BACKGROUND: G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) could participate in the regulation of diverse cells via interacting with non-G-protein-coupled receptors. In the present work, we explored how paroxetine, a GRK2 inhibitor, modulates the differentiation and activation of immune cells in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: The blood samples of healthy individuals and RA patients were collected between July 2021 and March 2022 from the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. C57BL/6 mice were used to induce the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model. Flow cytometry analysis was used to characterize the differentiation and function of dendritic cells (DCs)/T cells. Co-immunoprecipitation was used to explore the specific molecular mechanism. RESULTS: In patients with RA, high expression of GRK2 in peripheral blood lymphocytes, accompanied by the increases of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). In animal model, a decrease in regulatory T cells (T regs ), an increase in the cluster of differentiation 8 positive (CD8 + ) T cells, and maturation of DCs were observed. Paroxetine, when used in vitro and in CIA mice, restrained the maturation of DCs and the differentiation of CD8 + T cells, and induced the proportion of T regs . Paroxetine inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, the expression of C-C motif chemokine receptor 7 in DCs and T cells. Simultaneously, paroxetine upregulated the expression of programmed death ligand 1, and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, paroxetine inhibited the PI3K-AKT-mTOR metabolic pathway in both DCs and T cells. This was associated with a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential and changes in the utilization of glucose and lipids, particularly in DCs. Paroxetine reversed PI3K-AKT pathway activation induced by 740 Y-P (a PI3K agonist) through inhibiting the interaction between GRK2 and PI3K in DCs and T cells. CONCLUSION Paroxetine exerts an immunosuppressive effect by targeting GRK2, which subsequently inhibits the metabolism-related PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway of DCs and T cells in RA.
G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2/metabolism* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/immunology* ; Animals ; Dendritic Cells/metabolism* ; Paroxetine/therapeutic use* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Mice ; Humans ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Lymphocyte Activation/drug effects* ; Female ; T-Lymphocytes/metabolism* ; Middle Aged

Astragali Radix(AR)is a clinically used herbal medicine with multiple immunomodulatory activities that can strengthen the activity and cytotoxicity of natural killer(NK)cells.However,owing to the complexity of its composition,the specific active ingredients in AR that act on NK cells are not clear yet.Cell membrane chromatography(CMC)is mainly used to screen the active ingredients in a complex system of herbal medicines.In this study,a new comprehensive two-dimensional(2D)NK-92MI CMC/C18 column/time-of-flight mass spectrometry(TOFMS)system was established to screen for potential NK cell acti-vators.To obtain a higher column efficiency,3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane-modified silica was synthesized to prepare the NK-92MI CMC column.In total,nine components in AR were screened from this system,which could be washed out from the NK-92MI/CMC column after 10 min,and they showed good affinity for NK-92MI/CMC column.Two representative active compounds of AR,isoastragaloside Ⅰ and astragaloside Ⅳ,promoted the killing effect of NK cells on K562 cells in a dose-dependent manner.It can thus suggest that isoastragaloside Ⅰ and astragaloside Ⅳ are the main immunomodulatory compo-nents of AR.This comprehensive 2D NK-92MI CMC analytical system is a practical method for screening immune cell activators from other herbal medicines with immunomodulatory effects.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the molecular mechanism in stable cell strains expressing Mini-hF9 gene with nonsense mutation. METHODS: Mini-hF9 gene and its nonsense mutants were transfected into HeLa cells independently, and stable cell strains were obtained after G418 resistance screening and monoclonal transformation. The altered splicing and protein expression of mRNA in Mini-hF9 gene in stable cell strains were detected by using RT-PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: The wild type and nonsense mutated human coagulation factor IX stable cell strains were constructed successfully, which were named HeLa-F9-WT, HeLa-F9-M1 and HeLa-F9-M2. Only normal splicing Norm was detected in the wild-type cell strain HeLa-F9-WT; Norm and Alt-S1 splicing were detected in HeLa-F9-M1; while Norm, Alt-S1 and Alt-S2 splicing were detected in HeLa-F9-M2. CONCLUSION The nonsense associated altered splicing (NAS) pathway, which generated alternately spliced transcripts, might be triggered in coagulation factor IX gene with nonsense mutation.
Codon, Nonsense ; Factor IX/metabolism* ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Mutation ; RNA Splicing ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the blood test patterns for blood donors after nucleic acid detection in blood center.

METHODSThe collected blood samples after voluntary blood donors first were detected by conventional ELISA, then 31981 negative samples were detected via HBV/HCV/HIV combined nucleic acid test of 6 mixed samples(22716 cases) or single samples(9265 cases) by means of Roche cobas s201 instrument. The combined detection method as follows: the blood samples were assayed by conventional nucleic acid test of 6 mixed samples, at same time, 6 mixed samples were treated with polyethylene glycol precipitation method to concentrate the virus, then the nucleic acid test of blood samples was performed; the single detection method as follows: firstly the conventional nucleic acid test of single sample was performed, then the positive reactive samples after re-examination were 6-fold diluted to simulate the nucleic acid test of 6-mixed samples. The positive rate of positive samples detected by combined nucleic acid test, positive samples detected by nucleic acid test of mixed virus concentration and positive samples detected by single nucleic acid test was statistically analyzed. In addition, for HBVpersons the serological test yet should be performed.

