A transcriptional study of SDF-1alpha expression in PBL and the correlation between SDF-1alpha transcription and HIV-1 infection / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the transcription of SDF-1alpha in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and analysis the correlation between SDF-1alpha transcription and HIV infection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three groups of study subjects were recruited: (1) 97 HIV negative healthy donors, (2) 92 HIV patients of A1 to A3 stages and (3) 146 HIV patients of B1 to C3 stages. Total RNA was extracted from PBL. Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and quantification PCR were developed for the SDF-1alpha transcriptional study. R1 value was calculated based on the ratio of SDF-1alpha copies to beta-globin copies.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>SDF-1alpha transcription is heterogeneous among the three study groups. The SDF-1alpha transcription was significantly up-regulated during late stage of HIV infection than the healthy donors. Correlation analysis indicated that R1 value was negatively correlated to CD4+ T cells counts (P = 0.002); and positively correlated to virus load (P = 0.001). The result demonstrated an association between SDF-1alpha transcription and disease progression.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SDF-1alpha transcription was significantly up-regulated during late stage of HIV infection. It would be worthwhile to determine the mechnism of HIV affecting on SDF-1alpha genes transcription and the up-regulated SDF-1alpha expression on the disease progression.</p>

Potential infections of H5N1 and H9N2 avian influenza do exist in Guangdong populations of China / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Southeast China is one of the sites of influenza origin. During 2003--2004, nine avian influenza outbreaks took place in Guangdong Province. But no human case was reported. To examine the status of potential human infection by human influenza (H1N1, H3N2) and avian influenza (H5N1, H7N7, H9N2) in the avian influenza epidemic area of Guangdong Province, China, we conducted a seroepidemiologic survey in the people of this area from April to June of 2004.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three out of 9 H5N1 avian influenza affected poultry areas in Guangdong were randomly selected, and the population living within 3 kilometers of the affected poultries were chosen as the survey subjects. One thousand two hundred and fourteen people were selected from 3 villages at random. Human and avian influenza antibody titers were determined by hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test and microneutralization test (MNT).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rate of antibody to H5N1 was 3.03% in the occupational exposure group and 2.34% in general citizens group; that of H9N2 was 9.52% in the occupational exposure group and 3.76% in the general citizens group. Moreover one case in the occupational exposure group was positive for H7N7. One year later, all previously positive cases had become negative except for one H5N1-positive case.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The observations imply that H5N1 and H9N2 avian influenza silent infections exist in Guangdong populations.</p>

The effects of 4 laboratory test kits in early detecting of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the 4 test kits on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) gene, antigen and antibody for early diagnose of SARS patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to detect SARS-CoV IgG, IgM and N protein and fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (F-PCR) kit was used to detect SARS-CoV RNA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 162 serum samples, 90.2% (55/61) became N protein positive in 1 - 5 days and 92.8% (13/14) became positive IgM and IgG in 15 - 18 days after the onset of disease, respectively. On 82 gorgling samples, the positive rates of F-PCR were 56.3% (14/24) in 1 - 5 days and 71.4% (10/14) in 6 - 9 days after the onset.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Other than F-PCR, N protein had good effect in the early detection on dubious patients which could lead to effective prevention and control of the epidemic.</p>

RANTES gene single nucleotide polymorphisms and expression in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) plays a critical role in T-lymphocyte activation and proliferation. The process is involved in both acute and chronic phases of inflammation. The present study was to ascertain the possible correlations between chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and the RANTES gene polymorphisms and their expression.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The study included 130 HBV negative healthy donors and 152 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) virus infection. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were used to detect RANTES gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). RANTES levels in the platelet depleted plasma were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>RANTES alleles -403G, -28C and In1.1T were the predominant alleles in the subjects studied. No significant correlation was found between CHB infection and the RANTES alleles, while a significant correlation was found between CHB infection and increased RANTES expression in platelet depleted plasma (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>SNPs in RANTES gene do not affect chronic HBV infection or the outcome of interferon-alpha treatment in patients positive for HBV "e" antigen (HBeAg+). However, patients with CHB infection express the higher levels of plasma RANTES, which is thus associated with CHB infection.</p>