Expression and Clinical Significance of Serum Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to explore the correlation between serum dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at its various disease states, analyze its applications in the prediction and diagnosis of COPD and test the possibility of DPPIV as the serologic marker for COPD screening. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Samples from 74 patients (42 cases with acute exacerbation of COPD or acute exacerbation COPD (AECOPD) and 32 cases with stable COPD) and 29 control subjects were collected in this study. Those patients with AECOPD were classified as COPD remission group if their clinical symptoms relieved after nonintravenous or oral hormone therapy for 7 ± 3 days. DPPIV concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the difference in serum concentration of DPPIV was compared among different groups. The correlation between DPPIV concentration and age, sex or smoking history was analyzed, and the diagnostic value of DPPIV was evaluated by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: Serum DPPIV concentration was significantly lower in all COPD groups as compared with that in healthy control group (P < 0.001). Serum DPPIV concentration in AECOPD group was increased after treatment (P < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between DPPIV concentration and age, sex or smoking history (P > 0.05). ROC analysis indicated that serum DPPIV concentration in all groups showed a good diagnostic accuracy, especially in stable COPD and AECOPD groups. The area under the ROC curve values were 0.901 and 0.906, respectively, with a high specificity of 0.931 for both groups and a high sensitivity of 0.75 for stable COPD and 0.875 for AECOPD. CONCLUSIONS: Serum DPPIV concentration in patients with COPD is decreased significantly, and there is no correlation between serum DPPIV concentration and sex or age. Serum DPPIV not only is an independent predictive factor, but also of high value as a good serologic marker for the diagnosis of COPD.

[Assessment of the factors associated with insulin resistance in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the factors associated with insulin resistance (IR) in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. METHODS: Sixty-eight patients with mild chronic hepatitis B (MCHB) caused by HBV were recruited for study. Sixty-seven healthy individuals with no hepatitis virus infections and normal liver function were enrolled as controls. Demographic, anthropometric, clinical, and blood biochemical parameters were compared between the two groups. IR was determined by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). The MCHB group was further divided into patients with IR (HOMA-IR: > 2.7) and patients without IR (HOMA-IR: less than 2.7). Demographic, anthropometric, clinical, and blood biochemical parameters were compared between the two sub-groups. Finally, the potential factors associated with IR were evaluated. RESULTS: Compared to the healthy controls, the MCHB patients had significantly higher serum insulin (Z = -5.451, P less than 0.01), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (Z = -8.211, P less than 0.01) and HOMA-IR (Z = -5.631, P less than 0.01). IR was detected in 44.12% (30/68) of the MCHB patients. The levels of ALT and body mass index (BMI) were significantly different between the MCHB patients with IR and without IR (t = -2.358, and t = -3.566, P less than 0.05). There was a significant correlation between BMI, ALT, and HOMA-IR in the MCHB patients (r = 0.374, r = 0.282, P less than 0.05), but not with the HBV DNA loads (r = 0.015, P = 0.904). Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that BMI [Exp(B): 1.859, P less than 0.01] and ALT [Exp(B): 1.022, P less than 0.05] were independent risk factors of IR in MCHB. CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of insulin resistance in patients with mild hepatitis caused by chronic HBV infection. In these patients, IR is correlated with abnormal liver function and BMI, and not HBV load.

[Effect of HBV on the expression of SREBP in the hepatocyte of chronic hepatitis B patients combined with hepatic fatty change].

