Objective To express human cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA4) extracelluar domain in Bacmid-baculovirus expression system. Methods The cDNA of human CTLA4 extracelluar domain was isolated from plasmid pUC19-CTLA4Ig by PCR.The specific cDNA was subcloned into plasmid pFastBacl. The insertion was confirmed by DNA sequencing, and then transposed into Hz8 Bacmid in DH10B. The recombinant Bacmid was used to transform Hz insect cells. The supernatant and cellular lysate were analyzed by using SDS-PAGE. Results A specific protein in the cellular lysate of Hz insect cells containing human CTLA4 extracelluar domain with MW38 x 103 was found. Conclusion Human CTLA4 extracellular domain is expressed in the Bacmid-baculovirus expression system.

Objective To find the different plasma-associated proteins of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis for understanding the pathogenesis of RA. Methods The total protein from either RA patients or normal ones was prepared by means of immobilized pH gradient based on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. After silver staining, gel-image analysis was performed by using PDQuest. The differentially expressed proteins were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Results 2-DE patterns of plasma from controls and RA patients were presented. The results showed that average number of protein spots was 592 and 563 respectively, and the corresponding average matching rate was 89% and 87% respectively. Gel-image analysis revealed that there were 24 differential protein spots. A total of 15 differential protein spots were successfully identified by MALDI-TOF-MS, of which 6 proteins were up-regulated as compared with control. Conclusion The differentially expressed proteins can be observed in plasma from RA and controls, which can be used to elucidate the pathogenesis of RA for further study.

Objective To explore the interaction between HT036(hypothetical protein HT036)and P311 by co-immunoprecipitation.Methods HA-tagged fusion protein(HA-HT036)expression vector was constructed,identified and transfected into human embryo kidney 293(HEK293)cells alone or with Myc-tagged fusion protein(Myc-P311)expression vector pCMV-Myc-p311.The interaction between P311 and HT036 was detected by co-immunoprecipitation.Results Double restriction enzyme digestion showed that pCMV-HA-HT036 was constructed correctly.When Myc-P311 was immunoprecipitated by anti-Myc antibody,HA-HT036 was identified by Western blotting with anti-HA antibody from immunoprecipitated complex.Conclusion The recombinant vector pCMV-HA-HT036 was constructed successfully.The interaction between HT036 and P311 could be identified by co-immunoprecipitation after co-expression of pCMV-HA-HT036 and pCMV-Myc-p311.The result provides an important basis for further study of the intracellular signal transduction of P311.

OBJECTIVETo screen the hypertrophic scar related cytoskeletal genes during early postburn stage, so as to explore their roles in postburn scar contraction.

METHODScDNA microarray chips containing 4096 human cDNAs were employed to investigate the cytoskeletal gene expression of the scar samples from human postburn hypertrophic scar. Furthermore, the expression of one of the cytoskeletal genes in hypertrophic scar tissue was studied by in situ hybridization.

RESULTSThirteen up - regulated cytoskeletal genes in 3 early postburn hypertrophic scar samples were identified. Moreover, the cells expressing human tropomyosin TM30 mRNA, one of the up - regulated cytoskeletal genes, were found increased in the early postburn hypertrophic scar samples.

CONCLUSIONIn this study up - regulated expression of many hypertrophic scar related cytoskeletal genes was found in the scar samples during early postburn stage, and they might be important factors leading to postburn hypertrophic scar formation and contraction.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Burns ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; genetics ; Cytoskeleton ; genetics ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Male ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tropomyosin ; genetics ; Up-Regulation

