Myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) is a widely distributed protein kinase C (PKC) substrate and has been implicated in actin cytoskeletal rearrangement in response to extracellular stimuli. Although MARCKS was extensively examined in various cell culture systems, the physiological function of MARCKS in the central nervous system has not been clearly understood. We investigated alterations of cellular distribution and phosphorylation of MARCKS in the hippocampus following kainic acid (KA)-induced seizures. KA (25 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered to eight to nine week-old C57BL/6 mice. Behavioral seizure activity was observed for 2 h after the onset of seizures and was terminated with diazepam (8 mg/kg, i.p.). The animals were sacrificed and analyzed at various points in time after the initiation of seizure activity. Using double-labeling immunofluorescence analysis, we demonstrated that the expression and phosphorylation of MARCKS was dramatically upregulated specifically in microglial cells after KA-induced seizures, but not in other types of glial cells. PKC alpha, beta I, beta II and delta, from various PKC isoforms examined, also were markedly upregulated, specifically in microglial cells. Moreover, immunoreactivities of phosphorylated MARCKS were co-localized in the activated microglia with those of the above isoforms of PKC. Taken together, our in vivo data suggest that MARCKS is closely linked to microglial activation processes, which are important in pathological conditions, such as neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.
Up-Regulation/drug effects ; Time Factors ; Seizures/chemically induced/*metabolism ; Protein Kinase C-delta/analysis ; Protein Kinase C-alpha/analysis ; Protein Kinase C/*analysis ; Protein Biosynthesis/drug effects ; Phosphorylation/drug effects ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microglia/cytology/drug effects/*metabolism ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice ; Membrane Proteins/*analysis/metabolism ; Kainic Acid/*toxicity ; Isoenzymes/analysis ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/*analysis/metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Animals

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) in diagnosis of the bacterial infection in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) patients by detecting the change of CRP and PCT. METHODS: A total of 369 AECOPD patients were divided into infective group and non-infective group. The values of CRP, PCT, WBC, N and ESR were tested and compared before and after treatment in each group. RESULTS: Before treatment, the levels of CRP, PCT, WBC, and N in the infective group were significantly higher than that in the non-infective group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while there was no significant difference in ESR level between the 2 groups (P>0.05). In the infective group, the levels of CRP, PCT, WBC, N and ESR after the treatment were much lower than those before treatment (P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of CRP, PCT, WBC, and N in the infective group were significantly higher compared with that in the non-infective group (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference of ESR level between the 2 groups (P>0.05). There was a positive relationship between PCT and CRP, ESR and WBC (r=0.46, 0.38, 0.20; P<0.05), CRP and WBC as well as N and ESR (r=0.56, 0.43, 0.30; P<0.05). CONCLUSION It is a sensitive method for diagnosis and treatment of the bacterial infection in AECOPD patients through the combination of CRP with PCT and also for evaluation of the prognosis of patients with AECOPD.
Bacterial Infections ; complications ; diagnosis ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Calcitonin ; analysis ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Protein Precursors ; analysis ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; complications ; microbiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the content and activity of M-phase promoting factor (MPF) in pleomorphic adenoma, mucoepidermoid carcinoma, buccal carcinoma and normal tissue, in order to evaluate the role of MPF in the development of tumor and the relationship between MPF and malignant degree.

METHODSThe content and activity of MPF were assessed by immunobloting and Gollicano method.

RESULTSThe cdc2 and cyclinB (two subunits of MPF) were found both in normal and tumor tissues, and their content in tumor was higher than normal tissues. Buccal carcinoma was 64% higher than normal tissues. The activity of MPF in carcinoma was higher than normal tissue and had positive relation with the malignant extent.

CONCLUSIONSThe content and activity of MPF in tumor are higher than normal tissue. PKC can activate MPF. These results show PKC may promote tumor proliferation by activating MPF and also, the activity of MPF has some relation with malignant extent.

CDC2 Protein Kinase ; analysis ; Cyclin B ; analysis ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Maturation-Promoting Factor ; analysis ; Mouth ; chemistry ; Mouth Neoplasms ; chemistry ; Protein Kinase C ; physiology

C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Humans ; Infant ; Intestinal Obstruction ; etiology ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; complications

OBJECTIVETo investigate the levels of high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) and insulin sensitivity index (ISI) in children with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

METHODSTwenty-nine children with OSAHS and 22 children with primary snoring (PS) were enrolled. Polysomnography was performed. Body mass index (BMI), hsCRP, serum lipids, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and insulin (INS) were measured. ISI was calculated.

RESULTSThe apnea hypopnea index (AHI) in the OSAHS group was higher than that in the PS group (13.2 ± 9.2 vs 1.2 ± 1.1; P<0.05). The lowest oxygen saturation (LSaO2) in the OSAHS group was lower than that in the PS group [(78.5 ± 5.4)% vs (87.4 ± 3.7)%; P<0.05]. The values of hsCRP in the OSAHS group was higher than those in the PS group (2.8 ± 2.7 mg/L vs 0.6 ± 0.9 mg/L; P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the ISI and serum lipids between the two groups. The hsCRP level was negatively correlated with LSaO2 in the OSAHS group (r=-0.531, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe hsCRP level increases in children with OSAHS. The increased hsCRP level might be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.

