Cytomegalovirus Infections ; physiopathology ; Female ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Infant ; Kidney ; physiopathology ; Male

Adult ; Cytomegalovirus ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; complications ; Drug Hypersensitivity Syndrome ; complications ; virology ; Eosinophilia ; complications ; virology ; Fatal Outcome ; Female ; Gout ; drug therapy ; Hepatitis ; complications ; virology ; Humans ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Viremia

Acute Disease ; Child ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Liver Diseases ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Measles ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Prognosis ; Rotavirus Infections ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Virus Diseases ; drug therapy ; physiopathology

In order to explore the effects of testicular infection of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) on mature sperm viability at different periods following MCMV inoculation in mice, 91 BALB/c mice without MCMV infection were randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group (n = 56) and a control group (n = 35). The mice in the experimental group were treated by inoculating MCMV intratesticularly, while those in the controlled group were directly inoculated with DMEM without MCMV. The mice in both groups were sacrificed separately on the day 1, 1. 5, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 14 post-inoculation (D1) 1. 5, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 14 PI). The MCMV M83 mRNA gene was detected in the testis by in situ hybridization (ISH) with MCMV late-mRNA probe labeled with digoxin. Sperm viability of mature sperm in the epididymis cauda was measured. The results demonstrated the positive signal of ISH of MCMV was found mainly in the cytoplasm of the testicular interstitial cells and spermatogenic cells in the experimental group. Compared with that in the controlled group, the sperm viability in the experimental group was decreased significantly on D1 PI and D1.5 PI (P < 0.05). No statistically significant difference in the sperm viability was found after D2 PI between two groups (P > 0.05). This suggested that sperm viability in mice might be descended significantly shortly after MCMV infection and might return to normal with time, indicating that MCMV acute infection might temporarily degrade sperm quality and influence procreation transiently.
Cytomegalovirus Infections/*physiopathology ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Orchitis/*virology ; Random Allocation ; Sperm Motility/*physiology ; Spermatozoa/cytology ; Spermatozoa/*physiology

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of testis murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection on mature sperm viability in mice.

METHODSBALB/c mice without MCMV infection, screened by ELISA, were randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group (n = 64) and a control group (n = 40). The former were directly inoculated with MCMV into the testis, while the latter treated by inoculation of DMEM without MCMV. The mice in both of the groups were sacrificed respectively at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 14, 21, 38 d postinoculation (D1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 14, 21, 38 PI), the testis was examined histopathologically, and meanwhile the viability of mature sperms in the epididymis cauda was measured.

RESULTSMCMV basophil inclusion bodies were found in the Leydig cells in the experimental group, and spermatogenic cells were vacuolated and arranged disorderly. Compared with the control group, the sperm viability in the experimental group was decreased significantly by 71.42% to 56.04% (P < 0.05) on D1 PI.

CONCLUSIONThe sperm viability in mice might be descended significantly by MCMV infection in the early period, but restored to normal with time. This shows that MCMV infection might influence procreation transiently.

Animals ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; physiology ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Random Allocation ; Spermatozoa ; physiology ; Testicular Diseases ; pathology ; physiopathology ; virology ; Testis ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the changes of p38MAPK expressions, the frequency of apoptosis and the distribution of cell cycle of hunan Glioma U251 cells after HCMV infection.

METHODSThe expression of total p38 (both phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated p38) and phosphorylated p38 in U251 cells were detected by Western blotting at 15 min, 30 min, 1 h, 6 h, 10 h, 16 h, 24 h, 36 h and 48 h after HCMV infection. The apoptosis percentage and the cell cycle distribution of U251 cells at 2 d, 5 d and 7 d after HCMV infection were detected by flow cytometry (FCM).

RESULTSThe results of Western blotting demonstrated that a strong increase in phosphorylated p38 was detected from 6 h to 10 h after HCMV infection, with mean gray scales 186.33 +/- 7.51 (t = 5.37, P < 0.01) and 188.00 +/- 7.02 (t = 5.26, P < 0.01 for all) at 6 h and 10 h, respectively, and p38 phosphorylation decreased to the basic level at 16 h after HCMV infection. But the overall levels of p38 protein were not significantly altered during the course of infection. FCM analysis showed that HCMV could significantly increase the apoptotic rates of U251 cells compared with controls (t = 10.84, P < 0.01), and the apoptotic percentages of the cells reached to peak [(10.18 +/- 1.24)%] at 5 d after HCMV infection. The data of FCM showed that HCMV could decrease the number of U251 cells in G1 phase and arrest the cells in S and G2 phase. The numbers of G1 phase U251 cells were significantly lowered to (56.50 +/- 2.57)% (t = 26.45, P < 0.01), (62.33 +/- 2.64)% (t = 21.20, P < 0.01) and (67.45 +/- 4.44)% (t = 10.61, P < 0.01), respectively at 2 d, 5 d and 7 d after infection.

CONCLUSIONHCMV could activate p38MAPK pathway and trigger apoptosis and interfere cell cycle in U251 cells.

Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cytomegalovirus ; isolation & purification ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Flow Cytometry ; Glioma ; metabolism ; microbiology ; pathology ; Humans ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Phosphorylation ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the significance of plasma D-dimer and von Willebrand factor (vWF) and the therapeutic effect of compound glycyrrhizin in children with cytomegalovirus (CMV) hepatitis.

METHODSTwenty healthy children, 16 asymptomatic cases with CMV infection and 52 cases of CMV hepatitis (21 cholestatic and 31 non-cholestatic) were enrolled. The 52 children with CMV hepatitis were randomly administered with conventional treatment alone or conventional treatment plus compound glycyrrhizin treatment. Plasma D-dimer and vWF levels were measured before and after treatment.

RESULTSPlasma D-dimer and vWF levels in the CMV hepatitis group were markedly higher than those in the healthy control and asymptomatic CMV infection groups (P<0.01). The cholestatic hepatitis group had more increased plasma D-dimer and vWF levels compared with the non-cholestatic hepatitis group (P<0.01). Plasma D-dimer and vWF levels in the CMV hepatitis group were markedly reduced after conventional or compound glycyrrhizin treatment (P<0.01). Compound glycyrrhizin treatment decreased more significantly plasma D-dimer and vWF levels compared with the conventional treatment in children with CMV hepatitis (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe detection of plasma D-dimer and vWF is useful in the early assessment of liver damage in children with CMV hepatitis. Compound glycyrrhizin can decrease obviously plasma D-dimer and vWF levels and might thus provide protective effects against liver damage.

Child, Preschool ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; blood ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Female ; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products ; analysis ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; blood ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Infant ; Liver Circulation ; Male ; von Willebrand Factor ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection following kidney transplantation on long-term renal function and its mechanism.

METHODSNinety-six patients undergoing kidney transplantation between March 2000 and December 2005, who completed a 3-year follow-up investigation, were divided into 3 groups according CMV-pp65 antigenemia and clinical symptoms. Group A consisted of 33 recipients with symptomatic active CMV infection, group B included 33 with asymptomatic active CMV infection and group C included 30 with inactive infection. The relation of CMV infection, transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) mRNA in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum creatinine (Scr) were analyzed, and the grafts in 6 cases with renal dysfunction were biopsied.

RESULTSThe expression of TGF-beta1 mRNA in PBMCs was significantly higher in group A than in the other two groups 6 months after the transplantation (P<0.01), while Scr levels showed no significant difference between the 3 groups (P>0.05). Three years later, Scr levels in group A were significantly increased as compared with those in the other two groups (P<0.01), and the rate of renal dysfunction in group A (10/33) was significantly higher than those in group B (3/33) and C(3/30) (P<0.05). In the 16 with renal dysfunction, the expression of TGF-beta1 mRNA in PBMCs significantly higher than that in the other 80 patients with normal renal function (P<0.01). Renal allograft biopsies demonstrated mild or severe interstitial fibrosis, tubular atrophy and mononuclear cell infiltration in the 6 patients with renal graft dysfunction, supporting the diagnosis of chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN).

