Human myeloid leukemia cell lines: a review

Several human acute myeloid leukemia cell lines were recently established. These lines provide model systems to study the control of differentiation in human myelogenous leukemia and, in a broader framework, the controls of normal myeloid development. The K562 line is composed of undifferentiated blast cells that are rich in glycophorin and may be induced to produce fetal and embryonic hemoglobin in the presence of hemin. The KG-1 cell line is composed predominantly of myeloblasts and promyelocytes. A unique characteristic of the KG-1 cells is their almost complete dependence on colony-stimulating factor for proliferation in soft-gel culture. The HL-60 is a promyelocytic leukemia cell line. In the presence of DMSO, the cells mature into granulocytes. Both the KG-1 and HL-60 cells differentiate into nondividing mononuclear phagocytes when exposed to phorbol esters. Investigations with these cell lines, and selected variants should provide important insights into the cell biology and perhaps therapy of human leukemia.     

Absence of WAF1 mutations in a variety of human malignancies

A newly cloned gene named wild-type p53-activated fragment 1 (WAF1; also known as p21, Pic-1, Cip-1, or SDI1) is directly regulated by p53 and can itself suppress tumor cell growth in culture. Induction of expression of WAF1 may be an important means by which cells with DNA injury arrest their growth to repair DNA or undergo apoptosis. Based on the hypothesis that mutations of this gene may play a role in carcinogenesis, we have studied 351 DNAs from 14 kinds of malignancies, as well as 36 human transformed cell lines, for alterations of WAF1 gene by single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis of polymerase chain reaction amplification of the DNA coding region of the WAF1 gene. No abnormal band shifts of WAF1 were noted in any of the samples or cell lines, but three major variants in exons 2 and 3 of the gene were found that are consistent with the existence of two different DNA polymorphisms. Sequence analysis of the amplified products producing these three variants in each exon from normal DNAs confirmed the presence of the polymorphisms in the WAF1 gene. Of 290 selected tumor samples previously evaluated for p53 mutations by single-strand conformation polymorphism, 90% had no detectable p53 alterations. In summary, mutations within the coding portion of the WAF1 gene were undetectable in a large series of human tumors, many of which had a normal p53 gene. This suggests that WAF1 alterations are generally caused indirectly, through p53 mutations rather than through intragenic mutation of the WAF1 itself.     

Hepatitis C virus infection is a risk factor for liver failure from veno-occlusive disease after bone marrow transplantation [see comments]

The contribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection to liver disease after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) was retrospectively evaluated in 61 patients treated with BMT. HCV genome, as well as antibodies to HCV, was analyzed in sera collected before and serially after BMT. Six patients had been infected with HCV before BMT and three patients acquired the infection during or shortly after BMT. All patients infected before BMT died within 10 weeks after transplantation. Five of these six patients (83%) died of veno-occlusive disease (VOD), compared with nine of 52 patients (17%) not infected with HCV (P < .005). Risk factors for VOD other than HCV were not more prevalent in these patients compared with uninfected patients. Parallel to the development of VOD, replication of HCV increased, as demonstrated by rising concentrations of viral RNA in serum. HCV infection acquired during or after BMT caused only mild acute hepatitis C, which progressed to chronic hepatitis C in one patient surviving 10 years after BMT. These data suggest that patients with liver disease caused by HCV infection are at high risk of developing lethal VOD after BMT.     

Mutation L437P in the 2B domain of keratin 1 causes diffuse palmoplantar keratoderma in a Chinese pedigree

Diffuse palmoplantar keratoderma (DPPK) is an autosomal dominant genodermatosis characterized by uniform hyperkeratosis of the palm and sole epidermis. This disorder can be caused by mutations in the genes keratin 1 , keratin 9 , keratin 16 , desmoglein 1 and plakoglobin . Here we present a DPPK Chinese pedigree and identify the aetiology as a novel missense mutation, L437P, located in a highly conserved helix motif in domain 2B of KRT1. Functional analysis shows that overexpression of the L437P mutant in cultured cells leads to abnormal intermediate filament networks and filament aggregation. This gain-of-function mutation highlights the role of domain 2B in mediating filament assembly.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no actual or potential conflicts of interest to disclose. Appropriate approval and procedures were used concerning human subjects.     

黄疸与肠外营养

在胃肠外营养中，肝功能异常很常见。组织学检查显示脂肪肝、肝内淤胆、胆囊三角内炎症细胞侵润。很多年来，关于肝功能异常的原因经常引起争议，但到目前为止，仍不清楚。当TPN用于危重病人，如休克、败血症、营养不良和感染性疾病等，这些疾病本身就可以引起肝功能异常。毫无疑问，TPN本身对肝功能异常也有一定的影响。当然结石引起肝外胆管阻塞而不能进食者除外，过去认为色氨酸中毒、非氨基酸平衡溶液、必须脂肪酸的缺乏、脂肪过多、葡萄糖过多或少是TPN引起黄胆的原因。随着我们对TPN的进一步认识，我们认为这种可能性很小。一些引起TPN并发症的其它原因正为我们所认识。     

