Objective:To investigate the effect of Xuebijing injection against blood-brain barrier(BBB)damage in the mice with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor(NMDAR)encephalitis,and to elucidate its regulatory effect on the imbalance of helper T cells 17(Th17)/regulatory T cells(Treg).Methods:The active immunization models of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in the mice were established using glutamate receptor N1 subunit(GluN1)356-385 antigen peptide,and the serum anti-NMDAR immunoglobulin G(IgG)antibody levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The healthy mice without modeling were served as control group,and the mice with successful modeling were randomly divided into model group,low dose of Xuebijing injection(XBJ-L)group,and high dose of Xuebijing injection(XBJ-H)group,with 10 mice in each group.After modeling,the mice in XBJ-L and XBJ-H groups were intraperitoneally injected with 5 and 10 mL·kg-1 Xuebijing injection,respectively.The Longa score was used to assess the neurological impairment of the mice in various groups;evans blue(EB)staining was used to determine the BBB permeability;immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the expressions of zonula occludens 1(ZO-1)and Occludin in cerebral cortex of the mice in various groups;Western blotting method was used to determine the expression levels of ZO-1,Occludin,Claudin-5,and neuron-specific nuclear protein(NeuN)in cerebral cortex of the mice in various groups;ELISA method was used to determine the levels of Th17-and Treg-related cytokines including interleukin(IL)-17,IL-22,and IL-10 in serum of the mice;flow cytometry was used to determine the percentages of Th17 and Treg cells in peripheral blood of the mice in various groups,and the Th17/Treg ratio was calculated.Results:The serum of the mice induced with the GluN1 356-385 antigen peptide was positive for NMDAR IgG antibodies,indicating that the models were successfully established.Compared with control group,the neurological impairment score of the mice in model group was significantly increased(P＜0.05),and the EB level in brain tissue was significantly increased(P＜0.05);the fluorescence staining intensities of ZO-1 and Occludin in the cerebral cortex were decreased,and the expression levels of ZO-1,Occludin,Claudin-5,and NeuN proteins in the cerebral cortex were significantly decreased(P＜0.05);the serum levels of IL-17 and IL-22 were significantly increased(P＜0.05),while the IL-10 level was significantly decreased(P＜0.05);the percentage of Th17 cells in peripheral blood was significantly increased(P＜0.05),while the percentage of Treg cells was significantly decreased(P＜0.05),and the Th17/Treg ratio was significantly increased(P＜0.05).Compared with model group,the neurological impairment scores of the mice in XBJ-L and XBJ-H groups were significantly decreased(P＜0.05),the EB levels in brain tissue were significantly decreased(P＜0.05),the fluorescence staining intensities of ZO-1 and Occludin in cerebral cortex were increased,and the expression levels of ZO-1,Occludin,Claudin-5,and NeuN proteins were significantly increased(P＜0.05);the levels of IL-17 and IL-22 in serum were significantly decreased(P＜0.05),and the level of IL-10 was significantly increased(P＜0.05);the percentages of Th17 cells in peripheral blood were significantly decreased(P＜0.05),the percentages of Treg cells were significantly increased(P＜0.05),and the Th17/Treg ratios were significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with XBJ-L group,the neurological function injury score of the mice in XBJ-H group was significantly decreased(P＜0.05),the EB level in brain tissue was significantly decreased(P＜0.05);the fluorescence staining intensities of ZO-1 and Occludin in the cerebral cortex were increased,and the expression levels of ZO-1,Occludin,Claudin-5,and NeuN proteins were significantly increased(P＜0.05);the serum levels of IL-17 and IL-22 were significantly decreased(P＜0.05),and the level of IL-10 was significantly increased(P＜0.05);the percentage of Th17 cells in peripheral blood was significantly decreased(P＜0.05),the percentage of Treg cells was significantly increased(P＜0.05),and the Th17/Treg ratio was significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Conclusion:Xuebijing injection can improve BBB injury,regulate Th17/Treg balance,and thereby alleviate the neurological functional damage in anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

Objective:To discuss the effect of Xuebijing on brain tissue damage and immune imbalance of helper T lymphocyte 17(Th17)/regulatory T lymphocyte(Treg)in cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)of the N-methyl-D-aspartate(NMDA)receptor encephalitis model mice,and to clarify its therapeutic effect.Methods:Sixty healthy male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group,model group,low dose of Xuebijing group,and high dose of Xuebijing group,and there were 15 mice in each group.Except for control group,the mice in the other three groups were injected with the antigen combined with immunostimulation to establish the NMDA receptor encephalitis models.The mice in low and high doses of Xuebijing groups were injected intraperitoneally with 5 and 10 mL·kg-1 of Xuebijing injection,respectively.HE staining