[To compare the efficacy and incidence of severe hematological adverse events of flumatinib and imatinib in patients newly diagnosed with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia]

Objective: To analyze and compare therapy responses, outcomes, and incidence of severe hematologic adverse events of flumatinib and imatinib in patients newly diagnosed with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) . Methods: Data of patients with chronic phase CML diagnosed between January 2006 and November 2022 from 76 centers, aged ≥18 years, and received initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy within 6 months after diagnosis in China were retrospectively interrogated. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to reduce the bias of the initial TKI selection, and the therapy responses and outcomes of patients receiving initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy were compared. Results: A total of 4 833 adult patients with CML receiving initial imatinib (n=4 380) or flumatinib (n=453) therapy were included in the study. In the imatinib cohort, the median follow-up time was 54 [interquartile range (IQR), 31-85] months, and the 7-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.2%, 88.4%, 78.3%, and 63.0%, respectively. The 7-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 71.8%, 93.0%, and 96.9%, respectively. With the median follow-up of 18 (IQR, 13-25) months in the flumatinib cohort, the 2-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.4%, 86.5%, 58.4%, and 46.6%, respectively. The 2-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 80.1%, 95.0%, and 99.5%, respectively. The PSM analysis indicated that patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had significantly higher cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) and higher probabilities of FFS than those receiving the initial imatinib therapy (all P<0.001), whereas the PFS (P=0.230) and OS (P=0.268) were comparable between the two cohorts. The incidence of severe hematologic adverse events (grade≥Ⅲ) was comparable in the two cohorts. Conclusion: Patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had higher cumulative incidences of therapy responses and higher probability of FFS than those receiving initial imatinib therapy, whereas the incidence of severe hematologic adverse events was comparable between the two cohorts.

[Clinical efficacy and safety of venetoclax combined with multidrug chemotherapy in the treatment of 15 patients with relapsed or refractory early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia]

Objective: To explore the efficacy and safety of Venetoclax combined with multidrug chemotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R ETP-ALL) . Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 15 patients with R/R ETP-ALL who received Venetoclax combined with multidrug chemotherapy from December 2018 to February 2022. Among them, eight cases were combined with demethylated drugs, four cases were combined with demethylated drugs and HAAG chemotherapy regimen, two cases were combined with demethylated drugs and CAG regimen, and one case was combined with Cladribine. Specific usage and dosage of Venetoclax: 100 mg on day 1, 200 mg on day 2, 400 mg on day 3-28, orally; when combined with azole antifungal drugs, dosage was reduced to 100 mg/d. Results: Fifteen patients (10 males and 5 females) with R/R ETP-ALL were treated with Venetoclax and multidrug chemotherapy with a median age of 35 (12-42) years old. Of 4 refractory and 11 relapsed patients, the efficacy was evaluated on the 21th day following combined chemotherapy: the overall response rate, the complete response (CR) rate, and the CR with incomplete hematological recovery (CRi) rate were 67.7% (10/15), 60.0% (9/15), and 6.7% (1/15), respectively. For the overall study population, the 12-month overall survival (OS) rate was 60.0%, and the median OS was 17.7 months. The disease-free survival (DFS) rate of all CR patients at 12 months was 60.0%, and the median DFS did not reach. About 14 patients had Ⅲ-Ⅳ hematological toxicity, but these adverse reactions were all controllable. No adverse reaction in the nervous system and tumor lysis syndrome occurred in this study, and no adverse reaction of organs above grade Ⅲ occurred. Conclusion: Venetoclax combined with multidrug chemotherapy may be a safe and promising treatment option for patients with R/R ETP-ALL.

[Efficacy and safefy of Polymyxin B treatment for neutropenic patients suffering from refractory Gram-negative bacterial bloodstream infection]

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of polymyxin B in neutropenic patients with hematologic disorders who had refractory gram-negative bacterial bloodstream infection. Methods: From August 2021 to July 2022, we retrospectively analyzed neutropenic patients with refractory gram-negative bacterial bloodstream infection who were treated with polymyxin B in the Department of Hematology of the First Affiliated Hospital of the Soochow University between August 2021 to July 2022. The cumulative response rate was then computed. Results: The study included 27 neutropenic patients with refractory gram-negative bacterial bloodstream infections. Polymyxin B therapy was effective in 22 of 27 patients. The median time between the onset of fever and the delivery of polymyxin B was 3 days [interquartile range (IQR) : 2-5]. The median duration of polymyxin B treatment was 7 days (IQR: 5-11). Polymyxin B therapy had a median antipyretic time of 37 h (IQR: 32-70). The incidence of acute renal dysfunction was 14.8% (four out of 27 cases), all classified as "injury" according to RIFLE criteria. The incidence of hyperpigmentation was 59.3%. Conclusion: Polymyxin B is a viable treatment option for granulocytopenia patients with refractory gram-negative bacterial bloodstream infections.

[Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in acute leukemia patients with the SET-NUP214 fusion gene: Efficacy and survival analysis]

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for patients with acute leukemia who are positive for the SET-NUP214 fusion gene (SET-NUP214⁺AL). Methods: This was a retrospective case series study. Clinical data of 18 patients with SET-NUP214⁺AL who received allo-HSCT in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University and Soochow Hongci Hematology Hospital from December 2014 to October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed to investigate treatment efficacy and prognosis. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. Results: Of the 18 patients, 12 were male and 6 were female, and the median age was 29 years (range, 13-55 years). There were six cases of mixed phenotype acute leukemia (three cases of myeloid/T, two cases of B/T, one case of myeloid/B/T), nine cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (one case of B-ALL and eight cases of T-ALL), and three cases of acute myeloid leukemia. All patients received induction chemotherapy after diagnosis, and 17 patients achieved complete remission (CR) after chemotherapy. All patients subsequently received allo-HSCT. Pre-transplantation status: 15 patients were in the first CR, 1 patient was in the second CR, 1 was in partial remission, and 1 patient did not reach CR. All patients were successfully implanted with stem cells. The median time of granulocyte and platelet reconstitution was +12 and +13 days, respectively. With a median follow-up of 23 (4-80) months, 15 patients survived, while 3 patients died. The cause of death was recurrence of SET-NUP214⁺AL after transplantation. After allo-HSCT, 5 patients relapsed. The estimated 3-year overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) rates were 83.3%±15.2% and 55.4%±20.7%, respectively. Among the 15 patients who achieved CR before transplantation, there was no significant difference in OS and RFS between haploidentical HSCT and matched sibling donor HSCT (all P>0.05). Conclusions: Allo-HSCT can improve the prognosis and long-term survival rate of patients with SET-NUP214⁺AL. Disease recurrence is the most important factor affecting long-term survival.

Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genomes of Diplodiscus japonicus and Diplodiscus mehari (Trematoda: Diplodiscidae): Comparison with the members of the superfamily Paramphistomoidea and phylogenetic implication

Diplodiscus japonicus and Diplodiscus mehari (Trematoda: Diplodiscidae) are two important parasites in wood frogs, which have large infection rates and essential importance of ecology, economy and society. In this study, the complete mitochondrial (mt) genomes of D. japonicus and D. mehari were sequenced, then compared with other related trematodes in the superfamily Paramphistomoidea. The complete circular mt sequence of D. japonicus and D. mehari were 14,210 bp and 14,179 bp in length, respectively. Both mt genomes comprised 36 functional subunits, consisting of 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and one non-coding region. The mt genes of D. japonicus and D. mehari were transcribed in the same direction, and the gene arrangements were identical to those of Paramphistomoidea trematodes. In the 12 PCGs, GTG was the most common initiation codon, whereas TAG was the most common termination codon. All tRNAs had a typical cloverleaf structure except tRNA Ser1. A comparison with related Paramphistomoidea trematode mt genomes suggested that the cox1 gene of D. mehari was the longest in these trematodes. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that Paramphistomoidea trematodes formed a monophyletic branch, Paramphistomidae and Gastrothylacidae were more closely related than Diplodiscidae. And the further analysis with Pronocephalata branch found that the flukes parasitic in amphibians (frogs) formed one group, and the flukes from ruminants (cattle, sheep, ect) formed another group. Our study demonstrated the importance of sequencing mt genomes of D. japonicus and D. mehari, which will provide significant molecular resources for further studies of Paramphistomoidea taxonomy, population genetics and systematics.

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The complete mt genomes of Diplodiscus japonicus and D. mehari were determined first time.

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There is only one NCR in Diplodiscus japonicus and D. mehari complete mt genomes.

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Phylogenetic analyses revealed two monophyletic groups for the flukes parasitic in amphibians and ruminants.

Changes of gut microbiota structure in rats infected with Toxoplasma gondii

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection can cause intestinal inflammation in rodents and significantly alters the structure of gut microbiota. However, the effects of different T. gondii genotypes on the gut microbiota of rats remain unclear. In this study, acute and chronic T. gondii infection in Fischer 344 rats was induced artificially by intraperitoneal injection of tachyzoites PYS (Chinese 1 ToxoDB#9) and PRU (Type II). Fecal 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was employed to analyze the gut microbiota structure at different stages of infection, and to compare the effects of infection by two T. gondii genotypes. Our results suggested that the infection led to structural changes of gut microbiota in rats. At the acute infection stage, the microbiota diversity increased, while both diversity and abundance of beneficial bacteria decreased at the chronic infection stage. The differences of microbiota structure were caused by strains of different genotypes. However, the diversity changes were consistent. This study demonstrates that the gut microbiota plays an important role in T. gondii infection in rats. The data will improve our understanding of the association between T. gondii infection and gut microbiota in rodents.

