This study was purposed to investigate the expression of the growth-factor independence 1 (GFI1) in patients with leukemia and its clinical significance. Bone marrow mononuclear cells were obtained from 65 newly diagnosed leukemia patients including 24 acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 18 chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), 6 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 17 blast crisis of chronic myelogenous leukemia and 13 patients with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) were used as controls. The relative expression of gene gfi1 was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and taqman quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR). The results showed that gene expression of gene gfi1 in leukemia patients was obviously higher than that in controls and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01), in which the expression of gene gfi1 in newly diagnosed CML patients was higher than that in newly diagnosed AML, newly diagnosed ALL, CML-BCP patients and the difference was significant (p < 0.01). Expression of gene gfi1 in lymphocytic blast crisis of CML was higher than that in nonlymphocytic blast crisis of CML, and the difference was significant. It is concluded that gene gfi1 may play an important role in leukemia, especially in CML incidence and progression. The high level expression of gene gfi1 may be participate in the development of lymphoma.
DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Leukemia ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; Transcription, Genetic ; genetics

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus, belongs to Lentiviridae family. As long as viral genetic material entering into host cytoplasm, double-strand DNAs synthesis occurs which is catalyzed by reverse transcriptase (RT) with viral plus-strand RNA as template. This reverse transcription is a key link of HIV-1 life cycle and an important target for anti-HIV drug development. The process of reverse transcription can be divided into several steps: formation of minus-strand strong-stop DNA; the first translocation; initiation of plus-strand DNA synthesis; and, the second translocation and the completion of both strands. These steps can be detected individually by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) according to the amplified products on the region of R/U5, U3, U5/PBS and the sequence between LTR and Gag. In this review, we summarize the principle for detecting stages of HIV-1 reverse transcription by using PCR.
DNA Replication ; genetics ; DNA, Viral ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; HIV Reverse Transcriptase ; genetics ; metabolism ; HIV-1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Reverse Transcription

A reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was developed to rapidly detect foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype C (FMDV C). By testing 10-fold serial dilutions of FMDV C samples, sensitivity of the FMDV C RT-LAMP was found to be 10 times higher than that of conventional reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). No cross-reactivity with A, Asia 1, or O FMDV or swine vesicular disease virus (SVDV) indicated that FMDV C RT-LAMP may be an exciting novel method for detecting FMDV C.
Animals ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease/*diagnosis ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus/genetics ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques/*methods/veterinary ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; Reverse Transcription/genetics ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo develop a rapid, sensitive and specific real time reverse transcription PCR for detecting and identifying human metapneumovirus.

METHODSThe Hmpv-L gene of human metapneumovirus was chosen as target gene, the primers and TaqMan probe were designed, and the PCR reaction was optimized systematically. The total RNA was extracted from respiratory specimens, and reverse transcription was performed through random primer. The cDNA was detected by using real time PCR. The specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility of real time PCR were estimated. The real time PCR was applied to detect 180 clinical respiratory specimens.

RESULTSThe human metapneumovirus can be detected using real time reverse transcription PCR accurately and quickly, and the sensitivity was 1 copy/microl. The coefficient of variation of intra-assay and inter-assay was less than 5%. Among those 180 specimens, 28 (15.56%) were positive for human metapneumovirus, the clinical diagnoses for these 28 patients were pneumonia (15.60%, 17/109) and bronchiolitis (15.49%, 11/71). 21 positive specimens were from patients under 2 years of age, and 6 positive specimens were from patients between 2 and 5 years of age, only 1 positive specimens was from patients over 5 years.

CONCLUSIONIt is demonstrated that real time reverse transcription PCR is a reliable, accurate and feasible assay for human metapneumovirus, which has become one of the most important pathogens induced acute respiratory infections in pediatric patients.

Child, Preschool ; Feasibility Studies ; Humans ; Metapneumovirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; virology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Reverse Transcription ; Sensitivity and Specificity

HBV infections leads to severe public health problems around the world, especially in China. Improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms of HBV reverse transcription is fundamental for optimization of treatment and solution to drug-resistance. Recently, the main structural basis involved in the process of HBV reverse transcription and the cis-elements were revealed by means of biochemistry and genetics. The entire process of reverse transcription is completed mainly through the first template switch mediated by the P- epsilon structure; the second template switch mediated by 5E/3E and M structure; and the third template switch mediated by 5' r / 3' r structure. The important structure and the cis-elements involved in this process are the focus of this review, at the same time, an overview of the progress in relevent studies is demonstrated to show the whole picture of the HBV reverse process.
Animals ; Hepatitis B ; virology ; Hepatitis B virus ; enzymology ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcription ; Viral Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

