Objective To investigate the expression of signal transduction molecule STAT-1 in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who received interferon-alpha (IFNα) treatment with different responses. Methods A total of 13 CHB patients received IFNα treatment, among who 5 demonstrated complete viral response ( Group A) and 8 showed no response ( Group B). All patients underwent liver biopsy before and after the therapy. STAT-1 mRNA of liver tissue was semi-quantified by RT-PCR and levels of STAT-1 protein were detected by Western-blot. Results Absorbance values (A) of STAT-1 mRNA in group A and B were (1. 18±0.06) and (0.21±0.04) respectively (t =35.27, P<0. 01). The levels of STAT-1 protein of liver tissue in group A were also significantly higher than those in group B. Conclusion IFNα resistance may be closely related to the down-regulation of STAT-1.

Objective To evaluate the effects of adenovirus-thediated PTEN gene transfer on growth and invasion of H22 cells in vitro. Methods H22 cells were tnmsfected with Ad-PTEN and Ad-PTENG-129R it vitro, The mRNA expressions of PTEN were detected with RT-PCR. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Invasion of H22 in vitro was observed using Boyden chamber. Results Gene and protein expressions of PTEN were shown to be up-regulated when H22 was transfected with Ad-PTEN. MTT assay showed that the group transfected with Ad-PTEN had much lower cell viability than other groups (P<0.05) . The number of 1422 invasion cells in the group of Ad-PTEN was (15.64±3.27) %, which was lower than the number in other groups (P<0.05). Conclusion These results imply that the number of H22 invasion cells was significantly decreased after infected with Ad-PTEN in vitro.

Object To investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanism of traditional Chinese compound decoction of Radix Curcumae (RC), Rhizoma Sparganii (RS), and Rhizoma Zedoariae (RZ) (DRRR) on liver fibrosis in rats induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4). Methods Fifty Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: group A was healthy control (n=8), group B was model rats of liver fibrosis induced by CCl 4 (n=14), group C and D were treated with DRRR after the liver fibrosis in rats induced by CCl 4 four weeks later (n=14). B, C, and D groups were injected subcutaneously with CCl 4; C and D groups were administrated with DRRR 0.6 and 1.2 g/100 g, once per day. After administration of DRRR four weeks all rats were sacrificed, their blood and liver were harvested for further examination. The effect of DRRR was explored by the expressions and sites of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-? 1), Smad3 and Smad7 in liver tissues by immunohistochemical staining. The liver function, serum hyaluronic acid (HA), and liver histopathology were also examined by biochemsitry, RIA, HE, and Van Gieson stainings respectively. Results To compare with model group, in rats that received DRRR, the expressions of TGF-? 1 and Smad3 were significantly decreased, while the expression of Smad7 was obviously increased in the livers (P

Objective To investigate the effect and its mechanism of “JinSanE” on liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rats. Methods Thirty-six Wistar rats were divided into three groups: healthy controls, CCl4 induced cirrhotic rats, and CCl4 induced cirrhotic rats treated with “JinSanE”, which was begun at the fourth week after exposure to CCl4. “JinSanE” was given once a day. Rats were killed after the administration of “JinSanE” for 4 weeks. The anti-fibrosis effect was determined by the expressions of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and transforming growth factor-? 1 (TGF-? 1) in liver tissue. The CTGF and TGF-? 1 mRNA expressions were detected by RT-PCR, CTGF and TGF-? 1 were assessed after immunohistochemistry staining. The serum level of hyaluronic acid (HA) was determined by RIA, and the liver histopathology was observed with light and electronic microscopy. Results Compared with the CCl4 induced cirrhotic rats, the expressions of TGF-? 1 and CTGF were decreased in the liver of the rats which were given “JinSanE” (P

Objective To explore the quality of life (QOL) for the patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). And the intervention effect of anti-viral therapy on QOL in patients with CHB was investigated. Methods A cross-sectional study based on 212 patients with CHB was carried out in the department of infectious diseases, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, using SF-36 questionnaire, special hepatitis questionnaire and medical coping modes questionnaire (MCMQ) during 2003 to 2004. Results Compared with healthy controls, patients with CHB had lower QOL on all scales of the SF-36(P0.05). The reduction in QOL was directly associated with age, the scores of special hepatitis questionnaire, confrontation and resignation in MCMQ (P

Objective To investigate changes of regulatory T (Treg) cell proportion and activity in patients with decompensated hepatitis B-related cirrhosis complicated with bacterial infections.Methods Thirty patients with decompensated hepatitis B-related cirrhosis complicated with bacterial infections,20patients with decompensated hepatitis B-related cirrhosis without bacterial infection and 10 healthy controls were recruited in the study from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University during January 2009 and December 2011.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from blood samples via density gradient centrifugation.The proportion of CD4+ CD25+ CD127low Treg cells in CD4+ cells was detected by flow cytometry.The immune activity of Treg cells isolated from PBMCs was observed by a suppression assay of allogeneic mixed lymphocyte response (MLR).Results Patients with decompensated hepatitis B-related cirrhosis complicated with bacterial infections had significantly lower percentage of Treg cells in CD4 + T cells of PBMCs than the patients with decompensated hepatitis B-related cirrhosis without bacterial infections [(4.07±1.18)％ vs.(9.74 ±3.00)％,t =9.35,P＜0.01].The suppression ability to homologous PBMCs proliferation of Treg cells isolated from patients with decompensated hepatitis B-related cirrhosis complicated with bacterial infections was significantly weakened as demonstrated in MLR assay [ cpm =(22.79 ± 4.94) × 103],which had a statistical difference compared with both the patients with decompensated hepatitis B-related cirrhosis without bacterial infection and the healthy controls [ cpm =(6.43±1.19) × 103 and (5.96 ± 1.25) × 103 respectively; t =16.09 and 16.51,P＜ 0.01].Conclusion There is a decrease of both quantity and activity of Treg cell in the patients with decompensated hepatitis B-related cirrhosis complicated with bacterial infections.