[Clinical effects of autologous follicular unit extraction transplantation in the treatment of small area secondary cicatricial alopecia after burns]

Objective: To explore the clinical effects of autologous follicular unit extraction (FUE) transplantation in the treatment of small area secondary cicatricial alopecia (hereinafter referred to as cicatricial alopecia) after burns. Methods: A retrospective observational study was carried out. According to the adopted treatment methods, 18 patients (12 males and 6 females, aged (29±6) years) who received autologous FUE transplantation for small area cicatricial alopecia after burns from March 2017 to November 2019 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University were included in FUE transplantation group, and 18 patients (13 males and 5 females, aged (33±5) years) who were treated with expanded flap transplantation for small area cicatricial alopecia after burns by the same surgery team during the same period in the same hospital were included in expanded flap transplantation group. All the patients were followed up for more than 1 year. At the last follow-up, the follicular unit density in the transplanted area was measured by Folliscope hair detection system and the hair survival rate was calculated; the visual analogue scale (VAS) method was adopted to evaluate the treatment effect; patients were asked their satisfaction with the treatment effect and the occurrence of complications during follow-up; the hair growth and the scalp thickness, pain, pruritus, pigmentation, and surface roughness of the transplanted area were recorded. Data were statistically analyzed with Fisher's exact probability test and independent sample t test. Results: At the last follow-up, the follicular unit density in the transplanted area of patients in FUE transplantation group was (46.8±2.0)/cm2, which was significantly higher than (42.5±4.3)/cm2 in expanded flap transplantation group (t=3.84, P<0.01); the hair survival rates of patients were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). At the last follow-up, VAS scores evaluating the treatment effect of patients were similar between the two groups (P>0.05); the satisfaction score of patients toward the treatment effect in FUE transplantation group was 8.6±1.1, which was significantly higher than 7.6±0.8 in expanded flap transplantation group (t=2.89, P<0.01). During the follow-up, no inflammation or infection occurred in patients of the two groups, but only 2 patients in expanded flap transplantation group had postoperative pain. At the last follow-up, the transplanted area of patients in the two groups was covered with new hair, and the hair growth direction was basically consistent with the surrounding normal hair; scalp thickness, pain, pruritus, pigmentation, and surface roughness of the transplanted area of patients were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusions: Autologous FUE transplantation has better long-term follicular unit density and patients' satisfaction than expanded flap transplantation in the treatment of small area cicatricial alopecia after burns, showing better postoperative effect and a good prospect of clinical application.

Prevalence of Theileria in cattle in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Theileria, one of the causative agents of blood protozoan, has brought a huge economic loss to the cattle industry worldwide. However, the epidemiology of Theileria in Chinese cattle has not been systematically investigated. This comprehensive review aimed at investigating the prevalence of Theileria infection in cattle in China. A total of 48 published papers on Theileria infection in cattle in China (including data from 21,366 animals) from inception to October 8, 2021 met the inclusion standard after searching in five databases (Technology Periodical Database, Wan Fang Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed, and ScienceDirect). The pooled prevalence of Theileria in cattle in China was 32.4% identified by using a random effects model. The prevalence in Northeastern China (45.3%) was higher than that in other regions. In the sex subgroup, the prevalence of Theileria was higher in females (48.9%) than that in males (45.8%). The prevalence of Theileria was higher in cattle of free range (34.4%) compared with that of intensive farming (22.3%). The prevalence prior to 2013 (36.1%) was higher than that after 2013 (33.6%). Among three cattle species, dairy cows had the lowest prevalence (21.5%). The prevalence of Theileria (T.) annulata (22.2%) and T. sergenti (26.2%) was higher than other species of Theileria (T. buffeli: 17.5%, T. luwenshuni: 0.9%, T. orientalis: 15.5%, T. ovis: 0.21%, T. sinensis: 20.2%, T. uilenbergi: 6.2%, Others: 0.9%). We also analyzed the impact of different geographic factor subgroups (longitude, latitude, precipitation, temperature, humidity, and altitude) on the prevalence of Theileria in cattle. Among them, climatic factors of longitude, latitude, precipitation, humidity, temperature were associated with the prevalence of Theileria. These analyses suggested that Theileria was common in cattle in China. Targeted prevention programs based on geographic and climatic conditions in different areas may play an important role in reducing Theileria infection among cattle.

Molecular Detection of Cryptosporidium spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi Infection in Wild Rodents From Six Provinces in China

Enterocytozoon (E.) bieneusi and Cryptosporidium spp. are the most important zoonotic enteric pathogens associated with diarrheal diseases in animals and humans. However, it is still not known whether E. bieneusi and Cryptosporidium spp. are carried by wild rodents in Shanxi, Guangxi, Zhejiang, Shandong, and Inner Mongolia, China. In the present study, a total of 536 feces samples were collected from Rattus (R.) norvegicus, Mus musculus, Spermophilus (S.) dauricus, and Lasiopodomys brandti in six provinces of China, and were detected by PCR amplification of the SSU rRNA gene of Cryptosporidium spp. and ITS gene of E. bieneusi from June 2017 to November 2020. Among 536 wild rodents, 62 (11.6%) and 18 (3.4%) samples were detected as E. bieneusi- and Cryptosporidium spp.-positive, respectively. Differential prevalence rates of E. bieneusi and Cryptosporidium spp. were found in different regions. E. bieneusi was more prevalent in R. norvegicus, whereas Cryptosporidium spp. was more frequently identified in S. dauricus. Sequence analysis indicated that three known Cryptosporidium species/genotypes (Cryptosporidium viatorum, Cryptosporidium felis, and Cryptosporidium sp. rat genotype II/III) and two uncertain Cryptosporidium species (Cryptosporidium sp. novel1 and Cryptosporidium sp. novel2) were present in the investigated wild rodents. Meanwhile, 5 known E. bieneusi genotypes (XJP-II, EbpC, EbpA, D, and NCF7) and 11 novel E. bieneusi genotypes (ZJR1 to ZJR7, GXM1, HLJC1, HLJC2, and SDR1) were also observed. This is the first report for existence of E. bieneusi and Cryptosporidium spp. in wild rodents in Shanxi, Guangxi, Zhejiang, and Shandong, China. The present study also demonstrated the existence of E. bieneusi and Cryptosporidium spp. in S. dauricus worldwide for the first time. This study not only provided the basic data for the distribution of E. bieneusi and Cryptosporidium genotypes/species, but also expanded the host range of the two parasites. Moreover, the zoonotic E. bieneusi and Cryptosporidium species/genotypes were identified in the present study, suggesting wild rodents are a potential source of human infections.

[Evaluation of the effectiveness of community health education for the prevention and control of retransmission of imported malaria in Zhangjiagang City]

OBJECTIVE

To increase the awareness of malaria prevention and control among people going abroad and returners, so as to prevent the local retransmission of oversea imported malaria.

METHODS

Health education interventions for malaria control were given to people going abroad and returners in communities, and the changes of malaria prevention and control knowledge and medical-seeking behaviors were observed among the target populations.

RESULTS

There were 367 people going abroad and oversea returners from malaria-endemic areas in Zhangjiagang City from July 2018 to December 2019, and 18 imported malaria cases were found. Following the implementation of community health education, the awareness of malaria prevention and control knowledge increased significantly from 35.09% to 93.08% among the target populations (χ² = 78.130, P < 0.01), and the proportions of carrying anti-malarial drugs and administration of anti-malarial drugs for emergency treatment increased from 12.14% and 11.46% to 26.79% and 26.79% (χ² = 8.793 and 9.834, P < 0.05), respectively. In addition, the mean duration from malaria onset to the definitive diagnosis reduced from (5.86 ± 4.45) days to (3.11 ± 1.28) days (U = 64.000, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Community health education based on the precision community administration is an effective approach for malaria control in current era.

LINC00162 participates in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy via modulating the miR-383/HDAC9 signalling pathway

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common chronic complication of diabetes. In this study, we aimed to explore the potential role of lncRNA LINC-00162 in the pathogenic process of DN. LncRNA microarray analysis, real-time PCR, IHC computational analysis and luciferase assay were performed to explore the regulatory relationship among LINC00162, miR-383 and HDAC9. There was an obvious difference between T2D + DN and T2D - DN patients in their levels of eGRF and albuminuria. A significant difference was observed between T2D + DN and T2D - DN groups in terms of their LINC00162 expression. In particular, LINC00162 and HDAC9 were highly expressed, while miR-383 was lowly expressed in tissues derived from the T2D + DN group compared with those in tissues derived from the T2D - DN group. MiR-383 was able to bind to LINC00162, while HDAC9 was a direct downstream target of miR-383 with a complementary miR-383 binding site located in the 3' UTR of HDAC9. LINC00162 reduced miR-383 expression and further up-regulated HDAC9 expression, while miR-383 mimics reduced HDAC9 expression under a dose-dependent manner. In summary, we suggested for the first time that down-regulation of LINC00162 was associated with the development of DN in T2D via the up-regulation of miR-383 expression and reduction of HDAC9 expression.

