Actualización en marcadores inmunológicos en el estudio de la infección por HIV: aportes desde el laboratorio clínico / Immunological markers in the study of HIV infection: contributions from the clinical laboratory. An update / Atualização em marcadores imunológicos no estudo da infecção pelo HIV: contribuições do laboratório clínico

Resumen Si bien la buena adherencia al tratamiento antirretroviral en la infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (HIV por Human Immunodeficiency virus en inglés o VIH, por su sigla en español) demostró una sustancial mejoría clínica en las personas que viven con él, lograr el acceso al tratamiento continúa siendo un desafío en los tiempos que corren. Los estudios de laboratorio para diagnóstico y seguimiento de la infección por HIV se centran en estudios virológicos y recuento de linfocitos CD4+ y CD8+. Sin embargo, no se evalúa de forma detallada el perfil inmunológico de las personas que viven con HIV, ni la reconstitución inmune luego de recibido el tratamiento. Es por ello que el objetivo de esta revisión fue describir, por un lado, los diversos estudios realizados desde el laboratorio para el diagnóstico y seguimiento de la infección por HIV. Por otro lado, describir los aportes del laboratorio bioquímico en el estudio del perfil inmunológico de las personas que viven con HIV, el cual incluye desde determinaciones actualmente en uso, hasta nuevos biomarcadores inflamatorios solubles o de membrana celular, como así también las subpoblaciones linfocitarias. Dichos biomarcadores podrían ser herramientas valiosas como descriptores del estado inmunológico de las personas e, incluso, predictores de patologías asociadas a la infección por HIV.

Abstract Although a correct adherence rate to antiretroviral treatment in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection reveals a substantial clinical improvement in people living with HIV, achieving access to treatment is still challenging. Laboratory studies for diagnosis and follow-up are mainly focused on virological status, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells counts. However, the immunological profile of people living with HIV is not evaluated in detail, neither is the immune reconstitution after treatment. Consequently, the aim of this review was is to describe, on the one hand, the studies carried out in the laboratory for the diagnosis and monitoring of HIV infection, and on the other hand, is to describe the contributions of the biochemical laboratory in the study of the immunological profile of people living with HIV. This study includes determinations currently in use, and the determination of new soluble or cell membrane inflammatory biomarkers, as well as T cell subsets. These biomarkers could be valuable tools as descriptors of the impervious state of people, and even predictors of pathologies associated with HIV infection.

Resumo Embora a boa adesão ao tratamento antirretroviral na infecção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV) tenha demonstrado melhora clínica substancial em pessoas que vivem com HIV, conseguir o acesso ao tratamento continua sendo um desafio nos momentos em que correm. Os estudos laboratoriais para diagnóstico e monitoramento da infecção pelo HIV concentram-se em estudos virológicos e contagem de linfócitos CD4+ e CD8+. No entanto, o perfil imunológico das pessoas que vivem com HIV não é avaliado detalhadamente, nem a reconstituição imunológica após o tratamento. É por isso que o objetivo desta revisão foi descrever, por um lado, os vários estudos realizados em laboratório para o diagnóstico e monitoramento da infecção pelo HIV. Por outro lado, descrever as contribuições do laboratório bioquímico no estudo do perfil imunológico de pessoas que vivem com HIV, que inclui desde determinações atualmente em uso, até novos biomarcadores inflamatórios solúveis ou de membrana celular, bem como subpopulações de linfócitos. Esses biomarcadores podem ser ferramentas valiosas como descritores do estado imunológico das pessoas e até mesmo como preditores de patologias associadas à infecção pelo HIV.

Changes of lymphocyte subsets in smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis

Background and Aims: The host immune system plays an important role in the pathogenesis and defense mechanism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). This study aimed to explore the different changes in the immune system between smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and smear-positive PTB patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 85 active PTB patients and 50 healthy adults were enrolled. The participants were divided into smear-negative PTB, smear-positive PTB, and control groups. Chest computed tomography (CT) and lymphocyte subgroup counts in peripheral blood were measured in all participants. Results: There were higher numbers of CD4 + T-cells, NK cells, and pulmonary cavities in the smear-positive PTB group, whereas the numbers of B-ells were significantly increased in the smear-negative PTB group. Conclusions: Smear-negative PTB showed fewer pulmonary cavities, mild inflammatory response, lower numbers of immune cells, and higher numbers of B- cells.

Immunophenotype and function of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in Chinese rhesus macaques / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective:To provide data reference for using Chinese rhesus macaques as research model by studying the immunophenotype and function of peripheral blood lymphocytes in Chinese rhesus macaques.Methods:By optimizing antibody clones and fluorescent colors, the lymphocyte subset assay and T cell function assay panels were determined. Then the panels were used to analyze the proportion of T, B, NK and other cell subsets in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in 15 healthy Chinese rhesus monkeys, and the ability of T cells to secrete cytokines after non-specific stimulation.Results:Two multi-color flow cytometry analytic panels were established. Panel 1 could simultaneously detect a variety of lymphocyte subsets, including cytotoxic T lymphocytes, follicular helper T cells, regulatory T cells, B cells and NK cells. Panel 2 could detect the functions of multiple T cell subsets and the expression of immune checkpoint moleculars. The mean percentages of T, B, NK, Tfh, Treg, CD16 + NK and CD56 + NK cells in PBMCs of the Chinese rhesus macaques were (75.32±7.73)%, (13.22±7.50)%, (0.88±0.48)%, (0.73±0.27)%, (0.75±0.43)%, (47.87±22.35)% and (10.69±12.41)%. After non-specific stimulation, the proportion of CD4 + T cells secreting IL-2 and TNF-α was higher than that of CD8 + T cells, and the proportion of CD8 + T cells secreting CD107a and IFN-γ was higher than that of CD4 + T cells, while the proportion of CD4 + and CD8 + T cells secreting IL-17A was low. Conclusions:This study established a multi-color flow detection scheme that could simultaneously detect multiple cellular surface molecules and cytokines at the single cell level and could accurately and comprehensively analyze the immune cell subsets, functions and the immune checkpoint molecules in peripheral blood of Chinese rhesus macaques, providing a new experimental method and basic data for the development of vaccines and drugs against infectious diseases.

