Extracellular accumulation of bioactive substances during preparation and storage of various platelet concentrates

BACKGROUND: Side effects of platelet transfusion may be associated with infusion of bioactive substances. We therefore studied extracellular accumulation of histamine, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and interleukin (IL)-6 during preparation and storage of various platelet concentrates. METHODS: Twenty buffy-coat-derived platelet pools (BCPC) were prepared and stored in platelet additive solutions (PAS). Twelve apheresis platelet (APC) units were prepared using the COBE Spectra LRS, and 14 were prepared using the Fenwal Amicus Separator. After preparation half of the content was drawn from each APC unit. The normal ranges of the substances were determined in plasma from all donors, and the extracellular concentrations of the substances were determined in supernatants collected on days 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 of storage from all platelet preparations. RESULTS: The platelet counts were not significantly different in BCPC units and APC units. The BCPC units had a significantly higher white cell count than the APC units (P < 0.0001), but the count was significantly higher in the Amicus APC units than in the COBE APC units (P < 0.0001). The extracellular histamine concentration was significantly (P < 0.001) increased in BCPC units after preparation and without further increase during storage, while there was no accumulation of histamine in APC units. After preparation the PAI-1 concentration was significantly (P < 0.02) higher in BCPC units than in APC units, but during storage PAI-1 increased significantly (P < 0.05) more in APC units than in BCPC units. Similarly, VEGF concentration was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in BCPC units than in APC units after preparation. During storage, however, VEGF increased more in BCPC units compared with COBE Spectra APC units (P < 0.05), but compared with Amicus Separator APC units only for the first 3 days of storage. At days 5 and 7 of storage the VEGF concentration was significantly higher in the Amicus APC units than in the COBE APC units (P < 0.05). IL-6 was not detectable in any of the concentrates after preparation or during storage. CONCLUSION: Platelet concentrates prepared by the apheresis method may contain less white cell derived bioactive substances than platelet concentrates prepared by the buffy-coat method. However, a substantial storage time dependent platelet derived bioactive substance accumulation takes place in all platelet concentrates tested, presumably due to platelet disintegration.     

Identification of in-vivo induced genes of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 specially expressed in infected human

Streptococcus suis (S. suis) serotype 2 usually cause infection in swine. Recently, two large-scale outbreaks in China with severe streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) and high mortality raised worldwide concern to human S. suis infection. To reveal the molecular pathogenesis of S. suis 2 during human infection, in-vivo induced antigen technology (IVIAT) was applied to identify the in-vivo induced genes (ivi genes) of S. suis 05ZYH33. The ivi genes are specifically expressed or up-regulated in-vivo and always associated with the in-vivo survival and pathogenicity of pathogens. In present study, convalescent sera from S. suis 05ZYH33 infected patients were pooled and fully adsorbed with in-vitro grown S. suis 05ZYH33 and Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Genomic expression library of 05ZYH33 was repeatedly screened with colony immunoblot assay using adsorbed sera. Finally, 19 genes were assessed as ivi genes of 05ZYH33. Fifteen of 19 genes encode proteins with biological functions in substance transport and metabolism, cell structure biogenesis, cell cycle control, replication, translation and other functions. The 4 remaining genes encode proteins with unknown functions. Of the 19 ivi genes, five (SSU05_0247, 0437, 1577, 1664 and 2144) encode proteins with no immunoreactivity to control sera from healthy individuals never exposed to 05ZYH33. The successful identification of ivi genes not only sheds light on understanding the pathogenesis of S. suis 05ZYH33 during its human infection, but also provides potential targets for the developments of new vaccines, therapeutic drugs and diagnostic reagents against human S. suis infection.     

Tubacin对β细胞葡萄糖刺激胰岛素分泌的影响

目的：观察去乙酰化酶HDAC6特异性抑制剂Tubacin对MIN6细胞胰岛素分泌的影响,并探讨其可能机制。方法：用RT－PCR检测去乙酰化酶家族成员在MIN6细胞的表达,用免疫荧光技术观察HDAC6在小鼠胰岛和MIN6细胞内的定位;分别在5．6mmol／L和25mmol／L葡萄糖的DMEM中加和不加10μmol／LTubacin,用其处理MIN6细胞24h,收集上清,ELISA检测胰岛素浓度。同时用MTT法检测Tubacin对MIN6细胞活力的影响,RT－PCR检测上述处理条件下Insulin基因的表达情况。以Westernblot和免疫荧光技术检测Tubacin对MIN6细胞骨架蛋白α－tubulin乙酰化水平的影响。结果：MIN6细胞中各乙酰化酶家族成员mRNA的表达水平相差较大,其中HDAC6表达相对较高。HDAC6主要表达于小鼠胰岛B细胞及MIN6细胞胞浆中。在5．6imnol／L和25mmol／L葡萄糖条件下,Tubaein处理24h可以显著抑制胰岛素分泌,但不影响MIN6细胞活力。同时,在5．6mmol／L葡萄糖存在条件下Tubacin不影响胰岛素基因表达,在25mmol／L葡萄糖存在条件下Tubacin可轻度上调胰岛素基因表达。Westernblot和免疫荧光结果发现,Tubacin抑制胰岛素分泌的同时伴有α—tubulin乙酰化水平增加。结论：HDAC6抑制剂Tubacin可能通过增加MIN6细胞d．tubulin乙酰化水平,改变细胞骨架的活动度而抑制胰岛素分泌。     

