Objective:To explore the effects of Shenqi Compound Recipe on the expression of Cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2)mRNA in aorta in GK rats.There were five groups:GK group,model group,atorvastatin group,Shenqi Compound Recipe group and normal control group.During the experiment periods,each group was administrated correspondent substance respectively for 35 days.Serum concentrations of C reactive protein(CRP)were determined by ELISA.The mRNA expressions of COX-2 in aorta were detemined by reverse transcriptase PCR(RT-PCR).Results:Compared with model group,concentrations of CRP in serum and the mRNA expression of COX-2 all decreased in atorvastatin group and Shenqi Compound Recipe group(P

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; virology ; Inflammation ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; virology ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Shenqi Compound (SQC) on the mRNA expression of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) in the aorta of Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats.

METHODSTotally 67 GK rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, i.e., the GK group (n =18), the model group (n =16), the atorvastatin group (n =17), and the SQC group (n =16). Another a normal control group was set up (n =18). The diabetic macrovascular disease model was prepared by adding L-NAME (at the daily dose of 0.10 mg/mL) in drinking water for GK rats. GK rats, except those in the normal control group were fed with high fat diet. Atorvastatin (at the daily dose of 1.60 mg/kg) and SQC (at the daily dose of 1.44 g/kg) were respectively administered by gastrogavage, once daily for 35 successive days. The blood glucose was determined by glucose oxidase method once per week. After 5-week medication, the contents of triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) were determined by ELISA. The serum concentrations of angiotensin I (Ang II) were determined by RIA. The mRNA expression of AT1R in the aorta was determined by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR).

RESULTSThe blood glucose level was obviously lower in both the atorvastatin group and the SQC group after 4 weeks of medication (P <0.05). Besides, it was significantly lower in the SQC group than in the model group by the end of the 4th week (P <0.05). The concentrations of TG, TC and serum Ang II , and the mRNA expression of AT1R in the aorta were significantly higher in the model group than in the normal control group (P <0.01). After 5-week medication, the concentrations of TG, TC and serum Ang I , and the mRNA expression of AT1 R in the aorta were significantly lower in the atorvastatin group and the SQC group than in the model group (P <0.01, P <0.05). The mRNA expression of AT1R was significantly higher in the SQC group than in the atorvastatin group (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSQC could significantly reduce the levels of blood glucose, TG, TC, down-regulate the mRNA expression of AT1R in the aorta, and decrease the expressions of serum Ang II of GK rats with diabetic macrovascular disease. AT1 R might be one of effective targets of SQC in treating diabetic macrovascular diseases.

Angiotensin II ; blood ; Animals ; Aorta ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Triglycerides ; blood

OBJECTIVEHaemophilus (H.) influenzae is a gram-negative bacillus that is a common commensal organism of the human upper respiratory tract and an important cause of human diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, septicemia, epiglottitis and cellulitis. Strains of H. influenzae are classified according to their capsular polysaccharide. There are six serotypes, designated as a through f. In addition, there are nonencapsulated strains. Although the type of infectious diseases caused by H. influenzae has changed considerably in recent years because of the widespread and routine immunization of children against type b H. influenzae (Hib), Hib remains an important pathogen. Ampicillin is the drug of choice for treating many infections caused by H. influenzae, but its usefulness has been compromised by the increasing prevalence of ampicillin-resistant strains. The continued monitoring of resistant strains by using genotyping methods may provide insights into the epidemiology of transmission. A molecular epidemiological study of ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae derived from nasopharyngeal swabs specimens of children less than 5 years of age with respiratory tract infection were investigated in this study.

METHODSA total of 899 isolates were collected from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou during 2000-2003. Susceptibility to ampicillin was determined by using E-test. Ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae strains were selected according to National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) 2002 breakpoints. Nested PCR method with primers specific for bexA gene and b capsulate type-specific gene was established. Genotyping by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multiplex PCR assay was performed for all ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae strains.

RESULTSSeventy-four ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae strains were obtained. Two strains were positive by nested PCR, characterized as b genotype. The incidence of Hib in ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae strains was 2.7%; 38 genotypes were detected by PFGE. Detection of five types strains of clonal dissemination by PFGE accounted for 55.4% in all ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae strains. Among them eighteen H. influenzae strains belonged to one type, accounted for 24.3% in all ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae strains. Thirty one genotypes were identified by multiplex PCR assay for ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae. The identity ratio of PFGE and multiplex PCR was 63.5%.

CONCLUSIONIn Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou areas 55.4% of ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae strains had clonal dissemination during the 4 years.

Ampicillin Resistance ; genetics ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA, Bacterial ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; genetics ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Genotype ; Haemophilus Infections ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Haemophilus influenzae ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Nasopharynx ; microbiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; microbiology

OBJECTIVETo study hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype and subtype distribution and its clinical significance in HBV-infected patients.

