Novel insights in localization and expression levels of C5aR and C5L2 under native and post-transplant conditions in the kidney

AimsThe complement system, and especially C5a, plays an important role in the pathophysiology of renal diseases and post-transplant renal injury. The two receptors for C5a are C5a receptor (C5aR) and C5a-like-receptor-2 (C5L2). Only renal C5aR expression has been reported, although exact localization and alterations in expression after transplantation are unknown.Materials and resultsRenal C5aR and C5L2 expression and localization were analyzed immunohistochemically. C5aR and C5L2 expression was analyzed in human kidney biopsies obtained from living donors and patients suffering from acute tubular necrosis, acute cellular and vascular rejection or IF/TA.C5aR was expressed in the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop and first part of the distal convoluted tubule (DCT). Under inflammatory conditions, C5aR was de novo expressed in proximal tubuli. C5L2 was expressed in the kidney and localized to DCT1, DCT2 and connecting tubule. Persistent distal tubular expression of both receptors was demonstrated after renal transplantation.ConclusionsThis study shows distinct renal expression patterns for C5aR and C5L2. Our findings suggest a functional role for renal C5L2 rather than being a C5a decoy receptor. Future studies focusing on renal C5a–C5aR interaction should take differential C5aR and C5L2 expression into account, alongside abundant C5aR expression on infiltrating cells.     

Exploring the utility of whole‐exome sequencing as a diagnostic tool in a child with atypical episodic muscle weakness

The advent of whole‐exome next‐generation sequencing (WES) has been pivotal for the molecular characterization of Mendelian disease; however, the clinical applicability of WES has remained relatively unexplored. We describe our exploration of WES as a diagnostic tool in a 3½‐year old female patient with a 2‐year history of episodic muscle weakness and paroxysmal dystonia who presented following a previous extensive but unrevealing diagnostic work‐up. WES was performed on the proband and her two parents. Parental exome data was used to filter potential de novo genomic events in the proband and suspected variants were confirmed using di‐deoxy sequencing. WES revealed a de novo non‐synonymous mutation in exon 21 of the calcium channel gene CACNA1S that has been previously reported in a single patient as a rare cause of atypical hypokalemic periodic paralysis. This was unexpected, as the proband's original differential diagnosis had included hypokalemic periodic paralysis, but clinical and laboratory features were equivocal, and standard clinical molecular testing for hypokalemic periodic paralysis and related disorders was negative. This report highlights the potential diagnostic utility of WES in clinical practice, with implications for the approach to similar diagnostic dilemmas in the future.     

淫羊藿总黄酮调控Wnt/β-catenin信号通路对去卵巢大鼠抗骨质疏松作用研究

目的 通过淫羊藿总黄酮(TFE)对去卵巢大鼠骨组织Wnt/β-catenin信号通路及腰椎骨和股骨生物力学性能影响研究,探讨TFE对去卵巢大鼠抗骨质疏松的可能机制.方法 选用40只90天龄的SPF级SD雌性大白鼠,随机分为4组:对照组、去卵巢组(OVX)组、去卵巢+己烯雌酚(DES)组、去卵巢+淫羊藿总黄酮(TFE)组.实验持续12周后处死全部大鼠,取腰椎骨、股骨分别测量生物力学参数及骨密度.免疫蛋白印迹法检测各组大鼠胫骨骨皮质区p-GSK3-β(thr9)、RANKL、OPG、β-catenin蛋白表达水平.结果 与对照组比较,OVX组大鼠股骨、腰椎骨的生物力学性能及骨密度下降(P＜0.05);DES组、TFE组股骨和腰椎骨的生物力学性能和骨密度较去卵巢OVX组明显改善(P＜0.05);两治疗组的组间差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).免疫蛋白印迹法提示去卵巢大鼠分别加用TFE、DES治疗后,胫骨蛋白β-catenin、OPG表达上调,p-GSK3-β(thr9)、RANKL表达下调.结论 淫羊藿总黄酮能够改善去卵巢大鼠的骨生物力学性能,上调Wnt/β-catenin信号通路,从而改善骨质疏松.     

