Characterisation and traceability of extra virgin olive oil and table olive of Azapa variety marketed in Chile using Microsatellite Molecular Markers / Caracterización y trazabilidad de aceite de oliva virgen extra y aceituna de mesa de la variedad Azapa comercializados en Chile mediante marcadores moleculares microsatélites

Chile has two certified origin olive products: Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) from Huasco valley and the Azapa variety table olive from the Azapa valley. However, efficient methodologies are needed to determine the varieties and raw materials involved in the end products. In this study, we assessed the size of alleles from ten microsatellites in 20 EVOOs and in leaves and fruits of 16 olive varieties cultivated in Chile to authenticate their origins. The identification of varieties relied on specific allele sizes derived from microsatellites markers UDO99-011 and DCA18-M found in leaves and fruit mesocarp. While most Chilean single-variety EVOOs matched the variety declared on the label, inconsistencies were observed in single-variety EVOOs containing multiple varieties. Our findings confirm that microsatellites serve as a valuable as diagnostic tools for ensuring the quality control of Geographical Indication certification for Azapa olives and EVOO with Designation of Origin from Huasco.

Chile cuenta con dos productos de oliva de origen certificado: El aceite de oliva virgen extra (AOVE) del valle del Huasco y la aceituna de mesa de la variedad Azapa del valle de Azapa. Sin embargo, se necesitan metodologías eficientes para determinar las variedades y materias primas involucradas en los productos finales. En este estudio, evaluamos el tamaño de los alelos de diez microsatélites en 20 AOVEs y en hojas y frutos de 16 variedades de aceituna cultivadas en Chile para autentificar sus orígenes. La identificación de las variedades se basó en los tamaños alélicos específicos derivados de los marcadores microsatélites UDO99-011 y DCA18-M encontrados en las hojas y el mesocarpio de los frutos. Aunque la mayoría de los AOVEs chilenos monovarietales coincidían con la variedad declarada en la etiqueta, se observaron incoherencias en los AOVEs monovarietales que contenían múltiples variedades. Nuestros hallazgos confirman que los microsatélites sirven como valiosas herramientas de diagnóstico para asegurar el control de calidad de la certificación de Indicación Geográfica para aceitunas de Azapa y AOVE con Denominación de Origen de Huasco.

A preliminary study on the role of V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation in juvenile idiopathic arthritis / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the expression of V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) in peripheral blood of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and its role in the pathogenesis of JIA.@*METHODS@#In this prospective study, peripheral blood was collected from 47 children with different subtypes of JIA and 10 healthy children. Flow cytometry was used to measure the expression levels of VISTA, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) on CD14+ mononuclear cells, CD4+ T lymphocytes, and CD8+ T lymphocytes.@*RESULTS@#The children with JIA had a significantly lower expression level of VISTA than the healthy children (P<0.05). There was a significant difference in the expression of VISTA between the children with different subtypes of JIA, with the lowest expression level in those with systemic JIA (P<0.05). There was also a significant difference in the expression of VISTA between different immune cells, with a significantly higher expression level on the surface of monocytes (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that VISTA was negatively correlated with the expression of IFN-γ and TNF-α on CD4+ T cells (r=-0.436 and -0.382 respectively, P<0.05), CD8+ T cells (r=-0.348 and -0.487 respectively, P<0.05), and CD14+ mononuclear cells (r=-0.582 and -0.603 respectively, P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The insufficient expression of VISTA may be associated with the pathogenesis of JIA, and enhancing the immunomodulatory effect of VISTA might be one option for the treatment of JIA in the future.

