Correlation of serum pro-gastrin-releasing peptide, sugar chain antigen 242, procalcitonin levels in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia and Helicobacter pylori infection and prognosis / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To investigate the correlation of serum pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP), sugar chain antigen 242(CA242), procalcitonin(PCT) levels in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) with intestinal metaplasia and Helicobacter pylori(Hp) infection and prognosis.Methods:One hundred patients with CAG intestinal metaplasia in Emergency General Hospital were selected as the research objects, and they were divided into infection group (75 cases) and non-infected group (25 cases) according to whether they had Hp infection. The clinical data, levels of serum ProGRP, CA242, and PCT were compared between the two groups, and the diagnostic value of the combination of serum indicators in the diagnosis of Hp infection in CAG intestinal metaplasia patients and their correlation with prognosis were analyzed.Results:The degree of atrophy and intestinal metaplasia in the infected group were higher than those in the non-infected group ( P<0.05). The levels of serum ProGRP, CA242 and PCT in the infected group were higher than those in the non-infected group: (159.41 ± 42.38) ng/L vs. (105.84 ± 18.29) ng/L, (7.24 ± 2.28) kU/L vs. (4.12 ± 1.30) kU/L, (3.84 ± 1.12)μg/L vs. (2.57 ± 0.82) μg/L, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The results of Spearman analysis showed that the levels of ProGRP, CA242, PCT had positive correlation with atrophy degree ( r = 0.614, 0.629, 0.672, P<0.05), and had positive correlation with intestinal metaplasia degree ( r = 0.574, 0.591, 0.603, P<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) for the combined diagnosis of Hp infection in patients with CAG intestinal metaplasia by serum ProGRP, CA242, and PCT was 0.874 (95% CI 0.793 - 0.932), the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 76.00% and 92.00%, respectively. The incidence of gastric neoplasms in patients with Hp positive combined diagnosis of serum ProGRP, CA242, and PCT within 2 years (11.86%) was higher than that of negative patients (0), but the difference was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The levels of serum ProGRP, CA242 and PCT in patients with CAG intestinal metaplasia are closely related to Hp infection. The combination of various indicators has high application value in the diagnosis of Hp infection.

Unraveling the serial glycosylation in the biosynthesis of steroidal saponins in the medicinal plant Paris polyphylla and their antifungal action

Sugar-sugar glycosyltransferases play important roles in constructing complex and bioactive saponins. Here, we characterized a series of UDP-glycosyltransferases responsible for biosynthesizing the branched sugar chain of bioactive steroidal saponins from a widely known medicinal plant Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis. Among them, a 2'-O-rhamnosyltransferase and three 6'-O-glucosyltrasferases catalyzed a cascade of glycosylation to produce steroidal diglycosides and triglycosides, respectively. These UDP-glycosyltransferases showed astonishing substrate promiscuity, resulting in the generation of a panel of 24 terpenoid glycosides including 15 previously undescribed compounds. A mutant library containing 44 variants was constructed based on the identification of critical residues by molecular docking simulations and protein model alignments, and a mutant UGT91AH1Y187A with increased catalytic efficiency was obtained. The steroidal saponins exhibited remarkable antifungal activity against four widespread strains of human pathogenic fungi attributed to ergosterol-dependent damage of fungal cell membranes, and 2'-O-rhamnosylation appeared to correlate with strong antifungal effects. The findings elucidated the biosynthetic machinery for their production of steroidal saponins and revealed their potential as new antifungal agents.

Comparison on anti-inflammatory activity of Gynostemma pentaphyllum processed with different methods / 中国中药杂志

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of Gynostemma pentaphyllum dried with two different methods(air drying and heating) on inflammation in acute lung injury(ALI) mice in vivo and in vitro. Lipopolysaccharide(LPS) was sprayed into the airway of wild type C57BL/6J male mice to establish the model, and the drug was injected into the tail vein 24 h after modeling. Lung function, lung tissue wet/dry weight(W/D) ratio, the total protein concentration, interleukin 6(IL-6), IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF), and pathological changes of the lung tissue were used to evaluate the effects of different gypenosides on ALI mice. The results showed that total gypenosides(YGGPs) and the gypenosides substituted with one or two glycosyl(GPs_(1-2)) in the air-dried sample improved the lung function, significantly lowered the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in BALF, and alleviated the lung inflammation of ALI mice. Moreover, GPs_(1-2) had a more significant effect on inhibiting NO release in RAW264.7 cells. This study showed that different drying methods affected the anti-inflammatory activity of G. pentaphyllum, and the rare saponins in the air-dried sample without heating had better anti-inflammatory activity.

