Significance of antibodies to the recombinant E2 protein of hepatitis G virus in haemodialysis patients

Patients on maintenance haemodialysis represent a high-risk group for parenterally transmitted viral infections, such as hepatitis B, C and G. In addition to hepatitis G virus (HGV) (GBV-C) RNA, analysed in previous studies, we characterized the seroprevalence rates of antibodies to the putative E2 protein (anti-E2) of HGV in a German cohort of patients on maintenance dialysis ( n = 72) in comparison to healthy blood donors ( n = 100). The presence of anti-E2 and/or HGV RNA as indicators of present or past HGV infection could be demonstrated in 34.7% of patients and in 16% of the blood donors ( P < 0.01). The infection rates with HGV seem to increase only during the first 6 years of haemodialysis. The simultaneous presence of viraemia and anti-E2 was found very rarely in patients and controls. Therefore, the emergence of anti-E2 indicates clearance of HGV viraemia. In conclusion, patients on haemodialysis are at high risk of acquiring HGV infection, but a chronic carrier state with viraemia is rare. The risk of infection is not strictly correlated with the duration of dialysis.     

慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者外周血单个核细胞CD36 mRNA、血清ApoE水平对急性加重期发生的预测价值

目的：分析慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）患者外周血单个核细胞（PBMCs）白细胞分化抗原36（CD36）信使核糖核酸（mRNA）、血清载脂蛋白E（ApoE）水平对急性加重期发生的预测价值。方法：选取2021年6月-2022年5月在湖州市中心医院就诊的COPD患者96例,其中急性加重期COPD患者为AECOPD组（n=50）,稳定期COPD患者为稳定组（n=46）,选取健康人群40例为对照组。检测所有受试者血清炎性因子[肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、白细胞介素（IL）-6、IL-1β、C反应蛋白（CRP）]、ApoE、肺功能指标[第1秒用力呼气容积与用力肺活量的比值（FEV1/FVC）、第1秒用力呼气容积占预计值百分比（FEV1%pred）]和PBMCs中CD36 mRNA水平;分析COPD患者PBMCs中CD36 mRNA、血清ApoE水平与炎性因子、肺功能指标的相关性以及PBMCs中CD36 mRNA、血清ApoE对COPD患者急性加重期发生的预测价值。结果：对照组、稳定组、AECOPD组吸烟史比例、TNF-α、IL-6、IL-1β、CRP、PBMCs中CD36 mRNA和血清ApoE水平依次升高,FEV1/FVC、FEV1%pred水平依次降低（P＜0.05）;COPD患者PBMCs中CD36 mRNA与血清ApoE水平呈正相关（P＜0.05）,COPD患者PBMCs中CD36 mRNA、血清ApoE水平均与血清TNF-α、IL-6、IL-1β、CRP呈正相关（P＜0.05）,与FEV1/FVC、FEV1%pred呈负相关（P＜0.05）;PBMCs中CD36 mRNA单独、血清ApoE单独、二者联合预测COPD患者急性加重期发生的曲线下面积（AUC）分别为0.887、0.871、0.966,二者联合预测的AUC高于CD36 mRNA、ApoE单独预测的AUC（P＜0.05）。结论：COPD患者PBMCs中CD36 mRNA和血清ApoE均呈高表达,二者对COPD患者急性加重期发生具有一定的预测价值。     

The effect of hyperoxia on the lungs of rats deficient in essential fatty acids

Morphological alterations in the lungs of rats deficient in either or both of vitamin E and essential fatty acids were investigated after exposure to hyperoxia for 48h. In rats deficient in both vitamin E and essential fatty acids, there was damage to type-2 alveolar cells observed as swollen mitochondria and bleb formation in the cytoplasm. None of these changes was found in rats deficient in only one of these substances. Hyperoxia in rats deficient in both substance also caused destruction of the capillary endothelial cells and edema in the interstitium. The lungs of rats deficient in only one of the substances showed some edema in the capillary endothelial cells, but not destruction, and less interstitial edema. These findings suggest that simultaneous deficiency in vitamin E and essential fatty acids facilitates lung damage in rats exposed to hyperoxia.(Murakami R, Obara H, Momota T et al.: The effect of hyperoxia on the lungs of rats deficient in essential fatty acids. J Anesth 3: 149–154, 1989)     

Autoimmune hepatitis type 1 and primary biliary cirrhosis have distinct bone marrow cytokine production

We have recently reported differences in the hematopoiesis between autoimmune hepatitis type 1 (AIH-1) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). In view of the notion that cytokines are regulators of hematopoiesis, we investigated in our tertiary center the cytokine production in the bone marrow (BM) of the same consecutive cohort of patients (13 AIH-1, 13 PBC, 10 healthy and 7 patients with cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis B). Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) were determined in the supernatants of long-term BM cultures by ELISAs. IL-4, TNF-alpha and TGF-beta were found significantly increased in the BM of PBC patients compared to AIH-1 and both control groups. AIH-1 patients had significantly higher BM IL-10 compared to PBC patients and higher IL-10, IL-4 and TNF-alpha compared to controls. BM IFN-gamma was significantly higher in PBC and AIH-1 patients compared to controls. In AIH-1 patients, IL-10 was positively correlated with CD34+, CD34+/CD38- and CD34+/CD38+ cell proportions. In conclusion, the BM cytokine microenvironment of PBC and AIH-1 patients differs significantly compared to that of healthy individuals and cirrhotic patients of non-autoimmune etiology. Differences were also found between patients with PBC and AH-1. The implication of BM in the pathogenesis of autoimmune liver diseases is possible and needs further investigation.     

临床诊断为非甲～戊型肝炎患者的病原学研究

目的探讨临床诊断为非甲-戊型肝炎患者的病原学。方法 采用巢式PCR（nPCR)检测HBV、TTV、B19、和SENV DNA；用逆转录巢式PCR（RT-nPCR)检测HGV和HCV RNA。结果 60例临床诊断为非甲-戊型肝炎患者中，单独HBVDNA阳性30例（阳性率为50.0%)，HBV和TTVDNA阳性10例（16.7%)，HBV和B19DNA阳性6例（10.0%)，HCVRNA、HBV和SENVDNA阳性1例（1.7%)，单独HCVRNA阳性1例（1.7%)，HCVRNA和B19DNA阳性1例（1.7%),HGVRNA无一例阳性，单独B19DNA阳性2例（3.3%)。单独TTVDNA阳性1例（1.7%)，另8例（13.3%)上述病毒核酸均为阴性。HBV合并感染TTV或B19对其血清学生化指标无影响。结论HBV是临床诊断为非甲-戊型肝炎的主要病原，HGV、TTV、B19和SENV与非甲-戊型肝炎无关。     

Hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatocellular carcinoma in Southern Africa

Summary Most series in Africa show a high percentage of hepatitis B surface Hepatitis antigen in hepatocellular carcinoma. Two groups of cases were investigated in this study. The one was derived from the autopsy material at Baragwanath hospital from subjects who had lived in Soweto, a large Black urban town. The second group consisted of male Black mineworkers generally originating from rural areas. A combination of the aldehydefuchsin stain and immunoperoxidase technique was used. The two groups showed totally different results. The Baragwanath series consisted of 24 hepatocellular carcinomas of which only 4 (17%) were HBsAg positive. Of the 24 cases, 14 had cirrhosis of which 9 were macronodular and 5 micronodular. Ten of these cases showed heavy iron overload. The series of male Black mineworkers comprised 22 cases of which 16 (72%) were HBsAg positive. Twelve of the 22 cases showed a macronodular cirrhosis and there were no micronodular cirrhoses. Only one case showed severe iron overload. These findings delineate two different populations of hepatocellular carcinoma in Southern Africa.     

Are transforming properties of the bovine papillomavirus E5 protein shared by E5 from high-risk human papillomavirus type 16?

The E5 proteins of bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1) and human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) are small (44-83 amino acids), hydrophobic polypeptides that localize to membranes of the Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum, respectively. While the oncogenic properties of BPV-1 E5 have been characterized in detail, less is known about HPV-16 E5 due to its low expression in mammalian cells. Using codon-optimized HPV-16 E5 DNA, we have generated stable fibroblast cell lines that express equivalent levels of epitope-tagged BPV-1 and HPV-16 E5 proteins. In contrast to BPV-1 E5, HPV-16 E5 does not activate growth factor receptors, phosphoinositide 3-kinase or c-Src, and fails to induce focus formation, although it does promote anchorage-independent growth in soft agar. These variant activities are apparently unrelated to differences in intracellular localization of the E5 proteins since retargeting HPV-16 E5 to the Golgi apparatus does not induce focus formation.     

Candidate genes associated with ageing and life expectancy in the Jerusalem longitudinal study

In an exploratory study, 11 common polymorphisms were examined for contributing to longevity including: apolipoprotein E (apoE), methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), cathepsin D (CAD), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), angiotensinogen (AGT) and insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2), Leiden factor 7, p53 oncogene, dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) and the serotonin transporter (SERT). Genotype and allele frequencies of these genes were compared in 224 older (75 years) Jewish Jerusalem residents of Ashkenazi ethnicity to a group of 441 younger subjects (22 years). Nominally significant results provide suggestive evidence in the Ashkenazi group that apoE, MHTFR, SOD2, IGF2 ApaI, and factor VII are risk factors for a single outcome, survival to 75. Overall, the more genetically homogenous Ashkenazi ethnic group showed evidence for association in five genes examined suggesting that future studies in this population would gainfully focus on this ethnic group.     

Serum 27E10 antigen: a new potential marker for staging HIV disease.

MRP8 and MRP14 are myeloic related proteins expressed by most circulating and emigrated neutrophils and monocytes. Their composite molecule MRP8/14 (27E10 antigen) was shown to exhibit striking antimicrobial properties. The aim of the present study was to assess the value of MRPs as markers for detection of the different stages of HIV infection (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 1993). By employing the ELISA technique we measured serum concentrations of these proteins in samples from 122 HIV patients at the various stages of disease, and the results were compared with those for healthy controls. Serum levels of the heterodimeric molecule 27E10 were significantly increased (P < 0.001) in patients with CDC stages II and III, with the highest levels being in patients with stage III and acute ongoing opportunistic infections. For the single component MRP14, significantly raised levels (P < 0.05) were only found in HIV stage III individuals with acute clinical events. Similar associations were not found for MRP8 alone. Increase was not related to CD4+ cell count. There was a significant correlation between 27E10 antigen serum concentrations and levels of neopterin in patients with HIV stages II and III without acute concurrent illness. Patients being treated with Zidovudine showed no statistically significant variation in levels of 27E10 and its single components MRP8 and MRP14 compared with untreated patients. These findings suggest that elevation of MRP14 levels occurs in HIV+ individuals at later stages post-HIV infection, after the onset of opportunistic infections. 27E10 antigen is concluded to be a potential marker for the different stages of HIV disease.     

血清谷氨酰转肽酶含量测定在慢性乙型肝炎中的临床意义

目的探讨血清谷氨酰转肽酶（GGT）含量变化在慢性乙型肝炎（CHB）不同程度肝脏病理损害中的变化规律及临床意义。方法测定70例CHB患者血清ALT、AST、GGT水平，同时行肝活体组织检查，对肝脏进行炎症分级和纤维分期。分析ALT、AST、GGT与CHB之间的关系。结果（1）ALT、AST、GGT随炎症程度和纤维化程度的上升而上升，但到G4和s4后则下降。GGT随ALT、AST的升高而升高，ALT、AST和GGT的相关系数分别为：0．322、0．328（P〈0．05）。在保肝治疗后，ALT较快降至正常且GGT保持在一个较低水平的为轻度CHB，而随着ALT下降，GGT仍持续在一个较高水平的为中度及重度CHB，其中重度CHB的GGT水平有所波动。结论血清GGT比ALT、AST更准确的反映肝脏的炎症程度，GGT的活动度给临床判断慢乙肝的炎症提供了重要的判断依据。