Correlation between food-specific IgG antibodies and phenotypes of chronic spontaneous urticaria / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To investigate the correlation between food-specific IgG (sIgG) antibodies and phenotypes of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) .Methods:Serum samples were collected from outpatients with active CSU, symptomatic dermographism (SD) , or acute urticaria (AU) , and healthy controls from 5 third-grade class-A hospitals such as the First Hospital of China Medical University between April 2014 and March 2015. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was conducted to detect serum levels of 90 food-sIgG antibodies and total IgE, Western blot analysis to detect levels of 20 allergen-specific IgE antibodies, and chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay to detect levels of anti-thyroid peroxidase IgG antibodies and anti-thyroglobulin IgG antibodies. Comparisons of normally distributed quantitative data between two groups and among several groups were performed by t test and one-way analysis of variance, respectively; comparisons of non-normally distributed quantitative data between two groups were performed by Mann-Whitney U test; for comparisons of proportions, chi-square test and Fisher′s exact test were used. Results:A total of 248 patients with CSU, 22 with SD, 15 with AU and 13 healthy controls were recruited. The cut-off level for sIgG positivity was 100 U/ml (at least 2+) , and the positive rate of food-sIgG antibodies was slightly higher in the patients with CSU (176/248, 70.97%) , SD (15/22, 68.18%) and AU (11/15) than in the healthy controls (7/13; χ2 = 1.80, P = 0.615) . Among the 248 CSU patients, the proportion of patients with family history of allergic diseases was significantly higher in the sIgG-positive group (71/176, 40.34%) than in the sIgG-negative group (19/72, 26.39%; χ2 = 4.30, P = 0.042) , while no significant difference was observed in the 1-day urticaria activity score (UASday) between the two groups ( Z = 0.18, P = 0.859) . Totally, 177 CSU patients completed 12- to 40-week treatment; their condition could be completely controlled by second-generation H1-antihistamines, and there was no significant difference in the required dosage of second-generation H1-antihistamines between the sIgG-positive group (128 cases) and sIgG-negative group (49 cases; Z = -1.06, P = 0.298) . Conclusions:The prevalence of family history of allergic diseases was relatively high in food-sIgG-positive patients with CSU. However, food-sIgG could not be used as an indicator to reflect the disease activity of CSU and treatment response.

Presentación inusual de infección por SARS-CoV-2 simulando púrpura de Schönlein Henoch (vasculitis por inmunoglobulina A) / Unusual presentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection simulating Schönlein Henoch purpura (immunoglobulin A vasculitis)

La vasculitis por inmunoglobulina A, anteriormente llamada púrpura Schönlein Henoch (VIgA/PSH), es la vasculitis sistémica más frecuente en la infancia. El desencadenante más común es una infección previa del tracto respiratorio superior. Se caracteriza por púrpura palpable no trombocitopénica con artralgias y/o artritis, afectación gastrointestinal y compromiso renal. SARS-CoV-2 es un virus ARN que causa la enfermedad COVID-19. Afecta frecuentemente el sistema respiratorio con presentaciones que varían desde una rinitis hasta condiciones severas como síndrome de distress respiratorio, shock séptico o síndrome de inflamación multisistémica (multi-system inflammation syndrome, MIS). Se describe el caso de un niño de 5 años de edad con clínica de VIgA/PSH como forma inicial de presentación y diagnóstico posterior de infección por SARS-CoV-2, derivado al hospital de mayor complejidad, con encefalopatía hipertensiva que presentó evolución favorable y restitución completa del cuadro clínico

Immunoglobulin A vasculitis, previously called Henoch Schonlein purpura (IgAV/ HSP), is the most common systemic vasculitis in childhood. The most common trigger is a previous upper respiratory infection. It is characterized by palpable non-thrombocytopenic purpura with arthralgia and/or arthritis, gastrointestinal and kidney involvement. SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus that causes COVID-19 disease. It frequently affects the respiratory system with presentations ranging from rhinitis to severe conditions such as respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock, or multi-system inflammation syndrome (MIS). We describe the case of a 5-year-old boy with symptoms of IgAV/HSP as the initial form of presentation and subsequent diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, being referred to a more complex hospital with hypertensive encephalopathy, presenting a favorable evolution and complete restoration of the clinical picture.

