1.Establishment and evaluation of a mouse model of schistosomiasis liver disease induced by portal vein injection of worm eggs
LE Bin ; TANG Rui ; JIANG Pengyue ; HE Xing ; FAN Xiaobin
China Tropical Medicine 2023;23(10):1023-
Abstract: Objective To construct a mouse model of Schistosoma japonicum liver disease induced by direct injection of Schistosoma japonicum eggs through the portal vein and evaluate its effectiveness, in order to provide a new animal model for schistosomiasis liver disease research. Methods Fifteen 8-week-old C57BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into control group and egg injection group, with 5 in the control group and 10 in the egg injection group. On day -14, 5 000 live eggs were injected into the abdominal cavity of mice, and on day 0, the mice were anesthetized and the abdominal cavity was opened. 5 000 live eggs were injected through the portal vein, and the control group was injected with equal volume of phosphate buffer (PBS). 5 mice in the egg group were killed on day 10 and 30, respectively. The control group mice were killed on day 10, and their serum and liver tissue were collected. Hematoxylin eosin staining (HE) and Masson staining were performed, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and liver hydroxyproline (HYP) content were detected using a microplate spectrophotometer. Liver fibrosis-related genes, Th1 and Th2 type immune response-related genes were analyzed by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR). Liver injury, egg granuloma and fibrosis, and adaptive immune response were detected to evaluate the effect of portal vein injection of eggs while inducing mouse model of schistosomiasis liver disease. Results The results showed that significant egg granulomas appeared in the liver of mice after injection of eggs into the portal vein for 10 and 30 days. There was no statistically significant difference in the area of egg granulomas between the 10-day group and the 30-day group (t=0.975, P=0.332). Masson staining and liver hydroxyproline content detection showed significant fibrosis in the liver. The qPCR results showed that, compared with the control group, the expression levels of fibrosis marker genes, such as α⁃Sma (alpha smooth muscle actin), Col1a1 (collagen type Ⅰ alpha 1), and Tgfb1 (transforming growth factor beta 1), were significantly increased (t=6.380, 7.533, 5.314; P=0.002, 0.001, 0.007), and then decreased on the 30th day, with no statistical difference compared to the control group (t=0.940, 1.529, 1.746; P=0.778, 0.543, 0.457). At the same time, the expression levels of Th1 type immune response-related genes, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (Tnf), interferon gamma (Ifng), and Th2 type immune response-related genes, such as interleukin-5 (Il5), interleukin-13 (Il13), significantly increased 10 days after eggs injection (t=6.163, 4.589, 5.651, 5.367; P=0.003, 0.018, 0.020, 0.009). In addition, there was no significant change in the levels of AST and ALT in the serum of each group of mice (t=0.982, 3.450; P=0.771, 0.074. t=1.164, 0.564; P=0.697, 0.917). Conclusions A mouse model of schistosomiasis liver disease induced by portal vein injection of worm eggs was constructed. The study provides a new modeling method for studying the mechanism of liver fibrosis in schistosomiasis..
2.Conventional ultrasound combined with elastography for evaluating active lesions of juvenile localized scleroderma
Qiancheng HE ; Yu XIA ; Ping LI ; Pengyue TANG ; Xiaoyi CHEN ; Shuangshuang ZHANG ; Na XU
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2023;39(12):1862-1866
Objective To observe the value of conventional ultrasound combined with ultrasonic elastography for evaluating the severity of active lesions of juvenile localized scleroderma(JLS).Methods Totally 27 JLS children with 46 active lesions were prospectively enrolled.The thickness,echo and blood flow of skin and subcutaneous tissue of JLS lesions and the paired sites were evaluated using conventional ultrasound,while the skin stiffness of all lesions and paired sites were assessed using shear wave elastography(SWE),and the strain ratio of lesions and surrounding skin were evaluated using strain elastography(SE).The thickness,echo and blood flow of skin as well as subcutaneous tissue,and the Young's modulus of skin were compared between JLS active lesions and the paired sites.The correlations of the individual sum total of each Young's modulus and the limited scleroderma activity index(LoSAI)or the limited scleroderma injury index(LoSDI)were explored.Results Compared with the paired site,no significant difference of the skin thickness was found among 46 JLS lesions(P>0.05),but JLS lesions had thinner subcutaneous tissue(P<0.05)and greater Young's moduli(all P<0.05).The strain ratio of the lesions and surrounding skin were all larger than 2.For JLS children with active lesions,the individual sum total of Young's moduli had moderate rank correlations with LoSAI(rs=0.63-0.69,all P<0.05),but there was no significant rank correlation with LoSDI(rs=0.27-0.33,P>0.05).Conclusion Compared with the paired site,JLS active lesions had thinner subcutaneous tissue and stiffer skin.The higher the lesion skin stiffness,the more severe the JLS lesion activity.
3.Atopic dermatitis in children aged 1-7 years in Shenzhen city: an epidemiological study
Zhenzhen ZHANG ; 浙江台州恩泽医疗中心恩泽医院,318000 ; Yuan MENG ; Ping LI ; Jianhong LI ; Pengyue TANG ; Jianzhong LIU
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 2017;50(11):835-838
Objective To investigate the prevalence of and influencing factors for atopic dermatitis (AD)in children aged 1-7 years in Shenzhen city,and to analyze difference in diagnostic results between two diagnostic criteria.Methods From December 1st 2013 to March 1st 2014,a questionnaire survey and physical examination were conducted to investigate the prevalence of AD in children aged 1-7 years in Shenzhen city.Results A total of 1 504 children were enrolled into this study,including 716 males and 788 females.Based on the clinical diagnosis by experienced dermatologists,the prevalence of AD was 11.84% (17811 504) in total,11.73% (84/716) and 11.93% (94/788) in males and females,respectively,and there was no significant difference in the prevalence of AD between males and females (x2 =0.01,P >0.05).Based on the Williams' diagnostic criteria,the prevalence of AD was 3.92% (59/1 504) in total,and 4.05% (29/716) and 3.81% (30/788) in males and females,respectively.Premature birth was a risk factor for the occurrence of AD (x2 =5.43,P < 0.05).Conclusions The prevalence of AD is evidently increased among children aged 1-7 years in Shenzhen city,and premature birth is a risk factor for AD.Missed diagnosis will be reduced based on clinical diagnosis by experienced dermatologists.