Immunocytochemistry, flowcytometry and nucleic acid in situ hybridization were used to observe the effect of sodium tanshinon Ⅱ-A silate (DS201) on proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) induced by hypoxic endothelial cell condition medium (HECCM). The results showed that DS201 could obviously hinder PASMC to enter S phase from G0/G1 phase (P<0.05), and decrease the expression of PCNA and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-A and B chain mRNA in PASMC respectively, (P<0.01). It was suggested that DS201 could probably inhibit the prolifertion of PASMC mediated by HECCM, through down-regulating the expression of PDGF-A and B chain gene.

In order to investigate the expression change of survivin in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and its possible effects on NHL development, the expression of survivin, Ki-67, caspase3 and FVIIIRAg in reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RH) and NHL was detected by immunohistochemical assay, and apoptosis index (AI) in RH and NHL by TUNEL analysis. The results showed that the expression of survivin is significantly higher in aggressive NHL than in indolent NHL (P<0.01), while there was no statistically significant difference between RH and indolent NHL (P>0.05). The expression of survivin had a significantly positive correlation with the expression of Ki-67 and FVIIIRAg (r=0.6495, 0.6635, respectively, both P<0.01), and a negative correlation with the expression of caspase3 and AI (r=-0.5820, -0.6013, respectively, P<0.01). It was suggested that survivin may contribute to the progression of NHL by playing an important role in promoting cell proliferation, inhibiting cell apoptosis and enlisting angiogenesis. Survivin expression is closely related to malignant grade and therefore may be considered an important prognostic factor of NHL.

In order to investigate the expression change of survivin in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and its possible effects on NHL development, the expression of survivin, Ki-67, caspase3 and FⅧRAg in reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RH) and NHL was detected by immunohistochemical assay, and apoptosis index (AI) in RH and NHL by TUNEL analysis. The results showed that the expression of survivin is significantly higher in aggressive NHL than in indolent NHL (P＜0.01), while there was no statistically significant difference between RH and indolent NHL (P＞0.05). The expression of survivin had a significantly positive correlation with the expression of Ki-67 and FⅧRAg (r=0.6495, 0.6635, respectively, both P＜0.01), and a negative correlation with the expression of caspase3 and AI (r=-0.5820, -0.6013, respectively, P＜0.01). It was suggested that survivin may contribute to the progression of NHL by playing an important role in promoting cell proliferation, inhibiting cell apoptosis and enlisting angiogenesis. Survivin expression is closely related to malignant grade and therefore may be considered an important prognostic factor of NHL.

Objective To establish a simple scoring system for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and to observe its sensitivity and specificity. Methods Two hundred and thirty-three patients diagnosed as CHB by liver biopsy were divided into model group (N = 154) and validation group (N = 79). The general information, biochemical parameters and imaging data of all patients were observed. With hepatic fibrosis being obvious or not as the end point of primary study in the model group, we established a simple scoring system for the diagnosis. The cut-off, sensitivity and specificity of the system were tested in the model group by ROC curve, and its diagnostic efficacy was tested in the validation group. Results(1) A simple scoring system for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis called MDFS was established in the model group, and the dimensions of the system included sex, HBV-DNA, Fibroscan (FS) value and splenomegaly. In MDFS, male, HBV-DNA≥ 107 U/mL,FS value≥7.3 kPa, and splenomegaly were assigned 1 point, -2 points, 3 points, and 2 points respectively. (2) The best cut-off value in MDFS was 2 points.(3) ROC curve of the model group indicated that the specificity and sensitivity were 92.86% and 54.76% respectively, the area under curve(AUC) was 0.790, and the Youden index was 0.4762. In the validation group, the diagnostic cut-off value was over 2 points, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio were 52.17%, 82.35%, 2.96, and 0.58 respectively. (4) The scoring results of MDFS for different traditional Chinese medical syndromes of CHB showed that the scores of blood stasis blocking collaterals > damp-heat accumulation > deficiency of spleen and kidney yang> liver depression and spleen deficiency = stagnation of liver Qi. Conclusion The MDFS diagnostic scoring system has medium efficiency. The specificity of MDFS is relatively high and MDFs has a relatively low misdiagnosis rate for the diagnosis of obvious hepatic fibrosis in CHB. The MDFS is expected to be a noninvasive and simple diagnosing way for hepatic fibrosis in CHB.

The E (envelope) protein is the smallest structural protein in all coronaviruses and is the only viral structural protein in which no variation has been detected. We conducted genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of SARS-CoV. Based on genome sequencing, we predicted the E protein is a transmembrane (TM) protein characterized by a TM region with strong hydrophobicity and alpha-helix conformation. We identified a segment (NH2-_L-Cys-A-Y-Cys-Cys-N_-COOH) in the carboxyl-terminal region of the E protein that appears to form three disulfide bonds with another segment of corresponding cysteines in the carboxyl-terminus of the S (spike) protein. These bonds point to a possible structural association between the E and S proteins. Our phylogenetic analyses of the E protein sequences in all published coronaviruses place SARS-CoV in an independent group in Coronaviridae and suggest a non-human animal origin.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Cluster Analysis ; Codon ; genetics ; Gene Components ; Genome, Viral ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; metabolism ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Protein Conformation ; SARS Virus ; genetics ; Sequence Alignment ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sequence Homology ; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

Beijing has been one of the epicenters attacked most severely by the SARS-CoV (severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus) since the first patient was diagnosed in one of the city's hospitals. We now report complete genome sequences of the BJ Group, including four isolates (Isolates BJ01, BJ02, BJ03, and BJ04) of the SARS-CoV. It is remarkable that all members of the BJ Group share a common haplotype, consisting of seven loci that differentiate the group from other isolates published to date. Among 42 substitutions uniquely identified from the BJ group, 32 are non-synonymous changes at the amino acid level. Rooted phylogenetic trees, proposed on the basis of haplotypes and other sequence variations of SARS-CoV isolates from Canada, USA, Singapore, and China, gave rise to different paradigms but positioned the BJ Group, together with the newly discovered GD01 (GD-Ins29) in the same clade, followed by the H-U Group (from Hong Kong to USA) and the H-T Group (from Hong Kong to Toronto), leaving the SP Group (Singapore) more distant. This result appears to suggest a possible transmission path from Guangdong to Beijing/Hong Kong, then to other countries and regions.
Genome, Viral ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Mutation ; Open Reading Frames ; Phylogeny ; SARS Virus ; genetics

We report a complete genomic sequence of rare isolates (minor genotype) of the SARS-CoV from SARS patients in Guangdong, China, where the first few cases emerged. The most striking discovery from the isolate is an extra 29-nucleotide sequence located at the nucleotide positions between 27,863 and 27,864 (referred to the complete sequence of BJ01) within an overlapped region composed of BGI-PUP5 (BGI-postulated uncharacterized protein 5) and BGI-PUP6 upstream of the N (nucleocapsid) protein. The discovery of this minor genotype, GD-Ins29, suggests a significant genetic event and differentiates it from the previously reported genotype, the dominant form among all sequenced SARS-CoV isolates. A 17-nt segment of this extra sequence is identical to a segment of the same size in two human mRNA sequences that may interfere with viral replication and transcription in the cytosol of the infected cells. It provides a new avenue for the exploration of the virus-host interaction in viral evolution, host pathogenesis, and vaccine development.
Base Sequence ; China ; Cluster Analysis ; Gene Components ; Genetic Variation ; Genome, Viral ; Genotype ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; SARS Virus ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; genetics