Objective To investigate the development, role, and regulatory mechanism of macrophage efferocytosis in the liver of hosts infected with Schistosoma japonicum. Methods The expression of efferocytosis-related gene like efferocytosis receptors, efferocytosis-related bridging molecules,“eat me” signal and “don’t eat me” signal was detected in the livers of patients and mice infected with S. japonicum in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Ten wild-type (WT) male mice (6 ~ 8 weeks old, weighing 20 ~ 25 g) were randomly divided into a Schistosoma japonicum infection (SJ) group and a normal control (NC) group, with 5 mice in each group. The efferocytosis of neutrophils and T cells by liver macrophages was detected in mice from SJ group and NC group using flow cytometry and immunofluorescence assay, respectively. The expression of efferocytosis-related Mer receptor tyrosine kinase (MerTK) and Axl receptor tyrosine kinase (Axl) proteins was determined in mouse liver tissues using Western blotting assay, and the proportion of MerTK⁺ macrophages and the average fluorescence intensity of macrophage MerTK were detected in mouse livers using flow cytometry. Changes in liver granulomas and fibrosis were observed in mice infected with S. japonicum following injection of efferocytosis inhibitors, and S. japonicum-infected mice without injection of efferocytosis inhibitors served as controls. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were isolated from macrophage scavenger receptor class A (SR-A) conditional knockout (CKO) and wild-type (WT) mice, and changes in apoptotic neutrophils were detected in SR-A CKO mouse macrophages in vitro using flow cytometry. Then, BMDMs was divided into the WT mono-culture group, the WT and apoptotic neutrophils co-culture group, the SR-A CKO mono-culture group, and the SR-A CKO and neutrophils co-culture group, and the expression of MerTK and Axl was quantified in vitro using Western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assays during neutrophil efferocytosis. The efferocytosis of neutrophils and T cells by mouse liver macrophages was detected in the SR-A CKO SJ group and the WT SJ group using flow cytometry and immunofluorescence assay, and the expression of MerTK and Axl proteins was determined in mouse liver tissues in both groups using Western blotting. In addition, the proportion of MerTK⁺ macrophages and the average fluorescence intensity of macrophage MerTK were detected in mouse livers in both groups using flow cytometry. Results Data from the GEO database showed that the expression of some efferocytosis receptors and efferocytosis-related bridging molecules, and “eat me” and “don’t eat me” signals all appeared a tendency towards a rise in livers of patients and mice in the SJ group relative to the NC group, suggesting that S. japonicum infection-induced liver diseases may be associated with efferocytosis. Flow cytometry detected higher proportions of Ly6G⁺ cells [(13.13 ± 0.45)% vs. (6.48 ± 0.25)%; t = 22.30, P < 0.05] and CD3⁺ cells [(7.60 ± 0.33)% vs. (3.30 ± 0.42)%; t = 13.98, P < 0.05] in mouse liver macrophages in the SJ group than in the NJ group, and the expression of MerTK protein [(2.30 ± 0.14) vs. (1.14 ± 0.46); t = 4.19, P < 0.05], the mean fluorescence intensity of macrophages [(160.67 ± 15.28) vs. (94.50 ± 19.61); t = 4.81, P < 0.05], and the proportion of MerTK⁺ macrophages [(20.78 ± 4.17)% vs. (6.85 ± 0.39)%; t = 6.57, P < 0.05] were significantly higher in mouse liver tissues in the SJ group than in the NC group. The Axl expression was lower in mouse liver tissues in the SJ group than in the NC group [(1.25 ± 0.08) vs. (1.93 ± 0.37); t = 2.79, P < 0.05], and the area of granulomas around single eggs [(9.18 ± 1.81) × 10⁴μm² vs. (5.24 ± 1.35) × 10⁴ μm²; t = 3.03, P < 0.05] and proportion of collagen fibers [(25.27 ± 3.99)% vs. (15.14 ± 4.02)%; t = 3.10, P < 0.05] were significantly greater in livers of S. japonicum-infected mice with injection of efferocytosis inhibitors than in mice without injection of efferocytosis inhibitors. The in vitro efferocytosis efficiency of BMDMs [(32.83 ± 3.17)% vs. (45.43 ± 2.34)%; t = 5.54, P < 0.05], and the proportions of Ly6G⁺ [(9.37 ± 0.48)% vs. (13.13 ± 0.72)%; t = 7.50, P < 0.05] and CD3⁺ cells [(4.95 ± 0.17)% vs. (7.64 ± 0.50)%; t = 8.87, P < 0.05] in liver macrophages post-infection with S. japonicum were significantly lower in SR-A CKO mice than in WT mice, and the expression of MerTK protein [(0.65 ± 0.25) vs. (1.96 ± 0.69); t = 3.10, P < 0.05], the average fluorescence intensity of macrophages [(138.33 ± 8.39) vs. (160.67 ± 15.28); t = 3.03, P < 0.05] and the proportion of MerTK⁺ macrophages [(13.17 ± 5.01)% vs. (22.63 ± 2.06)%; t = 3.56, P < 0.05] were significantly lower in mouse liver tissues in the SR-A CKO SJ group than in the WT group. Western blotting detected no significant difference in the Axl protein expression in mouse liver tissues between the SR-A CKO SJ group and the WT SJ group [(0.48 ± 0.07) vs. (0.68 ± 0.30); t = 1.09, P > 0.05]. There were significant differences in the relative MerTK mRNA and protein expression during efferocytosis of BMDMs among the WT monoculture group, the WT and apoptotic neutrophils co-culture group, the SR-A CKO mono-culture group, and the SR-A CKO and neutrophils co-culture group (F = 9.41 and 40.68, both P values < 0.05). In addition, there was a significant difference in the relative Axl mRNA expression during efferocytosis of BMDMs among the four groups (F = 13.62, P < 0.05); however, no significant difference was seen in the relative Axl protein expression (F = 1.27, P > 0.05). Conclusions Efferocytosis of liver macrophages is seen in mice infected with S. japonicum and inhibits liver fibrosis. SR-A may up-regulate the efficiency of macrophage efferocytosis through regulating the expression of efferocytosis receptors.