Objective To study the sequence variation in the env V3-V4 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 predominant subtype B strains in Hubei Province and to understand the epidemic characteristics and mutations of HIV-1. Methods Epidemiologic survey was done in the HIV-1 carriers in Hubei area. HIV-1 env V3-V4 regions were amplified by nested-polymerase chain reaction (nPCR). The sequences were determined and then phylogenetic analysis was performed. The difference of gene distance were checked by chi square test and the variation of gene distance were descriptively analyzed. Results Four HIV-1 strains or circulating recombinant forms (CRF) were identified in Hubei Province subtype B', B'/C, CRF01_AE and C were 82.69%, 7.69%, 7.69% and 1.92% ,respectively. B' strains were closely related with B. CN. RL 42 from Yunnan Province and B. CN. 02. 02HN from Province Henan, the gene distances were 7.08 ± 2.19 and 7.88 ± 2.28, respectively. Genetic divergence of env of B' strains showed that subtype B' has existed in Hubei area for about 10 years. Amino acid sequence analysis of section env showed V4 was more variable than C3, V3. The top four peptides of V3 loop were GPGR (46.5%), GPGK (30.2%), GPGQ (13.6%) and GQGR (9.3%). Predictions for the potential use of co-receptors on the basis of the critical amino acids within V3 loop disclosed that 16.28% were CCR5-using (R5/NSI), 13.95% were CXCR4-using (X4/SI) while the co-receptor usage of the vast majority (69.77%) could not be predicted. The analysis of glycosylation sites showed that there were 9 sites in env V3-V4 regions of HIV-1 strains in Hubei area and there were deletions in 8 of them, Conclusions Subtype B' is still the main epidemic subtype in Hubei Province and high homologous to the strains from Yunan and Henan Province.

Liver failure is a familiar severe disease, with no good clinical early diagnostic indicators and treatment methods. Studies have shown that non-encoding RNA (ncRNA) characterized by microRNA (miRNA) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) can be used not only as an early diagnostic indicator of liver failure, but also play a key regulatory role in an inflammatory response to liver failure, hepatocyte death and hepatocyte regeneration. Simultaneously, the epigenetic regulation of ncRNA also participates in the initiation and progression of liver failure. This article reviews the relationship between miRNA, lncRNA, and liver failure to find new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of liver failure.

Objective To investigate the effect of MS-275, an histone deacetylase ( HDAC ) inhibitor, on acute liver failure ( ALF ) induced by D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide in mice. Methods Thirty specific pathogen free (SPF) C57BL/6 male mice were randomly and equally divided into control, ALF model and MS-275 groups. ALF model was induced by D-galactosamine ( D-Gal ) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and the mice in MS-275 group received MS-275 (1 mg/kg) at 2 h before the induction of ALF.Serum and liver samples of mice were obtained at 24 h after ALF induction.The serum levels of ALT, AST, TBil and tumor necrosis factor-alpha ( TNF-α) , interferon γ( IFNγ) , interleukin ( IL )-1β, high mobility group box 1 ( HMGB1 ) were tested by biochemical methods or ELISA kit, respectively.The expression of HDAC1, HDAC3, acetylation of histone H3, H4, P65, acetylation and phosphorylation of P65 in liver were detected by Western blotting.The changes of histology in liver was detected by HE staining, and the translocation of P65 in liver was detected by immunohistochemistry. Comparison of variables among the groups was performed using t test.Results MS-275 inhibited the infiltration of inflammatory cells and improved the pathological changes of liver tissue.Compared with ALF group, serum ALT, AST, TBil levels were decreased in MS-275 group ( t =-22.215, -11.914 and-12.160, all P<0.05), but still higher than those in the control group (t=14.852, 11.692 and 8.333, all P<0.05); serum TNF-α, IFNγ, IL-1β, HMGB1 levels were also significantly decreased in MS-275 group (t=-7.926, -3.427, -2.475 and -5.920, all P<0.05), but TNF-αand IFNγwere still higher than those in the control group (t=5.541 and 5.514, all P<0.05).Compared with control group, the expression of class I HDAC in liver tissue was significantly decreased in MS-275 group ( t=-3.676 and-10.576, P<0.05), while the expressions of acetylation of histone H3, H4 and P65 were significantly increased (t=3.976, 5.559 and 4.588, all P<0.05).MS-275 inhibited the translocation of P65 from cytoplasm to the nucleus.Conclusion MS-275 can protect liver from acute failure in mice through enhancing the acetylation levels of non-histones.

Antiviral therapy is the most important thing in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) has both antiviral and immunomodulatory effects, and after drug withdrawal, 30%-40% of patients can achieve HBeAg seroconversion and sustained virologic response. Many studies have shown that HBsAg quantification can be used as an index to predict the anti-HBV effect of PEG-IFN and sustained immune control after drug withdrawal. This article reviews the relationship between HBsAg levels before, during, and after PEG-IFN therapy and antiviral effect to clarify the significance of HBsAg quantification in the PEG-IFN treatment of CHB and to guide the regimen of antiviral therapy.