[Association between toll-like receptors 2 and 5 polymorphisms and neonatal sepsis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNP) in toll-like receptors (TLR) 2 and 5 genes and the susceptibility to neonatal sepsis. METHODS: One hundred and fourteen newborn infants who were diagnosed with clinical sepsis (case group) between May 2011 and January 2014 and 172 newborn infants without infection(control group) were enrolled in this study. The polymorphisms of TLR2 (rs5743708 and rs3804099) and TLR5 (rs5744105) were analyzed using a SNaPshot multiplex reaction to compare the genotypic and allelic frequencies between two groups. The relationship between TLR genotypes and susceptibility to sepsis was analyzed by logistic regression models. RESULTS: Significant differences in genotypic frequencies of TLR2 rs3804099 (C/T) and TLR5 rs5744105 (C/G) were found between the two groups (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in allelic frequencies of all the SNPs above between the two groups (P>0.05). The genotype on TLR2 rs5743708 was GG and no mutation was found in both groups. In regression models, birth weight (OR=3.065; P<0.05) and gestational age (OR=3.301; P<0.05) were closely associated with neonatal sepsis. Sex (OR=1.107, P>0.05), polymorphisms in rs3804099 (OR=0.876; P>0.05) and polymorphisms in rs5744105 (OR=0.820; P>0.05) genes were not risk factors for neonatal sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: TLR2 and 5 polymorphisms (rs5743708, rs3804099 and rs5744105) may not serve as the susceptible gene for sepsis in newborn infants.

[NF-kappaB-mediated protective effect of erythropoitin on neuron against glutamate-induced damage].

AIM: To investigate protective effect and possible mechanisms of erythropoitin (EPO) on cortical neuron against damage induced by glutamate(Glu). METHODS: Cortical neurons were removed from 1-day-old newborn rat and then cultured in vitro. The model of damage induced by Glu was established. The experiment was designed as: control group, Glu treatment group,the group of pretreatment with EPO, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamates(PDTC) treatment group. The changes of morphology were observed under inverted microscopy; the cell viability was detected by MTT assay; and the apoptosis rate of neuron was measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS: After exposure to Glu, neurons were obviously damaged. Neurons morph of EPO pretreatment group was similar to that of blank group. However, in PDTC treatment group, cells were obviously damaged, and morph of cells was similar to that of Glu treatment group. Compared with control group, survival of neurons of Glu treatment group significantly decreased, while the neurons apoptotis of Glu treatment group was significantly increased (P<0h01). Compared with Glu treatment group, the neurons, survival of EPO pretreatment group significantly increased, the neurons apoptotis can significantly decrease (P<0h01)ls. Compared with EPO pretreatment group, the cells survival of PDTC treatment group was significantly decreased, while the neurons, apoptotis of Glu treatment group was significantly increased (P<0h01), and similar to that of Glu treatment group. CONCLUSION: EPO could protect cortical neuron from Glu toxicity,which might related to signal transduction of NF-kappaB.

[Study on the expression of C-erbB-2 gene in coal miners with pneumoconiosis complicated by pulmonary cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To study the difference in the expressions of C-erbB-2 gene between the coal miners with pneumoconiosis complicated by pulmonary cancer and the controls with single pulmonary cancer, and its relation to clinical pathology. METHOD: Measuring the expressions of C-erbB-2 in 32 cases of pneumoconiosis complicated by pulmonary cancer and those in 30 cases of pulmonary cancer by means of immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The positive expression rate in 32 cases of pneumoconiosis complicated by pulmonary cancer was 53.13% whereas that in 30 cases of single pulmonary cancer was 26.67% (P < 0.05); the positive expressions of C-erbB-2 in patients with lymph node metastasis (70.59% in pneumoconiosis group, 50.00% in controls) were significantly different from those without lymph node metastasis (33.33% in pneumoconiosis group, 11.11% in controls) (P < 0.05). The prognosis on patients with positive expressions of C-erbB-2 was poor, and was not related to pathologic category. CONCLUSION: C-erbB-2 gene may be an important regulating gene in the coal miners with pneumoconiosis complicated by pulmonary cancer, and as a reference index to determine lymph node metastasis and prognosis.