Correlation analysis of hormone receptors and the expressions of HER-2 and Ki-67 in breast cancer

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the correlation and clinical significance of hormone receptors and the expressions of HER-2 and Ki-67 in breast cancer primary lesions and lymph node metastatic tissues.

METHODS

83 cases were studied, who were performed breast cancer surgeries and confirmed the ipsilateral axillary lymph node metastasis by the postoperative pathological diagnosis. Immunohistochemical method was used to simultaneously detect the expressions of ER, PR, HER-2 and Ki-67 in the primary lesions and lymph node metastases.

RESULTS

ER exhibited the expression concordance rate as 85.5% in primary lesions and metastases, with significant difference (P = 0.039); the expression concordance rates of PR and HER-2 in primary lesions and metastases were 90.4% and 89.2%, respectively, without significant difference (P = 0.289, 0.180); between the Ki-67-highly-expressed primary lesions and Ki-67-lowly-expressed metastases, the expressions of ER in primary lesions and metastases exhibited statistical significance, with P as 0.031.

CONCLUSIONS

The primary lesions and lymph node metastases had higher consistency, while there was still about 10% patients showed differentiated expression. The simultaneous detection of breast cancer primary lesions and lymph node metastases was still very necessary.

Silencing ECHS1 attenuates the proliferation and induces the autophagy of hepatocellular carcinoma via impairing cell metabolism and activating AMPK

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most common cancers in the world with a low survival rate. Our previous study showed Short chain enoyl-CoA hydratase (ECHS1) could bind to HBsAg (HBs) and that ECHS1's localization in mitochondria induced HepG2 cell apoptosis. However, the role of the ECHS1 in energy metabolism and autophagy during hepatocellular carcinoma development remains undefined. We aimed to determine what ECHS1 does to energy metabolism and its effects on HCC progression. We performed CCK-8, EdU assays in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (HepG2 and HuH7) with stable ECHS1 knock-down. ATP and NADP+/NADPH levels were measured using an colorimetric assay. Our data demonstrated that ECHS1 silencing inhibited cell proliferation and induced autophagy. ECHS1 knockdown did not increase fatty acid synthesis, but decreased cellular ATP. This resulted in AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation and induced HCC cell autophagy. Our results showed that silencing ECHS1 to attenuate proliferation and induce autophagy may make it a novel cancer therapy target.

A compact two-way high-power microwave combiner

A compact 2-way high-power microwave (HPM) waveguide combiner as an important equipment to realize the coherent microwave combination was theoretically designed, built, and proof-of-principle experimentally tested. The theoretical and experimental S-parameters are basically consistent with each other: return loss <-25 dB, and the isolation degree between 2-channels of the HPM combiner >25 dB to avoid the inter-modulating between the HPM sources. The C-band HPM experiment was carried out, and the power capacity of the HPM combiner was demonstrated to reach multi-gigawatts.

Targeting myeloid differentiation 2 for treatment of sepsis

Sepsis continues to be a leading cause of intensive care unit (ICU) death. Gram-negative bacteria are among the most important pathogens of sepsis and their LPS content is regarded to be an important stimulator that elicits the systemic inflammatory reaction. MD-2 is a small secreted glycoprotein that can bind to both the hydrophobic portion of LPS and to the extracellular domain of TLR4. The interaction between MD-2 and LPS bridges the two TLR4 molecules and induces the dimerization of LPS-MD-2-TLR4, which forms the structural basis for biological functions of TLR4/MD-2 complex. Due to its essential role in mediating the interaction between LPS and TLR4, MD-2 has been extensively explored as a therapeutic target for treatment of inflammatory disorders such as sepsis. Eritoran is a synthetic tetraacylated lipid A that binds directly to MD-2 and antagonizes LPS binding to the same site. Although eritoran showed positive results in phase I and phase II clinical trials of severe sepsis, a phase III clinical study for severe sepsis has failed. More effective therapeutic strategies are in need to treat this devastating clinical disorder.

