To investigate the effects of human anti-BAFF scFv-Fc against the hsBAFF, ICR mice were randomly divided into six groups: control, hsBAFF (1 mg x kg(-1)), hsBAFF (1 mg x kg(-1)) + Ab (1 mg x kg(-1)), hsBAFF (1 mg x kg(-1)) + Ab (2 mg x kg(-1)), hsBAFF (1 mg x kg(-1)) + human IgG (1 mg x kg(-1)) and hsBAFF (1 mg x kg(-1)) + human IgG (2 mg x kg(-1)) groups. The effects of scFv-Fc administration on the proliferation of B lymphocytes were evaluated using an MTT assay. The titres of antibody in the serum and B lymphocytes differentiation were assessed by ELISA and flow cytometry, respectively. The results showed that administration of scFv-Fc to mice injected with hsBAFF significantly prevented human BAFF-induced increases in splenic B cell numbers and serum immunoglobulin levels. Furthermore, this fully human antibody would avoid inducing the human anti-mouse antibody (HAMA) response when used in humans. These findings suggest that the compact antibody may be useful in therapeutic or diagnostic application of the BAFF-associated autoimmune diseases in human.
Animals ; B-Cell Activating Factor ; immunology ; metabolism ; B-Lymphocytes ; cytology ; Body Weight ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments ; immunology ; metabolism ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Random Allocation ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; immunology ; metabolism ; Single-Chain Antibodies ; immunology ; metabolism ; Spleen ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between four cytokines in serum and prostatic fluid and chronic abacterial prostatitis (CAP).

METHODSThe levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were detected in 86 patients with CAP [CAP I (n = 60), WBC > or = 10/HP; CAP II (n = 26, WBC < 10/HP)], and 20 healthy males as control by ELISA.

RESULTSIL-2, IL-8 and TNF-alpha in serum and prostatic fluid, and IL-4 in serum in patients with CAP I were markedly higher than those in the control, respectively (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). No significant difference was observed in IL-4 level in prostatic fluid among CAP I, CAP II and control groups respectively (P > 0.05), and in IL-2, IL4, TNF-alpha in serum and prostatic fluid between CAP II group and the control (P > 0.05). IL-8 was correlated with WBC number in prostatic fluid (r = 0.62, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIL-2, IL-8, TNF-alpha may play roles in the process of pathogenesis of CAP, and they have applicable value in the diagnosis and typing of CAP.

Adult ; Bodily Secretions ; chemistry ; Chronic Disease ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostate ; secretion ; Prostatitis ; blood ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the changes of left ventricular(LV) 3-dimension peak displacement (3D-D) during different cardiac pacing patterns. To provide a reliable mechanical data base for the optimization cardiac pacing. Methods Cardiac pacings in open-chest Beagle canine models( n = 10) were performed using three patterns[I, e. , right ventricular apical pacing (RVA-P), LV lateral pacing (LVL-P)and LV apical pacing(LVA-P)],3D full volumetric real-time imaging were acquired in a completed cardiac cycle. The 3D-D,3D-D peak time (3D-DTc) and the standard deviation of TC(3D-DTSD) were calculated and analyzed in different pacing patterns for difference and spatial correlationship. Results ① The 3D-D of LVL-P and LVA-P state decreased compared with BASE and RVA-P state, there were significant 3D-D difference of mid anterior,mid anteriorspetal, mid interior,mid posterior, mid lateral between LVL-P and BASE, RVA-P patterns( P ＜0.05). There were significant 3D-D difference of mid anterior,mid lateral,mid posterior between LVA-P and RVA-P patterns groups( P ＜0.05). There were significant 3D-D difference of all segments in apical level between LVL-P,LVA-P and BASE, RVA-P states( P ＜0.05). ② Corrected by the heart rate,the 3D-DTC of different cardiac pacing patterns were shorter than BASE state. ③ There were no significant 3D-DTSD difference between different cardiac pacings and BASE patterns. There were significant 3D-DTSD difference between RVA-P and LVA-P patterns (P ＜ 0.05). Conclusions LV mechanical activation and synchronization could be maintained during RVA-P rather than LVA-P and LVL-P. Echocardiographic study of left ventricular 3D-D can actually reveal myocardial mechanical state during different cardiac pacings and BASE patterns.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of quantitative analysis software for myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) in assessment of myocardial perfusion.Methods According to coronary occlusion and reperfusion at different times,rabbits were divided into two groups:15 min occlusion / 30 min reperfusion (group Ⅰ) and 120 min occlusion / 60 min reperfusion (group Ⅱ).MCE was performed on all rabbits at baseline,occlusion and after reperfusion,and its images were analyzed by a new quantitative analysis software based on eliminating particle swarm optimization (EPSO) clustering algorithm,by which obtain myocardial perfusion parameters.Results (1) The values of calibrated contrast intensity (CI) in risk segments of Groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ were significantly lower than those at baseline during occlusion (t =5.104 and t =4.327,P＜0.01).After reperfusion,calibrated CI in risk segments significantly improved in Group Ⅰ (t =2.933,P＜0.01) while those remained unchanged in Group Ⅱ (P＞0.05).(2) The areas of red-coded region in color-coded map and myocardial infarction in triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride (TTC) were (21.4±12.3)% and (18.0±9.5)%,respectively.The correlation between color-coded image and TTC was 0.89 (P＜0.01).(3) The histogram in all risk segments was skew distribution during occlusion.After reperfusion,the histogram in Group Ⅰ was normal distribution while that was still skewed distribution in Group Ⅱ.Conclusion The MCE image analysis software based on EPSO clustering algorithm in the quantitative assessment of myocardial microperfusion and identification of myocardial perfusion abnormalities was feasible and of high value.

