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To analyze the risk factors for late-onset hemorrhagic cystitis (LOHC) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), the risk factors for the progression of LOHC to severe LOHC, and the effect of LOHC on survival., Methods: The clinical data of 300 patients who underwent allo-HSCT at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2015 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The relevant clinical parameters that may affect the occurance of LOHC after allo-HSCT were selected for univariate and multivariate analysis. Then, the differences in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between different groups were analyzed., Results: The results of multivariate analysis showed that the independent risk factors for LOHC after allo-HSCT were as follows: age≤45 years old ( P =0.039), intensified conditioning regimen with fludarabine/cladribine and cytarabine ( P =0.002), albumin≤30 g/L on d30 after transplantation ( P =0.007), CMV-DNA positive ( P =0.028), fungal infection before transplantation ( P =0.026), and the occurrence of grade Ⅱ - Ⅳ aGVHD ( P =0.006). In the transplant patients who have already developed LOHC, the occurance of LOHC within 32 days after transplantation ( P =0.008) and albumin≤30 g/L on d30 after transplantation ( P =0.032) were independent risk factors for the progression to severe LOHC. The OS rate of patients with severe LOHC was significantly lower than that of patients without LOHC ( P =0.041)., Conclusion: For the patients aged≤45 years old and with intensified conditioning regimen, it is necessary to be vigilant about the occurrence of LOHC; For the patients with earlier occurrence of LOHC, it is necessary to be vigilant that it develops into severe LOHC. Early prevention and treatment of LOHC are essential. Regular monitoring of CMV-DNA and albumin levels, highly effective antiviral and antifungal therapies, and prevention of aGVHD are effective measures to prevent the occurrence and development of LOHC.

Emodin, a natural anthraquinone derivative, possesses anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory properties in skin diseases. However, little information is available on the efficacy of emodin in treating acne vulgaris (acne). This study aims to investigate the protective effects and potential mechanisms of emodin as an anti-acne agent. In vitro, SZ95 sebocytes was chose to establish an acneigenic cellular model. We found that emodin effectively inhibited proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of SZ95 sebocytes in a dose-dependent manner. To evaluate the lipid-lowering potential of emodin, we examined the levels of lipid contents and lipogenic transcription factors, and found that both lipid production and protein expression of PPARγ, LXR α/β, and SREBP-1 were decreased after treatment with emodin. Furthermore, our results revealed that emodin inhibited sebaceous lipogenesis induced by insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which was accompanied by a potent inhibition of the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1) pathway. In detail, emodin augmented the inhibitory effect of isotretinoin and PI3K inhibitor LY294002, while attenuating the activation of IGF-1 on PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 pathway. In addition, emodin could decrease the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8, and suppress the expression of NLRP3, capase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 in SZ95 sebocytes exposed to Cutibacterium acnes. Overall, our study provides preliminary evidence supporting the anti-growth, anti-lipogenic and anti-inflammatory properties of emodin, indicating the potential therapeutic application of emodin for acne treatment., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of matched sibling donor allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in the treatment of young patients with multiple myeloma (MM)., Methods: The clinical data of 8 young patients (median age：46 years) with MM who underwent allo-HSCT from HLA-indentical sibling donors in the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from June 2013 to September 2021 were collected, and their survival and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed., Results: All the patients were successfully transplanted, and 7 patients could be evaluated the efficacy after transplantation. The median follow-up time was 35.2 (2.5-84.70) months. The complete response (CR) rate was 2/8 before transplantation and 6/7 after transplantation. Acute GVHD developed in 2 cases and extensive chronic GVHD developed in 1 case. Within 100 days, 1 case died of non-recurrent events, and 1-year and 2-year disease-free survival were 6 and 5 cases, respectively. At the end of follow-up, all the 5 patients who survived for more than 2 years survived, and the longest disease-free survival time has reached 84 months., Conclusion: With the development of new drugs, HLA-matched sibling donor allo-HSCT may be a curable treatment for young patients with MM.

In allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), both virus-specific T cells and leukemia-specific T cells need to be reconstituted to protect patients from virus infections and primary disease relapse. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality after allo-HSCT. Emerging data indicate that CMV reactivation is associated with reduced risk of leukemia relapse in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) undergoing allo-HSCT. In a cohort of 24 WT1+ AML patients during the first year following HSCT, CMV specific CD8+ T cells (CMV-CTL) reconstituted much faster than WT1-specific CD8+ T cell (WT1-CTL) after allo-SCT. Moreover, CMV-CTL expressed lower levels of exhaustion markers and were more functional as identified by production of IFN-γ/TNF-α and expression of Eomes/T-bet. Interestingly, our patients with CMV reactivation presented higher frequency of CMV-CTL, lower levels of Eomes+T-bet- and higher levels of Eomes+T-bet+ expression in response to WT1 and CMV pp65 antigen during the first year after transplantation as compared to patients without CMV reactivation. Kinetics of CMV-CTL and WT1-CTL after transplantation might be associated with measurable residual disease and later leukemia relapse. Our results support that CMV reactivation, aside from the CMV-CTL reconstitution, could influence WT1-CTL reconstitution after allo-HSCT, thus potentially contributing to the remission/relapse of AML., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Luo, Poiret, Liu, Meng, Nagchowdhury and Ljungman.)

