[The relationship between severe burn injury and systemic inflammatory response syndrome]

OBJECTIVE

To study course of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS).

METHODS

The relationship was observed between SIRS and the effect of burn injury on cellular and humoral immunity between survivors. Nonsurvivors were also compared. The gastric mucosal pHi was measured.

RESULTS

The SIRS initiated 22 hours after burn injury and peaked 3 days to 7 days postburn. Compared to the survivors significan increase of content of TNF and decrease of content of G-CSF were detected in the nonsurvivors serum. Obvious immunosuppression could be found. In patients with SIRS accompanied with infection or organ failure, marked increase of mortality was seen. The value of pHi was very low.

CONCLUSION

Severe burn injury can lead to the release of massive inflammatory mediators. The second insult such as infection can further amplify the process leading to a vicious cycle of inflammation which cause tissue damage and immunosuppression. To prevent MODS, early diagnosis and treatment including organ supply, use of antibacterial agents, oxygen supply and immunity therapy were necesary.

[Immunoblots of hydrophobic OmpL39 of Leptospiral interrogans with immunoprotective Mb E4B7G5]

The immunoprotective Mb E4B7G5 against outer membrane antigens from L. interrogans serovar Lai strain 017 were produced and used in immunoblots of the OMP of six strains of L. interrogans (017, 601, 603, 609, 620 and 245). The OMP from the six strains, which partitioned into the hydrophobic detergent phase, contained four-seven major proteins bands of 66 kd-16 kd. It was found that Mb E4B7G5 recognized only specifically the 39 kd antigenic band of strain 017, 601, 603 and 609, and did not recognize apparently any bands of strains 620 and 245. The findings suggest that Mb E4B7G5 be valuable for separating protective antigen of OMP and studying genetic vaccines.

[Levels of serum G-CSF and supplement of GM-CSF in rats sustaining delayed resuscitation after major burn]

Delayed fluid resuscitation of burn shock may lead to infection in early period following major burn injury, resulting in multiple organ failure with high mortality. The change in colony stimulation factors (CSFs) may play a role in developing infection. We assessed the levels of serum granulocyte colony stimulation factor (G-CSF), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), phagocytosis of neutrophil and counts of peripheral blood cells of rats with 30% TBSA full thickness burn having either immediate or delayed fluid replacement. We also evaluated the efficacy of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in improving survival of rats following burn injury with a superimposed burn wound infection.

THE RESULTS

1. A delayed rise in serum G-CSF was found in delayed resuscitation group, and the levels of serum G-CSF and phagocytosis of neutrophil were lower compared with immediate resuscitation group. 2. Nonsurvival group had lower levels of serum G-CSF and higher content of TNF-alpha compared with survival. 3. Supplement of GM-CSF could significantly improve animal survival with burn wound infection following severe burn shock.

CONCLUSION

Decrease in G-CSF production plays a role in developing fatal wound infection after severe burn shock; supplement of GM-CSF is beneficial in improving survival.

[GS-MS analysis of essential oils from five species of Asarum]

This paper reports the result of GS-MS analysis of the essential oils from five species of Asarum, namely, A. heterotropoides var. mandshuricum (cultivated), A. sieboldii (cultivated), A. caudigerellum (from Sichuan), A. sieboldii(from Shandong) and A. sieboldii(wild). Ninety-two constituents were detected, of which 73 compounds were identified.

[Construction of genomic library of L. interrogans serovar lai using lambda gt11 as the vector and a study of recombiant plasmid pDL121]

A genomic library of L. interrogans serovar lai strain 017 has been constructed using lambda gt11 as the vector. DNA was partially digested by two blunt-end restriction enzymes, then methylated with EcoR I methylase; after EcoR I linker was added to the DNA, the linker-ended DNA was ligated to the dephosphorylated EcoR I digested lambda gt11 arms. The recombined DNA was packaged in vitro, and used to transduct E. coli Y1090 for amplification. There were 2.1 x 10(6) recombinant bacteriophages as recognized by their ability to form white plaques plated on Lac host in the presence of both IPTG and X-Ga1. A positive clone, designated lambda DL12, was screened with a rabbit anti-serum against L. interrogans serovar lai from the genomic library. The DNA from lambda DL12 was subcloned into plasmid pUC18. A recombinant (designated as pDL121) was obtained. SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that a 23 kd was expressed in E. coli JM 103 harboring pDL121. Western blotting analysis showed that a specific protein band molecular weight of 23 kd could be recognized by the rabbit antiserum against L. interrogans serovar lai strain 017.

