glycosides in Cynanchum plants. Two new steroidal glycosides based on a 13, 14:14, 15-disecopregnane-type aglycone, komaroside P (1) and komaroside Q (2), together with three known compounds (3-5) were isolated from the whole herbs of Cynanchum komarovii. The aglycones of compounds 1 and 2 were two new disecopregnane. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of 1D, 2D NMR spectroscopic data and acid hydrolysis. All the compounds (1-5) showed potent inhibitory activities against human leukemia cell lines (HL-60) with IC values ranging from 16.6 to 26.3 μmol·L, compared to the positive control 5-fluorouracil (6.4 μmol·L).

Investigation and Rationality Evaluation of Perioperative Prophylactic Application of Antibiotics for TypeⅠIncision Operation of Neurosurgery in Our Hospital / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To provide reference for improving the rationality of perioperative prophylactic application of antibiotics in typeⅠincision operation of neurosurgery. METHODS:Medical records of 794 patients with typeⅠincision operation of neurosurgery were collected from our hospital during Jan.-Dec. 2016 in order to retrospectively investigate the perioperative prophylactic application of antibiotics and evaluate the rationality of drug use. RESULTS:Among all the 794 cases,433 used antibiotics for prophylaxis (single type was used in all cases),with utilization rate of 54.53％. Cefazolin(51.73％)and cefuroxime(21.48％)were the most frequently used antibiotics. The prophylactic application rate of 30 min-1 h before surgery was 85.45％ in 433 patients. Patients with prophylactic medication course≤24 h accounted for 68.36％. The main irrational drug use manifestations were long medication time(31.64％)and improper antibiotics selection(26.10％);other manifestations included improper medication timing(14.55％),etc. CONCLUSIONS:Unreasonable perioperative prophylactic application of antibiotics in typeⅠincision operation of neurosurgery exists in our hospital,such as improper drug selection,improper medication timing,long medication course. It is necessary to further strengthen the comprehensive interventions,so as to promote the rational use of antibiotics.

Endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke caused by proximal occlusion of anterior circulation large vessel: direct endovascular mechanical thrombectomy or bridging intravenous thrombolysis? / 国际脑血管病杂志

Intravenous thrombolysis before endovascular thrombectomy has become the standard treatment for acute ischemic stroke caused by anterior circulation large vessel occlusion.However,there is still controversy about direct endovascular thrombectomy or bridging intravenous thrombolysis.This article elaborates on this.

Two new C steroidal glycosides isolated from Cynanchum komarovii / 中国天然药物

The present study was designed to further investigate the C steroidal glycosides in Cynanchum plants. Two new steroidal glycosides based on a 13, 14:14, 15-disecopregnane-type aglycone, komaroside P (1) and komaroside Q (2), together with three known compounds (3-5) were isolated from the whole herbs of Cynanchum komarovii. The aglycones of compounds 1 and 2 were two new disecopregnane. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of 1D, 2D NMR spectroscopic data and acid hydrolysis. All the compounds (1-5) showed potent inhibitory activities against human leukemia cell lines (HL-60) with IC values ranging from 16.6 to 26.3 μmol·L, compared to the positive control 5-fluorouracil (6.4 μmol·L).

Defeating enemy outside the border-development of viral entry inhibitors / 复旦学报（医学版）

About 25 years ago,we had pioneered the research fields of developing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) fusion/entry inhibitors and anti-HIV peptide drugs.Over the past six years,we have gained some promising results in research and development of the HIV,Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-COV),the Ebola virus (EBOV),and the Zika virus (ZIKV) entry inhibitors.This article provides an overview of the research progress of viral entry inhibitors against the related highly pathogenic viruses.

Preparation of Wei medicine Kuijiean thermosensitive hydrogel and study on its release properties / 中草药

By developing a rapid gelation chitosan (CS) /β-glycerophosphate (β-GP) thermosensitive hydrogel containing Kuijiean, to decrease the loss of drug and confirm the capabilities of the drug delivery. Thermosensitive hydrogel was a carrier, gel time was chosen in this study as the index to investigate the effect of β-GP concentration, pH value, and temperature on the thermosensitive hydrogel by single factor experiments. The properties of the hydrogel were characterized regarding shape and surface morphology by using scaning electron microscopy (SEM); The chemical structure diversification of hydrogels upon gelation was charactered by FTIR spectrometer. By the experiments of the drug loaded thermosensitive hydrogel to deliver drug in vitro, the diversification of the capabilities of the drug delivery was evaluated. The temperature of Kuijiean thermosensitive hydrogel was (37.0 ± 4.5) ℃, by which the sol gel could transform into semi-solid gel at (6.00 ± 0.82) min, the drug release rate slowed down obviously, and the cumulative release rate was only (67.78 ± 0.35)% (n = 3) by 24 h, while the cumulative release rate of the equal quantity of raw material drug was (90.43 ± 0.62)% (n = 3) by 24 h. The release behavior was close to the Weibull model, the drug release mechanism was a double mechanism combining drug diffusion and gel erosion. It is true that achieves the transformation of Kuijiean from sol to semi-solid gel at 37.0 ℃. The CS/β-GP gel system allows the sustained release of the Kuijiean.

The mechanism of apoptosis regulation of transcription factor E2F1 in small cell lung cancer cell / 实用医学杂志

Objective To explore the effect of transcription factor E2F1 on the apoptosis of small cell cancer line H446. Methods Plamid vector- mediated E2F1 small hairpin RNA (shRNA) was used to silence E2F1 in H446 cell. RT-PCR and western-blot assay were used to detect the expressions of E2F1 and Bcl-2. The apoptosis rate in H446 cell line was detected by flow cytometry assay. Result E2F1 protein was suppressed in shRNA1-modified H446 cell. Sgnificant difference of the apoptosis was shown between E2F1 shRNA1 group and the other two groups. Additionaly, the expression of Bcl-2 protein increased in E2F1 shRNA1-modified cell line. Conclusions E2F1 is highly expressed in H446 small cell lung cancer cell line. E2F1 promotes apoptosis of H446 through upregulating Bcl-2 expression.