Patterns of hepatitis B virus reactivation (HBV-R) in HBsAg (-)/HBcAb (+) patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) receiving rituximab based immunochemotherapy have not been well described. The retrospective study included 222 HBsAg (-)/HBcAb (+) NHL patients as training cohort and 127 cases as validation cohort. The incidence of HBV-R in HBsAg (-)/HBcAb (+) B-cell NHL patients was 6.3% (14/222), of which that in HBsAg (-)/HBsAb (-)/HBeAg (-)/HBeAb (+)/HBcAb (+) population was 23.7% (9/38). Multivariate analysis showed that HBsAg (-)/HBsAb (-)/HBeAg (-)/HBeAb (+)/HBcAb (+) correlated with a high risk of HBV-R in B-cell lymphoma patients (training phase hazard ratio [HR], 10.123; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.389-30.239; p < 0.001; validation phase HR, 18.619; 95% CI, 1.684-205.906; p = 0.017; combined HR, 12.264; 95% CI, 4.529-33.207; p < 0.001). In the training cohort, the mortality rate of HBsAg (-)/HBcAb (+) B-cell NHL caused by HBV-R was 14.3% (2/14) while that for HBV reactivated HBsAg (-)/HBsAb (-)/HBeAg (-)/HBeAb (+)/HBcAb (+) population was up to 44.4% (4/9). As a high incidence of HBV-R and high mortality after HBV-R was found in HBsAg (-)/HBsAb (-)/HBcAb (+)/HBeAg (-)/HBeAb (+) patients with B-cell NHL receiving rituximab based immunochemotherapy, prophylactic antiviral therapy is recommended for these patients., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effect of haploid allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(haplo-HSCT) in the treatment of severe aplastic anemia (SAA), and to explore the efficacy different between post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PT/Cy) and standard-dose ATG., Methods: The clinical data of 38 patients with SAA in our hospital from January 2012 to December 2019 were collected and retrospectively analyzed. The efficacy was evaluated. The patients with haplo-HSCT were divided into low-dose ATG combined with PT/Cy group and standard-dose ATG group, and the blood cell hematopoietic reconstruction time, GVHD incidence, mortality and survival time of the patients in the two groups was compared., Results: Among the 32 patients, hematopoietic reconstitution were detected in 9375%(30/32) recipients. The median time of neutrophil and platelet engraftment was 15(10-22) days and 13(7-30) days, respectively. The incidence of GVHD was 21.89%, the incidence of infection was 93.75%, and the 2-year overall survival rate was 84.38%. The hematopoietic reconstitution time, incidence of GVHD, mortality rate and survival time were no statistical differences between the patients in the two groups(all P>0.05)., Conclusion: Haplo-HSCT is an effective method for the treatment of SAA，low-dose ATG combined with PT/Cy can lighten the economic burden on patients, it would be a feasible treatment plan for SAA with light side effect.

Haploidentical stem cell transplantation (haploSCT) has advanced to a common procedure for treating patients with hematological malignancies and immunodeficiency diseases. However, cure is seriously hampered by cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections and delayed immune reconstitution for the majority of haploidentical transplant recipients compared to HLA-matched stem cell transplantation. Three major approaches, including in vivo T-cell depletion (TCD) using antithymocyte globulin for haploSCT ( in vivo TCD-haploSCT), ex vivo TCD using CD34 + positive selection for haploSCT ( ex vivo TCD-haploSCT), and T-cell replete haploSCT using posttransplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy-haploSCT), are currently used worldwide. We provide an update on CMV infection and CMV-specific immune recovery in this fast-evolving field. The progress made in cellular immunotherapy of CMV infection after haploSCT is also addressed. Groundwork has been prepared for the creation of personalized avenues to enhance immune reconstitution and decrease the incidence of CMV infection after haploSCT., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Luo, Zhu, Chen, Shui and Liu.)

2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) presents as a newly recognized pneumonia that has brought about a global pandemic and is increasingly considered as a systemic illness. We investigated the clinical and laboratory features of recovered COVID-19 patients without pre-existing hematologic diseases at Wuhan No. 1 Hospital. Fifty-nine male and 68 female Chinese patients were included with the median age at 64 years in the present study. Eosinopenia (37.80%), monocytosis (51.97%), lymphocytopenia (25.20%), and anemia (51.97%) were the most common hematologic findings in our cohort, particularly in severe or critically ill COVID-19. The levels of changes in leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, platelets, hemoglobin levels, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) are overall associated with lung involvement, oxygen demand, and disease activity. However, changes of eosinophils (end hospitalization-baseline) (coefficients = 10.32; 95% CI = 1.03-19.60, P = 0.03) and basophils (Max - Min) (coefficients = 71.43; 95% CI = 8.55-134.31, P = 0.03) were independent predictors of delayed recovery in the hospital by the multivariate analysis in this recovered population. A variety of hematologic changes are associated with the severity and clinical outcome of recovered COVID-19 patients, which warrants further exploration of their underlying mechanisms.

2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) presents as a newly recognized pneumonia and could rapidly progress into acute respiratory distress syndrome which has brought about a global pandemic. Until now, no curative therapy has been strongly recommended for COVID-19 except for personalized supportive care. T cells and virus-specific T cells are essential to protect against virus infection, including COVID-19. Delayed immune reconstitution (IR) and cytokine storm (CS) remain serious obstacles for the cure of COVID-19. Most COVID-19 patients, especially among elderly patients, had marked lymphopenia and increased neutrophils, but T cell counts in severe COVID-19 patients surviving the disease gradually restored later. Elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines, particularly IL-6, IL-10, IL-2 and IL-17, and exhausted T cells are found in peripheral blood and the lungs. It suggests that Thymosin α1 and adoptive COVID-19-specific T cells could improve IR, while convalescent plasma, IL-6 blockade, mesenchymal stem cells and corticosteroids could suppress CS. More clinical studies in this field worldwide are urgently warranted to pave the way for therapy of COVID-19 in the future., (© 2020 The Scandinavian Foundation for Immunology.)