[Studies on bone density in healthy girls during their period of growth spurt]

Bone mass in 69 healthy girls in their period of growth spurt was measured twice, with an interval of one year, by dual energy X-ray bone densitometer to study the relationship between changes in bone density and the speed of height growth, development of secondary sex characteristics and nutritional status. Results showed that bone density in the different sites in the period of growth spurt increased significantly with their age, but with difference in the magnitude of its increase and in the time. Their nutritional status (overweight or underweight) correlated closely with sex development and increase in bone density. It suggests that it is necessary to strengthen nutrient intake during their puberty for preventing from osteoporosis. In addition, early puberty is an important period for the increase in female bone density, as a result of comparison of bone mass between prepuberty girls and young women. The results in this study can provide reference for further studies on bone mass in girls during their puberty.

[Research on the recombinant plasmid pDJH2 of L. interrogans serovar lai: sequencing and alignment with other known bacterial Omp sequence]

The Leptospira whole cell vaccine (LWCV) currently used in China is safe and effective, out the immunity following vaccination with two doses of the fluid medium vaccine is of low order. The duration of immunity conferred by this vaccine is rather short, six months or at most one year. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new generation vaccines against Leptospirosis for the developing world. In this paper we report the sequencing of the insert fragment of pDJH2 from genomic DNA of L. interrogans sevovar lai strain 017 and its alignment with other bacterial omp sequences. A genomic library of Leptospira interrogaans serovar lai strain 017 was constructed with the plasmid vector pUC18. A recombinant plasmid designated pJDH2 was screened from the genomic library. Inserted fragment of pDH2 is 1.9 kb by gel electrophoresis. Immunization/protection was studied in BALB/c mice model. The results showed highly significant difference between pDJH2 and pUC18 (control). Inserted fragment of pDJH2 DNA sequencing was performed by Dr Yan Zhengxin (Max-Planck-Institut for Biology. Tubingen, Germany). Insert fragment was cloned into pBluescript II KS-(stratagene) and sequenced by using AB1 (Applied Bio Systems, Model 373A). Two open reading frames of 565 and 662 nucleotides were identified. There were identifiable initiation codons, terminators, Shine-Dalgano ribosome combining site, Pribnow boxes and Sextama boxes within the 2 sequenced regions. Nucleotide sequences were analysed using Gene Work, a suit of computer program developed by Department of Biochemistry St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis. U.S.A. The results of formatted alignment showed the predicted nucleotide sequence of ORF1 of the serovar lai had significant similarity with ORF2 (49.36%). L. kirschneri ompL1 (49.26%), Borrelia burgdoferi omp (48.97%), Treponema phagedenis omp (47.3%); Salmonella typhimurium ompC(46.87%), Yersinia enterocolitica ompH (46.7%), Leptospira borgpeterseni pfap (46.3%), and Serratia marcescens omp (43.3%). The close relationship of the pDJH2 ORF1 and ORF2 nucleotide sequences from Leptospira kirschneri ompL 1 is apparent. Whether the recombinant pDJH2 will prove useful for vaccine development remains to be tested.