Caracterización del perfil de reordenamientos génicos de inmunoglobulinas y receptores de linfocitos T en leucemia linfoblástica aguda pediátrica / Pattern of immunoglobulins and T lymphocyte receptor gene rearrangements in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia / Caracterização do perfil de rearranjos gênicos de imunoglobulinas e receptores de linfócitos T na leucemia linfoide aguda pediátrica

Resumen Durante la ontogenia linfocitaria se produce el reordenamiento de los segmentos génicos V-(D)-J que codifican para la región variable de las cadenas de inmunoglobulinas (Ig) y receptores de linfocitos T (TCR). Durante este proceso, los segmentos se reordenan al azar y ocurren deleciones e inserciones de nucleótidos en la región de unión entre ellos. Los objetivos del presente trabajo fueron describir las incidencias de los reordenamientos Ig/TCR y de los segmentos V-(D)-J involucrados, en niños con leucemia linfoblástica aguda (LLA). Para ello se estudiaron 769 pacientes pediátricos con LLA, diagnosticados entre 1999 y 2018 por los centros de la Sociedad Argentina de Hemato-Oncología Pediátrica. Se caracterizaron reordenamientos de Ig/TCR mediante PCR-multiplex y secuenciación para la búsqueda de recombinaciones génicas IGH, IGK, TCRB, TCRG y TCRD, en muestras de ADN obtenidas de médula ósea o sangre periférica al diagnóstico. El 95% (n=730) de los casos presentaron reordenamientos Ig/TCR. En el 68% de los casos se caracterizaron recombinaciones génicas IGH, en 43% IGK, en 25% TCRB, en 49% TCRG y en el 55% TCRD. Se caracterizó un total de 2506 reordenamientos de Ig/TCR que correspondían 1161 a inmunoglobulinas y 1345 a TCR. En la mayoría de los casos los reordenamientos de IGH fueron completos, IGK involucró a IGKde, TRCB se reordenó frecuentemente con el segmento Jb2, TCRG involucró preferentemente a Vg9 y los TCRD fueron principalmente reordenamientos incompletos. Este trabajo constituye el primer estudio realizado en la Argentina sobre la caracterización de reordenamientos Ig/TCR en un número muy significativo de pacientes con LLA pediátrica.

Abstract During lymphocyte ontogeny, the variable region of immunoglobulin (Ig) and T-cell receptor (TCR) is generated by rearrangements of the V-(D)-J gene segments. In this random process, nucleotide deletions and insertions occur between V-(D)-J segments. The aims of this work were to describe the incidence of Ig/TCR rearrangements, and the V-(D)-J segments involved in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. With this purpose, 769 pediatric ALL patients belonging to Sociedad Argentina de Hemato-Oncología Pediátrica, diagnosed between 1999 and 2018, were studied. Ig/TCR rearrangements were characterized by multiplex PCR and sequencing to evaluate IGH, IGK, TCRB, TCRG and TCRD rearrangements in DNA samples obtained at diagnosis from bone marrow or peripheral blood. In total, 95% (n=730) of patients disclosed Ig/TCR rearrangements. IGH rearrangements were detected in 68% of cases; in 43% IGK, in 25% TCRB, in 49% TCRG and in 55% of cases, TCRD. A total of 2506 Ig/TCR rearrangements were characterized, being 1161 immunoglobulins and 1345 TCR. In most cases, IGH rearrangements were complete, IGK involved IGKde, TRCB was frequently rearranged with the Jb2 segment, TCRG preferentially involved Vg9, and TCRDs were mostly incomplete rearrangements. This work is the first study of Ig/TCR rearrangements characterization in a very significant number of childhood ALL carried out in Argentina.