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection remains a life-threatening condition in individuals with a suppressed immune system. CMV may also represent a clinically relevant target for immune responses in CMV-positive malignancies. We established a protocol to expand CMV-specific T cells (CMV-T) using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). PBMCs from 16 HLA-A*0201 donors were cultured with a cytokine cocktail comprising IL-2/IL-15/IL-21 along with overlapping peptides from CMV-pp65. Ten days later, T cells were stimulated with anti-CD3 (OKT3) and irradiated autologous PBMCs. CMV-T were detected by HLA-A*0201 CMV-pp65 NLVPMVATV wild type and q226a mutant tetramers (for high-affinity T cells), intracellular cytokine staining, a CD107a mobilization assays as well as IFN-γ and TNF-α production in cell culture supernatants. We reliably obtained 50.25 ± 27.27% of CD8+ and 22.08 ± 21.83% of CD4+ T cells post-CMV-pp65 stimulation of PBMCs with a Th1-polarized phenotype and decreased Th2/Th17 responses. Most CD3 + CD8 + tetramer+ T cells were effector-memory cells, particularly among high-affinity CMV-T (q226a CMV-tetramer+). High-affinity CMV-T cells, compared to WT-tetramer+ cells, expressed higher IL-21R and lower FasL post-stimulation with CMV-pp65. The IL-2/IL-15/IL-21 cocktail also promoted CCR6 and CXCR3 expression necessary for T-cell migration into tissues. We have optimized methods for generating high-affinity CMV-specific T cells that can be used for adoptive cellular therapy in clinical practice., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The cytokine cocktail IL-2, IL-15, and IL-21 has been filed for IP., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Emerging evidence reveals the importance of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the development and progression of keloid formation, whereas the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In the present study, we investigated the biological effects and molecular mechanisms of lncRNA HOXA11-AS in keloid formation. First, the expression levels of HOXA11-AS, miR-124-3p, and transforming growth factor β receptor type I (TGFβR1) were measured in both keloid tissues and human keloid fibroblasts (HKFs) using qRT-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. Next, we adopted both gain- and loss-of-function strategies to explore the significance of HOXA11-AS. TUNEL, flow cytometry, DNA ladder, and tube formation assays were performed to measure cell apoptosis and angiogenesis, respectively. Besides, the potential binding relationship between HOXA11-AS and miR-124-3p, as well as miR-124-3p and TGFβR1 was identified using bioinformatic screening and verified by luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, we explored the importance of miR-124-3p in HOXA11-AS-induced phenotypes and regulations on TGFβ signaling or PI3K/Akt signaling. We found that HOXA11-AS and TGFβR1 were significantly up-regulated, while miR-124-3p was down-regulated both in keloid tissues or fibroblasts than in normal skin tissues or fibroblasts. Functionally, high expression of HOXA11-AS essentially inhibited cell apoptosis and promoted fibroblast-induced angiogenesis. Mechanistically, miR-124-3p was identified as a downstream effector to be involved in HOXA11-AS-mediated phenotypes through directly targeting TGFβR1, thus modulating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Taken together, our findings revealed that HOXA11-AS inhibits cell apoptosis and promotes angiogenesis through miR-124-3p/TGFβR1 axis, contributing to the progression of keloid formation, which might provide a novel target for keloid therapy.

Keloid, characterized by exuberant collagen deposition and invasive growth beyond original wound margins, results from abnormal wound healing. A recent microarray analysis identified homeobox (HOX) A11 antisense (HOXA11-AS) as a keloid-specific long non-coding RNA, although its potential role in keloid formation remains elusive. In this study, hematoxylin-eosin, Masson, and immunohistochemical staining of type I collagen (ColI) revealed abnormal arrangement and hyperplasia of fibers in keloid tissues along with increased ColI level. qRT-PCR and Western blot showed that HOXA11-AS and ColI were significantly upregulated, while miR-124-3p was decreased in both keloid tissues and human keloid fibroblasts (HKFs). Knockdown of HOXA11-AS inhibited cell proliferation (by CCK-8 and immunofluorescence staining of Ki67) and cell migration (by wound healing and transwell assays). Mechanistic experiments verified that HOXA11-AS acted as a sponge of micro-RNA (miR)-124-3p and Smad5 was a target of miR-124-3p. miR-124-3p sufficiently reversed the regulatory effects of HOXA11-AS, and Smad5 was involved in miR-124-3p-mediated biological functions. Furthermore, HOXA11-AS induced ColI synthesis via sponging miR-124-3p-mediated Smad5 signaling, thus promoting keloid formation. Overall, our study implied that HOXA11-AS induces ColI synthesis to promoted keloid formation via sponging miR-124-3p-mediated Smad5 signaling, which might offer a novel target for developing the therapy of keloid formation.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and primary disease relapse remain challenging problems after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). We sought to assess the association between CMV infection and disease relapse after transplantation. PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, SCI, and Chinese Biomedicine Databases were searched up to July 1, 2018, for all studies that investigate pre-transplant CMV serostatus, CMV replication, and primary disease relapse in allo-HSCT patients with hematologic malignancies. Meta-analysis of 24 eligible cohort studies showed a significantly lower relapse risk after allo-HSCT in patients with CMV replication in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (HR = 0.64, 95% CI, 0.50-0.83; P < 0.001) subgroup. However, CMV replication was associated with increased non-relapse mortality (NRM) in AML patients (HR = 1.64, 95% CI, 1.46-1.85; P < 0.001), but not associated with overall survival (OS) or graft-versus-host disease for AML patients (P > 0.05). There was no association between pre-transplant CMV serostatus and disease relapse, although D-/R- was associated with better OS in acute leukemia patients (HR = 0.89, 95% CI, 0.83-0.96; P = 0.003). In AML patients, CMV replication may be a protective predictor against disease relapse, although the potential benefit of CMV replication is offset by increased NRM.