Prognostic value of lymphocyte subsets in gastric cancer with different tumor infiltration patterns / 中华普通外科杂志

Objective:To probe into the potential prognostic value of lymphocyte subsets in gastric cancer.Methods:This study included patients who underwent radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer from Aug 2014 to Dec 2016. The immunological differences was analyzed in different infiltration patterns. The overall survival of patients was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test. COX regression was performed to assess independent prognostic factors of the patients, and finally constructed nomogram.Results:The median number of peripheral CD4 and CD19 cells in infiltration pattern c was 750 (94-2 504) cells/μl and 186 (17-820) cells/μl; the median number of peripheral CD4 and CD19 cells in infiltration pattern a was 802 (203-2 071) cells/μl and 213 (5-948) cells/μl, the number of peripheral CD4,CD19 cells in infiltration pattern c was lower than that in infiltration pattern a, with statistically significant differences (CD4: Z=-3.061, P=0.002; CD19: Z=-2.016 , P=0.044). CD19 lymphocytes ( P=0.023) were associated with infiltration pattern a, CD8 lymphocytes ( P=0.027) were associated with infiltration pattern b, and CD4 lymphocytes ( P=0.026) were independent risk factors associated with the prognosis of infiltration pattern c. A nomogram can be constructed to evaluate the prognosis of patients. Conclusion:There are differences in the number of peripheral lymphocyte subsets in patients with different INF types. A nomogram can be constructed from lymphocyte subsets and clinicopathological features to assess patient prognosis.

Difference and its clinical significance of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets between elderly and non-elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the difference of lymphocyte subsets between elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis and non-elderly patients and its clinical significance.Methods:A total of 124 patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from January, 2017 to December, 2019 were enrolled.The patients were divided into elderly group(≥60 years old, 34 cases)and non-elderly group(<60 years old, 90 cases). Rheumatoid arthritis activity(DAS-28)scoring was performed for each patient.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)were extracted by Ficoll density centrifugation.Lymphocytes were labeled and detected by 18-color flowcytometry with more than 30 fluorescent antibodies.Results:DAS-28 scoring showed that the disease activity score of the elderly group(4.56±1.89)was higher than that of the non-elderly group(3.37±1.49)( t=3.633, P<0.001). Flow cytometry showed that MAIL%T(mucus-associated lymphoid tissue T cell subset)( Z=-2.798, P=0.005), Tn%CD8 T cells(initial CD8 T cells)( Z=-2.179, P=0.029), VD2% T(Vδ2+ T, γδT cell subtype)( Z=-2.806, P=0.005), PD1-CD28-%Th( Z=-2.050, P=0.040)and IGM+ D-%B( Z=-2.376, P=0.017)were lower in the elderly group than in the non-elderly group.While, CD45+ CD27+ %CD8 T cells( Z=-3.069, P=0.002), abT%T cell(αβT cells)( Z=-2.103, P=0.035), CD27-CD28+ %T cells( Z=-2.341, P=0.019), ASC%PBMC( Z=-2.341, P=0.019)and ASC%CD19+ ( Z=-2.000, P=0.046)subgroup expression were higher in the elderly group than in the non-elderly group. Conclusions:The disease activity of elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis is significantly higher than that of younger patients.The expressions of abT%T and CD4% abT in effector T cells of elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis are higher than those of younger patients, while the expression of VD2% T is lower.The expression level of CD45RA+ CD27+ %CD8 T with cytotoxic effect is higher; However, the expression level of Tn%CD8 T in naive cells is lower.

Liver and spleen stiffness measurements in patients with BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms and their clinical significance / 中国基层医药