METHODSWe used type/subtype-specific primers and PCR to detect HBV genotype and subtype of 445 HBV-infected patients from Beijing, Changchun, Hanchuan Shenzhen, Qingyuan and Nanjing, including 7 acute hepatitis (AH), 36 asymptomatic HBV carriers (ASC), 352 chronic hepatitis (CH), 28 liver cirrhosis (LC), and 22 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases. Genotyping results were confirmed by PCR product sequencing.

RESULTSAmong 445 HBV-infected patients, the proportions of genotype B, C, and B/C were 32.6% (145/445), 53.7% (239/445), and 13.7% (61/445), respectively. In genotype C, 13 (5.4%) were subtype C1, 135 (56.5%) were subtype C2, and the remaining 91 (38.1%) were neither C1 nor C2. In genotype B, 100 (69.0%) were subtype Ba, 25 (17.2%) subtype Bj, and the other 20 (13.8%) were neither Ba nor Bj. In genotype B/C, 15 (24.6%) were Ba/C2, 8 (13.1%) Bj/C2, 6 (9.8%) Ba/C1, 3 (4.9%) Bj/C1, 11 (18.0%) Ba/neither C1 nor C2, 7 (11.5%) Bj/neither C1 nor C2, and 6 (9.8%) neither Ba nor Bj/neither C1 nor C2, 2 (3.3%) neither Ba nor Bj/C1, 3 (4.9%) neither Ba nor Bj/C2. The HBV genotype and subtype distribution we found exhibited significant differences in the various clinical types of HBV infection tested, and showed that genotype C was predominant among patients with liver cirrhosis (78.6%) and hepatocellular carcinoma (86.4%) while genotype B was predominant in asymptomatic carriers (72.2%). In addition, genotype and subtype distribution showed no significant differences between male and female patients, but genotype and subtype distribution showed significant differences in patients positive or negative with HBeAg.

CONCLUSIONSubtypes Ba and C2 are predominant in patients with hepatitis B from these 6 cities, and genotype C may be associated with the development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Genotype ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; virology ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; virology ; Liver Neoplasms ; virology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo analyze the association between mutation(s) in preS region of HBV and hepatitis B disease progress in Chinese patients with genotype C chronic HBV infection.

METHODSNinety-three patients with chronic genotype C HBV infection, including 24 asymptomatic carriers (ASC), 26 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 22 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and 21 HCC patients were investigated. Levels of HBV DNA, HBeAg, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), asparate transaminase (AST) were measured. HBV preS region was analyzed by PCR direct sequencing.

RESULTSThe prevalence of preS T3098C and T53C mutations of genotype C HBV was significantly higher in LC and HCC patients than ASC and CHB patients. The rate of T3098C mutation in ASC, CHB, LC, and HCC patients were 0.00% (0/24), 3.85% (1/26), 9.09% (2/22), and 30.77% (8/22), respectively (P=0.0015), while the rate of T53C mutation was 12.50% (3/24), 3.85% (1/26), 40.91% (9/22), and 42.31% (11/26), respectively (P=0.0012).

CONCLUSIONThe frequency of genotype C HBV preS T3098C and T53C mutations is associated with hepatitis B infection progression

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Viral ; physiology ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B ; pathology ; virology ; Hepatitis B virus ; classification ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes in patients with chronic HBV infection among 11 cities of China.

METHODSA total of 1214 serum samples from patients with chronic HBV infection were collected in 11 cities of China, including Beijing, Qingyuan, Shenzhen, Shijiazhuang, Hanchuan, Nanjing, Changchun, Liaocheng, Jinan, Ningbo and Wenzhou. Genotypes of the 1214 HBV strains were identified by PCR method with type specific primers. Parts of the results were confirmed by direct sequencing analysis of PCR products.

RESULTSAmong the 1214 patients with chronic HBV infection, 0.7% (9/1214)were genotype A, 28.4% (345/1214)genotype B, 58.4% (709/1214) genotype C, and 12.4% (151/1214) genotype B and genotype C mixed infection. No other genotypes were found. Genotype C was predominant in the northern part of China, such as Changchun, Beijing, Shijiazhuang,while genotype B was more commonly seen in south of China. 71.4% (20/28) for patients from Qingyuan and 63.6% (70/110) from Shenzhen were infected with genotype B.

CONCLUSIONHBV genotypes had distinct geographic distribution. Genotype B and C the predominant strains in patients with chronic HBV infection in China. Genotype C was predominantly identified in the northern part of China versus genotype B the south.

China ; epidemiology ; Genotype ; Geography ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

AIM: The potential of Trifolium pratense (red clover) extract in the prevention of lipid disorder has attracted increasing attention in recent years. In this study, the aim was to determine whether and how red clover extract affected the development of murine diet-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. METHODS: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis was induced in C57BL/6 mice by feeding mice with a methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used for histological analyses. Real-time PCR was used to analyze the mRNA expression levels. RESULTS: Hepatic steatosis and necroinflammation was observed in MCD diet-fed mice, and this diet-induced steatosis was significantly attenuated, whereas liver inflammation was not significantly attenuated, by red clover extract treatment. Consistent with the results of H&E staining, the MCD diet-induced increase of liver triglycerides and cholesterol levels were significantly reduced by red clover extract treatment. However, with the improvement in hepatic steatosis, mRNA levels of acetyl CoA oxidase, carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1, and liver fatty acid-binding protein, three genes regulated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α, were unaffected. CONCLUSION Red clover extract alleviated MCD diet-induced hepatic steatosis, but did not ameliorate liver inflammation in C57BL/6 mice, and the improvement in hepatic steatosis was not through activating PPARα.
Animals ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Choline Deficiency ; complications ; Diet ; adverse effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Inflammation ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Methionine ; deficiency ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; drug therapy ; etiology ; metabolism ; PPAR gamma ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Trifolium ; Triglycerides ; metabolism

