Comparison of assays for determination of peptide content for lyophilized thymalfasin*

Abstract: Precise determination of the peptide content in drug substance samples depends highly upon the particular peptide compound and methodology used. Four independent methods were evaluated and compared to determine which would produce the best experimental precision for analysis of thymalfasin (thymosin α‐1). Four different methods were evaluated including elemental analysis (CHN), quantitative amino acid analysis (AAA), high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and Kjeldahl. This study demonstrates that the AAA method is highly variable in one laboratory while quite precise in another laboratory. Similarly, HPLC results depended on the laboratory conducting the study with more precise values obtained under cGMP. On the contrary, the CHN method yielded highly precise [i.e. <2% coefficient of variation (CV)] values. As precise knowledge of protein content is fundamental for the compounding of final pharmaceutical product of a specific potency, the CHN analysis is recommended for peptide content determination of the drug substance thymalfasin.     

Usefulness of PCR Strategies For Early Diagnosis of Chagas'' Disease Reactivation and Treatment Follow-Up in Heart Transplantation

Heart transplantation (HTx) is a useful therapy for end‐stage Chaga? cardiomyopathy; however, Chagas reactivation remains a mayor complication. Parasitological methods offer poor diagnostic sensitivity, and use of more sensitive tools such as the Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is usually necessary. In the present study, reactivation incidence and PCR usefulness for early reactivation diagnosis, as well as for treatment response evaluation during follow‐up, were analyzed using Strout parasite detection test, in 10 of 222 consecutive HTx patients suffering Chagas cardiomyopathy. PCR strategies targeted to minicircle sequences (kDNA, detection limit 1 parasite/ 10 mL blood) and miniexon genes (SL‐DNA, 200 parasite/10 mL) were performed to compare parasite burdens between samples. No patients received prophylactic antiprotozoal therapy (benznidazole). Five patients (50%) exhibited clinical reactivation within a mean period of 71.6 days; positive Strout results were observed in most cases presenting clinical manifestations. kDNA‐PCR was positive 38–85 days before reactivation, whereas SLDNA‐PCR became positive only 7–21 days later, revealing post‐HTx parasitic load enhancement present prior to clinical reactivation development. Reactivations were successfully treated with benznidazole and generated negative PCR results. Results observed in this study indicate the value of PCR testing for an early diagnosis of Chagas reactivation as well as for monitoring treatment efficacy.     

HPV16、18-DNA亚型检测早期诊断宫颈癌84例分析

目的:探讨HPV16、18-DNA亚型检测对宫颈癌的早期诊断价值。方法:84例标本分别采用FQ-PCR法和巴氏染色法。结果:HPV16、18-DNA阳性19例,阳性率为22.6%,19例HPV16、18-DNA阳性分泌物中4例为CIN2或以上。HPV16、18亚型是导致80%宫颈上皮瘤样病变的主要因素。讨论:HPV16、18-DNA检测可作为宫颈癌早期诊断的有效手段,能准确地预测宫颈癌发生可能性。     

通用引物PCR-SSCP技术分析16Sr RNA基因特征快速鉴定细菌

目的探讨通用引物聚合酶链反应-单链构象多态性(PCR-SSCP)技术在细菌检测中的应用.方法选取9种常见的细菌,采用通用引物对细菌的16SrRNA基因进行PCR扩增,产物进行单链构象多态性分析,并以标准菌株为对照.结果一对引物扩增产物SSCP图谱各细菌之间难以区别;两对引物扩增产物SSCP图谱条带数目、相对迁移率及条带之间的间距存在明显,可相互区别;3种细菌的标准菌株和临床菌株的SSCP图谱完全一致.结论采用针对16SrRNA的通用引物PCR-SSCP技术以标准菌株为对照可方便快捷地检测细菌.     