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) patients are characterized by immunodeficiency and viral infections. T cells derived from WAS patients and WAS protein (WASP)-deficient mice have various defects. However, whether WASP plays a role in immune control of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection remains unclear. We analyzed the distribution of CD8 + T subsets and the pathological damage to various organs and tissues in MCMV infected Was knockout (KO) mice. A relatively high number of MCMV-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) were observed in the spleen of Was KO mice. In MCMV infected Was KO mice, the late differentiated CD8 + T subset (CD27 - CD28 - ) decreased in lungs, compared with those in the spleen and peripheral blood. Additionally, we found that the most severe pathological lesions occurred in the lungs, the main target organ of MCMV infection. By stimulating the spleen-derived CD8 + T lymphocytes of Was KO mice, we found that IL-2 and granzyme B production declined compared with that in wild- type mice. Moreover, the number of apoptotic CD8 + T cells increased in Was KO mice compared with the number in wild-type mice. Therefore, our results demonstrate that WASP may be involved in regulating cytotoxic function and apoptosis in CD8 + T cells following MCMV infection, which is supported by the distribution and memory compartment of MCMV-specific T cells in MCMV infected WAS mice., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a ubiquitous, persistent beta herpesvirus. CMV infection contributes to the accumulation of functional antigen-specific CD8 + T-cell pools with an effector-memory phenotype and enrichment of these immune cells in peripheral organs. We review here this 'memory T-cell inflation' phenomenon and associated factors including age and sex. 'Collateral damage' due to CMV-directed immune reactivity may occur in later stages of life - arising from CMV-specific immune responses that were beneficial in earlier life. CMV may be considered an age-dependent immunomodulator and a double-edged sword in editing anti-tumour immune responses. Emerging evidence suggests that CMV is highly prevalent in patients with a variety of cancers, particularly glioblastoma. A better understanding of CMV-associated immune responses and its implications for immune senescence, especially in patients with cancer, may aid in the design of more clinically relevant and tailored, personalized treatment regimens. 'Memory T-cell inflation' could be applied in vaccine development strategies to enrich for immune reactivity where long-term immunological memory is needed, e.g. in long-term immune memory formation directed against transformed cells., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To detect whether the murine T-cell lymphoma cell line EL4 could be infected by murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV), and to observe the morphological changes and apoptosis of El4 cells before and after infection., Methods: EL4 cells were infected with MCMV smith strain with 1, 10 and 100 multiplicity of infection (MOI) respectively. The morphology of the cells was observed by light microscopy and Wright's-Giemsa staining. The survival rate was calculated by trypan blue staining. RT-PCR-based assay was used to detect the copy number of MCMV-DNA in the infected ELA cells. Flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis. RT-qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of P53, P21, cFlip and Caspase 8. The protein expression levels of Caspase8, P53, BAX, BCL-2 and Cleaved Caspase3 proteins were detected by Western blot., Results: After Wright-Giemsa staining, it was found that the infected EL4 cells displayed larger volume, irregular nuclei and the folded twist under light microscopy. Compared with the normal control group, the survival rate of EL4 cells decreased, and the apoptosis rate statistically significantly (P<0.05) increased with the increasing MOI and the infected time in each group. While, the level of apoptosis protein P53, BAX/BCL-2, Cleaved-caspase3 and Caspase8 were up-regulated. And the survival rate, apoptosis rate and the apoptosis protein level of infected EL4 cells with MOI=10 were the most obvious at the 5 th day. Compared with MCMV infection group (MOI=60), the content of MCMV DNA in EL4 cells was decreased in MCMV+GGV group ［MOI=60, GCV 25 (g/ml)］, and the cell apoptosis rate and apoptosis protein expression of P53, Caspase8, BAX/BCL-2 were decreased (P<0.05)., Conclusion: Murine T-cell lymphoma cell line EL4 can be infected by MCMV and displayes an obvious apoptosis phenomenon. MCMV may up-regulate the expression levels of apoptosis protein P53, BAX-BCL-2, Cleaved-caspase3 and Caspase8 in EL4 cells. The drug ganciclovir reduces the copy mumber of MCMV DNA in infected EL4 cells and inhibited the killing effect of MCMV on EL4 cells.

Virus-specific T-cell responses are crucial to control cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections/reactivation in immunocompromised individuals. Adoptive cellular therapy with CMV-specific T-cells has become a viable treatment option. High-affinity anti-viral cellular immune responses are associated with improved long-term immune protection against CMV infection. To date, the characterization of high-affinity T-cell responses against CMV has not been achieved in blood from patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the phenotype and clinical impact of different CMV-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CMV-CTL) classes based on their T-cell receptor (TCR) affinity. T-cells isolated from 23 patients during the first year following HSCT were tested for the expression of memory markers, programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), as well as TCR affinity, using three different HLA-A*02:01 CMV NLVPMVATV -Pp65 tetramers (wild-type, a245v and q226a mutants). High-affinity CMV-CTL defined by q226a tetramer binding, exhibited a higher frequency in CD8+ T-cells in the first month post-HSCT and exhibited an effector memory phenotype associated with strong PD-1 expression as compared to the medium- and low-affinity CMV-CTLs. High-affinity CMV-CTL was found at higher proportion in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease ( p  < 0.001). This study provides a first insight into the detailed TCR affinities of CMV-CTL. This may be useful in order to improve current immunotherapy protocols using isolation of viral-specific T-cell populations based on their TCR affinity.

Cistanche deserticola has been found to exert protection against aging and age-related diseases, but mechanisms underlying its longevity effects remain largely unclear. Here, the multicellular model organism Caenorhabditis elegans was employed to identify lifespan extending and protective effects against β-amyloid (Aβ) induced toxicity by echinacoside (ECH), a phenylethanoid glycoside isolated from C. deserticola. Our results showed that ECH extends the mean lifespan of worms and increases their survival under oxidative stress. Levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species and fat accumulation were also significantly suppressed by ECH. Moreover, ECH-mediated lifespan extension was found to be dependent on mev-1, eat-2, daf-2, and daf-16, but not sir-2.1 or hsf-1 genes. Furthermore, ECH triggered DAF-16 nuclear localization and upregulated two of its downstream targets, sod-3 and hsp-16.2. In addition, ECH significantly improved the survival of CL4176 worms in response to proteotoxic stress induced by Aβ protein aggregation. Collectively, these findings suggested that reactive oxygen species scavenging, dietary restriction, and insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathways could be partly involved in ECH-mediated lifespan extension. Thus, ECH may target multiple longevity mechanisms to extend lifespan and have a potency to prevent Alzheimer's disease progression.

A novel tetralignan, tatarinan T (1) with the rare C8-C7' linkage pattern, along with a known monolignan (2) were isolated from the roots of Acorus tatarinowii Schott. Their chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR and X-ray diffraction analysis. We evaluated the protective effects of two rare lignans against β-amyloid toxicity by using CL4176 transgenic C. elegans model for the first time, and found that they significantly delayed paralysis of worms at the concentration of 100 μM. Compound 2 exhibited the more potential protective effect against β-amyloid toxicity, its value of PT50 extended up to 62.3% at 100 μM compared with control, especially, it still has 30.8% extension at 10 μM., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal-dominantly inherited vascular-malformation syndrome associated with gene mutations including ENG, ACVRL1 and SMAD4 gene. Clinically indistinguishable HHT1 and HHT2 are caused by mutations in ENG and ACVRL1 gene, respectively. Generally, pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are rare manifestations of HHT related to ACVRL1 gene mutations. We described a female patient with HHT2 whose clinical features included epistaxis, mucocutaneous telangiectases, systemic AVMs and PAH. She also suffered from severe iron deficiency anemia and recurrent heart failure. A genetic mutation analysis disclosed a missense mutation in exon 7 of ACVRL1 gene in this patient and her daughter. A nonsense mutation in exon 7 of ACVRL1 gene was detected in her brother and her niece. This case supports that PAVMs and PAH can be rare manifestations of HHT2 patients.