Resumo Durante a ontogenia dos linfócitos, ocorre um rearranjo dos segmentos gênicos V-(D)-J que codificam para a região variável das cadeias de imunoglobulinas (Ig) e receptores de linfócitos T (TCR). Durante esse processo, os segmentos reorganizam-se aleatoriamente e exclusões e inserções de nucleotídeos ocorrem na região da união entre eles. Os objetivos do presente trabalho foram descrever as incidências dos rearranjos Ig/TCR e dos segmentos V-(D)-J envolvidos, em crianças com leucemia linfoide aguda (LLA). Para tanto, foram estudados 769 pacientes pediátricos com LLA, diagnosticados entre 1999 e 2018 pelos centros da Sociedade Argentina de Hemato-Oncologia Pediátrica. Rearranjos de Ig/TCR foram caracterizados através de PCR-multiplex e sequenciação para procurar recombinações gênicas IGH, IGK, TCRB, TCRG e TCRD em amostras de DNA obtidas da medula óssea ou sangue periférico no diagnóstico. Do total de pacientes estudados, 95% (n=730) apresentaram rearranjos de Ig/TCR. Os rearranjos gênicos IGH foram caracterizados em 68% dos casos, em 43% de IGK, em 25% de TCRB, em 49% de TCRG e em 55% de TCRD. Foi caracterizado um total de 2506 rearranjos de Ig/TCR, correspondendo 1161 a imunoglobulinas e 1345 a TCR. Na maioria dos casos, os rearranjos de IGH foram concluídos, o IGK envolveu o IGKde, o TRCB foi frequentemente rearranjado com o segmento Jb2, o TCRG preferencialmente envolveu o Vg9 e os TCRDs foram principalmente os rearranjos incompletos. Este trabalho constitui o primeiro estudo realizado na Argentina sobre a caracterização de rearranjos de Ig/TCR em um número muito significativo de pacientes com LLA pediátrica.

Anti-inflammatory Mechanism of Wuwei Xiaoduyin on IgA Nephropathy Rats Based on NF-κB Inflammatory Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the effect of Wuwei Xiaoduyin on the nuclear factor-<italic>κ</italic>B （NF-<italic>κ</italic>B） signaling pathway in immunoglobulinA nephropathy（IgAN） rats， and to explore its mechanism of action in the treatment of IgA nephropathy. Method:The 40 SD rats were randomly divided into control group， model group， benazepril group （10 mg·kg·d^-1） and Wuwei Xiaoduyin group （2.75 g·kg·d^-1）， with 10 rats in each group. The IgA nephropathy rat model was established by intragastric administration of bovine serum albumin （BSA）， subcutaneous injection of carbon tetrachloride （CCl₄） and tail vein injection of lipopolysaccharide （LPS） for 9 weeks. The rats in each group were given corresponding doses of drugs by gavage， while the rats in the control group and model group were given the same amount of normal saline for successive 28 days. The levels of 24-hour urinary protein （UTP）， serum creatinine （SCr）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN） and serum albumin （ALB） were detected. The contents of tumor necrosis factor-<italic>α</italic> （TNF-<italic>α</italic>）， interleukin-1<italic>β</italic> （IL-1<italic>β</italic>） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）， the hematoxylineosin staining （HE）， immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe the renal pathological changes， the expressions of IL-6， I<italic>κ</italic>B kinase <italic>β</italic> （IKK<italic>β</italic>）， phosphorylated I<italic>κ</italic>B kinase <italic>β</italic> （p-IKK<italic>β</italic>）， NF-<italic>κ</italic>B inhibitor protein <italic>α</italic> （I<italic>κ</italic>B<italic>α</italic>）， phosphorylated NF-<italic>κ</italic>B inhibitor protein <italic>α</italic> （p-I<italic>κ</italic>B<italic>α</italic>）， NF-<italic>κ</italic>B p65 and p-NF-<italic>κ</italic>B p65 were detected by immunohistochemistry （IHC）， real-time PCR （RT-PCR） and Western blot， respectively. Result:Compared with the control group， the level of UTP in the model group significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， cultured glomerular mesangial cells proliferated， mesangial matrix and electronic dense deposit increased， mesentery thickened. A large amount of IgA was deposited in the glomerular mesangial area and showed irregular particles and mass distribution， the levels of TNF-<italic>α</italic>， IL-1<italic>β</italic>， IL-6 in serum significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， the expression levels of IL-6， IKK<italic>β</italic>， p-IKK<italic>β， </italic>NF-<italic>κ</italic>B p65 and p-NF-<italic>κ</italic>B p65 in renal tissue significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）.Compared with the model group， the levels of UTP in each administration group significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and the renal tissue injury alleviated， the levels of TNF-<italic>α</italic>， IL-1<italic>β</italic>， IL-6 in serum significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， the expressions of IL-6， IKK<italic>β</italic>， p-IKK<italic>β</italic>， I<italic>κ</italic>B<italic>α</italic>， p-I<italic>κ</italic>B<italic>α</italic>， NF-<italic>κ</italic>B p65 and p-NF-<italic>κ</italic>B p65 in the renal tissue significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. There were no significant differences in serum creatinine， blood urea nitrogen and serum albumin among the groups. Conclusion:Wuwei Xiaoduyin can reduce proteinuria in IgA nephropathy rats， and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NF-<italic>κ</italic>B signaling pathway and the over expression of related inflammatory factors.

