Use of convalescent plasma therapy in SARS patients in Hong Kong

In order to evaluate the efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in the treatment of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), 80 SARS patients were given convalescent plasma at Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, between 20 March and 26 May 2003. Good outcome was defined as discharge by day 22 following the onset of SARS symptoms. Poor outcome was defined as death or hospitalization beyond 22 days. A higher day-22 discharge rate was observed among patients who were given convalescent plasma before day 14 of illness (58.3% vs 15.6%; P<0.001) and among those who were PCR positive and seronegative for coronavirus at the time of plasma infusion (66.7% vs 20%; P=0.001).     

Twelve novel HLA-B*15 alleles carrying previously observed sequence motifs are placed into B*15 subgroups

Twelve new B*15 alleles are described. All of the known B*15 alleles are divided into subgroups based on serologic assignments and/or nucleotide sequence polymorphisms. These groups might be used as a reference for DNA-based testing at an intermediate (i.e. "serologic") level of resolution.     

Proteinase-activated receptor 2 activation in the airways enhances antigen-mediated airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness through different pathways

BACKGROUND: Serine proteinases such as mast cell tryptase, trypsin-like enzymes, and certain allergens are important in the pathogenesis of asthma. These proteinases can activate the proteinase-activated receptor (PAR)-2, which has been shown to be upregulated in the airways of patients with asthma. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate PAR-2 activation in the airways during allergen challenge and its effects on the 2 principle features of asthma, airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). METHODS: Proteinase-activated receptor 2 activating peptide SLIGRL-NH2 (PAR-2 activating peptide [ap]) or control peptide LSIGRL-NH2 (PAR-2 control peptide [cp]) was administered alone or in conjunction with ovalbumin intranasally to mice, and AHR and airway inflammation were evaluated. RESULTS: PAR2ap did not induce AHR or airway inflammation in ovalbumin-sensitized mice that had not been challenged with ovalbumin. When administered with ovalbumin, PAR-2ap enhanced AHR and airway inflammation compared with ovalbumin administered alone or with PAR-2cp. The enhanced AHR persisted for 5 days, whereas the enhancement to airway inflammation dissipated. Mice administered PAR-2ap alone during the 5 days after the final antigen challenge demonstrated an additional enhancement to airway inflammation compared with the control animals. PAR-2ap administered with allergen increased TNF and IL-5 mRNA in lung tissue and IL-13 and TNF in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. CONCLUSION: Exogenous PAR-2 activation in parallel with allergen challenge enhances allergen-mediated AHR and airway inflammation through distinct mechanisms. PAR-2 activation can also enhance established airway inflammation even when dissociated from exposure to allergen. Therefore, PAR-2 activation may play a pathogenic role in the development of AHR and airway inflammation.     

Cribriform-morular variant of papillary carcinoma: the sporadic counterpart of familial adenomatous polyposis-associated thyroid carcinoma. A case report with clinical and molecular genetic correlation

The increased incidence of thyroid carcinomas in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) patients is well recognised. These thyroid neoplasms display distinctive clinicopathological features and generally show good prognostic outcome. Recently, unusual sporadic tumours that share the morphological features of FAP-associated thyroid carcinomas have also been described. In this report, we document a case of a thyroid tumour in a previously well, 46-year-old female. Histology revealed a circumscribed neoplasm composed of tubular, papillary, cribriform and solid areas. The pseudostratified columnar tumour cells showed occasional nuclear grooves and rare nuclear inclusions. Immunohistochemistry showed positive staining with antibodies to cytokeratin AE1/AE3, oestrogen and progesterone receptor proteins. Focal immunoreactivity was also noted with antibodies to thyroglobulin, epithelial membrane antigen, 34betaE12 and cytokeratin CK7. The absence of polyps on colonoscopy and germline mutation in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene provides evidence that this tumour represents the sporadic counterpart of FAP-associated thyroid carcinoma. The patient is well with no evidence of disease 7 months following resection of the tumour. The differential diagnoses and molecular genetics of this unusual tumour are discussed.     

Allelic loss of chromosome 6q in gastric carcinoma.

Loss of the long arm of chromosome 6 (6q) has frequently been reported in gastric carcinoma, and most gastric cancer patients have evidence of intestinal metaplasia in the stomach. However, the relationship between loss of chromosome 6q and intestinal metaplasia has not been studied. In the first part of the study, we define the critical deletion region of chromosome 6q using loss of heterozygosity technique (LOH). Seventeen microsatellite markers were used to detect loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in 37 microdissected gastric tumors. We also examined intestinal metaplasia (IM) foci of the stomach in the same cancer patient (17 cases). Losses on chromosome 6q were detected in high frequency (51%) by LOH. Two distinct regions of common allelic loss were identified: one centered on the marker D6S300 (at 6q16.1) and the second on D6S446 (at 6q27), with LOH frequency of 36% and 31.3%, respectively. The deletions fall into 2 discrete regions, suggesting the existence of at least 2 tumor suppressor genes in 6q. The losses at 6q27 were confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization study (FISH). In the cases with LOH in the tumor, no LOH were detected in the autologous IM areas, but losses were detected by FISH. In some cases, these genetic changes may be acquired in the transition from normal gastric mucosa to intestinal metaplasia.     

