Diagnostic value of circulating miRNAs for predicting pneumonia-associated sepsis in elderly patients / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the predicting value of circulating miRNAs for sepsis secondary to pneumonia in elderly patients.Methods From April 2016 to January 2017,44 cases with sepsis secondary to pneumonia,52 elderly patients with pneumonia and 21 healthy older adults as control were involved in this study.The expression levels of MiRNA-150 5p,miRNA-25-3p,miRNA-122 5p and miRNA-223-3p in plasma were evaluated by fluorescence quantitative PCR.The demographic characteristics,sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA)scores,prognosis and days stayed in ICU were recorded.The area under the receiver operating charaeteristic(ROC)curve was used to calculated the specificity and sensitivity of miRNA in identifying sepsis-associated pneumonia.Results There were significantly differences among levels of circulating miRNA-223-3p in pneumonia,sepsis and healthy control groups(F =36.441,P =0.000),△CT values were 2.39 ± 1.36,1.44± 1.43,and 4.58 ± 0.91,respectively.The relative expression levels of miRNA-223-3p in the three groups were significantly different (P =0.000),which were 0.189 (0.107,0.367),0.361 (0.221,0.735),and 0.044 (0.022,0.061),respectively.The AUC of miRNA-223-3p for predicting sepsis from pneumonia was 0.964(95 ％CI =0.925 1.000).At a cutoff value of 2.759,miRNA-223-3p yielded a sensitivity of 82.9％ and a specificity of 100.0％.Conclusions MiRNA-223-3p expression is up-regulated in patients with sepsis secondary to pneumonia compared to that of patients with pneumonia,and it could be used to predict sepsis associated pneumonia.

Relationship between endothelin-1 and p38 MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways during mechanical stretch-induced enhancement of adhesion of rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective To evaluate the relationship between endothelin-1 (ET-1) and p38 mitogenactivated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathways during mechanical stretch-induced enhancement of adhesion of rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs).Methods Rat PMVECs were seeded in the culture plate at a density of 0.5×105 cells/ml (2 ml/well) and divided into 5 groups (n=24 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),mechanical stretch group (group MS),mechanical stretch plus specific PI3K inhibitor LY294002 group (LY group),mechanical stretch plus specific p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 group (SB group),and mechanical stretch plus selective ETA receptor blocker BQ123 group (BQ group).Cells were exposed to 20％ cyclic stretch at 0.3 Hz for 4 h using a sine wave.In LY,SB and BQ groups,LY294002,SB203580 and BQ123 at the final concentration of 10 μmol/L were added,respectively,after mechanical stretch,cells were incubated for 10 min,and then extracted and purified rat polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes (PMNs,5× 105 cells/well) were added and co-incubated with PMVECs for 30 min and then washed out.The concentrations of ET-1 and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the culture medium were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The expression of phosphorylated p38 MAPK (p-p38 MAPK) and phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) was detected by Western blot.Adhesion of PMNs was measured by immuno-histochemistry,and the adhesion rate was calculated.The expression of P-selectin mRNA was detected using real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results Compared with group C,the concentrations of IL-6 and ET-1 in the culture medium were significantly increased,the expression of p-p38 MAPK,p-Akt and P-selectin mRNA was up-regulated,and the adhesion rate of PMNs was increased in the other four groups (P＜0.05).Compared with group MS,the concentration of IL-6 in the culture medium was significantly decreased,the expression of p-Akt and P-selectin mRNA was down-regulated,and the adhesion rate of PMNs was decreased in LY,SB and BQ groups,the concentration of ET-1 in the culture medium was significantly decreased in group BQ,and the expression of p-p38 MAPK was significantly down-regulated in SB and BQ groups (P＜0.05).Conclusion The signaling mechanism underlying ET-1-mediated enhancement of rat PMVEC adhesion may be related to activating p38 MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.

The etiological and clinical characteristics of hospitalized children with hand, foot and mouth disease in Beijing in 2013 / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the etiology of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Beijing during 2013, and study the clinical characteristics of HFMD caused by the main serotypes of enterovirus in the study.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Clinical data and 128 stool samples were collected from 128 hospitalized children with HFMD in Beijing Ditan Hospital during 2013. One step RT-PCR method was used for enterovirus genotyping to investigate the etiology of HFMD. Clinical characteristics of HFMD caused by the main serotypes of enterovirus were analyzed. And VP1 segments of the main virus were amplified to construct phylogenetic tree for the phylogenetic analysis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>A total of 128 hospitalized children with HFMD were included. HFMD was more likely developed in children under 2 years of age (81.6%, 102/125); 11 different enteroviruses were genotyped, with a total enterovirus positive rate of 76.6% (98/128); the positive rate of coxsackievirus A6 (CA6), 43.0% ( 55/128), was the highest, followed by enterovirus 71 (EV71), accounting for 14.8% (19/128). HFMD caused by CA6 was atypical, the rashes of which involved the perioral, trunk, limbs, face and neck (47%, 26/55), besides the common parts. Of the 55 cases caused by CA6, 6 children had clinical manifestations of nervous system involvement, one of whom even displayed type 2 respiratory failure. Mental status change more likely to occur in EV71-infected children than in CA6-infected ones (42% (8/19) vs. 11% (6/55) (χ(2)=7.041, P=0.008)); 13 children displayed onychomadesis, including 12 CA6 cases (23%, 12/53) and 1 CA10 cases (17%, 1/6), in the convalescence of hand, foot and mouth disease, and the correlation between onychomadesis and CA6 infection was significant (χ(2)=9.297, P=0.002). Phylogenetic analysis of 33 CA6 VP1 showed that the CA6 isolates of this study were highly similar to that of Taiwan and the nucleotide similarity was 95.91%-98.89%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CA6 was the major pathogen of hospitalized children with hand, foot and mouth disease in Beijing during 2013, followed by EV71. The rashes caused by CA6 involved a wide range of skin sites and patients with CA6 infection displayed manifestations of neurological involvement or pulmonary edema similar to EV71 infection. Mental status change more likely occurred in EV71-infected children when neurological system was involved..</p>

