急性细菌感染性疾病患者血清α1酸性糖蛋白水平测定的临床探讨

目的 探讨血清α1酸性糖蛋白（α1-AG）水平对急性细菌感染疾病患者的临床意义.方法 用透射免疫比浊法对185例细菌感染性疾病患者和75例健康人血清α1-AG进行测定,并进行比较分析.结果 感染患者血清α1-AG水平明显高于对照组（P＜0.05）.结论 血清α1-AG水平检测对急性细菌感染疾病具有临床意义.     

Cytokine Responses of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 in G6PD-Deficient Infants

G6PD-deficient adults are reported to be susceptible to severe infection, and decreased cytokine responses have been postulated as the underlying mechanism. However, investigating the association of G6PD deficiency and cytokine responses during infancy is lacking. The current study aims to determine whether cytokine responses of tumor necrosis factor ()-α, interleukins (IL)-6, and IL-10 are impaired in the G6PD-deficient infants. Upon agreements with informed consents, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of enrolled infants were collected twice at 1 month and 1 year of age. PBMCs were then stimulated with toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists—including PAM3csk4 for TLR1–2, poly (I:C) for TLR3, and lipopolysaccharide for TLR4—to analyze the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10. Males (P = .004) and phototherapy during neonatal period (P = .008) were more common among G6PD-deficient infants than G6PD-normal subjects. After the stimulation of TLR agonists, there was no significant difference in the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 between PBMCs of G6PD-deficient and -normal infants at both 1 month and 1 year of age. In conclusion, the clinical characteristics of G6PD-deficient infants are different from those of G6PD-normal subjects. The data suggest that the innate immune responses to TLR agonists in G6PD-deficienct infants are not different from those of G6PD-normal infants.     

TLR-4、TNF-α、IL-6与早产的关系及意义

目的探讨新生儿血清Toll样受体(TLR)-4、肿瘤坏死因子(TNF)-α、白介素(IL)-6与早产的关系及意义。方法新生儿120例分为足月新生儿40例,胎膜早破早产儿40例,特发性早产儿40例。均在出生30 min内采集外周静脉血。应用酶联免疫法(ELISA)检测新生儿血清TLR-4、TNF-α和IL-6水平。结果胎膜早破早产儿、特发性早产儿的血清TLR-4、TNF-α、IL-6水平均高于足月儿(P均0.05)。两组早产儿的TLR-4均分别与该组TNF-α和IL-6水平呈正相关性;而TNF-α和IL-6水平之间也呈正相关性(P均0.01)。结论 TLR-4、TNF-α、IL-6水平的改变可能与早产相关。     

1例中间型β-地中海贫血的临床诊断和基因检测

目的通过回顾性分析1例中间型β-地中海贫血（地贫）的诊断及基因检测流程,总结中间型地贫的诊断策略。方法分析1例β-地贫合并α-地贫基因型患儿的临床表现,通过地贫基因多重PCR检测及DNA序列测定明确诊断,结合相关文献复习,探讨影响β-地贫表现型的基因因素。结果该地贫患儿基因型为B珠蛋白基因41／42突变的杂合予合并仅仅仅anti3.7基因杂合子。结论中间型地贫的诊断,需要临床表现与基因病变相一致,多重PCR结合DNA序列测定等方法可确诊罕见型基因突变。     

Effects of Deferoxamine on the Repair Ability of Dental Pulp Cells In Vitro

Introduction

In previous studies, we found that hypoxia promoted the mineralization of dental pulp cells (DPCs). However, the clinical application of hypoxia as a therapy is questionable or unfeasible. Deferoxamine (DFO), a medication for iron overload, has also been shown to induce hypoxia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of DFO on the repair ability of DPCs.

Methods

DPCs were obtained by using a tissue explant technique in vitro and were treated with different concentrations of DFO or hypoxia culture for 2 days. The viability, proliferation, migration, and odontogenic differentiation of DPCs were assayed and analyzed. The expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) was assessed through Western blotting.

Results

Ten micromolars of DFO enhanced the expression of HIF-1α similarly to hypoxia and did not affect the viability of DPCs for 2 days. Furthermore, the proliferation, migration, and odontogenic differentiation of DPCs were promoted by DFO.

Conclusions

These results suggest that DFO might improve the repair ability of DPCs by HIF-1α.     

Development of calcium phosphate/sulfate biphasic cement for vital pulp therapy

ObjectivesBioactive calcium phosphate cement (CPC) has been used widely to repair bone defects because of its excellent biocompatibility and bioactivity. However, the poor handling properties, low initial mechanical strength, and long setting time of CPC limit its application in vital pulp therapy (VPT). The aim of this study was to synthesize biphasic calcium phosphate/sulfate cements and evaluate the feasibility of applying these cements in VPT.MethodsThe physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of CPC were improved by mixing the cement with various amounts of α-calcium sulfate hemihydrate (CSH). The hydration products and crystalline phases of the materials were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. In addition, the physical properties, such as the setting time, compressive strength, viscosity, and pH were determined. Water-soluble tetrazolium salt-1 and lactase dehydrogenase were used to evaluate cell viability and cytotoxicity.ResultsThe developed CPC (CPC/CSH cement), which contains 50 wt% CSH cement, exhibited no obvious temperature increase or pH change during setting when it was used as a paste. The initial setting time of the CPC/CSH biphasic cement was substantially shorter than that of CPC, and the initial mechanical strength was 23.7 ± 5.6 MPa. The CPC/CSH cement exhibited higher viscosity than CPC and, thus, featured acceptable handling properties. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the relative peak intensity for hydroxyapatite increased, and the intensity for calcium sulfate dehydrate decreased as the amount of CPC was increased. The cell viability and cytotoxicity test results indicated that the CPC/CSH cement did not harm dental pulp cells.SignificanceThe developed CPC/CSH biphasic cement exhibits substantial potential for application in VPT.     

LDH enzyme activity in human saliva: The effect of exposure to cigarette smoke and its different components

ObjectiveAldehydes and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are important chemically active agents in cigarette smoke (CS). Salivary lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) originates predominantly from oral epithelium and was identified as an oral state marker. Its activity in saliva decreases after CS exposure. The aims of the current study were to identify the specific damaging agents in CS responsible for this activity reduction and to understand the mechanisms participating in CS oxidative damage to the salivary enzymes.MethodsPurified and salivary LDH samples were exposed to different levels of CS, pure acrolein, acetaldehyde, peroxynitrite and RNS donors. Each response of the isolated agent to the exposure was examined by a spectrophotometric enzyme activity assay and a Western blot.ResultsCS exposure caused a 34% reduction in LDH activity. Isolated treatment with unsaturated-aldehydes (acrolein, 10 μmol) caused a 61% reduction, while saturated-aldehydes (acetaldehyde, 200 μmol), peroxynitrite (200 μM) and RNS donor (SIN-1, 2 mM) caused no substantial effect. All five LDH isoenzymes reacted similarly. The carbonyl immunoblotting assay revealed a fourfold increase in carbonyl content when treated with CS and a sevenfold increase when treated with acrolein.Conclusionα,β-Unsaturated-aldehydes were identified as the main CS ingredient responsible for salivary LDH activity diminution. The effect of saturated-aldehydes and RNS donors was negligible. Unsaturated-aldehydes are capable of introducing carbonyl group into proteins, causing their dysfunction. This provides a molecular explanation for a decrease in LDH enzymatic activity in saliva.