Simultaneous enantioseparation and simulation studies of atenolol,metoprolol and propranolol on Chiralpak(R) IG column using supercritical fluid chromatography / 药物分析学报

Enantioseparation of three β-blockers,i.e.,atenolol,metoprolol and propranolol,was studied on amylose tris(3-chloro-5-methylphenylcarbamate) immobilized chiral stationary phase using supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC).The effect of organic modifiers (methanol,isopropanol and their mixture),col-umn temperature and back pressure on chiral separation of β-blockers was evaluated.Optimum chro-matographic separation with respect to resolution,retention,and analysis time was achieved using a mixture of CO2 and 0.1％ isopropyl amine in isopropanol:methanol (50:50,V/V),in 75:25 (V/V) ratio.Under the optimized conditions,the resolution factors (Rs) and separation factors (α) were greater than 3.0 and 1.5,respectively.Further,with increase in temperature (25-45 ℃) and pressure (100-150 bars)there was corresponding decrease in retention factors (k),α and Rs.However,a reverse trend (α and Rs)was observed for atenolol with increase in temperature.The thermodynamic data from van't Hoff plots revealed that the enantioseparation was enthalpy driven for metoprolol and propranolol while entropy driven for atenolol.To understand the mechanism of chiral recognition and the elution behavior of the enantiomers,molecular docking studies were performed.The binding energies obtained from simulation studies were in good agreement with the elution order found experimentally and also with the free energy values.The method was validated in the concentration range of 0.5-10 μg/mL for all the enan-tiomers.The limit of detection and limit of quantitation ranged from 0.126 to 0.137 μg/mL and 0.376-0.414 μg/mL,respectively.The method was used successfully to analyze these drugs in pharmaceutical preparations.

Protective Antibodies to Bovine Milk Fat Globule and to Xanthine Oxidase Levels in Jordanian Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background: The previously reported circulating human antibodies against the Bovine Milk Fat Globule Membrane (BMFGM) were found to primarily target xanthine oxidase (XO) enzyme that produces uric acid and reactive oxygen species. It is suggested that XO could potentially be implicated in the pathogenesis of acute myocardial infarction. Methods: In this study, anti-BMFGM and anti-XO IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies were assayed in the sera of acute myocardial infarction patients and healthy control from the Jordanian population using the highly sensitive Enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Serum high in antibodies against xanthine oxidase was used as a reference serum to standardize the assay. The levels of anti-BMFGM IgM antibodies were found to be higher in male controls than myocardial infarction male patients in contrast to female group, but no significant differences were observed in the levels of IgG and IgA antibodies. The levels of anti-xanthine oxidase IgM and IgG antibodies were significantly higher in myocardial infarction patients when compared with their corresponding controls. Conflicting results were obtained when different personnel measured the IgM antibody titres, likely due to infarction factors of IgM aggregation within the assay. Results from this study demonstrate significant differences in the levels of antiMFGM and anti-XO IgM antibodies between myocardial infarction patients and controls. Conclusion: Collectively, the data suggest that XO may be a risk factor in myocardial infarction patients and the presence of antibodies may act as a protective factor

Single-run reversed-phase HPLC method for determining sertraline content, enantiomeric purity, and related substances in drug substance and finished product / 药物分析学报

A direct enantio-, diastereo-, and chemo-selective high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for determining the content, enantiomeric purity, and related substances of the chiral antidepressant drug sertraline HCl in a single chromatographic run. The separation was achieved on a chiral stationary phase based on amylose tris(3-chloro-5-methylphenylcarbamate) under reversed-phase conditions. The method was optimized by evaluating the influence of the temperature and mobile phase composition on the retention and selectivity. The application of the single-run approach allowed to baseline resolve all investigated species in less than 15 min, without using buffers or tandem-coupled columns. The chromatographic method was validated according to the guidelines of the Official Medi-cines Control Laboratory and applied to control the content of sertraline HCl and related chiral sub-stances in a generic antidepressant formulation.