Heat stress induces apoptosis through transcription-independent p53-mediated mitochondrial pathways in human umbilical vein endothelial cell

Cells apoptosis induced by intense heat stress is the prominent feature of heat-related illness. However, little is known about the biological effects of heat stress on cells apoptosis. Herein, we presented evidence that intense heat stress could induce early apoptosis of HUVEC cells through activating mitochondrial pathway with changes in mitochondrial membrane potential(ΔΨm), release of cytochrome c, and activation of caspase-9 and -3. We further revealed that p53 played a crucial role in heat stress-induced early apoptosis, with p53 protein rapidly translocated into mitochondria. Using pifithrin-α(PFT), a p53's mitochondrial translocation inhibitor, we found that pretreated with PFT, heat stress induced mitochondrial p53 translocation was significantly suppressed, accompanied by a significant alleviation in the loss of ΔΨm, cytochrome c release and caspase-9 activation. Furthermore, we also found that generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was a critical mediator in heat stress-induced apoptosis. In addition, the antioxidant MnTMPyP significantly decreased the heat stress-induced p53's mitochondrial translocation, followed by the loss of ΔΨm, cytochrome c release, caspase-9 activation and heat stress-mediated apoptosis. Conclusively, these findings indicate the contribution of the transcription-independent mitochondrial p53 pathway to early apoptosis in HUVEC cells induced by oxidative stress in response to intense heat stress.

Significance of SODD expression in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and its influence on chemotherapy

This study explored the clinical significance of silencer of death domain (SODD) expression in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and its influence on chemotherapy as well as the effect of SODD expression on apoptosis of leukemic cells. The expression of SODD proteins in different ALL groups was determined by immunocytochemistry. The SODD RNAi-interfering plasmid was constructed and transferred to Jurkat cells, and the effects of SODD expression on cell proliferation and apoptosis were analyzed using the MTT and FCM methods. The expressions of SODD, Phospho-NF-κB-P65, Bcl-2, and Caspase 3 were detected by Western blot analysis. The expression of SODD proteins was significantly higher in the ALL groups than in the control group (P < 0.05). The positive expression rate of SODD was significantly higher in refractory/relapsed and clinical high-risk groups than in standard-risk, initial treatment, and complete remission groups (P < 0.05). Microtubule-targeting drugs such as vincristine and taxol can notably down-regulate SODD expression during apoptosis, whereas DNR, and Ara-c cannot. The sensitivity of Jurkat cells to chemotherapeutic drugs increased with down-regulated SODD expression induced by SODD-interfering plasmid transfection. The sensitivity of the cells transfected with SODD-cloning genes decreased. SODD expression was high in the ALL children. These findings indicated that SODD over-expression might be correlated with the clinical classification, curative effect, and prognosis of ALL cells. Microtubule-targeting drugs can specifically down-regulate SODD expression in leukemic cells, thereby increasing the sensitivity of leukemic cells to SODD-targeting chemotherapeutics. In contrast, increased SODD expression tends to reduce sensitivity.

Confirmation of a purple-leaved plum graft hybrid

Fifty-seven scions from an adult purple-leaved plum tree were grafted onto the crown of a 6-year-old Yuhuang plum tree and compared to the control of a non-grafted tree. The floral buds of the purple-leaved plum were fully removed before blossoming to avoid sexual hybridization between the two species. The seeds of the Yuhuang plum were picked in July and sown in the spring after stratification. Three, eleven and eight variants with purplish red leaves were found among the seedlings that grew from the seeds picked in 1999, 2000, and 2001, respectively. The ratio of variant occurrence ranged from 2.3 to 15.8%. Our results confirmed the observation of a graft hybrid by Luther Burbank.

