Adaptive Immunity ; Animals ; Female ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; chemistry ; immunology ; Influenza A virus ; chemistry ; immunology ; Male

Humans ; Macrophage Activation Syndrome ; genetics ; therapy

A novel avian influenza A (H7N9) virus recently emerged in the Yangtze River delta and caused diseases, often severe, in over 130 people. This H7N9 virus appeared to infect humans with greater ease than previous avian inlfuenza virus subtypes such as H5N1 and H9N2. While there are other potential explanations for this large number of human infections with an avian influenza virus, we investigated whether a lack of conserved T-cell epitopes between endemic H1N1 and H3N2 inlfuenza viruses and the novel H7N9 virus contributes to this observation. Here we demonstrate that a number of T cell epitopes are conserved between endemic H1N1 and H3N2 viruses and H7N9 virus. Most of these conserved epitopes are from viral internal proteins. The extent of conservation between endemic human seasonal inlfuenza and avian inlfuenza H7N9 was comparable to that with the highly pathogenic avian inlfuenza H5N1. Thus, the ease of inter-species transmission of H7N9 viruses (compared with avian H5N1 viruses) cannot be attributed to the lack of conservation of such T cell epitopes. On the contrary, our ifndings predict signiifcant T-cell based cross-reactions in the human population to the novel H7N9 virus. Our findings also have implications for H7N9 virus vaccine design.

OBJECTIVEThe Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a rare X-linked primary immunodeficiency caused by mutations in the WAS protein (WASP) gene. The disease is characterized by recurrent infections, eczema, and thrombocytopenia with small platelets, and it is known to be associated with extensive clinical variability, and mutation studies indicated that genotypes are also highly variant among WAS patients. The present study was conducted to identify the mutation types of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) gene in 3 boys suffering from Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

METHODSBased on the typical clinical manifestations of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome including thrombocytopenia, eczema, and recurrent infections and scanning electron micrographs, 3 patients were suspected of having WAS. The WASP gene of the 3 patients and their mothers were detected by PCR-direct sequencing analysis.

RESULTSBy sequence analysis using sense and antisense primer separately, the authors found two novel WASP gene mutations. For the twin brothers, a C deletion at nucleotide 984 was detected in exon 10 of WASP gene (984delC). The consequence of the C deletion involved frameshift mutation after H317 and premature stop at 444 (H317fsX444). Their mother was a carrier of the mutated WASP gene. For another WAS patient, a nonsense mutation with nucleotide substitution of G to T at position 1388 (1388G-->T) in exon 11 of WASP gene, led to premature translational termination at amino acid position 452 (E452X). His mother had not been found to have WASP gene mutation.

CONCLUSIONGenetic analysis is useful in definite diagnosis of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome patients and in carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis, especially of atypical or sporadic WAS patients.

Blood Platelets ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Child, Preschool ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Exons ; genetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Lymphocytes ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Proteins ; genetics ; Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein

Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Phenotype ; Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome ; diagnosis ; genetics ; immunology

BACKGROUNDMuch is known about the cytogenetic lesions that characterize multiple myeloma (MM) patients from the USA, Europe, and East Asia. However, little has been published about the disease among Southeast Asians. The aim of this study was to determine the chromosomal abnormalities of MM patients in our Singapore population.

METHODSForty-five newly-diagnosed, morphologically confirmed patients comprising 18 males and 27 females, aged 46 - 84 years (median 65 years) were investigated by karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). FISH employing standard panel probes and 1p36/1q21 and 6q21/15q22 probes was performed on diagnostic bone marrow samples.

RESULTSThirty-four cases (75.6%) had karyotypic abnormalities. Including FISH, a total detection rate of 91.1% was attained. Numerical and complex structural aberrations were common to both hyperdiploid and non-hyperdiploid patients. Numerical gains of several recurring chromosomes were frequent among hyperdiploid patients while structural rearrangements of several chromosomes including 8q24.1 and 14q32 characterized non-hyperdiploid patients. With FISH, immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) gene rearrangements, especially fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3)/IGH and RB1 deletion/monosomy 13 were the most common abnormalities (43.4%). Amplification 1q21 was 10 times more frequent (42.5%) than del(1p36) and del(6q21).

CONCLUSIONSWe have successfully reported the comprehensive cytogenetic profiling of a cohort of newly-diagnosed myeloma patients in our population. This study indicates that the genetic and cytogenetic abnormalities, and their frequencies, in our study group are generally similar to other populations.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cytogenetics ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Monosomy ; genetics ; Multiple Myeloma ; genetics ; pathology ; Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 3 ; genetics ; Retinoblastoma Protein ; genetics ; Singapore

OBJECTIVETo assess the biological effects of the six-herb mixture Anti-Insomia Formula (AIF) extract using caffeine-induced insomnia Drosophila model and short-sleep mutants.

METHODSCaffeineinduced insomnia wild-type Drosophila and short-sleep mutant flies minisleep (mns) and Hyperkinetic(Y) (Hk(Y)) were used to assess the hypnotic effects of the AIF in vivo. The night time activity, the amount of night time sleep and the number of sleep bouts were determined using Drosophila activity monitoring system. Sleep was defined as any period of uninterrupted behavioral immobility (0 count per minute) lasting > 5 min. Night time sleep was calculated by summing up the sleep time in the dark period. Number of sleep bouts was calculated by counting the number of sleep episodes in the dark period.

RESULTSAIF at the dosage of 50 mg/mL, effectively attenuated caffeine-induced wakefulness (P<0.01) in wild-type Canton-S flies as indicated by the reduction of the sleep bouts, night time activities and increase of the amount of night time sleep. AIF also significantly reduced sleeping time of short-sleep Hk(Y) mutant flies (P<0.01). However, AIF did not produce similar effect in mns mutants.

CONCLUSIONAIF might be able to rescue the abnormal condition caused by mutated modulatory subunit of the tetrameric potassium channel, but not rescuing the abnormal nerve firing caused by Shaker gene mutation. This study provides the scientific evidence to support the use of AIF in Chinese medicine for promoting sleep quality in insomnia.

Animals ; Caffeine ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drosophila melanogaster ; drug effects ; physiology ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Mutation ; genetics ; Potassium Channels ; genetics ; Sleep ; drug effects ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; drug therapy ; Wakefulness ; drug effects