慢性移植肾失功后的移植肾切除手术分析

目的:分析总结因慢性移植肾失功而行移植肾切除手术患者的临床治疗经过,进一步探讨这类手术的安全性和适应证。方法:以慢性移植肾失功患者76例为研究对象,年龄23~72(36.6±13.5)岁,以上患者发生慢性移植肾失功的时间为术后11~91(35.8±24.6)个月,转入血液透析的时间为3~33(10.4±6.2)个月。76例患者均实施了移植肾切除手术,移植肾切除术后随访时间为6个月~5年。结果:平均手术时间50(35~180)min;术中平均出血量450(200~2 600)ml,平均输血量300(400~2 400)ml,其中67例进行了自体血液回收后输血。术后平均引流量250(20~1 100)ml,平均住院时间11(5~23)d。术后主要并发症:切口血肿8例,切口感染10例,消化道出血7例,心衰7例,肺部感染5例,肾上腺危象2例,下肢跛行2例。死亡4例。多数患者的体重指数、血红蛋白及血清白蛋白含量较术前有所提高。结论:慢性移植肾失功后的移植肾切除手术为高风险手术,应积极做好术前准备,同时加强围手术期护理,以降低手术并发症的发生率;积极适时地切除已经完全失功了的移植肾,有助于改善患者身体素质,避免免疫抑制的不良反应,同时有利于减轻患者本人及社会的经济负担。     

Purification of hemopoietic progenitor cells from human marrow using a fucose-binding lectin and cell sorting

Human peripheral blood granulocytes, but not lymphocytes, erythrocytes, or monocytes, bound the fucose-binding lectin from Lotus tetragonolobus (FBP), and this binding was competitively inhibited by the sugar alpha- L-fucose. The fluorescence-activated cell sorter was used to study the appearance of this receptor on human marrow cells during granulocyte differentiation and to prepare fractions enriched for granulocyte- macrophage progenitor cells (granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells--GM-CFC). Cell binding of fluoresceinated FBP increased for bone marrow cells in the sequence--lymphocytes, blast cells, promyelocytes and myelocytes, monocytes, and polymorphonuclear cells. Selection of cells with appropriate low-angle or high-angle light scatter characteristics achieved a 10-fold or 2-3-fold enrichment of progenitor cells, respectively. By selecting cells with intermediate fluorescence intensity, a further 2-3-fold enrichment for GM-CFC was obtained. Cell sorting using the optimal selection of these three parameters produced up to 36-fold enrichment of the progenitor cells from human bone marrow. The most enriched fraction was composed of 23% progenitor cells (colony- and cluster-forming cells) with a yield of 36%. In populations most highly enriched by GM-CFC, immature cells (blast cells, promyelocytes, and myelocytes) made up 95% of the cells present.     

Sebaceous carcinoma of the lip: Comparing normal lip and cheek anatomy with the imaging features of a rare cutaneous malignancy

Sebaceous carcinoma is a rare cutaneous malignancy, commonly affecting the eyelids. This case highlights a patient who presented with sebaceous carcinoma of the right upper lip with extensive involvement of the soft tissues of the head and neck. As part of the initial investigation, ultrasound was requested. This case demonstrates the ultrasound features of sebaceous carcinoma as well as revising the normal ultrasound anatomy of the upper lip and muscles of the cheek.     

Intracellular localization of glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-anchored CD67 and FcRIII (CD16) in affected neutrophil granulocytes of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

Immunoelectron microscopical studies performed in healthy human neutrophils showed the presence of glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-linked CD67 in granules. The use of immunogold double-labeling of CD67 and lactoferrin (LF; as marker for specific granules) or CD67 and myeloperoxidase (MPO; as marker for azurophilic granules) showed that CD67 occurred only in the specific granules. Furthermore, flow cytometry showed that CD67 has a low level of expression on the plasma membrane of these cells. In paroxsymal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)-affected neutrophils, CD67 was not detected in any intracellular compartment by immunoelectron microscopy, and flow cytometry showed no CD67 on the plasma membrane. In earlier studies, FcRIII was found on the plasma membrane, in electron-lucent vesicles, and in the Golgi complex of healthy neutrophils, and in the Golgi complex of some of the PNH-affected neutrophils. Here we have studied FcRIII in PNH-affected cells of three other patients and found, by immunoelectron microscopy, that the receptor can not be detected in these cells. However, flow cytometry showed that FcRIII was not completely absent on the plasma membrane of the affected cells, but that the level of expression on these cells was low. Thus, PNH patients can differ from one another with respect to the occurrence of affected neutrophils that have a detectable level of FcRIII in the Golgi complex. In summary, these findings show not only that the expression of the two GPI-linked proteins, CD67 and FcRIII, is markedly lower on the plasma membrane, but also that neither occurred in any of the intracellular compartments of affected neutrophils of the PNH patients examined in this study.