Objective:To investigate the proliferation kinetics of T cells in patients with B-cell hematologic malignancies who received CAR19 T cell therapy.Methods:Observational study. Flow cytometry was used to monitor the levels of CAR19+and CAR19-T cell expansion and the dynamic changes of T lymphocyte subsets before and after CAR19 T cell therapy. The 52 patients with B-cell hematologic malignancies (including 12 B-ALL and 40 NHL) who received CAR19 T cell therapy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from November 2021 to December 2023 were recruited in this study. Patients were divided into complete response group and incomplete response group according to the efficacy evaluation criteria in the treatment guidelines for B-cell hematologic malignancies. T test or non-parametric rank sum test were used to compare the differences of CAR19+and CAR19-T cell subsets between the two groups.Results:At the peak of CAR19+T cell expansion, there was no statistic difference of CAR19+T cell subsets between the complete response group and the incomplete response group. After 6 months, the percentage of CD4+T cells (CD3+CD4+CD8-) in CAR19-T cells in patients was lower than the pre-treatment level(48.0+27.2,63.1+19.7,<0.01), and the percentages of CD197+CD45RA+and CD197-CD45RA-subsets recovered to the pre-treatment level, while the percentage of CD197-CD45RA+subset(4.2+3.0,21.1+15.6,<0.01) was lower than the pre-treatment level. The percentage of CD8+T cells (CD3+CD4-CD8+) returned to pre-treatment level after 6 months, CD197-CD45RA-subset in CD8+T cells returned to pre-treatment level, while CD197+CD45RA+subset(16.6+8.7,35.1+30.1,<0.01),CD197+CD45RA-subset(18.7+9.1,25.8+19.1,<0.01) were still lower than pre-treatment level.Conclusion:After CAR19 T cell treatment, there was no significant differences in the proportions of CAR19+T cell subsets in patients with different therapeutic effects. After treatment, the proportion of CAR19-CD3+CD4-CD8+cells recovered earlier than CD3+CD4+CD8-cells, and the dynamic changes of each subgroup were different. This therapeutic regimen has a great impact on the subpopulation of CAR19-T cells in vivo, and the reconstruction of such T cells takes a long time.

Objective:To investigate the proliferation kinetics of T cells in patients with B-cell hematologic malignancies who received CAR19 T cell therapy.Methods:Observational study. Flow cytometry was used to monitor the levels of CAR19+and CAR19-T cell expansion and the dynamic changes of T lymphocyte subsets before and after CAR19 T cell therapy. The 52 patients with B-cell hematologic malignancies (including 12 B-ALL and 40 NHL) who received CAR19 T cell therapy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from November 2021 to December 2023 were recruited in this study. Patients were divided into complete response group and incomplete response group according to the efficacy evaluation criteria in the treatment guidelines for B-cell hematologic malignancies. T test or non-parametric rank sum test were used to compare the differences of CAR19+and CAR19-T cell subsets between the two groups.Results:At the peak of CAR19+T cell expansion, there was no statistic difference of CAR19+T cell subsets between the complete response group and the incomplete response group. After 6 months, the percentage of CD4+T cells (CD3+CD4+CD8-) in CAR19-T cells in patients was lower than the pre-treatment level(48.0+27.2,63.1+19.7,<0.01), and the percentages of CD197+CD45RA+and CD197-CD45RA-subsets recovered to the pre-treatment level, while the percentage of CD197-CD45RA+subset(4.2+3.0,21.1+15.6,<0.01) was lower than the pre-treatment level. The percentage of CD8+T cells (CD3+CD4-CD8+) returned to pre-treatment level after 6 months, CD197-CD45RA-subset in CD8+T cells returned to pre-treatment level, while CD197+CD45RA+subset(16.6+8.7,35.1+30.1,<0.01),CD197+CD45RA-subset(18.7+9.1,25.8+19.1,<0.01) were still lower than pre-treatment level.Conclusion:After CAR19 T cell treatment, there was no significant differences in the proportions of CAR19+T cell subsets in patients with different therapeutic effects. After treatment, the proportion of CAR19-CD3+CD4-CD8+cells recovered earlier than CD3+CD4+CD8-cells, and the dynamic changes of each subgroup were different. This therapeutic regimen has a great impact on the subpopulation of CAR19-T cells in vivo, and the reconstruction of such T cells takes a long time.

