[Roles of transforming growth factor - ß1 and heat shock protein 47 in progression of Schistosoma japonicum-induced hepatic fibrosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the dynamic expression of transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) and heat shock protein 47 (HSP47) and explore their roles in the progression of hepatic fibrosis induced by Schistosoma japonicum infection. METHODS: Fifty female mice of the ICR strain were randomly divided into the infection group and the normal control group, of 25 mice in each group. Each mouse in the infection group was infected with 20 ± 1 cercariae of S. japonicum via the abdominal skin, while uninfected animals served as normal control. Five mice were sacrificed 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks post-infection and liver tissues were sampled. Serum HSP47 and TGF-ß1 was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the pathological changes of liver specimens were observed with hematoxylin & eosin (HE) staining. In addition, the synthesis of alpha 1 chain of type I collagen (COL1A1) was measured using Masson staining, and the mRNA expression of TGF-ß1, HSP47 and COL1A1 was determined using real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay. RESULTS: During the period of S. japonicum-induced hepatic fibrosis, the serum HSP47 and TGF-ß1 levels and the mRNA expression of TGF - ß1, HSP47 and COL1A1 gradually increased with the progression of hepatic fibrosis. The serum levels of HSP47 and TGF-ß1 were (179.26 ± 29.87) pg/mL and (22.37 ± 5.21) ng/mL 6 weeks post-infection, respectively, which were significantly greater than those [(150.29 ± 34.91) pg/mL and (18.54 ± 7.78) ng/mL, respectively] in the normal control group (both P values < 0.05). In addition, the mRNA expression of HSP47, COL1A1 and TGF-ß1 was (0.86 ± 0.04), (1.17 ± 0.06) and (0.64 ± 0.13) in mouse liver specimens, which was significantly higher than that (0.23 ± 0.03, 0.20 ± 0.02 and 0.38 ± 0.02) in the normal control group (all P values < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The expression of TGF-ß1 and HSP47 during the period of S. japonicum-induced hepatic fibrosis is consistent with the progression of the hepatic fibrosis, and exhibits the same tendency with type I collagen expression. HSP47 is a novel promising diagnosis marker and therapeutic target for S. japonicum-induced hepatic fibrosis.

[Advances in the regulatory roles of exosomes on pathological process of schistosomiasis hepatic fibrosis].

Exosomes are a group of membraneous vesicles generated and released by multi-vesicular bodies or cell membranes in a variety of cell types. Acting as important messages between cells, they participate in almost every physiological and pathological process of living organisms. Exosomes contain specific proteins, mRNA, miRNAs, etc. and mediate intercellular communications, signal transductions and gene expressions effectively. Exosomes are involved in the formation of hepatic fibrosis, which is the typical liver pathological change in the progression of schistosomiasis and is caused by the liver repair and (or) regeneration involving inflammation stimulated by exosomes, activated hepatic stellate cells and other related pathways in reaction to the parasite infection. Exosomes could serve as new markers for schistosomiasis hepatic fibrosis diagnosis and potential targets for its treatment. This paper briefly reviews the latest development of studies on the regulatory roles of exosomes in schistosomiasis hepatic fibrosis, so as to provide ideas for searching new treatment targets of the disease.

[Genotype analysis of Toxoplasma gondii isolated strains from congenital teras and HIV-Toxoplasma co-infected patient in Jiangsu Province].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the genotype of Toxoplasma gondii isolated strains from a congenital teras (KS strain) and an HIV-Toxoplasma co-infected patient in Jiangsu Province. METHODS: T. gondii DNA of tachyzoites of a isolate from a congenital teras (KS strain) and blood DNA of an HIV-Toxoplasma co-infected patient in Jiangsu Province were extracted, and 11 loci were identified for the genotype by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). RESULTS: The complete bands were obtained from the congenital teras (KS strain) and HIV-Toxoplasma co-infected patient in Jiangsu Province, and identified as T. gondii gene type I. CONCLUSIONS: T. gondii gene type I may be the dominant genotype strain of T. gondii among the women who have the abnormal pregnant outcomes and HIV-Toxoplasma co-infected patients in Jiangsu Province.