Appearance of new CDC-reactive antibodies in patients waiting for kidney transplantation

BackgroundPatients awaiting kidney transplantation are regularly screened for HLA-antibodies, but there is scarce data about the optimal interval.MethodsResults from Complement-dependent cytotoxicity testing (CDC) for waitlisted patients were reviewed for increases in panel reactive antibodies (PRA) by at least 10%-points. Clinical records were screened for historic immunizing events and possible trigger factors preceding the PRA-increase. Additionally, non-pretransplanted men tested negative for HLA antibodies by solid-phase assays (SPA) out of their first two samples on the waiting list (“non-immunized men”) were evaluated for detection of HLA antibodies by SPA during their further stay on the waiting list.Results15,360 samples from 1928 patients tested by CDC were analyzed for changes in PRA. PRA-increases occurred most frequently in patients waitlisted recently for retransplantation (annual incidence 6%). Removal of previous transplants, severe infections and/or reduced immunosuppression triggered 65% of PRA-increases during the first year after waitlisting. Transfusions accounted for 55% of PRA-increases in later years. Leucocyte-reduced red blood cell units not only boosted historic antibodies, but even induced primary immunization. In the second part of the study, 6780 samples tested by SPA from 703 non-immunized men were evaluated for development of HLA-antibodies. Only 9 men (1.3%) turned HLA antibody-positive (annual incidence 0.4%).ConclusionA uniform screening interval does not fit all: Frequencies should be highest in patients newly waitlisted for re-transplant and lowest in non-immunized men. Transfused patients should be monitored closely for development of HLA-antibodies even if leukoreduced products are used.     

不育男性精浆总抗氧化能力与精子运动功能的关系

目的:研究不育男性精浆总抗氧化能力(TAC)与精子运动能力和方式之间的关系,探讨精浆TAC水平在男性生育中的临床意义。方法:113例精子密度正常的不育男性,28例正常生育男性作为对照组。精液于37℃液化后采用计算机辅助精液分析(CASA)系统进行精液常规分析,采用比色法进行精浆TAC分析。结果:正常生育组精浆TAC为(19.82±6.33)U,不育男性精子密度正常组精浆TAC为(14.37±8.45)U,不育男性精子密度正常组与正常生育组比较存在显著性差异(P<0.01)。精浆TAC与a级精子百分率(r=0.208,P<0.05)和(a+b)级精子百分率(r=0.231,P<0.05)呈显著正相关,精浆TAC与精子运动参数中的前向性(r=0.200,P<0.05)、直线性(r=0.208,P<0.05)、曲线速度(r=0.189,P<0.05)、直线速度(r=0.210,P<0.05)、平均移动速度(r=0.215,P<0.05)及鞭打频率(r=-0.248,P<0.01)之间有显著的相关性,其中前向性、直线性、直线速度、曲线速度、平均移动速度与TAC呈正相关(P<0.05),而鞭打频率与TAC呈负相关(P<0.01)。精浆TAC与摆动性、侧摆幅度、平均移动角度之间无显著相关。结论:精浆中TAC水平与精子运动能力和运动方式密切相关,适宜的精浆TAC为精子运动提供了良好的外部环境,精浆中过低的TAC水平与精子运动能力下降和运动方式改变有关,可能是引起男性不育的病因之一。精浆中TAC分析可为探讨男性不育的发病机制以及临床用药提供依据。     

Triptolide promotes generation of FoxP3+ T regulatory cells in rats

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Triptolide (TPT), a component of the Chinese herb Triptergium wilfordii, has potent immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory activity and is used clinically in recipients of kidney transplantation.

Aim of the study

This work aimed to investigate the effect of TPT on the differentiation of regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs) from CD4+ cells in rats.

Materials and methods

MACS-purified rat CD4+ cells were costimulated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 in the presence of TGF-β to induce the expression of FoxP3, which was detected by flow cytometry. TPT and cyclosporine A (CsA) were separately added into the cultures to observe the effect on the expression of FoxP3. Kidney transplantation was performed in rats that either received no treatment or were treated with TPT after transplantation.