was used to observe the pathomorphology of brain tissue of the mice in various groups;TUNEL assay was used to detect the apoptotic rates of the neurons in hippocampus CA1 region of brain tissue of the mice in various groups;enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)method was used to detect the levels of interleukin(IL)-6,IL-10,IL-17,and transforming growth factor β(TGF-β)in serum of the mice in various groups;flow cytometry was used to detect the percentages of Th17 and Treg cells in CSF of the mice in various groups;Western blotting method was used to detect the expression levels of retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γt(RORγt),forkhead box protein 3(Foxp3),IL-10,and IL-17 proteins in brain tissue of the mice in various groups;immunohistochemistry method was used to detect the rates of IL-17 and Foxp3 positive cells in brain tissue of the mice in various groups.Results:The HE staining results showed that the hippocampus CA1 region of brain tissue of the mice in control group had a clear structure without obvious lesions;compared with control group,the mice in model group showed partial pyramidal cell shrinkage,elongation of apical dendrites,loss of a few neurons,and sparse tissue in the hippocampus CA1 region of brain tissue;compared with model group,the mice in low and high doses of Xuebijing groups showed that the damage of the cells in the hippocampus CA1 region of brain tissue was decreased,and the morphological recovery,more orderly arrangement,and more significant improvement could be seen in hippocampus CA1 region of the mice in high dose of Xuebijing group.The TUNEL assay results showed that compared with control group,the apoptotic rate of the neurons in hippocampus CA1 region of brain tissue of the mice in model group was significantly increased(P<0.05);compared with model group,the apoptotic rate of the neurons in hippocampus CA1 region of brain tissue of the mice in low and high doses of Xuebijing groups were significantly decreased(P<0.05);compared with low dose of Xuebijing group,the apoptotic rate of the neurons in hippocampus CA1 region of brain tissue of the mice in high dose of Xuebijing group was significantly decreased(P<0.05).The ELISA results showed that compared with control group,the levels of IL-6 and IL-17 in serum of the mice in model group were significantly increased(P<0.05),while the levels of IL-10 and TGF-β were significantly decreased(P<0.05);compared with model group,the levels of IL-6 and IL-17 in serum of the mice in low and high doses of Xuebijing groups were significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the levels of IL-10 and TGF-β were significantly increased(P<0.05);compared with low dose of Xuebijing group,the levels of IL-6 and IL-17 in serum of the mice in high dose of Xuebijing group were significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the levels of IL-10 and TGF-β were significantly increased(P<0.05).The flow cytometry results showed that compared with control group,the percentage of CD4+IL-17A+Th17 cells in CSF of the mice in model group was significantly increased(P<0.05),while the percentage of CD25+Foxp3+Treg cells was significantly decreased(P<0.05);compared with model group,the percentages of CD4+IL-17A+Th17 cells in CSF of the mice in low and high doses of Xuebijing groups were significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the percentage of CD25+Foxp3+Treg cells was significantly increased(P<0.05);compared with low dose of Xuebijing group,the percentage of CD4+IL-17A+Th17 cells in CSF of the mice in high dose of Xuebijing group was significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the percentage of CD25+Foxp3+Treg cells was significantly increased(P<0.05).The Western blotting results showed that compared with control group,the expression levels of RORγt and IL-17 proteins in brain tissue of the mice in model group were significantly increased(P<0.05),while the expression levels of Foxp3 and IL-10 proteins were significantly decreased(P<0.05);compared with model group,the expression levels of RORγt and IL-17 proteins in brain tissue of the mice in low and high doses of Xuebijing groups were significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the expression levels of Foxp3 and IL-10 proteins were significantly increased(P<0.05);compared with low dose of Xuebijing group,the expression levels of RORγt and IL-17 proteins in brain tissue of the mice in high dose of Xuebijing group were significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the expression levels of Foxp3 and IL-10 proteins were significantly increased(P<0.05).The immunohistochemistry results showed that compared with control group,the rate of IL-17 positive cells in brain tissue of the mice in model group was significantly increased(P<0.05),while the rate of Foxp3 positive cells was significantly decreased(P<0.05);compared with model group,the rates of IL-17 positive cells in brain tissue of the mice in low and high doses of Xuebijing groups were significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the rates of Foxp3 positive cells were significantly increased(P<0.05);compared with low dose of Xuebijing group,the rate of IL-17 positive cells in brain tissue of the mice in high dose of Xuebijing group was significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the rate of Foxp3 positive cells was significantly increased(P<0.05).Conclusion:Xuebijing can effectively ameliorate the brain tissue injury,regulate the cytokine levels,and intervene in immune imbalance of Th17/Treg in the mice with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for a child with facial dysmorphism and multiple malformations. METHODS: The child, born at 34⁺⁶ weeks' gestation due to premature rupture of amniotic membrane, dichorionic diamniotic twinning and gestational diabetes, was subjected to chromosomal karyotyping analysis and copy number variations sequencing (CNV-seq). RESULTS: The child was found to have facial dysmorphism, hypospadia, cryptorchidism and hypotonia. He was found to have a 46,XY,del(3)(p26) karyotype in addition with a 9.80 Mb deletion (chr3: 60 000-9 860 000) encompassing 33 protein coding genes. CONCLUSION The 3p26.3p25.3 deletion probably underlay the multiple malformations in this child. Continuous follow-up is required to improve his quality of life.
Humans ; Male ; Chromosome Deletion ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Quality of Life ; Abnormalities, Multiple/genetics* ; Phenotype

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for a Chinese pedigree with 6q26q27 microduplication and 15q26.3 microdeletion. METHODS: A fetus with a 6q26q27 microduplication and a 15q26.3 microdeletion diagnosed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University in January 2021 and members of its pedigree were selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the fetus was collected. The fetus and its parents were analyzed by G-banding karyotyping and chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), and its maternal grandparents were also subjected to G-banding karyotype analysis. RESULTS: Prenatal ultrasound had indicated intrauterine growth retardation of the fetus, though no karyotypic abnormality was found with the amniotic fluid sample and blood samples from its pedigree members. CMA revealed that the fetus has carried a 6.6 Mb microduplication in 6q26q27 and a 1.9 Mb microdeletion in 15q26.3, and his mother also carried a 6.49 duplication and a 1.867 deletion in the same region. No anomaly was found with its father. CONCLUSION The 6q26q27 microduplication and 15q26.3 microdeletion probably underlay the intrauterine growth retardation in this fetus.
Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; East Asian People ; Fetal Growth Retardation/genetics* ; Karyotype ; Pedigree ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Sequence Deletion ; Chromosome Duplication

A case of syphilis-related membranous proliferative glomerulonephritis is reported, presenting with fever, rash, generalized lymphadenopathy, and peripheral hypocytosis as the initial symptoms. The patient was admitted to the hospital and underwent various examinations to rule out lymphoma and other diseases. Subsequently, the patient developed edema with proteinuria. The toluidine red unheated serum test (TRUST) was 1∶4 (+) and the treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) test was >1∶160 (+). The pathological results of renal biopsy revealed membranous proliferative glomerulonephritis. The diagnosis of the patient was considered syphilitic nephropathy. Treatment with penicillin resulted in improvement of the condition. The coexistence of syphilitic nephropathy and membranous proliferative glomerulonephritis is rare and should be given careful attention in clinical practice. Antisyphilitic treatment improves the prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the molecular pathogenesis of a Chinese pedigree affected with inherited protein C (PC) deficiency. METHODS: The protein C activity (PC:A) and protein C antigen (PC:Ag) of the proband and his family members were determined by a chromogenic substrate method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The proband was subjected to whole exome sequencing. Candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing of other members of the pedigree. RESULTS: The PC:A and PC:Ag of proband were reduced to 15% and 11%, respectively. The above parameters of his parents and elder sister were also decreased to approximately 50% of reference values. Next generation sequencing has revealed that the proband has harbored a heterozygous c.572_574delAGA (p.Glu191_Lys192delinsGlu) variant in exon 7 and a missense c.752C>T (p.Ala251Val) variant in exon 8 of the PROC gene. His father was heterozygous for the c.572_574delAGA variant, while his mother and elder sister were heterozygous for the c.752C>T variant. According to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics Standards and Guidelines, the c.572_574delAGA (p.Glu191_Lys192 delinsGlu) variant was predicted to be likely pathogenic (PS1+PM4+PP3). c.752 C>T (p.Ala251Val) variant was also likely pathogenic (PS1+PM1+PP3). CONCLUSION The deletional variant of c.572_574delAGA (p.Glu191_Lys192delinsGlu) in exon 7 and missense variant c.752C>T (p.Ala251Val) in exon 8 of the PROC gene probably underlay the inherited protein C (PC) deficiency in this pedigree. Above finding has enriched the spectrum of PROC gene variants and provided a basis for genetic counseling for this pedigree.