OBJECTIVE： To study the mechanism of Prunus persica-Carthamus tinctorius couplet medicine in the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head （ONFH）. METHODS： The network pharmacology was adopted. The active components of P. persica -C. tinctorius couplet medicine and ONFH target were screened through TCM systematic pharmacological analysis platform target （TCMSP）， DRAR-CPI， hnuman gene database （GeneCards） and online medelian inheritance in man （OMIM） using oral availability of compounds （OB）＞30％ and drug like （DL）＞0.18 as standard. Network topology attribute analysis software Cytoscape 3.6.0 was utilized to construct the active components-ONFH targets network. Target protein interaction network was established on the basis of STRING database， and top 5 target proteins in the list of connectivity were screened， and molecular docking server was used to predict the combination activity of active components from P. persica -C. tinctorius couplet medicine. The biological processes of target gene ontology （GO） and metabolic pathways in Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes （KEGG） were enriched and analyzed by DAVID. RESULTS： A total of 44 active components were screened from P. persica -C. tinctorius couplet medicine， including baicalin， quercetin， etc.， and 78 targets related to ONFH including VEGF， VEGI， CRP， etc. Through analysis of molecular docking server， binding activity of active components of P. persica -C. tinctorius couplet medicine to target protein was strong. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that biological process of P. persica -C. tinctorius couplet medicine for ONFH was related with negative regulation of apoptosis process and positive regulation of nuclear factor-κB transcription factor， mainly through regulating secretory glycoprotein signaling pathway， melanogenesis signaling pathway， VEGF signaling pathway， signaling pathway of basal cell carcinoma， adenosine-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS： This study preliminarily validates the major targets and pathways of P. persica -C. tinctorius couplet medicine for ONFH， which lay a foundation for further study on their pharmacological action.

Objective To investigate the frequency and mutational status of JAK2V617F mutation in Chinese patients with chronic myeloproliferative disorders(CMPD) and to study the relative quantification of mutated JAK2 mRNA and the clinical significance. Methods JAK2V617F mutation and the mutational status were screened with amplification-refractory mutation system polymerase chain reaction(ARMS-PCR), the relative quantification of mutated JAK2 mRNA was studied by using capillary electrophoresis. Results A higher prevalence of JAK2V617F in either the heterozygotc or homozyote status in essential thrombocythemia (ET) was observed in elderly patients with ET (P<0.05). The presence of JAK2V617F was found to be significantly correlated with the age at diagnosis (P<0.05); patients with age ≥ 60 years showed significantly higher JAK2 mutated RNA levels than those with age < 60 years (P<0.05); the presence of JAK2V617F in polycythemia vera (PV) and ET was found to be significantly associated with higher hemoglobin level and higher leukocyte count (P< 0.05). In addition, higher leukocyte count was observed in homozygous ET patients than in heterozygous ET patients (P<0.05). The frequency of JAK2V617F mutation and the prevalence of homozygote in PV patients were higher than those in ET patients (P<0.05). The differences of JAK2V617F mRNA levels among PV, ET and chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF) were not significant. Conclusions ARMS-PCR technique can be used to detect the frequency and mutational status of JAK2V617F mutation owing to its sensitivity and along with capillary electrophoresis, quantitative assay for mutated JAK2 mRNA, diagnosis of CMPD and judgement of prognosis become possible.

Objective To Study wheather the endogenous arginine vasopressin(AVP)is involved in the effect of oxotremorine(a muscarinic receptor agonist)-induced hypothermic response.Methods Core temperature and motor activity were monitored in undisturbed rats using radiotelemetry.Effect of AVP V1 antagonist on oxotremorine(OXO)-induced changes in body temperature and motor activity were observed in the rats.Results Administration of OXO led to a marked hypothermia.Core temperature recovered to basal levels at 4 hours after OXO administration.AVP V1 antagonist blocked markedly the hypothermia effect of OXO.Conclusion The AVP V1-receptor antagonist block the hypothermic effect of OXO,which suggests that OXO-induced hypothermia is mediated by AVP releasing.