Anti-erythropoietin receptor antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus patients with anemia

Anemia is a common hematologic abnormality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). An inadequate erythropoietin (EPO) response in SLE patients with anemia has been described that may be due to the presence of antibodies to EPO in SLE patients. However, whether anemia in patients with SLE is related to antibodies to EPO receptor (EPOR) has not yet been investigated. We enlisted 169 consecutive patients with SLE and 45 normal individuals to investigate the existence and importance of circulating autoantibodies to EPOR in sera from patients with SLE. In all patients with SLE, the disease activity was evaluated by using the SLE disease activity index SLEDAI. Anti-EPOR antibodies were detected by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A higher frequency of anti-EPOR antibodies was observed in SLE patients than in healthy controls (18.3% vs 2.2%, p = 0.007). Moreover, anti-EPOR antibodies were detected in 22 of 69 (31.9%) SLE patients with anemia and in only nine of 100 (9.0%, p < 0.001) in those without. Furthermore, the patients with anti-EPOR antibodies exhibited more severe anemia and often presented as microcytic anemia (p = 0.001). Finally, anti-EPOR antibodies seemed more likely to occur in patients with rash (p = 0.008), lower levels of C(3) component (p = 0.01), higher titer of anti-dsDNA antibodies (p < 0.001) and higher disease activity scores (p = 0.024). The results of this study suggest that anti-EPOR antibodies might play a vital role in SLE patients developing anemia because of the higher incidence of antibodies to EPOR found in SLE patients with anemia. Thus, there might be clinical value in detecting anti-EPOR antibodies in SLE patients with anemia. Therefore, the pathologic role of the antibodies in inducing anemia needs to be established in future studies.

P53 mutations may be related to tumor invasiveness of human hepatocellular-carcinoma in china

A combined polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the enzyme HaeIII restriction analysis and DNA sequencing have been employed to study the mutations at codon 249 of p53 gene in two human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines and 28 surgical specimens of HCC. 14 of the 28 HCC samples (50%) had p53 point mutations at codon 249. All of point mutations at codon 249 in 10 cases sequenced are AGG to AGT transversion. p53 gene mutated more frequently in invasive HCCs than that in non-invasive HCCs. This suggested that the codon 249 was a mutational hotspot of p53 gene in human HCCs in China, and p53 mutations may be related to tumor invasiveness of human HCC.

Preparation and application of anti-HBx/anti-CD3 bispecific monoclonal antibody (BsAb) retargeting effector cells for lysis of human hepatoma xenografts in nude mice

Evidence indicated that the x gene of human HBV can cause cancer in transgenic mice, moreover, HBxAg was so far the most frequent and strong antigen among those HBV markers expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues. Aiming to enhance killing of HCC by effector cells, we established an anti-HBx/anti-CD3 hybrid-hybridomas by fusion of anti-HBx hybridoma cells with FITC-labeled anti-CD3 HAT sensitive cells, and followed by FACStar sterile cell sorting, HAT selection and eventually verified by ELISA and double bridging assay. Using two color cytometric analysis, we found that bispecific monoclonal antibody (BsAb) remarkably enhanced in vitro effector-target cell conjugates (48.3% vs. 8.5%). In in vivo study, BsAb retargeting effector cells were significantly more effective than that of effector cells alone in shrinkage of LTNM4 HCC xenografts (HBxAg positive) in nude mice, not only in fresh inoculated tumors but also in established tumors (p<0.01, p<0.01, respectively). Besides, pronounced apoptotic cell death and infiltration of lymphocytes in the peripheral of tumor nodules can also be witnessed in the tissues treated by BsAb plus effector cells, but not in the controls. The results demonstrated that antiHBx/anti-CD3 BsAb was able to redirect effector cells for lysis of HBxAg positive HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo and it also indicated that shrinkage of tumors in nude mice with therapy of BsAb retargeting effector cells was partially due to initiation of apoptotic cell death.

Frailty in relation to the risk of falls, fractures, and mortality in older Chinese adults: results from the Beijing Longitudinal Study of Aging

OBJECTIVES

Falls are well known to be associated with adverse health outcomes, especially when complicated by fracture. Falls are more common in people who are frail and readily related to several items in the frailty phenotype. Less is known about the relationship between falls and frailty defined as deficit accumulation. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between falls, fractures, and frailty based on deficit accumulation.

