OBJECTIVE: To analyze the significance of total vitamin D (tVD), total procollagen type I amino-terminal propeptide (tPINP) and β-CrossLaps (β-CTx) in the staging and prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). METHODS: A total of 54 patients with newly diagnosed MM admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from 2020 to 2022 were selected as the observation group (MM group), and 50 healthy persons who underwent physical examinations in our hospital were selected as the control group. The expression levels of tVD, tPINP and β-CTx in the two groups were detected by chemiluminescence method. The differences in the expression levels of tVD, tPINP and β-CTx among MM patients at different ISS stages were analyzed. The expression levels of tVD, tPINP and β-CTx in MM patients with different levels of hemoglobin (Hb), serum calcium (Ca), creatinine (Crea), albumin (ALB), β₂-microglobulin (β₂-MG) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were compared. The correlations between the expression levels of tVD, tPINP, β-CTx and the aforementioned clinical parameters were analyzed, respectively. The relationship between the expression levels of tVD, tPINP, β-CTx and the progression-free survival (PFS) of MM patients was analyzed. RESULTS: The expression level of tVD in the MM group was significantly lower than that in the control group (21.73±14.45 ng/ml vs 30.78±9.94 ng/ml, P =0.022). The expression level of β-CTx in the MM group was significantly higher than that in the control group (1.43±0.99 ng/ml vs 0.53±0.29 ng/ml, P =0.013). The tVD level in MM patients with ISS stage I-II was significantly higher than that of MM patients with ISS stage III (29.50±14.59 ng/ml vs 12.62±7.73 ng/ml, P =0.028), indicating that the higher the ISS stage, the lower the tVD level. The tPINP and β-CTx levels in MM patients with high Ca levels (>2.65 mmol/L) were significantly higher than those in patients with low Ca levels (≤2.65 mmol/L) (P =0.016, P =0.021). The tVD level of MM patients was positively correlated with the ALB level (r =0.570), tPINP was positively correlated with Ca and β₂-MG levels (r =0.791,r =0.673), and β-CTx was positively correlated with tPINP level (r =0.616). The PFS of the low tVD expression group was significantly lower than that of the high tVD expression group (P =0.041). CONCLUSION The expression level of tVD is decreased in MM patients, which can be used as an indicator to evaluate the disease stage and prognosis of the patients. The β-CTx expression level is increased in MM patients. tPINP and β-CTx may be correlated with clinical symptoms such as osteolytic lesions and renal function changes in MM patients.
Humans ; Multiple Myeloma/pathology* ; Procollagen/blood* ; Vitamin D/blood* ; Prognosis ; Peptide Fragments/blood* ; Collagen Type I/blood* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Neoplasm Staging

Objective: To analyze and compare therapy responses, outcomes, and incidence of severe hematologic adverse events of flumatinib and imatinib in patients newly diagnosed with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) . Methods: Data of patients with chronic phase CML diagnosed between January 2006 and November 2022 from 76 centers, aged ≥18 years, and received initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy within 6 months after diagnosis in China were retrospectively interrogated. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to reduce the bias of the initial TKI selection, and the therapy responses and outcomes of patients receiving initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy were compared. Results: A total of 4 833 adult patients with CML receiving initial imatinib (n=4 380) or flumatinib (n=453) therapy were included in the study. In the imatinib cohort, the median follow-up time was 54 [interquartile range (IQR), 31-85] months, and the 7-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.2%, 88.4%, 78.3%, and 63.0%, respectively. The 7-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 71.8%, 93.0%, and 96.9%, respectively. With the median follow-up of 18 (IQR, 13-25) months in the flumatinib cohort, the 2-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.4%, 86.5%, 58.4%, and 46.6%, respectively. The 2-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 80.1%, 95.0%, and 99.5%, respectively. The PSM analysis indicated that patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had significantly higher cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) and higher probabilities of FFS than those receiving the initial imatinib therapy (all P<0.001), whereas the PFS (P=0.230) and OS (P=0.268) were comparable between the two cohorts. The incidence of severe hematologic adverse events (grade≥Ⅲ) was comparable in the two cohorts. Conclusion: Patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had higher cumulative incidences of therapy responses and higher probability of FFS than those receiving initial imatinib therapy, whereas the incidence of severe hematologic adverse events was comparable between the two cohorts.
Adult ; Humans ; Adolescent ; Imatinib Mesylate/adverse effects* ; Incidence ; Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects* ; Retrospective Studies ; Pyrimidines/adverse effects* ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome ; Benzamides/adverse effects* ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic-Phase/drug therapy* ; Aminopyridines/therapeutic use* ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors/therapeutic use*