AMIGO2 promotes proliferation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#[Abstract] Objective: To explore the role of adhesion molecule with Ig like domain 2 (AMIGO2) in the proliferation of nasopharyn‐ geal carcinoma (NPC) cells and its mechanisms. Methods: A total of 10 NPC tissue samples and 10 normal nasopharyngeal epithelial tissue samples collected at Fujian Cancer Hospital during September 2017 and November 2017 were used for this study; in addition, NPC cell lines (CNE-1, CNE-2, SUNE-1, 6-10B, C666-1) and human immobilized nasopharyngeal epithelial cell line NP69 were also collected. The relative expression of AMIGO2 mRNAin above mentioned tissues and cell lines was detected by qPCR. Lentivirus vectors were constructed to interfere AMIGO2 mRNA expression, and qPCR was used to verify its interference efficiency. CCK-8 method, Clonal formation and Flow cytometry were performed to evaluate the effect of AMIGO2 interference on proliferation, clone formation and apoptosis of NPC cells. The influence of AMIGO2 interference on PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and proliferation related molecular markers in NPC cells was assessed by Western blotting. Results: The results of qPCR showed that AMIGO2 was highly expressed in NPC tissues, CNE-2, and SUNE-1 cells (all P<0.01). The interference efficiency of AMIGO2 in CNE-2 and SUNE-1 cells could reach over 50%. The interfering of AMIGO2 expression significantly inhibited the proliferation and clone formation of CNE-2 and SUNE-1 cells (all P<0.01), promoted cell apoptosis (all P<0.01), reduced the phosphorylated protein expression levels of PI3K, AKT and mTOR in SUNE-1 cells (all P<0.01), as well as down-regulated the protein expressions of survivin and PCNA (all P<0.01). Conclusion: AMIGO2 may promote the proliferation as well as inhibit apoptosis of NPC cells by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, suggesting that AMIGO2 may be a potential target for NPC therapy.

Marjolin’s Ulcer in Laron Syndrome - an Unexpected Combination: A Case Report

@#Marjolin’s ulcer is an atypical malignancy that develops from deep scars of chronically traumatised skin. Laron syndrome (LS) is a rare autosomal recessive growth retardation from a mutation in the growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene leading to defective GHR, growth hormone insensitivity and eventual low levels of insulin-like growth factor type 1 (IGF-1). Affected individuals present with proportionate dwarfism and other characteristic physical defects, but at the same time are conferred protection against cancer due to low serum levels of IGF-1. We report an exceptional case of Marjolin’s ulcer in the foot of a female LS patient 30 years after she sustained flame burns as a 6month-old baby. Three months before coming to us, she had a 2x3cm ulcer that turned into a rapidly enlarging fungating mass involving the leg, ankle, and foot. Histopathologic analysis of an incision biopsy showed well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. The extent of her lesion precluded wide excision. Below knee amputation was done. A second biopsy confirmed the histopathologic diagnosis. This is the first reported case in the literature of Marjolin’s ulcer in LS which raises the possibility that IGF-1 deficiency does not completely protect against squamous cell cancer.