DESIGN

Representative cohort study, with 8 year follow-up.

SETTING

The Beijing Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA).

PARTICIPANTS

3,257 Chinese people aged 55+ years at baseline.

MEASUREMENTS

A frailty index (FI) was constructed using 33 health deficits, but excluding falls and fractures. The rates of falls, fractures and death as a function of age and the FI were analyzed. Multivariable models evaluated the relationships between frailty and the risk of recurrent falls, fractures, and mortality adjusting for age, sex, and education. Self or informant reported fall and fracture data were verified against participants' health records.

RESULTS

Of 3,257 participants at baseline (1992), 360 people (11.1%) reported a history of falls, and 238 (7.3%) reported fractures. By eight years, 1,155 people had died (35.3%). The FI was associated with an increased risk of recurrent falls (OR=1.54; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.34-1.76), fractures (OR=1.07; 95% CI=0.94-1.22), and death (OR=1.50, 95% CI=1.41-1.60). The FI showed a significant effect on mortality in a multivariate Cox regression model (Hazard Rate=1.29, 95% CI=1.25-1.33). When adjusted for the FI, neither falls nor fractures were associated with mortality.

CONCLUSION

Falls and fractures were common in older Chinese adults, and associated with frailty. Only frailty was independently associated with death.

Krüppel-like factor 4 is induced by rapamycin and mediates the anti-proliferative effect of rapamycin in rat carotid arteries after balloon injury

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The transcription factor, Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), plays an important role in regulating the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. This study aimed to examine the effect of rapamycin on the expression of KLF4 and the role of KLF4 in arterial neointimal formation.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Expression of KLF4 was monitored using real-time PCR and immunoblotting in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. and in rat carotid arteries in vivo after balloon injury. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression and siRNA-mediated knockdown of KLF4 were used to examine the role of KLF4 in mediating the anti-proliferative role of rapamycin . KLF4-regulated genes were identified using cDNA microarray.

KEY RESULTS

Rapamycin induced the expression of KLF4 in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression of KLF4 inhibited cell proliferation and the activity of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and its downstream pathways, including 4EBP-1 and p70S6K in vascular smooth muscle cells and prevented the neointimal formation in the balloon-injured arteries. KLF4 up-regulated the expression of GADD45β, p57(kip2) and p27(kip1) . Furthermore, knockdown of KLF4 attenuated the anti-proliferative effect of rapamycin both in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

KLF4 plays an important role in mediating the anti-proliferative effect of rapamycin in VSMCs and balloon-injured arteries. Thus, it is a potential target for the treatment of proliferative vascular disorders such as restenosis after angioplasty.

Directed flow of identified particles in Au+Au collisions at √[SNN]=200 GeV at RHIC

STAR's measurements of directed flow (v1) around midrapidity for π±, K±, KS0, p, and p[over ¯] in Au+Au collisions at √[sNN]=200  GeV are presented. A negative v1(y) slope is observed for most of produced particles (π±, K±, KS0, and p[over ¯]). In 5%-30% central collisions, a sizable difference is present between the v1(y) slope of protons and antiprotons, with the former being consistent with zero within errors. The v1 excitation function is presented. Comparisons to model calculations (RQMD, UrQMD, AMPT, QGSM with parton recombination, and a hydrodynamics model with a tilted source) are made. For those models which have calculations of v1 for both pions and protons, none of them can describe v1(y) for pions and protons simultaneously. The hydrodynamics model with a tilted source as currently implemented cannot explain the centrality dependence of the difference between the v1(y) slopes of protons and antiprotons.

Association of angiotensin I converting enzyme, angiotensin II type 1 receptor and angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 gene polymorphisms with the dyslipidemia in type 2 diabetic patients of Chinese Han origin

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether the genetic polymorphisms in the angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) (insertion/ deletion, or I/D), angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) (rs5186), and ACE2 (rs2285666) could be associated with dyslipidemia in Type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients of Chinese Han origin.

DESIGN AND METHODS

The above 3 polymorphisms were genotyped in a total of 282 patients with T2D and dyslipidemia (Group A), 182 patients with T2D but without dyslipidemia (Group B), and 324 healthy controls. The association between a certain polymorphism and each group was assessed by an odds ratio (OR).