Objective:To measure liver and spleen stiffness in patients with BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms and analyze their clinical significance.Methods:Fifteen healthy volunteers and 27 patients with BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms underwent liver and spleen thickness measurements using FibroScan 502 Touch medical device between June 2018 and June 2020 in Hebei Petro China Central Hospital and they were included in this study. Liver and spleen stiffness was correlated with clinical laboraty indicators.Results:Liver stiffness, spleen stiffness, and the difference between spleen stiffness and liver stiffness in patients with BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms were significantly greater than those in healthy controls [(6.34 ± 2.22) kPa vs. (5.07 ± 1.27) kPa; (26.00 ± 10.66) kPa vs. (13.61 ± 5.64) kPa; (19.65 ± 10.37) kPa vs. (8.54 ± 5.33) kPa, t = -2.01, -4.30, -4.06, all P < 0.05]. Platelet count was negatively correlated with liver and spleen stiffness ( r = -0.39, -0.42). White blood cell count was negatively correlated with the difference between spleen stiffness and liver stiffness ( r = -0.40, P < 0.05). The uric acid level was negatively correlated with liver stiffness ( r = -0.54, P < 0.05), but it was positively correlated with spleen thickness ( r = 0.41, P < 0.05). The percentage of B lymphocytes among lymphocytes was negatively correlated with spleen stiffness and the difference between spleen stiffness and liver stiffness ( r= -0.56, -0.56, both P < 0.05). The percentage of diseased megakaryocytes was positively correlated with spleen stiffness ( r = 0.40, P < 0.05). The percentage of sideroblasts was negatively correlated with liver stiffness ( r = -0.44, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Spleen stiffness and liver stiffness are closely related to clinical indicators in patients with BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms, including white blood cell count, platelet count, uric acid level, percentage of B lymphocytes, diseased megakaryocytes and sideroblasts. Dynamic monitoring of liver and spleen stiffnesses or in combination with bone marrow examination in future can help evaluate the condition of patients with BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Characteristics and clinical significance of mitochondrial injury of T lymphocyte subsets in patients with autoimmune hepatitis / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To study the characteristics and clinical significance of mitochondrial injury of T lymphocyte subsets in patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH).Methods:The clinical data of 57 patients with AIH (AIH group) from June to December 2021 in Hangzhou Xixi Hospital were retrospectively analyzed, while 60 healthy physical examiners were included as healthy group. The peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets (CD 8+ T lymphocyte count and CD 4+ T lymphocyte count) were detected by flow cytometry, and matched mitochondrial staining value according to certain algorithm was used to determine the mitochondrial damage of helper T lymphocyte (Th cell) and suppressor T lymphocyte (Ts cell). The levels of IgG, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured using a Roche E170 automatic electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) titer was measured by immunofluorescence. Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the independent risk factors of mitochondrial damage of Th cell and Ts cell in patients with AIH. Results:The ALT, AST, IgG, positive rate of ANA titer, CD 4+ T lymphocyte count, CD 8+ T lymphocyte count, rate of Th cell mitochondrial injury and rate of Ts cell mitochondrial injury in AIH group were significantly higher than those in healthy group: (118.90 ± 37.61) U/L vs. (30.96 ± 14.37) U/L, (102.40 ± 36.51) U/L vs. (31.12 ± 14.06) U/L, (18.40 ± 3.71) g/L vs. (13.89 ± 1.98) g/L, 96.49% (55/57) vs. 16.67% (10/60), 438 (323, 637) × 10 6/L vs. 398 (272, 469) × 10 6/L, 296 (211, 296) × 10 6/L vs. 270 (193, 322) × 10 6/L, 61.40% (35/57) vs. 8.33% (5/60) and 82.46% (47/57) vs. 11.67% (7/60), and there were statistical differences ( P<0.01 or <0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis result showed that the AST elevated and CD 8+ T lymphocyte count reduced were the independent risk factors of Ts cell mitochondrial injury in patients with AIH ( OR = 1.06 and 0.99, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.10 and 0.99 to 1.00, P<0.05); the ALT elevated and IgG elevated were the independent risk factors of Th cell mitochondrial injury in patients with AIH ( OR = 1.08 and 1.66, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.14 and 1.11 to 2.48, P<0.05). Conclusions:It is of positive clinical significance to measure the T lymphocyte subtype mitochondrial injury in patients with AIH. The probability of mitochondrial injury of T lymphocyte subtype can be predicted by biochemical indexes such as ALT, AST and IgG, so as to indirectly evaluate the liver cell necrosis.

sPD-1 and changes of lymphocyte subsets in predicting the prognosis of patients with sepsis: a prospective cohort study / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To observe the dynamic changes of soluble programmed cell death protein 1 (sPD-1) and cellular immunity and humoral immunity in patients with sepsis and septic shock, and to explore the relationship between sPD-1 and immunosuppression in sepsis.Methods:This study was a prospective cohort study. Patients with sepsis and septic shock admitted to the ICU of General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from June 2018 to December 2018 were included as the study subjects, ordinary postoperative patients admitted to the ICU during the same period were included as the non-sepsis group, and healthy volunteers matched in age and sex were included as healthy controls. The sPD-1, lymphocyte count, serum immunoglobulin and lymphocyte subsets of peripheral blood on the first, third and seventh days after admission to the ICU were detected. The changes of sPD-1 and various immune indices in each group were compared, and the correlation between the indices was analyzed. For healthy controls and non-sepsis patients, only blood samples were tested on the day of inclusion.Results:A total of 90 patients [58 males and 32 females, aged (58.36±17.46) years] were included in this study, including 29 cases of sepsis, 31 cases of septic shock, 15 cases of non-sepsis, and 15 volunteers were recruited as healthy control group. The 28-day fatality rate of patients in the sepsis and septic shock groups was 28.3%. On the first day of ICU admission, the sPD-1 concentration were significantly higher in the septic shock group and sepsis group than those in the non-sepsis group and healthy control group [512.64 (216.85, 1039.41) pg/mL vs. 261.90 (191.96, 421.99) pg/mL vs. 191.56 (151.26, 232.66) pg/mL vs. 200.51 (162.14, 241.26) pg/mL, all P<0.05]. The sPD-1 concentration in the septic shock group was significantly higher than that in the sepsis group, and this phenomenon persisted for at least one week ( P<0.05). The lymphocyte count on the first day in the sepsis and septic shock groups were significantly lower than those in the healthy control and non-sepsis groups (all P<0.05), and the lymphocyte count in the septic shock group remained lower levels until the seventh day of ICU admission (all P<0.05). The percentage of lymphocytes and total T lymphocytes in the sepsis and septic shock groups were significantly lower than those in the healthy control and non-sepsis groups (all P<0.05), while the percentage of total B lymphocytes did not differ between groups (all P>0.05). The percentage of CD8+ T lymphocytes on the seventh day of ICU admission in the septic shock group was still significantly lower than that in the sepsis group [(18.36±2.23)% vs. (28.28±2.97)%, P<0.05]. The levels of serum immunoglobulin IgG and IgM were significantly lower in the sepsis and septic shock group than those in the healthy control and non-sepsis groups (all P<0.05), and the IgG and IgM in the sepsis and septic shock groups returned to normal on the seventh day of ICU admission. The area under the ROC curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of sPD-1 on poor prognosis, and the results showed that sPD-1 on the seventh day of ICU had a good predictive value for 28-day prognosis in patients with sepsis and septic shock, and the best cut-off value was 286.52 pg/mL, with a sensitivity of 100.00% and specificity of 56.25%. Conclusions:Immunosuppression occurs in patients with sepsis and septic shock in the early stage, and the duration of immunosuppression in patients with septic shock is prolonged, but humoral immunosuppression plays a major defense in the early stage, and cellular immunosuppression is dominant in the later stage.

Effect of Bazi Bushen Capsules on Delaying Aging Process of Naturally Aging Mice Based on Immune-inflammation-aging / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo study the effect of Bazi Bushen capsules on delaying the aging process of naturally aging mice and its mechanism. MethodThe mice were randomly divided into four groups according to their body weight， namely， aging group， low-dose Bazi Bushen capsules group （1 g·kg-1）， high-dose Bazi Bushen capsules group （2 g·kg-1）， and rapamycin group （0.002 g·kg-1）. The debilitating signs were detected by behavioral tests and the weakness index was measured. The percentages of spleen T and B lymphocytes， effector T cells （TE）， memory T cells （TM）， naive T cells （TN）， helper T cells （Th）， cytotoxic T cells （Tc） ，Th1 cells， Th2 cells， and regulatory T cells （Treg） were determined by flow cytometry. Cell proliferation and the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to detect the proliferation of lymphocytes in mice. The hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the histopathological changes in the mouse spleen. The expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A （p16） and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A （p21） was detected by immunohistochemistry （IHC）. The mRNA expression of senescence-related proteins p16 and p21 was determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， and the inflammatory cytokines， including tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interferon-γ （IFN-γ）， interleukin （IL）-1β， IL-2， IL-4， IL-10， and IL-12 p70， in peripheral blood of mice were detected by Luminex. ResultAs compared with the aging group， mice in the Bazi Bushen capsules and rapamycin groups showed significantly improved debilitating signs and reduced weakness index scores （P<0.05， P<0.01）， increased proportions of T cells， TN cells， Tc cells， Th2 cells， and Treg cells in the spleen， decreased proportions of TE cells， TM cells， Th cells， Th1 cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and increased proliferation of splenic lymphocytes （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In the Bazi Bushen capsules and rapamycin groups， clear structure of the red and white marrow marginal zone was observed in the spleen of mice， the area of the white marrow was increased， and the area of the red marrow was correspondingly decreased. The protein and mRNA expression of aging-related proteins p16 and p21 in the spleen was decreased （P<0.01）， the levels of serum pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β， IL-2， IL-12 p70， IFN-γ， and TNF-α levels were decreased， and the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were increased （P<0.05， P<0.01） in the Bazi Bushen capsules and rapamycin groups as compared with the aging group. ConclusionBazi Bushen capsules have the effect of regulating the debilitating signs of natural aging mice， regulating the immune homeostasis and inflammation level of the body， and reducing cell aging.

The Distribution and Significance of Activated T Cells and Lymphocyte Subsets in Myelodysplastic Syndrome / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the distribution of bone marrow lymphocyte subsets in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome(MDS),the proportion of activated T cells with immunophenotype CD3+HLA-DR+ in the lymphocytes and its clinical significance, and to understand the effects of different types of MDS, different immunophenotypes, and different expression levels of WT1 on the proportion of lymphocyte subsets and activated T cells.@*METHODS@#The immunophenotypes of 96 MDS patients, the subsets of bone marrow lymphocytes and activated T cells were detected by flow cytometry. The relative expression of WT1 was detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR, and the first induced remission rate (CR1) was calculated, the differences of lymphocyte subsets and activated T cells in MDS patients with different immunophenotype, different WT1 expression, and different course of disease were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#The percentage of CD4+T lymphocyte in MDS-EB-2, IPSS high-risk, CD34+ cells >10%, and patients with CD34+CD7+ cell population and WT1 gene overexpression at intial diagnosis decreased significantly (P<0.05), and the percentage of NK cells and activated T cells increased significantly (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the ratio of B lymphocytes. Compared with the normal control group, the percentage of NK cells and activated T cells in IPSS-intermediate-2 group was significantly higher(P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the percentage of CD3+T, CD4+T lymphocytes. The percentage of CD4+T cells in patients with complete remission after the first chemotherapy was significantly higher than in patients with incomplete remission(P<0.05), and the percentage of NK cells and activated T cells was significantly lower than that in patients with incomplete remission (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#In MDS patients, the proportion of CD3+T and CD4+T lymphocytes decreased, and the proportion of activated T cells increased, indicating that the differentiation type of MDS is more primitive and the prognosis is worse.

Cellular and humoral immune status of thalassemia children with repeated blood transfusion in Yunnan province / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the changes in cellular immunity (peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets) and humoral immunity (serum immunoglobulin and ferritin) status among children with thalassemia who received repeated transfusions in Yunnan. 【Methods】 Forty-six children with thalassemia who underwent repeated blood transfusions from January 2020 to October 2022 were selected as the observation group. Forty children with thalassemia who did not receive blood transfusion were included in control group 1, and 46 healthy children underwent physical examination were included in control group 2. The differences in lymphocyte subsets, serum immunoglobulin levels and ferritin concentrations were compared among the three groups. 【Results】 For lymphocyte subsets: CD3+, CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ in the observation group was lower than the control group 1 and 2: 57.60±8.36 vs 64.57±7.56 vs 66.58±5.65, 33.16±5.67 vs 38.62±8.36 vs 38.62±6.41 and 1.49±0.09 vs 2.32±0.15 vs 2.13±0.16, respectively; CD16+ CD56+ in the observation group was lower than the control group 2: 11.21±5.06 vs 16.70±7.92; CD8+ in the observation group was higher than control group 1 and control group 2: 26.63± 1.75 vs 20.60±1.43 vs 18.92±0.84; CD19+ in the observation group was higher than the control group 2: 24.06±6.42 vs 19.67 ±8.42, P<0.05, but no significant difference was noticed between the two control groups(P>0.05). For serum immunoglobulin and ferritin: IgG and ferritin in the observation group were higher than control group 1 and control group 2: 10.59±3.88 vs 7.02±3.88 vs 5.58±1.98 and 2 037.37±1 377.59 vs 72.63±56.71 vs 59.48±33.88. IgA in the observation group was higher than the control group 2: 1.06±0.92 vs 0.39±0.32(P<0.05), but no significant difference was noticed between the two control groups (P>0.05). The difference of IgM and IgE between the three groups was not significant (P > 0. 05). 【Conclusion】 The proportion of lymphocyte subsets in thalassemia children with repeated blood transfusion was imbalanced,and the level of immunoglobulin in humoral immunity was abnormal.

Mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine formulas and active ingredients in regulation of macrophage subsets involved in inflammation and repair of coronary heart disease / 中国中药杂志

Coronary artery disease(CAD) caused by atherosclerosis(AS) is a major contributor to the global burden of disease. The pathogenesis of CAD is complex, and the subset and function of cardiac macrophages are important factors affecting the occurrence and development of AS and the prognosis of CAD. Recent studies have shown that some traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) formulas and active ingredients can regulate macrophage subsets involved in the inflammation, injury, and repair process of CAD. This paper summarized the significant role of macrophages in AS and myocardial infarction. Based on the plasticity of macrophages, this paper elaborated that traditional Chinese medicine prevented and attenuated AS by regulating macrophage subsets, reducing the level of inflammatory factors, and promoting macrophage autophagy.Traditional Chinese medicine participated in the cardiac repair process after myocardial infarction by accelerating the recruitment of M2 macrophages, inhibiting the polarization of M1 macrophages mediated by glycolysis, inhibiting M1 macrophage-mediated cardiac nerve remodeling, and promoting M2 macrophage-mediated angiogenesis. In addition, in vitro studies on the regulation of macrophage subsets by the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine were also reviewed. It was pointed out that nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB), adenosine 5'-monophosphate(AMP)-activated protein kinase(AMPK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt), chemokine(C-C motif) ligand 2/C-C chemokine receptor type 2(CCL2/CCR2) were the key targets and pathways for the regulation of macrophages by TCM.

Bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical efficacy of bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and to preliminarily explore its action mechanism.@*METHODS@#Sixty-four patients with CFS were randomly divided into a moxibustion group (32 cases, 1 case dropped off, 1 case excluded) and an acupuncture group (32 cases, 2 cases dropped off). The patients in the moxibustion group were treated with bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion, while the patients in the acupuncture group were treated with routine acupuncture. Both groups were treated once a day, 6 days as a course of treatment with 1 day interval, for a total of 2 courses of treatment. Before treatment, 1 and 2 courses into treatment and in the follow-up of 14 days after treatment, the fatigue scale-14 (FS-14) and somatic and psychological health report (SPHERE) scores were observed in the two groups. Before and after treatment, the contents of CD+3, CD+4, CD+8 of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets were measured and CD+4/CD+8 ratio was calculated; the clinical efficacy of the two groups was compared.@*RESULTS@#Compared before treatment, the FS-14 and SPHERE scores in the two groups were decreased 1 and 2 courses into treatment and in the follow-up (P<0.01), and the FS-14 and SPHERE scores in the moxibustion group were lower than those in the acupuncture group (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared before treatment, the contents of CD+3, CD+4 and CD+4/CD+8 ratio in the moxibustion group were increased after treatment (P<0.01). There was no significant difference of CD+3, CD+4, CD+8 and CD+4/CD+8 ratio between before and after treatment in the acupuncture group (P>0.05). After treatment, the contents of CD+3 and CD+4 in the moxibustion group were higher than those in the acupuncture group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 93.3% (28/30) in the moxibustion group, which was higher than 73.3% (22/30) in the acupuncture group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion could improve the physical and mental fatigue symptoms and psychological status in patients with CFS. Its effect may be related to regulating the contents of CD+3, CD+4 of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets and CD+4/CD+8 ratio.