Decoupling free-carriers contributions from oxygen-vacancy and cation-substitution in extrinsic conducting oxides

The intrinsic oxygen-vacancies and the extrinsic dopants are two major fundamental free-carrier sources for the extrinsic conducting oxides, such as Sn-doped In(2)O(3). Yet, the individual contributions of the above two free-carrier sources to the total carrier concentrations have never been unraveled. A carrier-concentration separation model is derived in this work, which can define the individual contributions to the total carrier concentration from the intrinsic oxygen-vacancies and the extrinsic dopants, separately. The individual contributions obtained from the present carrier-concentration separation model are verified by the two-state trapping model, photoluminescence, and positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) spectroscopy. In addition, the oxygen-vacancy formation energy of the Sn:In(2)O(3) thin film is determined to be 0.25 eV by PAL spectroscopy.

Fano-Rashba effect in thermoelectricity of a double quantum dot molecular junction

We examine the relation between the phase-coherent processes and spin-dependent thermoelectric effects in an Aharonov-Bohm (AB) interferometer with a Rashba quantum dot (QD) in each of its arm by using the Green's function formalism and equation of motion (EOM) technique. Due to the interplay between quantum destructive interference and Rashba spin-orbit interaction (RSOI) in each QD, an asymmetrical transmission node splits into two spin-dependent asymmetrical transmission nodes in the transmission spectrum and, as a consequence, results in the enhancement of the spin-dependent thermoelectric effects near the spin-dependent asymmetrical transmission nodes. We also examine the evolution of spin-dependent thermoelectric effects from a symmetrical parallel geometry to a configuration in series. It is found that the spin-dependent thermoelectric effects can be enhanced by controlling the dot-electrode coupling strength. The simple analytical expressions are also derived to support our numerical results.PACS numbers: 73.63.Kv; 71.70.Ej; 72.20.Pa.

Dynamic phase evaluation in sparse-sampled temporal speckle pattern sequence

The rapid progress of modern manufacturing technology has posed stringent requirements for inspecting techniques for vibration characterization and dynamic testing. Because of its simplicity, accuracy, and whole-field character, speckle interferometry has served as one of the major techniques for dynamic measurement, where normally a dense-sampled temporal speckle sequence is captured for phase retrieval using Fourier or wavelet transforms. In this Letter, a method is proposed for phase evaluation of sparse-sampled speckle patterns when the sampling rate is lower than two points per temporal cycle. Dynamic experiments using a high-speed camera demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed method for complicated wrapped phase retrieval in electronic/digital speckle pattern interferometry.

Protective effect of Gö6976, a PKD inhibitor, on LPS/D: -GalN-induced acute liver injury in mice

OBJECTIVE

Protein kinase D (PKD) is a newly described serine/threonine protein kinase that plays a pivotal role in inflammatory response. In the present study, we examined the protective effect of Gö6976, a PKD inhibitor, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and D: -galactosamine (D: -GalN)-induced acute liver injury in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mice were pretreated intraperitoneally with Gö6976 30 min before LPS/D: -GalN administration . The mortality and degree of hepatic injury was subsequently assessed.

RESULTS

The results indicated that LPS/D: -GalN administration markedly induced hepatic PKD activation, lethality and liver injury, while pretreatment of the PKD inhibitor Gö6976 significantly inhibited LPS-induced PKD activation, improved the survival of LPS/D: -GalN-administered mice and attenuated LPS/D: -GalN-induced liver injury, as evidenced by reduced levels of serum aminotransferases as well as reduced histopathological changes. In addition, the protective effects of Gö6976 were paralleled by suppressed activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), decreased expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and adhesion molecules, and reduced apoptosis and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in liver.

CONCLUSIONS

Our experimental data indicated that Gö6976, a PKD inhibitor, could effectively prevent LPS/D: -GalN-induced acute liver injury by inhibition of MAPKs activation to reduce TNF-α production. This suggests the potential pharmacological value of PKD inhibitors in the intervention of inflammation-based liver diseases.

