OBJECTIVES: To study the value of serum miR-922 and miR-506 expression levels in the diagnosis and prognostic assessment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). METHODS: A total of 132 children with ALL (ALL group) and 80 healthy children (healthy control group) were prospectively selected in this study. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the expression levels of serum miR-922 and miR-506 in both groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to analyze the diagnostic value of miR-922 and miR-506 for childhood ALL. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves, and multivariate COX regression models were used to analyze the risk factors for poor prognosis in children with ALL. RESULTS: The ALL group had significantly higher expression levels of serum miR-922 and miR-506 than the control group ( CONCLUSIONS The expression levels of miR-922 and miR-506 are of good value in the diagnosis and prognostic assessment of childhood ALL.
Biomarkers, Tumor ; Child ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/genetics* ; Prognosis ; ROC Curve

Objective To study the characteristics of hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA) and the differences in blood and urine metabolic index and their correlation.Methods A total of 137 patients with HPA diagnosed by the Pediatric Inherit Metabolism and Endocrine Department,Guangdong Women and Children's Hospital,Guangzhou Medical University from January 2014 to June 2017,were enrolled.Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS),gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to analyze the concentration of blood and urine metabolites in children,and the patients were divided into different groups according to the drug load test of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) and dihydrobiopterindine reductase (DHPR) deficiency.The HPA metabolite analysis of horizontal concentration by statistical differences and correlation analysis were performed.Results Among the 137 cases of HPA,there were 101 cases (73.7％) of phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency (PAH),and among them 21 cases (15.3％) were classic phenylketonuria (PKU),37 cases were mild PKU (27.0％),43 cases (31.4％) wcrc mild HPA.Thcrc were 22 cases (16.1％) with BH4 reaction,and 79 cases (57.7％) of non-reactive type.Besides,there were 36 cases (26.3％) of tetrahydrobiopterin deficiency (BH4 D),of which 6-pyruvoyl tetrahydropterin synthase deficiency (PTPS) in 34 cases (24.8％) and dihydrobiopterindine reductase deficiency (DHPR) in 2 cases (1.5％).Urinary phenylacetic acid (r =0.673,P ＜ 0.01),phenyllactic acid (r =0.736,P ＜ 0.01),phenylpyruvic acid (r =0.642,P ＜ 0.01) were significantly correlated with blood phenylalanine (Phe) concentration,and the neopterin (N) (r =0.442,P ＜ 0.01) and biopterin (B) (r =0.398,P ＜ 0.01) had low correlation.Urinary phenylacetic acid,phenyllactic acid and phenylpyruvic acid had no correlation with urinary pterin.There were significant differences among PTPS deficiency group,BH4 response type,and non-reactive type(all P ＜ 0.05),but no significant difference between the BH4 reaction type and the non-reactive group (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Through the analysis of the different types of HPA metabolic profiles,it can help to master the incidence and characteristics in the region,within a certain concentration range of blood Phe,the phenylacetic acid,phenyllactic acid,phenylpyruvic acid should not be tested by GC-MS alone.Uterine erythropoietin analysis of BH4D classification and identification of BH4 reaction,non-reactive PKU have a supporting role,so master the metabolic index of various types of concentration and relevance of HPA,it can provide basis for early diagnosis,accurate treatment and follow-up.

The patient was a 21 days-old baby girl,admitted to Guangdong Women and Children Hospital because of "poor intake,seldom crying and no activity in 1 day".The major clinical manifestations included hypotonia,aggravation of the conscious disturbance,pancytopenia,intractable acidosis and hyperammonemia,so,inherited metabolic disorders should be considered.Screening of inherited metabolic diseases with blood and urine samples,genetic test and active treatments were carried out.After targeted next-generation sequencing,a novel homozygotic frame shift mutation in PCCB gene:c.838_839insC (L280Pfs * 11) was identified,which was validated by Sanger sequencing.This mutation had not been reported in the mutation database,and bioinformatic analysis of this mutation indicated disease-causing.So,the diagnosis of propionic acidemia was identified.The baby was in a critical condition,and despite active treatment,her conscious disturbance was aggravated,and the spontaneous breathing disappeared.Subsequently,the baby died of pneumonia.Propionic acidemia is a relatively common genetic metabolic disease in newborns.The severity and the clinical phenotypes of propionic acidemia varied,which often made the diagnosis difficult.When the baby is presented with developmental delay,hypotonia,recurrent convulsion and vomiting,etc,which can't be explained by common diseases of children,propionic acidemia may be considered.Next generation sequencing analysis of the complicated cases can easily to pinpoint a disease-causing gene,which lays a solid foundation for accurate diagnosis and treatment of the patients.