Humans ; China ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Protein C/genetics* ; Protein C Deficiency/genetics* ; Male ; Female

Objective:To investigate the associations between plasma trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) level and premature coronary heart disease (PCHD).Methods:From July 2018 to July 2020, total of 166 patients with suspected coronary heart disease were enrolled from the Heart Center of Shenzhen Bao′an Hospital affiliated to Southern Medical University. According to the coronary imaging results and age of onset, they were divided into young control group ( n=30), PCHD group ( n=49), middle-aged and elderly control group ( n=30) and the middle-aged and elderly coronary heart disease group ( n=57). Plasma TMAO concentration in each group was determined by stable isotope liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, and the correlation of plasma TMAO level with PCHD and SYNTAX score was analyzed. Results:The plasma TMAO level in PCHD group was significantly higher than that in young control group [(7.54±2.10) μmol/L vs. (4.60±1.89) μmol/L; t=6.73, P?0.001] and middle-aged and elderly coronary heart disease group [(3.90±1.75) μmol/L; t=2.45, P=0.015]. The plasma TMAO level was positively correlated with SYNTAX score in PCHD group ( r=0.66, P?0.001) and in middle-aged and elderly coronary heart disease group ( r=0.27, P=0.042). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that plasma TMAO level was an independent risk factor for PCHD ( OR=2.30, P?0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that when the cutoff level of plasma TMAO was 6.08 μmol/L, the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of PCHD were 73.5% and 76.7%, respectively. Conclusion:The plasma TMAO level is significantly correlated with PCHD and had certain predictive value for PCHD.

Objective:To explore the genetic basis for a proband with Shprintzen-Goldberg syndrome (SGS).Methods:Whole exome sequencing was carried out to detect potential variants associated with the relevant phenotypes. Candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing of the patient and her family.Results:DNA sequencing revealed that that the proband has carried a de novo heterozygous missense c. 94C>G (p.Leu32Val) variant in exon 1 of the SKI gene (NM_003036), which has been reported previously. The same variant was not detected in either parent. Based on the guidelines of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, the variant was predicted to be pathogenic (PS1+ PS2+ PM1+ PM2+ PP2+ PP3). Conclusion:The SKI c. 94C>G (p. Leu32Val) variant probably underlay the autosomal dominant SGS in this patient.