Analysis of arable land loss and its impact on rural sustainability in Southern Jiangsu Province of China

Rapid urbanization and industrialization in southern Jiangsu Province have consumed a huge amount of arable land. Through comparative analysis of land cover maps derived from TM images in 1990, 2000 and 2006, we identified the trend of arable land loss. It is found that most arable land is lost to urbanization and rural settlements development. Urban settlements, rural settlements, and industrial park-mine-transport land increased, respectively, by 87 997 ha (174.65%), 81 041 ha (104.52%), and 12 692 ha (397.99%) from 1990 to 2006. Most of the source (e.g., change from) land covers are rice paddy fields and dryland. These two covers contributed to newly urbanized areas by 37.12% and 73.52% during 1990-2000, and 46.39% and 38.86% during 2000-2006. However, the loss of arable land is weakly correlated with ecological service value, per capita net income of farmers, but positively with grain yield for some counties. Most areas in the study site have a low arable land depletion rate and a high potential for sustainable development. More attention should be directed at those counties that have a high depletion rate but a low potential for sustainable development. Rural settlements should be controlled and rationalized through legislative measures to achieve harmonious development between urban and rural areas, and sustainable development for rural areas with a minimal impact on the ecoenvironment.

Comparison of four current staging systems for Chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing curative resection: Okuda, CLIP, TNM and CUPI

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. However, there is no general consensus as to which staging system is the most reliable for predicting the survival of patients with HCC. The aims of this study were to compare commonly-used staging systems in a cohort of Chinese HCC patients undergoing curative resection.

METHODS

From January 1991 to June 2002, 234 Chinese patients undergoing curative resection for HCC from one medical center were evaluated. All patients were classified by the Okuda, Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP), tumor node metastasis (TNM) (6th edition) and the Chinese University Prognostic Index (CUPI) staging systems. Survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and were examined using log-rank testing. The overall predictive power for patient survival with each staging system was evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

The overall median survival of the entire cohort was 24.9 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 18.15-31.65 months) and the estimated survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 69.66% 3.01%, 41.02% 3.31%, and 29.08% 3.55%, respectively. In our patient cohort, the log-rank test demonstrated that the TNM and Okuda staging systems gave better results than the other staging systems in the prognosis stratification. The prognostic predictive powers of the TNM staging for survival, evaluated by ROC curve areas, was also superior.

CONCLUSIONS

For HCC patients undergoing curative resection, the TNM staging system (6th edition) proved the best for prognostic stratification and prognosis prediction.

Effects of HMGB1 on PMN apoptosis during LPS-induced acute lung injury

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effects of intravenous injection of HMGB1 inhibitor sodium butyrate on changes in apoptosis of PMN during LPS-induced acute lung injury in rats and HMGB1 in vitro on human circulating PMN apoptosis, in order to clarify the role of HMGB1 in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury.

METHODS

(1) LPS-induced acute lung injury rat model was developed by LPS infusion. At different time-points after LPS challenge in the presence or absence of sodium butyrate (SB), the rat tissue sample, peripheral blood PMNs and BALF were collected. RT-PCR was applied to examining rat lung tissue HMGB1 mRNA expression level, and Western blotting analysis was adopted to determine expression of rat lung tissue HMGB1 protein. PMN apoptotic changes were determined by flow cytometric (FCM) analysis, Giemsa staining and TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. (2) Separated and purified human circulating PMN were coincubated for 24 h with different doses of HMGB1 (0, 10, 100, 1000 ng/ml, respectively) at 37 degrees C in 5% CO(2). PMN apoptosis rate was determined by flow cytometric (FCM) analysis and by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method.