[Analysis of early death factors and prognosis of acute promyelocytic leukemia]

目的

总结初诊急性早幼粒细胞白血病（APL）早期死亡患者的临床特征，分析早期死亡的危险因素和直接死亡原因，同时对患者进行生存分析。

方法

回顾性分析2011年1月至2017年12月苏州大学附属第一医院、苏州大学附属第一医院广慈分院、苏州弘慈血液病医院收治的368例初诊APL患者的临床特征，分析早期死亡的独立危险因素，比较出血性早期死亡与非出血性早期死亡患者的临床特征，并对所有APL患者进行生存分析。

结果

368例初诊APL患者中早期死亡31例，早期病死率为8.4%，从诊断至死亡的中位时间为7（0~29）d。比较早期死亡患者与非早期死亡患者的临床特征，应用Logistic回归模型进行多因素分析显示，年龄≥50岁和初诊时WBC≥10×10⁹/L为初诊APL患者发生早期死亡的独立危险因素（P值均<0.01）。31例早期死亡患者中有27例（87.1%）的直接死亡原因为出血，出血是<50岁患者的唯一死亡原因，≥50岁患者的主要死亡原因。比较出血性早期死亡患者与非出血性早期死亡患者的临床特征，提示出血性早期死亡患者的中位年龄和间接胆红素水平较非出血性早期死亡患者低（P<0.05）。所有患者中位随访时间为41.0（0.3~101.4）个月。2年总生存（OS）率为（93.5±1.3）%，5年OS率为（91.0±1.5）%。2年无病生存（DFS）率为（98.8±0.6）%，5年DFS率为（97.1±0.9）%。≥50岁与<50岁患者的2年OS率分别为79.3%和94.2%（P=0.000）；2年DFS率分别为92.3%和98.1%（P=0.023）。高危患者与非高危患者的2年OS率分别为77.3%和96.7%（P=0.000）；2年DFS率分别为94.0%和98.4%（P=0.139）。

结论

年龄≥50岁和WBC≥10×10⁹/L是APL患者早期死亡的独立危险因素；高危和低危APL的早期病死率有差异而DFS率差异无统计学意义。

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Toxoplasma gondii Infection Among Five Wild Rodent Species from Five Provinces of China

Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular zoonotic parasite, can infect humans and various animals worldwide. Wild rodents plan an important role as intermediate hosts of T. gondii. Some studies on T. gondii from wild rodents have been published, but the investigation data of T. gondii in wild rodents in China are limited. Therefore, brain tissue samples from 382 wild rodents in four provinces and one autonomous region of China were screened by PCR amplification of T. gondii B1 gene. Furthermore, the wild rodents were identified as five species based on their morphological characteristics, including Citellus dauricus (n = 35 from Heilongjiang), Lasiopodomys brandti (n = 81 from Inner Mongolia), Apodemus agrarius (n = 12 from Heilongjiang), Rattus norvegicus (n = 2 from Heilongjiang; n = 99 from Zhejiang; n = 54 from Shanxi), and Mus musculus (n = 99 from Guangxi). The overall prevalence of T. gondii in these wild rodents was 5.24% (20/382) in this study. At different regions, the highest prevalence of T. gondii was in Guangxi (12.12%) compared with other regions (0% in Heilongjiang; 2.47% in Inner Mongolia; 2.02% in Zhejiang; 7.41% in Shanxi). At different climates, the higher prevalence was found in temperate/mesothermal climates (7.07%) compared with continental/microthermal climates (3.26%). Also, the results showed that M. musculus had the highest prevalence of T. gondii infection (12.12%) among the rodent species sampled. Moreover, sampling year was significantly related to the prevalence of T. gondii in investigated wild rodents (p = 0.0117). This is the first report of T. gondii in wild rodents from Zhejiang, Guangxi, Shanxi, Heilongjiang provinces and Inner Mongolia autonomous region in China, providing the fundamental information for further prevention and control of toxoplasmosis in China.

Prevalence of Clonorchis sinensis infection in fish in South-East Asia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Clonorchis sinensis, an important fish-borne zoonotic trematode, is widely distributed in South-East Asia, especially in China. Infections from human and animal reservoir hosts occur due to the consumption of raw or undercooked fish with C. sinensis metacercariae. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of C. sinensis metacercariae in fish in South-East Asia via systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched PubMed, ScienceDirect, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and Chongqing VIP databases for studies published between 1976 and 2020 that are related to the prevalence of C. sinensis metacercariae in fish. Studies were screened with keywords based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Seventy-one eligible articles were identified, covering three countries: China, Korea and Vietnam. The pooled prevalence of C. sinensis metacercariae in fish from South-East Asia was 30.5%, with 35.1% in China, 29.7% in Korea and 8.4% in Vietnam. In subgroup analyses of climate, season, water source and publication date, the highest prevalence was identified in the Dwb climate type (43.3%), summer (70.2%), river (34.5%) and pre-2001 publications (38.9%), respectively. In comparison, the lowest prevalence was found in the Dfa climate type (14.5%), winter (19.5%), lake (8.0%) and post-2001 publications (23.8%). Meta-regression results indicated that country (p = .009), the published time (p = .035) and water source subgroups (p = .003) may be the source of heterogeneity. Overall, our study indicates that a high prevalence of C. sinensis infections occurs in fish in China, Korea and Vietnam, illuminating a significant public health concern in these countries.

[CAR T-cell bridging to allo-HSCT for relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: the follow-up outcomes]

Objective: This study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell bridging allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in the treatment of recurrent and refractory acute B-lymphocytic leukemia (R/R B-ALL) . Methods: A total of 50 R/R B-ALL patients who underwent CAR T-scell therapy to bridge allo-HSCT in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2017 to May 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The overall survival (OS) rate, event-free survival (EFS) rate, cumulative recurrence rate (CIR) , and transplant-related mortality (TRM) of patients with different bone marrow minimal residual disease (MRD) levels were analyzed before and after CAR T-cell infusion and before allo-HSCT. Results: The response rate of CAR T-cell therapy and the incidence rate of severe cytokine release syndrome were 92% and 28% , respectively. During 55 infusions, no treatment-related deaths occurred in any of the patients. The median time of CAR T-cell infusion to allo-HSCT was 54 (26-232) days, the median follow-up time after CAR T-cell infusion was 637 (117-1097) days, and the 1-year OS and EFS rates were (80.0±5.7) % and (60.0±6.9) % . The 1-year CIR and TRM after allo-HSCT were (28.0±0.4) % and (8.0±0.2) % . After CAR T-cell infusion and before allo-HSCT, patients with bone marrow MRD<0.01% had a significantly longer EFS [ (70.0±7.2) % vs (20.0±12.6) % , P<0.001; (66.7±7.5) % vs (36.4±14.5) % , P=0.008]and lower CIR [ (25.0±0.5) % vs (70.0±2.6) % , P<0.001; (23.08±0.47) % vs (45.45±2.60) % , P=0.038]. Conclusion: CAR T-cell therapy bridging allo-HSCT is safe and effective for recurrent and refractory B-ALL.

Toxoplasma gondii Seropositivity and Associated Risk Factors in Cats (Felis catus) in Three Provinces in Northeastern China from 2013 to 2019

Toxoplasma gondii is an important protozoan parasite that can infect a range of animals. Cats are the most important definitive hosts for T. gondii. Therefore, an assessment of the level of T. gondii infection in cats is of public health importance. As limited information about seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in cats in northeastern China was available, 854 serum samples, including 235 cats in Jilin province, 267 cats in Liaoning province, and 352 cats in Heilongjiang province, were examined by an indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA) test, between September 2013 and July 2019. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii was 19.09% (163/854) at the cutoff 1:64, with 19.60% (69/352), 18.29% (43/235), and 19.10% (51/267) in Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that mode of life was highly related to T. gondii infection in cats at the investigation areas. These results could provide foundation data for prevention and control of T. gondii prevalence in these regions. Moreover, the results also suggested that the effective control strategies should continue to be performed.

[Chromosomal aberrations detection in chronic lymphocytic leukemia by conventional cytogenetics using DSP30 and IL-2]

Objective: To study the value of unmethylated cytosine guanine dinucleotide oligodeoxynucleotide (DSP30) and IL-2 in the conventional cytogenetic (CA) detection of the chromosomal aberrations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) . Methods: Bone marrow or peripheral blood cells of CLL patients were cultured with DSP30 plus IL-2 for 72 h, following which R-banding analysis was conducted. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed in 85 patients. CA results were compared with data obtained by FISH. Results: Among 89 CLL patients, the success rate of chromosome analysis was 94.38% (84/89) . Clonal aberrations were detected in 51 patients (51/84, 60.71%) . Of them, 27 (27/51, 52.94%) were complex karyotype. Among 85 CLL patients tested by FISH, chromosomal abnormalities were detected in 74 (74/85, 87.06%) patients, of which 2 (2/74) patients were complex karyotypes, accounting for 2.70%. Of the 85 CLL patients examined by FISH, 50 had abnormal karyotype analysis, 30 had normal karyotype, 5 failed to have chromosome analysis. Among them, 25 cases showed clonal aberrations by FISH assay but normal by CA, and 4 cases were normal by FISH but displayed aberrations in chromosome analysis, and totally 78 (91.76%) cases with abnormality detected by the combination of the two methods. The frequency of 13q- abnormality detected by FISH was significantly higher than that by CA analysis (69.41%vs 16.67%, P<0.001) , while the frequency of 11q-,+12 and 17p- detected by two methods showed no significant difference (P>0.05) . The detection rate of complex abnormalities in conventional karyotype analysis was higher than that in FISH (50.98%vs 2.70%) . In addition, 11 low-risk and 9 intermediate-risk patients according to FISH results showed complex karyotype by cytogenetics, and were classified into high-risk cytogenetic subgroup. Conclusion: DSP30 and IL-2 are effective in improving the detection rate of CA in CLL patients (60.71%) and CA is more effective to detect complex karyotype. However, FISH had a higher overall abnormality detection rate (87.06%) than CA, especially for 13q-. The combination of CA and FISH not only enhanced the detection rate of clonal aberrations to 91.76%, but also provided more precise prognosis stratification for CLL patients, thus to provide more information for clinical implication.

