Objective To determine the serum level of KL-6 in patients with polymyositis(PM)and dermatomyositis(DM),and to investigate the possible diagnostic value for interstitial lung diseases(ILD)in pa- tients with PM/DM.Methods Serum KL-6 concentrations were measured by ELISA in 53 adult PM/DM pa- tients,the control groups of 22 patients with infectious lung disease,and 50 healthy subjects.The association with clinical features and serum KL-6 levels was analyzed.Results The serum levels of KL-6 were(1543?761)、(429?106)、(336?196)and(289?105)U/ml in PM/DM patients with ILD and without ILD,patients with infectious lung disease and healthy controls,respectively.Serum KL-6 levels in the PM/DM patients with ILD were significantly higher compared with PM/DM patients without ILD,patients with infectious lung disease and healthy controls(all P＜0.01 ).However,no significant differences of serum KL-6 levels was found among PM/ DM patients without ILD,patients with infectious lung disease and healthy controls(P＞0.05).Significant cor- relations were found between the elevated levels of serum KL-6 and the presence of ILD in patients with PM/ DM(P＜0.01).The sensitivity and specificity of serum abnormal KL-6 levels for ILD in patients with PM/DM were 90.9% and 80.6%.Additionally,follow-up study showed the mean serum levels of KL-6 in six patients who died were significantly higher than that in other PM/DM patients with ILD(P＜0.01).Conclusion Serum KL-6 level is a reliable serum marker for ILD in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies,which may contribute to early differentiate ILD from lung infectious disease.Increased serum level of KL-6 may predict a poor out- come.

Objective To investigate the efficacy,safety of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(Allo-HSCT)in lupus mice.Methods22BXSB was pre-treated with myleran and cyclophosphamide,12BXSB were treated with CTX and prednisone as the control group.Peripheral blood stem cells of doner mouse(C57BL/6)after mobilizing with G-CSF were infused into recipients after pretreatment.Hematopoietic and immune reconstitution after transplantation were measured by blood cell analysis and flowcytometry.Recipients' renal pathological changes were measured with direct immunofluorescence after transplantation,proteinuria and anti-dsDNA antibody were also determined.Complications and mortality were compared between the two groups.Recipients'genetic map was analysed with PCR.Results Recipients'complete chimerism was observed after60days of transplantation.The lowest value of WBC declined to0.2?0.1?10 9 /L in Allo-HSCT group.The duration of WBC increased from the lowest value up to1.0?10 9 /L was47.5?12.8d in Allo-HSCT group.Early immune reconstitution could not be found in Allo-HSCT group.After transplantation reduction of proteinuria occurred in95.5%BXSB,anti-ds-DNA antibody turned to negative in54.5%BXSB,decrease of kindey immunofluorescence in90.9%BXSB,there was a significant difference between the two groups.There was no significant difference in the incidences of complication of bleeding,pneumonia and mortality between the Allo-HSCT group and the control group.Conclusions Allo-HSCT is an effective treatment method for lupus mice.It may be helpful in improving proteinuria and anti-dsDNA antibody and renal pathological changes of lupus mice.But the incidences of complication and mortality related to transplantation in Allo-HSCT group are higher than those in control group,so the value of Allo-HSCT in the treatment lupu mice has to be further studied.

Objective To investigate the roles of adrenomedullin(ADM) and endothelin-1(ET-1) in left-to-right shunt congenital heart disease(CHD) complicated with congestive heart failure(CHF).Methods Plasma ADM and ET-1 concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in heart failure stage and recovery period of 18 infants with left-to-right shunt CHD.Also 20 healthy infants acted as control group were measured.Results Plasma concentrations of ADM and EF-1 were significantly higher in heart failure stage of left-to-right CHD infants than those in their recovery period,and both in their heart failure stage and in their recovery period were higher than that in control group(P

Objective To investigate the dynamic changes of glutamic acid(Glu) levels,ATP levels,free calcium ion,mitochondrial membrane potential,apoptosis related to mitochondrial pathways of apoptosis and Na+-K+-ATPase activity,and explore the mechanism of mitochondrial pathways of apoptosis in neuron injury of rats with kainite acid(KA)-induced epilepsy.Methods KA-induced epilepsy model was induced by injection of KA into the hippocampus.Forty SD rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: control group(n=8)and KA group(6 h,1 d,3 d,7 d,n=8).The concentration of Glu in hippocampus CA3 area was detected by high performance liquid chromatography.The apoptosis of hippocampus neurons and the concentration of Ca2+ were assayed by flow cytometry.The mitochondrial membrane potential was detected by JC-1.The Na+-K+-ATPase activity was examined.Results 1.The concentration of Glu in hippocampus increased at 3 d after KA injection and reached the peak after 7 d injection.2.The concentration of Ca2+ level,mitochondrial membrane potential,and the number of apoptosis neurons were significantly increased,wherase the mitochondrial membrane potential decreased after 6 h of KA injection,7 d after KA injection,and the changes were more severe.3.In the hippocampus,the activities of the Na+-K+-ATPase significantly decreased at 1 d after KA injection,and they decreased more over at 7 d after KA injection.4.The levels of ATP,mitochondrial membrane potential,and the activity of the Na+-K+-ATPase were negatively correlated with the neuron apoptosis(Pa