OBJECTIVETo observe the change in the number of antibodies of preneoplastic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using early treatment by Compound Phyllanthus Urinaria L. (CPUL) on patients with preneoplastic hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated HCC.

METHODSA total of 102 cirrhosis patients with regenerative or dysplastic nodules whose sera were tested positive for at least one of these six proteins (five up-regulated genes URG4, URG7, URG11, URG12 and URG19, and one down-regulated gene DRG2) were assigned randomly to two groups using continual random codes by SPSS software. Fifty-two patients were in the treatment group and 50 patients were in the control group. CPUL was used in the treatment group for 3 years, while the control group did not receive any treatment. The changes in HBV-DNA level, number of antibodies, and hepatocarcinogenesis occurred were observed. Patients who did not develop HCC were followed up for another 2 years.

RESULTSHBV-DNA levels decreased ⩾2log in 22.2% (10/45) of patients in the treatment group in contrast to only 5.0% (2/40) of patients in the control group (P=0.0228). The number of antibodies that were tested positive in the treatment group (1.08±1.01) was significantly lower compared with the control group (2.11±1.12) after 24 months of drug treatment (P<0.01). Both the positive rates of anti-URG11 (33/52) and anti-URG19 (31/52) were over 60% at baseline in the two groups, and were decreased to 48.1% (25/52) and 46.2% (24/52) respectively at 36 months of drug treatment, while the rates increased to 68.0% (34/50) and 66.0% (33/50) respectively (P=0.0417, P=0.0436) in the control group. The positive rate of anti-DRG2 was increased to 55.8% (29/52) at 36 months of drug treatment, while in the control group was decreased to 36.0% (18/50, P=0.0452). Among the 102 patients who developed HCC, 2 were in the treatment group and 9 were in the control group, meaning that a significant difference between the two groups (P=0.0212). In 11 patients who developed HCC, anti-URG11 and anti-URG19 were always positive, while anti-DRG2 was negative. Patients newly developing HCC were 6 (20.0%) in the control group, and only one (2.5%) in the treatment group (P=0.0441) during 2-year follow-up after the end of the treatment.

CONCLUSIONSAnti-URG11, anti-URG19 and anti-DRG2 could be used as early markers in the prediction of the therapeutic efficacy of CPUL in treating preneoplastic HCC. CPUL is useful in preventing or delaying the development of HBV-associated cirrhosis to HCC.

Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; therapy ; virology ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Hep G2 Cells ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; pathogenicity ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; therapy ; virology ; Phyllanthus ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use ; Precancerous Conditions ; virology

Adult ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To prepare the 99Tcm-survivin mRNA antisense peptide nucleic acid (PNA)and investigate its value as a gene imaging agent in tumor bearing mice and early diagnosis in tumor.Methods Survivin mRNA antisense PNA and mismatch PNA were synthesized.Four amino acids (Gly- (D)Ala-Gly-Gly) and Aba (4-aminobutyric acid) were linked to the 5' end of PNA.Gly- (D)Ala-Gly-Gly served as a chelating moiety for strong chelation of 99Tcm and Aba acted as a spacer to minimize the steric hindrance.PNAs were labeled with 99Tcm by the ligand-exchange method.The labeling efficiency and radiochemical purity were measured by HPLC and ITLC methods.There were five BALB/c nude mice bearing human lung carcinoma ( A549 ) in each of antisense PNA and mismatch PNA groups.Gene imaging of 99Tcm-survivin mRNA antisense and mismatch PNAs were performed at 1,2 and 4 h post the injection,respectively,and the T/NT ratio was measured by the method of ROI.The statistical comparisons of average values were performed with the two-group t-test for independent sample by SPSS 13.0.Results The product kept stable in vitro.The labeling efficiency of 99Tcm-survivin mRNA antisense PNA was (95.48 ±1.92)％ and more than 85％ after the incubation for24 h in serum.The radiochemical purity was ＞ 95％.The labeling efficiency of mismatch PNA was similar to the antisense PNA.99Tcm-survivin mRNA antisense PNA was especially uptaken by tumor lesion,and its accumulation reached the top at 4 h post the injection.T/NT ratios at 1,2,and 4 h were 2.70 ± 0.28,3.44 ± 0.35,4.21 ± 0.63,respectively.In the comparison,the T/NT ratio of 99Tcm-survivin mRNA mismatch PNA at 4 h (3.12 ±0.50) was significantly lower (t =2.918,P =0.019).Conclusions 99Tcm-survivin mRNA antisense PNA has high labeling efficiency,good stability and no need of purification.Its characteristic of especial uptake by tumor lesion provides the potential value in early diagnosis of tumor.

