Objective To investigate the value of 18F-FDG PET-CT in detection and accurate staging of extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).Methods The results of PET-CT of 94 patients with NHL were retrospectively analyzed.The consistency of checking out lesions and accurate staging by PET-CT were compared with those by other imaging examination in extranodal NHL.Results 432 lesions were checked out by PET-CT, including 319 (73.8 ％) lymphoid tissues and organs with the average SUVmax of 13.4 (3.4-33.4), and 113 (26.2 ％) extranodal lesions with the average SUVmax of 13.5 (3.1-55.0).The detection consistent rate between CT and PET-CT for lymphoid tissues and lymph organ lesions was 95 ％, while the consistent rate of the extranodal lesions was only 54.9 ％.The detection rates of PET-CT for soft tissue, bone and gastrointestinal lesions were higher than those of CT, but the detection rate for the bone marrow lesion was lower than that for the bone marrow cytology.According to the results of PET-CT, the stages of 29 patients (31.0 ％) were re-adjusted, including up-regulated for 75.9 ％ (22/29) because of high detection rates of PET-CT for soft tissue and skeletal lesions, and down-regulated for 24.1％ (7/29) mainly due to the strong resolution capability of PET-CT for detection of non-neoplastic lymph nodes and spleen increasing or effusion.Conclusion 18F-FDG PET-CT can improve the detection rate of NHL extranodal lesions, especially for diffuse non-mass lesions in bone and soft tissues, which facilitates the accurate lymphoma staging.

Objective To explore the expression of costimulators in mice after allogenetic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and its relationship with acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD). Methods Five C57BL/6J (H2KD－H2KB＋) male mice were selected as donors. Thirty CB6F1 (H2KD＋H2KB＋) female mice were selected as recipients and randomized into three groups: total body irradiation (TBI), bone marrow transplantation (BM) and aGVHD groups, with 10 mice in each group. The mice in the TBI group received radiation only without injecting any cells. The mice in the BM group were injected with 5×106 bone marrow cells without T lymphocytes from donors after radiation. The mice in the aGVHD group were simultaneously injected with 5×106 bone marrow cells without T lymphocytes and 3×107 spleen cells from donors after radiation. The survival rates of mice in the three groups were evaluated using log-rank survival curve. The expression levels of costimulators, including cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), programmed death 1 (PD-1), inducible costimulator (ICOS) and CD28, on CD4＋ and CD8＋ T lymphocytes, were detected using flow cytometry at 7, 14, 21 and 28 d after transplantation. At 21 d after transplantation, the expression levels of interleukin (IL)-17, interferon γ (IFN-γ) and IL-4 in CD4＋ T lymphocytes, and the costimulator ligands in the colon tissues, were detected with flow cytometry and 3,3’-diaminobenzidine (DAB) staining, respectively. Results The mice in the TBI group all died within 19 d after irradiation. The mice in the BM group survived 30 d after irradiation without aGVHD. The median onset time of aGVHD symptoms and survival of mice in the aGVHD group were 14 (11-18) d and 22 (13-30) d, respectively. The expression levels of CTLA-4 and PD-1 on CD4＋ and CD8＋ T lymphocytes were decreased after transplantation, while the expression levels of ICOS and CD28 were on the rise. At 28 d after transplantation, the expression levels of CTLA-4 and PD-1 on CD4＋ and CD8＋ T lymphocytes were significantly lower in the aGVHD group than those in the BM group (all P0.05), and the expression levels of ICOS and CD28 were significantly higher (all P0.05). DAB staining showed that CD80, ICOS ligand (ICOSL), and PD-1 ligand (PD-L1) were negative in the colon tissues of mice in the BM group, and the positive expression rates of CD80, ICOSL, and PD-L1 in the aGVHD group were 40%, 80% and 80%, respectively. Compared with the BM group, the expression levels of IL-17 and IFN-γ in CD4＋ T lymphocytes in the aGVHD group were significantly increased, while the expression level of IL-4 was significantly decreased (all P0.05). Conclusion In aGVHD mice after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the expression of costimulator CTLA-4 is gradually decreased over time. CTLA-4, ICOS and PD-1 may participate in the development and progression of aGVHD by regulating the distribution of T lymphocyte subgroups such as T-helper cell (Th)1, Th2 and Th17.

Azadirachtin, as a botanical insecticide, is a highly oxidized limonoid triterpenoid existing in the seeds of Azadirachta indica. However, due to the low content in the seeds, the production of azadirachtin by seed extraction has low yield. Chemical synthesis of azadirachtin is characterized by complex process and low yield. Synthetic biology provides an alternative for the supply of azadirach-tin. In this study, two oxidosqualene cyclases AiOSC1 and MaOSC1 respectively derived from A. indica and Melia azedarach were identified in yeast. A yeast strain producing tirucalla-7,24-dien-3β-ol was constructed by integration of AiOSC1, Arabidopsis thaliana-derived squalene synthase gene(AtAQS2), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae-derived truncated 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A reductase gene(PgtHMGR) into the delta site of yeast. Then, the function of MaCYP71BQ5 was successfully verified in yeast after this gene was introduced into the constructed yeast strain. This study not only laid a foundation for the biosynthesis of tirucalla-7,24-dien-3β-ol, but also provided a chassis cell for the functional identification of cytochrome oxidases(CYP450 s) in azadirachtin biosynthesis pathway.
Azadirachta ; Limonins ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics* ; Triterpenes

Aim To explore the effect of tanshinone II A (Tan II A) on reverse cholesterol transport in atherosclerosis model mice and RAW264. 7 cells and the underlying mechanism. Methods Thirty-two male LDLR -/- mice were randomly divided into four groups. These mice were fed with normal diet or high fat diet for 12 weeks. The control group and model group were given normal saline. Tan II A group and atorvastatin group were given Tan II A solution and atorvastatin solution for 12 weeks. RAW264. 7 cells were induced with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) 100 mg • L-