[Effect of consolidation before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for non-favorable acute myeloid leukemia patients with first complete remisson and negative minimal residual disease]

目的

探讨异基因造血干细胞移植（allo-HSCT）前巩固化疗对第1次形态学完全缓解且微小残留病阴性（CR₁/MRD⁻）中/高危急性髓系白血病（AML）患者预后的影响。

方法

对2010年1月至2019年3月在CR₁/MRD⁻状态下接受allo-HSCT的155例中/高危AML（不含急性早幼粒细胞白血病）患者进行回顾性分析。

结果

全部155例患者中，102例获得CR₁/MRD⁻后接受移植前巩固化疗（巩固组），53例获得CR₁/MRD⁻后直接行allo-HSCT（非巩固组），两组中位年龄分别为39（18~56）岁、38（19~67）岁。巩固组、非巩固组移植后5年总生存率分别为（59.3±7.5）%、（62.2±6.9）%（P=0.919），无复发生存率分别为（53.0±8.9）%、（61.6±7.0）%（P=0.936），累积复发率分别为（21.9±5.4）%、（18.3±6.0）%（P=0.942），非复发死亡率分别为（22.4±4.3）%、（28.4±6.5）%（P=0.464）。多因素分析显示，移植前是否接受巩固化疗及其疗程（<2个/≥2个）对预后无显著影响。

结论

中/高危AML患者可在获得CR₁/MRD⁻后直接进行allo-HSCT。

[Prognostic value of donor chimerism at +90 days after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in young patients with intermediate-risk acute myeloid leukemia]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between donor chimerism and relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) . Methods: The clinical data of 105 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who underwent allo-HSCT and recurrence-free survival>90 days from January 2010 to January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The bone marrow samples were collected at 15, 30, 60, 90, 180, 270, 360 days after transplantation. Donor chimerism was detected by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) -PCR. Results: Of the 105 patients, 43 cases were male and 62 cases were female, with a median age of 38 (16-60) years. Till April 2019, the median follow-up was 843 (94-3 261) days. Ninety days after transplantation, 18 cases relapsed, 33 cases died, and 72 cases survived. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate was (66.8±5.1) %, and the recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate was (65.1±5.0) %. Pre-transplant disease status, pre-transplant minimal residual disease (MRD) , and 90 day post-transplantation chimerism were independent risk factors related to RFS. The risk of recurrence was significantly increased in patients with a donor chimerism rate ≤97.24% at 90 days after transplantation[HR=6.921 (95%CI 2.669-17.950) , P<0.001], which was considered as a sign of early relapse. Conclusion: SNP-PCR is an applicable method for detecting donor chimerism in patients after allo-HSCT. Chimerism rate equal or less than 97.24% at 90 days after transplantation predicts a higher risk of relapse.

Comparative analyses of complete ribosomal DNA sequences of Clonorchis sinensis and Metorchis orientalis: IGS sequences may provide a novel genetic marker for intraspecific variation

Both Clonorchis sinensis and Metorchis orientalis are the fish-borne zoonotic trematodes, and have a wide distribution of southeastern Asia, especially in China. Due to the similar morphology, life cycle, and parasitic positions are difficult to differentiate between both metacercariae. In the present study, the complete rDNA sequences of five C. sinensis and five M. orientalis were obtained and compared for the first time. And the IGS rDNA sequences were tested as a genetic marker. The results showed complete rDNA lengths of C. sinensis were range from 8049 bp to 8391 bp, including 1991 bp, 1116 bp, 3854 bp, and 1088-1430 bp belonging to 18S, ITS, 28S and IGS, respectively. And the complete rDNA lengths of M. orientalis were range from 7881 bp to 9355 bp, including 1991 bp, 1077 bp, 3856 bp, and 957-2431 bp belonging to 18S, ITS, 28S and IGS, respectively. Comparative analyses reveal length difference main in IGS, which has higher intraspecific and interspecific variations than other ribosomal regions. Forty four repeat (forward and inverted) sequences were found in the complete rDNAs of C. sinensis and M. orientalis. The phylogenetic analyses showed that the sequences of ITS1, ITS2, 18S and 28S could be used as different level genetic markers. In IGS phylogenetic tree, Opisthorchiidae, Paramphistomidae, Dicrocoeliidae, and Schistosomatidae formed monophyletic groups, and the same length sequences were clustered together in the same species. These findings of the present study provide the new molecular data for studying the complete rDNA of C. sinensis and M. orientalis, and indicate IGS sequences may used as a novel genetic marker for studying intraspecific variation in trematodes.

[Efficacy of Hyper-CVAD/MA and CHALL-01 regimens in the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients under 60 years old]

Objective: To compare the difference of efficacy between traditional Hyper-CVAD/MA regimen and the adolescents inspired chemotherapy regimen, CH ALL-01, in treatment of adult Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph(+) ALL) . Methods: In this study we retrospectively analyzed 158 Ph(+) ALL patients receiving Hyper-CVAD/MA regimen (n=63) or CHALL-01 regimen (n=95) in our center and Changzheng hospital from January 2007 to December 2017, excluding patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in blast crisis. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) was administered during induction and consolidation chemotherapy. Patients who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation received TKI as maintenance therapy. Results: Of them, 91.1% (144/158) patients achieved complete remission (CR) after 1-2 courses of induction. CR rate was 90.5% (57/63) for patients in Hyper-CVAD/MA group and 91.6% (87/95) for patients in CHALL-01 group. There was no difference in CR rates between the two groups (χ(2)=0.057, P=0.811) . The last follow-up was June 2018. A cohort of 134 CR patients could be used for further analysis, among them, 53 patients received Hyper-CVAD/MA regimen and other 81 patients received CHALL-01 regimen. The molecular remission rates were significantly higher in CHALL-01 group (complete molecular response: 44.4%vs 22.6%; major molecular response: 9.9% vs 18.9%) (χ(2)=7.216, P=0.027) . For the patients in Hyper-CVAD/MA group, the 4-year overall survival (OS) was 44.81% (95%CI: 30.80%-57.86%) and the 4-year disease free survival (DFS) was 37.95% (95%CI: 24.87%-50.93%) . For patients received CHALL-01 regimen, the 4-year OS was 55.63% (95%CI: 39.07%-69.36%) (P=0.037) and 4 year DFS was 49.06% (95%CI: 34.24%-62.29%) (P=0.015) , while there was no significant difference in 4 year cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) (P=0.328) or cumulative incidence of nonrelapse mortality (CI-NRM) (P=0.138) . The rate of pulmonary infection was lower in patients received CHALL-01 regimen compared with patients received Hyper-CVAD regimen (43.4% vs 67.9%, χ(2)=7.908, P=0.005) . Conclusions: Outcome with CHALL-01 regimen appeared better than that with the Hyper-CVAD/MA regimen in Ph(+) ALL, which has lower incidence of pulmonary infection, higher molecular remission rate and better OS and DFS.

[Comparison of efficacy of first-line administration of generic dasatinib or imatinib in patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of first-line administration of generic dasatinib or first-generation TKI (imatinib) in patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph(+) ALL) treated by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Methods: Clinical features and prognoses of 63 newly diagnosed Ph(+) ALL patients from Jan 2014 to June 2017 treated by HSCT combined with first-line administration of generic dasatinib or imatinib were retrospective analyzed. Results: Of 63 Ph(+) ALL patients, 31 cases were administered generic dasatinib, and the other 32 ones imatinib. Complete remission (CR) rates at the fourth week of induction therapy in generic dasatinib and imatinib groups were 96.8% and 93.8% (P=1.000) , respectively. Meanwhile major molecular response (MMR; BCR-ABL/ABL reduce 3log) rates were 41.9% and 43.8% (χ(2)=0.021, P=0.884), respectively. Relapse rates before transplantation were 6.5% and 12.5% (P=0.672), respectively. MMR rates before HSCT were 83.9% and 68.8% (χ(2)=1.985, P=0.159), respectively. The 20-monthes overall survival (OS) rates of generic dasatinib and imatinib groups were 95.5% and 76.5% (χ(2)=0.990, P=0.320) respectively; 20-monthes event-free survival (EFS) rates were 93.5% and 61.4% (χ(2)=5.926, P=0.015), respectively. Statistically significant differences of EFS were reached. Multiple factors analysis showed that generic dasatinib (HR=0.201, 95% CI 0.045-0.896, P=0.035) and MMR before transplantation (HR=0.344, 95% CI 0.124-0.956, CI=0.041) could improve EFS. Conclusions: First-line administration of generic dasatinib could improve EFS for Ph(+)ALL patients treated by HSCT when compered with imatinib.