复发性流产伴胰岛素抵抗患者的中医体质分析

目的探讨复发性流产伴胰岛素抵抗患者的中医体质分布特征,了解此类患者血清SHBG、PAI-1水平,并探讨其与中医体质的关联性。方法采用横断面问卷调查形式,选择复发性流产伴胰岛素抵抗患者92例(观察组)和复发性流产不伴胰岛素抵抗患者92例(对照组),比较两组中医体质及血清SHBG及PAI-1水平进行统计分析。结果观察组中医体质类型以阳虚质(27.01%)、气郁质(13.79%)、痰湿质(12.07%)为主,对照组以阳虚质(34.67%)、气郁质(13.33%)、阴虚质(11.33%)为主,两组痰湿质差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。观察组中血清SHBG的表达水平为(9.692.78)nmol/ml,对照组中血清SHBG的表达水平为(11.09±2.56)nmol/ml,观察组中血清SHBG表达水平低于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。观察组中血清PAI-1的表达水平为(11,056.1±1631.8)pg/ml,对照组中血清PAI-1的表达水平为(10,302.7±1688.8)pg/ml,观察组中血清PAI-1的表达高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。复发性流产伴胰岛素抵抗患者不同的中医体质类型中阳虚质的SHBG表达水平为(9.51±3.14)nmol/ml,气郁质SHBG表达水平为(9.96±2.94)nmol/ml,痰湿质SHBG表达水平为(9.94±2.50)nmol/ml,各组间比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。阳虚质的PAI-1表达水平为(11,241.6±1701.7)pg/ml,气郁质PAI-1表达水平为(10,739.3±1334.6)pg/ml,痰湿质PAI-1表达水平为(11,046.7±1372.1)pg/ml,各组间比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论复发性流产伴胰岛素抵抗患者中医体质以阳虚质、气郁质、痰湿质为主。血清SHBG水平在复发,性流产伴胰岛素抵抗患者表达偏低,血清PAI-1水平在复发性流产伴胰岛素抵抗患者表达升高。     

Postprandial coagulation activation in overweight individuals after weight loss: Acute and long-term effects of a high-monounsaturated fat diet and a low-fat diet

Diet is important in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, and it has been suggested that a high-MUFA diet is more cardioprotective than a low-fat diet. We hypothesised that the postprandial thrombotic risk profile is improved most favourably by a high-MUFA diet compared with a low-fat diet. This was tested in a parallel intervention trial on overweight individuals (aged 28.4 (SD 4.7) years) randomly assigned to a MUFA-diet (35-45% of energy as fat; > 20% as MUFA, n = 21) or a low-fat (LF) diet (20-30% of energy as fat, n = 22) for 6 months after a weight loss of ~ 10%. All foods were provided free of charge from a purpose-built supermarket. Meal tests designed after the same principles were performed before and after the dietary intervention, and blood samples were collected at 8.00 h (fasting), 12.00 h, and 18.00 h and analysed for factor VII coagulant activity (FVII:C), activated FVII, fibrinogen, prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2), D-dimer, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI:Ag), and thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor. There were significant postprandial increases in F1 + 2 and D-dimer before and after dietary intervention, with significantly lower values after 6 months. No significant differences were observed between the postprandial changes induced by the two diets. The postprandial decrease in FVII:C and PAI:Ag did not differ before and after intervention, irrespective of the diets. Our findings suggest postprandial coagulation activation in overweight subjects with more pronounced acute than long-term effects. We observed similar effects of the MUFA diet and the LF diet on the postprandial prothrombotic risk profile.     

Role of Helicobacter pylori in patients with HCV-related chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis with or without hepatocellular carcinoma: possible association with disease progression

The discovery of Helicobacter hepaticus as a causal agent of hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in mice has stimulated interest in looking for Helicobacter species in human liver samples. In this study, we searched for association between H. pylori and HCV-related liver disease. Liver specimens were collected from eighty-five patients; they were divided into five different groups according to liver pathology (METAVIR system). Group I (the 1st control group) consisted of 16 patients with chronic hepatitis C without histological activity. Group II consisted of 25 patients with chronic active hepatitis C, Group III, 17 patients with HCV-related cirrhosis and Group IV, 16 patients with HCV-related cirrhosis and HCC. Group V (2nd control group) consisted of 11 patients suffering from gastro duodenal and gall bladder diseases but negative for HCV. All cases were tested by polymerase chain reaction on liver samples for the presence of H. pylori DNA Cag A gene. Routine biochemical, radiological and RT-PCR for HCV RNA were also performed for all cases. The positivity of H. pylori PCR CagA gene in liver tissue was directly proportional to the severity of liver pathology, this being 75%, 52.9% and 32% in groups IV, III and II, respectively, which was more significant than the 1st and 2nd control groups (P < 0.001). There was a significant difference between H. pylori PCR values when compared to METAVIR staging (F) in different groups (P = 0.001). Helicobacter pylori PCR (Cag A gene) was positive in about 28.2% cases of late fibrosis (F3 + F4) while positivity was (5.9%) in early fibrosis (F1 + F2) (P = 0.0001). There was significant difference between H. pylori PCR (Cag A gene) in liver tissue and METAVIR activity in different groups (P = 0.002) as most of H. pylori PCR-positive cases were METAVIR activity A1 and A2 (15.3% and 12.9%, respectively). There was no association between H. pylori PCR and quantitative HCV RNA (P = 0.531). Also there was no significant difference of Child-Pugh staging in the H. pylori PCR-positive group when compared to the negative group (P = 0.996). There may be an association between the presence of H. pylori (Cag A gene) in the liver and disease progression in HCV-related chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis with and without HCC.