Objective To evaluate and compare the cellular immune response induced by live at-tenuated and inactivated hepatitis A vaccines. Methods A total of 18 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. They were divided randomly into 2 groups and injected by inactivated hepatitis A vaccine and at-tenuated hepatitis A vaccine, respectively. All volunteers' heparinized venous blood was separately collected for testing anti-HAV antibody and the responses of PBMC. The level of IFN-γsecreted by effect T cell was tested by ELISPOT. The percentage of lymphocytes secreting IFN-γ from CD+ and CD8+ T cell was tested by intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) technique. The concentrations of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-10 and IL-4 in the culture supernatants(grown in the presence or absence of HAV) of the in vitro HAV-primed PBMC were determined by Luminex. Results These two types of vaccines can elicit specific anti-HAY antibodies and no statistical significance between them were observed. At the early stage after inoculation, T cell-mediated immune responses with the secretion of IFN-γ were detected in vaccines inoculated with either type of vac-cines. There was a tendency that the cellular immune responses level induced by inactivated hepatitis A vac-cine was higher than that by live attenuated hepatitis A vaccine during 1 to 3 weeks post-injection. The booster inoculation could significantly increase the level of cellular immune responses induced by the inacti-vated vaccine. Conclusion Both live attenuated and inactivated HAV vaccines can elicit an earlier specific humoral and cellular immune responses, and booster inoculation of inactivated HAV vaccine can rapidly and intensively evoke memory immune responses.

AIMTo investigate the role and mechanism of the bradykinin(BK) B1 receptor in the antiproliferative effects of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) captopril on rat cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) treated with angiotensin II (Ang II).

METHODSNeonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts were randomly treated with Ang II, captopril, B2 receptor antagonist (icatibant) or B1 receptor antagonist (des-Arg10, Leu9-kallidin). Thiazolyl blue (MTT) and flow cytometry (FCM) were used to evaluate cell number and cell cycle, respectively. Nitric oxide (NO) and intracellular cGMP level were measured by colorimetry and radioimmunoassay.

RESULTSAfter incubating the fibroblasts with 10(-7) mol/L Ang II for 48 hours, the percentage of CFs in the S stage and the value of MTT A490 nm were significantly increased (P < 0.01 vs control), and this increase was inhibited by 10(-5) mol/L captopril; however, NO and cGMP level were significantly higher than with Ang II alone (P < 0.01). 10(-5) mol/L icatibant attenuated the effects of captopril, which were blunted further by dual blockade of both B1 and B12.

CONCLUSIONActing via the B2 receptor, BK contributes to the antiproliferative effects of ACEI on CFs. In the absence of the B2 receptor, the B1 receptor may assume some of the functions of the B2 receptor and contribute to inhibition of CFs proliferation by ACEI.

Animals ; Bradykinin B1 Receptor Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Captopril ; pharmacology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Heart Ventricles ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Bradykinin B1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of fluorouracil (FU) combined with epigenetic drug FK228 (depsipeptide FR901228) on the proliferation, apoptosis and Fas mRNA level in HepG2 hepatoma cell lines. METHODS: There were 4 groups in this experiment: an untreated group, an FK228 treated group, a FU treated group,and a FU combined with FK228 group.Tetrazolium salt colorimetry (MTT) assay was used to assess the cell inhibition rate. Q value of Kingos formula and multi-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA ) were used to judge the combination treatment effect,and flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis rate. Fas mRNA level was analyzed by RT-PCR. RESULTS: FK228 or FU would inhibit the growth of HepG2 cells in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner. Cell inhibition rates of HepG2 were significantly enhanced in the FU combined with FK228 group, compared with that in the FU treated group alone (P<0.05). Both Q values were more than 1, the 2 drug combinations showed interaction,and FU combined with FK228 had synergistic effect.Compared with the FK228 treated group and the FU treated group, apoptosis rate of HepG2 cells was significantly increased (P<0.05), and the Fas mRNA level was up-regulated in HepG2 cells in FU combined FK228 group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Combination of FK228 and FU can enhance the proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction of FU in hepatoma cell lines, up-regulate the Fas mRNA level, and increase the sensitivity of hepatoma cell lines to FU.
Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; pharmacology ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Depsipeptides ; pharmacology ; Drug Synergism ; Fluorouracil ; pharmacology ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; fas Receptor ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective: In view of the difficulty of the shortage of new coronavirus nucleal acid test in the early COVID-19 outbreak, to explore the application value of chest CT in screening COVID-19 patients. Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on the data of patients with fever who received chest CT and new coronavirus nucleal acid test during January 25, 2020 to February 2, 2020 in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University. A total of 587 patients were enrolled, including 290 males and 297 females, aged from 11.0 to 96.0 (51.3±17.1) years old. Take the nucleic acid test results as the gold standard, the sensitivity, specificity and rate of missed diagnosis of CT screening COVID-19 were calculated. Results: Among the 587 patients, there were 433 positive cases (73.8%, 433/587) and 154 negative cases (26.2%, 154/587) of novel coronavirus nucleic acid test. Using CT screening, 494 cases (84.2%, 494/587) were positive and 93 cases (15.8%, 93/587) were negative. The sensitivity of CT screening COVID-19 was 97.7% (423/433), specificity was 53.9% (83/154) and rate of missed diagnosis was 2.3% (10/433). Conclusions In the early COVID-19 outbreak, CT screening has the advantages of high sensitivity and low rate of missed diagnosis of COVID-19, which can compensate for the shortage of new coronavirus nucleal acid test and can be used as the basis for rapid screening for early prevention and control of COVID-19 outbreak.