RESULTSIn 22 716 samples detected by nucleic acid test of 6 mixed samples (MP-6-NAT) , 9 cases were HBV(0.40‰, 9/22716); at same time, the detection of same samples by nucleic acid test of mixed sample virus concentration showed 29 cases of HBV(1.28‰, 29/22716). In 9265 samples detected by single nucleic acid test(ID-NAT) 12 cases showed HBV(1.30‰, 12/9265), meanwhile the detection of these 12 samples with HBVby 6-fold dilution for virus concentration found only 4 samples with HBV. In serological qualified samples, ID-NAT unqualified rate was 1.28‰, which was higher than that of MP-6-NAT(0.4‰) (χ=8.11, P<0.05); but there was no statistical difference between unqualified rate of ID-NAT and MP-6-NAT(1.3‰ vs 1.28‰)(χ=0.00, P>0.05). In 41 samples with HBsAgHBV DNAdetected by ELISA, 36 samples were confirmed to be occult HBV infective(OBI) by HBsAb, HBcAb test of ELISA; out of these 41 samples, 33 samples showed HBcAb(91.66% of OBI), 5 might be HBV "window period" infective, moreover the HCV RNA and HIV RNA positive samples were not found.

CONCLUSIONTo avoid the missdiagnosis of donors with low level of virus, the nucleic acid test must be carried out after virus concentration of mixed samples when the blood test pattern of donors is nucleic acid test of mixed samples, otherwise the single nucleic acid test must be performed to obtain more high detected rate of virus nucleic acid. The HBcAb serologic test and physical examination of donors before blood donation must be enhanced on basis of serological test of HBsAg; for high risk people, the persuading no blood donation is simplest pattern.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of premature rupture of the membrane (PROM) on neonatal complications in premature infants.

METHODSThe registration information of 7684 preterm infants with gestational age <37 weeks were collected from the cooperative units in the task group between January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. Specially trained personnel from each cooperative units filled in the unified form in a standardized format to record the gender, gestational age, birth weight, PROM, placental abruption, antenatal corticosteroid, Apgar score, amniotic fluid pollution, and complications of the infants. The data were analyzed comparatively between the cases with PROM and those without (control).

RESULTSThe preterm mortality rate was significantly lower but the incidences of ICH, NEC, ROP and BPD were significantly higher in PROM group than in the control group (P<0.05). The 95% confidence interval of the OR value was <1 for mortality, and was >1 for ICH, NEC, ROP and BPD. After adjustment for gestational age, birth weight, gender, mode of delivery, placental abruption, placenta previa, prenatal hormones, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), gestational period hypertension and 5-min Apgar score <7, the incidences of NEC, ROP and BPD were significantly different between the two groups (P<0.05) with 95% confidence interval of OR value >1, but the mortality rate and incidence of ICH were not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONPROM is a risk factor for NEC, ROP and BPD in preterm infants, and adequate intervention of PROM can reduce the incidences of such complications as NEC, ROP and BPD in the infants.

Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Female ; Fetal Membranes, Premature Rupture ; pathology ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases ; etiology ; Infant, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo study the value of amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in predicting symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus (sPDA) in preterm infants.

METHODSPreterm infants born at a gestational age (GA) of ≤ 32 weeks and diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) by echocardiography within 48 hours after birth between June 2014 and April 2015 were selected as subjects. Their clinical manifestations were observed, and serum NT-proBNP levels were measured and echocardiography was performed at 3 and 5 days after birth. The infants were divided into sPDA group and asymptomatic PDA (asPDA) group based on their clinical manifestations and the results of echocardiography. The correlations between serum NT-proBNP level and echocardiographic indices were analyzed. Serum NT-proBNP levels were compared between the two groups. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to determine the sensitivity and specificity of serum NT-proBNP in the prediction of sPDA.

RESULTSA total of 69 preterm infants were enrolled in this study, with 13 infants in the sPDA group and 56 infants in the asPDA group. Serum NT-proBNP level was positively correlated with the diameter of the arterial duct (r=0.856; P<0.05)and the ratio of left atrial diameter to aortic root diameter (LA/AO) (r=0.713; P<0.05). At 3 and 5 days after birth, the serum NT-proBNP levels in the sPDA group were significantly higher than those in the asPDA group (P<0.05). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the prediction of sPDA by NT-proBNP levels at 3 days after birth was 0.949 (95% CI: 0.892-1.000; P<0.001), with a cut-off value of 27 035 pg/mL (sensitivity: 92.3%; specificity: 94.6%); the AUC for the prediction of sPDA by NT-proBNP levels at 5 days after birth was 0.924 (95% CI: 0.848-1.000; P<0.001), with a cut-off value of 6 411 pg/mL (sensitivity: 92.3%; specificity: 92.9%).

