OBJECTIVETo explore the possible effect of transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF -beta(1)) on the development of renal fibrosis in human mesengial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MsPGN).

METHODSImmunohistochemistry method, sirius red staining polarization microscopy and the computer imaging analysis system were used to detect the expression of TGF-beta(1), the distribution of collagen I, collagen III and collagen IV.

RESULTIn MsPGN with renal fibrosis, collagen IV was increased markedly,and collagen I and collagen III appeared in the expanded mesengial matrix abnormally. Collagen III and collagen IV were increased markedly in tubulointerstitium. TGF-beta(1) expression was positively correlated with the expression of collagen I, collagen III and collagen IV in tubulointerstitium (r=0.82 0.92,P<0.01), and negatively correlated with I/III, I/IV and III/IV (r=-0.83,-0.92, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONAbnormal increase of TGF-beta(1) may be one of the important factors associated with glomerular sclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis through the increment and abnormal distribution of collagen I, collagen III and collagen IV.

Collagen ; analysis ; Fibrosis ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kidney ; pathology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; analysis ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

OBJECTIVETo analyse the factors which influence the four serum fibrosis markers hyaluronic acid (HA), type III procollagen (PCIII), laminin (LN) and type IV collagen (CIV).

METHODSThe levels of serum HA, PCIII, LN and CIV were measured by RIA in 141 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), then the patients were divided into two groups according to the serum fibrosis markers, namely consistent group and inconsistent group. the liver biopsy materials were examined pathomorphologically and liver function was detected by automatic biochemistry analyzer, The interior diameters of the portal vein, the spleen vein and the thickness of the spleen were also measured with ultrasonography.

RESULTS16 patients (14.16%) whose serum fibrosis markers were inconsistent with histological stage of liver fibrosis were found. Their serum fibrosis markers were not correlated with staging of liver fibrosis (P>0.05), but were positively correlated with inflammation grade (x(2)=12.07, P<0.05), at same time, the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and globulin (GLB) decreased obviously, from 89.28 U/L +/- 64.25 U/L to 49.31 U/L +/- 26.75 U/L (t=2.45, P<0.05), 66.10 U/L +/- 42.30 U/L to 40.83 U/L +/- 22.40 U/L (t=2.33, P<0.05), 86.26 U/L +/- 70.36 U/L to 48.99 U/L +/- 29.96 U/L (t=2.08, P<0.05) and 32.13 g/L +/- 5.18 g/L to 28.05 g/L +/- 3.47 g/L (t=3.03, P<0.01) respectively. And the level of albumin (ALB) and the ratio of albumin and globulin (A/G) increased evidently, from 42.34 g/L +/- 4.81 g/L to 46.19 g/L +/- 3.61 g/L (t=3.06, P<0.01) and 1.35 +/- 0.28 to 1.63 +/- 0.26 (t=3.70, P<0.01). But the serum level of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TBil), total protein (TP), the width of main portal vein, the width of splenic vein and the thickness of the spleen did not change clearly (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONAs diagnostic markers, serum fibrosis markers as well as inflammation grade and liver function should be taken into account.

Adult ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Biomarkers ; Female ; Globulins ; analysis ; Humans ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Serum Albumin ; analysis ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; blood

To construct a hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) subtracted cDNA library to find differentially expressed genes in normal mice and mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum). Suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was used. The cDNA fragments of normal mouse were compared to those of schistosoma-infected mice to find differentially expressed genes. Then differentially expressed cDNA fragments were directly inserted into T/A cloning vector to set up the subtractive library. Amplification of the library was carried out with transformation of DH5alpha. The amplified library contained more than 400 positive bacterial clone, which were then hybridized with forward and backward subtracted probes for differential screening. One hundred positive bacterial clones were randomly selected for sequencing and BLAST analysis. Finally, virtual Northern Blot confirmed such differential expression. The subtracted cDNA library of differentially expressed genes of HSCs was constructed successfully, the library is efficient and lays foundation for screening and cloning new and specific genes of schistosomiasis.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Blotting, Northern ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation ; genetics ; Gene Library ; Hepatocytes ; metabolism ; Liver ; cytology ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; genetics ; Schistosoma japonicum ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; genetics

OBJECTIVESUsing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to compare the value of platelet derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), hyaluronic acid (HA), type III procollagen (PCIII), type IVcollagen (C-IV) and laminin (LN) in serum and message RNA (mRNA) expression of TIMP-1 and MMP-1 in peripheral blood mononucleocytes (PBMC) to diagnose liver fibrosis.