Objective    To discuss the effect of Cabrol in treatment of Stanford type A aortic dissection. Methods  The clinical data of patients whom were diagnosed with type A aortic dissection of Stanford in our hospital from January 2013 to January 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. All of 40 patients underwent Cabrol surgical procedure. There were 31 males and 9 females aged 26–75 (48.8±3.3) years. The surgical treatment effect of the patients was evaluated, mainly including the aortic index, the changes in cardiac function before and after operation, and the postoperative follow-up. Results    All the 40 patients completed the operation successfully. The diameter of ascending aorta and aortic sinus in postoperative patients were smaller than those before operation (P<0.05). Postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction and cardiac output increased, central venous pressure and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension decreased, and cardiac function indexes were significantly different from those before the operation (P<0.05). Seven patients suffered complications in postoperative follow-up including one stenting leakage, three neurological diseases and three acute renal failure. Two patients died postoperatively. Conclusion    Cabrol’s operation is effective in the treatment of Stanford type A aortic dissection, which can significantly improve the cardiac function of patients, simplify the anastomosis of coronary artery ostia and decrease amount of bleeding.

BACKGROUNDTumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α plays an important role in mediating inflammatory state in obesity and related disorders. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced TNF-α factor (LITAF) is recently verified as a regulator of TNF-α and other inflammatory cytokines, and maybe act as a transcriptional factor. The aim of this study was to confirm the association between LITAF and obesity and insulin resistance.

METHODSForty-seven subjects with a wide range of body mass index (BMI) were included. Subjects were divided into three groups according to the criteria of normal weight, overweight and obese. Anthropometrics and metabolic profile were tested for all the subjects. Peripheral monocytes were isolated and purified. LITAF transcription was detected by real time PCR, and the protein expression in whole cell and nucleus extracts was detected by Western blotting analysis; transcriptional activity of LITAF was detected by ELISA like assay using a probe containing the DNA binding sequence of LITAF. Plasma TNF-α and interleukin (IL)-6 concentrations were determined with ELISA kit.

RESULTSThe LITAF mRNA and protein expression in whole cell were higher in overweight (P < 0.05) and obese group (P < 0.05) compared with that in normal weight group. The LITAF protein expression in the nucleus and transcriptional activity could not be detected. LITAF protein expression was positively correlated with BMI (r = 0.541, P < 0.001), waist circumference (r = 0.391, P = 0.007), the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (r = 0.372, P = 0.011) and fasting insulin levels (r = 0.359, P = 0.013). As a regulator of inflammatory cytokines, LITAF protein expression was positively correlated with plasma TNF-α (r = 0.621, P = 0.002) and IL-6 (r = 0.407, P = 0.039) concentration. Multiple variant regression analysis indicated that BMI (P = 0.002) and waist circumference (P = 0.017) were independent predictors of LITAF protein expression.

CONCLUSIONSLITAF is associated with obesity and insulin resistance, as well as inflammatory cytokine secretion. The results indicate LITAF to be a new mediator between inflammation and the obesity related disorders.

Adult ; Anthropometry ; Blotting, Western ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; genetics ; physiology ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; Male ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Obesity ; blood ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic efficacy of a combined treatment modality using transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) complicated with main branch intraportal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT).

METHODSClinical data was collected retrospectively for patients diagnosed with and treated for HCC plus main branch PVTT at our hospital between January 2007 and January 2010. The total study population (n = 51) consisted of 38 males and 13 females, with an average of 50.1 years (range: 24-73). Among these patients, 26 had been treated with TACE + PEI (group A) and 25 had been treated with TACE alone (group B). Short-term changes in PVTT (i.e. disappearance, shrinkage, and/or stability) and tumor (i.e. complete response, partial response, and/or stable disease) were assessed by using the t-test (continuous variables) or the Chi-squared or Fisher's exact tests (categorical variables). Between-group differences in survival time were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test.