RESULTS

The D allele of the ACE (I/D) was significantly associated with the risk of T2D accompanying dyslipidemia between group A and controls [OR=1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.08-1.74; p=0.010], and significant association of the D allele with dyslipidemia was also observed in diabetic patients (OR=1.88, 95% CI=1.40-2.54; p<0.001). Furthermore, the ID genotype had a decreased risk of developing T2D without dyslipidemia as compared with controls (OR=0.52, 95% CI=0.32-0.82; p=0.0060). The distributions of the AT1R (rs5186) and ACE2 (rs2285666) genotypes and alleles did not differ between T2D patients with or without dyslipidemia and the controls.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that the ACE (I/D) polymorphism is associated with T2D, regardless of the absence or presence of dyslipidemia. The polymorphisms in the AT1R (rs5186) and ACE2 (rs2285666) seem to play lesser roles in the development of T2D.

Identified hadron compositions in p+p and Au+Au collisions at high transverse momenta at √S(NN)=200 GeV

We report transverse momentum (p(T)≤15  GeV/c) spectra of π(±), K(±), p, p[over ¯], K(S)(0), and ρ(0) at midrapidity in p+p and Au+Au collisions at √S(NN)=200  GeV. Perturbative QCD calculations are consistent with π(±) spectra in p+p collisions but do not reproduce K and p(p[over ¯]) spectra. The observed decreasing antiparticle-to-particle ratios with increasing p(T) provide experimental evidence for varying quark and gluon jet contributions to high-p(T) hadron yields. The relative hadron abundances in Au+Au at p(T)≳8  GeV/c are measured to be similar to the p+p results, despite the expected Casimir effect for parton energy loss.

Strangeness enhancement in Cu-Cu and Au-Au collisions at √S(NN)=200 GeV

We report new STAR measurements of midrapidity yields for the Λ, Λ[over ¯], K(S)(0), Ξ(-), Ξ[over ¯](+), Ω(-), Ω[over ¯](+) particles in Cu+Cu collisions at √S(NN)==200  GeV, and midrapidity yields for the Λ, Λ[over ¯], K(S)(0) particles in Au+Au at √S(NN)==200  GeV. We show that, at a given number of participating nucleons, the production of strange hadrons is higher in Cu+Cu collisions than in Au+Au collisions at the same center-of-mass energy. We find that aspects of the enhancement factors for all particles can be described by a parametrization based on the fraction of participants that undergo multiple collisions.

Correlated quantum transport of density wave electrons

Recently observed Aharonov-Bohm quantum interference of the period h/2e in charge density wave rings strongly suggests that correlated density wave electron transport is a cooperative quantum phenomenon. The picture discussed here posits that quantum solitons nucleate and transport current above a Coulomb blockade threshold field. We propose a field-dependent tunneling matrix element and use the Schrödinger equation, viewed as an emergent classical equation as in Feynman's treatment of Josephson tunneling, to compute the evolving macrostate amplitudes, finding excellent quantitative agreement with voltage oscillations and current-voltage characteristics in NbSe(3). A proposed phase diagram shows the conditions favoring soliton nucleation versus classical depinning.

Vitamin D receptor gene BsmI polymorphism B allele, but not BB genotype, is associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in a Han Chinese population

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene is a candidate gene for susceptibility to autoimmune disorders. Association studies of VDR polymorphisms and risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have often produced conflicting results in different ethnic backgrounds. The aim of this study is to test the association between VDR gene BsmI polymorphism and the genetic susceptibility to SLE in a Han Chinese population. Three hundred and thirty-seven patients with SLE and 239 healthy controls were genotyped for the VDR gene BsmI polymorphism (rs1544410) by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis in this study, after which the relationship between BsmI polymorphisms and the mRNA expression of VDR, as well as clinical manifestations in patients with SLE, was evaluated. It was found that the frequency of B allele was significantly increased in SLE relative to the control group (χ(2) = 4.681, p = 0.031), although the distribution of VDR BsmI polymorphism genotype frequencies did not differ significantly between patients and controls (χ(2) = 4.098, p = 0.129). Moreover, VDR B allele was found to be associated with lupus nephritis (p = 0.027) and also with production of anti-nucleosome antibodies (p = 0.037). The mRNA of VDR was markedly down-regulated in patients with VDR B allele compared with that in patients without B allele (p = 0.016). Our results indicate a possible role of genetic factors (the VDR B allele) in influencing disease susceptibility in Han Chinese patients. Also, VDR B allele is associated with the development of nephritis and the down-regulation of VDR mRNA expression in SLE.

