The proliferative activity of gastric adenomas from 18 patients (42 endoscopic procedures) was compared with follow-up results. These cases were gastric adenomas proven by follow-up with repeated endoscopic procedures for more than 2 years, or were confirmed as gastric adenocarcinoma thereafter by histopathologic examination. Among the eighteen cases, nine showed carcinoma in the subsequent biopsies (group 1) and the remaining nine did not result in carcinoma (group 2). The proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) positivity rates of the two groups were significantly different (P < 0.01). The average PCNA positivity in group 1 was 33.1%, while it was 10.0% in group 2. The risk of developing carcinoma increased as the PCNA positivity increased: 0% in the low PCNA positivity group, 41% in the mid-positivity group and 89% in the high positivity group. We concluded that growth fraction could be taken into account as one of the most important prognostic factors for gastric adenoma, and accordingly repeated endoscopic biopsies with close follow-up should be carried out especially in the high PCNA positivity group.
Adenoma/*immunology ; Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology/*metabolism ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen/metabolism ; Cell Cycle ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Nuclear Proteins/*metabolism ; Prognosis ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Stomach Neoplasms/*immunology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of EBNA1-IgA and EA-IgG in serological diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

METHODSThe serum EBNA1-IgA and EA-IgG of 56 patients with NPC and 58 healthy adults were detected by ELISA. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, accuracy rate and odds ratio of the two tests used singly or in combination were compared with each other.

RESULTSThe sensitivity of EBNA1-IgA (91.07%) was higher than that of EA-IgG (87.50%), while the specificity of EA-IgG (87.93%) was higher than that of EBNA1-IgA (84.48%). The combination of EBNA1-IgA and EA-IgG could enhance the specificity (94.83%), positive predictive value (0.9375), likelihood ratio (15.5435) and odds ratio (75.0000) for serological diagnosis of NPC. Forty-five patients showed both positive EBNA1-IgA and positive EA-IgG. A positive EA-IgG was detected in 4 out of 5 patients with negative EBNA1-IgA and a positive EBNA1-IgA was founded in 6 out of 7 patients with negative EA-IgG.

CONCLUSIONAlthough relatively high sensitivity and specificity could be obtained by either EBNA1-IgA or EA-IgG test alone, the combination of these two tests with a complementary effect is able to enhance the reliability of serological diagnosis of NPC as most patients have positive ENBA1-IgA and EA-IgG concurrently.

Adult ; Antigens, Viral ; immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; blood ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Animals ; Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens ; immunology ; Immunization ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Viral Matrix Proteins ; immunology ; Viral Vaccines

Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic ; analysis ; immunology ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; analysis ; immunology ; Antigens, Nuclear ; immunology ; Arthritis, Juvenile ; immunology ; Autoantibodies ; analysis ; immunology ; Humans ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; methods ; Nucleosomes ; immunology ; Phospholipids ; immunology ; Rheumatic Diseases ; immunology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical features of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and positive expression of sp100 autoantibody in order to generate a clinical screening profile that may help to increase early diagnosis and timely initiation of therapy.

METHODSThe clinical data of 70 patients who were diagnosed with PBC by liver biopsy between January 2006 to December 2009 at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Medicine were retrospectively collected for analysis. The patients were divided according to expression of anti-sp100: positive patients, n = 12; negative patients, n = 58. The groups were comparatively analyzed for differences in clinical, biochemical, immunological, and histopathological parameters. Normally distributed data was compared by t-test, and non-normally data was compared by rank-sum test.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference in age among the sp100-positive and sp100-negative patients (51.6 +/- 9.5 vs. 50.0 +/- 14.7 years, P more than 0.05). The sp100-positive group had significantly more women (80.0% vs. 61.9%, X2 = 0.32, P more than 0.05) and more patients with atypical symptoms (18.2% vs. 13.8%) but the difference of the latter did not reach statistical significance. The sp100-positive group had significantly higher levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP; 466 vs. 163 U/L, Z = 3.71), gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT; 728 vs. 154 U/L, Z = 3.38), and immunoglobulin M (IgM; 4.25 +/- 2.86 vs. 2.81 +/- 2.15, t = 2.06, P less than 0.05). Forty of the total patients tested negative for antimitochondrial (AMA)-M2 antibodies, and eight of those were sp100-positive (20.0%) while 18 were antinuclear (ANA) antibody-positive (45.0%). There were significantly more AMA-M2-negative/ANA-positive patients than sp100-positive patients (P = 0.021). Anti-sp100 expression was not associated with the pathological stage of PBC (R1 = 5.500, P more than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSP100-positive PBC may show a bias towards the female sex, and may be characterized by enhanced serum levels of ALP, GGT, and IgM. Further clinical differences may manifest as the disease progresses, and changes in autoantibodies' expression and liver function markers should be carefully monitored in follow-up.

Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; blood ; Antigens, Nuclear ; immunology ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Autoantigens ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; immunology ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

We predict in this paper B-cell epitopes of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1) and analyze the results matched with the related autoantigens sequence of human. We selected EBV-1 standard strain NA-1 amino acid sequence as the basis. We predicted B-cell dominant epitopes of EBNA-1 with the methods of SOPMA, GOR and HNN, combined with the multi-parameter analysis of transmembrane domain, hydrophilicity profile, surface probability, antigenicity index, polarity and average flexibility. The blastp method was adopted to analyze the matched results between the predicted B-cell epitopes of EBNA-1 and the related autoantigens sequence of human. The results have shown that the possible B-cell dominant epitopes of EBNA-1 were located in the N terminal regions of 16-23, 35-78, 332-337, 340-357, 398-404, 419-432 and 620-637, in which different regions gained higher scores when matched with small nuclear ribonucleoprotein SmB, SmD, ribonucleoprotein SSA, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein hnRNP A1, hnRNP G, respectively. It was available to predict B-cell dominant epitopes of EBNA-1 with multiparameter methods and to analyze the same or similar autoantigens sequences of human, which laid a theory foundation for the study of pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Autoantigens ; immunology ; Base Sequence ; Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte ; immunology ; Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens ; immunology ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

Knull phenotype completely lacks all Kell system antigens. Anti-Ku antibody is seen in immunized persons with Knull phenotype by transfusion or pregnancy. It can cause a fatal hemolytic transfusion reaction. A 66-yr-old male patient with liver cirrhosis visited emergency center due to acute bleeding. The patient was at hypovolemic shock status: his blood pressure was 80/50 mmHg, pulse rate was 110/min and hemoglobin level was 4.4 g/dL. Because of the presence of antibody against high incidence antigen, we could not find any compatible blood for the patient. Nevertheless, 4 units of packed RBCs had to be transfused. Moderate hemolytic transfusion reaction was developed after transfusion. At endoscopic examination, blood was spurting from gastric cardiac varix. Endoscopic histoacryl injection was tried, and bleeding was successfully controlled. After bleeding stopped, he was managed for anemia using steroid and other medical therapy instead of transfusion. His hemoglobin level was improved to 7.7 g/dL at the time of discharge. Later he has been proved to have a Knull phenotype, which is very rare, and anti-Ku antibody. This report is the first case of anti-Ku in a Knull phenotype person in Korea, who experienced a moderate hemolytic transfusion reaction.
Aged ; Antigens, Nuclear/*immunology ; Blood Group Incompatibility ; Blood Transfusion/*adverse effects ; DNA-Binding Proteins/*immunology ; Humans ; Isoantibodies/blood ; Kell Blood-Group System/*genetics ; Korea ; Male ; Phenotype

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the relationship between the clinical stages of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibodies Rta/IgG, EBNA1/IgA, VCA/IgA and EA/IgA.

METHODSSerum samples obtained from 211 untreated patients with NPC categorized by the project of 92' stage were examined for the presence of the EBV antibodies Rta/IgG and EBNA1/IgA by enzyme-linked immnunosorbent assay (ELISA) and for VCA/IgA and EA/IgA by immunoenzymatic assay. The positive rates and antibody levels in the NPC patients in different TNM stages and clinical stages were analyzed statistically.