Imaging Spectrum after Pancreas Transplantation with Enteric Drainage

Since the introduction of pancreas transplantation more than 40 years ago, surgical techniques and immunosuppressive regiments have improved and both have contributed to increase the number and success rate of this procedure. However, graft survival corresponds to early diagnosis of organ-related complications. Thus, knowledge of the transplantation procedure and postoperative image anatomy are basic requirements for radiologists. In this article, we demonstrate the imaging spectrum of pancreas transplantation with enteric exocrine drainage.

Characteristics and risk factors of nosocomial infections in VLBWI / 现代临床护理

Objective To explore the characteristics of nosocomial infection and its related factors among those very low birth weight infant(VLBWI)for coming up with appropriate preventive measures.Methods Fifty-eight infants with birth weight of 1500 g or below in the hospital from January to June in 2012 were studied actively and retrospectively about their nosocomial infection and related risk factors.Results Thirty-five cases of nosocomial infection occurred among the 58 infants with a prevalence of 60.34%. The mainly pathogenic bacteria was Gram-positive bacteria(88.47%)and mostly,infections presented with lung infections(82.90%) within 21 days after birth.The risk factors included mechanical ventilation,PICC,Apga score<7,fluconazole administration and premature rupture of membranes of VLBWI.Conclusion VLBWI are prone to nosocomial infections,mostly lung infection on day 21 after birth.Management should be strengthened within 3 weeks after birth of VLBWI to minimize infections.Reduction of invasive procedures on children and antibiotic use is particularly important.On the other hand,strengthening the health care in the perinatal period and reducing the incidence of preterm birth cannot be ignored.

Study of using an individualized treatment strategy to treat patients with chronic hepatitis C / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the outcomes of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients treated with antiviral regimens of interferon (IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) using individualized doses and durations.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study was designed as an open-label, prospective clinical trial to analyze the virological responses of 169 CHC patients who received individualized dosages of IFNa-2b or pegylated (Peg)IFNa-2a combined with RBV based on their weight ( less than 60 kg or more than or equal to 60 kg), age (less than 65 years or 65-75 years), morbid state (liver cirrhosis or not), and complications (such as heart disease, diabetes, thyroid disorder). Treatment duration was calculated using the time required to induce HCV RNA negativity. The rates of virological response and adverse effects among the different groups were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The IFNa-2b treatment was given to 116 patients, and PegIFNa-2a was given to 53 patients. Compared to the IFNa-2b group, the PegIFNa-2a group showed significantly higher rates of complete early virological response (cEVR; 76.7% vs. 92.5%, P less than 0.05) and sustained virological response (SVR; 53.6% vs. 92.3%, P less than 0.05) among the patients who had completed their course of treatment; the rapid virological response (RVR) rate was also higher for the PegIFNa-2a group but the difference did not reach statistical significance (48.7% vs. 60.4%, P more than 0.05). Seventy-eight patients received the routine dose, and 91 patients received the low dose; there were no significant differences between these two groups for RVR (53.8% vs. 58.9%, P more than 0.05), cEVR (78.0% vs. 80.8%, P more than 0.05), or SVR (65.5% vs. 58.3%, P more than 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Use of an individualized antiviral treatment strategy designed according to the patient's baseline condition, early viral kinetics, and tolerability to adverse reactions can achieve a high rate of SVR, as well as improve the safety, prognosis, and cost-effectiveness associated with treating CHC patients.</p>

Relation of IL-17 polymorphisms and serum levels in patients with chronic HCV infection / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the interleukin 17 (IL-17) gene and serum protein levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 228 patients with chronic HCV infection and 81 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The frequencies of IL-17 rs8193036 and rs2275913 polymorphisms were detected by the TaqMan SNP genotyping assay. Serum levels of IL-17 protein were detected by ELISA. Pairwise comparisons were made by the Chi-square test, and the significance of between-group differences was assessed by the Student's t-test with P less than 0.05.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The patients with chronic HCV infection and the healthy controls showed similar frequencies of the rs8193036 C/T allele (x2 = 1.428, P = 0.232) and the rs2275913 A/G allele (x2 = 0.106, P = 0.744). In addition, the two groups showed similar distribution of the rs8193036 CC (chronic HCV infection: 46.49% vs. healthy controls: 41.98%), CT (45.61% vs. 44.44%) and TT (7.89% vs. 13.58%) genotypes (x2 = 2.346, P = 0.309), and of the rs2275913 AA (16.23% vs. 13.58%), AG (48.25% vs. 50.62%) and GG (35.53% vs. 35.80%) genotypes (x2 = 0.340, P = 0.844). Subgroup analysis of chronic HCV infection patients stratified according to HCV genotypes 1 and 2 showed no differences in the distribution of rs8193036 and rs2275913 alleles (x2 = 1.127, P = 0.288; x2 = 1.088, P = 0.297) and genotypes (x2 = 2.825, P = 0.246; x2 = 0.970, P = 0.616). However, the chronic HCV infection group did show significantly higher levels of serum IL-17 than the controls (97.67+/-39.68 vs. 71.60+/-19.78 pg/ml, t = 2.414, P = 0.033).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Chronic HCV infection is associated with increased serum IL-17; however, the IL-17 polymorphisms rs8193036 and rs2275913 were not associated with chronic HCV infection susceptibility in this study's Chinese cohort.</p>