Objective:To identify the function of extracellular soluble vimentin that promotes proliferation, activation and chemotaxis of inflammatory cells. Methods: The proliferation of rat splenocytes stimulated with vimentin was evaluated in vitro. The lymphocyte counts and vimentin-antibody levels of peripheral blood in mice immunized with vimentin were detected in vivo. Peritoneal macrophages were collected and cultured with different concentrations of vimentin to detect the effect on phagocytosing chicken red blood cells. The chemotaxis of NIH3T3 fibroblast towards vimentin was observed in transwell chamber. Results:In vitro vimentin dose dependently promoted the proliferation of splenocytes. The proliferation indexes of primed and naive splenocytes cultured with 16μg/ml vimentin were reached up to ( 196. 0 ± 9. 7 )% and ( 208. 9 ± 4. 6 )% respectively without significant difference. In vivo vimentin significantly enhanced the lymphocytes number(109 L-1)of peripheral blood(5. 74±0. 51 vs. 1. 69±0. 13)and the levels of vimentin specific antibody( OD value 2. 31 ± 0. 06 vs. 0. 19 ± 0. 08 ) that shown no significant difference from immunization with vimentin plus CFA. In vitro vimentin dose dependently stimulated phagocytic ability of macrophages and performed the chemotactic effects on NIH3T3 fibroblasts. Conclusion:Extracellular soluble vimentin promotes the proliferation,activation and chemotaxis of concerned inflammatory cells and possesses the functions as an alarmin.

Apoptosis ; Down-Regulation ; Electron Transport Complex IV ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Mitochondria ; metabolism ; Mutation ; Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology

Objective To explore the immunophenotype of children with acute myeloid leukemia(AML) and its clinical significance.Methods Statistics was used to analyze the relationship between the immunophenotype of AML and their French-American-Britain(FAB) classification,complete remission (CR) in one month and 3-years event-free survival(EFS).Results CR rate was 71.6% and 3-years EFS rate was 50.8%. HLA-DR and CD34 absent mainly in M3, associated with higher CR and EFS rate. So did CD33 negative cases, especially in M2. CD13 positive was significantly predictive factor for achieving CR.Co-expression of lymphoid antigens and NK cell antigens(CD56) with M2 which correlated with lower CR and EFS rate.Conclusions The negative of HLA-DR, CD34, CD33,as well as CD13 positive, have relationship with good prognosis. Lymphoid antigens and CD56 are poor prognostic factors.

Objective To investigate the stability of immunophenotyping in the course of relapse or at treatment failure of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL) and that of immunophenotyping of positive minimal residual disease(MRD).Methods From Aug.2000 to Dec.2007,33 children with ALL who relapsed or treated failure were enrolled. These children were detected MRD by flow cytometry. The immunophenotyping of children who relapsed or treated failure were compared with that of initial therapy;the immunophenotyping of MRD relapsed was compared with that of initial therapy.Results 1.In 23 out of 27 cases (85.18%) with B-ALL,changed at least 1 antigen between diagnosis and relapse.Six children with CD45 down-modulation and 2 children with CD45 up-modulation.Two children with CD19 down-modulation and 1 child with CD19 up-modulation.Six children with CD34 down-modulation and 4 children with CD34 up-modulation. Five children with CD10 down-modulation and 7 children with CD10 up-modulation.2.Six children with T-ALL had the same expression in CD45 between relapse and treatment failure. 3.These were 15 children had the least 1 case MRD,25 cases MRD were detected,these was 1 case up-modulation in CD45,1 case down-modulation in CD19,2 cases up-modulation and 8 cases down-modulation in CD34,3 cases up-modulation and 6 cases down-modulation in CD10.Conclusions Immunophenotyping of children with ALL may change at relapse and treatment failure. The frequency of change in B-ALL is higher than that of in T-ALL,but the change can not impact the detection of MRD.

