During aging, cardiac contractile response to β-AR stimulation is decreased in humans and animal models. Recent studies demonstrate that the positive inotropic effects of both β1-AR and β2-AR stimulation are significantly decreased with aging.This is accompanied by decreases in both β-AR subtype densities and a reduction in membrane adenylyl cyclase activity. However,neither G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) nor inhibitory G proteins (Gi) appears to contribute to the age-associated reduction in the β-AR modulation of contraction. Thus, while both aging and chronic heart failure exhibit a diminution in cardiac β-AR responsiveness, only heart failure exhibits increased GRK-mediated desensitization ofβ-Ars and an upregulation of Gi proteins.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with positive TLS-ERG fusion gene.Methods:The clinical data of 9 AML patients with positive TLS-ERG fusion gene in the First Hospital of Jilin University from June 2013 to August 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, and the relevant literature was reviewed.Results:Among 9 patients with positive TLS-ERG fusion gene, there were 5 males and 4 females, with a median age of 16 years old (6-40 years old). Five patients received chemotherapy alone, 3 patients received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), and 1 patient did not receive systematic treatment. Among 8 patients with systematic treatment, 1 patient had complete remission after the first induction chemotherapy and 5 patients had complete remission after induction therapy. The median overall survival time of 5 patients with chemotherapy alone was 1.5 months (1-11 months), of which 3 patients did not respond to the first course of treatment and died of infection, and 2 patients died after relapse. The median overall survival time of 3 patients with allo-HSCT was 16 months (13-17 months), of which 2 patients died after relapse and 1 patient had sustained molecular complete remission by the end of follow-up.Conclusions:AML with positive TLS-ERG fusion gene has low incidence rate and poor induction efficacy. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may partially improve the survival prognosis of patients, but it cannot overcome the adverse effect of positive TLS-ERG fusion gene on prognosis.

OBJECTIVETo screen rare blood groups Fy(a-), s-, k-, Di(b-) and Js(b-) in an ethnic Zhuang population.

METHODSSequence-specific primers were designed based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites of blood group antigens Fy(b) and s. A specific multiplex PCR system I was established. Multiplex PCR system II was applied to detect alleles antigens Di(b), k, Js(b)1910 and Js(b) 2019 at the same time. The two systems was were used to screen for rare blood group antigens in 4490 randomly selected healthy donors of Guangxi Zhuang ethnic origin.

RESULTSWe successfully made the multiplex PCR system I. We detected the rare blood group antigens using the two PCR system. There are five Fy(a-), three s(-), two Di(b-) in 4490 Guangxi zhuang random samples. The multiplex PCR system I has achieved good accuracy and stability. With multiplex PCR systems I and II, 4490 samples were screened. Five Fy(a-), three s(-) and two Di(b-) samples were discovered.

CONCLUSIONMultiplex PCR is an effective methods, which can be used for high throughput screening of rare blood groups. The rare blood types of Guangxi Zhuang ethnic origin obtained through the screening can provide valuable information for compatible blood transfusion. Through screening we obtained precious rare blood type materials which can be used to improve the capability of compatible infusion and reduce the transfusion reactions.

Blood Group Antigens ; genetics ; Duffy Blood-Group System ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; genetics

Objective: To investigate the current status and real performance of the detection of RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion transcript levels and WT1 transcript levels in China through interlaboratory comparison. Methods: Peking University People’s Hospital (PKUPH) prepared the samples for comparison. That is, the fresh RUNX1-RUNX1T1 positive (+) bone morrow nucleated cells were serially diluted with RUNX1-RUNX1T1 negative (-) nucleated cells from different patients. Totally 23 sets with 14 different samples per set were prepared. TRIzol reagent was added in each tube and thoroughly mixed with cells for homogenization. Each laboratory simultaneously tested RUNX1-RUNX1T1 and WT1 transcript levels of one set of samples by real-time quantitative PCR method. All transcript levels were reported as the percentage of RUNX1-RUNX1T1 or WT1 transcript copies/ABL copies. Spearman correlation coefficient between the reported transcript levels of each participated laboratory and those of PKUPH was calculated. Results: ①RUNX1-RUNX1T1 comparison: 9 samples were (+) and 5 were (-) , the false negative and positive rates of the 20 participated laboratories were 0 (0/180) and 5% (5/100) , respectively. The reported transcript levels of all 9 positive samples were different among laboratories. The median reported transcript levels of 9 positive samples were from 0.060% to 176.7%, which covered 3.5-log. The ratios of each sample’s highest to the lowest reported transcript levels were from 5.5 to 12.3 (one result which obviously deviated from other laboratories’ results was not included) , 85% (17/20) of the laboratories had correlation coefficient ≥0.98. ②WT1 comparison: The median reported transcript levels of all 14 samples were from 0.17% to 67.6%, which covered 2.6-log. The ratios of each sample’s highest to the lowest reported transcript levels were from 5.3-13.7, 62% (13/21) of the laboratories had correlation coefficient ≥0.98. ③ The relative relationship of the reported RUNX1-RUNX1T1 transcript levels between the participants and PKUPH was not always consistent with that of WT1 transcript levels. Both RUNX1-RUNX1T1 and WT1 transcript levels from 2 and 7 laboratories were individually lower than and higher than those of PKUPH, whereas for the rest 11 laboratories, one transcript level was higher than and the other was lower than that of PKUPH. Conclusion The reported RUNX1-RUNX1T1 and WT1 transcript levels were different among laboratories for the same sample. Most of the participated laboratories reported highly consistent result with that of PKUPH. The relationship between laboratories of the different transcript levels may not be the same.