系统训练的足球运动员身体成分与大腿不同横断面各组成面积的相关性

目的:分析参加系统训练的男子足球运动员身体成分与大腿断面组成之间的内在规律及身体成分与运动能力的关系。方法:实验于2002-10进行,选择沈阳体育学院经系统训练的8名男子足球运动员为观察对象。①所有受试者测定身高、体质量及上臂部和肩胛下部的皮下脂肪厚度,通过长岭-铃木方程和Brozek公式计算身体密度和体脂率。②大腿肌肉横断面积的测定采用螺旋CT断层扫描,部位在股骨小转子和内外侧髁之间平均分成4等份,取中间3个等分点所在的平面进行CT断层扫描,横断面层厚取8mm;CT影像分析采用MoticImagesAdvanced3.0测试系统软件,由计算机完成大腿、脂肪、肌肉、骨的面积测试。③数据处理采用SPSS8.0软件,身体成分指标与大腿不同横断面各组成面积相关分析采用Pearson法。结果:8名受试者全部完成测试进入结果分析。①身体成分指标:身体密度和体脂率分别为1.0695±0.0053,(13.11±2.12)%,脂肪质量为(9.25±7.71)kg,瘦体质量为(60.38±5.36)kg。②大腿各部横断面积:大小排列依次为肌肉、皮下脂肪和骨,大腿断面1,2,3各组成面积逐渐减少,各部组成成分面积右侧大于左侧,但差异均不显著(P>0.05)。③相关性分析结果:身体密度与大腿的面积及大腿各组成的面积呈显著负相关(r=-0.943～-0.714,P<0.05,0.01),且与大腿断层的部位有关;体脂率与大腿各横断面组成面呈显著正相关(r=0.748～0.936,P<0.01);瘦体质量与肌肉横断面积的相关性主要表现在大腿的中上段(P<0.05);体质量与脂肪、骨面积的相关体现在3个不同的断面上,而与大腿、肌肉面积的相关则主要集中在大腿的中上段。结论:①此8名运动员瘦体质量较高,故具有良好的身体素质和运动能力。②运动员身体密度与大腿断面各组成的面积均呈一定的负相关,而体脂率与其呈正相关。③大腿脂肪和骨与体质量都存在着相关,而体质量与大腿、肌肉面积的相关则主要集中在大腿的中上段;脂肪质量与大腿各断面的脂肪面积相关显著;瘦体质量与肌肉横断面积的相关性同与大腿横断面积的相关性基本一致。     

The use of CRIB (clinical risk index for babies) score in auditing the performance of one neonatal intensive care unit

The CRIB (clinical risk index of babies) score was developed to overcome the disadvantages of birthweight-specific comparisons between neonatal units. The aims of this study were to assess the ability of CRIB score compared to birthweight and gestational age to predict hospital mortality in very low birthweight infants and to use CRIB score in auditing one unit's performance during a prolonged time period. The charts of 335 infants with birthweight ≤ 1500 g born between 1980 and 1995 were reviewed retrospectively. CRIB predicted hospital mortality significantly better than birthweight and gestation and performed equally well, whether the infants were treated with synthetic surfactant or not. When adjusting for CRIB score there was a significant improvement in the unit's performance, probably owing to the introduction of surfactant. As small samples tend to be associated with wide confidence intervals, use of CRIB is recommended in comparing risk adjusted mortality in a single unit over several years, as in this study, or between large groups of neonatal units over shorter periods.     

小儿热感宁口服液治疗小儿上感的疗效及依从性研究

目的 :评价小儿热感宁口服液 (XRK)治疗小儿上呼吸道感染 (上感 )的有效性、安全性和依从性。方法 :16 1例上感患儿随机分成 3组 ,其中 XRK组 (6 0例 )口服剂量为 :1岁以内每次 2 .5～ 5 ml,1～ 3岁 ,5～ 10 m1,3～ 7岁 ,10～ 15 m l,7～ 13岁 ,15～ 2 0 ml,1日 3～ 4次 ,首剂加倍 ,3日为 1疗程 ,记录患儿用药前后的体温、临床症状、不良反应、白细胞计数 (WBC)及淋巴细胞比例 (L YMR) ,按标准作出疗效评定 ;并与双黄连口服液组 (SHK,41例 )及维 C银翘冲剂组 (VYQ,6 0例 )进行疗效比较。依从性以“口感好”和“使用方便”为考察指标进行统计。结果 :XRK组显效 44例 (73.3% ) ,好转 8例 (13.3% ) ,无效 8例 (13.3% ) ,总有效率为 86 .6 % ,白细胞计数 (× 10 9/ L)由药前的 3.0 1± 1.47升至药后的 8.37± 2 .2 7,P<0 .0 1,淋巴细胞比例 (% )由药前的 5 5 .44± 12 .5 9降至药后的 33.72± 11.91,P<0 .0 1,未发现与本药治疗有关的不良反应。 SHK组显效 14例 (34.2 % ) ,好转 19例 (46 .3% ) ,无效 8例 (19.5 % ) ,总有效率为 80 .5 %。VYQ组显效 2 6例 (43.3% ) ,好转 18例 (30 % ) ,无效 16例(2 6 .7% ) ,总有效率为 73.3%。XRK组与 SHK组和 VYQ组的显效率比较差异均有非常显著意义 ,P<0 .0 1。“口感好