To investigate the effect of HBV on the expression of Sterol regulatory element binding proteins( SREBP ) in the hepatocyte of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) combined with hepatic fatty change. 55 cases diagnosed as CHB combined with hepatic fatty change in our department were selected and liver biopsies were carried out. The patients were dividied into 3 groups, group A: HBV DNA is less than or equal to 1000 copies/ml(15 cases), group B: 1000 copies/ml less than HBV DNA less than 100000 copies/ml (18 cases) and group C: HBV DNA is more than or equal to 100000 copies/ml (22 cases). 10 patients with HBV DNA in less than or equal to 1000 copies/ml after antiviral therapy with Nucleoside analogues were seen as group C1 (before treatment) and group C2 (after treatment) respectively; 12 patients with HBV DNA is more than or equal to 100000 copies/ml after antiviral therapy were classified as group C3 (before treatment) and group C4 (after treatment). Lipid droplets in the hepatic tissue were observed with oil red staining. Real time PCR were performed to detect the expressions of SREBP-1c and SREBP-2 mRNA in the liver. The protein expressions of SREBP-1c and SREBP-2 were detected with immunohistochemistry staining. Statistic data were analysed with SPSS11.5 software. (1) Red integrated optical densities (IOD) reflected by lipid drops in group A, B and C are 1004.27+/-218.63, 1937.01+/-401.47 and 4133.79+/-389.28 respectively, the degree of oil red O in each group was different (F = 385.69, P is less than to 0.01), which is increased as HBV DNA load increasing; Red IOD in group C1, C2 and C3, C4 are 4020.84+/-326.64, 1012.02+/-244.89, 4189.18+/-329.21 and 4121.76+/-304.09 respectively. Compared with group C1, the degree of oil red O in group C2 is decreased and the difference is statistically significant (t = 22.55, P is less than to 0.01); However, the difference of the degree of oil red O between group C4 and C3 is not statistically significant. (2) Compared with group A, the expressions of SREBP-1c mRNA in group B and C are raised by 1.218+/-0.130 and 1.798+/-0.118 times respectively, among group A, B, C, the expressions of SREBP-1c mRNA are statistically significant different ( F = 297.47, P is less than to 0.01). The expressions of SREBP-2 mRNA in group B and C are decreased by 0.956+/-0.118 and 0.972+/-0.153 times as compared to group A. However, the difference of SREBP-2 mRNA expression among the 3 groups is not statistically significant ( F = 0.568, P is more than to 0.05). Compared with group C1, SREBP-1c mRNA in group C2 is decreased by 0.714+/-0.081 folds (t=11.224, P is less than to 0.01), while SREBP-2 mRNA in group C2 is raised by1.034+/-0.155 times(t=0.692, P is more than to 0.05). SREBP-1c mRNA and SREBP-2 mRNA in group C4 are raised by 1.012+/-0.206 times and decreased by 0.998+/-0.183 times as compared to group C3 without difference found (t=0.196 or 0.031, P is more than to 0.05). (3) the expressions of SREBP-1c protein in group A, B and C are 36257.21+/-5709.79, 50413.47+/-4989.28 and 71025.83+/-6047.13 respectively, and the difference is statistically significant among the 3 groups (F = 178.26, P is less than to 0.01); the expressions of SREBP-2 protein in group A, B and C are 32913.52+/-3951.21, 32625.91+/-4025.06 and 34173.44+/-5316.25 respectively, but the difference is not statistically significant among the 3 groups ( F = 0.562, P is more than to 0.05), SREBP-1c protein levels in group C1, C2, C3, C4 are 69832.16+/-4941.36, 48735.47+/-5471.41, 70871.69+/-5083.14 and 68913.32+/-5343.22 respectively, the difference of SREBP-1c protein levels between group C1 and C2 is statistically significant (t=10.260, P is less than to 0.01); while the difference between group C3 and group C4 is not statistically significant(t=1.558, P is more than to 0.05). The expressions of SREBP-2 protein in group C1, C2, C3 and C4 are 33 980.21+/-4081.80, 34011.50+/-3859.27, 33610.12+/-4761.10 and 32915.66+/-5023.61 respectively, the difference of SREBP-2 protein levels in group C1 and group C2 is not statistically significant (t=0.038, P is more than to 0.05) and same result exists between group C3 and group C4 (t=0.459, P is more than to 0.05). HBV DNA may participate in the hepatic steatosis formation through interfering with the SREBP-1c expression.