The present study investigated the chemical constituents of the roots of Stellera chamaejasme (Thymelaeaceae). One new biflavone glucoside (1), along with other thirteen known compounds (2-14), was isolated by repeated column chromatographic methods and their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analyses. The cytotoxic activities of selected compounds were evaluated against four human cancer cell lines (A549, BEL-7402, HCT-116, and MDA-MB-231) by the SRB assay method. Compound 9 showed remarkable cytotoxicity against BEL-7402 with IC50 value being 0.65 μg·mL(-1); compounds 7, 8, and 12 exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against A549 with IC50 values being 2.38, 1.57, and 2.35 μg·mL(-1), respectively., (Copyright © 2015 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Acute basophilic leukemia (ABL) is a rare and poorly characterized form of leukemia. The case of a 65-year-old male who complained of dizziness, maculopapular skin lesions and melena is described in the current report. A gastroscopy was conducted and indicated a gastric antral ulcer. The diagnosis of ABL was determined due to characteristic cytomorphological features, the myeloid immunophenotype of the blast cells (identified to be positive for cluster of differentiation [CD]25 and CD123) in addition to the absence of the Philadelphia chromosome and a c-kit D816V mutation. The patient initially demonstrated clinical improvement as a result of chemotherapy, however, subsequently deteriorated. The gastric and skin manifestations of ABL may be associated with excessive histamine release from basophilic cells. Thus, the administration of H1- and H2-receptor antagonists, proton pump inhibitors and steroids is proposed in order to minimize these associated complications.

Two new (3, 4) and two known phenolic derivatives (1, 2) were isolated from Radix Astragali. The structures of 1-4 were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis. The anti-inflammatory activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated in LPS-induced mouse peritoneal macrophages. All four compounds exhibited potent inhibitory effects on TNF-α production and TNF-α, COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6 and iNOS mRNA expression at 50 μM.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and delayed immune reconstitution (IR) remain serious obstacles for successful haploidentical stem cell transplantation (haplo-SCT). CMV-specific IR varied according to whether patients received manipulated/unmanipulated grafts or myeloablative/reduced intensity conditioning. CMV infection commonly occurs following impaired IR of T cell and its subsets. Here, we discuss the factors that influence IR based on currently available evidence. Adoptive transfer of donor T cells to improve CMV-specific IR is discussed. One should choose grafts from CMV-positive donors for transplant into CMV-positive recipients (D+/R+) because this will result in better IR than would grafts from CMV-negative donors (D-/R+). Stem cell source and donor age are other important factors. Posttransplant complications, including graft-versus-host disease and CMV infection, as well as their associated treatments, should also be considered. The effects of varying degrees of HLA disparity and conditioning regimens are more controversial. As many of these factors and strategies are considered in the setting of haplo-SCT, it is anticipated that haplo-SCT will continue to advance, further expanding our understanding of IR and CMV infection.

Objective: To investigate the regular pattern of Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific T cells (CTL) immune reconstitution after human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matched sibling donor allogeneic bone marrow(BM) plus peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell (PBSC) transplantation., Methods: CTL from seventeen patients after transplantation was detected by flow cytometry, the IFN-γ secretion ability of CTL by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay, and clonal analysis of TCR Vβ subfamily by gene scan assays. The relationship between CTL reconstitution and CMV infection was studied., Results: Both number and function of recipients CTL reached to normal control level at 30 d post-transplantation. The recipients achieved a high frequency CTL with IFN-γ response and restoration of T-cell receptor β (TCR Vβ) repertoire at one year post-transplantation. CTL with the central memory CD45RO(+)CD62L(+) cell phenotype expanded in PB when CMV was reactivated. The incidence of CMV reactivation was 35.83% (17.91% - 63.10%) after transplantation, and none of them developed CMV disease., Conclusion: After HLA matched related donor transplantation using mixed grafts, immune recovery to CMV seems to be early and fast. The incidence of CMV infection and disease are low.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and major risk factors of peripartum thromboembolic disease in different regions of Guangdong province., Methods: Data from 169 218 pregnant women in different regions of Guangdong province from January 2005 to June 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. The prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of thromboembolic disease during pregnancy or puerperium were investigated., Results: Of the studied population, (1) 201 cases (1.3‰) suffered from thromboembolic disease during pregnancy or puerperium including 128 cases of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), 68 cases of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) and 5 pulmonary embolism, the prevalence rates were 0.8‰, 0.4‰, and 0.02‰ respectively. (2) Risk factors in different regions showed that, in the Pearl River Delta area, the major risk factors for DVT would include previous or family history of thrombosis, pregnancy complications, with medically involved diseases, prolonged bed rest and pregnancy weight gain>15 kg etc. While in eastern, western, northern parts of Guangdong, the major risk factors for DVT would include pregnancy weight gain>15 kg, prolonged bed rest, preeclampsia, cesarean section and complications during pregnancy. In Pearl River Delta region, the major risk factors for CVT would include eclampsia, preeclampsia, pregnancy complications, prolonged bed rest>3 days, past history or family history of thrombosis. While eclampsia, preeclampsia, advanced age or younger age, pregnancy weight gain>15 kg, complications during pregnancy were the major risk factors for CVT in the eastern, western or northern parts of Guangdong., Conclusion: Prevalence and major risk factors of peripartum thromboembolic disease in different regions of Guangdong were different. It was crucial to take effective measures in pregnant women with different epidemiological characteristics and risk factors to prevent and reduce the incidence of peripartum thromboembolic disease.

The present paper reports the design and preparation of an amphiphilic triblock co-polymer poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-poly(6,14-dimethyl-1,3,9,11-tetraoxa-6,14-diaza-cyclohexadecane-2,10-dione) (PADMC)-PCL and the use of micelles composed of them as carriers for pH-sensitive drug release. The triblock co-polymers were synthesized via two-step ring-opening polymerization with catalysis by Novozym-435 lipase. By adjusting the feed ratio, three co-polymers with different PCL lengths and the same PADMC length were produced. The block structure of the co-polymers obtained was confirmed by comparative studies on PCL-PADMC-PCLs and the corresponding random poly(ε-caprolactone-random-6,14-dimethyl-1,3,9,11-tetraoxa-6,14-diaza-cyclohexadecane-2,10-dione) (poly(CL-r-ADMC)) by means of nuclear magnetic resonance and differential scanning calorimetry. Cell cytotoxicity tests showed that the co-polymer displayed no apparent cytotoxicity to 293T and HeLa cells. Transmissions electron microscopy indicates that the self-assembled micelles exhibited a well-defined spherical shape with a diameter between ∼30 and 50 nm. The critical aggregation concentration was dependent on the block composition. Due to the presence of ionizable tertiary amine groups in the PADMC block, acid-induced variation in the micellar morphology was evident with respect to micelle size and size distribution. The size-pH curve was characterized by a smooth sigmoid form, and had a dramatic upward shift with decreasing pH from 6.5 to 4.5, which correlated well with the buffer range of hydrophilic PADMC. As a demonstration of the potential of PCL-PADMC-PCL micelles to control drug delivery, acid induced drug release for prednisone acetate-loaded micelles was explored. PCL-PADMC-PCL micelles show good promise as smart drug carriers, sensing the local specific pH decrease around lesion sites., (Copyright © 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this contribution is to develop a universal method to promote the serum-tolerant capability of polycation-based gene delivery system. A "hydroxylation camouflage" strategy was put forward by coating the polycation vectors with hydroxyl-enriched "skin". Branched polyethyleneimine (PEI) was herein used as the polycation model and modified via the catalyst-free aminolysis reaction with 5-ethyl-5-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-dioxan-2-oxo (EHDO). PEI-g-EHDO, PEI and alkylated PEI derivative termed as PEI-g-DPA were comparatively explored with respect to the transfection efficiency in the serum-free and serum-conditioned medium. The resultant data indicate that the serum-tolerant capability largely depended on the surface composition and substitution degree. In addition to the reduced surface charge, the introduced function caused by hydroxyl coating is believed to play a crucial role for the improved properties of PEI-g-EHDOs. The EHDO modification can effectively inhibit the adsorption of BSA proteins onto polyplexes surface. And the polyplexes stability was remarkably enhanced in the presence of DNase and heparin after EHDO modification. Note that the transfection activity of PEI-g-EHDO(34.5%) in the serum-conditioned medium was even higher than that without serum addition. In contrast, serum addition led to appreciable reduction in the transfection efficiency mediated by PEI and PEI-g-DPAs. Specifically, as far as the transfection activity in the presence of serum is concerned, PEI-g-EHDO could be up to 30-fold higher than unmodified PEI25k. PEI-g-EHDO(34.5%) displayed little to no hemolytic effect and high cell-biocompatibility with nearly no cytotoxicity detected in 293T cells and HeLa cells. Taking into account the high biocompatibility and serum-tolerant transfection activity, PEI-g-EHDO(34.5%) holds great potential for the use as efficient gene vector. More importantly, it is expected that such "hydroxylation camouflage" strategy may be universally applicable for a majority of existing polycation vectors., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We herein develop a facile catalyst-free method to prepare hyperbranched hydroxyl-enriched aliphatic polycarbonate according to SCROP strategy. PEG-attached multiarm hyperbranched copolymer HEHDO-star-mPEG was further designed. It was found that HEHDO-star-mPEG can self-assemble into supramolecular multimolecular micelles in water. HEHDO-star-mPEG micelle showed excellent stability with respect to micellar size upon dilution, and displayed good cell-biocompatibility. An anticancer drug of doxorubicin with hydrogen-bonding functionality was incorporated into obtained micelles to establish a drug delivery system model. A high drug-loading content as well as sustained release pattern for HEHDO-star-mPEG based delivery system was achieved., (Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Degradable polymers with specifically designed functionality have wide applications in biomedical fields. We reported herein the synthesis and characterization of a water-soluble and fast-degradable polycarbonate, functionalized with tertiary amine groups in the backbone. A novel cyclic carbonate monomer, namely, 6,14-dimethyl-1,3,9,11-tetraoxa-6,14-diaza-cyclohexadecane-2,10-dione (ADMC)(2), was synthesized and polymerized to provide the title polycarbonate [poly(ADMC)] via Novozym-435 lipase or tin(II) 2-ethylheaxanoate [Sn(Oct)(2)] catalyzed ring-opening polymerization (ROP). Novozym-435 lipase exhibited high activity toward the ROP in terms of molecular weight (M(n)) and monomer conversion, whereas the attempt with Sn(Oct)(2) failed. In the presence of molecular sieves-4 Å, the highest M(n) value of 1.2 × 10(4) g/mol was obtained in toluene with an initial monomer concentration of 0.58 M at 75 °C in the presence of 10 wt % of Novozym-435 to the monomer. Parameters that influence the polymerization, including reaction temperature, enzyme concentration, monomer concentration, and solvent composition, were investigated systematically. The resultant data suggested "living" characteristics for this enzyme-catalyzed polymerization, and the "living" feature seemed independent of the lipase concentration. The polymerization conducted in mixed solvents (toluene/isooctane) showed that product M(n)s were heavily dependent on the solvent composition. Poly(ADMC) was demonstrated to be amorphous by DSC technique. The obtained poly(ADMC) was found to be soluble in most of the organic solvents and interestingly in H(2)O as well. In vitro hydrolytic degradation of poly(ADMC) as monitored by GPC indicated the degradation was a relatively fast process. HPLC-ESI/MS and (1)H NMR analyses demonstrated that N-methyl diethanolamine was the main product after degradation. Poly(ADMC) presented low cytotoxicity toward human cervix carcinoma (HeLa) cells and hepatoblastoma cells (Hep G2), as demonstrated by MTT assay.

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) immune response must be reconstituted for long-term protection against CMV relapse and disease in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients. We phenotypically quantitated absolute numbers of CMV-pp65 peptide-specific CTLs (CTL(CMV)) in 50 related donor unmanipulated allografts infused into HLA-matched or -mismatched recipients and examined the incidence of CMV reactivation. High CTL(CMV) with terminally differentiated effector CD45RO(-)CD62L(-) cell (T(EMRA)) phenotype in the allografts were associated with reduced risk of CMV reactivation, in the presence of sufficient CD45RO(+)CD62L(-) cell (T(EM)) infusion (>/=0.208 x 10(6)/kg). Early after transplantation, there was significant expansion of CTL(CMV) with the central memory CD45RO(+)CD62L(+) cell (T(CM)) phenotype when CMV was reactivated. The frequencies of CTL(CMV) T(Naive) (CD45RO(-)CD62L(+)), T(CM), and T(EM) at day 90 posttransplantation and of CTL(CMV) T(EMRA) at day 60 posttransplantation were greater in recipients with higher infusions of CTL(CMV) T(EMRA), suggesting protective immunity transferred by infusion of CTL(CMV) within allografts. Moreover, the majority of the CTL(CMV) identified in the recipients early after HSCT was of donor origin. Our findings support that measuring levels of CTL(CMV) and its subsets in the donor grafts and manipulating these cells early after transplantation may help control CMV reactivation, which is closely correlated with immune reconstitution and differentiation of CTL(CMV) subsets.

HLA-mismatched/haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-mismatched HSCT) has improved the outcome of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in patients without an HLA-matched donor. To further improve the treatment outcome of haplo-mismatched HSCT in CML, a modifiable prognostic factor needs to be found. The cellular composition of grafts obtained from 75 HLA-mismatched/haploidentical related donors was prospectively correlated with the outcome of patients with CML undergoing haplo-mismatched HSCT following a modified regimen of BU/CY 2 plus antithymocyte globulin. The concentration of T-cell subsets, CD14+, and CD34+ cells and their relative proportions were analyzed. In univariate analyses, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) conversely correlated with the CD4/CD8 ratio in primed bone marrow graft (G-BM) (p = 0.012 and p = 0.040); similarly, CD4/CD8 ratio in total grafts was also negatively associated with DFS and OS (p = 0.018 and p = 0.020). In multivariate analyses, a CD4/CD8 ratio in G-BM higher than the median value remained the only factor negatively affecting DFS (p = 0.030; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.166-19.341). Expectedly, high CD34+ cell dose was associated with accelerated platelet engraftment (p = 0.009; 95% CI = 1.181-3.271) after controlling for a high risk of disease. No other clinical parameter was influenced by graft composition. Our results suggest that a high CD4/CD8 ratio in allografts may predict adverse survival in patients with CML undergoing haplo-mismatched HSCT.

The aim of study was to investigate the modulation effect of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) on adhesion molecule expression of memory T lymphocyte in the bone marrow grafts. rhG-CSF was administered in 41 donors by subcutaneous injection for 5 consecutive days. Bone marrow grafts were collected on day 4. The percentages of CD4+ and CD8+, and the expressions of CD49d, CD54, CD62L and CD11a on donor T cells of steady state-bone marrow grafts (SS-BM, n=11) and rhG-CSF primed bone marrow (G-BM, n=30) were analyzed by using multi-color flow cytometry. The results indicated that the percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were significantly lower in G-BM than those in SS-BM (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the percentages of memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells between SS-BM and G-BM (p>0.05). The expressions of CD49d on CD4+ and CD8+T cells were significantly lower in G-BM than that in SS-BM (p<0.05). Compared with SS-BM, the expressions of CD54 on CD4+, memory CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells were significantly lower in G-BM (p<0.05). The expressions of CD62L on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and memory T cells were all significantly lower in G-BM (p values were all less than 0.001). The expressions of CD11a on CD4+, memory CD4+ T cells were significantly lower in G-BM than that in SS-BM (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the expression of CD11a on CD8+, memory CD8+ T cells between SS-BM and G-BM (p>0.05). It is concluded that the expression of cell adhesion molecules on the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in G-BM is down-regulated after rhG-CSF treatment of healthy donors.

Objective: To investigate the cell composition in granulocyte colony-stimulating factor One (rhG-CSF) primed bone marrow grafts (G-BM) from donors with different characteristics., Methods: hundred and fifty healthy donors were injected subcutaneously rhG-CSF (5 microg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) in five consecutive days. Bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells were harvested at day 4 and day 5. The number of CD3, CD3+ CD4+, CD3+ CD8+, CD14+ , CD34+ and CD3+ CD4- CD8- cells were determined by multicolor flow cytometry. Cell composition of G-BM from donors with different characteristics, including sex, age, weight, pregnancy were analysed., Results: The absolute number of nuclear cells (NCs), lymphocytes, CD3+, CD3+ CD4+, CD3+ CD8+, CD14+, CD34+ and CD3+ CD4- CD8- cells in G-BM were 31 050 (12 200 -58 100), 2122 (506 - 6618), 1344 (307 - 4791), 692 (145 - 3038), 616 (112 - 2575), 986 (265 -2958), 63 (11 -505) and 83 (9 -390) per microliter, respectively. The number of NCs [33 800 (18 600 - 57 100)], CD34+ cells [76 (22 -505)], and CD3+ CD4+ CD8- regulatory T cells [97 (11 - 380)] harvested from younger donors (aged < or = 38 years) were significantly higher than those from older ones (aged > 38) [28000 (12200-58100), 49 (11-220), and 65 (9 - 389) per microliter (P = 0.027, < 0.001 and = 0.001, respectively)]. Compared with that in donors with peripheral blood monocytes (PBMs) < or = 0.37 x 10(9)/L, higher number of NCs in G-BM [27 150 (13 800 - 58 100) vs 33 550 (12 200 - 57 100), P = 0.005] were collected in donors with PBMs > 0.37 x 10(9)/L. Multivariate analysis showed that donors age (< or = 38 vs > 38 years; P = 0.01) and monocyte number in peripheral blood (< or = 0.37 x 10(9)/L vs > 0.37 x 10(9)/L; P = 0. 003) were factors predicting for NC yields, and donors age ( < or = 38 vs > 38 years; P < 0.001) was factor predicting for yields of CD34+ cells (P < 0.001) and CD3+ CD4- CD8- regulatory T cells (P = 0.001) collection., Conclusion: Donor age is a factor for the yields of NCs, CD34+ cells, and CD3+ CD4- CD8- regulatory T cells collection in G-BM, and donor's PBMs more than 0.37 x 10(9)/L, is another factor affecting NCs harvests.

