Genomic variations within DEFB1 are associated with the susceptibility to and the fatal outcome of severe sepsis in Chinese Han population

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome to infection. Human beta-defensin 1 (DEFB1) is a multifunctional mediator in infection and inflammation, which has been largely explored in ex vivo studies. The present case-control study was designed to investigate whether DEFB1 genomic variations are associated with the susceptibility to and the outcome of severe sepsis in 211 patients with severe sepsis and 157 ethnic-matched healthy controls. After correcting for multiple testing, the -44G/C was the only polymorphism found to show significant associations with both the susceptibility to and the fatal outcome of severe sepsis (P=0.0049, odd ratio (OR) 1.971 and P=0.002, OR 2.406, respectively). Haplotype -20A/-44C/-52G showed a protective role against severe sepsis (P=0.0066, OR 0.6751), whereas haplotype -20G/-44G/-52G served as a risk factor for the fatal outcome of severe sepsis (P=0.0052, OR 2.427). These findings provide further evidence that beta-defensin 1 may play a role in the pathogenesis of severe sepsis.

[A study on the relationship between lung cancer cell apoptosis and prognosis in patients with human non-small cell lung cancer.]

BACKGROUND

To explore the relationship between the apoptotic level of lung cancer cell and oncogenesis , development and prognosis of lung cancer.

METHODS

The apoptotic level of lung cancer cell was detected in 124 non2small cell lung cancer samples , and their normal lung tissues adjacent to cancer and 40 normal pulmonary tissues as control by TUNEL.

RESULTS

(1) The apoptotic index (AI) in the lung cancer tissues was significantly lower than that in the normal tissues adjacent to lung cancer and normal lung tissues ( P < 0. 01) ; (2) The AI of lung cancer cell was closely related to P2TNM stages , lymph node involvement of the cancer ( P < 0. 05) ,but no close relation was observed among the AI , histological classification , cancer differentiation , size of the primary tumor , site of the cancer , age , sex of patients and smoking or not ( P > 0. 05) ; (3) The 52year survival rate (45. 57 %) of patients in high AI group was significantly higher than that (14. 69 %) in lower AI group ( P < 0. 01) .

CONCLUSIONS

Apoptotic suppression of lung cancer cells may play an important role in the oncogenesis , development and prognosis of lung cancer. Detection of apoptosis of lung cancer cells might be helpful to predict prognosis and guide the postoperative treatment in patients with lung cancer.