[Prognostic analysis of allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in 47 patients with acute myeloid leukemia and MLL rearrangement]

目的

研究混合谱系白血病（MLL）基因重排阳性急性髓系白血病（AML）患者行异基因造血干细胞移植（allo-HSCT）的预后特点。

方法

回顾性分析2009年9月至2016年5月于苏州大学附属第一医院行allo-HSCT的47例MLL基因重排阳性AML患者的临床资料。

结果

全部47例MLL重排阳性AML患者中男24例，女23例，中位年龄30（15~58）岁，M₄/M₅共36例（76.6%）。移植后2年总生存（OS）率为（64.4±8.4）%，无病生存（DFS）率为（47.3±9.3）%，复发率为41.0%，移植相关死亡率为17.9%。45例患者检出11q23易位，2例染色体核型正常患者检出MLL部分串联重复。t（6;11）组（16例）、t（9;11）组（15例）、其他类型组（16例）的2年OS率差异无统计学意义（χ²=1.509，P=0.472）。多因素分析显示，移植时年龄>45岁是影响OS的独立危险因素[HR=4.454（95%CI 1.314~15.099），P=0.016]，移植前MRD阳性是影响患者DFS[HR=4.236（95%CI 1.238~14.495），P=0.021]、复发[HR=5.491（95% CI 1.371~21.995），P=0.016]的独立不良预后因素，移植前疾病处于非CR状态患者移植相关死亡风险增高[HR=10.370（95%CI 1.043~103.110），P=0.046]。

结论

移植时年龄>45岁、移植前疾病处于非CR状态、移植前MRD阳性为影响allo-HSCT治疗MLL基因重排阳性AML患者预后的危险因素。

[Outcome of combination of HLA-haploidentical hematopoietic SCT with an unrelated cord blood unit for 127 patients with acquired severe aplastic anemia]

目的

评价单倍型造血干细胞移植（haplo-HSCT）联合第三方脐血干细胞移植治疗重型再生障碍性贫血（SAA）的疗效及安全性。

方法

对2011年9月至2017年4月间接受haplo-HSCT联合第三方脐血干细胞移植的127例SAA患者进行回顾性研究。

结果

全部127例SAA患者中，男74例，女53例，中位年龄23.5（3~54）岁，其中极重型再生障碍性贫血65例。诊断至移植中位时间2（0.5~180）个月。单倍型造血干细胞来源为骨髓+外周血。脐血均选用单份，HLA配型≥4/6相合。127例患者均接受改良Bu/Cy+ATG/ALG预处理方案（白消安+环磷酰胺+抗胸腺细胞球蛋白/抗淋巴细胞球蛋白）。以环孢素A、霉酚酸酯联合短程甲氨蝶呤预防GVHD。回输单倍型供者单个核细胞10.87（3.61~24.00）×10⁸/kg，CD34⁺细胞3.49（1.02~8.89）×10⁶/kg；回输脐血单个核细胞2.22（1.10~7.30）×10⁷/kg，CD34⁺细胞0.56（0.16~2.27）×10⁵/kg。127例患者中5例发生早期死亡。在可评估的122例患者中，1例发生原发植入失败，其余121例患者成功植入（均为单倍型造血干细胞植入）。中性粒细胞、血小板植入时间分别为11（9~28）d、15（9~330）d，5例患者发生血小板植入不良。移植过程中74例（58.27%）发生感染。存活患者中位随访20.5（4.0~60.0）个月，Ⅱ~Ⅳ度急性GVHD发生率为24.79%（30/121），中/重度慢性GVHD发生率为14.15%（15/106），预期4年总生存率为（78.5±4.3）%，无失败生存率为（77.4±4.3）%。

结论

haplo-HSCT联合第三方脐血干细胞移植治疗SAA疗效确切且安全性较好，在无全相合供者情况下可作为有价值的治疗选择。

[An experimental study of CD4 targeted chimeric antigen receptor modified T cell with anti-lymphoma activity]

目的

探讨针对CD4膜蛋白的CAR-T细胞对CD4⁺T细胞淋巴瘤细胞的靶向特异性杀伤作用。

方法

采用重组DNA技术构建含4-1BB共刺激分子的第二代针对CD4的CAR慢病毒载体，应用293T细胞包装慢病毒，采用流式细胞术检测T细胞的转染效率及T细胞亚群动态变化，采用流式细胞术微球法检测培养上清中IFN-γ浓度。

结果

①构建的慢病毒载体转染激活的T细胞后CAR膜蛋白阳性率达到50.0%~70.0%。T细胞激活后部分CD8⁺T细胞弱表达（dim）CD4膜蛋白。T细胞转染针对CD4的CAR慢病毒后CD4⁺ T细胞、CD8⁺ CD4^dim T细胞逐渐被清除。②CAR-T细胞、对照组T细胞（空载体转染的T细胞）以8∶1效靶比分别与CD4⁺人T细胞淋巴瘤细胞株KARPAS 299细胞共培养24 h，杀伤效率分别为（96.9±2.1）%和（11.2±3.1）%，前者明显高于后者（t=7.137，P=0.028）。③CAR-T细胞单独培养，与转染慢病毒载体表达人CD4的K562细胞（K562-CD4细胞）、K562细胞共培养后上清中IFN-γ浓度分别为（1 785±268）、（15 648±2 168）、（1 978±354）pg/ml，CAR-T细胞与K562-CD4细胞共培养上清IFN-γ浓度明显高于其他两组，差异有统计学意义（P<0.01）。

结论

CD4特异性CAR-T细胞效应细胞免疫表型为CD8⁺ CD4⁺ T细胞，在体外具有杀伤正常CD4⁺ T细胞和CD4⁺ T细胞淋巴瘤细胞的活性，对于CD4^dim T细胞也有较好的清除活性。

[Efficacy comparison of sequential treatment with first-line administration of second-generation and first-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors in patients with Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of sequential treatment with first-line administration of second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) and first-generation TKI (imatinib) in patients with Ph⁺ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph⁺ ALL) followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Methods: Retrospective analysis of clinical features and prognosis of 76 newly diagnosed Ph ⁺ALL patients from June 2011 to December 2015 treated by allo-HSCT combined with first-line administration of second-generation or first-generation TKI was performed and the efficacy compared. Results: Of 76 Ph⁺ ALL patients, first-generation TKI was administered in 57 cases, second-generation TKI in 19 cases, including 10 cases of nilotinib and 9 cases of dasatinib. There was no significant difference in age, WBC counts, additional chromosomal abnormalities, time form diagnosis to transplantation, transplantation type, conditioning regimen or TKI initiation time between the two groups. Complete remission (CR) rates at the fourth week of induction therapy in first-generation TKI group and second-generation TKI group was 93.0% and 94.7% (P=1.000), respectively. Major molecular response (MMR, BCR-ABL/ABL reduce 3 log) rates meanwhile were 46.0% and 40.0% (χ²=0.169, P=0.681). Relapse rates before transplantation were 14.0% and 10.5% (P=1.000). MMR rates before transplantation were 54.4% and 68.2% (χ²=1.152, P=0.283). The 2-year overall survival (OS) rates of first-generation and second-generation TKI group were 62.0% and 94.7% (χ²=5.765, P=0.016), 2-year event-free survival (EFS) rates were 46.3% and 84.2% (χ²=5.644, P=0.018), respectively. Univariate analysis showed that second-generation TKI could improve OS (HR=0.126, 95%CI 0.017-0.939, P=0.043). Multiple factors analysis showed that second-generation TKI (HR=0.267, 95%CI 0.081-0.873, P=0.029) and MMR before transplantation (HR=0.496, 95%CI 0.254-0.968, P=0.040) were good independent prognostic factors of EFS. Conclusions: There was significant difference in the efficacy of second-generation TKI and first-generation TKI for Ph⁺ ALL patients treated by allo-HSCT. First-line administration of second-generation TKI showed better efficacy than that of first-generation TKI for Ph⁺ ALL patients.