Objective:To explore the risk factors of adjacent segment diseases (ASDis) after lumbar fusion, summarize the prevention strategies and provide reference for clinical treatment.Methods:All of 258 patients who underwent lumbar interbody fusion from March 2014 to March 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, including 95 males and 163 females, the age of whom was 61.8±8.4 years (range, 39-77 years). The patients were divided into ASDis group and non-ASDis group according to whether ASDis occurred at the follow-up of 24 months after operation. The patient's individual factors [gender, age, body mass index (BMI), main diagnosis, preoperative paraspinal muscle fatty degree, etc.] and surgical factors (operation type, fixed segment, fusion segment, etc.), sagittal parameters [lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence (PI), pelvic tilt (PT), sacral slope (SS), PI-LL] were recorded. After univariate analysis of potential risk factors, the factors with P<0.05 were substituted into logistic regression model for multivariate analysis to determine the risk factors of ASDis after lumbar fusion. Results:ASDis occurred in 24 patients after lumbar fusion, with an incidence of 9.3% (24/258); univariate analysis showed that age ≥ 60 years old, complicated with osteoporosis, preoperative fatty degree of paraspinal muscle (GCS grade≥3), PLIF operation, suspension fixation, total laminectomy and multi-segment fusion (≥ 3 segments) were the potential risk factors for ASDis after operation (P<0.05); Gender, education level, partner status, type of work, BMI, obesity (BMI≥24 kg/m 2) , smoking, use of bisphosphonates, concomitant lumbar spinal stenosis, lumbar lordosis angle, pelvic incidence angle, pelvic tilt angle, sacral slope angle, and PI-LL had no significant correlation with ASDis. Logistic regression analysis showed that age ≥ 60 years ( OR=5.63, 95% CI: 1.56, 20.29, P=0.008), preoperative paravertebral muscle fatty GCS ≥ 3 ( OR=4.82, 95% CI: 1.36, 17.13, P=0.015), combined with osteoporosis ( OR=14.04, 95% CI: 2.53, 77.79, P=0.002), PLIF ( OR=9.69, 95% CI: 1.91, 49.03, P=0.001), and multi-segment fixation ( OR=9.36, 95% CI: 1.77, 49.41, P=0.008) were the risk factors for ASDis after lumbar fusion; Incomplete laminectomy ( OR=0.09, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.37, P=0.001) and suspension fixation ( OR=0.16, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.94, P=0.042) were the protective factors of ASDis after lumbar fusion. Conclusion:The patients with age ≥ 60 years old, osteoporosis and preoperative paraspinal muscle fatty degree ≥ 3 grade GCS should be more careful in choosing the surgical methods, and try to choose transforaminal interbody fusion, posterolateral fusion, short segment fusion, decompression with preservation of vertebral lamina, suspension fixation and other surgical methods to reduce the incidence of postoperative ASDis.