Unique signal transduction of Eyk: constitutive stimulation of the JAK-STAT pathway by an oncogenic receptor-type tyrosine kinase

The proto-oncogene c-eyk, the cellular counterpart of a transforming oncogene, v-eyk, encodes a receptor protein tyrosine kinase with a distinctive extracellular region. We now demonstrate that c-Eyk can be constitutively activated through dimerization, and that the active Eyk displays a unique signaling pattern. When the kinase domain of c-Eyk was fused to the extracellular and transmembrane domains of CD8, the resulting chimera showed elevated kinase activity and caused cellular transformation. We found that the activated Eyk kinases, both v- and c-Eyk, constitutively stimulate the JAK-STAT pathway, while exerting little effect on other signaling routes such as the Ras-MAP kinase and the JNK pathways. The activated Eyk kinases specifically stimulate tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT1, STAT3 and JAK1. These downstream molecules also co-immunoprecipitate with the constitutively dimerized form of Eyk. The Eyk kinase activity is required for STAT1 stimulation. We found that the activation of STAT1 but not STAT3 correlates well with cellular transformation. In constitutively stimulating the JAK-STAT pathway, particularly STAT1, Eyk is unique in its downstream signaling and may be dependent on this pathway for cellular transformation.

A JAK-STAT pathway regulates wing vein formation in Drosophila

We present evidence that the JAK-STAT signal transduction pathway regulates multiple developmental processes in Drosophila. We screened for second-site mutations that suppress the phenotype of the hyperactive hopTum-1 Jak kinase, and recovered a mutation that meiotically maps to the known chromosomal position of D-Stat, a Drosophila stat gene. This hypomorphic mutation, termed statHJ contains a nucleotide substitution in the first D-Stat intron, resulting in a reduction in the number of correctly processed transcripts. Further, the abnormally processed mRNA encodes a truncated protein that has a dominant negative effect on transcriptional activation by the wild-type cDNA in cell culture. statHJ mutants exhibit patterning defects that include the formation of ectopic wing veins, similar to those seen in mutants of the epidermal growth factor/receptor pathway. Abnormalities in embryonic and adult segmentation and in tracheal development were also observed. The hopTum-1 and statHJ mutations can partially compensate for each other genetically, and Hop overexpression can increase D-Stat transcriptional activity in vitro, indicating that the gene products interact in a common regulatory pathway.

[Basic research and clinical applications of the human hair suture]

An atraumatic suture was manufactured from human hair, which has been tested and used in 817 clinical cases with satisfactory results. The authors found that the suture has the following characteristics: smooth, thin, strong and elastic, structurally steady, histocompatible, atoxic, aseptic, atraumatic, with endurance of more than one thousand times of bending. It does not swell in water or blood nor it causes reaction after being buried in tissue for 150 days. It definitely has an advantage over the silk and nylon. The rich resources of hair favor its wide applications.

Identification of a Stat gene that functions in Drosophila development

A Drosophila Stat gene (D-Stat) with a zygotic segmental expression pattern was identified. This protein becomes phosphorylated on Tyr-704 when coexpressed in Schneider cells with a Drosophila janus kinase (JAK), Hopscotch (HOP). The phosphorylated protein binds specifically to the consensus sequence TTCCCGGAA. Suppressor mutations of hopTum-I, a dominant hyperactive allele of hop whose phenotype is hematocyte overproduction and tumor formation, were selected. One of these mutants, statHJ, mapped to the same chromosomal region (92E) as does D-Stat, had an incompletely penetrant pair rule phenotype, and exhibited aberrant expression of the pair rule gene even skipped (eve) at the cellular blastoderm stage. Two D-STAT-binding sites were identified within the eve stripe 3 enhancer region. Mutations in either of the STAT-binding sites greatly decreased the stripe 3 expression in transgenic flies. Clearly, the JAK-STAT pathway is connected to Drosophila early development.

[Early enteral feeding and supplement of glutamine prevent occurrence of stress ulcer following severe thermal injury]

Gastroscopic and gastric juice analysis studies were carried out on 12 patients with total body surface area over 30 percent who received early enteral feeding, supplemented with glutamine. The results indicated that early feeding was safe in major burn patients. All patients were found to have ASML on postburn days 1 to 2. Stress ulcer was not found in patients after several excision operations, and about 86 percent of ASML disappeared within about 2 weeks.

CONCLUSION

early feeding and supplement of glutamine can prevent the complication of stress ulcer following severe thermal injury.