RESULTSNo significant difference in Rta/IgG rA value was found in the NPC patients in different TNM or clinical stages (P>0.05). The EBNA1/IgA rA value was significantly lower in stage T1, N0, and clinical stage I than in the other corresponding T stages, N stages and other clinical stage (P<0.05). The antibody titers of VCA/IgA and EA/IgA differed significantly between the N stages and the clinical stages (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of EBV Rta/IgG is not associated with NPC stage. The expression of EBNA1/IgA is relatively low in early NPC. The antibody level of VCA/IgA and EA/IgA are significantly correlated to the degree of neck lymph node metastasis, and might be helpful to classify the clinical stages of NPC.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; immunology ; Antigens, Viral ; immunology ; Capsid Proteins ; immunology ; Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens ; immunology ; Female ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; immunology ; Humans ; Immediate-Early Proteins ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin A ; blood ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; immunology ; pathology ; virology ; Neoplasm Staging ; Trans-Activators ; immunology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the Ag-NORs expressive character of T lymphocyte in patients with oral and maxillofacial tumor and evaluate its diagnostic value for the patients.

METHODSNucleolar organizer regions(NORs) of T lymphocyte from 86 normal adults, 102 patients with oral and maxillofacial benign tumors and 87 patients with oral and maxillofacial malignant tumors were analyzed through KL imaging system.

RESULTSThere was significant difference among normal adults, benign and malignant patients (P < 0.01). Their average I.S% values were 7.87 +/- 0.12, 5.72 +/- 0.14, 4.19 +/- 0.13, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of Ag-NORs of T lymphocyte has definite relation with oral and maxillofacial tumors; detection of Ag-NORs might play valuable in diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial tumors.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antigens, Nuclear ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Maxillary Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; immunology ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; immunology ; metabolism ; Nuclear Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Nucleolus Organizer Region ; metabolism ; Silver Staining ; T-Lymphocytes ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo compare the immunophenotypic and clinical characteristics between NPM1 mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (NPM1m(+)AML) and unmutated AML(NPM1m(-)AML) not otherwise characterized (NOS) under similar FAB subtypes constituent ratio.

METHODSImmunophenotyping and NPM1 gene mutation type-A, B and D and other leukemic related fusion genes were detected by multiparameter flow cytometry and real time RT-PCR or PCR, respectively. 104 AML patients with NPM1m(+)AML and performed immunophenotyping assay were included, 97 with NPM1m(-)AML.

RESULTSThere were significant difference between the two groups at presentation in terms of sex, white blood count(WBC), platelet counts (PLT), blast ratio, normal karyotype ratio, WT1 expression level, FLT3-ITD mutation positive rate and remission rate of first course of induction therapy (P < 0.05). On the immunophenotype, the expression of early differentiation antigens (CD34, HLA-DR, CD117, CD38), lymphocytic antigens (CD7, CD4, CD19, CD2), myeloid and monocytic differentiation-associated antigens (CD13, CD14, CD15) were lower, and that of CD33 as well as CD123 were higher in NPM1m(+)AML patients. Among them, only CD34, HLA-DR, CD7, and CD4 positive cases were significantly lower in NPM1m(+)AML group than in NPM1m(-)AML group (P < 0.05), the rest of them had significant difference in the number of positive cells (P < 0.05). Above features were further analyzed between the M1/M2 and M4/M5 subgroups. M1/M2 cases retained the women prominent and had a higher WT1 expression level (P < 0.05). The expression of monocytic differentiation-associated antigens including HLA-DR and lymphocytic antigens were higher and that of CD117 were lower in M4/M5 subtype (P < 0.05). Among them, the positive rates of HLA-DR, CD64, CD11b, CD10, CD15, and CD4 were significantly higher in M4/M5 than in M1/M2 in NPM1m(+)AML group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe most clinical characteristics in NPM1m(+)AML patients are consistent with reports, but some immunophenotype are different to the previous reports under similar FAB subtypes constituent ratio. The major immunophenotypic features of NPM1m(+)AML patients are lower expression of progenitor, myeloid and lymphoid lineage antigens. Monocytic differentiation-associated antigens are only higher expression in M4/M5 cases when comparison with M1/M2 cases within NPM1m(+)AML group.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; HLA-DR Antigens ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; diagnosis ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; Young Adult