[Red blood cell lifespan detected by endogenous carbon monoxide breath test in patients with polycythemia vera].

Objective: To detect the red blood cell lifespan in patients with polycythemia vera (PV), and explore the influencing factors. Methods: From February 2017 to December 2018, 27 patients with PV at Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and 18 normal controls were recruited. Red blood cell lifespan was detected by endogenous carbon monoxide (CO) breath test. The related factors were analyzed. Results: The average red blood cell lifespan of 27 PV patients was 80 (range, 35-120) days (d), which was significantly shorter than that of the normal controls [110.5(69-166) d, P<0.05], namely 35.3 d shorter. The red blood cell lifespan of ten newly diagnosed patients and 17 patients who were treated with hydroxyurea and/or interferon were 98 (35-117) d and 69 (45-120) d, respectively, which were both shorter than that of the normal control (P=0.010, 0.000). Correlation analysis showed that red blood cell lifespan of patients with newly diagnosed PV was associated with JAK2 mutation allele burden (r=0.900, P=0.037), peripheral blood lymphocyte count (r=-0.742, P=0.014) and the level of serum vitamin B(12) (r=-0.821, P=0.023). Conclusion: The lifespan of red blood cells in patients with PV is about one-third shorter than normal, and is related to JAK2 mutation allele burden, absolute lymphocyte count, and serum vitamin B(12) level.

Newly identified gene muscle segment homeobox C may play a role in intermuscular bone development of Hemibarbus labeo.

Intermuscular bones, ossified from tendons within the myosepta, occur only in teleost fish. Current understanding of the homology and origins of intermuscular bones in fishes is based mainly on morphological data. To date, there is no published data regarding molecular mechanisms of intermuscular bone formation. In this study, we cloned the gene muscle segment homeobox C (MsxC). MsxC potentially plays a role in intermuscular bone development of Hemibarbus labeo, an important species of cyprinid fish in the Chinese aquaculture industry. Sequence analysis of MsxC revealed motifs characteristic of the homeobox domain family. Whole-mount in situ hybridization showed that MsxC was primarily expressed in the myosepta and brain. MsxC was expressed in the myosepta from 26 to 41 days after hatching (DAH); this coincided with the onset of intermuscular bone ossification, which occurred between 35 and 62 DAH. Evidence for localization of MsxC expression by in situ hybridization correlated with its detection by quantitative real-time PCR. In vertebrates, MsxC plays a role in the regulation of mesenchymal cell differentiation during bone formation. We therefore conclude that MsxC may have a role in epithelium-mesenchyme interactions during intermuscular bone formation in H. labeo.

Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci from RAPD product in half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) and a test of cross-species amplification.

Eleven polymorphic microsatellite loci have been isolated and characterized from random amplified polymorphic DNA product in half-smooth tongue sole, Cynoglossus semilaevis. Twenty-one microsatellites were selected for designing microsatellite primers, of which 11 gave working primer pairs. They had between three and 12 alleles. Observed and expected heterozygosities varied from 0.53 to 0.93, and from 0.52 to 0.80, respectively. Five additional fish species assessed for cross-species amplification revealed between one and three positive amplifications and between zero and three polymorphic loci per species.