用RT-PCR方法检测登革病毒E基因核酸

目的：应用逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)技术建立检测登革2型病毒E基因的方法。方法：分别抽提登革2型病毒NGC株和从登革出血热病人血清中分离得到的2型登革热病毒(DV)核酸(RNA)，合成CD-NA第一链，经过RT-PCR得到cDNA产物，用HinfI限制性内切酶酶切鉴定。结果：通过RT-PCR检测登革2型病毒核酸。结论：登革2型病毒E基因核酸的RT-PCR检测方法的建立为快速诊断登革病毒感染提供了可靠的方法。     

PCR-RSSO基础上HLA-Ⅰ、Ⅱ基因分型的研究

目的通过对PCR-DNA技术的分析,探讨人类白细胞抗原(HLA)基因分型方法。方法采用PCR反向序列特异性寡核苷酸(polymerase chain reaction-reverse sequence specific oligonucleotide,PCR-RSSO)杂交技术,建立改良半量扩增体系全自动HLA-I、Ⅱ等位基因分型方法,进行了635份血液标本HLA-A、B、C、DR、DQ等位基因分型,其中166份DNA同时采用序列特异性引物技术(PCR-SSP)和手工全量扩增体系PCR-RSSO技术。对全自动半量PCR-RSSO、PCR-SSP、手工PCR-RSSO 3种方法做两两比较。结果全自动半量PCR-RSSO的分型成功率为98.4%(3 124/3 175),PCR-SSP为98.8%(656/664),手工PCR-RSSO为88.3%(733/830)。经χ2检验,全自动半量PCR-RSSO与PCR-SSP的分型成功率无统计学差异,与手工PCR-RSSO有显著差异(P<0.05)。结论PCR-RSSO可识别HLA-Ⅰ,Ⅱ共706个等位基因,覆盖WHO命名委员会2000年公布的936个等位基因的75.43%;对706个HLA等位基因的分型均为中~高分辨率,有分辨纯合子等位基因的能力;易长期保存书面的实验原始资料,即杂交条;具有成本低、劳动强度低、省时和DNA消耗量少等优点。PCR-RSSO适合于造血干细胞移植和建立造血干细胞及脐带血干细胞库的组织配型。     

小干扰RNA干扰大鼠神经元Nogo受体mRNA表达的实验研究

目的观察大鼠Nogo受体(NgR)特异性小干扰RNA(small interfering RNA,siRNA)在原代神经元干扰其mRNA表达的效果。方法体外培养大鼠原代皮层和海马细胞,应用阳离子脂质体转染试剂转染4对化学合成的大鼠NgR特异性siRNA,72h后提取细胞总RNA,实时荧光定量RT-PCR检测NgR mRNA表达情况。结果4对siRNA均能够下调靶基因NgR的mRNA表达水平,siNgR199、siNgR562、siNgR772和siNgR964等干扰后,NgR mRNA的表达分别为对照siRNA干扰组的6.5%、62.4%、15.2%和6.86%,与对照siRNA干扰组比较有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论化学合成的NgR特异性siRNA能够有效的干扰大鼠原代皮层和海马细胞内NgR基因mRNA的表达水平。     

胰腺癌中p16基因甲基化改变及其蛋白表达分析

目的:探讨胰腺癌与癌旁组织中p16基因启动子区异常甲基化的改变及其蛋白表达的特点,以及其与胰腺癌发生发展的关系。方法:分别采用免疫组化SP法及甲基化特异PCR(MSP)检测46例人胰腺癌和癌旁组织中p16基因表达及其甲基化的水平,并结合临床资料进行分析。结果:胰腺癌中p16蛋白表达率为41.3%(19/46),而癌旁组织表达率为95.7%(44/46),两者有差异显著性(P<0.01)。p16蛋白阳性的19例胰腺癌标本中均未检出基因甲基化;p16蛋白缺失的27例标本中有18例检出基因甲基化,甲基化率为39.1%。p16基因甲基化与蛋白缺失有明显关系(P<0.05)。p16基因表达及其启动子区甲基化的发生率与胰腺癌的大小,患者性别﹑年龄的差异无显著意义(P>0.05),但与组织分化程度﹑淋巴结转移﹑PTNM分期有显著意义(P<0.05)。结论:p16基因启动子的异常甲基化可影响p16蛋白的表达,它们与胰腺癌的发生发展有关;p16甲基化和蛋白表达可能成为胰腺癌诊断及预后的候选标志物之一。