OBJECTIVETo investigate the biological and clinical features of Chinese rhesus monkeys after intravenous (IV) and intrarectal (IR) challenge with SIVmac239 in rhesus monkeys of Chinese origin, and compare the differences between the routes of infection.

METHODSRhesus monkeys of Chinese origin were inoculated with SIVmac239 either by IV (n = 19) or IR (n = 6) routes. Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-specific antibody titer, CD4 + T cell counting, plasma SIV load, lymph node pathology, and clinical manifestations were compared between these two groups 232 or 168 days after challenging.

RESULTSAll SIVmac239-inoculated animals became seropositive for SIV-specific antibodies. SIV-specific IgM was detected in IV groups as from day 10 but was not detected in IR for all the time points. Although SIV-specific IgG was detected as from day 30 in both groups, the IgG titers were ten-fold higher in IV group than in IR group after day 168. CD4 + T-cell counting decreased progressively in IV group but remained stable in IR group over time. Plasma SIV RNA loads peaked in all animals between day 10 and day 14 (10(7) copies/ml), then declined to "setpoint" (10(3) - 10(6) copies/ml) about 2 months later. Most inoculated animals manifested lymphadenopathy. Two animals in IV group and one in IR group died of simian AIDS between day 150 and day 210, as evidenced by the autopsies showing the depletion of lymph tissues, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and other opportunity infections. Conclusion IV or IR inoculation of SIVmac239 in Chinese rhesus monkeys will result in chronic SIV infection with a similar clinical feature of natural HIV infection, which provides an excellent experimental animal model for AIDS.

Animals ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; China ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Macaca mulatta ; virology ; Male ; Rectum ; virology ; Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; immunology ; virology ; Simian Immunodeficiency Virus ; immunology ; pathogenicity ; Veins ; virology

OBJECTIVETo explore and sum up the characteristics of infection after cardiac transplantation and to discuss the prophylaxis and management.

METHODFrom May 2000 to April 2003, 36 patients received orthotopic heart transplantation, the clinical data were observed and analyzed.

RESULTSInfection occurred in 2 (6%) cases, both belonged to lung infection caused by human cytomegalovirus. The 2 cases were cured by ganciclovir intravenously.

CONCLUSIONGood prophylactic method may decrease post cardiac transplantation infection significantly. It is very important to early diagnose and treat infection.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antibiotic Prophylaxis ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; drug therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Period

OBJECTIVESTo review the clinic data of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) cases, and to find the risk factors of recurrence in post transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) patients.

METHODSFrom November 2002 to November 2007, 1471 cases were reviewed, including 41 patients of recurrence after TURP. Record the data include onset age, course of disease, age of surgery, LUTS, PSA, blood serum creatinine, size of the prostate in transabdomen ultrasonography, data of urodynamic examination, weight of resected tissue, persistence time of the resection, length of stay, score of inflammation of the pathologic sample, experience of the operator, routine blood examination, routine urine examination and so on. Statistical analysis was performed using univariate and multivariate unconditional Logistic regression analysis for evaluation of the data.

RESULTSIn the univariate analysis, onset age (t = 2.292, P = 0.086), PVR (t = 2.181, P = 0.03), size of the prostate in transabdomen ultrasonography (t = -1.987, P = 0.047), experience of the operator (Z = 10.13, P = 0.0015) and the symptom that bladder does not feel completely empty right after urinating (chi(2) = 9.240, P = 0.002) had statistical significance. In the multivariate unconditional Logistic regression analysis, Odds ratio (OR) of the factors were investigated, the symptom that bladder does not feel completely empty right after urinating (OR = 0.557), the score for inflammation (OR = 0.905) and experience of the operator (OR = 0.393) had statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONSThe risk factors for elevating the incidence of post-TURP recurrence are the lower score for inflammation, younger onset age, having the symptom that bladder does not feel completely empty right after urinating, bigger size of prostate in transabdomen ultrasonography, lower post void residual urine volume and poor experience of the operator.

Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Postoperative Period ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; surgery ; Recurrence ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between simian acquired immunodeficiency syndromn (SAIDS) and autoimmunity in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected monkeys.

METHODSIndirect immunofluorescence assays were performed to detect plasma or serum autoantibodies in SIV-infected monkeys. The heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, and lymph node of BALB/c mice, a strain of endothelial cell ECV304, and granulocytes were used as target antigens. These results were compared with HE stained slides of SIV-infected monkeys.

RESULTSThe levels of various autoantibodies, including anti-lymphocyte autoantibodies, anti-endothelial cell autoantibodies, and anti-granulocyte antibodies, increased after SIV infection in monkeys. Moreover, pathological examinations showed injuries in the lymphoid tissue and vascular pathological changes in cerebral cortex, submucosa of gastrointestinal tract, interstitial capillaries of myocardium, nephron of the kidney, and sinusoid cell of liver.

CONCLUSIONThe increased autoantibodies and the pathological changes of tissues and organs confirm the existence of autoimmunity in SIV-infected monkeys.

Animals ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Autoimmunity ; Endothelial Cells ; immunology ; Granulocytes ; immunology ; Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; immunology ; pathology ; Simian Immunodeficiency Virus

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between impaired non-viral specific immune function of dendritic cell (DC) and viral clearance and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response to HBV or HCV in patients with HBV and HCV coinfection.

METHODSTwenty-five patients with HBV and HCV coinfection were investigated in this study. In 1994 and 2002, biochemical and virological markers and quantitative serum HBV DNA and HCV RNA levels were detected in these patients. According to the virus clearance status, these patients were divided into 4 groups: 14 patients with both HBV and HCV clearance (Group A), 6 patients with HCV clearance only (Group B), 3 patients with HBV clearance only (Group C), and 2 patients with persistent infection of HBV and HCV (Group D). Phenotypes and immune functions of monocyte-derived DCs were compared between these groups. 51Cr release assay were used to measure CTL response to epitopes derived from HBV, HCV or influenza virus (as positive control) in HLA-A2+ patients.

RESULTSImpaired non-viral specific immune functions of DCs were observed in group B, C and D compared with group A and normal donors (Group N). These impaired functions included CD86 decreasing expression and lower capacity to stimulating allogenic T cells and uptaking antigen. The specific CTL response to HBV- and HCV-derived peptides could be induced in group A (12/12). The specific CTL response to HBV-derived peptides or to HCV-derived peptides could be induced in group C (3/3) or B (5/5), respectively. But the specific CTL response to both of two HBV-derived peptides or two HCV-derived peptides could not be induced in group C (0/3) or B (0/5), respectively. And no CTL response to HBV or HCV-derived peptides could be induced in groups D (0/1) and N (0/4).

CONCLUSION1. The results suggest that specific CTL response to HBV or HCV play a vital role in the viral clearance. 2. The DCs with impaired non-viral specific immune functions exist in chronic patients with HBV and/or HCV infection, but do not interfere with clearance and CTL response to HBV or HCV. It is reasonable to speculate that impaired functions of DCs result from viral infection.

Adult ; Dendritic Cells ; immunology ; Female ; Hepacivirus ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed ; Male ; Middle Aged ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo study whether dendritic cells (DCs) derived from the peripheral blood in chronic hepatitis B patients can induce specific T cell immune response.

METHODS(1)The subjects were divided into 3 groups: chronic hepatitis B group (CHB), acute hepatitis B group (AHB), and normal donor group (ND). The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from those subjects were stimulated with HBcAg 18 to 27 CTL epitope peptide, and intracellular cytokine staining (ICCS) was used for detecting IFN-gamma, IL-2 and TNF-alpha produced by CD8+ T cell. (2) DCs generated from PBMCs were pulsed with HBcAg 18 to 27 CTL epitope peptide, then were cocultured with autologous lymphocytes for 10 days to induce antigen-specific T cell, which was assessed by ICCS and cytotoxic assay.

RESULTS(1) The memory effect of the PBMCs from AHB group to HBcAg 18 to 27 CTL epitope peptide was stronger than that from CHB or ND group (t=2.508-3.305, P<0.05). (2)After lymphocytes were cocultured with DC treated with HBcAg 18 to 27 CTL epitope peptide, antigen-specific T cell effect was induced. And the killing rates were (57.0+/-23.0)%, (49.5+/-20.2)%, (21.8+/-12.9)% at the effector/target of 30:1, 10:1, 3:1, which were higher than that in control group.

CONCLUSIONSThe memory T cells against HBV antigen lacks in CHB patients. DCs from CHB patients pulsed with HBcAg 18 to 27 epitope peptide can induce HBV antigen-specific T cell, which can kill specific target cells and produce cytokines involved in virus clearance.

Adult ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Cells, Cultured ; Dendritic Cells ; drug effects ; immunology ; virology ; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte ; immunology ; Female ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo understand HBV serotypes and genotypes epidemiology in a northern city and a southern city in China.

METHODSUsing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing of HBV DNA PCR products, the serotypes and genotypes of HBV in 530 from HBsAg positive samples. The enrolled patients were from Harbin, a northern city and Lianjiang, a southern city in China.

