Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of Tofacitinib combined with leflunomide in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its effects on Janus Kinase (JAK)/signal transduction and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway-related proteins and Matrix metalloproteinase levels in serum of patients with RA.Methods:This was a prospective case-control study. A total of 80 patients with RA in our hospital from March 2020 to September 2021 were included into the study. They were divided into observation group and control group by random number table method, with 40 cases in each group. The patients in observation group were treated with Tofacitinib combined with leflunomide, while the patients in control group were treated with leflunomide alone. After 12 weeks of continuous treatment, the curative effect of the two groups was observed. Typical clinical manifestation [including Visual analogue scale (VAS) score of joint pain, number of tenderness joints, number of swollen joints, time of morning stiffness], disease activity score uses 28 joint counts (DAS28) scores, the MOS item short from health survey (SF-36) total scores and serum JAK3, STAT3, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17 and matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) levels were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. The adverse effects of the two groups were also analyzed. Chi-square test, paired sample t test, independent sample t test and Fisher exact probability method were used for statistical analysis. Results:After 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, the american college of rheumatology (ACR)20 compliance rates in the observation group were 37.5%(15/40), 62.5%(25/40) and 80.0%(32/40), respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the control group at the same period [17.5%(7/40), 37.5%(15/40), 57.5%(23/40); χ2=4.01, P=0.045; χ2=5.00, P=0.025; χ2=4.71, P=0.030]. After 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, the ACR50 compliance rates in the observation group were [35.0%(14/40) and 47.5%(19/40), respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the control group at the same period 15.0%(6/40) and 20.0%(8/40), χ2=4.27, P=0.039; χ2=6.76, P=0.009]. After treatment, the joint pain VAS score, number of tenderness joints, number of swollen joints, DAS28 scores and SF-36 total scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group( t=5.55, P<0.001; t=9.98, P<0.001; t=11.77, P<0.001; t=4.50, P<0.001; t=5.28, P<0.001), and time of morning stiffness was shorter than that in the control group ( t=4.76, P<0.001). After treatment, The serum levels of JAK3, STAT3, IL-6, IL-17, MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-13 in the obser vation group were (2 354±476) pg/ml, (1.04±0.17) ng/ml, (12.4±2.8) pg/ml, (30±5) pg/mL, (65±14) μg/L, (76±12) μg/L, (11.5±1.8) μg/L, which were lower than those in control group [(2 715±584) pg/ml (1.22±0.29) ng/mL, (16.8±3.6) pg/ml, (40±7) pg/ml, (98±15) μg/L, (123±20) μg/L, (14.9±2.8) μg/L, t=3.03, P<0.05; t=3.39, P<0.05; t=6.10, P<0.05; t=7.35, P<0.05; t=10.17, P<0.05; t=12.74, P<0.05; t=6.46, P<0.05]. The adverse reaction rate of the observation group [35.0%(14/40)] had no statistically significant difference compared with that in the control group [27.5%(11/40)]( χ2=0.52, P=0.469). Conclusion:The overall effect of Tofacitinib com bined with leflunomide in the treatment of RA is satisfactory and it is a safe and effective way to improve the clinical manifestation, disease activity and quality of life of patients with RA. The effect may be related to the significant down-regulation of the expression levels of Serum JAK/STAT signaling pathway-related Proteins and MMPs.

The morbidity of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is rising rapidly but no curative therapies to prevent its recurrence. Cell death is crucial to maintaining homeostasis. Necroptosis is a newly identified programmed cell death and its roles played in IBD need to be explored. Necroptosis is mediated by receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), RIPK3, and mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL), which resulted in cell swelling, plasma membrane rupture, intracellular content leaking, and eventually cell death as well as the promotion of inflammation. Studies have found that inhibiting necroptosis alleviated IBD in animal models and IBD patients with an increased level of necroptosis in inflammatory tissues, indicating that necroptosis is related to the pathogenesis of IBD. However, due to the complexity in regulation of necroptosis and the involvement of multiple functions of relevant signaling molecules, the specific mechanism remains elusive. Necroptosis may play a vital regulatory role in the pathogenesis of IBD, which provides a new idea and method for further exploring the therapeutic target of IBD.

Platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRB) rearrangements play an important role in the pathogenesis of eosinophilia-associated myeloid/lymphoid neoplasms. Up to now, more than 70 PDGFRB fusions have been identified. Here, a novel PDGFRB fusion gene CSNK2A1-PDGFRB has been identified in myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) with eosinophilia by RNA-sequencing, which has been verified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing. The new PDGFRB fusion partner gene CSNK2A1 encoded one of the two catalytic subunit of casein kinase II (CK2). To our knowledge, this is the first report on the involvement of CSNK2A1 in fusion genes, especially fusion with another kinase PDGFRB in MPN. In addition, the CSNK2A1-PDGFRB fusion retained the entire kinase domain of PDGFRB and response to imatinib at low concentration. The patient with CSNK2A1-PDGFRB was sensitive to imatinib treatment and acquired sustained complete remission.

Platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRB) rearrangements play an important role in the pathogenesis of eosinophilia-associated myeloid/lymphoid neoplasms. Up to now, more than 70 PDGFRB fusions have been identified. Here, a novel PDGFRB fusion gene CSNK2A1-PDGFRB has been identified in myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) with eosinophilia by RNA-sequencing, which has been verified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing. The new PDGFRB fusion partner gene CSNK2A1 encoded one of the two catalytic subunit of casein kinase II (CK2). To our knowledge, this is the first report on the involvement of CSNK2A1 in fusion genes, especially fusion with another kinase PDGFRB in MPN. In addition, the CSNK2A1-PDGFRB fusion retained the entire kinase domain of PDGFRB and response to imatinib at low concentration. The patient with CSNK2A1-PDGFRB was sensitive to imatinib treatment and acquired sustained complete remission.

[摘 要] 目的：探究钾钙激活通道亚家族N成员4（KCNN4）在胰腺癌组织中的表达及其对胰腺癌进展的影响，解析KCNN4在胰腺癌临床诊断及预后判断中的作用。方法：利用GEPIA2数据分析平台，结合TCGA和GTEx数据库的数据分析KCNN4在胰腺癌组织中的表达水平及其与患者预后的关系。收集24例海军军医大学长海医院手术切除的胰腺癌患者的癌及癌旁组织标本，通过qPCR、WB法和免疫组化染色技术验证KCNN4在胰腺癌组织中的表达水平。利用shRNA敲低人胰腺癌细胞中BXPC3和PANC-1中KCNN4的表达，通过CCK-8和克隆形成实验检测细胞增殖与生长情况。利用小鼠胰腺癌KPC细胞构建胰腺癌原位成瘤模型，观察敲低KCNN4对胰腺原位成瘤的影响，统计小鼠生存期（OS）。结果：整合TCGA和GTEx数据库数据分析结果发现，KCNN4在胰腺癌组织中高表达（P < 0.05），且与患者OS和DFS缩短相关（均P < 0.05）。胰腺癌组织中KCNN4 mRNA和蛋白表达量均显著高于癌旁组织（均P < 0.01）。KCNN4敲低后，胰腺癌细胞生长速率显著减慢、克隆形成数量显著减少（均P < 0.01）。小鼠胰腺原位荷瘤实验结果表明，KCNN4敲低可抑制肿瘤细胞在胰腺原位的生长并延长小鼠OS。结论：KCNN4在胰腺癌组织中高表达，其能促进胰腺癌细胞增殖和胰腺癌进展，与患者预后密切相关，有望作为胰腺癌临床诊断及预后评估的靶点。

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