RESULTS

(1) The percentage of apoptosis of PMN in rat model of LPS-induced ALI was gradually decreased as compared with that of normal control. The PMN apoptosis-initiation time and non-survival time in rat BALF prolonged significantly as compared with that of normal control. The injured rat lung tissue HMGB1 mRNA and protein expression was upregulated 6-24 h after LPS exposure; SB intervention significantly ameliorated the upregulation. In addition, the morphologic examination indicated that the edema severity and pathological changes of lung tissues were excessively aggravated in rats after LPS administration. By comparison, SB treatment diminished the severity of lung damage. Combined with lung HMGB1 expression level, the above changes indicate that the pathological changes of lung tissue were related to the injured lung HMGB1 expression, as well as apoptotic changes in PMN. (2) After coincubation of HMGB1 with human circulating PMNs, TUNEL and flow cytometry were performed. The study revealed that PMN apoptosis ratios was (40.53+/-4.12) % in control group (PMNs+RPMI 1640 medium), (19.05+/-2.44) % in LPS group (PMNs+RPMI 1640 medium+10 microg/ml LPS), (40.52+/-2.73) % in HMGB1-1 group (PMNs+RPMI 1640 medium+10 ng/ml HMGB1), (34.89+/-1.15) % in HMGB1-2 group (PMNs+RPMI 1640 medium+100 ng/ml HMGB1), and (18.77+/-3.02) % in HMGB1-3 group (PMNs+RPMI 1640 medium+1 000 ng/ml HMGB1). There was statistical significance. Meanwhile, PMN TUNEL positive rate was (31.42+/-4.40) %, (31.39+/-3.80) %, (25.62+/-2.46) %, and (17.98+/-3.20) % in control group, HMGB1-1 group, HMGB1-2 group and HMGB1-3 group, respectively. The inhibitory effect was HMGB1 dose-depended as compared with that of control group.

CONCLUSION

After LPS challenge, high expression of rats' lung HMGB1 mRNA occurs at a later phase, but keeps for a long time. Sodium butyrate (SB) treatment attenuated LPS-induced PMN apoptosis delay and inhibition, and down-regulated HMGB1 mRNA expression of injured lung. HMGB1 in vitro inhibited human circulating PMN apoptosis markedly, and the inhibitory effect was HMGB1 dose-depended. The results demonstrated that HMGB1 may play an important role as a modulator in apoptotic changes in PMN during LPS-induced ALI. It concludes that HMGB1 may contribute to the development of PMN apoptotic changes during LPS-induced acute lung injury.

[Flocculating capability and mechanism of bioflocculant produced by Paenibacillus polymyxa GA1]

MBFGA1, which was produced by Paenibacillus polymyxa GA1, was used to investigate its flocculating capability in the following waste water, the liquid of kaolin, soil suspended liquid, coal-washing wastewater and the landfill leachate with orthogonal experiments, the inspection of granularity and the scanning electron microanalysis. Meanwhile the anthrone reaction and infrared spectrum are also applied to identify its main component. In the optimal flocculating conditions obtained from the orthogonal experiments, the flocculating rates of the liquid of kaolin, soil suspended liquid, coal-washing wastewater and the landfill leachate were 99.53%, 99.50%, 98.2% and 75.60%, respectively, and the sedimentation velocities of the above four kinds of flocculants were 0.03 m/s, 0.025 m/s, 0.025 m/s and 0.005 m/s, respectively. In addition, the distribution of granularity has changed after flocculation. The size of the average granularity of soil became bigger after flocculation, and reached over 10 microm, but for the other three kinds of granularity just the opposite phenomenon has occurred, and their sizes were all less than 10 microm. From the photos of scan electron microanalysis of four types of granules, it could be drawn that there were no obvious differences in the appearance. It was the same adsorptive mode between MBFGA1 and different flocculating particles, that is the function of electrovalent bond, tested by EDTA, HC1 and urea. The main component of MBFGA1 was polysaccharide, which was determined by anthrone reaction, and it contained a lot of carboxyl and hydroxyl groups examined by infrared spectrum analysis. From the above results, it could be presumed that MBFGA1 can be the best flocculant for the granule-highly-concentrated waste water and the dominative flocculating mechanism of the flocculant was mechanism of adsorption-bridge.