Objective To evaluate the segmental myocardium of left ventricular wall in patients with myocardial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) by TDI-Q, explore whether the segmental myocardium contractile function is changed or not and determine the myocardial mechanics parameters variation. Methods Thirty-two healthy volunteers and twenty-one patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were included and the standard dynamic two-dimensional tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) of mitral, papillary muscle and apical short axis view were collected in three consecutive cardiac cycles. The mechanical parameters variation and characteristics of systolic radial peak displacement (RD) and time to peak in left ventricle subendocardial, mid-myocardium and epicardial myocardium at different level and segment were analyzed.Results In healthy control group, at left ventricular basal, apical and papillary muscle level, there was no significant difference for time to peak and systolic radial peak displacement (F=0.74, 1.28 and 1.79, all P>0.05). In patients with HCM, time to peak of systolic RD at left ventricular different level was asynchronous. Time to peak of RD in septum at papillary muscle levels and apical lateral wall were longer than those of other segments. In healthy control group, except for apical inferior and lateral wall, RD of subendocardial myocardium was significantly greater than that of epicardial myocardium at different segments (t=-1.903, 4.574,-3.552,-2.614,-1.728,-1.790,-1.836,-2.794 and 2.733, all P<0.05 ). In patients with HCM, RD of subendocardial myocardium was significantly greater than that of epicardial myocardium in posterior wall, septum at basal level and in inferior wall, posterior wall and lateral wall at papillary muscle level (t=-2.305,-2.148, 3.550,-1.182 and-3.602, all P < 0.05). At the same segment, transmural RD of subendocardial and subepicardial myocardium in healthy subjects were greater than that in patients with HCM. In inferior wall, posterior wall, lateral wall and septum at basal level, in inferior wall, posterior wall and septum at papillary muscle level, and in lateral wall and septum at apical level, differences of transmural RD were statistically significant (t=-3.787,-2.983,-4.325,-6.972,-2.352, 2.823,-3.274,-1.338 and-2.857, all P<0.05). Conclusions In patients with HCM, synchrony of left ventricular motion at different level was abnormal and transmural RD of endocardial and epicardial myocardium was decreased, which suggested regional systolic dysfunction. Ultrasound assessment of left ventricular segmental transmural mechanics can further reveal left ventricular mechanical characteristics in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of NPM- ALK fusion gene in bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) in anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) patients and its prognostic significance.

METHODSNPM- ALK fusion gene of 21 BM and 15 PB samples from patients with NPM-ALK positive ALCL was detected by RT- PCR, and the relationship between NPM- ALK expression and prognosis and clinical characters was evaluated.

RESULTSOf the 21 patients, 12 cases were male and 9 case were female with a median age of 9 (range, 2-14) years old. The median follow- up was 31 months. Patients with a positive NPM-ALK expression in BM had a 3-years EFS of (35.6±18.6)%, compared with (91.7±8.0)% for patients with negative NPM-ALK (P=0.038). The incidence of positive expression in BM was significantly higher in patients who had more than 3 organs involved by tumor (P=0.032). 86.7% patients had a concordant results of NPM-ALK expression in PB and BM.

CONCLUSIONWe could evaluate the minimal disseminated disease of NPM-ALK positive ALCL patients by screening the NPM-ALK fusion gene in BM and PB by RT-PCR. The positive expression is associated with a poor prognosis and could be used for stratification of ALCL.

