As the first line of therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia, the outcome of imatinib is encouraging. The plasma concentration of imatinib is correlated with remission rate and survival, and affected by α1 acid glycoprotein(AGP) and those drugs which will change the activities of cytochrome P450(CYP3A4). It is conductive for the treatment of CML by monitoring the plasma concentration of imatinib.

To explore the effect of recombinant human interleukin 11(rhIL-11), granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) combined with cyclophosphamide (CTX) on mobilizing peripheral blood stem/progenitor cells in C57BL/6 mice. A total of 48 C57BL/6 mice were randomized into four groups. CTX (200mg/kg) was injected intraperitonealy on the first day (d0) in the treatment group. rhIL-11 alone or in combination with rhG-CSF was administered subcutaneously, beginning from 24 hours after CTX for 15 consecutive days in two other groups. The changes in peripheral blood white cell counts, platelet counts and the percentage of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells of the mice were observed. It was shown that rhIL-11 or/and rhG-CSF could increase the numbers of WBC, PLT, CFU-GM, CFU-E, CFU-MK progenitor cells, and the percentage of CD34 positive cells in peripheral blood of myelosupressed mice. The results demonstrated that rhIL-11 alone or in combination with G-CSF and CTX could mobilize bone marrow haematopoietic stem/progenitor cells into peripheral blood.

Objective To set up a new real-time quantitative PCR method for the detection of minimal residual disease in chronic myeloid leukemia patients, and to assess the bcr/abl fusion gene expression in chronic myeloid leukemia patients before and after treatment with imatinib mesylate by real-time quantitative PCR method. Methods The bcr/abl fusion gene expression in 30 patients with bcr/abl-positive chronic myeloid leukemia was analyzed by using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RQ-PCR) method. The patients treated with imatinib in a dose of 400mg/d for 1 year and 2 years were also examined (8 cases for each). In 19 new patients the same study was also conducted. Results The real time quantitative PCR method could detect 10 copies in the test. The average bcr/abl expression levels in new patients or patients who had been treated with imatinib for 1 year and 2 years were 68.18%?26.67%, 0.16%?0.15% and 0.04%?0.02%, respectively. The average logarithm reduction values after treatment were 2.82 in the first year and 3.36 in the second year. In 25% of patients (4/16) negative FISH results could not be obtained, but it was much lower than that of before imatinib-treatment. When FISH became negative, RQ-PCR showed positive results. Conclusions RQ-PCR is a more sensitive technique in the detection of bcr/abl fusion gene than the FISH. It is an important way to monitor the tumor cell during the treatment with imatinib mesylate in chronic myeloid leukemia patients.

0 05). The PBSC with red blood cells(8～11ml) without elimination before infusion were harvested by CS 3000 Plus.The leve1 of blood group antigens and antibodies and bone marrow cells morphology were examined at different intervals after transplantation. No patient showed acute haemolysis in the ABO incompatible group. The median time of blood type transformation was 40 2?25 days. The median time for recovery of normal WBC and Plt in ABO incompatible groups was 10 days longer than that in the ABO compatible group. The number of patients with Hb

To investigate the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in occurrence and progression of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), enzume linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used for detection of VEGF concentration in plasma from AML patients and normal bone marrow donors.The mean VEGF concentration in the plasma from refractory (558 90pg/ml) and non refractory (392 54pg/ml) AML patients was higher than that from normal donors (57 27pg/ml) and AML patients post Allo BMT (77 31pg/ml).There were significant differences between refractory and non refractory AML group. The baseline VEGF level (196 14pg/ml) of patients in complete remission (CR) after a median follow up of 6 months was significantly lower than that of patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed AML, but significantly higher than that of patients with Allo BMT AML and normal donors. Therefore, abnormal VEGF expession may play an important role in development of AML, and VEGF might be used to evaluate prognosis of AML.

Objective In the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML-M2a), the first CCR (continuous complete remission) has been one of the most critical indicators to the prognosis of the patients. Using microarray approaches, gene expression profiles have been studied in patients with different CCR, in order to find out the genes relevant to the progresses of the AML. Methods Bone marrow mononuclear cells were collected and used as different experimental groups respectively. Group A composed of three AML patients with CCR<6 months, while group B composed of three AML patients with CCR>12 months. mRNAs were purified and labeled with Cy3 and Cy5 respectively, which were used to hybridize against the Agilent human 1B 60mer oligonucleotide microarrays. Results In the 20173 genes tested, 21 genes were found expressed differentially between these two groups. Of these differentially expressed genes, 10 genes were up-regulated while 11 genes were down-regulated in group A. Conclusion Through microarray studies, 21 genes including APP were found to be differentially expressed in AML patients whom were treated with standard chemotherapy. Theses genes can be early indicators for the diagnosis as well as prognosis of the refractory AML.

