Influence of reagent storage in Sysmex CA7000 for different time on 4 test RESULTS: of the plasma coagulation / 中国实验血液学杂志

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of blood coagulation reagents stored for different time on test results of the specimens prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT) and fibrinogen (Fib). A total of 21 patient plasma specimens was taken and measured for homeostasis by Sysmex CA7000 automated blood coagulation analyzer and supporting reagent. The PT, APTT, TT and Fib of specimens were measured with the reagents stored in Sysmex CA7000 for different time. The differences of PT, APTT, TT and Fib were analyzed between values measured of the reagents stored for 0 hour and different time (TS:12, 24, 36,48, 60, 72 h; DA:24, 48, 72, 96, 120 h; TT:2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 h; TR:4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 h; OVB:1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ,6 h), respectively. The results showed that when coagulation reagent TS were stored for more than 48 h , DA 96 h, TT 10 h, TR 16 h and OVB 4 h, the values of PT, APTT, TT and Fib of samples were statistically different from the values measured with fresh coagulation reagent (P < 0.01), respectively. Compared 0 h with TS stored for 48-72, DA 96-120, TT 10-12, TR 16-24 and OVB 4-6 h, the percentage difference of PT, APTT, TT and Fib is in -2.6% ∼ 10.8%, -3.44% ∼ 4.8%, -3.9% ∼ 5.52%, -10.8% ∼ 3.3% and -17.2% ∼ 0.5%, the PT and Fib changes were more significant. Accordingly, the result of PT, APTT and TT had a uptrend as the reagent stored in Sysmex CA7000 analyzer for a long time, while Fib downtrend. It is concluded that the reagents showed be timely replaced when the plasma coagulation test is performed so as to obtain accurate results of examination.

Effect of baicalin on expression of TLR4 in RAW264.7 cells infected by ESBLs Escherichia coli / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect and mechanism of baicalin against beta-lactamases Escherichia coli (ESBLs E. coli) mediated by toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signal transduction pathway.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The RAW264. 7 cells monolayer pretreated with different concentration of baicalin were inoculated with ESBLs E. coli. The expression of TLR4 mRNA and protein were analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Immunofluorescence, respectively. The activity of NF-kappaB was detected by Western blot using total cellular protein. The production of TNF-alpha in supernatant was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbnent assay (ELISA).</p><p><b>RESULT</b>ESBLs E. coli significantly up-regulated the expression levels of TLR4 mRNA and protein in a time-dependent manner, induced the activation of NF-KB in RAW264. 7, enhanced the production of TNF-alpha in supernatant. Baicalin down-regulated the expression of TLR4 mRNA and protein, decreased the activation of NF-KB in RAW264. 7 cells and reduced the production of TNF-alpha in supernatant in a dose-dependent manner.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Baicailin could inhibit TLR4 signal transduction pathway. The mechanism of baicalin against ESBLs E. coli may be through inhibiting the expression of TLR4 and its signal transduction pathway.</p>

Effect of glutathione on blood coagulation function / 中国实验血液学杂志

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of glutathione (GSH) on blood coagulation. The normal plasma samples and mixed plasma samples were taken randomly, and into which the normal dose and different concentration of GSH were added. The prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FIB) and thrombin time (TT) were detected by using coagulation method before and after treatment with GSH. The detection results of normal plasma and mixed plasma containing GSH of different concentration were compared and analyzed with linear regression. The results showed that the APTT and FIB values of the plasma containing 2.5 mg/L glutathione or more, PT values of the plasma containing 10 mg/L glutathione or more, and TT values of the plasma containing 1250 mg/L glutathione or more were significantly different from those results of normal plasma or mixed plasma (P < 0.01) . There was a linear relation between all of the detection results of PT,APTT, FIB, TT and glutathione concentrations. The results of TT, APTT, PT and FIB detection in patient plasma were statistically different (P < 0.01) before and after treatment with normal concentration GSH. It is concluded that glutathione can influence detection results of coagulation function.