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of children with Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and to summarize the mid-term efficacy of China Net Childhood Lymphoma-mature B-cell lymphoma 2017 (CNCL-B-NHL-2017) regimen. Methods: Clinical features of 436 BL patients who were ≤18 years old and treated with the CNCL-B-NHL-2017 regimen from May 2017 to April 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. Clinical characteristics of patients at disease onset were analyzed and the therapeutic effects of patients with different clinical stages and risk groups were compared. Survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression was used to identify the prognostic factors. Results: Among 436 patients, there were 368 (84.4%) males and 68 (15.6%) females, the age of disease onset was 6.0 (4.0, 9.0) years old. According to the St. Jude staging system, there were 4 patients (0.9%) with stage Ⅰ, 30 patients (6.9%) with stage Ⅱ, 217 patients (49.8%) with stage Ⅲ, and 185 patients (42.4%) with stage Ⅳ. All patients were stratified into following risk groups: group A (n=1, 0.2%), group B1 (n=46, 10.6%), group B2 (n=19, 4.4%), group C1 (n=285, 65.4%), group C2 (n=85, 19.5%). Sixty-three patients (14.4%) were treated with chemotherapy only and 373 patients (85.6%) were treated with chemotherapy combined with rituximab. Twenty-one patients (4.8%) suffered from progressive disease, 3 patients (0.7%) relapsed, and 13 patients (3.0%) died of treatment-related complications. The follow-up time of all patients was 24.0 (13.0, 35.0) months, the 2-year event free survival (EFS) rate of all patients was (90.9±1.4) %. The 2-year EFS rates of group A, B1, B2, C1 and C2 were 100.0%, 100.0%, (94.7±5.1) %, (90.7±1.7) % and (85.9±4.0) %, respectively. The 2-year EFS rates was higher in group A, B1, and B2 than those in group C1 (χ²=4.16, P=0.041) and group C2 (χ²=7.21, P=0.007). The 2-year EFS rates of the patients treated with chemotherapy alone and those treated with chemotherapy combined with rituximab were (79.3±5.1)% and (92.9±1.4)% (χ²=14.23, P<0.001) respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that stage Ⅳ (including leukemia stage), serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)>4-fold normal value, and with residual tumor in the mid-term evaluation were risk factors for poor prognosis (HR=1.38,1.23,8.52,95%CI 1.05-1.82,1.05-1.43,3.96-18.30). Conclusions: The CNCL-B-NHL-2017 regimen show significant effect in the treatment of pediatric BL. The combination of rituximab improve the efficacy further.
Adolescent ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use* ; Burkitt Lymphoma/drug therapy* ; Child ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Humans ; Lactate Dehydrogenases ; Lymphoma, B-Cell/drug therapy* ; Male ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Rituximab/therapeutic use* ; Treatment Outcome

WRKY, a class of conserved transcription factors in plants, plays important roles in plant growth, development and secondary metabolism. In the present study, 65 WRKY members were identified from de novo transcriptome sequencing data of three different tissues (root, stems and leaves) of Baphicacanthus cusia. BcWRKY proteins contained from 221 to 706 amino acids and the isoelectric point is from 4.68 to 9.68. Molecular weights range from 25 711.8 to 75 475 Da. The main secondary structures of BcWRKYs protein are random coil. A subcellular localization prediction indicated that the putative BcWRKY proteins were enriched in the nuclear region. Phylogenetic analysis showed that BcWRKYs could be categorized into three groups and five subgroups (Group IIa, Group IIb, Group IIc, Group IId and Group IIe) in Group II. Structural analysis found that all BcWRKY proteins contained a highly conserved motif WRKYGQK. Finally, the transcriptional profiles of ten BcWRKY genes highly expressed in root, stem and leaf tissues under abscisic acid (ABA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), or salicylic acid (SA) treatment were systematically investigated using qRT-PCR analysis. Results showed that a total of ten BcWRKY genes were differentially expressed in response to ABA, MeJA, and SA treatment. This work would be provided a basis for further elucidating the molecular mechanism of WRKY transcription factors in the biosynthesis of indole alkaloids in B. cusia.

Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is one of the most frequent genetic abnormalities and the leading genetic cause of nonobstructive azoospermia. The breeding and study of KS mouse models are essential to advancing our knowledge of the underlying pathological mechanism. Karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization are reliable methods for identifying chromosomal contents. However, technical issues associated with these methods can decrease the efficiency of breeding KS mouse models and limit studies that require rapid identification of target mice. To overcome these limitations, we developed three polymerase chain reaction-based assays to measure specific genetic information, including presence or absence of the sex determining region of chromosome Y (Sry), copy number of amelogenin, X-linked (Amelx), and inactive X specific transcripts (Xist) levels. Through a combined analysis of the assay results, we can infer the karyotype of target mice. We confirmed the utility of our assays with the successful generation of KS mouse models. Our assays are rapid, inexpensive, high capacity, easy to perform, and only require small sample amounts. Therefore, they facilitate the breeding and study of KS mouse models and help advance our knowledge of the pathological mechanism underlying KS.
Animals ; Azoospermia ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Karyotyping ; Klinefelter Syndrome/genetics* ; Mice ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Thirteen compounds were isolated and purified from the leaves of Cinnamomum camphora by the macroporous resin,silica gel,and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies. Those compounds were further identified by IR,UV,MS,and NMR techniques:( 2 S)-1-( 3″,4″-methylenedioxy phenyl)-3-( 2',6'-dimethoxy-4'-hydroxyphenyl)-propan-2-ol( 1),( 2 R,3 R)-5,7-dimethoxy-3',4'-methylenedioxy flavanol( 2),9-hydroxysesamin( 3),sesamin( 4),piperitol( 5),kobusin( 6),(-)-aptosimon( 7),acuminatolide( 8),1β,11-dihydroxy-5-eudesmene( 9),lasiodiplodin( 10),vanillin( 11),p-hydroxybenzaldehyde( 12),and p-hydroxybenzoic acid ethyl ester( 13). Compound 1 was a novel compound,and compounds 2,6,7,9 and 10 were isolated from Cinnamomum plants for the first time. Compounds 4,7 and 10 were found to possess good inhibitory effect on IL-6 production in LPS-induced BV2 cells at a concentration of 20 μmol·L-1 in the in vitro bioassay,with inhibition rates of 51. 26% ± 4. 13%,67. 82% ± 3. 77% and85. 81%±1. 19%,respectively.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology* ; Cinnamomum ; Cinnamomum camphora ; Plant Leaves

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME2) to lymphoma Raji cells and its mechanism. METHODS: Different concentrations of 2-ME2 were used to treat lymphoma Raji cells. CCK8 method was used to detect the effect of 2-ME2 to proliferation of Raji cells. Flow cytometry FITC/PI double labeling method was used to detect early apoptosis of the cells. Western blotting was used to detect the effect of 2-ME2 to the expression of BCL-2, Bax, Caspase-3 and C-myc proteins in Raji cells. RESULTS: 2-ME2 significantly inhibited the proliferation of Raji cells. The inhibition rate increased with the increasing of drug concentration, and increased significantly with the prolongation of drug treatment time (r=0.9215). Flow cytometry FITC/PI double staining showed that the apoptotic rate of 2.5 μmol/L 2-ME2 treatment group was (33.79±1.63) %, while the apoptosis rate of the 48 h group was (51.90±2.72) %, and that of the control group was (7.08±0.36) %. After treated with 2.5 μmol/L 2-ME2 for 12 h, the expression of Bax protein was up-regulated, BCL-2 protein was down-regulated, caspase-3 protein expression was up-regulated, and C-myc protein expression was down-regulated, all of them showed a time-dependent relationship. CONCLUSION 2-ME2 shows obvious inhibitory effect on lymphoma Raji cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Its mechanism of treatment on lymphoma Raji cells may be related to up-regulation of Bax/BCL-2 ratio and activation of Caspase-3 to induce apoptosis in cancer cells. Down-regulation of C-myc protein expression also participates in the apoptotic process.
2-Methoxyestradiol ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 3/metabolism* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism* ; Up-Regulation ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between the levels of D-dimer and inflammatory factors C-reactive protein（CRP）and prognosis in patients with 2019 novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia（COVID-19）.Methods The clinical data of a total of 242 patients with COVID-19 who were treated in hospital from February 4th 2020 to February 18th 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. According to the classification standard,the patients with COVID-19 were divided into common patients(131 cases), severe patients（88 cases）, and critical patients（23 cases）. The difference between the levels of D-dimer and CRP in patients with pneumonia of different severity and clinical outcomes was compared and the correlation between D-dimer and CRP was analyzed.ResultsThe levels of D-dimer and CRP in severe and critical patients were significantly higher than those in common patients(P<0.05). The levels of CRP in critical patients were significantly higher than those in severe patients(P<0.05). These two indicator levels of patients who died of COVID-19 within 30 dayswere significantly higher than those who survived. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the levels of D-dimer were positively correlated with the levels of CRP(r=0.649，P<0.05).ConclusionD-dimer and CRP are highly expressed in severe and critical patients, and the severe abnormality of the two indicators in the early stage of COVID-19 predicted the poor prognosis. D-dimer and CRP have certain clinical value in evaluating the severity and prognosis of COVID-19.