RESULTSThe follow-up time ranged from 3-24 months after treatment, and no serious treatment-related complications were recorded for any of the patients (0/51). The time of TACE treatment was significantly longer for the patients receiving the combination therapy (group A: 3.21.4 vs. group B: 2.40.9, t = 2.22, P = 0.032). The patients in group A received between 2-8 PEI treatments. The TACE + PEI combined treatment showed significantly better therapeutic efficacy for PVTT (group A: 19/26 vs. group B: 10/25, X2 = 5.685, P = 0.019). The tumor response was significantly better in patients treated with TACE + PEI at post-treatment month 3 (group A: 20/26 vs. group B: 18/25, X2 = 0.163, P = 0.705) and month 6 (group A: 17/20 vs. 10/19, X2 = 2.58, P = 0.027). Finally, the average survival time was significantly better in patients treated with TACE + PEI (group A: 12.856.02 months (range: 5-23) vs. group B: 8.653.39 months (range: 4-16), t = 3.051, P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONTACE + PEI combination therapy for main branch PVTT in HCC patients is more efficacious than TACE alone, and is associated with a longer survival time.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; complications ; pathology ; therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Ethanol ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Liver Neoplasms ; complications ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating ; Portal Vein ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombosis ; complications

The study examined the association between calcified liver metastases and the histopathology of the primary colorectal carcinoma in Chinese. The clinical, pathological and CT data were retrospectively analyzed in 210 patients (mean age: 54.2 years) with liver metastases from colorectal carcinoma. Plain CT scanning and contrast-enhanced scanning were performed in all the patients. For the contrast-enhanced examination, iohexol was injected by using a high pressure syringe at a flow rate of 2.5-3.0 mL/s. The arterial phase lasted approximately 25 s and the portal venous phase about 60 s. All patients had no history of chronic liver diseases and had never received interventional treatments. χ(2)-test was used to analyze the rate of calcification in the liver metastasis from colorectal cancer of different differentiation degrees. Among the 210 cases of liver metastases, 22 patients (10.5%) were found to have calcified liver metastases on CT scan. Two patients with calcified liver metastasis received lumpectomy and developed calcification in recurrent tumors. Another two patients had calcification in newly developed tumor masses. And the calcification in the newly developed masses was similar to that of their primary counterparts in terms of morphology and distribution. On the enhanced CT scan, the tumors exhibited no enhancement during hepatic arterial phase and showed slight rim enhancement during portal venous scan in the 22 cases. The calcification became obscure on contrast-enhanced scans. Histopathologically, the primary tumors were well-differentiated adenocarcinoma in 6 cases, moderately-differentiated adenocarcinoma in 10, poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma in 4 and mucinous adenocarcinoma in 2 among the 22 cases. No statistical correlation was noted between the incidence of calcified liver metastasis and the pathological subtypes and differentiation degrees of the primary colorectal carcinoma. It was concluded that calcified liver metastases may result from colorectal adenocarcinomata of different differentiation degrees or mucinous adenocarcinomata in Chinese population. There is no correlation between calcification of liver metastases and the pathological subtype of the primary colorectal carcinoma in Chinese, which is different from the findings that calcified metastases were associated with colorectal mucinous adenocarcinoma in other ethnic groups.
Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; secondary ; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; pathology ; secondary ; Adult ; Aged ; Calcinosis ; pathology ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; secondary ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between the apoptosis and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and Bcl-2 in prostate carcinoma (PCa).

METHODSExpression of Bcl-2 and iNOS and apoptotic cells in 24 cases of PCa, 15 cases of BPH and 5 cases of normal prostate tissues were detected by immunohistochemical technique and terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), respectively.

RESULTSApoptosis index (AI) and iNOS-positive index of PCa were much higher than that of the benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and the normal prostate group(P < 0.01). The AI of the Bcl-2-positive group was lower than that of the negative ones in PCa(P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSAI might serve as a marker in evaluating the aggression of PCa. The iNOS-positive index of PCa had no relationship with the differentiated grades but had a negative relationship with the expression of Bcl-2. The expression of Bcl-2 protein was negatively related to PCa cell apoptosis. Both iNOS and Bcl-2 were believed to play roles in the pathogenesis and development of PCa by influencing the cell apoptosis.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Apoptosis ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; analysis ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; analysis

SUMO4 Met55Val variation was shown to be related to type 2 diabetes susceptibility and the vascular complications in Asian people.To further examine the related mechanisms,this study was designed to evaluate the association of SUMO4 Met55Val polymorphism with insulin resistance and βcell function in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients in a Chinese population.Four hundred and twenty seven newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients were selected for SUMO4 Met55Val polymorphism genotype analysis.All subjects underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to estimate the insulin sensitivity and β cell function.Anthropometrics and a metabolic profile were used for phenotyping analysis.The results showed that the SUMO4 Met55Val polymorphism was associated with higher insulin resistance (P＜0.001) and lower insulin sensitivity (P＜0.001).Patients with GG genotype had higher levels of plasma glucose,insulin and C peptide.Insulin sensitivity index (ISI) was closely correlated with body mass index (BMI) in patients with GG genotype in comparison to the counterparts with AG or AA genotype (r=-0.504 vs.r=-0.430 vs.r=-0.340).Multiple regression linear analysis showed that SUMO4 Met55Val polymorphism was an independent determinant for insulin sensitivity (P=0.001),which,along with triglyceride,BMI and sex,could account for 20.1％ of the variation in ISI.The result remained the same after adjusting for BMI and sex.No association was found between SUMO4 Met55Val polymorphism and β cell function (all P＞0.05).It was concluded that SUMO4Met55Val variant was associated with increased insulin resistance in Chinese patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.