Human protein synthesis initiation factor eIF-4 gamma is encoded by a single gene (EIF4G) that maps to chromosome 3q27-qter

Messenger RNA binding to the ribosome, the rate-limiting step in eukaryotic protein synthesis, is catalyzed by the eIF-4 group of initiation factors. These factors collectively bind to the m7GTP-containing cap of mRNA and unwind mRNA secondary structure at the expense of ATP. One member of the group, eIF-4 gamma, is the target for proteolytic cleavage during picornavirus infection, an event that is thought to be responsible for the inhibition of host cellular mRNA translation. Human eIF-4 gamma migrates as a cluster of polypeptides in the range of 200-220 kDa during SDS-PAGE, raising the possibility that it is a family of proteins encoded by separate genes. In this study, we present genomic Southern blotting results which indicate that there is only a single gene, here designated EIF4G. Furthermore, we have employed a PCR approach to map EIF4G to chromosome 3q27-qter.

The genomic structure of the STAT genes: multiple exons in coincident sites in Stat1 and Stat2

The genomic structure of Stat2 has been determined and compared with a large portion of the Stat1 gene. There are 24 exons in the Stat2 gene and a matching number in very similar positions in the Stat1 gene. Thus a very complicated genomic structure was presumably duplicated and has been closely maintained throughout evolution.

[Transcript expression of the CPL 5x, BMD-3A, BMD-10 Interrogans leptospira]

Total RNA of Leptospira interrogans SV Lai strain 017 was prepared by the method of Licl-Urea, and was used in dot hybridization with biotin-labelled DNA probes. The probes included BMD-3A, BMD-10, which were the leptospirial protective antigen genes, and CPL 5x, which was the genus specific gene of interrogans Leptospira. All of the three probes have shown various degrees of hybridization signs, proving that they all have transcript expression in leptospira. The transcript expression is the main way of regulating the gene expression in procaryotae, and it is significant in molecular genetics of Leptospira. The results indicate that the antigens encoded by the BMD-3A, BMD-10 may play an important role in immune reaction against leptospiral infection and provide a clue to the development of gene-engineering vaccine. The results also suggest that the antibody against the antigen encoded by CPL 5x is a useful tool in the classification of Leptospira interrogans.

A new functional classification of stomach cancer and its pathobiological and clinical significance

The functional differentiations of stomach cancer specimens from 121 patients were investigated by enzyme-, mucin-, affinity- and immunohistochemical methods, and the stomach cancers were divided into five functionally differentiated types: 1) Absorptive Function Differentiation Type (AFDT), 19.8%; 2) Mucin Secreting Function Differentiation Type (MSFDT), 24.0%; 3) Absorptive and Mucin-Producing Function Differentiation Type (AMPFDT), 47.1%; 4) Special Function Differentiation Type (SFDT), 0.8%; and 5) Non-Function Differentiation Type (NFDT), 8.3%. The results indicate that stomach cancer tissues of the same histological type often display differing functional differentiation, and these functionally differentiated types have different invasive and metastatic characteristics. In addition, the functionally differentiated types have particular organic affinities of metastasis and different clinical prognoses. This study suggests that this new functional classification may supplement histological classification. The mechanisms of liver and ovary metastases of stomach cancer are also discussed.

Dose-dependency of hepatocellular necrosis in a canine model of chemoembolization

PURPOSE

The degree of local tissue toxicity from hepatic arterial chemoembolization relative to the dose of anticancer drugs was evaluated in 13 dogs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Animals were divided into four groups. Group 1 was the control group in which embolization was performed with gelatin sponge particles only (n = 4); group 2 animals underwent embolization with 0.4 mg/kg of Adriamycin (ADR) and 0.2 mg/kg of mitomycin C (MMC) (n = 4); group 3, with 0.8 mg/kg of ADR and 0.4 mg/kg of MMC (n = 2); and group 4, with 1.6 mg/kg of ADR and 0.8 mg/kg of MMC (n = 3).

RESULTS

Animals were killed 1 week after embolization, and histopathologic evaluation was performed. The average percentage liver necrosis in the embolized lobe was 0% in group 1, 1% in group 2, 85% in group 3, and 92% in group 4.