C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; blood

We developed a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein quantifiable chemiluminescent immunoassay (hs-CRP CLIA). The high-purity native CRP was purified from hepatic cirrhosis patient ascetic fluid by affinity and ion exchange chromatography and used as an immunogen to develop the monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against CRP. Twenty-two mAbs were identified reactive with CRP in ELISA and 13 of them were reactive in the phosphorycholine ligand capture ELISA. The mAbs 10C5 and 10C11 were selected to develop the hs-CRP CLIA. The linearity and performance of the hs-CRP CLIA was characterized. It was showed not reactive when testing against other serum materials (IgG, hemoglobin and triglyceride). The reliable correlation (R2 > 0.993) was obtained between testing value (RLU/S) and the concentration of human serum CRP calibrator. The linearity fell in the range of 0.04-20.38 mg/L. The assay has good accuracy and reproducibility, the mean recovery was 99% and the precision of the intra- and inter assay was CVs (4.2%-5.8%) and (9.0%-11.5%), respectively. In testing of 90 human sera, this assay performed well and correlated comparably with a commercial hs-CRP ELISA kit. Thus, hs-CRP CLIA is an accurate, reliable, quantifiable assay for detection of high-sensitive C-reactive protein in serum, it may be useful to improve the risk assessment of cardiovascular disease and the prognosis of inflammatory bowel disease.
C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; chemistry ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; methods ; Luminescent Measurements ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity

C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Osteomyelitis ; diagnosis ; therapy

Adult ; Behcet Syndrome ; complications ; diagnosis ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; etiology ; Humans ; Male

BACKGROUND: There are conflicting data in the literature regarding aspirin resistance. This study evaluated the effect of biochemical aspirin resistance on initial stroke severity in acute stroke patients who had taken aspirin. METHODS: We reviewed acute ischemic stroke patients who were already on aspirin. Biochemical aspirin resistance was defined as an aspirin reaction unit score of > or =550, as evidenced by the VerifyNow-Aspirin assay, which was performed after 4 days of continuous aspirin medication. Initial stroke severity was evaluated using National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores at day 4, which were dichotomized into mild (0-7) and severe (> or =8). Modified Rankin Scale scores were determined at 3 months. The Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Scores (ASPECTS) were assessed on initial diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). We examined the relationships between biochemical aspirin resistance and initial stroke severity. RESULTS: Nine of 106 patients (8.5%) had biochemical aspirin resistance. The initial stroke severity was significantly associated with DWI-ASPECTS (p<0.001), initial C-reactive protein level (p=0.005), biochemical aspirin resistance (p=0.009), and stenosis or occlusion of the relevant artery (p=0.029). Multivariate analysis showed that biochemical aspirin resistance [odds ratio (OR), 15.24; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.49-93.31; p=0.003] and initial C-reactive protein level (per 1 mg/dL; OR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.47-4.00; p=0.001) were independently associated with initial stroke severity (NIHSS score > or =8). However, biochemical aspirin resistance was not associated with clinical outcome at 3 months (p=0.366). CONCLUSIONS: Biochemical aspirin resistance was independently associated with initial stroke severity. This suggests that detection of biochemical aspirin resistance in acute ischemic stroke is useful when choosing the optimal treatment.
Alberta ; Arteries ; Aspirin ; C-Reactive Protein ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; National Institutes of Health (U.S.) ; Stroke

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aims of this study were to identify the value of inflammatory markers as pretreatment prognostic factors for patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and to estimate the value of a prognostic index including these markers at diagnosis. METHODS: A total of 273 newly diagnosed MM patients undergoing active treatment were analyzed in this study. The prognostic values for survival of the pretreatment inflammatory markers were investigated. A myeloma prognostic index (MPI) was derived using prognostic factors determined to be independently significant on multivariate analysis. RESULTS: A high pretreatment neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), low platelet count, and high C-reactive protein (CRP) level had independently unfavorable significance for overall survival (OS). The MPI was derived based on these factors. Per the MPI, 1 point each was assigned to high NLR, low platelet count, and high CRP. Risk categories were stratified into low- (score 0), intermediate- (score 1), and high-risk (score 2 or 3) groups. The MPI demonstrated independent statistical significance for OS on multivariate analysis ([intermediate: hazard ratio (HR), 1.91; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12 to 3.24] and [high: HR, 3.37; 95% CI, 2.00 to 5.69]; p < 0.001). Moreover, this significance could be observed regardless of age, renal function, and exposure to novel agents. In addition, the International Staging System risk group could be further significantly stratified using the MPI. CONCLUSIONS: The MPI, consisting of pretreatment inflammatory markers, NLR, platelet count, and CRP, might be effective in predicting the survival of newly diagnosed MM patients undergoing active treatment.
C-Reactive Protein ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Platelet Count ; Prognosis