Auto Immune Mixed Haemolytic anaemia: A rare presentation of SLE

Auto Immune Mixed Haemolytic Anaemia (AIHA) is defined as presence of both warm and cold antibodies against patient’s own red blood cells which is diagnosed by monospecific Direct anti-globulin test. Hereby we report a middle-aged women old women who was a known case of hypothyroidism on regular medication, presented with history of fatigability, exercise intolerance and exertional breathlessness of 1 month duration. The patient was subjected for preliminary investigations, which revealed severe anaemia with hemoglobin of 3.6 g% and an increased reticulocyte count of 12% with normal total leukocyte and platelet counts. Peripheral smear revealed anisopoikilocytosis, nucleated RBCs and schistocytes. Biochemical tests for haemolysis was evaluated which showed and elevated LDH levels (780U/L), and a reduced serum haptoglobulin levels. Liver Function test revealed a total bilirubin of 6.8mg/dl with indirect bilirubin of 5.4 mg/dl with normal liver enzymes. Baseline evaluation of Auto immune haemolytic anaemia with coombs test turned out to be positive. Patient was subjected for Mono specific DAT, Indirect Anti-globulin test (IAT) and antibody screening. Mono specific DAT showed both Anti IgG and anti C3 antibodies. IAT test was positive at 4⁰C and negative at 22⁰C and 39⁰C which confirmed that the AIHA was of mixed warm and cold type. On evaluation for connective tissue diseases, patient serum was reactive for ANA and ds-DNA and found to have Systemic Lupus Erythematosus which is a rarity and was responded to corticosteroids.

Temperature and eluent composition effects on enantiomer separation of carvedilol by high-performance liquid chromatography on immobilized amylose-based chiral stationary phases / 药物分析学报

Carvedilol is a chiral drug with potent antihypertensive and antianginal activities. Although it is clinically used as a racemic mixture, its enantiomers show different pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. Here, the direct chiral separation of racemic drug by high performance liquid chromatography using two immobilized-type amylose-based chiral stationary phases is presented. Some chromato-graphic parameters, such as retention and selectivity, were determined under multimodal eluent con-ditions and different temperatures. A temperature-dependent inversion of the elution order of enantiomers was observed in the operative temperature range of chiral chromatographic support. Finally, an effective direct enantioselective method was successfully applied to the separation of the enantiomers of carvedilol on a semipreparative scale.

An Anti-Cancer Drug Candidate CYC116 Suppresses Type I Hypersensitive Immune Responses through the Inhibition of Fyn Kinase in Mast Cells

Mast cells are the most prominent effector cells of Type 1 hypersensitivity immune responses. CYC116 [4-(2-amino-4-methyl-1,3-thiazol-5-yl)-N-[4-(morpholin-4-yl)phenyl] pyrimidin-2-amine] is under development to be used as an anti-cancer drug, but the inhibitory effects of CYC116 on the activation of mast cells and related allergy diseases have not reported as of yet. In this study, we demonstrated, for the first time, that CYC116 inhibited the degranulation of mast cells by antigen stimulation (IC₅₀, ∼1.42 µM). CYC116 also inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α (IC₅₀, ∼1.10 µM), and IL-6 (IC₅₀, ∼1.24 µM). CYC116 inhibited the mast cell-mediated allergic responses, passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (ED50, ∼22.5 mg/kg), and passive systemic anaphylaxis in a dose-dependent manner in laboratory experiments performed on mice. Specifically, CYC116 inhibited the activity of Fyn in mast cells and inhibited the activation of Syk and Syk-dependent signaling proteins including LAT, PLCγ, Akt, and MAP kinases. Our results suggest that CYC116 could be used as an alternative therapeutic medication for mast cell-mediated allergic disorders, such as atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis.

Potent and conditional redirected T cell killing of tumor cells using Half DVD-Ig

Novel biologics that redirect cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) to kill tumor cells bearing a tumor associated antigen hold great promise in the clinic. However, the ability to safely and potently target CD3 on CTL toward tumor associated antigens (TAA) expressed on tumor cells remains a challenge of both technology and biology. Herein we describe the use of a Half DVD-Ig format that can redirect CTL to kill tumor cells. Notably, Half DVD-Ig molecules that are monovalent for each specificity demonstrated reduced non-specific CTL activation and conditional CTL activation upon binding to TAA compared to intact tetravalent DVD-Ig molecules that are bivalent for each specificity, while maintaining good drug like properties and appropriate PK properties.