Use of n-hexadecane as an oxygen vector to improve Phaffia rhodozyma growth and carotenoid production in shake-flask cultures

AIMS

To identify beneficial oxygen vectors for Phaffia rhodozyma in liquid cultures, and to evaluate their use to improve the oxygen transfer and carotenoid production in the yeast cultures.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Several liquid hydrocarbons were tested as oxygen vectors for improving the yeast growth and carotenoid production in shake-flask cultures of P. rhodozyma. While all nontoxic organic liquids (Log P: > or =5.6) showed a positive effect, n-hexadecane was proved to be the most beneficial for the yeast growth and carotenoid production. The addition of 9% (v/v) n-hexadecane to the liquid medium at the time of inoculation was found to be optimal, increasing the carotenoid yield by 58% (14.5 mg l(-1) vs 9.2 g l(-1) in the control) and the oxygen transfer rate (OTR) by 90%.

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of n-hexadecane to shake-flask cultures of P. rhodozyma significantly improved the oxygen transfer in culture, thus increasing the carotenoid production.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Use of organic oxygen vectors such as n-hexadecane may be a simple and useful means for enhancing oxygen transfer and carotenoid production in liquid fermentation of P. rhodozyma.

[Bacterial diversity in sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) for landfill leachate treatment using PCR-DGGE]

For studying the bacterial diversity and the mechanism of denitrification in sequencing bath biofilm reactor (SBBR) treating landfill leachate to provide microbial evidence for technique improvements, total microbial DNA was extracted from samples which were collected from natural landfill leachate and biofilm of a SBBR that could efficiently remove NH4+ -N and COD of high concentration. 16S rDNA fragments were amplified from the total DNA successfully using a pair of universal bacterial 16S rDNA primer, GC341F and 907R, and then were used for denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis. The bands in the gel were analyzed by statistical methods and excided from the gel for sequencing, and the sequences were used for homology analysis and then two phylogenetic trees were constructed using DNAStar software. Results indicated that the bacterial diversity of the biofilm in SBBR and the landfill leachate was abundant, and no obvious change of community structure happened during running in the biofilm, in which most bacteria came from the landfill leachate. There may be three different modes of denitrification in the reactor because several different nitrifying bacteria, denitrifying bacteria and anaerobic ammonia oxidation bacteria coexisted in it. The results provided some valuable references for studying microbiological mechanism of denitrification in SBBR.

[Study on the expression, purification and the anti-endotoxin activity of human endotoxin binding peptide and its mutant]

OBJECTIVE

To express endotoxin binding peptide and its mutant in E coli DH5alpha and detect the antiendotoxin activity of the purified peptides.

METHODS

(1 ) E coli DH5at containing pinpointXa3-EBP and pinpointXa3-mEBP was activated by IPTG to express biotin fusion protein. The fusion proteins were purified, and then digested by factor Xa for isolation of EBP and mEBP. The target peptide was purified with affinity chromatography and reversed-phase HPLC. Sequences of 10 amino acids at N-terminal were used for identification of mEBP. (2) PBMCs were isolated from blood of normal people, and they were stimulated with 5 mg/L FITC-LPS plus 2.0,5. 0 and 12. 5 mg/L EBP or mEBP. Then the mean fluorescent intensity was detected. PBMC was also stimulated with 1 mg/L LPS plus 2.0, 5.0 and 12.5 mg/L EBP or mEBP for 5 hours for the detection of the TNF-alpha and IL-6 level in the supernatant. (3) Thirty-five Kunming mice were randomized into normal control ( n = 5, with intraperitoneal injection of 0. 2 ml isotonic saline) , model group(n = 5, with intraperitoneal injection of LPS and 20% TBSA full-thickness burns), and treatment group (n = 15, with intraperitoneal injection of 5 mg/kg PMB or 10 mg/kg EBP or mEBP after burns). The serum contents of TNF-a and IL-6, and TNF-alpha mRNA level in hepatic tissue in each group were determined 6 hours after treatment.