[Study on the association of thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor and the Thr325Ile and Thr147Ala polymorphisms of its encoding gene CPB2 in patients with coronary heart disease].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) and its encoding gene CPB2 polymorphism in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: The CPB2 gene polymorphisms of Thr325Ile and Thr147Ala were analyzed with polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in patients of acute myocardial infarction (n=100), acute angina pectoris (n=110) and a control group (n=190). The antigen (Ag) and activity (Act) of the TAFI were determined by sandwich enzyme link immunosorbent assay specific for human TAFI and chromogenic assay for activated human TAFI in plasma, respectively. The relationship between Thr325Ile and Thr147Ala gene polymorphism and TAFI Ag and Act were also analyzed. RESULTS: Plasma TAFI Act and TAFI Ag in acute myocardial infarction group and acute angina pectoris group (CHD patients group) were both significantly higher than those of the control group. The genotype frequencies of Thr325Ile (C1040T) and Thr147Ala (G505A) were as the following: C1040C (Thr325Thr) 67 (31.9%) and 64 (33.6%); C1040T (Thr325Ile) 109 (51.9%) and 92 (48.4%); T1040T (Ile325Ile) 34 (16.2%) and 34(17.8%); G505G (Ala147 Ala) 75 (35.7%) and 72 (37.8%); G505A(Thr147Ala) 112 (53.3%) and 96 (50.5%); A505A(Thr147Thr)23 (10.9%) and 22 (11.7%), in the CHD patients and control respectively. Chi-square analysis showed no significant difference in the Thr325Ile and Thr147Ala polymorphism distributions (P > 0.05). In addition, at the 325 position, the TAFI antigen of the Thr325Thr was higher than that of the other genotypes (Thr325Ile and Ile325Ile, P < 0.05). There was no statistical significance between the TAFI antigen of the Thr325Ile and Ile325Ile (P > 0.05). No significant correlation was found between the TAFI Act and the Thr325Ile polymorphism. At the position 147, significant correlation between the polymorphism of the Thr147Ala and TAFI Ag and Act was not found. CONCLUSION: TAFI plays an important role in anti-fibrinolysis. It might be a risk factor for acute myocardial infarction and acute angina pectoris. The Thr325Ile polymorphism had obvious effect on TAFI antigen levels, but the Thr325Ile and Thr147Ala polymorphism had no association with coronary heart disease.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 2-alkylaminoethyl-1,1-bisphosphonic acids against Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii targeting farnesyl diphosphate synthase.

The effect of a series of 2-alkylaminoethyl-1,1-bisphosphonic acids against proliferation of the clinically more relevant form of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of American trypanosomiasis (Chagas' disease), and against tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii has been studied. Most of these drugs exhibited an extremely potent inhibitory action against the intracellular form of T. cruzi, exhibiting IC(50) values at the low micromolar level. This cellular activity was associated with a strong inhibition of the enzymatic activity of T. cruzi farnesyl diphosphate synthase (TcFPPS), which constitutes a valid target for Chagas' disease chemotherapy. Compound 17 was an effective agent against amastigotes exhibiting an IC(50) value of 0.84 microM, while this compound showed an IC(50) value of 0.49 microM against the target enzyme TcFPPS. Interestingly, compound 19 was very effective against both T. cruzi and T. gondii exhibiting IC(50) values of 4.1 microM and 2.6 microM, respectively. In this case, 19 inhibited at least two different enzymes of T. cruzi (TcFPPS and solanesyl diphosphate synthase (TcSPPS); 1.01 microM and 0.25 microM, respectively), while it inhibited TgFPPS in T. gondii. In general, this family of drugs was less effective against the activity of T. cruzi SPPS and against T. gondii growth in vitro. As bisphosphonate-containing compounds are FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of bone resorption disorders, their potential low toxicity makes them good candidates to control tropical diseases.

[Expression of specific antibodies against platelet glycoproteins in patients with mds and its significance].

The aim of this study was to find platelet specific autoantibodies against glycoproteins in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and to explore its role in pathogenesis of MDS. The plasma autoantibodies against GP IIb/IIIa and GP Ib/IX were measured by using a modified monoclonal antibody specific immobolization platelet antigens assay (MAIPA). Absorbance greater than mean value plus tripled standard deviation recorded from the normal controls were regarded as positive. The results indicated that the total positive rate in patients with MDS was 16.67% (5/30), the total positive rate in patients with ITP was 46.67% (14/30), the difference between MDS group and ITP group was significant (P < 0.05). It is concluded that partial patients with MDS have plasma specific autoantibodies against platelet GP II b/III a and GP Ib/IX, indicating correlation of thrombocytopenia of patients with immune factors and the autoantibody-mediated platelet destruction may be involved in the pathogenesis of MDS. It provides a new basis for immunosuppression therapy for MDS.