Objective To explore the apoptosis effect induced by bortezomib combined with homoharringtonine or arsenious acid in HL-60 cell line and the mechanism.Methods Cell' s apoptosis was demonstrated by MTT assay and Hoechst33342 staining.Expression of bcl-2,Caspase-9,Caspase-3 and PARP protein was detected by Western blot.Results HL-60 cells' apoptosis could be induced by bortezomib,homoharringtonine and arsenious acid respectively.Proliferation inhibition of HL-60 cells could be enhanced significantly when treated by bortezomib combined with homoharringtonine or arsenious acid compared with treated by any of the three drugs alone (P ＜ 0.05).At the same time morphology shows the apoptosis induced by drugs combined is more obviously than by one drug.Western blot showed bcl-2 protein was down-regulated and Caspase-9,Caspase-3 and PARP proteins were all cleaved activation when cells were treated by 15 μmol/ L arsenious acid alone,but only cleaved activation of PARP and down-regulation of bcl-2 protein be detected when cells were treated with 30 nmol/L homoharringtonine alone,expression of Caspase-9 and Caspase-3 had no change compared with the control.The changes of associated proteins were paralleled with the cell' s apoptosis when treated with combined drugs.Conclusion HL-60 cells' apoptosis effect is inhanced significantly when bortezomib combined with homoharringtonine or arsenious acid.Arsenious acid and bortezomib can inhibit caspase signaling pathway and down-regulate the expression of bcl-2 protein together,but homoharringtonine and bortezomib can only down-regulate the expression of bcl-2 protein and induce cleaved activation of PARP together.

Echinoderms are deuterostome, and occupy the top taxonomic position of invertebrates, where is the evolutionary linkage between invertebrates and vertebrates.This is a critical phylogenetic vantage point to infer both the early evolution of bilaterian immunity and the underpinnings of the vertebrate adaptive immune system.The available published literatures on echinoderm immunological mechanisms are compiled and discussed here to understand its evolution process and the hot spots or directions in future investigations.Echinoderms have an innate immune system like vertebrates but their adaptive attributes have not been observed.Its immune responses are based on coelomocytes activity working in parallel with a variety of humoral factors that react directly with invading pathogens.Comparative studies of immune functions in echinoderms have demonstrated that there is a complement system in echinoderms that appears to have alternative pathway and lectin pathway but lack classical pathway and terminal pathway.The sea urchin innate immune system has a number of large gene families.Further investigations are needed to understand the unknown immune-associated genes, proteins, immune signaling pathways and effector molecules, and to know the origin, the underlying mechanisms and evolution of innate immune system.

Objective To investigate the variation of immune index in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) treated with autologous purified CD+34 cells transplantation and to clarify the relationship with pathogenesis and prognosis. Methods Flow cytometry (FCM) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) were used to test lymphocyte subsets, C3, C4, CH50, autoantibodies and immunoglobulin for 18 cases of SLE before and after transplantation. Results The results showed that the ratio of all the T cell subsets reduced obviously in early postgraft and recovered gradually in 1 to 3 months after transplantation except CD45 RO+CD+4 cells. The levels of serum C3, C4, CH50 increased significantly after transplantation. No case relapsed within one year after transplantation, but 2 patients relapsed one year after transplantation. The levels of the indexes in the patients with relapse were significantly lower than those in the patients with persistent remission, including C4 in the entire course, CH50 in the 3rd and 12th month after transplantation and CD45 RA+ CD+8 cells in the 6th month after transplantation. However, the ratio of CD45 RO+ CD+4 cells in the first month after transplantation in the patients with relapse was higher than that in the patients with persistent remission. Conclusion Autologous purified CD+34 cells transplantation is effective for treating SLE. Survey of immune indexes before and after transplantation is important to investigate the pathogenesis of SLE. Moreover, these immune indexes can be used to predict therapeutic efficacy of SLE.

Objective To deepen the understanding of chronic disseminated candidiasis(CDC)in patients with acute leukemia(AL).Methods CDC was investigated in 119 AL patients who received induction chemotherapy from August 2004 to May 2005.Clinical manifestations,laboratory tests,imaging modalities,diagnosis and treatment were investigated retrospectively.Results Three patients(2.5%) were identified to be suffering from CDC.All the three patients had an absolute neutrophil count (ANC)＜0.5 × 109/L for more than 15 days.Two patients had normal ANC when they were diagnosed to have CDC.The common manifestations in these three patients were persistent fever,splenohepatomegalia and percussion pain in hepatic region.Meanwhile,2 of them were accompanied with cough,expectoration and dyspnoea.The abnormal laboratory test observed during the course of infection in two of them was increase of alkaline phosphatase.Computed tomography scan showed multiple hypodense lesions in the liver and spleen in all the three patients:two of them showed multiple nodular patchy shadOW$in lungs.Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple abnormal signal in liver,spleen and kidneys in one of the patients.Two patients had positive bleed fungal cultures and histologic examination in one of the patients were positive for Candida tropicalis.Two patients received amphotericin B therapy empirically,but it was replaced by amphotericin B colloid dispersion (ABCD) later in one and combined with voficonazole in another because of unresponsiveness to the drug.One patient took a favorable turn after receiving ABCD therapy for 45 d,which was replaced by voriconazole because of the emergence of fever after disconfinuation of ABCD.All the three patients received further chemotherapy smoothly after the diagnosis of CDC.Conclusion The diagnosis of CDC remains difficult.Fungal blood cultares and histologic examination have been considered in many studies as the golden standard for the diagnosis of CDC.Amphotericin B is the cornerstone of treatment in patients with CDC and lipid formulations of amphotericin B can be used in CDC patients who are intolerant of or refractory to conventional amphotericin B.Voriconazole has a favorable response for refrectory/relapse patients and could be used for second line trectment.The development of CDC in patients with acute leukemia does not preclude further chemotherapy.