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of 99Tcm labeled survivin mRNA antisense peptide nucleic acid (PNA) as an imaging agent in the specific diagnosis for carcinoma.MethodsSurvivin mRNA antisense PNA was labeled directly with 99Tcm by the ligand-exchange method.Twenty nude mice with lung carcinoma A549 xenografts were randomly divided into 4 groups.Three groups were used for biodistribution study and one group was used for imaging study.Other twenty mice infected by staphylococcus aureus underwent the same procedure.The biodistribution and imaging of 99Tcm-survivin mRNA antisense PNA was studied at 1,2 and 4 h respectively after the intravenous injection in nude mice bearing lung carcinoma A549 xenografts or inflammation models.SPSS 13.0 was used in the study and all data were analyzed by t test.ResultsBiodistribution results showed that the highest radioactivity was found in the liver,and then in the kidney.Four hours after the administration of the imaging agent,the radioactivity ratios of target-tonon target (T/NT,tumor or inflamumatory lesions to the contralateral regions) in tumor model group were significantly higher than those in inflammation model group ( 3.69 ± 1.13 vs 2.03 ± 0.47,t =3.01,P =0.02 ).Tumors were clearly visible in the tumor model groups at 0.5 h and still clearly seen at 4 h after the injection of antisense PNA.On the contrary,inflammatory lesions could not be seen clearly.Conclusion 99Tcm labeled survivin mRNA antisense PNA can be used to distinguish tumor from inflammation and it may provide a new feasible method for specific tumor diagnosis.

Selective adsorption of active ingredients liquiritin and isoliquiritin from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) has been studied. Distribution coefficients of liquiritin between ethanol solvent and r-MWNTs or o-MWNTs in 293K is 37.5 and 43.3, while the distribution coefficients of isoliquiritin between ethanol solvent and r-MWNTs or o-MWNTs is 717 and 1080, respectively. It was indicated that the distribution coefficient of isoliquiritin adsorbed by MWNTs was much larger than that of liquiritin, and oxidation treatment of MWNTs could obviously enhance their adsorption ability. The possible reasons that MWNTs can selectively adsorb isoliquiritin other than liquiritin were discussed on the bases of molecular structure of the active ingredients and their interaction with nanotubes.
Adsorption ; Chalcone ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flavanones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; chemistry ; Nanotubes, Carbon ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVEMany studies have demonstrated that low levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) may be associated with the hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) and that IGF-I has a neuroprotective effect. The role of IGF-II, a structurally and functionally homologous polypeptide with IGF-I, is unclear in HIBD. This study was designed to observe the changes of serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) IGF-II levels in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and to investigate its effects on HIE.

METHODSSerum and CSF IGF-II levels in 41 neonates with HIE were measured by radioimmunoassay in the acute phase (postnatal age 12-24 hrs) and the convalescence phase (postnatal age 10-12 days). The 41 HIE neonates included 10 cases of mild, 12 moderate, and 19 severe HIE. Serum samples of 10 normal neonates were used as controls.

RESULTSIn the acute phase, serum IGF-II levels in the Mild HIE group (203.28 +/- 40.09 ng/mL) and the Moderate HIE group (192.33 +/- 39.66 ng/mL) were not significantly reduced, but were obviously reduced in the Severe HIE group (116.72 +/- 39.50 ng/mL) compared with normal controls (229.38 +/- 43.39 ng/mL) (P<0.01). During the convalescence phase, serum IGF-II levels in the Mild HIE group (285.53 +/- 49.44 ng/mL) and in the Moderate HIE group (278.69 +/- 51.34 ng/mL) increased significantly (P < 0.01); CSF IGF-II levels increased in the Mild HIE group from 27.23 +/- 7.82 ng/mL (acute phase) to 81.58 +/- 9.77 ng/mL (convalescence phase) (P < 0.01) and also increased in the Moderate HIE group from 23.43 +/- 7.79 ng/mL (acute phase) to 78.48 +/- 10.44 ng/mL (convalescence phase) (P < 0.01). The patients from the severe HIE group whose neurological symptoms or signs were improved in the convalescence showed higher serum and CSF IGF-II levels than in the acute phase (254.08 +/- 48.50 ng/mL vs 122.21 +/- 46.26 ng/mL; 69.42 +/- 10.20 ng/mL vs 15.05 +/- 7.03 ng/mL; P < 0.01). A positive correlation was found between the serum and CSF IGF-II levels in the HIE group (r=0.69, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSIGF-II levels in serum and CSF are associated with the pathogenesis and the prognosis of neonatal HIE.

Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; metabolism ; Infant, Newborn ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II ; analysis ; cerebrospinal fluid ; Male