Results

TPT treatment enhanced the expression of FoxP3 in CD4+ cells, whereas CsA inhibited the FoxP3 expression. In the rat kidney transplantation model, the recipient rats treated with TPT survived longer than the control rats (18–19.83 vs 6.83 days, P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the FoxP3+ T cells in the spleens of treated rats were higher than those from the untreated rats (12.4% vs 4.7%, P < 0.05).

Conclusions

These data suggest that TPT may promote the differentiation of CD4+ cells to FoxP3+ Tregs. This would be at least one of the pathways responsible for the immunosuppressive activity of TPT.     

Feasibility of treating hyperfibrinogenemia with intermittently administered batroxobin in patients with ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack for secondary prevention.

This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of batroxobin in treating hyperfibrinogenemia for secondary stroke prevention. Patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) were measured for plasma fibrinogen levels. Selected participants had concomitant hyperfibrinogenemia (plasma fibrinogen > or = 3.0 g/l). Patients enrolled between 1 July 2003 and 31 December 2004 were treated with batroxobin; patients enrolled between 1 January 2002 and 30 June 2003 were treated without batroxobin. Batroxobin was administered intermittently via intravenous injection at 3-monthly intervals. Patients in both groups were followed for 1 year. Any cerebrovascular events and suspected adverse events were recorded. In total, 112 ischemic stroke/TIA patients with concomitant hyperfibrinogenemia were enrolled, 52 being treated with batroxobin and 60 without batroxobin. Six patients (11.5%) with batroxobin and 16 patients (26.7%) without batroxobin had recurrent cerebral ischemic events during follow-up. Stroke/TIA recurrence in patients without batroxobin was higher than that in patients with batroxobin (P < 0.05). Two patients with batroxobin and two patients without batroxobin developed hemorrhagic stroke during follow-up. There were five deaths (9.6%) in the batroxobin group, and seven deaths (11.7%) in the nonbatroxobin group during follow-up (P > 0.05). Intermittent intravenous injection of batroxobin can efficiently reduce the risk for stroke/TIA recurrence in patients with concomitant hyperfibrinogenemia.     

4例SRY阳性的46,XX男性综合征患者临床及细胞分子遗传学研究

目的:探讨SRY阳性的46,XX男性综合征患者的临床及细胞分子遗传学特征。方法:分析4例SRY阳性的46,XX男性综合征患者的临床特点,并进行染色体核型分析、荧光原位杂交(FISH)、SRY基因检测、Y染色体微缺失等细胞和分子遗传学检测。结果:4例患者社会性别均为男性,身材低于正常男性均值。均因不育就诊,双侧睾丸体积小、质地软,精液检查均为无精子症。阴茎发育正常。性激素检查示高促性腺激素性性腺功能不全。染色体核型均为46,XX,Y染色体微缺失检测示AZFa,b,c区域均缺失。SRY基因均存在,FISH结果3例患者显示SRY基因易位于X染色体短臂。结论:SRY阳性的46,XX男性综合征患者常为男性表型,但睾丸发育不良,多伴有身材矮小和不育。患者的男性表型是由于基因组中存在SRY基因。无精子表型是由于缺失AZF。Y染色体长臂上可能存在与身高相关的基因。深入进行细胞、分子遗传学研究有助于揭示46,XX男性综合征基因型-表型的关系。     

肾上腺素静脉注射引起大鼠血压双向性变化

目的观察不同剂量肾上腺素静脉注射后大鼠动脉血压和心率的变化。方法42只SD雄性大鼠,体重250～300 g,按单次静脉注射肾上腺素的剂量不同随机均分为六组:Ⅰ～Ⅴ组分别为:0.5、1、2、4、8μg/kg肾上腺素,Ⅵ组为生理盐水组。于注射后不同时点记录SBP、DBP和HR,并记录该时段内最高SBP和最低DBP。结果所有肾上腺素组血压均于注射后18 s左右达最高,以SBP的升高最明显(P<0.01);随后,Ⅱ～Ⅴ组出现低血压,以DBP的降低最明显,各组最低DBP分别出现于注射后(1.3±0.5)、(2.2±0.4)、(3.0±0.6)、(3.4±1.1)min(P<0.01)。结论肾上腺素静脉注射于大鼠,小剂量仅引起高血压,较大剂量引起双向性血压变化;且剂量越大,起初的高血压和随后的低血压越严重。