Biological Meaning of the Histo-Blood Group Antigens Composed of Sugar Chains / 대한수혈학회지

All living creatures on this planet, from bacteria to human, produce sugar chains (glycans). This means that sugar chains are essential for living a life. Abundant, diverse, and highly regulated repertoire of glycans are synthesized by glycosylation process in cells. Located in proteins (N-glycans and O-glycans) and lipids (glycosphingolipids), glycans participate in many vital biological processes including molecular recognition, cell adhesion, molecular trafficking and clearance, receptor activation, and signal transduction. Histo-blood group antigens that are composed of sugar chains are expressed under the control of the Secretor, Lewis and ABO glycosyltransferases. They play important roles in microbial infections and cancers. Many of sugar chains associated with histo-blood group antigens are exploited as receptors for microorganisms. Aberrant glycosylation of proteins and lipids occurs commonly during malignant transformation and leads to the expression of tumor-associated glycans. In this review, over the scope of transfusion medicine, we discussed deep down the biologic meaning of sugar chains, through exploring how the sugar chains are synthesized, structured, and functioning.

Significance of determination for binding ratio of L-PHA with serum alkaline phosphatase in diagnosis of liver cancer / 临床检验杂志

Objective To investigate the significance of determination for binding ratio of L-PHA(leukoagglutinating phytohemagglutinin) with serum alkaline phosphatase in the diagnosis of primary hepatic cancer.Methods The binding ratios of L-PHA with serum alkaline phosphatase in 50 healthy individuals,103 cases of primary hepatic cancer,22 cases of hepatocirrhosis,36 cases of chronic hepatitis,18 cases of acute hepatitis and 13 cases of digestive tract tumor were determined by lectin affinity chromatography.Results The binding ratio of L-PHA with serum alkaline phosphatase in primary hepatic cancer(16.01% 5.42%) were significantly increased as compared with the healthy control(7.50% 2.53%)(P 0.01).The binding ratios were positively correlated with the tumor size and AFP level.Conclusion The binding ratio of L-PHA with serum alkaline phosphatase is a potential parameter for the laboratory diagnosis of primary hepatic cancer.

Analysis of biliary pro-nucleating vesicular protein with lectin coupled to a peroxidase / 中华消化杂志

Objective To explore the structure and type of sugar chain in 33 500 pro-nucleating protein, and its role in gallstone formation. Methods The 33 500 vesicular protein was examined by dot-immunobinding assay of lectin coupled to a peroxidase (HRP-DSA,HRP-ConA,HRP-WGA). The morphology of biliary vesicles was observed under transmission electron microscopy in process of massive vesicular aggregation, culmination and crystal formation. The protein and its enzymatic deglycosylation fractions nucleation promoting activity were detected by cholesterol crystal growth assay. Results 33 500 vesicular protein with multiantennary and complicated glycan displayed apparent potency of nucleation promotion, which clearly reflected by HRP-DSA immunobinding, and derived crystal growth curve indices. It, Ig, Ic were presented as 0.57, 1.52, 1.63 respectively, but after treated by N-glycanase enzyme, no promoting activity was found. Conclusions Our data suggest the sugar chain play an important role in pro-nucleating process, and may be involved in the gallstone formation.

HETEROGENEITY OF TRACHEAL EPITHELIAL GOBLET CELLS OF MONKEY / 解剖学报

The reactions of 8 lectins with tracheal epithelial goblet cells of Rhesus monkeyshowed the heterogeneity of the cells.The heterogeneity appeared on the differentcomposition of sugar chains in the secretory mucin.The mucin of all goblet cellscontained unequal amount of terminal ?-D-galactose,?-D-mannose and sialic acid aswell as pre-terminal-?-D-galactose and/or ?-D-galactose-(1→3)-N-acetylgalactosa-mine.Only part of goblet cells had variable amount of ?-L-fucose in the secretorymucin.The compositions of sugar chains of the secretory mucin between monkeyand human have significant difference.