CONCLUSIONSymptomatic active CMV infection in renal allograft recipients is an important factor contributing to the occurrence of CAN. Monitoring of TGF-beta1 mRNA expression in PBMCs proves useful in identifying patients at risk of CAN.

Adult ; Creatinine ; blood ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; blood ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; virology ; Kidney Transplantation ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; genetics ; Transplantation, Homologous

INTRODUCTIONThe status of heart transplantation in Singapore is reviewed in this article.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThe database of 40 consecutive heart transplantations from July 1990 through December 2007 is reviewed retrospectively. The data is compared with the 2008 registry data of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT).

RESULTSThe average age of recipients was 45.3 years. Ages ranged from 14 to 64 years. Ischaemic cardiomyopathy (52.5%) and dilated cardiomyopathy (42.5%) were the major indications. From 1990 to 1999, 50% of the donors sustained brain death from road traffic accident, 25% from cerebrovascular accident and 25% from falling from height, whereas the cause of brain death in the donors from 2000 to 2007 was 33%, 47% and 9.5%, respectively. The average donor age increased from 28.3 to 38.1 years. The significant morbidities in the recipients were hypertension, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, cardiac allograft vasculopathy and renal dysfunction. Thirtytwo required treatment for hypertension. 67.5% developed CMV disease requiring treatment. Cardiac allograft vasculopathy was diagnosed in 10. Rising creatinine levels reaching over 2.5 mg/dL was seen in 7. Three required renal dialysis. Epstein-Barr virus related lympho proliferative disorder occurred in 2 patients. One patient developed adenocarcinoma of stomach. The 30-day mortality was 10% and half life was 10 years. Cardiac allograft vasculopathy and sepsis caused 41.7% of mortality each. 11.7% of the mortality was due to cerebrovascular accident.

CONCLUSIONThe status of heart transplantation in Singapore is comparable to the ISHLT registry data. Transplant provides excellent early survival of 80%; however, the expected half life is around 10 years after cardiac transplantation. The late mortality is mainly caused by cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) and renal failure. More effort and research needs to be directed towards these issues to improve the long-term results.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; Female ; Graft Rejection ; epidemiology ; Heart Failure ; etiology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Heart Transplantation ; mortality ; utilization ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Tissue and Organ Procurement ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of congenital cytomegalovirus infection on the hearing ability in infants.

METHODSBy using the tools of distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) and auditory brain-stem response (ABR), the hearing ability of 38 infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection and 16 cases of normal controls during neonatal periods was screened with a follow-up study at 6 and 24 months.

RESULTIn infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection, 86.8% (66/76) ears at neonatal stage and 76.3% (58/76) ears at 6 months passed the tests; while in normal controls, 96.9% (31/32) ears passed the tests. The reaction threshold of ABR V in infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection was higher than that in normal controls (P<0.005). Furthermore,in infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection, 13 ears (17.1%) were extreme hearing loss, 5 ears (6.6%) were severe hearing loss, and 6 ears (7.9%) were moderately severe hearing loss. The incidence of hearing loss during the follow-up was 7.9% (3/38) at neonatal stage, 23.7% (9/38) at 3-4 months, and 7.9% (3/38) after 6 months.

CONCLUSIONThe congenital cytomegalovirus infection could cause the prompt and late-onset hearing loss. The combination of the laboratory evidence with the dynamic hearing screening may contribute to the early detection of hearing loss in infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

China ; epidemiology ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; complications ; congenital ; physiopathology ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hearing Loss, Bilateral ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Neonatal Screening ; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous