Serum levels of ANP signaling in different degree of allergic asthmatics and its role in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the relationship between the severity of allergic asthma and the levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), and to analyze the potential role of ANP signaling in the pathogenesis of asthma.
@*METHODS@#We recruited 96 subjects, including 23 healthy volunteers, 25 stable allergic asthmatics, 21 mild allergic asthmatics and 27 moderate allergic asthmatics, from the Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University. ANP, IFN-γ and IL-4 levels in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the mRNA and protein expressions of natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPRA), transcription factor T-bet and GATA3 were measured by RT-PCR and Western blot.
@*RESULTS@#The levels of ANP in serum and the expressions of NPRA mRNA and protein in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) from the mild asthma group or the moderate group were elevated compared with those in the stable asthma group or the mild group, respectively (P<0.05). Consistently, expressions of GATA3 and levels of IL-4 showed the same tendency (P<0.05). In addition, levels of ANP in serum were positively correlated with the severity of asthma, whereas negatively correlated with the ratio of T-bet/GATA3 and IFN-γ/IL-4 (r=-0.85, P<0.05; r=-0.88, P<0.05, respectively).
@*CONCLUSION@#Levels of ANP signaling in serum were significantly increased with the severity of allergic asthma, suggesting a close relation with the pathogenesis of asthma; ANP signaling may play a role in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma through inducing the Th2-type immune response.

Expressions and clinical significance of Nanog and CD44 protein in lung cancer / 实用医学杂志

Objective To detect the expressions and clinical significance of Nanog and CD44 protein in lung cancer. Methods The expressions of Nanog and CD44 were detected by immunohistochemistry in 50 cases of lung cancer, 32 cases of benign lesion lung tissue and 18 cases of paraneoplastic normal lung tissue. Then their relationships with clinicopathological factors were analyzed. Results The expression of Nanog in lung cancer was significantly higher than those in benign lesion lung tissue and paraneoplastic normal lung tissue (P 0.05). The expressions of Nanog and CD44 in squamous cell carcinomas were higher than those in adenocarcinomas and small cell lung carcinomas (P 0.05). The positive correlation was also noted between the expressions of Nanog and CD44 in lung cancer (r = 0.564, P < 0.05). Conclusion Nanog and CD44 proteins may participate in the genesis and progression of lung cancer. Nanog protein is a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for lung cancer.