Association of serum YKL-40 and DPP4 with T2-high asthma in Chinese adults.

This study aimed to assess the utility of serum YKL-40 and serum dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP4) as biomarkers for distinguishing between type 2 (T2)-high and T2-low asthma in the Chinese population. Additionally, we sought to explore the associations of serum YKL-40 and DPP4 levels with asthma characteristics and conventional markers. A real-world observational cross-sectional study was conducted, involving a total of 75 adult asthma patients. We collected general information, including demographics and medical history. Measurements included complete blood count, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), post-bronchodilator spirometry, serum YKL-40 and serum DPP4 levels. Asthma endotypes, T2-high and T2-low, were defined through a comprehensive review of existing literature and expert group discussions. Logistic and linear regression models were employed. Our findings indicated no significant association between serum YKL-40 or serum DPP4 levels and T2-high asthma across all models. In the fully adjusted model, their odds ratios (OR) were 0.967 (95% CI: 0.920-1.017) and 0.997 (95% CI: 0.993-1.001), respectively. Notably, serum YKL-40 exhibited a positive correlation with FeNO (ß = 0.382, 95% CI: 0.230-0.533) after adjusting for confounding factors. This association, however, diminished in patients under 40 years old (P = .24), males (P = .25), and those with FEV1%pred of 80% or higher (P = .25). Serum DPP4 demonstrated a negative correlation with FEV1/FVC in the fully adjusted model (ß: -0.005, 95% CI: -0.009, -0.000). Among Chinese adult asthma patients, a positive correlation was observed between serum YKL-40 levels and FeNO in females aged over 40 with FEV1%pred less than 80%. Additionally, a weak negative correlation was found between serum DPP4 levels and FEV1/FVC. However, neither serum YKL-40 nor serum DPP4 levels exhibited the capability to differentiate between T2-high and T2-low asthma.

Castleman disease and TAFRO syndrome: To improve the diagnostic consciousness is the key.

BACKGROUND: Castleman disease (CD) and TAFRO syndrome are very rare in clinical practice. Most clinicians, especially non-hematological clinicians, do not know enough about the two diseases, so it often leads to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis. AIM: To explore the clinical features and diagnosis of CD and TAFRO syndrome. METHODS: We retrospectively collected the clinical and laboratory data of 39 patients who were diagnosed with CD from a single medical center. RESULTS: Clinical classification identified 18 patients (46.15%) with unicentric Castleman disease (UCD) and 21 patients (53.85%) with multicentric Castleman disease (MCD), the latter is further divided into 13 patients (33.33%) with idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease-not otherwise specified (iMCD-NOS) and 8 patients (20.51%) with TAFRO syndrome. UCD and iMCD are significantly different in clinical manifestations, treatment, and prognosis. However, a few patients with MCD were diagnosed as UCD in their early stage. There was a correlation between two of Thrombocytopenia, anasarca and elevated creatinine, which were important components of TAFRO syndrome. In UCD group, the pathologies of lymph modes were mostly hyaline vascular type (13/18, 72.22%), however plasma cell type or mixed type could also appear. In iMCD-NOS group and TAFRO syndrome group, the pathologies of lymph mode shown polarity of plasma cell type and hyaline vascular type respectively. Compared with patients with TAFRO syndrome, patients with iMCD-NOS were diagnosed more difficultly. CONCLUSION: The clinical and pathological types of CD are not completely separate, there is an intermediate situation or mixed characteristics between two ends of clinical and pathological types. The clinical manifestations of patients with CD are determined by their pathological type. TAFRO syndrome is a special subtype of iMCD with unique clinical manifestations.

Biliary intervention aggravates cholestatic liver injury, and induces hepatic inflammation, proliferation and fibrogenesis in BDL mice.

Obstructive cholestasis occurs in various clinical situations, whose pathological process is complex and not well known. The present study was initiated to display the complex and multifaceted pathological process caused by obstructive cholestasis in bile duct-ligated mice. Adult mice were bile-duct-ligated or sham-operated, and serum and liver tissues were collected at the indicated time points. Automatic biochemical analyzer was used to monitor serum biochemical index; TUNEL, HE staining, immunohistochemistry and Real-time PCR were employed to evaluate liver apoptosis, necrosis, inflammation, as well as proliferation and fibrosis. Our results demonstrated that obstructive cholestasis led to elevated serum biochemical indicators, with ALT peaking at day 3, indicative of acute hepatic dysfunction. Meanwhile, the number of TUNEL-positive cells increased significantly, and by 2 weeks, mild to moderate necrosis became apparent in BDL mouse livers, which consequently aggravated hepatic inflammatory responses as was demonstrated by increased expression of KC-1, MIP-2, ICAM-1 and MPO in BDL mouse livers. Moreover, proliferative hepatocytes around periportal areas, manifested by enhanced cell mitosis and elevated expression of proliferative markers such as PCNA and Ki67, increased significantly after BDL, while increased CK-19-positive cells in bile ducts indicated bile duct hyperplasia. By 2 weeks, numerous α-SMA-positive cells and Sirius-stained collagen were observed, indicative of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) activation and fibrogenesis. In conclusion, biliary intervention led to a multifaceted hepatic pathological process characterized by aggravated liver injury and inflammatory reaction with enhanced cellular proliferation and fibrogenesis.

C/EBPα down-regulation is associated with reduced hepatic cellular viability during hypoxia in vitro and in vivo.

C/EBPα transcription factor is a key regulator in liver biology and was preliminarily shown to be down-regulated in hypoxic primary rat hepatocytes. The aim of this study was to explore the possible association between C/EBPα expression level and hepatocyte viability in both the in-vitro cultured hypoxic rat primary hepatocytes and two models of acute liver hypoxia induced by carbon tetrachloride or Fas antibody. C/EBPα mRNA was significantly down-regulated under hypoxic conditions both in vitro and in vivo, which was paralleled by a similar decrease in hepatocyte viability and partially reversed by 3D matrix and dexamethasone. These results suggested that C/EBPα down-regulation may be one mechanism of reduced hepatocyte viability in these settings.

[Studies on influence of fungal elicitor on hairy root of Panax ginseng biosynthesis ginseng saponin and biomass].

OBJECTIVE: To study influence of fungal elicitors on the biomass and ginseng saponin biosynthesis of hairy roots of Panax ginseng (HRPG). METHOD: Fungal elicitors were extracted from Colletorichum lagnarinm, Phoma filtrate, Fusarium oxysponum, Asperillus niger and culture with HRPG. The total ginseng sponin and four kinds of monomeric sponins were analysed by UV-spectrophotometry and RP-HPLC. RESULT: Fungal elicitors coula not only can influence on HRPG biomass and total ginseng sponin, but also improve or decrease some monomeric sponin. The total ginseng sponin could be increased to 3.649% but Rg1 and Re could not be detected when A. niger elicitors wss 20 mg x L(-1) in the culture fluid. CONCLUSION: Fungal elicitor has specificity influence on secondary metabolite of HRPG. HRPG can biosynthesize specially active component by using specific fungal elicitor is used.