Tongxie Yaofang Regulates T Lymphocyte Subsets to Improve Immune Microenvironment of Colorectal Cancer Under Chronic Stress / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of Tongxie Yaofang on the immune microenvironment of colorectal cancer in mice under chronic stress and the underlying mechanism. MethodA total of 40 male SPF BABL/C mice were randomized into normal group， stress group， Tongxie Yaofang group （13.65 g·kg-1）， and Tongxie Yaofang-stress group （13.65 g·kg-1）， with 10 in each group. Chronic restraint stress was induced in mice and administration （ig） of Tongxie Yaofang began after 7 days of stress. On the 14th day， forced swim and tail suspension tests were used to examine the behavioral changes of mice after stress and the subcutaneous colorectal tumor was implanted in each group of mice. The effect of this prescription on the body mass and tumor volume of mice was observed. After the last administration， mouse serum and tumor samples were collected. The content of T lymphocytes （CD3+， CD4+， CD8+， and CD4+/CD8+） in tumor was detected by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry and levels of corticosterone （CORT） in peripheral blood， and interleukin （IL）-2， interferon-γ （IFN-γ）， IL-6， and IL-10 in the serum were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The protein expression of inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB（IκB） kinase α/β （IKKα/β）， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）α （IκBα）， NF-κB p65， and phosphorylated （p）-NF-κB p65 was measured by Western blot. ResultCompared with the normal group， the stress group had large tumor volume （P<0.05）， low content of CD3+， CD4+， and CD4+/CD8+ （P<0.05， P<0.01）， high content of CD8+， low content of T helper 1 （Th1）-secreted IFN-γ （P<0.05）， high content of T helper 2 （Th2）-secreted IL-10 （P<0.05） and CORT （P<0.05）， high protein expression of p-NF-κB p65， NF-κB p65， and IKKα/β （P<0.05）， and low protein expression of IκBα （P<0.05）. Compared with the normal group， the Tongxie Yaofang group showed slow tumor growth， high content of CD3+， CD4+， and CD4+/CD8+ （P<0.01）， low content of CD8+ （P<0.05）， high content of Th1-secreted IL-2 and IFN-γ （P<0.05）， low content of Th2-secreted IL-6 and IL-10 （P<0.05）， low content of CORT， low protein expression of p-NF-κB p65， NF-κB p65， and IKKα/β （P<0.05）， and high protein expression of IκBα （P<0.01）. Tongxie Yaofang-stress group demonstrated slower tumor growth， higher content of CD3+， CD4+， and CD4+/CD8+ （P<0.01）， smaller content of CD8+ （P<0.05）， higher content of IL-2 and IFN-γ （P<0.05）， lower content of IL-6， IL-10 （P<0.05）， and CORT （P<0.05）， lower protein expression of p-NF-κB p65， NF-κB p65， and IKKα/β （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and higher protein expression of IκBα （P<0.01） than the stress group. ConclusionTongxie Yaofang can delay the growth of colorectal cancer under chronic stress and alleviate the deterioration of the immune microenvironment， possibly by inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway， regulating the function of T lymphocyte subsets， and thus suppressing the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors.

Regulating the immune response to carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in mice by blocking inducible co-stimulatory molecules and interleukin-33 / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective: To investigate the effects of combined blockade of interleukin-33 (IL-33) and inducible co-stimulatory molecule (ICOS) on carbon tetrachloride-induced chronic liver fibrosis and imbalance of T helper lymphocyte subsets in mice. Methods: There were 40 BALB/c mice in each model and control group. Flow cytometry was used to determine the proportion of Th1/Th2/Th17 cells in the splenic lymphocyte suspension of mice, the expression levels of interferon γ, IL-4, and IL-17 in the splenic lymphocyte suspension of liver fibrosis mice after combined blockade of IL-33 and ICOS, and the pathological changes of liver histopathology in mice with liver fibrosis. Two independent sample t-test was used to compare data between groups. Results: Compared with the non-blocking group, the proportion of Th2 and Th17 cells in the IL-33/ICOS blocking group was significantly down-regulated (Th2: 65.96% ± 6.04% vs. 49.09% ± 7.03%; Th17: 19.17% ± 4.03% vs. 9.56% ± 2.03%), while the proportion of Th1 cells and Th1/Th2 ratio were up-regulated (Th1: 17.14% ± 3.02% vs. 31.93% ± 5.02%; Th1/Th2: 0.28 ± 0.06 vs. 0.62 ± 0.23), and the difference was statistically significant (t = 5.15, 6.03, 7.14, 4.28, respectively, with P < 0.05). After entering the chronic inflammation stage of liver fibrosis in mice (10 weeks), compared with the non-blocking group, the expression levels of IL-4 and IL-17 in the blockade group were significantly down-regulated [IL-4: (84.75 ± 14.35) pg/ ml vs. (77.88 ± 19.61) pg/ml; IL-17: (72.38 ± 15.13) pg/ml vs. (36.38 ± 8.65) pg/ml], while the expression of interferon γ was up-regulated [(37.25 ± 11.51) pg/ml vs. (77.88 ± 19.61) pg/ml], and the difference was statistically significant (t: IL-4: 4.71; IL-17: 5.84; interferon γ: 5.05, respectively, with P < 0.05). Liver histopathological results showed that hepatic necrosis, hepatic lobular structural disorder, and fibrous tissue hyperplasia were significantly lower in the blockade group than those in the non-blocking group at 13 weeks of liver fibrosis. Conclusion: Combined blockade of the ICOS signaling pathway and IL-33 can regulate Th2 and Th17 polarization, down-regulate the inflammatory response, and inhibit or prevent the occurrence and progression of fibrosis.

Predictive value of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets for children with intravenous immunoglobulin-resistant Kawasaki disease / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#Based on peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and common laboratory test indexes, this study aimed to construct a predictive scoring system for intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)-resistant Kawasaki disease (KD).@*METHODS@#Children hospitalized in Tianjin Children's Hospital from January 2021 to March 2023 were included in the study (185 cases of IVIG-sensitive KD and 41 cases of IVIG -resistant KD). Forty-six healthy children matched for age and gender were selected as controls. The relative percentage and absolute counts of peripheral lymphocyte subsets were measured by flow cytometry. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the predictive factors for IVIG-resistant KD and to construct a predictive scoring system for predicting IVIG-resistant KD.@*RESULTS@#The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that CD4+ T cell absolute count, natural killer cell absolute count, serum sodium level, globulin level, and total bilirubin level were identified as predictive factors for IVIG-resistant KD (P<0.05). The predictive scoring system based on these factors achieved a sensitivity of 70.7% and a specificity of 83.8% in predicting IVIG-resistant KD.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets can serve as predictive indicators for IVIG-resistant KD in children. The introduction of this indicator and the establishment of a scoring system based on it can provide a higher accuracy in predicting IVIG-resistant KD in children.