Adolescent ; Bone Marrow ; metabolism ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic ; diagnosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Prognosis ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the safety of a 60-minute rituximab rapid infusion protocol in the maintenance therapy for Chinese B-cell lymphoma patients (including the elderly) and to discuss the feasibility of rituximab treatment in outpatient departments or daily wards. Methods This prospective study enrolled 820 patients diagnosed with B cell lymphoma in the Department of Hematology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital from February 2015 to July 2016. From the second chemotherapy cycle,rituximab was infused within 60 minutes (100 mg/h over the first 15 minutes and the remaining dose given over 45 minutes, there was no maximum infusion rate,and 700 mg/h was acceptable),and the adverse reactions were recorded. Comparison was done between patients<65 years and≥65 years. Results The overall adverse reaction rate was 4.20% and no grade 4 or higher adverse reactions were recorded. The adverse reaction rate in the elderly patients was not significantly elevated. Conclusion For Chinese patients (including the elderly) with B cell lymphoma,the 60-minute rapid infusion of rituximab (beyond the first cycle) is a safe treatment option with low adverse reaction rate.

The identification of oleaginous yeast species capable of simultaneously utilizing xylose and glucose as substrates to generate value-added biological products is an area of key economic interest. We have previously demonstrated that the Cutaneotrichosporon dermatisNICC30027 yeast strain is capable of simultaneously assimilating both xylose and glucose, resulting in considerable lipid accumulation. However, as no high-quality genome sequencing data or associated annotations for this strain are available at present, it remains challenging to study the metabolic mechanisms underlying this phenotype. Herein, we report a 39,305,439 bp draft genome assembly for C. dermatis NICC30027 comprised of 37 scaffolds, with 60.15% GC content. Within this genome, we identified 524 tRNAs, 142 sRNAs, 53 miRNAs, 28 snRNAs, and eight rRNA clusters. Moreover, repeat sequences totaling 1,032,129 bp in length were identified (2.63% of the genome), as were 14,238 unigenes that were 1,789.35 bp in length on average (64.82% of the genome). The NCBI non-redundant protein sequences (NR) database was employed to successfully annotate 11,795 of these unigenes, while 3,621 and 11,902 were annotated with the Swiss-Prot and TrEMBL databases, respectively. Unigenes were additionally subjected to pathway enrichment analyses using the Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Cluster of Orthologous Groups of proteins (COG), Clusters of orthologous groups for eukaryotic complete genomes (KOG), and Non-supervised Orthologous Groups (eggNOG) databases.Together, these results provide a foundation for future studies aimed at clarifying the mechanistic basis for the ability of C. dermatis NICC30027 to simultaneously utilize glucose and xylose to synthesize lipids.

BACKGROUNDThe genome of the severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) includes sequences encoding the putative protein X4 (ORF8, ORF7a), consisting of 122 amino acids. The deduced sequence contains a probable cleaved signal peptide sequence and a C-terminal transmembrane helix, indicating that protein X4 is likely to be a type I membrane protein. This study was conducted to demonstrate whether the protein X4 was expressed and its essential function in the process of SARS-CoV infection.

METHODSThe prokaryotic and eukaryotic protein X4-expressing plasmids were constructed. Recombinant soluble protein X4 was purified from E. coli using ion exchange chromatography, and the preparation was injected into chicken for rising specific polyclonal antibodies. The expression of protein X4 in SARS-CoV-infected Vero E6 cells and lung tissues from patients with SARS was performed using immunofluorescence assay and immunohistochemistry technique. The preliminary function of protein X4 was evaluated by treatment with and over-expression of protein X4 in cell lines. Western blot was employed to evaluate the expression of protein X4 in SARS-CoV particles.

RESULTSWe expressed and purified soluble recombinant protein X4 from E.coli, and generated specific antibodies against protein X4. Western blot proved that the protein X4 was not assembled in the SARS-CoV particles. Indirect immunofluorescence assays revealed that the expression of protein X4 was detected at 8 hours after infection in SARS-CoV-infected Vero E6 cells. It was also detected in the lung tissues from patients with SARS. Treatment with and overexpression of protein X4 inhibited the growth of Balb/c 3T3 cells as determined by cell counting and MTT assays.

CONCLUSIONThe results provide the evidence of protein X4 expression following SARS-CoV infection, and may facilitate further investigation of the immunopathological mechanism of SARS.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; BALB 3T3 Cells ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Growth Inhibitors ; analysis ; physiology ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung ; chemistry ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; SARS Virus ; chemistry ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; metabolism ; Vero Cells ; Viral Structural Proteins ; analysis ; physiology