METHODSSerum samples from 60 chronic hepatitis B patients and 20 healthy blood donors were assayed for serum level of PDGF-BB, TGF-beta1, MMP-1 and TIMP-1 with ELISA, and for serum level of HA, PCIII, C-IV and LN, with RIA. The mRNA expression of TIMP-1 and MMP-1 in PBMC was detected by RT-PCR. Liver biopsy was performed in all those patients. The biopsy materials were examined histopathologically.

RESULTSThrough the analysis by ROC curve, serum PDGF-BB is the most valuable marker, and its sensitivity was the highest among eight indices. The marker with the highest specificity was TIMP-1 mRNA in PBMCs. The area under the curve (AUC) of PDGF-BB, TIMP-1, HA, PCIII, C-IV, LN, TIMP-1 mRNA was 0.985, 0.726, 0.318, 0.728, 0.727, 0.583, 0.463, 0.876, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of combination of PDGF-BB and TIMP-1 mRNA were 97.4%, 95.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSerum PDGF-BB is the most potential index among eight markers. The combination of serum PDGF-BB and TIMP-1 mRNA in PBMC might be more efficient to screen liver fibrosis.

Adult ; Collagen Type III ; blood ; Collagen Type IV ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Laminin ; blood ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; diagnosis ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; analysis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; blood ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; blood ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; metabolism ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor ; Up-Regulation ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) and incidence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in female populations in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.

METHODSTotally 1137 women aged 15-59 from Shahe Community, Nanshan District, Shenzhen were investigated for cervical cancer during an population-based epidemiological screening from November 2004 to December 2004. Visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), colposcopy, liquid-based cytology test (LCT), and hybrid capture 2 (HC-) were performed to detect the high-risk HPV types in cervical secretions. Biopsy under colposcope was performed in women who were HPV-positive with LCT >or= atypical squamous cells of undetermined sign (ASCUS) or HPV-negative with LCT >or= low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), with the pathological results as the golden standards.

RESULTSThe detection rate of high-risk HPV-DNA was 14.0%. HPV detection rates in 15-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, and 50-59 age groups were 15.5%, 17.7%, 12.6%, 8.8%, 10.2%, 15.3%, and 21.0%, respectively (P < 0.05). HPV detection rates in 25-29 years group and 50-59 years group were significantly higher than those in other groups (P < 0.05) and 35-39 group had the lowest detection rate. The curve of HPV infection rates in all groups was 'V' type. The overall incidence of CIN was 4.4%. The incidences of CIN , CIN , and CIN were 3.2%, 1.0%, and 0.3%, respectively, in which the incidence of CIN was significantly higher than those of CIN and . HPV detection rates increased with cervical lesion grades, which in >or=CIN groups and normal group were 100.0% and 8.3%, respectively. No cervical cancer was identified in this research. The sensitivities of VIA, colposcopy, LCT, and HC-II for high-risk HPV screening were 35.7%, 50.0%, 92.9%,and 100%, respectively, in detecting high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), the specificities of these four methods were 96.0%, 87.2%, 88.4%, and 86.9%, respectively. Satisfactory negative predictive values were obtained for all methods.

CONCLUSIONSHPV infection is the main risk factor for CIN. Cervical cancer among female populations in Shenzhen is still in early stages. Prevention of HPV infection and treatment of CIN are key for the prevention of cervical cancer.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; epidemiology ; Chi-Square Distribution ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA, Viral ; isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mass Screening ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Papillomaviridae ; genetics ; Papillomavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDHigh expressions of galectin-3 were identified recently in the end stage of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, which suggested that immune reactivity and inflammatory mechanisms might play an important role in the pathogenesis of ALS. The purpose of this study was to investigate plasma galectin-3 levels in different groups and stages of ALS patients and the association with related clinical characteristics.

METHODSA total of 51 patients with ALS and 60 normal controls (NCs) were recruited in this study. Plasma galectin-3 levels were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients with ALS were divided into several groups according to their clinical characteristics: gender, type of disease onset, duration of disease, and clinical conditions of disease. Statistical analyses of the differences of galectin-3 levels between groups and the association with the clinical characteristics of disease were performed.

RESULTSAs compared with the NCs (201.64 [22.35-401.63] ng/ml), plasma galectin-3 levels were significantly elevated in the patients with duration >12 months (341.17 [69.12-859.22] ng/ml, P< 0.05), and the patients with limb onset of disease (254.14 [69.12-859.22] ng/ml, P< 0.05); however, no difference was found in the patients with duration ≤12 months (250.62 [109.77-334.92] ng/ml, P > 0.05), and the patients with bulbar onset of disease (251.79 [109.20-404.76] ng/ml, P > 0.05). In addition, galectin-3 levels were significantly increased in the female patients (263.27 [123.32-859.22] ng/ml, P< 0.05) while no difference was found in the male patients (220.39 [69.12-748.73] ng/ml, P > 0.05). The further statistical analyses showed that plasma galectin-3 levels were positively correlated with the duration of disease (r = 0.293, P = 0.037).