Objective To explore the influence of homocysteine(Hcy)on liver cystathionine-?-synthase(CBS)and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR)system in apoE-/- mice,and determine the effects of atorvastatin and/or folate/vitamin B12 on liver CBS and MTHFR system.Methods Eighty male 6-week-old apoE-/- mice were randomly divided into two groups:65 mice were fed with a chow diet containing 2%(wt/vol)L-methionine(homomethionine group)and 15 mice were fed with normal saline(control group).Two months later,the 60 mice survived in homomethionine group were subdivided into four groups:group Ⅰ(untreated),Ⅱ(3 mg/kg atorvastatin),Ⅲ(3 mg/kg atorvastatin+2 mg/kg folate+30 ?g/kg vitamin B12)and Ⅳ(2 mg/kg folate+30 ?g/kg vitamin B12).After one month,Western blotting was performed to detect the liver CBS and MTHFR system protein expression in each group.Results The relative expression of liver CBS and MTHFR was significantly lower in group Ⅰ than in control group(P

The hemolysin production of 19 strains of Streptococcus spp. isolated from pigs in the Jiangsu and Shanghai regions in recent years were examined. Eight isolates of Streptococcus suis type 2 from Jiangsu showed weak hemolysis on blood agar, but a stronger reaction in Todd-Hewitt broth(THB). The hemolysin belonged to the group of thiol-activated hemolysins. Nine strains of Streptoccus equi subsp. zooepidemicus showed strong hemolysis on blood agar and in THB containing 5% new-born calf serum, but no hemolysis in THB alone. This hemolysin was similar to streptolysin S(SLS). Another two isolates were atypical members of Lancefield group C Streptococcus and showed strong hemolysis on blood agar and in THB with 5% new-born calf serum, but the hemolysin was unlike either streptolysin O or SLS.

italic>γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a crucial inhibitory neurotransmitter found in various cells in the human body. While the GABAergic system is typically associated with the nervous system, recent research has revealed that immune cells and tumor cells also express components of this system. In the tumor microenvironment (TME), GABA is secreted to act extracellularly on other cells. GABA is metabolized via the GABA shunt and is involved in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle by generating succinate, which can provide energy for tumor cells. Activation of GABA receptors (GABARs) is a major pathway through which GABA participates in the regulation of antitumor immune responses. The activation of GABA type A receptors (GABA_ARs) can inhibit the activation and proliferation of T cells, elicit anti-inflammatory macrophages, and promote tumor cell growth and migration, while activation of GABA type B receptors (GABA_BRs) is generally considered to inhibit cancer cell migration and induce cancer cell apoptosis. In general, receptor activation inhibits immune cells, but the effect on tumor cells varies. Additionally, the downregulation of the expression levels of GABA transporters (GATs) is involved in tumor progression. Although antagonists of GABA metabolism and drugs that act on GABA receptors are considered therapeutic drugs for tumors, there have been few clinical studies conducted on them.

Objective The aim of our study is to establish and characterize the animal model for au- toimmune myositis.Methods Fifty male SD rats were randomly divided into 2 groups:model group(n=40) and control group(n=10).The model group rats were immunized with muscle homogenate every week for 5 weeks and received an injection of 2?g pertussis toxin at the first and second week.As controls,10 SD rats were injected with an equal volume of normal saline.Tissue specimens from limb skeletal muscles were ob- tained at 1,2,3,4,5 weeks after injection.At the same time,the blood samples were collected,and the level of CPK was measured.Results The model group had significantly elevated serum CPK levels.There were multiple inflammatory lesions in the skeletal muscles.Local degeneration and necrosis of muscle fibers with disappeared transverse striation,mononuelear cell infiltration in the interstitial could be observed.The patho- logic grade was mainly 2a.The infiltrating mononuclear cells were predominantly CD8~+T cells that mainly lo- cated in the endnmysium.MHC classⅠantigen expression on muscle fiber membranes in the model group was upregulated.Conclusion The experimental autoimmune myositis induced by syngeneic skeletal muscle ho- mogenate in SD rat is pathologically similar to human myositis.It can be used as a good model for human myositis and provides the basis for the etiopathology and therapeutical studies.

In this study, 31 Notopterygium incisum populations were analyzed using ITS sequences to investigate the genetic structure. The results showed that: the ITS region ranged in size from 634 to 635 bp and base composition was with high G + C content of 57.8%. Thirty-one polymorphic sites were detected from 402 sequences of 31 populations of N. incisum, and the proportion of polymorphic sites was 4.88%, in which parsimony informative sites were up to 12. And 31 haplotypes were identified based on these polymorphic sites. Molecular variance analysis (AMOVA) indicated that high genetic differentiation (57%) existed among population, and gene flow was low (N(m) = 0.38) among populations. Phylogenetic relationships of 31 haplotypes were analyzed using NJ method with N. forbesiias an out-group. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 31 haplotypes from different populations mixed together and did not form distinct geographically separated clades.
Apiaceae ; classification ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; China ; DNA, Intergenic ; genetics ; Gene Flow ; Genetic Variation ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny

The ideal treatment and recovery of osteoarticular injury remain to be resolved. Small intestinal submucosa (SIS), a naturally-occurring decellularized extracellular matrix, has been recognized as an ideal scaffold for tissue engineering and widely used in repairing various tissues and organs. Nowadays its application has also been gradually increased in the field of orthopedics. We reviewed laboratorial studies and clinical trails about the application of SIS in bone and joint repair, aiming to evaluate its effects on the repair of bone, cartilage, meniscus, ligament and tendon. SIS has showed promising results in repairing bone, meniscus, ligament or tendon. However, additional studies will be required to further evaluate its effects on articular cartilage and tendon-bone healing. How to optimize SIS material,is also a focused problem concerned with making SIS a potential therapeutic option with high value for orthopedic tissue repair.
Animals ; Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy ; Humans ; Intestinal Mucosa ; cytology ; Intestine, Small ; cytology ; Joint Diseases ; physiopathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Tissue Engineering ; instrumentation ; methods ; Tissue Scaffolds ; chemistry