Comparison of clinical features between chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection and infectious mononucleosis in adult patients / 中华临床感染病杂志

Objective:To compare the clinical features between chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection(CAEBV) and infectious mononucleosis(IM)in adult patients.Methods:Clinical data from 56 adult IM patients and 14 adult CAEBV patients admitted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University during January 2011 to December 2019 were enrolled. Clinical manifestations, laboratory indicators, treatment and outcomes were compared between two groups. Chi-square test and Mann-whitney U test were used to analyze data. Results:The average age of CAEBV patients was higher than that of IM patients [36.0(23.8, 50.5)years vs. 19.0(17.3, 22.8) years; U=90.0, P<0.05]. The symptoms of sore throat, throat congestion, tonsilla enlargement and lymphadenopathy in IM group were more common than those in CAEBV group( χ2=14.088, 16.875, 31.855 and 10.938, all P<0.01). However, the incidence of pulmonary infection, sleepiness/dysphoria and splenomegaly in CAEBV group were significantly higher than those in IM group( χ2=17.217, 5.809 and 6.254, P<0.05 or <0.01). The white blood cell counts, hemoglobin levels, platelet counts, alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and albumin in CAEBV group were significantly lower than those in IM group( U=47.0, 49.5, 158.5, 173.0 and 263.5, all P<0.01). The levels of neutrophil ratio, C-reactive protein, serum ferritin and EBV DNA load in CAEBV group were significantly higher than those in IM group( U=145.0, 140.0, 128.5 and 115.0, P<0.05 or <0.01). The proportions of CD3 + T cell counts and CD8 + T cell counts in CAEBV group were significantly lower compared to those in IM group( U=42.0 and 24.5, P<0.01); the proportions of CD4 + T cell counts, the CD4 + T/CD8 + T cell counts ratio and B lymphocytes in CAEBV group were significantly higher compared to those in IM group( U=29.0, 23.5 and 34.5, P<0.01). Fifty-six IM patients were all cured and discharged from hospital. In CAEBV group, 8 cases died, 3 cases were improved and 3 cases lost follow-up. Conclusions:Patients with IM represent a favorable prognosis, while the prognosis of CAEBV is relatively poor and complication with HLH may occur. For older patients with EBV infection complicated with pulmonary infection, lethargy/irritability, attention should be paid to monitor blood routine, liver function, serum EBV DNA load and peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets.

Relationship between CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell subsets and the therapeutic effect of pembrolizumab in patients with uterine cervical cancer / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective:To investigate the relationship between CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell subsets and the therapeutic effect of programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1) inhibitor pembrolizumab in treatment of uterine cervical cancer. Methods:The data of 105 patients with uterine cervical cancer who received pemblizumab therapy based on chemotherapy in the First Hospital of Qinhuangdao from January 2018 to January 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Flow cytometry was used to detect the ratio of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell in peripheral blood of patients. The efficacy and safety were analyzed. According to the efficacy, all patients were divided into remission group (complete remission + partial remission) and non-remission group (stable disease + progressive disease). The clinical characteristics and CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell ratio of the two groups were compared. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors for the efficacy. The efficacy of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell ratio predicting the therapeutic effect of patients was analyzed by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results:The objective remission rate of all patients was 17.14% (18/105), and the incidence of adverse reaction was 39.05% (41/105). The proportion of patients with a family history of cervical cancer in the remission group was lower than that than in the non-remission group [5.56% (1/18) vs. 34.48% (30/87)], and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=6.00, P=0.014). The proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell of 105 patients before and after treatment was (0.83±0.21)% and (0.77±0.10)%, respectively; the proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell before and after treatment in the remission group was (0.55±0.26)%, (0.31±0.12)%, respectively; the proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell before and after treatment in the non-remission group was (0.89±0.30)%, (0.87±0.28)%, respectively. The proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell after treatment in the remission group was lower than that before treatment ( P < 0.05); there was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell before and after treatment in the non-remission group ( P>0.05). The proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell before and after treatment in the non-remission group was higher than that in the remission group (all P<0.001). The proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell higher than the mean value of both groups before treatment and the proportion of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell higher than the mean value of both groups after treatment were independent risk factor of disease remission ( OR=2.542, 95% CI 1.649-3.918, P<0.001; OR=2.936, 95% CI 2.154-4.002, P<0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell ratio predicting the disease remission before treatment was 0.720, and its best cut-off value was 0.77%, the senfitivity was 77.78%, the specificity was 70.11%. Conclusions:Early detection of CD8 +FoxP3 +CD25 + T cell ratio helps to predict the effect of PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab therapy for uterine cervical cancer.