RESULTS

( 1 ) EBP and mEBP were obtained after Xa digestion of biotin fusion protein, with purity reaching above 98% . The sequence of 10 amino acid at N-terminal was in accord with what expected. (2) The fluorescent intensity was decreased followed by an increase in mEBP or EBP concentration. Compared with normal PMBC, IL-6 and TNF-alpha level in the supernatant were obviously lowered in 1 mg/L LPS + 12.5 mg/L EBP group and I mg/L LPS +2. O0 , 5. 0, 12. 5 mg/L mEBP groups ( P < 0.01). (3) The serum level of IL-6 and TNF-ca in the therapeutic groups were obviously lower than that in model group ( P < 0.01 ) , and the levels of these cytokines were significantly lower in 10 mg/kg mEBP group than that in 10 mg/kg EBP group ( P <0. 01) , but they were similar to that in 5 mg/kg PMB treatment group ( P >0.05). (4) Relative optical density of TNF-alpha. mRNA in control, model, 10 mg/kg mEBP, 10 mg/kg EBP and 5 mg/kg PMB groups was 0.25, 0.93, 0.51 , 0.77 and 0.43, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Endotoxin binding peptides can be obtained by procaryon expression. Both EBP and mEBP have anti-LPS activity, but mEBP is more effective.

[Construction of human phage antibody library and screening and characterization of phage antibodies against N terminal fragment of human lipopolysaccharide binding protein]

AIM

To construct human phage antibody library and to prepare phage antibodies against N terminal fragment of human lipopolysaccharide binding protein (NH-LBP).

METHODS

NH-LBP was expressed in insect cells sf21 cultured with serum-free culture medium (SF-900 II) by BAC-TO-BAC baculovirus expression system. Human antibody library (Fab) was constructed by phage display system (pComb3H/VCSM13) and screened with NH-LBP.

RESULTS

NH-LBP was successfully expressed in insect cells sf21 cultured with serum-free culture and effectively purified via affinity chromatography column with TALON resin. About 8 mg NH-LBP was obtained. Human combinatorial phage display antibody library consisting of 5.0 x 10(8) CFU was constructed. After eight rounds of panning with NH-LBP we got 3 phage antibodies with high affinity for NH-LBP (DNA sequences and amino acid sequences of kappa chains of these antibodies were deposited in GenBank (AY337713 and AY337714).

CONCLUSION

Phage antibodies against NH-LBP were obtained successfully, which lays the foundation for preparing disulfide stabilized Fv fragments antibody (dsFv) against NH-LBP, understanding the function of LBP in vivo, and prevention and therapy of excessive inflammatory reaction.

[Retrospective analysis of 1905 patients with skin cancer from two general hospitals in western China from 1981 to 2000]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical features and changes in the incidence of skin cancer in two hospitals located in western China.

METHODS

The patients diagnosed pathologically as skin cancer from 1981 to 2000 were retrospectively collected from the two hospitals. Clinical data of patients with skin cancer were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

(1) Of the 1 905 patients with skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma accounted for 29.4%(560 patients), basal cell carcinoma 28.0% (534), and cutaneous malignant melanoma(CMM) 16.0% (305). (2) There were 591 patients with skin cancer diagnosed between 1980 and 1990, and 1 314 between 1991 and 2000, and accounted for 0.34% and 0.58% of all biopsy cases, respectively. The number of total biopsy patients increased 1.6% every year during the 20 years. The number of biopsy patients with skin cancer and with CMM increased 3.5% and 3.9% every year,respectively. (3) Of the 305 CMM patients, 63.3% located on the acra. These patients were elder, and have a higher rate of trauma and a higher incidence in the male than that in patients with CMM located on the other sites. (4) Of the 305 CMM patients, 64 (21%) had history of trauma at the primary onset sites, and 47 (15.4%) had history of small congenital nevi at the primary sites.