CONCLUSION

Hepatic arterial chemoembolization with high doses of anticancer drugs causes severe liver damage, but 0.4 mg/kg of ADR and 0.2 mg/kg of MMC is relatively safe, causing only minimal changes in this canine model.

In vitro synthesis of human protein synthesis initiation factor 4 gamma and its localization on 43 and 48 S initiation complexes

The rate of protein synthesis is controlled in a large number of physiological situations at the stage of 48 S initiation complex formation, a phase that involves the recruitment of mRNA to the 40 S ribosomal subunit. This process is mediated by the eukaryotic initiation factor-4 (eIF-4) group of translation initiation factors consisting of eIF-4E, eIF-4A, eIF-4B, and eIF-4 gamma. In order to develop a new tool to study this process, we have produced radiolabeled eIF-4 gamma by in vitro transcription and translation. Despite the fact that eIF-4 gamma is predicted from the cDNA sequence to be 154 kDa, the major synthetic product migrated on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at 205 kDa. Although this is similar to the migration of the fastest polypeptide of authentic eIF-4 gamma (approximately 206 kDa), no products were found to co-migrate with the slowest forms of authentic eIF-4 gamma (210-220 kDa), suggesting that these forms derive from extensive modification of the initial polypeptide. The in vitro product also formed a complex with eIF-4E, as judged by its ability to bind to m7GTP-Sepharose. Sucrose gradient sedimentation studies demonstrated that eIF-4 gamma was present on both 43 and 48 S initiation complexes but not 80 S complexes. This supports a model in which free eIF-4E binds to mRNA followed by binding of the eIF-4E.mRNA complex to a 43 S initiation complex already containing eIF-4 gamma.

[Effects of "moist burn ointment--mei bao" on production of IL-2 in burn rats and its clinical problems]

Since "Mei Bao" has been used in clinical treatment of burn wounds, there is a diversity of opinions concerning its effect. We carried out a series of experiments to observe its therapeutic effect, bacteriostatic property, and its effect on production of IL-2 in thermally injured rats. These results indicate that obvious infection occurred after its use on burn wounds and healing is delayed. Hyperplastic scars accompanying with deformity appeared after healing. The cost of treatment is high. There is no improvement in immune reaction, and no bacteriostatic property is observed.

[Preparation of yuanhuacine by low pressure column chromatography]

Preparation of yuanhuacine by low pressure column chromatography gives high separation rate, short washing time and one time crystallization, which comes up to the standard published by the Ministry of Public Health. The method is simple and convenient.

Mapping the cleavage site in protein synthesis initiation factor eIF-4 gamma of the 2A proteases from human Coxsackievirus and rhinovirus

The rate-limiting step of eukaryotic protein synthesis is the binding of mRNA to the 40 S ribosomal subunit, a step which is catalyzed by initiation factors of the eIF-4 (eukaryotic initiation factor 4) group: eIF-4A, eIF-4B, eIF-4E, and eIF-4 gamma. Infection of cells with picornaviruses of the rhino- and enterovirus groups causes a shut-off in translation of cellular mRNAs but permits viral RNA translation to proceed. This change in translational specificity is thought to be mediated by proteolytic cleavage of eIF-4 gamma, which is catalyzed, directly or indirectly, by the picornaviral 2A protease. In this report we have used highly purified recombinant 2A protease from either human Coxsackievirus serotype B4 or rhinovirus serotype 2 to cleave eIF-4 gamma in vitro in the eIF-4 complex purified from rabbit reticulocytes. Neither the rate of cleavage nor fragment sizes were affected by addition of eIF-3. The NH2- and COOH-terminal fragments of eIF-4 gamma were separated by reverse phase HPLC and identified with specific antibodies, and the NH2-terminal sequence of the COOH-terminal fragment was determined by automated Edman degradation. The cleavage site for both proteases is 479GRPALSSR decreases GPPRGGPG494 in rabbit eIF-4 gamma, corresponding to 478GRTTLSTR decreases GPPRGGPG493 in human eIF-4 gamma.