Saliva as a diagnostic specimen for testing respiratory virus by a point-of-care molecular assay: a diagnostic validity study

Objectives

Automated point-of-care molecular assays have greatly shortened the turnaround time of respiratory virus testing. One of the major bottlenecks now lies at the specimen collection step, especially in a busy clinical setting. Saliva is a convenient specimen type that can be provided easily by adult patients. This study assessed the diagnostic validity, specimen collection time and cost associated with the use of saliva.

Follow-up study of acute hepatitis C

Summary An extended follow-up study of hepatitis C virus (HVC) infection was conducted in Guangzhou and its nearby regions on patients hospitalized with acute hepatitis. Routine screening of blood donors for HCV was not yet instituted at the time of this study. HCV was found to be a common cause of the disease, and the infection had a close association with recent histories of blood transfusion. Sequential sera obtained from patients during hospitalization and after discharge were tested for the presence of HCV antibodies by the first and the second generation of commercial test kits, for levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and for the presence of HCV-RNA. The development of HCV antibodies in some of the patients may be delayed for protracted period following clinical onset. HCV-RNA was only intermittently detectable both before and after seroconversion. Six of 33 patients studied showed seroreversion and 5 of them were accompanied by loss of HCV-RNA and serum ALT returned to normal levels. The disease persisted in 24 of 27 patients without seroreversion, accompanied by intermittent detection of HCV-RNA throughout the protracted course of the infection. Our results indicate that both EIA for detection of HCV antibodies and PCR for serum HCV-RNA should be used in combination for reliable diagnosis of HCV infection and screening of blood for transfusion.     

p53蛋白的免疫亲和层析纯化

建立了ｐ５３单克隆抗体ｐＡｂ１８０１的免疫亲和层极法纯化ｐ５３蛋白，所纯化的ｐ５３蛋白经Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎ Ｂｌｏｔ（ＥＣＬ法）检测证明：用此法从ｐ５３阳性的ＳＷ４８０细胞中分离到ｐ５３蛋白。银染显示ｐＨ２．０甘氨酸缓冲液比ｐＨ２．８的甘氨酸缓冲液洗脱效果好，这种方法的建立将为分离肿瘤细胞中引起ｐ５３蛋白功能失活和研究肿瘤发生机制提供一种有效途径。     

Direct sequencing of SSP-PCR-amplified cDNA to identify new alleles in the DR52-associated DRB1 group: identification of DRB1*1115, DRB1*1117 and DRB1*1319

Abstract: Low and high resolution sequence specific oligonucleotide probe hybridization patterns were used to design an approach to direct sequencing of allele specific amplified cDNA. Several PCR amplifications were used to derive overlapping sequence fragments to define complete first domain sequences for a single allele. This method has been used to characterize three new DRB1 alleles in the DR52 family, DRB1*1115, DRB1* 1117, and DRB1*1319. All three alleles carry polymorphisms previously observed in other DRB alleles and underscore the importance of utilizing a directed sequencing approach for obtaining unambiguous typing results in matching for bone marrow transplantation between unrelated donor and recipient.     

A study on Epstein Barr Virus receptor activity in cell free extracts of human lymphoblastoid cells

Summary Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) receptor activity in cell free extracts is operationally defined as one which causes a reduction in the effective concentration of the early antigen inducing particles of an EBV preparation when the latter is preincubated with the extract before infection. Such activity was detected in the surface extract of Raji cells and to a lesser extent in that of BJAB cells, both of which are B lymphoblastoid cells that are susceptible to infection with EBV. Receptor activity was not detected in similar extracts of P₃HR-1 cells and human diploid fibroblasts neither of which are known to be susceptible to EBV infection.Receptor activity in the Raji cell extract was found to be associated with membranous structures. This may have rendered the activity resistant to treatment with trypsin and sonication. The activity was however abrogated if the extract was exposed to neutral detergent.Binding of receptor activity was observed when Raji cell extract was chromatographed on a column of immobilized EBV. Subsequent electrophoretic analysis showed however that this procedure did not result in an appreciable purification of the receptor activity. Neutral detergent treated extract was similarly chromatographed. The resulting eluates did not contain detectable receptor activity but were less heterogeneous in protein content as compared with that of the original extract. It is not certain at present if these EBV binding proteins are involved in the receptor activity of the extract.With 3 Figures