[Comparison of the efficacy of decitabine combined with micro-transplantation or priming regimen as consolidation treatment for older patients with acute myeloid leukemia]

目的

探索老年急性髓系白血病（AML）第1次完全缓解（CR₁）后采用地西他滨联合微移植巩固治疗的疗效与安全性。

方法

回顾性分析2012年11月至2015年9月诊治的37例CR₁老年（≥60岁）AML患者病例资料，比较分析地西他滨联合微移植（微移植组，19例）与地西他滨联合预激方案巩固治疗（化疗组，18例）的疗效和不良反应。

结果

两组患者起病时的年龄、WBC水平、疾病状态差异均无统计学意义（P值均>0.05）。两种巩固治疗方案的耐受性均良好，微移植组与化疗组的CTC 3~4级非血液学不良反应发生率差异无统计学意义[36.8%（7/19）对27.8%（5/18），χ²=0.347，P=0.728]。微移植组与化疗组中性粒细胞恢复的中位时间分别为12和13 d（z=1.599，P=0.110），血小板恢复的中位时间分别为14和12 d（z=−1.314，P=0.189）。微移植组患者均未发生移植物抗宿主病。微移植组与化疗组的2年无白血病生存率分别为50.7%和24.3%（P=0.047），2年总生存率分别为54.9%和30.0%（P=0.071）。

结论

对于老年AML患者，地西他滨联合微移植可能是一种安全有效的巩固方案。

[Incidence of blood stream infections of 1265 patients with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and analysis of pathogenic bacteria]

目的

分析造血干细胞移植（HSCT）患者血流感染的发生率、病原菌分布及药敏情况，为临床血流感染的经验性治疗提供依据。

方法

对2013–2015年在苏州大学附属第一医院行HSCT的1 265例患者进行血流感染发生率、血培养阳性率、病原菌种类和耐药情况分析。

结果

1 265例HSCT患者中，有784例（61.98%）共发生1 422例次血流感染，464例（59.2%）患者处于粒细胞缺乏期（ANC<0.5×10⁹/L）。2013–2015年病原菌检出率逐年上升，总体为20.07%。检出的401株病原菌中，革兰阴性菌221株（55.1%），革兰阳性菌165株（41.2%），真菌15株（3.7%）。排名前三位为大肠埃希菌（16.0%）、表皮葡萄球菌（15.5%）和肺炎克雷伯菌（11.2%）；细菌耐药情况严峻，多重耐药的鲍曼不动杆菌和嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌比例分别为64.70%与63.64%，耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌（MRSA）比例为57.14%，均超过50.0%。耐万古霉素肠球菌（VRE）与耐碳青霉烯类抗生素肠杆菌科细菌（CRE）比例分别为14.29%、6.78%。革兰阴性菌中肠杆菌科细菌对三、四代头孢类药物耐药率较高，对碳青霉烯类抗生素耐药率较低（6.4%）。非发酵菌对抗菌药物耐药情况差别较大，对碳青霉烯类抗生素耐药率较高（47.8%）；葡萄球菌属菌株对万古霉素、替考拉宁和利奈唑胺的敏感率均为100.0%。

结论

HSCT患者血流感染发生率较高，病原菌仍以革兰阴性菌为主，非发酵菌的占比也较高，未检测到对万古霉素、替考拉宁和利奈唑胺耐药的葡萄球菌。

[Comparison of allogeneic or autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant for high-risk peripheral T cell lymphomas]

目的

比较自体造血干细胞移植（auto-HSCT）和异基因造血干细胞移植（allo-HSCT）治疗高危外周T细胞淋巴瘤（PTCL）疗效的差异。

方法

回顾性分析苏州大学附属第一医院60例接受HSCT治疗的高危PTCL患者临床资料。

结果

60例PTCL患者均为高危组患者（IPI评分≥3分），接受移植时中位年龄31 (12~58）岁。包括PTCL非特指型22例、ALK阴性的间变大细胞淋巴瘤22例、血管免疫母细胞淋巴瘤16例。其中接受auto-HSCT的有39例（63.5%），接受allo-HSCT的有21例（36.5%）。移植前40例完全缓解（CR），2例部分缓解（PR），18例未缓解（NR）。40例CR患者中10例接受allo-HSCT, 30例接受auto-HSCT。20例PR+NR患者中11例接受allo-HSCT, 9例接受auto-HSCT。移植后中位随访时间为39 (1~96）个月，auto-HSCT和allo-HSCT组的5年无进展生存率分别为61％和60%（P=0.724）。auto-HSCT和allo-HSCT组的5年总生存率分别为62％和61%（P=0.724）。auto-HSCT和allo-HSCT组的5年移植相关死亡率分别为22.7％和41.8%（P=0.250）。截至末次随访时间，auto-HSCT中7例患者复发，allo-HSCT组中2例复发，auto-HSCT和allo-HSCT组的5年累计复发率分别为37.2％和10.1%（P=0.298）。

结论

高危PTCL患者选择auto-HSCT或allo-HSCT治疗长期生存无明显差异，但allo-HSCT组患者移植前多为NR状态，表明对于NR患者，allo-HSCT效果可能较好。

Immunoglobulin G4-related Kidney Disease Associated With Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

Awareness of the uncommon associated clinical manifestations of immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related kidney disease is essential for the early diagnosis and effective treatment of patients. To the best of our knowledge, there have been few reports of patients with IgG4-related kidney disease associated with autoimmune hemolytic anemia. We here report a rare case of IgG4-related kidney disease associated with autoimmune hemolytic anemia. A 70-year-old man with kidney dysfunction and severe anemia had been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and treated without any improvement. On admission, he had a high serum creatinine level, low hemoglobin level, positive direct Coombs test, and mild proteinuria. Serum IgG and IgG4 were elevated. Kidney biopsy showed marked infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells and storiform fibrosis in the interstitial compartment, which confirmed the diagnosis of IgG4-related kidney disease. Corticosteroid therapy was initiated, and subsequently, the kidney dysfunction and anemia dramatically improved.

[Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation associated thrombotic microangiopathy: 16 cases report and literature review]

目的

分析异基因造血干细胞移植（allo-HSCT）相关血栓性微血管病（TA-TMA）患者临床特征、疗效及转归。

方法

回顾性分析2013年1月至2015年6月于苏州大学附属第一医院接受allo-HSCT后发生TA-TMA的16例患者临床资料。

结果

纳入研究的852例allo-HSCT患者，16例（1.9%）发生TA-TMA，中位随访时间14个月，1年累计发生率为（2.3±0.6）%。16例患者中，男7例，女9例，中位年龄41(12~54）岁，中位发病时间为移植后72(21~525) d, PLT中位数为20(11~36）×10⁹/L，HGB中位数为74(56~99）g/L，LDH中位水平为762(309~1 049) U/L，外周血破碎红细胞比例中位数为3%（2%~13%），所有患者ADAMTS13活性均>60%。10例出现精神症状，7例肌酐水平升高。TA-TMA确诊后的主要治疗措施为钙调磷酸酶体抑制剂的减停、激素及血浆置换疗法，8例经治疗后病情得以控制，治疗有效；8例患者治疗无效死亡。治疗无效组8例患者中5例合并急性肠道移植物抗宿主病（GVHD），治疗有效组患者无一例合并肠道GVHD；8例治疗无效患者中5例外周血破碎红细胞比例>5%，而治疗有效组破碎红比例最高为4%；治疗无效患者LDH及肌酐中位水平均高于治疗有效组，分别为826(674~1 310) U/L对636(309~941）U/L及127(70~215）µmol/L对56(22~101）µmol/L。

结论

TA-TMA是allo-HSCT后的一类严重并发症，可导致全身多器官功能损伤，即使采取治疗早期病死率仍较高，疗效与病情轻重及有无并发症有关。

[A retrospective analysis of prognosis in favorable-risk acute myeloid leukemia patients with different consolidation regimens]

Objective: To explore the impact on prognosis in favorable-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with different consolidation regimens after first complete remission (CR(1)). Methods: A total of 107 cases of non-refractory adult AML from January 2010 to June 2015 in single center were enrolled in the study. HD-Ara-C group (38 cases) as the control group, we explore the prognosis in three consolidation regimens, including micro-transplantation (16 cases) , autologous transplantation (auto-PBSCT, 14 cases) , allogeneic transplantation (allo-HSCT, 39 cases). Results: Of 107 patients (59 males and 48 females) , with a median age of 33 (16-59) years old and a median follow-up of 36.5 (5.3-79.1) months, the overall relapse rate was 20.6% (22/107) , and overall mortality rate was 18.7% (20/107). The 5 years cumulative relapse rate (CIR) of HD-Ara-C, micro-transplantation, auto-PBSCT and allo-HSCT group were 39.7%, 6.2%, 14.3% and 5.6%, respectively (P<0.001). The CIR of the observed group was lower than the HD-Ara-C group. The 5 years progression-free survival (PFS) rate of HD-Ara-C, micro-transplantation, auto-PBSCT and allo-HSCT group were 44.7%, 93.8%, 85.7% and 78.1%, respectively (P=0.011). The PFS of observed groups were similar, but superior to that in HD-Ara-C group. The 5-year overall survival (OS) in four groups was 54.9%, 100%, 92.9% and 77.4%, respectively (P>0.05). Multiple factors analysis showed that compared to HD-Ara-C regimen, allo-HSCT could improve PFS (HR=0.376, P=0.031) , but not OS (P>0.05) ; micro-transplantation and auto-PBSCT could not improve the PFS or OS (P>0.05). Conclusion: As compared with HD-Ara-C regimen, allo-HSCT could obviously decrease CIR, improve PFS, but treatment-related mortality is high. These results show that auto-PBSCT and micro-transplantation have similar outcomes, compared to HD-Ara-C regimen, so both can be used as a option of consolidation treatment for favorable-risk AML.

