Objective To study the serum iaminin (LN) and fibronectin (FN) changes in acute coronary syndromes (ACS), and explore the role of them in assessing the severity of ACS. Methods This study included 46 ACS patients [25 with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and 21 with unstable angina (UA)], 51 stable angina (SA) patients and 47 people without CHD as controls. Serum levels of LN, FN, fibrinogen and blood fat were assessed. Coronary angiography were performed on 49 of them. Results The serum concentration of LN was lower in ACS patients [(85.20±27. 57)ng/mL], higher in SA patients [(116. 80 ± 28. 80)ng/mL] as compared to that in the control group [(100.06±29.96)ng/mL], with significant difference among the groups (P<0.05). No difference was found in FN among the three groups. However, the subgroup analysis in the group with ACS showed that the serum concentration of FN was significantly higher in UA patients [(229.60±121.39)μg/mL ], and lower in AMI patients [(108.31±47.12) μg/mL ]. The serum LN and FN concentration could respectively enter the logistic regression equations of ACS patients and US patients. Neither LN nor FN concentration was correlated with narrowing of coronary artery of angiography. Conclusion Serum LN and FN level may be a useful indicator for stability of atherosclerosis plaque in coronary arterial disease patients, but could not predict the extent of narrowing in coronary angiography.

Objective: To investigate the expression of voltage-dependent potassium channel 1.3(Kv1.3) mRNA and protein during human monocyte-derived macrophage differentiation into foam cells and its function in foam cell formation. Methods: Human peripheral blood monocytes were isolated from healthy male volunteers by density gradient centrifugation and then by adherent method. The obtained monocytes were cultured for 5 days to differentiate into macrophages. Based on establishment of the human macrophage-derived foam cell model, the expression of Kv1.3 channel was investigated by immunocytochemical staining, reverse transcription-polymerase chain raction (RT-PCR) and Western blot. Furthermore, the effects of rMargatoxin, a Kv 1.3 channel-specific inhibitor, on cholesterol metabolism in macrophages incepting oxidized low density lipoprotein (OxLDL) were studied. Results: After the macrophages co-incubated with 30 mg/L OxLDL at 37 ℃ for 60 hours, the cellular volume obviously enlarged and many red lipid granules were deposited in cytoplasm. The total amount of cholesterol (TC),free cholesterol ( FC ) and cholesterol ester ( CE ) in cells markedly increased and the ratio of CE/TC rose from ( 14.4±6.8) % to (57.9±3.5) % (n=7,P＜0.05). However, the expression of Kv1.3 channel had no significant change. r Margatoxin (0.1 nmol/L and 10 nmol/L) markedly reduced the contents of TC, FC and CE in macrophages and the ratios of CE/TC decreased to (42.8±11.6) % and (22.6±8.0)% , respectively (n=7, P＜0.05). Meanwhile, the red lipid granules deposited in the cytoplasm of macrophages also decreased. Conclusion: These data clearly show that the expression of Ky1.3 channel does not change obviously during human monocyte-derived macrophage differentiation into foam cells and the blocking of it would prevent foam cell formation.

Human noroviruses (huNoVs) recognize histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) as attachment factors, in which genogroup (G) I and GII huNoVs use distinct binding interfaces. The genetic and evolutionary relationships of GII huNoVs under selection by the host HBGAs have been well elucidated via a number of structural studies; however, such relationships among GI NoVs remain less clear due to the fact that the structures of HBGA-binding interfaces of only three GI NoVs with similar binding profiles are known. In this study the crystal structures of the P dimers of a Lewis-binding strain, the GI.8 Boxer virus (BV) that does not bind the A and H antigens, in complex with the Lewis b (Le(b)) and Le(y) antigens, respectively, were determined and compared with those of the three previously known GI huNoVs, i.e. GI.1 Norwalk virus (NV), GI.2 FUV258 (FUV) and GI.7 TCH060 (TCH) that bind the A/H/Le antigens. The HBGA binding interface of BV is composed of a conserved central binding pocket (CBP) that interacts with the β-galactose of the precursor, and a well-developed Le epitope-binding site formed by five amino acids, including three consecutive residues from the long P-loop and one from the S-loop of the P1 subdomain, a feature that was not seen in the other GI NoVs. On the other hand, the H epitope/acetamido binding site observed in the other GI NoVs is greatly degenerated in BV. These data explain the evolutionary path of GI NoVs selected by the polymorphic human HBGAs. While the CBP is conserved, the regions surrounding the CBP are flexible, providing freedom for changes. The loss or degeneration of the H epitope/acetamido binding site and the reinforcement of the Le binding site of the GI.8 BV is a typical example of such change selected by the host Lewis epitope.
Binding Sites ; Blood Group Antigens ; chemistry ; immunology ; Caliciviridae Infections ; immunology ; virology ; Crystallography, X-Ray ; Epitopes ; chemistry ; immunology ; Evolution, Molecular ; Humans ; Lewis Blood-Group System ; chemistry ; immunology ; Norovirus ; chemistry ; immunology ; pathogenicity ; Protein Binding ; Viral Proteins ; chemistry ; immunology