BACKGROUND: Recently, one focus of research has been Annexin Ⅴ (AnV) existing on hepatic cells membranes as a fundamental receptor related to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Also its expression in placental tissues has been a matter of debate. The study of the relationships between placental cells infected with HBV and their AnV expression will be of great value in future prevention strategies and treatments.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the presence of AnV in HBV infected human's placental cells and its potential role in HBV intrauterine transmission.DESIGN: Randomized controlled experiment.SETTING: Taishan Medical College.MATERIALS: Placental tissue was collected from HBsAg positive full term pregnant women (30 cases) admitted to Jinan Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Taian Central Hospital and Taian Institute for Maternal and Child Health from January 2003 to December 2004. Maternal serum was also obtained. Informed consents for participating in this study were obtained from all the involved pregnant women and this experiment was approved by the Hospital Ethics Committee. Rabbit-anti-human AnV purified affinity antibody (first antibody), rat-anti-human HBs mAb (first antibody),and biotinylated goat-anti-mouse IgG (secondary antibody) were supplied by Wuhan Boster Bioengineering Company.METHODS: Using SABC immunohistochemical staining reagent, 18 HBsAg positive placentas were obtained from 30HBsAg infected patients in full term pregnancy. These were considered as the positive group and the other 12 were used as negative controls. The staining process included dewaxing, dehydration of embedded slides and microwave antigen restoration. In the wet box, rabbit-anti-human AnV purified antibody (first antibody, 1:60, monoclonal antibody)was added on the slides and kept at 4 ℃ overnight. Rat-anti-human antibody HBs mAb(secondary antibody, 1:50) was added and kept at 4 ℃ ovemight, after this procedure, biotinylated goat-anti-mouse IgG(1:100), the first fluorescent antibody such as FITC-goat anti-rabbit IgG (1:50) and the second fluorescent antibody (Avidin-Cy3) were used,respectively. The slides were sealed with buffered glycerol and examined under a confocal laser scanning microscope.The images on the slides were analyzed with IPP 4.5 image programs.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Detecting the simultaneous existence and distribution of HBsAg/AnV in placental cells with HBV infection.RESULTS: Ten cases from the positive group were simultaneously detected for HBsAg/AnV by double-labeled immunofluorenscence assay and confocal laser scanning microscope. AnV expression was detected in the trophoblastic, interstitial cells and vascular endothelial cells of villi interstitial blood vessels, and the coexistence of HBsAg/AnV was found even in one cell.CONCLUSION: HBsAg combined with the receptor AnV in the same placental cells is a common finding in HBV infected full term pregnant women. This finding is very suggestive of a mechanism where AnV could promote hepatitis B virus to enter the placental cells and cause intrauterine infection.

The recombinant human Smad7 adenoviral vector was constructed by direct DNA cloning protocol and then transfected into 293 cells for virus packaging. After amplification and purification, the recombinant adenovirus was used to infect the keloid fibroblasts. The Smad7 mRNA transcription of the infected cells was detected by RT-PCR. The recombinant Adeno-Smad7 was correctly constructed and confirmed by both restriction analysis and PCR analysis. RT-PCR showed the over expression of adenovirus mediated Smad7 mRNA in keloid cells. These results demonstrated that the recombinant Smad7 adenoviral vector can be expressed in cultured cells in vitro, and it may provide a new therapeutic strategy for keloid gene therapy.
Adenoviridae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Fibroblasts ; metabolism ; pathology ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Keloid ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Smad7 Protein ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo study transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) autoproduction in keloid fibroblasts and the regulation effect of blocking TGF-beta intracellular signaling on rhTGF-beta1 autoproduction.

METHODSKeloid fibroblasts cultured in vitro were treated with either rhTGF-beta1 (5 ng/ml) or recombinant adenovirus containing a truncated type II TGF-beta receptor gene (50 pfu/cell). Their effects of regulating gene expression of TGF-beta1 and its receptor I and II were observed with Northern blot.

RESULTSrhTGF-beta1 up-regulated the gene expression of TGF-beta1 and receptor I, but not receptor II. Over-expression of the truncated receptor II down-regulated the gene expression of TGF-beta1 and its receptor I, but not receptor II.

CONCLUSIONSTGF-beta1 autoproduction was observed in keloid fibroblasts. Over-expression of the truncated TGFbeta receptor II decreased TGF-beta1 autoproduction via blocking TGF-beta receptor signaling.

Activin Receptors, Type I ; biosynthesis ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Down-Regulation ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Keloid ; metabolism ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis ; metabolism ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Signal Transduction ; Trans-Activators ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation

Objective: To monitor the antimicrobial resistance and drug-resistance genes of Yersinia enterocolitis, Y. intermedia and Y. frederiksenii recovered from retailed fresh poultry of 4 provinces of China. Methods: The susceptibility of 25 isolated Yersinia spp. to 14 classes and 25 kinds of antibiotics was determined by broth microdilution method according to CLSI (Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute). The antibiotic resistance genes were predicted with antibiotic resistance genes database (ARDB) using whole genome sequences of Yersinia spp. Results: In all 22 Y. enterocolitis tested, 63.7% (14 isolates), 22.8% (5 isolates), 4.6% and 4.6% of 1 isolates exhibited the resistance to cefoxitin, ampicillin-sulbactam, nitrofurantoin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, respectively. All the 25 isolates were multi-drug resistant to more than 3 antibiotics, while 64.0% of isolates were resistant to more than 4 antibiotics. A few Y. enterocolitis isolates of this study were intermediate to ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin. Most Yersinia spp. isolates contained antibiotic resistance genes mdtG, ksgA, bacA, blaA, rosAB and acrB, and 5 isolates recovered from fresh chicken also contained dfrA1, catB2 and ant3ia. Conclusion The multi-drug resistant Yersinia spp. isolated from retailed fresh poultry is very serious in the 4 provinces of China, and their contained many kinds of drug-resistance genes.