Epidemiological and clinical profile of pediatric hepatitis B virus infections in Wuhan: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a substantial public health safety concern drawing considerable attention in China and globally. The detection of HBV serological markers can enable the assessment of HBV infection and replication status in vivo and evaluate the body's protection against HBV. Therefore, this study aims to identify the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of HBV infection in children to prevent and control HBV infection in Wuhan areas. METHODS: We conducted an extensive retrospective cohort analysis of 115,029 individuals aged 0-18 years who underwent HBV serological markers detection for HBV infection in hospital between 2018 and 2021 using Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. We generated descriptive statistics and analysed HBV infection's epidemiological and clinical characteristics between different sex and age groups. RESULTS: The overall positive detection rates of HBsAg, HBsAb, HBeAg, HBeAb, and HBcAb in all participants were 0.13%, 79.09%, 0.17%, 2.81%, and 5.82%, respectively. The positive rate of HBeAb and HBcAb in males was significantly lower than that in females (2.64% vs. 3.13%, 5.56% vs. 6.29%) (P < 0.05). Twenty-two distinct HBV serological expression patterns were revealed. Among them, 8 common expression patterns accounted for 99.63%, while the remaining 14 uncommon expression patterns were primarily observed in neonatal patients with HBV infection. There are no significant differences in serological patterns based on sex (P < 0.05). The overall HBV infection detection rate was 5.82% [range 5.68-5.95] and showed a declining yearly trend. The rate in females was higher than that in males 6.29% [6.05, 6.35] vs. 5.56% [5.39, 5.59]. The overall HBV diagnostic rate over 4 years was 0.20% [0.17, 0.22], and the rate declined yearly. The prevalence of acute infection was higher than that of other infection types before 2019, but the incidence of unclassified infection showed a significant upward trend after 2019. CONCLUSIONS: While the overall HBV infection detection rate in children has decreased year by year, the infection rate remains high in children under one year and between 4 and 18 years. This continued prevalence warrants heightened attention and vigilance.

HLA-F-AS1/miR-330-3p/PFN1 axis promotes colorectal cancer progression.

OBJECTIVE: Accumulating Studies implies that long-chain non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plays a vital regulatory role in the occurrence and progression of tumors. This study aimed to explore the function and mechanism of lncRNA HLA-F antisense RNA 1 (HLA-F-AS1) in colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: Expressions of HLA-F-AS1, miR-330-3p and profilin 1 (PFN1) mRNA in CRC tissues were detected by RT-PCR. MTT assay was used to detect cell proliferation, and Transwell assay was used to detect cell migration and invasion. In addition, PFN1 and apoptosis-related protein Bcl-2 associated X (Bax) and B cell lymphoma/leukmia-2 (Bcl2) were detected by western blot. Interactions between miR-330-3p and HLA-F-AS1 or the 3'UTR of PFN1 were predicted and determined by bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: Expressions of HLA-F-AS1 and PFN1 were significantly up-regulated while miR-330-3p was significantly down-regulated in CRC tissues and cell lines. Over-expressions of HLA-F-AS1 or transfection of miR-330-3p inhibitors could promote the proliferation, migration and invasion and block apoptosis of CRC cells, whereas knockdown of HLA-F-AS1 or transfection of miR-330-3p mimics led to the opposite effects. Additionally, HLA-F-AS1 could down-regulate miR-330-3p via sponging it. HLA-F-AS1 also enhanced the expressions of PFN1, which was validated as a target gene of miR-330-3p. CONCLUSION: HLA-F-AS1 promoted CRC progression via regulating miR-330-3p/PFN1 axis.

Deregulation of miR-520d-3p promotes hepatocellular carcinoma development via lncRNA MIAT regulation and EPHA2 signaling activation.

