Thromboelastography-based assessment of coagulation function in patients with chronic kidney disease and the risk factors of hypercoagulability / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To assess the changes in the coagulation profiles of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) using thromboelastography (TEG) and identify the risk factors of hypercoagulation in CKD patients.@*METHODS@#A total of 128 patients with CKD admitted in Hunan Provincial People's Hospital between August, 2018 and May, 2019 were recruited. The results of conventional coagulation test and TEG were compared between patients with CKD and 21 healthy control adults. The patients with CKD were divided into hypercoagulation group with a maximum amplitude (MA) > 68 mm (=66) and non-hypercoagulation group (MA≤68 mm, =62). The laboratory indicators were compared between the groups, and the factors affecting the hypercoagulable state in patients with CKD were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#The levels of fibrinogen and D-Dimer increased significantly in patients with CKD at different stages as compared with the control subjects ( < 0.05). In the patients with CKD, the reaction time and K time decreased while MA, α-angle and coagulation index increased significantly in patients in stage 3-4 and those in stage 5 either with or without hemodialysis compared with the control group ( < 0.05). The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), percentage of patients with diabetes mellitus, history of stroke, percentage of neutrophils, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, red blood cell count, hemoglobin levels, platelet count, serum creatinine, serum cystatin-C, serum albumin, and lipoprotein (a) all differed significantly between hypercoagulation group and non-hypercoagulation group ( < 0.05). The eGFR, platelet count and hemoglobin levels were identified as independent factors affecting hypercoagulability in patients with CKD ( < 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#s The hypercoagulable state of patients with CKD worsens gradually with the disease progression, and eGFR, platelet count and hemoglobin levels are all risk factors for the hypercoagulable state in patients with CKD.

ETA-mediated anti-TNF-α therapy ameliorates the phenotype of PCOS model induced by letrozole.

Chronic inflammation is a typical characteristic of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), in which, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α plays an important role. We investigated whether anti-TNF-α therapy can alleviate the core phenotypes of PCOS. In pubertal female Wistar rats, release pellets of letrozole (LET) were administered continuously for 90 days to induce PCOS-like phenotypes, followed by treatment with etanercept (ETA), a TNF-α inhibitor. ETA significantly inhibited increases in body weight and androgen, TNF-α, and MCP-1 levels, excessive recruitment of lipid droplets, altered levels of pre-adipose differentiation markers, and abnormal development of follicles. In addition, TNF-α and testosterone (T) levels in the rat sera were significantly positively correlated. Further experiments were performed to investigate the relationship between TNF-α and androgen. Persistent exposure of the RAW 264.7 cell line to low doses of testosterone significantly enhanced TNF-α expression and activated the NF-κB signaling pathway, which were blocked by ETA. Furthermore, treatment with TNF-α promoted the production of testosterone in KGN granulosa cells by reducing CYP19A1 expression, whereas ETA treatment blocked this process. In conclusion, anti-TNF-α therapy with ETA may be an efficient method to alleviate PCOS, whose underlying mechanism may be associated with its ability to reduce excessive androgen levels.

A Convenient and Effective Approach for Gene Synthesis of Human Platelet Factor-4 / 中国药科大学学报

AIM:To synthesize the human platelet factor-4(hPF4) gene with a convenient and effective approach, and high express the hPF4 gene in E. coli BL21 (DE3). METHODS: According to the primary structure of hPF4, the nucleotide sequence was synthesized using touch-down PCR method. The resultant gene fragment containing EcoR Ⅰ and Xho Ⅰ overhangs at 5' and 3' ends was cloned into the expression vector pGEX-4T-1 to construct the recombinant plasmid pGEX-4T-1-hPF4,which was then transformed into the E. coli strain BL21 (DE3). RESULTS: hPF4 gene was successfully synthesized by touchdown PCR method. A fusion protein composed of glutathione S-transferase (GST) and the recombinant hPF4 was expressed in BL21(DE3) by IPTG induction. The expression level of the fusion protein in E. coli was about 30% of the total cellular protein. CONCLUSION: Touch-down PCR may provide a convenient and effective approach to obtain other target genes. The expressed fusion protein forms the inclusion bodies, providing sufficient material for further purification and biological activities process.

Expression and Purification of a hbFGF Lacking Nuclear Localization Signal / 中国药科大学学报

AIM:To study the mechanism of the unique export of one of human basic fibroblast growth factor (hbFGF) forms lacking the N-terminal nuclear localization signal (NLS),we high expressed and purified this hbFGF form in E.coli strain BL21(DE3).METHODS:The cDNA fragment of the hbFGF amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was cloned into the expression vector pET3c and expressed in BL21(DE3) by IPTG induction.The expressed hbFGF was purified by ionic exchange and heparin affinity chromatography from the supernatant of bacteria lysate.The mitogenic activity was measured by MTT.RESULTS:The expression level of hbFGF in E.coli was about 20% of the total cellular protein.The appreciable mitogenic activity of the purified hbFGF was comparable to that of hbFGF standard.CONCLUSION:The BL21(DE3)/ pET3c expression system could be used to high express hbFGF lacking NLS.The purified recombinant hbFGF was prepared and sufficient for further study.

Expression and Purification of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Mutant with Reduced Mitogenic Activity / 中国生物工程杂志

In order to decrease the potential side-effects of human basic fibroblast growth factor (hbFGF) caused by its broadspectrum mitogenic activity, a single residue of hbFGF, the residue serine 108, was replaced with neutral alanine residue to construct a mutant of hbFGF (mhbFGF) with reduced mitogenic activity. The mutant was overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) by IPTG induction. The expression level of mhbFGF was about 30% of the total cellular protein. The expressed mhbFGF was purified by ionic exchange and heparin affinity chromatography from the supernatant of bacteria lysate. Measured by MTT method, the effect of mhbFGF on Balb/c 3T3 cell proliferation was much lower than that of wild-type hbFGF. The purified recombinant mhbFGF was prepared and sufficient for the following pharmacological and safety studies.