Objective To study the inhibitory effect of T lymphocytes secreting EphrinAl-Caspase-3 in vivo and on the growth of cancer cells in nude mice with breast cancer. Methods Nude mice (n = 35) were inoculated with breast cancer cells to construct a nude mouse model of breast cancer. When the tumor volume reached 0. 1 cm3, 30 nude mice with average size tumor tissue were randomly divided into PBS group, uninfected adenovirus group, T lymphocyte infected with Ad-EphrinAl-Caspase-3 group, and intratumoral transplantation. Tumor size was measured every day 2 to 3. Three groups of tumor-bearing nude mice were selected. After the above-mentioned cell transplantation, the subcutaneous tumor tissue homogenate was obtained every day 2 to 3, and the content of EphrinAl-Caspase-3 was detected by ELISA. At the end of the experiment, the animals in each group were sacrificed by cervical dissection and sliced. The presence of T lymphocytes expressing green fluorescent protein was observed under a fluorescence microscope, and Caspase-3 and Ki-67 were detected by immunofluorescence. Results After one week of inoculation of breast cancer cells into nude mice, the presence of subcutaneous tumors could be touched by hand, which proved that the tumor-bearing animals of breast cancer cells were successfully modeled. On the 8th day after inoculation, the tumor volume of the nude mice in each group became larger, and the difference between the treatment group and the PBS group/T lymphocyte group was extremely significant ( P<0.05). Although the tumor volume of the T lymphocyte transplantation group was slower than that of the PBS control group, there was no statistically significant difference between the two. The expression of EphrinAl-Caspase-3 was detected in the EphrinAl-Caspase-3 treatment group on the 2nd day, reached the peak on the 8th day, and then the secretion decreased gradually. No expression of EphrinAl-Caspase-3 was detected in the PBS control group and the T lymphocyte group. The presence of dispersed green fluorescent protein-labeled EphrinAl-Caspase-3-T lymphocytes was observed in the tumor tissues of the treatment group, while the presence of green fluorescent protein was not detected in the PBS group and the T lymphocyte groups. In the infected cells of the treatment group, the proportion of Caspase-3 positive cells was up- regulated, and the proportion of Ki-67 positive cells was down-regulated. No expression of EphrinAl-Caspase-3 was detected in the PBS group and the T lymphocyte group. Conclusion EphrinAl-Caspase-3 can significantly inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells, thereby exerting an anti-tumor effect.

BACKGROUNDIn cardiac surgery, elevation of procalcitonin (PCT) could be observed postoperatively in the absence of any evidence of infection and also seems to be a prognostic marker. PCT levels measured in patients undergoing Type A aortic dissection (TAAD) were used to determine prognostic values for complications and surgical outcomes.

METHODSMeasurements of PCT, C-reactive protein (CRP), and leukocyte count were observed in TAAD surgery patients (n = 251; average age: 49.02 ± 12.83 years; 78.5% male) at presurgery (T0) and 24 h (T1), 48 h (T2), and 7 days (T3) postsurgery. PCT clearance (PCTc) on days 2 and 7 was calculated: (PCTday1- PCTday2/day7)/PCTday1 × 100%. Endotracheal intubation duration, length of stay (LOS) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/hospital, and complications were recorded.

RESULTSPCT peaked 24 h postsurgery (median 2.73 ng/ml) before decreasing. Correlation existed between PCT levels at T1 and duration of cardiopulmonary bypass (P = 0.001, r = 0.278). Serum PCT concentrations were significantly higher in nonsurvivor and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome groups on all postoperative days. PCT levels at T1 correlated with length of time of ventilation support and ICU/hospital LOS. Comparing PCT values of survivors versus nonsurvivors, a PCT cutoff level of 5.86 ng/ml at T2 had high sensitivity (70.6%) and specificity (74.3%) in predicting in-hospital death. PCTc-day 2 and 7 were significantly higher in survivor compared with nonsurvivor patients (38% vs. 8%, P= 0.012, 83% vs. -39%, P< 0.001). A PCTc-day 7 cutoff point of 48.7% predicted survival with high sensitivity (77.8%) and specificity (81.8%).

CONCLUSIONSPCT level and PCTc after TAAD surgery might serve as early prognostic markers to predict postoperative outcome. PCT measurement may help identify high-risk patients.

Adult ; Aneurysm, Dissecting ; blood ; metabolism ; surgery ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Calcitonin ; blood ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Kinetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Perioperative Period ; Prospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Treatment Outcome