MicroRNA-520d-3p (miR-520d-3p) is a novel cancer-related miRNA and functions as a tumor suppressor in human cancers. However, the expression patterns and mechanisms of miR-520d-3p involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain rarely known. Here, we found that the expression levels of miR-520d-3p in HCC tissues and cells were significantly lower than in tumor-adjacent tissues and L02 cells. Decreased level of miR-520d-3p was relevant to poor overall survival, whereas miR-520d-3p up-regulation resulted in a marked inhibition of cell growth, migration and invasion. In addition, the long non-coding RNA, myocardial infarction associated transcript (MIAT) was up-regulated in both HCC tissues and cell lines. MIAT suppressed the expression and function of miR-520d-3p. Moreover, erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular A2 (EPHA2) was speculated and confirmed as a direct target of miR-520d-3p. We also demonstrated that MIAT may function as a sponge competitive endogenous RNA for miR-520d-3p, and thus regulate the molecular expression of EPHA2. In summary, our study has identified a novel signaling pathway through which miR-520d-3p exerts its anticarcinogenic roles and suggested that the MIAT/miR-520d-3p/EPHA2 may be a new target for HCC therapy.

Preparation, identification, and clinical application of anti-HBs monoclonal antibody that binds both wild-type and immune escape mutant HBsAgs.

Using a standard cellular fusion technique and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a hybridoma cell line strain secreting anti-HBs monoclonal antibody (mAb) (defined G6 mAb) was obtained. The cells grew and secreted mAb stably. Antibody titers in the culture supernatant and ascites were 2.048×106 and 4.096×106, respectively. By applying the anti-HBs G6 mAb and horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled goat anti-HBs antibody, we developed a sandwich ELISA (defined G6m ELISA) for detecting both wild-type and immune escape mutant HBsAgs (IEM HBsAg). The assay was performed to detect 17 species of genome recombinant expression HBsAg, including two wild-type species and 15 IEM HBsAg species, which varied in the "a" determinant, in a group of patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). The patients previously had a lower ELISA detection signal [(absorbance of patients/absorbance of normal people (P/N): 1.0-4.5)]. The results demonstrated that the sensitivity of this assay to wild-type HBsAg was no less than 0.125 µg/L; 12 of 15 IEM HBsAg species (P/N⩾2.5) were positive for G6 mAb. Of the positive IEM HBsAg species, two had a low absorbance value at 450 nm (A 450), one had an intermediate A450 value and nine had a high A 450 value, which was 7.55%(mean), 59.4%and 92.1%-109.4% of the wild-type A 450 value, respectively. The two species with low A 450 value and the three negative species mutated at the bases 120-124 in the first loop of the HBV "a" determinant. Using the G6 ELISA and two commercial ELISA kits (A and B), 177 patients were tested. The G6 ELISA had a significantly higher detection rate than either commercial ELISAs (19.21% vs 14.89% and 6.21%, respectively; P<0.01, P<0.05, respectively).

[Preparation of anti HBs monoclonal antibody and its combination characterization to both wild-type HBsAg and immune escape mutant HBsAg].

AIM: To prepare monoclonal antibodies against HBsAg and estimate its binding capacity to both wild-type and varies of immune escape mutant-type HBsAg. METHODS: Using self-made the anti-HBs G6 mAb and HRP-labeled goat anti-HBs antibody, A sandwich ELISA for detection both wild-type and varies of immune escape mutant-type HBsAg has been developed. Applying this assay, to detect 17 species of whole gene wild-type and recombination expressed HBsAg which varied in "a" determinant. to evaluate its clinical application characteristic of this assay, we used the other commercial reagents to Comparing with it. RESULTS: One strain hybridoma cell lin secreted anti-HBs mAb (defined G6), was obtained. It grew stably and the titers of the culture supernatant and hydroperitoneum were 2 048 and 4 096x10(3). The sensitivity to the wild-type HBsAg of this assay was less than 0.125 microg/L. This anti-HBs mAb can bind with 12 in 15 species mutant HBsAg (P/N> or =2.5), and 2 of them were low absorbent value at 450 nm(A(450)) group which was 7.55 percent of the wild-type, 1 of them was middle A(450) value group which was 59.40 percent of the wild-type, 9 of them were high A(450) value group which was 92.1-109.4 percent of the wild-type. The low A(450) value group and the negative group were diversified in 120-124 basyl in I loop of the HBV "a" determinant. We also used other commercial reagents, which was widely used in clinic, to detect partial species mutant HBsAg, the average A(450) value was less than foregoing assay. CONCLUSION: The G6 anti-HBs mAb was able to bind most of the immune escape mutant HBsAg in the test. And there would be some special regulations between the mutant site and the recombination expressed HBsAg binding capability.