A Role of Serum-Based Neuronal and Glial Markers as Potential Predictors for Distinguishing Severity and Related Outcomes in Traumatic Brain Injury

OBJECTIVE: Optimal treatment decision and estimation of the prognosis in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is currently based on demographic and clinical predictors. But sometimes, there are limitations in these factors. In this study, we analyzed three central nervous system biomarkers in TBI patients, will discuss the roles and clinical applications of biomarkers in TBI. METHODS: From July on 2013 to August on 2014, a total of 45 patients were included. The serum was obtained at the time of hospital admission, and biomarkers were extracted with centrifugal process. It was analyzed for the level of S-100 beta (S100B), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1). RESULTS: This study included 33 males and 12 females with a mean age of 58.5 (19-84) years. TBI patients were classified into two groups. Group A was severe TBI with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score 3-5 and Group B was mild TBI with GCS score 13-15. The median serum concentration of S100B, GFAP, and UCH-L1 in severe TBI were raised 5.1 fold, 5.5 fold, and 439.1 fold compared to mild injury, respectively. The serum levels of these markers correlated significantly with the injury severity and clinical outcome (p<0.001). Increased level of markers was strongly predicted poor outcomes. CONCLUSION: S100B, GFAP, and UCH-L1 serum level of were significantly increased in TBI according to severity and associated clinical outcomes. Biomarkers have potential utility as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic adjuncts in the setting of TBI.

Expression of protein gene product 9.5, vasoactive intestinal peptide and neuropeptide Y in the mucosa of the neovagina after sigmoid colon vaginoplasty / 中华妇产科杂志

Objective To investigate re-innervation in the neovaginal mucosa of patients underwent sigmoid colon vaginoplasty in treatment of Mayer-Rokitansky-Kistner-Hauser Syndrome (MRKHS).Methods Biopsies in the upper third of the posterior neovagina were taken in 20 patients treated by sigmoid colon vaginoplasty at 1, 2 and 3 years after surgery, respectively. Protein gene product 9. 5 ( PGP 9. 5 ),vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) were detected by immunohistochemical method and compared with those in intact sigmoid colon mucosa. Results ( 1 ) Density of nerve fiber:abundant distribution of PGP 9. 5 nerve fibers were observed in the mucosal muscle layer, submucosa, and smooth muscle layer of the neovagina. The nerve fibers of VIP and NPY immunoreactivity were mainly distributed around blood vessels and in the smooth muscles. In the neovagina, the density of nerve fibers of PGP 9. 5 of 17 ± 6 were much more than VIP of 2. 9 ± 1.0 and NPY of 2. 5 ± 0. 8 significantly ( P ＜ 0. 05 ).( 2 ) Expression of PGP 9. 5 in neovagina: at 1 year after surgery, PGP 9. 5 positive expression of 14 ± 4 was significantly lower in the neovagina than 28 ± 7 in the intact sigmoid colon( P ＜ 0. 05 ). However, after 2 to 3 years, its expression displayed an upgrade tendency in the neovagina and was significantly higher at the 3 year postoperatively than that at the 1 years postoperatively ( 22 ± 7 vs. 14 ± 4, P ＜ 0. 05 ). The changes were much more obvious in submucosa. (3) The expression of VIP and NPY in neovagina: at 1 year after surgery, VIP and NPY positive nerve fibers were also decreased in the neovagina when compared with those in the intact sigmoid colon ( 2. 3 ± 0. 7 vs. 5.3 ± 1.4, P ＜ 0. 05; 2.5 ± 1. 1 vs. 5.5 ± 1.1, P ＜ 0. 05 ) . At 2 to 3 years after surgery, the positive VIP fiber showed initially decreased and subsequently increased tendency. The density of VIP of 3.7 ± 0. 7 in the neovagina at 3 years postoperatively was higher than 2. 3 ±0. 7 at 1 years postoperatively (P ＜ 0. 05 ). No significant up-regulation was observed in NPY-positive expression in the neovagina within 3 years after operation. Conclusions Distribution of sensory PGP 9. 5,VIP and NPY immunoreactive nerve fibers was similar to the pattern observed within the intact sigmoid colon wall. The number of nerve fibers in the neovagina decreased after surgery and then increased subsequently within 3 years after surgery.

Protein gene product 9.5-immunoactive nerve fibers and its clinical significance in endometriotic peritoneal lesions / 中华妇产科杂志

Objective To investigate the association between distribution of protein gene product (PGP) 9.5-immunoactive nerve fibers in peritoneal endometriotic lesions and disease-associated pain symptoms.Methods Thirty two peritoneal endometriotic lesions from patients with endometriosis (16 cases with pain and 16 cases without pain) and matched with 20 peritoneal tissues from patients with uterine leiomyoma without endometriosis were stained immunohistochemically for PGPg.5-immunoactive nerve fibers.Results The positive rate and density of PGP9.5-immunoreactive nerve fibers in peritoneal endometriotic leision were 62% (10/16) and (3.8 ± 1.7)/mm~2 in endometriosis patients with pain, which were significantly higher than 19% (3/16) and (1.7 ± 0.5)/mm~2 in endometriosis patients without pain (P <0.05) and 25% (5/20) and (1.3±0.6) /mm~2 in peritoneal tissues in women without endometriosis (P <0.05).However, no differences were found between endometriosis patients without pain and women without endometriosis (P > 0.05) .Moreover, the density of PGP9.5-immunoreactive nerve fibers in peritoneal lesions in endometriosis patients with pain was positively correlated with the severity of pain (r = 0.855, P < 0.05).In addition, the density of PGP9.5-immunoreactive nerve fibers in peritoneal lesions was statistically higher in endometriosis patients with chronic pelvic pain and(or) dysmenorrhea than those in endometriosis patients with other type of pain(P < 0.05), which was not associated with active lesion, site and staging (P > 0.05).Conclusion It suggested that PGP9.5-immunoreactive nerve fibers might confer the mechanism of pelvic pain with endometriosis.

Studies on intraepidermal nerve fiber density of healthy human / 中华神经科杂志

Objectives To complete quantitive analysis of intraepidermal nerve fibers(IENFs) by skin biopsy, evaluate epidermal innervation according to age and anatomical site and establish a reference range for IENFs at the distal leg. Methods Seventy skin biopsy specimens involving 70 patients were analyzed. Specimens were fixed routinely in formalin and thereafter embedded in paraffin. Nerve fibers of 10 μm thick sections were revealed using immunoperoxidase staining with panaxonal antibody PGP9. 5. Examine the morphology of IENFs, determine intrsepidermal nerve fibers density (IENFD) and perform the statistical analysis finally. Results Epidermal innervation of different age groups which came from distal leg and wrist did not chang with age. A trend displaying age-associated decreased epidermal innervation was found, although it was not statistically significant. The number of IENFD (fibers/mm2) in upper arm (91.8±21.1) and subterminal thigh (89. 2±21.4) were significantly higher than their number in wrist (64. 5 ± 22. 5) and distal leg (62. 9 ± 15.3). The reference range for IENFD of distal leg in normal humans is 40. 6 fibers/mm2. Condnsions Morphology of IENFs can be dearly displayed by skin biopsy, and this technology is easy to complete the quantitative study of IENFs. It provides a reliable platform for the diagnose and study of peripheral neuropathy.