Objective:To investigate the effect of teriparatide on residual back pain (RBP) after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was used to analyze the clinical data of 90 OVCF patients sustaining RBP after PKP admitted to Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from September 2015 to March 2019, including 18 males and 72 females, at age of 57-85 years［(68.0±5.9) years］. Teriparatide treatment was applied regularly in 32 patients (teriparatide group) and antiosteoporosis drug was administered routinely in 58 patients (routine treatment group). Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were compared between the two groups before operation, at 24 hours, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after operation. Anterior vertebral body height (ABH), middle vertebral body height (MBH), kyphosis angle (KA), maintenance rate of anterior vertebral body height (MRABH), maintenance rate of middle vertebral body height (MRMBH) and difference of kyphosis angle (DKA) were measured at 24 hours and 12 months after operation to evaluate the maintenance of vertebral height and incidence of vertebral refracture. Levels of type I collagen carboxy-terminal peptide (β-CTX) and serum N-terminal osteocalcin (N-MID) were measured before operation and at 12 months after operation to evaluate the improvement of bone metabolism. The adverse reactions of teriparatide group were observed.Results:All patients were followed up for 12-36 months［(14.3±0.6)months］. VAS and ODI were decreased gradually with time in both groups (all P<0.01). There were no significant differences in VAS between the two groups before operation and at 24 hours after operation (all P>0.05). Teriparatide group showed VAS of (4.4±0.6)points, (3.2±0.5)points, (2.0±0.5)points, (1.1±0.1)points at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after operation, significantly lower than those in routine treatment group［(4.9±0.6)points, (4.0±0.6)points, (3.2±0.7)points, (2.7±0.1)points, respectively］(all P<0.01). Teriparatide group showed ODI of 26.5±1.3 and 20.6±1.2 at 6 months and 12 months after operation, significantly lower than those in routine treatment group (28.2±1.6, 23.6±1.6) (all P<0.01). There were no significant differences in ODI between the two groups at other time points (all P>0.05). Both groups presented significantly lowered levels of ABH and MBH at 12 months after operation as compared with those at 24 hours after operation (all P<0.01). There were no significant differences in ABH or MBH between the two groups at 24 hours after operation (all P>0.05). ABH, MBH, MRABH and MRMBH in teriparatide group were (1.9±0.2)cm, (1.7±0.2)cm, 0.91±0.02 and 0.92±0.02 at 12 months after operation, significantly higher than those in routine treatment group［(1.7±0.2)cm, (1.6±0.2)cm, 0.86±0.02 and 0.87±0.02］(all P<0.01). KA in both groups showed significant increase at 12 months after operation as compared with that at 24 hours after operation (all P<0.01). There was no significant difference in KA between the two groups at 24 hours after operation ( P>0.05). KA in teriparatide group was (7.3±0.7)° at 12 months after operation, significantly lower than (9.5±0.5)° in routine treatment group ( P<0.01). DKA in teriparatide group was (5.3±1.3)° at 12 months after operation, significantly lower than (6.6±1.4)° in routine treatment group ( P<0.01). Incidence of vertebral refracture in teriparatide group was 7% (2/32), significantly lower than 35% (15/58) in routine treatment group ( P<0.05). Level of β-CTX was not significantly different between and within the two groups before operation and at 12 months after operation (all P>0.05). There was no significant difference in N-MID between the two groups before operation ( P>0.05). After treatment for 12 months, level of N-MID in teriparatide group was significantly increased［19.5 (17.6, 20.9)pg/ml］as compared with that before operation［18.2 (14.6, 21.0)pg/ml］( P<0.01), and was significantly higher than that in routine treatment group［17.6 (15.3, 19.9)pg/ml］( P<0.01). Routine treatment group showed no significant difference in level of N-MID before operation and at 12 months after operation ( P>0.05). Two patients in teriparatide group had orthostatic hypotension after treatment. Conclusion:For OVCF patients with RBP after PKP, teriparatide can effectively alleviate pain, improve motor dysfunction, maintain the height of bone cement vertebral body, reduce incidence of vertebral refracture and enhance the activity of osteoblasts, with less adverse reactions.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine combined with ifosfamide (GI regimen)in patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma after failure of platinum-based chemotherapy.

METHODSThe clinical data of 27 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, who received GI regimen between April 2005 and March 2014 after failure of prior platinum-based chemotherapy, were retrospectively reviewed,and relevant prognostic factors were explored.

RESULTSAll patients were evaluable for efficacy and toxicity. No patient achieved complete response (CR). Partial response (PR) was achieved in ten patients, stable disease (SD) in thirteen patients, progressive disease (PD) in four patients, with a response rate of 37.0% and an overall disease control rate (PR+SD) of 85.2%. For ten PR patients, the median duration of response was 5.5 months. The median progression-free survival of the whole group was 6.7 months, and the Kaplan-Meier estimate of median overall survival was 17.4 months. The 1-year survival rate was 72.6%. Toxicity was mainly hematological: Grade III or IV anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were found in 3.7%, 37.0% and 18.5% of all patients, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that dose intensity of gemcitabine was a significant prognostic factor for PFS, whereas salvage treatment after failure of GI regimen was a significant prognostic factor for OS.

CONCLUSIONSGemcitabine and ifosfamide combination is effective and well tolerated by patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma pretreated with platinum-based chemotherapy. Further clinical study is warranted.

Anemia ; chemically induced ; Antineoplastic Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma ; Deoxycytidine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Ifosfamide ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Induction Chemotherapy ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology ; Neutropenia ; chemically induced ; Platinum ; therapeutic use ; Remission Induction ; Salvage Therapy ; Survival Rate ; Thrombocytopenia ; chemically induced ; Treatment Failure