Change of IL-22R1 expression in human airway smooth muscle cells in response to different stimulating agents / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of serum of asthmatic patients, dexamethasone, interleukin-4 (IL-4), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) on the expression of interleukin-22 receptor 1 (IL-22R1) mRNA and protein in HASMCs in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>IL-22R1 mRNA and protein expressions in HASMCs treated with different stimulating agents were measured by real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>IL-22R1 mRNA and protein expressions in HASMCs were significantly increased after stimulation by serum from asthmatic patients, but decreased after co-stimulation with dexamethasone. IL-22R1 mRNA and protein expressions in the cells both increased after stimulation by IL-4, IFN-γ and TGF-β.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>IL-22R1 in HASMCs might be involved in the pathogenesis of asthma, and the therapeutic effect of dexamethasone on asthma is mediated, at least partially, by IL-22R1. The effects of IFN-γ, IL-4, and TGF-β on asthma may also be attributed to their actions on HASMCs.</p>

Neuron specific enolase gene silencing suppresses proliferation and promotes apoptosis of lung cancer cells in vitro / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of neuron specific enolase (NSE) gene silencing on the cell proliferation and apoptosis of lung cancer cells in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>NSE protein expression was detected in human small cell lung cancer cell line NCI-H446 and non-small cell lung cancer cell line A549 by immunocytochemistry, and a small interference RNA (siRNA) was transfected into the cells to inhibit NSE gene expression. The changes in the cell cycle, apoptosis, Ki67 protein and caspase-3 activity in the transfected cells were observed by flow cytometry, Western blotting and colorimetric assay, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Both A549 and NCI-H446 cells expressed NSE protein. Transfection of siRNA for NSE gene significantly inhibited the expression of NSE gene in the cells, resulting in an inhibition rate exceeding 90%. NSE gene silencing caused significantly decreased cell percentage in S phase and the expression of Ki67 protein, and increased the cell apoptotic rate and caspase-3 activity.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>NSE gene expression promotes the cell proliferation and inhibits the cell apoptosis in lung cancer cells with neuroendocrine differentiation, which might be a causative factor contributing to increased malignancy of the cells.</p>

Anti-allergic effects of ethanol extracts from brown seaweeds / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Ethanol extracts of brown seaweeds from Pakistan and China were isolated and compared for their antiallergenic activities. They included Sargassum tennerimum (ST) and Sargassum cervicorne (SC) from Pakistan, and Sargassum graminifolium turn (SG), Sargassum thunbergii (STH), and Laminaria japonica (LJ) from China. The ethanol extracts of these brown seaweeds were optimized at 85% (v/v) ethanol for the maximum yield of phlorotannin, an inhibitor against hyaluronidase. Total phlorotannins contained in the crude extracts were measured as 1.71% (SG), 0.74% (STH), 0.97% (LJ), 3.30% (SC), and 5.06% (ST). The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)) of Pakistani SC and ST were 109.5 and 21 microg/ml, respectively, lower than those of Chinese SG, STH, and LJ (134, 269, and 148 microg/ml, respectively). An antiallergic drug, disodium cromoglycate (DSCG), had an IC(50)=39 microg/ml, and a natural inhibitor of hyaluronidase, catechin, had an IC(50)=20 microg/ml. The IC(50) of ST extract was found similar to that of catechin (21 vs 20 microg/ml) and lower than that of DSCG (21 vs 39 microg/ml). This suggests that ST is a potent inhibitor of hyaluronidase, indicating a promising future development of natural antiallergic medicines or functional foods.

Rho-kinase signaling pathway participates in endothelin-1-induced human airway smooth muscle cell migration and cytoskeletal reorganization / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of Rho-kinase signaling pathway in human airway smooth muscle cell (ASMCs) migration and cytoskeletal reorganization induced by endothelin-1 (ET-1).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Primary cultured human ASMCs obtained by tracheal explant culture method were examined for cell migration in response to ET-1 treatment using modified Boyden chambers. The changes in actin cytoskeletal reorganization were observed under confocal laser scanning microscope, and the phosphorylation of myosin-phosphatase target 1 (p-MYPT1) was examined using Western blot analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At the concentration of 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 nmol/L, ET-1 induced migration of the ASMCs, and 10 nmol/L ET-1 produced the most obvious effect (P<0.01). Rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632 showed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on ET-1-induced ASMC migration, and in cells exposed to 10 nmol/L ET-1, Y-27632 at 10 micromol/L significantly blocked ASMC migration (P<0.01). ET-1 (10 nmol/L) exposure resulted in reorganization of actin cytoskeleton and formation of stress fibers in the ASMCs, which were obviously inhibited by Y-27632. Compared with the control group, the AMSCs showed significant enhancement of p-MYPT1 protein expression after ET-1 exposure for 15 and 30 min (P<0.01), but prolonged exposure failed to result in the expression enhancement (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Rho-kinase signaling pathway may play an important role in ET-1-induced ASMC migration and reorganization of actin cytoskeleton.</p>

Shikonin inhibits the proliferation of human airway smooth muscle cells / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the inhibitory effect of shikonin on the proliferation of human airway smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HASMCs from the trachea were obtained by primary culture of the tissue explants and adherent culture. The HASMCs were exposed to shikonin at 0 (control group), 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 40 micromol/L for 12, 24, and 48 h, after which the cell proliferation was assessed by 3-(4,5-carboxymethoxypheny1)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) colorimetric assay. Flow cytometry was used for cell cycle analysis of the HASMCs exposed to shikonin at 40, 20, 10, 5 micromol/L and 0 micromol/L (control group) for 24 h. Immunocytochemistry with SP method was performed to detect the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the HASMCs treated with shikonin at 20 micromol/L and 0 micromol/L (control group) for 24 h.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Shikonin at the concentrations of 20 and 40 micromol/L significantly inhibited the proliferation of the cells (P<0.05), and the effect was especially obvious after 48 h of cell exposure, with inhibition rates of 30.1% and 42.9%, respectively. No significant difference was found between the two concentrations for their cell growth inhibition effects (P>0.05). Shikonin at the concentrations of 20 and 40 micromol/L caused significant cell cycle arrest in G(0)/G(1) phase (P<0.05), the effect of which, however, was not concentration-dependent (P>0.05). Shikohin at 20 micromol/L significantly down-regulated the expression of PCNA in the cells (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Shikonin can inhibit the proliferation of HASMCs in vitro.</p>

Effect of high intensity ultrasound on the allergenicity of shrimp / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

The tropomyosin fraction of shrimp proteins is potentially responsible for allergic reaction in individuals with genetic predisposition to allergy. However, there are no efficient and safe methods to reduce its allergenicity. High intensity ultrasound is known to change the structure of proteins. This study is aimed at assessing high intensity ultrasound's effect on the allergenicity of shrimp allergen. Shrimp and purified shrimp allergen were treated with high intensity ultrasound for 30-180 min. Extracts of treated samples were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with pool serum of shrimp allergy patients and polyclonal anti-allergen antibodies and by immunoblotting after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Shrimp treated with high intensity ultrasound showed a decrease in allergenicity measured with ELISA. A linear relationship between the immune response induced by treated shrimp allergen and the applied treatment time was observed. The decrease in allergenicity was confirmed by immunoblot assays with shrimp allergic patients serum. Allergenicity of shrimp allergen extracted from treated shrimp was higher than that of purified shrimp allergen with the same treatment time. Gel-filtration HPLC was applied for analysis of shrimp allergen after treatment with high intensity ultrasound. Some fractions were appeared with increasing treatment time. The results suggested that high intensity ultrasound could be used to reduce the allergenicity of shrimp.