Objective: To explore the association between T-cell receptor beta variable (TCR BV) complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3) spectratyping and CMV activation in the recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Methods: Fluorescence quantitative PCR melting curve analysis was used to sequence 24 TCR BV families in 7 HSCT recipients and 3 healthy controls. CMV-pp65 antigenemia was measured by immunohistochemical staining. Plasma IgM specific for CMV was identified using ELISA. Relationship between TCR BV families and CMV activation was statistically analyzed.Results: Twenty-four TCR BV families were expressed in 3 healthy controls, while TCR BV CDR3 sequencing results in 7 recipients turned out to be BV9, BV11, BV17, BV20 and so on. Amino acid sequence features were as follows:TCR BV9 contained "QVRGGTDTQ", TCR BV11 contained "VATDEQ" and "LGDEQ", TCR BV17 contained "IGQGNTEA", and TCR BV20 contained "VGLAANEQ". Five recipients suffered from pp65 antigenemia in 3 month after transplantation, and pp65-positive cells ranged from 2 to 15 per 5×104 white blood cells. Three recipients were CMV-IgM positive. No significant differences were found in TCR BV families between pp65-positive recipients and pp65-negative recipients (all P>0.05). But there was statistically significant difference in frequency of TCR BV11 between CMV-IgM negative recipients and CMV-IgM positive recipients (P<0.05).Conclusion: T cell immune response was characterized by special TCR BV CDR3 spectratyping in HSCT recipients, and TCR BV11 expression may be associated with CMV activation.
In the present study, we investigated the role of GLUT-1 and PI3K/Akt signaling in radioresistance of laryngeal carcinoma xenografts. Volume, weight, radiosensitization, and the rate of inhibition of tumor growth in the xenografts were evaluated in different groups. Apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL assay. In addition, mRNA and protein levels of GLUT-1, p-Akt, and PI3K in the xenografts were measured. Treatment with LY294002, wortmannin, wortmannin plus GLUT-1 AS-ODN, and LY294002 plus GLUT-1 AS-ODN after X-ray irradiation significantly reduced the size and weight of the tumors, rate of tumor growth, and apoptosis in tumors compared to that observed in the 10-Gy group (p<0.05). In addition, mRNA and protein expression of GLUT-1, p-Akt, and PI3K was downregulated. The E/O values of LY294002, LY294002 plus GLUT-1 AS-ODN, wortmannin, and wortmannin plus GLUT-1 AS-ODN were 2.7, 1.1, 1.8, and 1.8, respectively. Taken together, these data indicate that GLUT-1 AS-ODN as well as the inhibitors of PI3K/Akt signaling may act as radiosensitizers of laryngeal carcinoma in vivo.
Vibrio vulnificus is a common gram-negative bacterium, which might cause morbidity and mortality in patients following consumption of seafood or exposure to seawater in Southeast China. We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of patients with laboratory confirmed V. vulnificus infection. Twenty one patients were divided into a survival group and a non-surviving (or death) group according to their clinical outcome. Clinical data and measurements were statistically analyzed. Four patients (19.05%) died and five patients gave positive cultures from bile fluid, and 16 other patients gave positive culture from blood or blisters. Ten patients (47.62%) had an underlying liver disease and marine-related events were found in sixteen patients (76.2%). Patients with heavy drinking habits might be at increased mortality (p = 0.028). Clinical manifestations of cellulitis (47.6%), septic shock (42.9%) and multiple organ failure (28.6%) were statistically significant when comparing survivors and non-survivors (p = 0.035, p = 0.021 and p = 0.003, respectively). The laboratory results, including hemoglobin < 9.0 g/L (p = 0.012), platelets < 2.0×109 /L, prothrombin time activity (PTA) <20%, decreased serum creatinine and increased urea nitrogen were statistically significant (p = 0.012, p = 0.003, p = 0.028 and p = 0.028, respectively). Patients may be at a higher risk of mortality under situations where they have a history of habitual heavy alcoholic drink consumption (p = 0.028, OR = 22.5, 95%CI 1.5–335.3), accompanied with cellulitis, shock, multiple organ failure, and laboratory examinations that are complicated by decreased platelets, hemoglobin and significantly prolonged prothrombin time (PT).
Asymmetric total synthesis of TAN-1085 via Pd-catalyzed atroposelective C-H olefination is described. This synthesis features the gram-scale construction of axially chiral biaryls in an enantiopure form employing the readily available l -tert-leucine as the chiral transient auxiliary. The synthetic approach might provide a unified strategy for the total synthesis of natural products containing trans-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene-9,10-diol motifs.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) refers to a disease where coronary atherosclerosis induces stenosis or obstruction of the blood vessels. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) function to protect and repair the vascular endothelium, and their functional activity state reflects the ability of the body to repair vascular damage. In the peripheral blood of patients with CHD, the density of EPCs decreases, and the function of EPCs is low.This study aimed to investigate the effects of a China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA)-approved prescription medicine, Tongxin, on the density and function of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in peripheral blood.In this study, a randomized, single blind, parallel controlled clinical trial was used. The single blind subjects were subjects.The study took place in the Cardiology and Emergency Departments at Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Shanghai, China.Participants were 48 patients with coronary heart disease at the hospital.Participants were randomly divided into 2 groups (n = 24 each): a control group and an intervention group. Both groups received routine drug treatments, such as platelet inhibitors, nitrates, β-receptor blockers, statins, angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARBs), and calcium blockers. The control group was treated with the Shexiang Baoxin Pill, while the intervention group was treated with prescription Tongxin. The course of treatment was 3 months for both groups.Changes in the density and function of EPCs in the peripheral blood of the 2 groups were measured at baseline and postintervention, and the clinical efficacy of the 2 treatments was statistically analyzed.The density of EPCs was significantly higher in both groups after 3 months of treatment, compared to the densities at baseline (P < .05). The change in density between baseline and postintervention was significantly greater for the intervention group than for the control group (P < .05). For the control group, the proliferative vitality [optical density (OD)] value of the EPCs was significantly higher than that at baseline from the fourth day of treatment (P < .05). In the intervention group, the OD value was significantly higher than that at baseline from the first day of treatment (P < .05). Furthermore, the intervention group's cells began to enter the logarithmic growth phase of increase from the fifth day of treatment, and the group's increase as significantly higher than the control group's from the fifth to the seventh dayof treatment (P < .05 for all 3 days). Moreover, the total effective rate was higher in the intervention group than in the control group (P < .05).Prescription Tongxin can stimulate the release of EPCs from the bone marrow to the peripheral blood of patients with CHD, can significantly increase the proliferation of EPCs in the peripheral blood, and can improve the clinical symptoms of patients. Its curative effect was greater than that of the control treatment.