The effect of endothelial progenitor cell transplantation on liver cirrhosis in rats / 中华普通外科杂志

Objective To study the effect of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) transplantation on CCl4 induced hepatic cirrhosis in rats. Methods Eight male SD rats were used as normal control. Thirty rats were induced liver cirrhosis by feeding with 25% CCl4/olive oil for 12 weeks, and then were subdivided into cirrhosis group (n = 10), EPCs transplanted group (n = 10) and saline control group (n = 10). EPCs were transplanted into the portal vein for 4 weeks in EPCs transplanted group. Rats in EPCs nontransplanted group were sacrificed at the beginning of the 12th week. Rats in EPCs transplanted group and saline control group were killed at the beginning of 16th week. Serum biochemical parameters were examined. The degree of liver cirrhosis was evaluated by Masson staining and by detecting the expression of α-SMA, Collagen Ⅲ and Ki67. Results The volumes of liver in cirrhosis group were twice as much as that in normal rats. 12 weeks after CCl4 administration, compared with saline control group, in EPCs transplanted group, hepatic activity index (HAI) ( F = 75. 062, P < 0. 01 ), the levels of ALT( F = 29. 942, P<0.05), AST(F=16.618,P<0.05) and TBIL(F=9.911 ,P<0.05) in serum decreased, the level of Alb ( F = 4. 944, P < 0. 05 ) and Ki67 ( F = 45. 966, P < 0. 01 ) was increased, the expression of α-SM A ( F = 7.86,P<0.05) and collagen Ⅲ (F = 135.787,P <0.01) decreased (P <0.05). Compared with untransplanted group, in EPCs transplanted group, the levels of ALT, AST and TBIL in serum were lower; In saline control group, the levels of ALT, AST and TBIL in serum were higher, the level of Alb and Ki67was lower, the expression of α-SMA and collagen Ⅲ were higher( P < 0. 05 ). Compared with normal rats, in saline control group, the levels of INR were higher (P < 0. 05 ). Conclusion EPCs transplantation improves hepatocye regeneration and ameliorates established hepatic cirrhosis.

Characteristics of hepatic progenitor cells activation in liver tissues of patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis / 中华临床感染病杂志

Objective To observe the characteristics of hepatic progenitor cells(HPCs)activation in liver tissues of patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis,and to investigate the relationship between the number of HPCs and HBV infection.Methods Cytokeratin 7(CK7)-was stained immunohistochemically in liver tissues of 16 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis.HPCs and duetular reactions were quantitively analyzed.The expression of HBsAg and HBcAg were also detected to evaluate its relationship with HPCs activation.Results HPCs were extensively activated and marked duetular reactions can be observed in cirrhotic liver tissues.Tlle expression of HBsAg was positively correlated with HPCs activation.Conclusions HPCs are extensively activated in cirrhotic liver tissues,and HBV infection may facilitate its activation.

Cloning, prokaryotic expression of rat RVLG and preparation of mouse anti-RVLG polyclonal antibody / 生物工程学报

In order to identify rat ovarian germ cells, we expressed and purified rat RVLG protein in Escherichia coli cells and prepared a mouse anti-rat RVLG polyclonal antibody. The rat RVLG cDNA was obtained from rat testicle tissue by RT-PCR and was cloned into the vector pMD19-T. Sequence analysis proves that the cloned RVLG cDNA fragment was 60 bp longer than that released in the GenBank (NM_001077647), resulting from an alternative splicing of the RVLG pre-mRNA. The RVLG cDNA was double digested with the restriction endonucleases BamH I and EcoR I, and then was extracted from gel and inserted into the prokaryotic expression vector pGEX-4T-1. The recombinant expression plasmid pGEX-RVLG was verified for successful construction and then was transformed into Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) for induction to express the GST-RVLG fusion protein by IPTG. The GST-RVLG fusion protein was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) at a high level which accounts for more than 10% of the total bacterial cellular protein. The purified RVLG protein was used as an antigen to immunize KM mouse for the production of polyclonal antibody in ascetic fluid followed by celiacly injecting the mouse with S180 cells. The mouse anti-rat RVLG antibody was analyzed by ELISA, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry for its specificity and titer. The antibody could recognize RVLG protein specifically and its titer was about 1:20 000. These results confirm that the mouse anti-rat RVLG polyclonal antibody with high affinity and specificity has been prepared successfully, and lay a foundation for our ongoing research on the specific expression of RVLG in rat ovary.