Purpose To detect the expression of Cathepsin D(CTSD),heat shock protein 90α (HSP90α) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in gastric cancer (GC) tissues and to analyze the association of their expression levels and clinical pathological features of GC,the role of CTSD,HSP90α,EGFR in the carcinogenesis,progression,invasion and metastasis of GC.Methods The expression of CTSD,HSP90α and EGFR in normal gastric mucosa,dysplasia adjacent to carcinoma,GC tissues and lymph node metastasis was measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH).Results In 110 cases of normal gastric mucosa,83 cases of dysplasia adjacent to carcinoma,110 cases of GC and 78 cases of the lymph node metastasis,the positive rate of CTSD,HSP90α,EGFR protein was 0,18.7％,80.91％ and 92.31％,0.9％,15.66％,75.45％ and 89.74％,0,12.05％,69.09％ and 84.62％,respectively.Correlation analysis showed that the expression CTSD,HSP90α and EGFR in GC tissues was positively correlated (rs =0.853,P ＜ 0.05,rs =0.639,P＜0.05,rs =0.734,P＜0.05).Expression of CTSD,HSP90α and EGFR in GC was correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation,invasive depth,number of lymph node metastasis and TNM stages (P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant correlation with the patient's age,sex,tumor size (P ＞0.05).Conclusion CTSD,HSP90α and EGFR may be associated with malignant behavior,development and invasion and metastasis of GC.

OBJECTIVETo retrospectively analyze the treatment outcomes and side effects of childhood acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) treated with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) or ATRA + arsenic trioxide (As2O3).

METHODSFrom 1992 to 2006, 45 patients with newly diagnosed APL were enrolled. All of them were PML-RAR alpha positive. 24 patients were induced with ATRA (group A) and 21 with ATRA + As2O3 (group B). The remission rate and side effects were observed.

RESULTS1) 19 (79.2%) patients in group A achieved CR, while 21(100%) patients in group B achieved CR. The CR rate in group A was lower than that in group B (P=0.027). 2) The recovery time of coagulation parameters and PLT count in group B was shorter than that in group A. 3) The overall survival (OS) and event-free survival(EFS) in group A were 77.8% and 66.9% at 41 months of follow-up, and in group B were 100% and 100% respectively at 34 months of followup. Group A had a significant lower EFS (P=0.0357)than group B. 4) The time of PML-RAR alpha fusion gene converting to negative in group A was longer (P=0.026) than that in group B.

CONCLUSIONSATRA + As2O3 for patients with newly diagnosed childhood APL is a feasible treatment with higher CR rate, less side effects and longer long-term survival.

Adolescent ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Arsenicals ; administration & dosage ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Male ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; Oxides ; administration & dosage ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Tretinoin ; administration & dosage

UNLABELLEDOBJECTIVE To study the clinical and biological characteristics and prognosis of t(8;21)/AML1-ETO-positive childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

METHODSThe clinical data of 55 children who were diagnosed as t (8; 21)/AML1-ETO-positive AML were retrospectively studied. Event-free survival (EFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors were evaluated by COX regression analysis software.

RESULTSOf the 55 patients, 4 patients gave up treatment after the diagnosis was confirmed and 4 patients were lost to follow-up after the first chemotherapy course. The remaining 47 patients received a double-induction therapy. The total complete remission (CR) rate was 71% and 94% after the first and second chemotherapy course, respectively. The disease was relapsed in 10 patients (21%). The 5-year EFS, DFS and OS rates were (56.1 ± 7.9)%, (59.8 ± 8.1)%, and (72.0 ± 8.1)%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that age was an independent risk factor for the long-term prognosis. The older children had a greater risk of experiencing an accident or death (P<0.05). The 5-year OS rate in 27 patients with regular consolidation chemotherapy was significantly higher than 13 patients with irregular chemotherapy after CRz [(47.5 ± 17.1)% vs (38.9 ± 17.3)%; P<0.01].

CONCLUSIONSChildhood t(8;21)/AML1-ETO-positive AML is a highly heterogeneous disease, with a high CR rate and a good long-term prognosis. Age is one of the important factors affecting the long-term therapeutic effect. Regular consolidation chemotherapy applied after CR usually is helpful.