[Association between H3K4me3/BDNF and the cognitive function of workers occupationally exposed to aluminum]

Objective: To investigate the influence of occupational aluminum exposure on cognitive function and its relationship with tri-methyl histone H3 lysine residues 4 points (H3K4me3) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. Methods: By cluster random sampling method, a total of 235 cases of male workers selected from a Shanxi aluminum factory were recruited in the study in September 2015. Used the occupational epidemiological investigation questionnaire, which included Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) , Clock Drawing Test (CDT) , Digit Span Test (DST, including forward test DSFT and backward test DSBT) , Fuild Object Memory Evaluation (FOME) and Verbal Fluency Test (VFT) , to collect workers' basic information and assess their cognitive function score. Detected the concentration of aluminum in plasma by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Workers were divided into three groups by the 25 percentile and 75 percentile of the aluminum content, such as low, middle and high aluminum concentration groups. The concentrations of H3K4me3 in lymphocyte and BDNF in plasma were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The levels of aluminum in plasma was 134.36 (100.14, 178.96) μg/L. The scores of MMSE, DSFT, DSBT, DST of high aluminum concentration group were lower than low aluminum group (27.98±1.25 vs 28.83±1.54, 9.19±2.00 vs 10.64±2.87, 6.08±1.63 vs 7.19±3.07, 15.27±3.11 vs 17.81±4.72, all P<0.05) , the scores of CDT, FOME, VFT among three groups had no statistical significance (all P>0.05) . The expression levels of H3K4me3 and BDNF of high aluminum concentration group were lower than the low group [ (18.45±9.81) ng/μg Pro vs (23.76±9.89) ng/μg Pro, (26.07±10.18) ng/ml vs (31.66±9.24) ng/ml, all P<0.05]. Multiple correlation analysis showed that aluminum concentration were negatively correlated toH3K4me3, BDNF, MMSE, DSFT, DST, respectively (r(s)=-0.307、-0.214、-0.252、-0.197, -0.181, all P<0.01) . Conclusion: Exposure to occupational aluminum for a long time may change cognitive function, which go along with the decreasing of H3K4me3 level in lymphocyte and BDNF protein expression in plasma.

[EVI1 expression, clinical and cytogenetical characteristics in 447 patients with acute myeloid leukemia]

Objective: To investigate EVI1 expression and its associated clinical and cytogenetic characteristics in 447 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. Methods: EVI1 expressions were measured in 447 AML cases from Jan. 2007 to Apr. 2015 to couple with clinical, cytogenetic and mutations' characteristics to summarize the features of AMLs with high EVI1 expression. Results: 17.9% of AML were high EVI1 expression (EVI1 +), and the remainder low EVI1 expression (EVI1-). No significant differences between the two groups in terms of age, sex, hemoglobin level, white blood cell count and platelet count were observed. More M0, M5 and M6 subtypes were observed in EVI1+ group (P= 0.027, 0.004 and 0.011, respectively). Cytogenetic abnormalities of 11q15, 11q23/MLL, 3q26, -7/7q- and t (9;11) were observed more frequently in EVI1 + group (P<0.001, <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, =0.014, respectively). Normal karyotype, inv (16), t (8;21) were observed more frequent in EVI1- group (P=0.001, 0.009, 0.002, respectively). EVI1 + was more observed in high risk cytogenetics. Mutation of NPM1 was more observed in EVI1- group (P <0.001). Remission rate in EVI1 + group was significantly lower than EVI1- group (P<0.001). Leukemia-free survival was improved in EVI1 + AML patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Conclusions: High EVI1 expression was more observed in FAB subgroup M5, harbored more cytogenetic abnormalities of 11p15, 11q23/MLL, 3q26 rearrangement, -7/7q- and t (9;11). Remission rate of high EVI1 expression AML was lower, which could be improved by allo-HSCT.

[Establishment and assessment of a nomogram for predicting the differentiation syndrome of acute promyelocytic leukemia]

Objective: By analyzing the risk factors for occurrence of differentiation syndrome (DS) during induction therapy in newly-diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients, a prediction nomogram for DS was established and the accuracy of this nomogram was validated. Methods: The modeling group was made up of 130 classical APL patients during the period of 1st January 2011 to 31st December 2013. After single factor screening of clinical variables, the logistic regression model was used to identify the final model variables. A nomogram subsequently established by R software was validated by Bootstrap resampling as internal validation. Concordance index (C-index) was used for the accuracy evaluation of the nomogram, and calibration curves were painted to test the actual observation and the nomogram-prediction of occurrence rate of DS. Results: Occurrence rate of DS in 130 APL patients was 30.0%; In multivariate analysis, body mass index (BMI) ≥24 kg/m2 and without using steroids for prevention of DS were identified as independent risk factors. The C-index of the nomogram for predicting DS was 0.818 (95% CI 0.741-0.895). The calibration curves showed good concordance of occurrence rate of DS between nomogram-prediction and actual observation. Conclusion: The nomogram was successfully established as a more accurate and visible tool for predicting the occurrence rate of DS in APL patients.

[Aluminuminduced impairment in primary cultured rat choroid plexus epithelial cells]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impairment in primary cultured rat choroid plexus epithelial cells (CPECs)induced by aluminum.

METHODS

The choroid plexus isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats 14 days old was cut into pieces and digested by trypsin in the sterile area. The obtained single cells were cultured in DMEM with 1% epidermal growth factor and 20% fetal calf serum. Five days later, immunohistochemistry with anti-transthyretin antibody was used to identify the purity of cultured cells. The well-grown cells were treated with aluminum lactate at different concentrations (0, 100, 400, and 1 600 μmol/L for control, lowdose, mediumdose, and highdose groups). Fortyeight hours later, the cell viability, apoptotic rate, level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD)were measured in each group to evaluate the impairment in primary cultured rat CPECs by aluminum.

RESULTS

More than 95% of the cultured cells were identified as CPECs. The medium-and high-dose groups had significantly lower cell viability than the control group(86.74%±4.03% vs 100%, P<0.01; 81.90%±9.17% vs 100%, P<0.01). The high-dose group had significantly lower cell viability than the lowdose group (81.90%±9.17% vs 92.92%±8.81%, P<0.01). The medium-and high-dose groups had significantly higher apoptotic rates than the control group (7.26%±0.99% vs 1.29%±0.03%, P<0.01; 22.25%±1.55% vs 1.29%±0.03%, P<0.01)and the low-dose group (7.26%±0.99% vs 1.68%±0.27%, P<0.01; 22.25%±1.55% vs 1.68%±0.27%, P<0.01). The high-dose group had a significantly higher apoptotic rate than the medium-dose group (22.25%±1.55% vs 7.26%±0.99%, P<0.01). The mediumand high-dose groups had significantly higher fluorescence intensity of ROS than the control group (22.23%±0.41% vs 17.24%±0.09%, P<0.05; 25.10%±1.13% vs 17.24%±0.09%, P<0.05)and the lowdose group (22.23%±0.41% vs 18.31%±0.21%, P<0.05; 25.10%±1.13% vs 18.31%±0.21%, P<0.05). The highdose group had significantly higher fluorescence intensity of ROS than the mediumdose group (25.10%±1.13% vs 22.23%±0.41%, P< 0.05). The low-, medium-and high-dose groups had significantly lower SOD activity than the control group[(28.65±0.74)U/g Hb vs (37.35±1.05)U/g Hb, P<0.05; (22.75±1.94)U/g Hb vs (37.35±1.05)U/g Hb, P<0.05; (13.29±0.64)U/g Hb vs(37.35±1.05)U/g Hb, P<0.05]. The medium-and high-dose groups had significantly lower SOD activity than the low-dose group[(22.75±1.94)U/g Hb vs(28.65±0.74)U/g Hb, P<0.05; (13.29±0.64)U/g Hb vs (28.65±0.74)U/g Hb, P<0.05], while the high-dose group had had significantly lower SOD activity than the medium-dose group[(13.29±0.64)U/g Hb vs (22.75±1.94)U/g Hb, P<0.05]. There were no significant differences in cell viability, apoptotic rate, level of ROS, or activity of SOD between any other two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Aluminum lactate may induce impairment in primary cultured rat CPECs. It reduces the cell viability, elevates the apoptotic rate, and causes oxidative stress.

[Improved clinical outcome of acute myeloid leukemia with FLT3-ITD mutation treated with sorafenib]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the efficacy of sorafenib on the treatment of patients diagnosed as acute myeloid leukemia(AML) with FLT3-ITD mutation.

METHODS

From January 2012 to February 2015, 42 cases of AML with FLT3-ITD mutation according to MICM (morphology, immunology, cytogenetics and molecular) diagnosis system in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Thirty-two cases were refractory to chemotherapy or relapsed, who were treated with sorafenib or combined with chemotherapy. Ten patients relapsed after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), who were retreated with sorafenib or combined with donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) or chemotherapy. In the first group, 13 of 32 patients accepted allo-HSCT.

RESULTS

The overall response rate of all 42 patients was 73.8%, including 4 (9.5%) complete molecular remission (CMR), 9 (21.4%) complete remission (CR), 8 (19%) complete remission with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi), 10 (23.8%) partial remission (PR), and 11 (26.2%) none remission (NR). The response rate of sorafenib alone for 17 patients was 70.6%, and that of sorafenib plus chemotherapy was 66.7% (P=0.555). Thirteen patients who received allo-HSCT included 6 CMR/CR/CRi, 4 PR, and 3 NR before transplant. The 2-year overall survival (OS) rate and progress free survival (PFS) rate in all patients were 36.9% and 28.7%, and the corresponding median time were 18 months and 9 months respectively. The 2-year OS rate in 23 patients who received sorafenib combined with allo-HSCT was superior to that in 19 patients not receiving allo-HSCT (45.5% vs 23.9%, P=0.041), so was PFS rate (44.0% vs 9.7%, P=0.014). Twelve cases died of disease progression, four of infection, and one of chronic graft versus host disease after transplant.

