Effects of the interleukin-21 expression in patients with immune thrombocytopenia and its regulation by high-dose dexamethasone / 中国实验血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the correlation of immunologic thrombocytopenia(ITP) pathogenesis with the abnormal expression of IL-21, and to explore the association of high-dose dexamethasone (HD-DEX) treatment with the IL-21 expression.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>26 newly diagnosed ITP patients and 24 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The mononuclear cells and serum were obtain from density gradient centrifugation in the newly diagnosed ITP patients before HD-DXM treatment, and the samples of healthy controls were also used for assays. The protein and mRNA expression of IL-21 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells(MNC) were determined by flow cytometry and real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Plasma levels of IL-21, IFN-γ and IL-4 were determined by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>IL-21 expression on mononuclear cells was significantly higher in ITP patients (13.07%) than that in normal controls (8.2%), the ratio of IL-21/GAPDH mRNA expression on MNC was significantly higher in ITP patients (9.524±0.97) than that in normal controls (3.701±0.60, P<0.01). After HD-DXM therapy, the ratio of IL-21/GAPDH mRNA decreased significantly (5.87±1.21) as compared with the level before treatment. Significantly high levels of serum IL-21, IFN-γ and lower IL-4 were found in ITP patients, as compared with healthy controls. Serum IL-21 and IFN-γ levels in ITP patients decreased significantly after HD-DXM administration (P<0.01), while post-treatment levels of IL-4 were increased significantly, compared with the levels before treatment (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Therapeutic effect of DXM on ITP associates with down-regalation of IL-21 expression. The increased expression of IL-21 involves in the pathogenesis of ITP.</p>

Adenosine A2A receptor and nervous system diseases / 国际药学研究杂志

Adenosine, which arises from the breakdown of adenosine triphosphate, is extensively distributed in mammalian tissues and cells. Adenosine exerts its regulating effects on cell function via binding to the specific membrane receptors. Adenosine receptors are belong to G-protein-coupled receptors and can be subdivided into Ai, A2A, A2B and A3 receptors in mammals. Among these receptors, A2A has been demonstrated to be related to pathogenesis of many diseases. In the present review, we focus on the recent progress made in investigating the relationship between A2A and nervous system disorders, which may provide new strategies for treatment of these diseases.

Bortezomib combined with autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for therapy of patients with multiple myeloma / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of bortezomib combined with autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (autoPBSCT) for patients with multiple myeloma (MM). 5 patients underwent autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Bortezomib treatment was supplied for patients before autoPBSCT and in the conditioning of transplantation, it was also used in maintaining treatment. Patients with transplantation adopted bortezomib plus melphalan conditioning regimen. The number of infused MNC and number of CD34(+) cells were 4.06×10(8) (4.09×10(8) - 4.37×10(8))/kg and 3.98×10(6) (2.49×10(6) - 8.2×10(6))/kg respectively. The results showed that hematopoiesis was reconstituted in 5 patients, with a neutrophil cell count more than 0.5×10(9)/L at day 14 (13 - 25 days) after transplantation and platelet count more than 50×10(9)/L at day 28 (21 - 41 days) after transplantation. Transplantation-associated death was not observed. 5 patients were disease-free survival. In conclusion, treatment of bortezomib combined with autologous peripheral hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is an effective method for patients with multiple myeloma. Use of bortezomib after transplantation might still be favourable to MM patients, for survival prolongation and life quality improvement.