Objective:To investigate the long-term outcome and prognostic indicators of diffuse pro-liferative lupus nephritis (DPLN).Methods:The primary endpoint of long-term follow-up and factors pos- sibly influencing the outcome were analyzed retrospectively in DPLN patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University between Jan 1, 2000 and Dec 31, 2014. Patients were classified into three groups according to the evaluated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR) on the first day of admission: eGFR≥60 ml·min -1·1.73 m -2 (regular illness group); 15 ml·min -1·1.73 m -2≤eGFR<60 ml·min -1·1.73 m -2 (serious illness group); eGFR<15 ml·min -1·1.73 m -2 or dialysis (critical illness group). Clinical, histological, and outcome differences among the three groups were evaluated and compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) , χ2 test, Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox reggression analysis. Results:167 DPLN patients were studied [155 women; mean age (30±10) years; mean follow-up of (61±45) months]. Renal and patient survival of all patients was 86% at 5 years and 79% at 10 years. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed the renal and patient survival rate at 10 years in the regular illness group, serious illness group and critical illness group was 91%, 70% and 8%, respectively ( χ2=121.93, P<0.01, overall); regular illness group vs serious illness group ( χ2=4.05, P<0.05); regular illness group vs critical illness group ( χ2=97.05, P<0.01); serious illness group vs critical illness group ( χ2=52.28, P<0.01). Multivariable Cox regression analysis found that haematoglobin (Hb)<80 g/L [ HR=2.7, 95% CI(1.2, 6.3), P=0.019], eGFR<60 ml·min -1·1.73 m -2 [ HR=4.1, 95% CI(2.0, 8.2), P<0.01] and large crescents ≥30%[ HR=1.8, 95% CI (1.1, 2.9), P=0.021], were risk factors for the long-term outcome. Conclusion:DPLN patients with normal or slightly decreased renal function have a better long-term prognosis. Moderate to severe impairment of renal function, anemia and large crescents are associated with poor outcome.

Objective: To investigate the clinico-pathological characteristics, outcomes and their predictors in malignant hypertension related kidney injury with and without primary glomerular diseases. Methods: Patients with clinical diagnosis of malignant hypertension, biopsy-proven kidney injury caused by malignant hypertension and complete clinical data from January 2010 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. According to clinical and renal pathology, patients were divided into malignant hypertension related kidney injury without primary nephropathy group and with primary nephropathy group. Clinico-pathological characteristics and outcomes were evaluated and compared between malignant hypertension related kidney injury with and without primary glomerular diseases. Results: Totally 31 biopsy-proven kidney injury patients were analyzed. Among them, there were 18 cases with primary glomerular diseases and 13 cases without primary glomerular diseases, with age of (32.5±6.5) years old and (34.7±8.1) years old, respectively. There were 12 males in both group. The proportion of primary IgA nephropathy was higher (16/18) in the group of malignant hypertension related kidney injury with primary glomerular diseases. Malignant hypertension with primary glomerular diseases patients had lower plasma albunin level [(32.7±6.4) g/L vs (38.5±7.3) g/L, P=0.027], higher 24-hour proteinuria level [(4.03±2.71) g vs (1.45±0.98) g, P=0.002] and higher incidence rates of dysmorphic hematuria (14/18 vs 0, P=0.001) than those without primary glomerular diseases patients. Glomerular sclerosis, mesangial proliferation, tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis were more severe in malignant hypertension with primary glomerular diseases patients (all P<0.05), but the ischemic wrinkling of glomerular capillary was more severe in malignant hypertension without primary glomerular diseases (P<0.01). There were no differences of acute or chronic malignant hypertensive injury in small artery and in afferent arterioles between the two groups. Cox regression analysis showed that loss of brush-border with flattening of tubular epithelium was the predictor for renal partial recovery (HR=5.956, 95% CI 1.198-29.614, P=0.029). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that malignant hypertension patients with primary glomerular diseases had shorter renal survival time than those without primary glomerular diseases [(24.1±9.3) months vs (56.6±12.4) months], and accumulative renal survival rate of malignant hypertension patients with primary glomerular diseases was lower than that without primary glomerular diseases (11.6% vs 53.3%, Log-rank χ²=5.022, P=0.025). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that severe tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis were independent risk factors for end-stage renal disease in malignant hypertension patients (HR=5.870, 95% CI 1.372-25.112, P=0.017). Conclusions Malignant hypertension with primary glomerular diseases patients have more severe clinico-pathological renal impairment and poorer prognosis of long-term renal survival than those without primary glomerular diseases. Acute renal tubular injury (loss of brush-border with flattening of tubular epithelium) is the only predictor of renal function improvement in patients with malignant hypertension and renal impairment within one year. Tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis is a risk factor for end-stage renal disease in patients with malignant hypertension. Renal biopsy is an indispensable tool for predicting short-term and long-term renal outcomes.