Value of lymphocyte subsets in assessing the prognosis of adult hemophagocytic syndrome / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective:To explore the prognostic value of lymphocyte subsets in adult hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS).Methods:A total of 172 adult HPS patients diagnosed in 8 medical centers from January 2013 to August 2020 were selected for the study, of whom 87 were male (50.6%, 87/172), and 85 were female (49.4%, 85/172), with 68 survivors and 104 deaths. The clinical data were summarized, and variables such as lymphocyte subsets, immunoglobulin characteristics and fibrinogen were retrospectively analyzed, and the correlation between the mentioned variables and patient prognosis was analyzed. The optimal cut-off values of continuous variables were calculated by MaxStat, and the prognostic factors of HPS patients were screened based on the Cox proportional hazard regression model.Results:The median age of HPS patients was 56 (42, 66) years old, and the 5-year cumulative survival rate was 37.4% (37.4/100). The median age, platelet and albumin were 48 (27, 63) years, 84×10 9/L and 32.3 g/L in the survival group, and 59 years, 45.5×10 9/L, and 27.3 g/L in the death group, respectively. The differences between the two groups was statistically significant ( Z=?3.368, P=0.001; Z=?3.156, P=0.002; Z=?3.431, P=0.001). Patients with differentiated cluster 8+(CD8+)<11.1%, CD3+<64.9%, CD4+>51%, and CD4/CD8 ratio>2.18 had poor prognosis (χ 2=7.498, P=0.023; χ 2=4.169, P=0.041; χ 2=4.316, P=0.038; χ 2=9.372, P=0.002). Multivariable analysis showed that CD4/CD8 ratio, age, fibrinogen and hemoglobin were independent prognostic factors in HPS patients ( HR=2.435, P=0.027; HR=5.790, P<0.001; HR=0.432, P=0.018; HR=0.427, P=0.018). Conclusion:Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets can be used to evaluate the prognosis of patients with HPS; CD4/CD8 ratio, age, fibrinogen, and hemoglobin are independent prognostic factors in HPS patients.

Immune reconstitution in patients with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation after CAR-T immunotherapy / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective:To study the performance of immune reconstitution in patients with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell immunotherapy bridging allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).Methods:A total of 61 patients with acute B lymphocytic leukemia (B-ALL) who received CAR-T cell bridging allo-HSCT in Beijing Lu Daopei Hospital from August 2018 to December 2021 were enrolled, and the clinical medical records of the above patients were retrospectively analyzed. The average age was 14 (7, 30) years old, including 39 males and 22 females. 32 patients were treated with CAR-T cell immunotherapy(CAR-T Group) and 29 didn't with CAR-T cell immunotherapy(non-CAR-T group). The follow-up period was 561 (235,784) days. Multicolor flow cytometry was used to detect the peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets, i.e. total lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, helper T cells, cytotoxic T cells, B lymphocytes, NK cells, and Treg cell counts before transplantation and 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, and 12 months after transplantation, to evaluate the immune reconstitution performance post allo-HSCT.Results:Serum globulin before transplantation: The IgA level in the CAR-T group was 0.18 (0.06, 0.49) g/L, which was lower than that of 1.03 (0.63, 1.56) g/L in the non-CAR-T group ( U=103.5, P<0.001). The IgG level in the CAR-T group was 5.54 (4.04, 7.09) g/L, lower than that of 6.78 (5.27, 9.26) g/L in the non-CAR-T group, ( U=1 298.5, P=0.017), and the IgM level in the CAR-T group was 0.18 (0.05, 0.30) g/L, lower than that of 0.40 (0.26, 0.71) g/L in the non-CAR-T group ( U=166.0, P<0.001). In the CAR-T group before transplantation, the absolute count of total lymphocyte in peripheral blood was 833.00 (335.00, 1 727.50) /μl, lower than that of 1 052.00 (545.75, 1 812.50) /μl in the non-CAR-T group ( U=404.0, P<0.001). The absolute count of T lymphocyte in the CAR-T group before transplantation was 686.00 (233.00, 1 307.00)/μl, lower than that of 860.00 (391.00, 1 419.75) /μl in the non-CAR-T group ( U=406.0, P<0.001). The absolute count of helper T lymphocytes in the CAR-T group was 146.00 (40.50, 327.50) /μl, lower than that of 162.50 (66.00, 384.75) /μl in the non-CAR-T group ( U=494.0, P=0.002). The absolute count of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the CAR-T group was 343.00 (56.50, 924.00) /μl, lower than that of 478.00 (143.50, 992.25) /μl in the non-CAR-T group ( U=483.5, P=0.001). The absolute count of B lymphocytes in CAR-T group was 22.00 (6.00, 186.00) /μl, lower than that of 33.00 (8.00, 220.00) /μl in the non-CAR-T group ( U=498.0, P=0.002). And when two groups of patients were monitored after transplantation, there was no statistical difference in absolute cell counts of each immune cell subpopulation( P>0.05). Comparing the clinical features of the two groups, the pre-transplant history of the CAR-T group was 981.00 (368.50, 1 514.75) d, longer than that of 323.00 (167.50, 450.50) d in the non-CAR-T group ( U=263.0, P=0.004). The dose of rabbit anti-human thymic immunoglobulin (ATG) in the pretreatment protocol of patients in the CAR-T group was 5.00 (5.00, 7.50) mg/Kg, lower than that of 7.00 (5.00, 7.50) mg/kg in the non-CAR-T group ( U=288.5, P=0.018). The infusion dose of CD34 +cells in the CAR-T group was 5.91 (4.23, 6.02) ×10 6/kg, higher than that of 4.51 (4.00, 5.93)×10 6/kg in the non-CAR-T group ( U=291.0, P=0.012). The duration of the application of cyclosporine after transplantation in the CAR-T group was 167.00 (119.25, 299.50) d, which was shorter than that of 197.00 (102.50, 450.50) d in the non-CAR-T group ( U=421.0, P=0.001). Conclusions:For patients in CAR-T group with low immune function before transplantation, it may be possible to make them comparable to non-CAR-T group in immune reconstitution state by reducing the dose of pretreatment ATG, increasing the counts of CD34 + cells infusion in the graft, and discontinuing cyclosporine as soon as possible after transplantation.