Adolescent ; Bone Marrow Examination ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; mortality ; Male ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; analysis ; Prognosis ; RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein ; Translocation, Genetic

Objective To analyze the clinical value of minimal residual disease(MRD) of acute myeloblastic leukemia(AML) with AML 1-ETO by using the real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RQ-RT-PCR).Methods From Jan.2001 to Jan.2007,the MRD of 32 AML1-ETO-positive AML patients were analyzed by using PQ-RT-PCR.The detection of the AML1-ETO was taken after the induced chemotherapy every 1.5-2.0 months during the consolidation therapy.The survival of different stages in children with AML was analyzed by SPSS 10.0 software and calculated by using Kaplan-Meier analysis.Results Thirty-two patients received the induced chemotherapy and 29 patients with complete remission morphologically,3 patients had no complete remission morphologically and then gave up.Patients with molecular remission were associated with a high probability of survival(P=0.001 8).Patients with high transcript levels at diagnosis had no difference in event free survival with patients with low transcript levels.The quality of molecular response after induction,6 months in the chemotherapy as well as consolidation period,has significant impact on the event free survival(P=0.023,0.000 1,0.004 9).Conclusion The current study demonstrate that quantitative evaluation of AML1-ETO transcript levels is important and may be helpful for therapeutic decisions in future.

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical features and etiological spectrum of pancytopenia in children.

METHODSThe clinical data of 174 children with pancytopenia between September 2003 and January 2010 were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTSPale face was the most common clinical manifestation (147 cases, 84.5%), followed by bleeding (87 cases, 50.0%) and fever (41 cases, 23.6%). Mild to moderate anemia, severe thrombocytopenia and mild leucopenia were common in complete blood count. Of the 174 children, pancytopenia was attributed to hematopoietic system diseases in 155 cases (89.1%) and non-hematopoietic system diseases (virus infections, systemic lupus erythematosus, hypersplenism and neuroblastoma) in 6 cases (3.4%). Aplastic anemia (91 cases, 52.3%) was the most common cause of pancytopenia, followed by myelodysplastic syndrome (37 cases, 21.3%), acute leukemia and other hematological tumours (11 cases, 6.3%) and hemophagocytic syndrome (6 cases, 3.4%). The cause of pancytopenia was not identified in 13 cases (7.5%).

CONCLUSIONSAnemia, bleeding and fever are the main clinical manifestations of pancytopenia in children. Pancytopenia is mostly caused by aplastic anemia in children. Myelodysplastic syndrome, hematological tumours and hemophagocytic syndrome are also the common causes.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Pancytopenia ; blood ; diagnosis ; etiology

OBJECTIVEFlow cytometry may be used to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) in acute lymphoblastic leukemia because leukemic cells often display aberrant phenotypes when compared to normal cells. The present study was designed to establish a flow cytometric method for detecting MRD in children with B-ALL and evaluate its clinical prognostic value. The investigators also aimed to study the value of the detection of MRD by flow cytometry in childhood B-ALL without effective antibody combinations.

METHODSThirty-six cases of childhood B-ALL with effective antibody combinations were performed MRD analysis after induction therapy. The authors detected MRD in 6 cases without effective antibody combinations by the four-color antibody combinations consisting of CD(45)/CD(19)/CD(10)/CD(34) and CD(45)/CD(19)/CD(20)/CD(22) and detected the aberrance of the minor subsets of CD(19)(+) cells.

RESULTS(1) Forty-two cases of childhood B-ALL were screened for antibody combinations of interest and were identified in 86% (36/42) of the cases. The sensitivity of this method was 0.01%. (2) Patients with MRD levels > or = 0.01% at 9 and 12 months of therapy had significantly low disease-free survival compared with patients with MRD levels < 0.01%. (3) Six out of seven patients with recurrence in the BM had MRD levels > or = 0.1% prior to recurrence. Patients with MRD levels > or = 0.1% during chemotherapy had significantly low disease-free survival as compared with patients with MRD values < 0.1%. (4) Two out of seven patients with recurrence had positive results of the qualitative PCR prior to recurrence. (5) Five patients with recurrence had no shift of antigen expression at relapse except that a patient missed CD(13). (6) Detectable MRD was not found in six patients without effective antibody combinations.

CONCLUSION(1) Flow cytometry is a sensitive and specific method for detecting MRD of childhood ALL, and could predict the coming relapse. (2) Patients with MRD levels > 10(-3) had poor prognosis. (3) The levels of MRD at month 9 and 12 had prognostic value. (4) The value of antibody combinations consisting of CD(45)/CD(19)/CD(10)/CD(34) and CD(45)/CD(19)/CD(20)/CD(22) should be further investigated in patients without effective antibody combinations.

Adolescent ; B-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; methods ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; methods ; Male ; Neoplasm, Residual ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; diagnosis ; immunology ; therapy ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Treatment Outcome