CONCLUSIONSNT-proBNP may be a quantitative index for shunt volume. The measurement of serum NT-proBNP levels on 3 and 5 days after birth may be useful to predict sPDA in preterm infants.

Biomarkers ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Male ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; blood ; Peptide Fragments ; blood ; ROC Curve

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of the 25 Gy ⁶⁰Co irradiation on the physiological and biochemical properties and the functions of the platelets during storage.

METHODSA total of 15 bags of platelets were apheresis-collected from 15 healthy donors, and each bag of platelets were divided into 2 parts, then the platelets were divided into the control group (without 25 Gy ⁶⁰Co irradiation) and the irradiated group (with 25 Gy ⁶⁰Co irradiation) groups. The two groups of platelets were kept under the condition of (22 ± 2) °C and shaken. The Platelet count and pH value were detected on the d 1, d 2, d 3, d 4 and d 5. The variables such as R, K values, α angle and maximal amplitude (MA) were measured by thrombelastography on the same days. Hypotonic shock response (HSR), morphological score were devised.

RESULTSThere were no statistically significant difference in Plt counts, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribute width (PDW) and pH between the two groups (P > 0.05), and Plt count decreased on the end of storage. There were no marked changes in HSR level and morphological score between the two groups during storage, and there were no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). In the TEG analysis there were no significant difference of the R, K, α angle and MA values between the two groups (P > 0.05). R value showed upward trend increased along with prolongation of preserved time (P < 0.01), no significant changes in α angle (P > 0.05), K value was slightly higher and MA value was lower in the last day of storage than the days 1-4 (P < 0.01), respectively.

CONCLUSION25 Gy ⁶⁰Co gamma-ray irradiation can not damage the physiological, biochemical properties and the functions of the platelets during storage. In order to ensure the best curative effect, it is suggested that no matter the platelets were irradiated or not, the platelets should be used as soon as possible.

Blood Platelets ; radiation effects ; Blood Preservation ; Gamma Rays ; Humans ; Platelet Count

ABSTRACT:The paper introduces professor He Xiaohui's experience in treating chronic atrophic gastritis(CAG).In his view, this disease is caused by deficiency in origin and excess in superficiality,and the basic pathogenesis of CAG is the deficiency of both qi and yin,the dampness and heat in the stomach,and the stasis of the collaterals of the stomach meridian.The site of CAG is stomach,and related closely with spleen,liver,gallbladder and kidney.Following the principle of the combination of disease differentiation and syndrome differentiation,he puts forward a three-stage partition method,which is”cure the disease according to the syndrome,treat the disease combined with syndrome,treat the disease without syndrome directly”,advocates the application of balanced method,and creates the medical treatment of the syndrome differentiation”regulating gastritis with eight prescriptions” and the disease differentiation”shuang pu powder”,which can effectively reverse the pathological changes of chronic atrophic gastritis,and prevent the incidence of gastric cancer.

Objective To investigate the effects of knee replacement postoperative on reducing hemoglobin by the different doses of tranexamic acid application.Methods A total of 116 knee replacement patients were enrolled and divided into the treatment group and the control group , 58 cases in each group .The surgical procedures and methods of the two groups were same , as patients in the control group were given intrave-nously before incision tranexamic acid 50 mg? kg -1 , and those in the treatment group received tranexamic acid 100 mg? kg -1 . During the peri-operative phase , the index of operation time , incision size , blood loss during operation , post -surgery drainage and the total number of blood transfusion , as well as hemoglobin were observed . Results Patients in two groups were all discharged after successful com-pletion surgery .The blood loss , postoperative drainage , the total amount of blood transfusion of the treatment group were significantly less than those of control group ( P<0.05 ) .The postoperative values in the two groups were showed significantly decreased ( P<0.05 ) , but preoperative hemoglobin values of the treatment group were significantly higher (P<0.05).The data of preoperative and postoperative coagulation indicators compared between two groups showed no significant difference .Patients were followed up for 3 months.The incidence of complications of deep vein thrombosis (1 case), acute myocardial infarction ( 0 case), transient neuro-logical symptom (1 case) in the treatment group were significantly lower than that in control group (5, 3, 4 cases) (P<0.05).Conclusion High dose of tranexamic acid applications can reduce blood loss and transfusion knee re -placement volume , and relieve the postoperative decrease of hemoglobin , meanwhile , it has no obvious effect on coagu-lation function with defined security .

REVERSIBLE posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS) is a rare neurological syndrome characterized by headache, altered mental status, seizures, and visual disturbance, associated with reversible white matter changes.1 It has been commonly reported in patients with severe hypertension and pre-eclampsia. Here we report a case with nephrotic syndrome complicated by RPLS.
Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; drug effects ; pathology ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome