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BackgroundA hospitalized-based cohort study suggested that elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are associated with radiographic sacroiliitis progression in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. However, data from community-based populations are limited.ObjectiveWe sought to determine the association between elevated CRP levels and AS diagnosis in a prospective community-based study of 129,681 Chinese adults over a follow-up period of 8 years.MethodsWe measured the plasma CRP concentration at baseline and every 2 years thereafter with the high-sensitivity (hs)-CRP test. Incident AS cases were confirmed on the basis of modified New York diagnostic criteria after review of medical records. We used Cox proportional-hazard models to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for AS on the basis of hs-CRP concentrations, adjusting for age, sex, education, income, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity, body mass index, blood-pressure status, blood glucose status, total cholesterol, history of cardiovascular disease, and use of antihypertensives, lipid-lowering agents, and aspirin.ResultsDuring 1,033,609 person-years (average 7.97 ± 1.36 years per person) of follow-up, we identified 55 incident AS cases. Baseline hs-CRP was positively associated with the risk of future AS. Compared with hs-CRP ConclusionThis is the first study in a community-based cohort to demonstrate that CRP plasma concentrations predict the risk of future AS, thus providing a test that is easy to routinely perform in the clinic to assess for AS risk.

Background Skeletal myoblast transplantation seems a promising approach for the repair of myocardial infarction (MI). However, the low engraftment efficacy and impaired angiogenic ability limit the clinical efficiency of the myoblasts. Gene engineering with angiogenic growth factors promotes angiogenesis and enhances engraftment of transplanted skeletal myoblasts, leading to improved infarction recovery in myocardial ischemia. The present study evaluated the therapeutic effects of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene-engineered skeletal myoblasts on tissue regeneration and restoration of heart function in a rat MI model. Methods and results The skeletal myoblasts were isolated, expanded, and transduced with adenovirus carrying the HGF gene (Ad-HGF). Male SD rats underwent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. After 2 weeks, the surviving rats were randomized into four groups and treated with skeletal myoblasts by direct injection into the myocardium. The survival and engraftment of skeletal myoblasts were determined by real-time PCR and in situ hybridization. The cardiac function with hemodynamic index and left ventricular architecture were monitored; The adenovirus-mediated-HGF gene transfection increases the HGF expression and promotes the proliferation of skeletal myoblasts in vitro. Transplantation of HGF-engineered skeletal myoblasts results in reduced infarct size and collagen deposition, increased vessel density, and improved cardiac function in a rat MI model. HGF gene modification also increases the myocardial levels of HGF, VEGF, and Bcl-2 and enhances the survival and engraftment of skeletal myoblasts. Conclusions HGF engineering improves the regenerative effect of skeletal myoblasts on MI by enhancing their survival and engraftment ability.