CONCLUSION

There are some differences in the clinical features such as location and age between the skin cancer patients in our study and those in white population. The incidence of skin cancer in the two hospitals had been increasing in the 20 years (between 1981 and 2000). Both trauma and small congenital nevi are important risk factors of CMM.

[Study on the protective effect of recombinant human N-terminal lipopolysaccharide binding protein in mice challenged with LPS]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the protective effect of recombinant human N-terminal lipopolysaccharide binding protein in mice challenged with LPS.

METHODS

Seventy male Kunming mice were randomly divided into 3 groups, i.e. LPS challenge (Injection of LPS into abdominal cavity, n = 21); tLBP protection (Injection of LPS and tLBP into abdominal cavity, n = 21) and control (Injection of normal saline into abdominal cavity, n = 8) groups. The blood samples and tissue samples of the liver and lungs were harvested on 15 and 30 minutes and 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours after the injection. The serum contents of ALT and TNF-alpha were determined by biochemical velocity analysis and RIA method, respectively. The pathomorphological changes in the liver and pulmonary tissue were examined under light microscope (LM). The mortality rate of ten mice each was observed within 24 hours after the injection of tLBP + 400 ng LPS or 400ng LPS.

RESULTS

The ALT content of tLBP group reached the peak level at 12 post-injection hour (PIH) (41.00 +/- 4.58), but it was significantly lower than that in LPS group in which it peaked at 6PIH (99.50 +/- 62.63) (P < 0.01). The TNF-alpha content in tLBP and LPS group was lower than that in LPS group, and both reached the peak level at 3 PIH (35.96 +/- 7.33). Compared with those in LPS, injury to hepatocytes in tLBP group was obviously milder without scattered necrosis. The pulmonary congestion in tLBP group was abated, and the inflammatory exudation in the alveoli was evidently less than that in LPS group. There were 9 out of 10 mice died in the LPS challenge group, while only 3 out of 10 mice died during 24 hours after LPS injection in tLBP protection group.

CONCLUSION

Preliminary results indicated that recombinant human tLBP might possess biological activity with a potential protection effect in LPS challenged mice.

Local immune responses in sensitized sheep following challenge infection with Teladorsagia circumcincta

Sheep were sensitized by weekly infections with Teladorsagia circumcincta over a 9-week period. After a 12-week rest, sheep were divided into four groups and killed without challenge or 3, 5 and 10 days post challenge (DPC) with 50000 L3. Recovery of challenge larvae from abomasal scrapings was highest at 3 DPC while no parasites were recovered by 10 DPC. Abomasal lymph nodes (ALN) of challenged sheep were significantly larger at 5 DPC, coinciding with an increase in the proportion of CD4 T cells and a decrease in CD21+ cells, probably reflecting the loss of CD21 from terminally differentiated antibody secreting cells. A significant increase was observed in gammadelta-TCR+ cells at 3 DPC in the ALN, while their number slightly decreased in the abomasal tissues throughout the challenge period. The number of tissue eosinophils was dramatically increased after challenge compared with the unchallenged controls, with a peak at 3 DPC, coinciding with the peak in larval recovery. CD4+ cells significantly increased in the abomasal tissues at 5 DPC, while no changes in globule leucocytes were observed until 10 DPC. Antibody-secreting cell probes (ASC-probes) generated from the ALN showed highest reactivity against larval antigens at 5 DPC. This reactivity was predominantly directed against regions between 90 and 100 kDa and 30-35 kDa in the L3 preparation and lower molecular weight antigens in the L4. No reactivity was observed against the adult extract. The 30-35 kDa antigen seemed to exist as a high molecular weight complex in L3 homogenate and was not susceptible to protease K treatment, suggesting it may be non-protein in nature.