Serum soluble fibrinogen-like protein 2 concentration predicts delirium after acute pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVE: Inflammation can cause delirium. Soluble fibrinogen-like protein 2 (sFGL2) is a modulator of the immune response and more recently found to be a biomarker for brain injury. This study was designed to discover the predictive capability of serum sFGL2 concentrations for delirium after acute pancreatitis (AP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective, observational study, serum sFGL2 concentrations were quantified in 184 healthy controls and in 184 AP patients. Disease severity was assessed by Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Care Evaluation II score, Ranson score, multiple organ dysfunction score, and sequential organ failure assessment score. Delirium was recorded during hospital stay. Predictors of delirium were identified using multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Serum sFGL2 concentrations were substantially higher in AP patients than in controls. Serum sFGL2 concentrations were intimately correlated with the preceding severity parameters. Serum sFGL2 and the aforementioned severity parameters were independent predictors for delirium. Under receiver operating characteristic curve, the discriminatory ability of serum sFGL2 was equivalent to those of the above-mentioned severity parameters. Moreover, serum sFGL2 dramatically improved the predictive value of the aforementioned severity parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Elevation of serum sFGL2 concentrations is strongly associated with the AP severity and has the potential to distinguish delirium after AP.

Anticancer activity of genistein on implanted tumor of human SG7901 cells in nude mice.

AIM: To investigate genistein-induced apoptosis of implanted tumors of SG7901 cells in nude mice, and the relationship between this apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax. METHODS: Establishing a transplanted tumor model by injecting human SG7901 cells into subcutaneous tissue of nude mice. Genistein (0.5, 1 and 1.5 mg/kg) was directly injected adjacent to the tumor, six times at 2-d intervals. Then, changes in tumor volume were measured continuously and tumor inhibition rate of each group was calculated. We observed the morphological alterations by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), measured the apoptotic rate by the TUNEL staining method, and detected the expression of apoptosis-regulated gene Bcl-2 and bax by immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR. RESULTS: Genistein 0.5, 1 and 1.5 mg/kg significantly inhibited carcinoma growth when it was injected near the tumor by 10.8%, 29.9% and 39.6%, respectively. Genistein induced implanted tumor cells to undergo apoptosis, with apoptotic characteristics seen by TEM. The apoptosis index was increased progressively with increasing genistein dose (28.9%+/-1.2%, 33.8%+/-1.6% and 37.7%+/-1.2%). The positive rate of Bcl-2 protein was decreased progressively (11.9%+/-0.9%, 5.9%+/-0.7% and 4.2%+/-0.6%), and the positive rate of bax protein was increased progressively (0.9%+/-1.7%, 24.9%+/-0.8% and 29.6%+/-1.7%) by immunohistochemical staining, with increasing dose of genistein. The density of Bcl-2 mRNA decreased progressively and the density of bax mRNA increased progressively with elongation of time by RT-PCR. CONCLUSION: Genistein was able to induce apoptosis of transplanted tumor cells. This apoptosis may be mediated by down-regulation of the apoptosis-regulated gene Bcl-2 and up-regulation of apoptosis-regulated gene bax.