The study was aimed to analyze the difference of naive and memory CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell subsets between steady-state bone marrow (SS-BM) and recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) mobilized peripheral blood grafts (G-PB). Four CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell subsets classified according to the expression of CD45RA and CD62L were determined by three-color flow cytometry. The results showed that the percentage of CD4(+), CD8(+) T-cell subsets and the ratios of CD4/CD8 in G-PB were significantly higher than those in SS-BM (p < 0.05). The percentage of CD4(+) naive T-cells in G-PB was significantly lower than that in SS-BM (p < 0.001). As compared with SS-BM, the percentage of CD4(+) effector memory T-cells was significantly high in G-PB (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the percentages of the four CD8(+) T-cell subsets between SS-BM and G-PB (p > 0.05). The percentage of CD4(+)CD62L(+) T-cells in G-PB was significantly lower than that in SS-BM (p = 0.001). The absolute numbers of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell subsets, the eight naive and memory CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell subsets were significantly higher in G-PB than those in SS-BM (p < 0.001). It is concluded that the difference of naive and memory CD4(+) and CD8(+) subsets between G-PB and SS-BM may partially explain why the incidence and severity of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was similar and the incidence of chronic GVHD was different after transplantation with SS-BM or G-PB.

The study was purposed to investigate the effect of bone marrow graft collection on the composition of peripheral blood stem cell grafts in healthy donors after recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) application in vivo. Sixty-two healthy donors were treated with rhG-CSF [5 microg/(kg.d)] injected subcutaneously for five consecutive days. Donors were divided into groups A and B, and 31 donors were there in each group. Bone marrow grafts and peripheral blood stem cell grafts were harvested on the day 4 and 5 respectively in group A. In group B, only peripheral blood grafts were collected on both the day 4 and 5. The quantities of the cell components, CD3(+), CD3(+)CD4(+), CD3(+)CD8(+), CD14(+), CD34(+) cells and CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) T cells were determined by multi-color flow cytometry. The results showed that median counts of nuclear cells (1.56 x 10(5)), lymphocytes (8.56 x 10(4)), CD3(+) (6.12 x 10(4)), CD3(+)CD4(+) (3.38 x 10(4)), CD3(+)CD8(+) (2.27 x 10(4)), CD14(+) (3.83 x 10(4)), CD34(+) cells (744) and CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) T cells (3588) per microliter of peripheral blood stem cell grafts in group A were similar to counts of nuclear cells (1.40 x 10(4)), lymphocytes (7.34 x 10(4)), CD3(+) (5.32 x 10(4)), CD3(+)CD4(+) (3.06 x 10(+)), CD3(+)CD8(+) (1.83 x 10(4)), CD14(+) (3.21 x 10(4)), CD34(+) cells (554) and CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) T cells (3120) in group B (p > 0.05). There were no difference in the ratios of CD4(+) cells/CD8(+) cells, CD14(+) cells/CD3(+) cells and CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) T cells/CD3(+) cells in peripheral blood stem cell grafts between group A [1.52 (0.54 - 2.87)], [0.57 (0.15 - 1.64)], [0.064 (0.018 - 0.673)] and group B [1.68 (0.31 - 3.35)], [0.59 (0.18 - 1.25)], [0.063 (0.021 - 0.136)] (p > 0.05). It is concluded that no effect of bone marrow graft collection on the composition of peripheral blood stem cell grafts in the same donor is found after rhG-CSF application in vivo, bone marrow grafts and peripheral blood stem cell grafts can be collected respectively or simultaneously.

To investigate expression of plk-1 gene and PLK-1 protein in acute leukemia patients and its clinical significance, and to observe the distribution of PLk-1 protein in acute leukemin cells, the mononuclear cells were separated from the bone marrow or peripheral blood of acute leukemia patients, bone marrow benign proliferation individuals and normal individuals. The expression of plk-1 gene and PLK-1 protein in those cells were detected with RT-PCR and flow cytometry respectively, the distribution pattern of PLK-1 was observed by fluorescent inverted microscope. The result showed that the expressions of plk-1 gene and PLK-1 protein in mononuclear cells of acute leukemia patients were much higher than that of bone marrow benign proliferation individuals and normal individuals. Fluorescent inverted microscopy revealed that PLK-1 was highly concentrated in cytoplasm of acute leukemia cells during interphase of mitosis, and it was found that PLK-1 was mainly distributed between sister chromatid during the mitosis in mononuclear cells of acute leukemia patients, but the expressions of plk-1 gene and PLK-1 protein almost were not observed in cells of benign proliferative bone marrow and normal bone marrow. It is concluded that increased plk-1 gene and protein perhaps play an important role in abnormal proliferation of acute leukemia cells and correlate with the malignamcy of leukemia. plk-1 gene or PLK-1 protein may be considered as a new target of therapy, and one of useful indicators in evaluation of curative efficiency and prognosis.

Objectives: To study the relationship between CT imaging features and the severity of chronic viral hepatitis., Methods: The clinical data and laboratory information of 120 chronic virus hepatitis patients were reviewed retrospectively. They were categorized into mild (34 cases), moderate (22), severe hepatitis (26) and hepatitis gravis (38) groups based on international standardized clinical criteria. All patients underwent standardized contrast-enhanced spiral CT dual-phase scanning of the upper abdomen. The changes of the liver, bile duct, spleen, portal venous system, lymph nodes of the upper abdomen, peritoneal cavity and pleural cavity were examined and noted. Correlation analysis was applied for the relationship of CT imaging features and the severity indices of chronic virus hepatitis., Results: As the severity of chronic hepatitis increased, which was reflected as serum albumin level went down and the value of ALT went up, the incidences of the following manifestations were also intensified: (1) intrahepatic perivascular lucency, (2) edema of the gallbladder fossa, (3) enlargement of abdominal lymph nodes, (4) ascites and (5) thoracic changes. Correlation between these CT manifestations and clinical severity of chronic viral hepatitis was of statistical significance., Conclusion: A close correlation exists between certain CT features of chronic hepatitis and the clinical severity of chronic viral hepatitis.

The PL and EL spectra of 5,6,11,12-tetraphenyl-tetracene doped 8-hydroxyquinoline are measured. It is found that Alq is host emitter when dopant concentration is low, and a discrete level is introduced by doping Rubrene (guest emitter) in Alq energy gap. As increasing Rubrene concentration, Rubrene is host emitter but Alq becomes guest emitter. Because overlap between absorption spectrum of Rubrene and emission spectrum of Alq is greater, the energy transfer and charge transfer between host emitter and guest emitter are occurred in PL of doping Alq thin film. As conductive band (LUMO) of Rubrene is much lower than that of Alq, and their valence bands (HOMO) are about the same, and electron concentration of conductive band of Rubrene is much greater than that of Alq, the rate of recombination between the electrons in conductive band and holes in valence band of Rubrene is much greater than in Alq, so EL is mainly emission of Rubrene.