RESULTSComparison of the serotypes and genotypes of HBV between Harbin and Lianjiang showed that adrq+ was the most predominant hepatitis B virus serotype in both Harbin and Lianjiang (87.2% and 73.5%,respectively), adw2 was the next (12.0% and 25.7%, respectively); genotype C was the most frequent in Harbin and Lianjiang (87.8% and 73.2%, respectively), and genotype B was the next (12.2% and 26.1%, respectively) only 1 patient was infected by genotype D, and 1 patient was found to be co-infected by genotype B and C in Lianjiang.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that the percentage of HBV serotypes and genotypes between Harbin and Lianjiang was significantly different (P less than 0.001), but the main HBV serotype and genotype of the two cities were similar.

China ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; classification ; genetics ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Serotyping

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Cedemex on cAMP and cGMP contents in different brain regions in morphine withdrawal rats precipitated by naloxone.

METHODA physical morphine dependent model of rats was established by subcutaneous injection of morphine in gradually increasing dosage within 7 days. cAMP and cGMP contents of VTA, cortex and hippocampus of the rat brains were determined by radioimmunoassay.

RESULTThe morphine withdrawal symptoms of rats were relieved significantly by ig Cedemex. Compared with the controls, cAMP content in the region of VTA, cortex and hippocampus of the morphine dependent rats were significantly higher (P < 0.05), while cGMP contents in those regions were significantly lower (P < 0.05). cAMP contents in the area of VTA, cortex and hippocampus of the morphine dependent rats were significantly reduced, while cGMP contents were significantly increased by ig Cedemex.

CONCLUSIONCedemex may significantly attenuate the morphine withdrawal symptoms in rats. The mechanism of this effect may be related to adjusting the contents of cAMP and cGMP in some brain regions.

Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cerebral Cortex ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cyclic AMP ; metabolism ; Cyclic GMP ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Morphine ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate whether the clustering of risk factors, both environmental and genetic, increases the risk of essential hypertension (EH) and the accumulation of risk factors influences the blood pressure level in normotensives.

METHODSOn the basis of a prevalence survey, 501 subjects of Mongolian ethnicity (243 hypertensives and 258 normotensives) who were not related to each other were selected to conduct a case-control study. All subjects were interviewed with questionnaires and their blood specimens were collected. Renin gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism, a new genetic marker, was genotyped with PCR and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

RESULTSOverweight, alcohol consumption, and renin gene I/D polymorphism were significant risk factors of EH (P<0.05). The odds ratios (OR) for the number of risk factors were 2.39 (95%CI: 0.98-6.74) for one risk factor, 5.03 (95%CI: 2.06-14.18) for two, and 6.09 (95%CI: 1.85-22.38) for three respectively after adjusting for age and sex. In normotensives, age- and sex-adjusted mean blood pressures increased with more accumulation of risk factors. However, there were no significant differences among the different blood pressure levels according to the number of risk factors (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONOverweight, alcohol consumption, and renin gene I/D polymorphism are risk factors of EH in the Mongolian ethnic population of China. The accumulation of the risk factors causes a sharp increase of the risk of EH.

Adult ; China ; ethnology ; Cluster Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mongolia ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Odds Ratio ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUNDThe delivery of glucose from the blood to the brain involves its passage across the endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is mediated by the facilitative glucose transporter protein 1 (GLUT(1)), and then across the neural cell membranes, which is mediated by GLUT(3). This study aimed to evaluate the dynamic influence of hyperglycemia on the expression of these GLUTs by measuring their expression in the brain at different blood glucose levels in a rat model of diabetes. This might help to determine the proper blood glucose threshold level in the treatment of diabetic apoplexy.

METHODSDiabetes mellitus was induced with streptozotocin (STZ) in 30 rats. The rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: diabetic group without blood glucose control (group DM1), diabetic rats treated with low dose insulin (group DM2), and diabetic rats treated with high dose insulin (group DM3). The mRNA and protein levels of GLUT(1) and GLUT(3) were assayed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

RESULTSCompared with normal control rats, the GLUT(1) mRNA was reduced by 46.08%, 29.80%, 19.22% (P < 0.01) in DM1, DM2, and DM3 group, respectively; and the GLUT(3) mRNA was reduced by 75.00%, 46.75%, and 17.89% (P < 0.01) in DM1, DM2, and DM3 group, respectively. The abundance of GLUT(1) and GLUT(3) proteins had negative correlation with the blood glucose level (P < 0.01). The density of microvessels in the brain of diabetic rats did not change significantly compared with normal rats.

CONCLUSIONSChronic hyperglycemia downregulates GLUT(1) and GLUT(3) expression at both mRNA and protein levels in the rat brain, which is not due to the decrease of the density of microvessels. The downregulation of GLUT(1) and GLUT(3) expression might be the adaptive reaction of the body to prevent excessive glucose entering the cell that may lead to cell damage.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Brain ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; Glucose Transporter Type 1 ; analysis ; genetics ; Glucose Transporter Type 3 ; analysis ; genetics ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; analysis ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Streptozocin