CONCLUSIONSPlasma galectin-3 levels were significantly increased in ALS patients with limb onset of disease, especially in ALS female patients, and positively correlated with the duration of disease, which suggested that plasma galectin-3 might be an interesting and useful factor associated with ALS.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ; blood ; immunology ; pathology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Galectin 3 ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sex Factors ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo identify clinical characteristics of hospitalized laboratory-confirmed influenza cases of children under 15 years old, and their risk factors of influenza infection.

METHODSAnalyzing the reports of hospitalized laboratory-confirmed influenza cases of children under 15 years old who were detected by the sentinel surveillance systems in 10 provinces from December 2009 to June 2014. Such data as their demographic, medical history, clinical symptoms and signs, treatment and outcome were collected using questionnaires, with their clinical characteristics and their risk factors of influenza infection described.

RESULTSOf the 2 937 severe acute respiratory infection inpatients, 190 (6.5%) were laboratory-confirmed influenza cases. 123 (64.7%) of such confirmed cases were male, and 139 (73.2%) were children under 5 years old, with age median of 3.0 years (IQR: 1.0-5.0 years). 20 (10.5%) of them had at least one chronic medical condition, mostly chronic cardiovascular disease (3.2%), immunosuppressive disease (3.2%), and cancer/tumor (2.6%). Most common clinical symptoms of the cases were fever (92.6%) and cough (88.8%), of which abnormal pulmonary auscultation (51.1%) and abnormal chest X-ray performance (36.1%) were the most common clinical signs. 29 cases (15.8%) had complications, of which pneumonia (15.3%) was most common. 16 cases (8.6%) used antiviral drugs, and 4 cases (2.2%) were admitted into ICU. Risk factor analysis suggested that age < 6 months (OR = 0.406, 95% CI: 0.203-0.815) was a protective factor against influenza infection; and age 5-9 years old (OR = 2.535, 95% CI: 1.059-6.066) was a risk factor for influenza infection.

CONCLUSIONHospitalized laboratory-confirmed influenza cases were found mostly in children under 5 years old. Risk exposure for influenza infection varied among age groups.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Antiviral Agents ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Cough ; Female ; Fever ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; pathology ; Inpatients ; Laboratories ; Male ; Protective Factors ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Sentinel Surveillance ; Surveys and Questionnaires

According to the research strategy of resource chemistry of Chinese medicinal materials and Chinese medicinal resources recycling utilization, this study intends to explore the potential resource-oriented utilization value of the seed of Sophora flavescens by contrasting with its kindred plant S. alopecuroides. This study established a rapid UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS and UPLC-TQ-MS/MS method to determine the alkaloids in the seed of S. flavescens. Results of UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis showed that the alkaloids in the seed of S. flavescens were highly similar with S. alopecuroides.In the determination of 7 kinds of alkaloids, the total content was 11.203 and 15.506 mg•g⁻¹ in the seed of S. flavescens and S. alopecuroides, respectively. The content of oxymatrine, oxysophocarpine and sophoridine is high in the seed of S. flavescens. The results indicated that the seeds of S. flavescens. could be an important material resource to obtain alkaloids.

This study intends to explore the potential resource-orientedutilization value of the flower of Sophora flavescents by analyzing alkaloids and flavonoids in the flower of S. flavescens from Shanxi province. This study established a rapid UPLC-TQ-MS/MS method that is used for determination of seven alkaloids and seven flavonoids in the flower of S.flavescens. The different florescences all have the seven detected alkaloids such as cytisine, oxy-matrine, oxy-sophocarpine, sophoridine, N-methylcytisine, matrine, sophocarpine.The total contents of detected alkaloids are as follows: flower buds 1.47%, primal flowers 1.34%, full bloomed flowers 1.17%, faded flowers 1.01%. The top three contents of alkaloids are N-methylcytisine , oxy-sophocarpine and oxymatrine, accounting for about 83% of the total amount of detected alkaloids. All the samples in different florescences have the seven detected flavonoids such as rutin, luteolin, quercetin, isoquercitrin, trifolirhizin, kurarinone, and kushenol I. The total contents of detected alkaloids are as follows: flower buds 495.2 μg•g⁻¹, primal flowers 313.7 μg•g⁻¹, faded flowers 224.2 μg•g⁻¹, full bloomed flowers 193.0 μg•g⁻¹. The content of luteolinis relatively higher than other detected flavonoids, accounting for about 89%-94% of the total amount of detected flavonoids. The results indicated that the flower of S.flavescens could be an important material resource to obtain the resourceful alkaloids. This result can provide scientific basis for resource-oriented utilization and industrial development of the flower of S. flavescens.