Measurement of the parity-violating longitudinal single-spin asymmetry for W± boson production in polarized proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s] = 500 GeV

We report the first measurement of the parity-violating single-spin asymmetries for midrapidity decay positrons and electrons from W+ and W- boson production in longitudinally polarized proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s] = 500 GeV by the STAR experiment at RHIC. The measured asymmetries, A(L)(W+) = -0.27 ± 0.10(stat.) ± 0.02(syst.) ± 0.03(norm.) and A(L)(W-) = 0.14 ± 0.19(stat.) ± 0.02(syst.) ± 0.01(norm.), are consistent with theory predictions, which are large and of opposite sign. These predictions are based on polarized quark and antiquark distribution functions constrained by polarized deep-inelastic scattering measurements.

Measurement of the bottom quark contribution to nonphotonic electron production in p + p collisions at √s=200 GeV

The contribution of B meson decays to nonphotonic electrons, which are mainly produced by the semileptonic decays of heavy-flavor mesons, in p + p collisions at √s=200  GeV has been measured using azimuthal correlations between nonphotonic electrons and hadrons. The extracted B decay contribution is approximately 50% at a transverse momentum of pT≥5  GeV/c. These measurements constrain the nuclear modification factor for electrons from B and D meson decays. The result indicates that B meson production in heavy ion collisions is also suppressed at high pT.

Protein composition of microparticles shed from human placenta during placental perfusion: Potential role in angiogenesis and fibrinolysis in preeclampsia

Shedding of syncytiotrophoblast microparticles (MPs) from placenta to maternal blood occurs in normal pregnancy and is enhanced during preeclampsia (PE). The syncytiotrophoblast synthesizes plasminogen activator inhibitors (PAIs) which regulate fibrinolysis, as well as soluble forms of the fms-like tyrosine kinase (sFlt-1) and endoglin, which exert anti-angiogenic actions. An increase in the ratio of PAI-1/PAI-2 and elevated levels of sFlt-1 and sEng in maternal serum are linked to placental damage and maternal endothelial cell dysfunction in PE. The goal of the current study was to determine whether MPs released to maternal perfusate during dual perfusion contain these factors associated with placental pathophysiology in PE. Initially, high levels of alkaline phosphatase activity and Annexin V binding were found in MPs isolated by sequential centrifugation of maternal perfusates at 10,000 and 150,000×g(10 K and 150 K MPs), indicating their plasma membrane origin. ELISA revealed the presence of these factors at the following relative levels: Eng>PAI-2⋙PAI-1>sFlt-1. Based on comparisons of their concentration in perfusates, MPs, and MP-free 150 K supernatants, we determined that MPs constitute a significant portion of Eng released by placenta. Flow cytometric analysis of 10 K MPs supported the levels of expression found by ELISA and indicated that Eng and PAI-2 were almost exclusively localized to the surface of MPs, a site with biological potential. These results indicate that MPs shed from the syncytial surface express factors which may alter the fibrinolytic and angiogenic balance at the maternal-fetal interface and play a role in the pathophysiology of PE.

Higher moments of net proton multiplicity distributions at RHIC

We report the first measurements of the kurtosis (κ), skewness (S), and variance (σ2) of net-proton multiplicity (Np-Np) distributions at midrapidity for Au+Au collisions at square root of s(NN)=19.6, 62.4, and 200 GeV corresponding to baryon chemical potentials (μB) between 200 and 20 MeV. Our measurements of the products κσ2 and Sσ, which can be related to theoretical calculations sensitive to baryon number susceptibilities and long-range correlations, are constant as functions of collision centrality. We compare these products with results from lattice QCD and various models without a critical point and study the square root of s(NN) dependence of κσ2. From the measurements at the three beam energies, we find no evidence for a critical point in the QCD phase diagram for μB below 200 MeV.