CONCLUSIONS

Sorafenib combined with chemotherapy improves response rate of AML patients with FLT3-ITD mutation. Those who are treated with sorafenib plus allo-HSCT obtain better long-term survival.

[Effects of subchronic aluminum lactate exposure on learning and memory and transportation of Aβ in blood-cerebrospinal fluid in rats]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of aluminum lactate exposure on learning and memory and the transportation of amyloid-beta peptides(Aβ) in cerebrospinal fluid in rats.

METHODS

A total of 80 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into solvent control(distilled water) group and low-, medium-, and high-dose aluminum poisoning groups(10, 30, and 90 mg/kg aluminum lactate), with 20 rats in each group, and the poisoning procedure was performed by gavage for 2 months. The Morris water maze test was used to test the rats' learning and memory, Western blot was used to measure the expression level of low-density lipoprotein receptor protein-1(LRP-1) in rats' choroid plexus, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure the content of Aβ in the cerebrospinal fluid and plasma.

RESULTS

The Morris water maze test showed that in the place navigation test, with the increasing training time, the escape latency was significantly shortened in each group and showed significant differences between any two groups(P<0.05). In the spatial probe test, the time spent in target quadrant in the medium-and high-dose groups was 11.52±1.56 s and 10.43±5.27 s, respectively, which was significantly shorter than that in the control group and the low-dose group(15.81±3.01 s and 13.91±2.17 s)(P<0.05). The numbers of platform crossings in the medium-and high-dose groups were 2.64±1.39 and 1.50±0.76, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group and the low-dose group(4.29±0.914 and 3.56±1.38)(P<0.05). The results of ELISA showed that the medium-and high-dose groups had significant increases in the content of Aβ1-42 in cerebrospinal fluid(320.35±84.82 pg/ml and 327.68±67.51 pg/ml), which was significantly higher than that in the control group(203.46±74.36 pg/ml) (P<0.05). The content of Aβ1-42 in plasma showed no significant difference between any two groups(P>0.05), and that of Aβ1-40 in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma also showed no significant difference between any two groups(P>0.05). The results of Western blot showed that the high-dose group had significantly lower protein expression of LRP-1 than the control group and the low-and medium-dose groups(0.57±0.21 vs 1.00±0.00/0.79±0.15/0.95±0.24, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Subchronic aluminum exposure may reduce learning and memory in rats, and the accumulation of Aβ in cerebrospinal fluid may be related to the reduced protein expression of LRP-1 in the choroid plexus, suggesting that aluminum affects learning and memory in rats through reducing the protein expression of LRP-1, influencing the transportation of Aβ, and leading to the accumulation of Aβ.

General acteoside of Rehmanniae leaves in the treatment of primary chronic glomerulonephritis: a randomized controlled trial

The objective of the study was to investigate the effectiveness and efficacy of the randomized, parallel, and controlled trial of Traditional Chinese Medicine, general acteoside of Rehmanniae leaves, compared with piperazine ferulate in the treatment of primary chronic glomerulonephritis. Rehmanniae leaves and piperazine ferulate can reduce proteinuria and erythrocyturia effectively in the treatment of primary chronic glomerulonephritis. A total of 400 patients diagnosed with primary chronic glomerulonephritis were recruited from outpatient clinics and were randomly assigned to the treatment group (general acteoside of Rehmanniae leaves, two 200mg tablets, bid) or the control group (piperazine ferulate, four 50-mg tablets, bid ). The primary outcome was 24-h urinary protein. Secondary outcome measures included estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), erythrocyturia, and electrolytes. After 8 weeks of treatment, the treatment group and the control group showed a mean reduction in 24-h proteinuria of 34.81% and 37.66%. The 95% CI of difference of the mean reduction in 24-h proteinuria between the two groups was [-11.50%, 5.80%]. No significant differences were found between the two groups in the erythrocyturia reduction. Neither group showed obvious changes between baseline and 8 weeks in eGFR or electrolytes. Adverse events occurred at a similarly low rate in the treatment group (1.5%) and control group (2.5%, P = 0.7238). Both general acteoside of Rehmanniae leaves and piperazine ferulate can reduce proteinuria and erythrocyturia effectively in the treatment of primary chronic glomerulonephritis.

[Influence of mannose binding lectin to expression of TGF-beta1 and NF-kappaB in high concentration of glucose cultured human renal glomerular endothelial cells]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of mannose binding lectin (MBL) complement pathway on expression of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and NF-kappaB in cultured human renal glomerular endothelial cells (HRGECs) stimulated by high concentration of glucose.

METHODS

Human glomerular endothelial cells in culture were randomly divided into 5 groups according to different managements: normal concentration of glucose as controlled group, MBL + normal concentration of glucose group, high concentration of glucose, MBL + high glucose and MBL + high glucose + MBL blocker respectively. Flow cytometry was used to detect the depositions of MBL and C3 on the surfaces of HRGECs. Real-time PCR method was used to detect the mRNA levels of TGF-beta1. Human TGF-beta1 ELISA kit was used to detect the concentration of TGF-beta1 in supernatant fluid. ESMA was used to detect the activity of NF-kappaB in HRGECs.

RESULTS

Compared with the normal glucose group and high glucose group, the depositions of MBL, C3 were apparently increased in MBL + high glucose group (P < 0.05). Expression of TGF-beta1 were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in MBL + high concentration of glucose groups than the normal glucose group and the high concentration of glucose group. Compared with the high glucose group, the activity of NF-kappaB in HRGECs was apparently increased in MBL + high glucose group, which could be significantly downregulated by MBL blocking antibody.

CONCLUSION

High concentration of glucose can increase the expression of TGF-beta1 of cultured human glomerular endothelial cells. At the same time, high glucose together with MBL can up regulate the expression of TGF-beta1 and the activity of NF-kappaB in HRGECs.

[Effect of Astragalus mongholicus on expression of hepatocyte growth factor in SD rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction]

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of Astragalus mongholicus (AM) on the expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in SD rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the renoprotective effects of AM.

METHODS

Fifty four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: sham-operation group (SOR), UUO group (UUO) and UUO + AM group (AM). After administration of AM[10 g/ (kg x d)] for 3, 7 and 14 days,the histological changes of renal interstitial tissues were observed dynamically, and renal damage including tubular impairment and interstitial fibrosis were quantified on HE and Masson stained tissue sections. The protein expression of HGF and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) was measured by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expression of HGF and alpha-SMA were determined by real-time PCR. The expression of HGF and its receptor (C-met) were assessed by Western blot.

RESULTS

Renal damage was exacerbated and the expression of alpha-SMA was significantly increased in UUO group compared with those of SOR group (P < 0.05) at each time point. HGF and C-met expression peaked at the 7th day after UUO and then decreased greatly. After AM intervention, tubular impairment and interstitial fibrosis were alleviated, up-regulations of alpha-SMA expressions was significantly suppressed, whileas the expression of HGF and C-met were significantly increased when compared with UUO group (P < 0. 05) at each time point.

CONCLUSION

AM can ameliorate renal interstitial fibrosis induced by UUO in rats. The mechanisms of its antifibrotic effects may be related with the up-regulation of HGF and C-met expression, and the suppression of tubulo-epithelial mesenchymal transdifferentiation in renal intersitial progress.

Decreased flow-induced dilation and increased production of cGMP in spontaneously hypertensive rats

-We investigated flow (shear stress)- and agonist-induced cGMP release in mesenteric vascular beds of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). The mesenteric vascular bed was perfused in situ with Tyrode's solution. Vascular relaxation and cGMP release in the perfusate were determined on stimulation by flow or by acetylcholine (0.1 micromol/L) or sodium nitroprusside (0.1 mmol/L). Flow-induced release of cGMP was significantly greater in SHR than in WKY (P<0.01), despite a lower flow-induced dilation in SHR. In both strains, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) completely inhibited cGMP release in response to flow (P<0.001), although flow-induced dilation was not affected by L-NAME in SHR. Moreover, the activity of the constitutive nitric oxide synthase (NOS) was significantly greater in SHR (82+/-3.5 fmol/min) than in WKY (66+/-3.5 fmol/min; P<0.05) and was associated with increased expression of endothelial NOS mRNA in SHR. Sodium nitroprusside induced larger increases in cGMP release in SHR (3593+/-304 fmol/min) than in WKY (2467+/-302 fmol/min; P<0.05). The release of cGMP in response to acetylcholine was significantly lower in SHR (292+/-80 fmol/min) than in WKY (798+/-218 fmol/min; P<0.05) in parallel with smaller acetylcholine-induced relaxation in SHR. Despite increased cGMP production in response to flow and NOS activity, flow-induced dilation was decreased in SHR, suggesting an upregulation of the NO/cGMP pathway to compensate for the increased vascular tone in SHR.