Unusual retention behavior of omeprazole and its chiral impurities B and E on the amylose tris (3-chloro-5-methylphenylcarbamate) chiral stationary phase in polar organic mode / 药物分析学报

Recent reports have demonstrated that the new commercially available immobilized-type chiral stationary phases (CSPs) containing amylose tris(3-chloro-5-methylphenylcarbamate) (ACMPC) as a selector exhibit not only an exceptionally high enantioselectivity in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) but they are also applicable to a wide range of chiral analytes. Herein, we report the results obtained in the HPLC analysis of omeprazole and its impurities B and E on the ACMPC-based Chiralpak IG-3 CSP (CSP) under polar organic conditions. A systematic evaluation of the retention characteristics of the selected benzimidazole chiral probes was carried out by changing the composition of the mobile phase and the column temperature. It is worth emphasizing that the high affinity of both enantiomers of all analytes recorded in pure methanol mode dramatically decreased incorporating small volumes of either basic or acid additives in the mobile phase. Unspecified sites of the IG-3 CSP presumably involved in strong and non-stereoselective H-bonding contacts with chiral analytes are assumed responsible for the unproductive retention process.

The Versatility of Framework Regions of Chicken V(H) and V(L) to Mutations

To identify the interchangeability of V(H) and V(L) framework region (FR) residues, we artificially introduced random mutations at all residue positions in a chicken monoclonal antibody, which has only one functional V(H) and Vλ gene. When we classified the amino acids into 5 groups by their physicochemical properties, all FR residues could be replaced by another group except L23 (C), H36 (W), H86 (D), H104 (G), and H106 (G). Eighty-two (50.9%), 48 (29.8%), 17 (10.6%), and 9 FR residues (5.6%) could be replaced by 4, 3, 2, and 1 group(s), individually, without significant loss of reactivity. We also confirmed a similar level of versatility with 2 different chicken antibodies. This high level of versatility on FR residues has not been predicted because it has not been observed in the 150 chicken antibodies that we previously generated or in the 1,269 naïve chicken V(H) sequences publically available. In conclusion, chicken antibody FR residues are highly interchangeable and this property can be applied for improving the physicochemical property of antibody including thermal stability, solubility and viscosity.

Myeloma Kidney – A Treatable Yet Often Forgotten Disease

Multiple myeloma is a blood dyscrasias that accounts of almost 10% of all hematological malignancy. The presentation of myeloma kidney is highly variable and it often presents as renal insufficiency, renal tubular dysfunction and proteinuria of various types. In Malaysia the true incidence of myeloma kidney is unknown. Often the diagnosis of myeloma kidney was missed out despite the patient has sought medical treatment early. A high index of suspicion is required when the middle to elderly age patients present with unexplained renal impairment and enlarged kidneys. We present here the presentation of a rare subtype of myeloma in a relatively young patient whereby the patient presented with nephrotic syndrome and azotemia.

Study on variation characteristics of anti-donor specific antibodies in different species of sensitized mice after skin transplantation / 器官移植

Objective To compare the change features of anti-donor specific antibody (DSA) in different species of sentitized mice after skin transplantation. Methods All mice were divided into the Balb/c → C57BL/6 (6 pairs) and Balb/c → C3H skin transplantation groups (6 pairs). At d0, d2, d4, d7, d13, d17, d28, d35, d42, d49 and d56 after skin transplantation, the serum sample was prepared for detection of DSA-IgG and DSA-IgM levels. Results Moderate increase was noted in the DSA-IgG level in the sensitized mice within 1 week after skin transplantation. The IgG level was significantly increased within 1-4 week and peaked and stabilized within 4-8 week. No significant variation was observed in the DSA-IgM level at 8 weeks after skin transplantation. In the Balb/c → C57BL/6 skin transplantation group, the DSAIgG level was significantly lower than that in the Balb/c → C3H group. Statistical significance was identified in the IgG levels between two groups at d2, d17, d28, d35, d42, d49 and d56 after skin transplantation (all P<0.05). No statistical significance was noted in the DSA-IgM levels between two groups at each time point (all P>0.05). Conclusions Advancing the time of renal transplantation after skin transplantation moderately in the Balb/c → C3H group, or changing to the lower immunoreactive combination of Balb/c → C57BL/6 are aimed to establish AMR mouse models with mild rejection reaction.