BACKGROUND: With the ongoing worldwide coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, an increasing number of viral variants are being identified, which poses a challenge for nucleic acid-based diagnostic tests. Rapid tests, such as real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR), play an important role in monitoring COVID-19 infection and controlling its spread. However, the changes in the genotypes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants may result in decreased sensitivity of the rRT-PCR assay and it is necessary to monitor the mutations in primers and probes of SARS-CoV-2 detection over time. METHODS: We developed two rRT-PCR assays to detect the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and nucleocapsid (N) genes of SARS-CoV-2. We evaluated these assays together with our previously published assays targeting the ORF1ab and N genes for the detection and confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants of concern (VOCs). In addition, we also developed two rRT-PCR assays (S484K and S501Y) targeting the spike gene, which when combined with the open reading frames (ORF)1ab assay, respectively, to form duplex rRT-PCR assays, were able to detect SARS-CoV-2 VOCs (lineages B.1.351 and B.1.1.7). RESULTS: Using a SARS-CoV-2 stock with predetermined genomic copies as a standard, the detection limit of both assays targeting RdRp and N was five copies/reaction. Furthermore, no cross-reactions with six others human CoVs (229E, OC43, NL63, HKU1, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) were observed using these assays. In addition, the S484K and S501Y assays were combined with the ORF1ab assay, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Four rRT-PCR assays (RdRp, N, S484K, and S501Y) were used to detect SARS-CoV-2 variants, and these assays were shown to be effective in screening for multiple virus strains.
COVID-19 ; Humans ; RNA, Viral/genetics* ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcription ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo analyze the gene expression profiles of transcription factor-related genes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissues and normal nasopharyngeal tissues using a cDNA microarray membrane for exploring the regulatory mechanism of differential gene express in NPC tissues.

METHODSThe total RNAs from 24 NPC tissues and 24 pooled normal nasopharyngeal tissues were reverse transcribed and labeled with alpha-(32)P-dCTP. The resultant cDNAs were hybridized to GF211 microarray, and the signals were analyzed by Pathway 4.0 software. RT-PCR was carried out to confirm the results.

RESULTSAmong the 1625 differentially expressed genes detected in NPC and nasopharyngeal tissues, 35 transcription factor-related genes were identified with either up- or down-regulation.

CONCLUSIONThese differentially expressed transcription factor-related genes in NPC tissues might play a role in the regulation of NPC-related gene expression.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; pathology ; E2F1 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Objective To establish a real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay (qRT-PCR) for the rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of echinoderm microtubule associated protein like 4-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (EML4-ALK) fusion genes in non-small cell lung cancer. Methods The specific primers for the four variants of EML4-ALK fusion genes (V1, V2, V3a, and V3b) and Taqman fluorescence probes for the detection of the target sequences were carefully designed by the Primer Premier 5.0 software. Then, using pseudovirus containing EML4-ALK fusion genes variants (V1, V2, V3a, and V3b) as the study objects, we further analyzed the lower limit, sensitivity, and specificity of this method. Finally, 50 clinical samples, including 3 ALK-fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) positive specimens, were collected and used to detect EML4-ALK fusion genes using this method. Results The lower limit of this method for the detection of EML4-ALK fusion genes was 10 copies/μl if no interference of background RNA existed. Regarding the method's sensitivity, the detection resolution was as high as 1% and 0.5% in the background of 500 and 5000 copies/μl wild-type ALK gene, respectively. Regarding the method's specificity, no non-specific amplification was found when it was used to detect EML4-ALK fusion genes in leukocyte and plasma RNA samples from healthy volunteers. Among the 50 clinical samples, 47 ALK-FISH negative samples were also negative. Among 3 ALK-FISH positive samples, 2 cases were detected positive using this method, but another was not detected because of the failure of RNA extraction. Conclusion The proposed qRT-PCR assay for the detection of EML4-ALK fusion genes is rapid, simple, sensitive, and specific, which is deserved to be validated and widely used in clinical settings.
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcription

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of detecting API2-MALT1 fusion gene transcript in paraffin-embedded tissue and its diagnostic value for pulmonary MALT lymphoma.

METHODSTen archival cases of pulmonary MALT lymphoma were selected and reviewed. Five archival cases of chronic lymphadenitis were used as negative control. Detection of the API2-MALT1 fusion transcript was performed by RT-PCR followed by second-round PCR using nested primers. beta-actin mRNA assay was utilized as an internal control in all samples.

RESULTbeta-actin was detected in all samples (100%). The API2-MALT1 fusion transcript was found in 3 of 10 pulmonary MALT lymphomas (30%) and in none of the 5 chronic lymphadenitis cases. The pulmonary lesions in the fusion gene positive cases were all single tumors of less than 5.0 cm in diameter and limited to either the right or left of the lung.

CONCLUSIONDetection of API2-MALT1 fusion transcript in paraffin-embedded tissues is feasible by nested RT-PCR and is of diagnostic value. The presence of API2-MALT1 fusion gene may be correlated with a subset of pulmonary MALT lymphomas that have limited lung involvement.

Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transcription, Genetic

To investigate the expression of KLF6mRNA in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), nomal liver tissues and the tissues adjacent to the cancers, reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was employed to investigate the expression of the KLF6 gene in HCC, the corresponding adjacent non-cancerous tissues and normal liver tissue. Our results showed that an amplified fragment of 427 bp DNA was detected in 18 of 19 (94.7%) adjacent non-cancerous tissues and normal liver tissue, and in 12 (85.7%) of 14 HCC. There were no significant differences in the levels of KLF6 mRNA between normal liver and liver tumors (P>0.05). It is concluded that KLF6 mRNA is generally expressed in HCC.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*metabolism ; Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors/*biosynthesis ; Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors/genetics ; Liver/metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms/*metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/*biosynthesis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/genetics ; RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis ; RNA, Messenger/genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction