The role of visfatin on the regulation of inflammation and apoptosis in the spleen of LPS-treated rats.

The purpose of the present study is to determine if visfatin is involved in inflammation or apoptosis induced by LPS in rat. Forty Wistar rats were divided into four groups: saline group, LPS group, visfatin group and Visfatin + LPS co-stimulated group. Spleen samples from each group of rats were collected for study. The spleen structure was examined by histological imaging. Apoptosis was evaluated with TUNEL reaction. Caspase-3 was detected with immunohistochemistry and western blot. The apoptosis-related genes were detected by qPCR and inflammatory cytokines were tested by ELISA. Our main findings were as follows. (1) Macrophages were markedly increased in the visfatin group compared with the saline group. This finding was confirmed when spleen samples were examined with western blot using CD68 antibody. (2) Visfatin promoted the expression of CD68 and caspase-3 in rat spleen, whereas visfatin could inhibit the expression of CD68 and activated caspase-3 in spleen of LPS-induced acute inflammation. (3) Visfatin had a pro-apoptotic effect on normal rat spleen, whereas it exerted an anti-apoptotic effect during LPS-induced lymphocytes apoptosis in rat spleen. Moreover, the effect of visfatin on cell apoptosis was mediated by the mitochondrial pathway. (4) Visfatin could modulate both the anti-inflammatory cytokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines in rat spleen, such as IL-10, IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1ß. Taken together, we demonstrate that visfatin could participate in the inflammatory process in rat spleen by modulating the macrophages and inflammatory cytokines. Also, visfatin plays a dual role in the apoptosis in rat spleen, which is mediated by the mitochondrial pathway.

Clostridium difficile carriage in hospitalized cancer patients: a prospective investigation in eastern China.

BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile carriage has been considered as a potential source for the deadly infection, but its role in cancer patients is still unclear. We aimed to identify the clinical and immunological factors that are related to C. difficile carriage in Chinese cancer patients. METHODS: A total of 400 stool samples were collected from cancer patients who received chemotherapy in three hospitals of eastern China. Bacterial genomic DNA was extracted and two toxin genes (tcdA and tcdB) were detected. PCR ribotyping was performed using capillary gel electrophoresis. Concentrations of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. RESULTS: Eighty-two (20.5%) samples were confirmed to be C. difficile-positive and positive for tpi, tcdA, and tcdB genes. The C. difficile-positive rates in patients with diarrhea and no diarrhea were 35% and 19.7%, respectively (p = 0.09). Patients who were younger than 50 years old and were hospitalized for at least 10 days had a C. difficile-positive rate as high as 35%. In contrast, patients who were older than 50 years old and were hospitalized for less than 10 days had a C. difficile-positive rate of only 12.7% (p = 0.0009). No association was found between C. difficile carriage and chemotherapy regimen, antibiotic drug use, or immunosuppressive mediators, such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß), or interleukin-10 (IL-10). Twelve ribotypes of C. difficile were identified, but none of them belonged to ribotype 027. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that younger patients and those with longer hospitalization stays may be more prone to C. difficile carriage. Studies of larger populations are warranted to clarify the exact role of C. difficile carriage in hospitalized cancer patients in China.

Exploration of molecular mechanisms of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma development using a microarray.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify key genes, pathways and function modules in the development of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with microarray data and interaction network analysis. METHODS: Microarray data sets for 7 DLBCL samples and 7 normal controls was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified with Student's t-test. KEGG functional enrichment analysis was performed to uncover their biological functions. Three global networks were established for immune system, signaling molecules and interactions and cancer genes. The DEGs were compared with the networks to observe their distributions and determine important key genes, pathways and modules. RESULTS: A total of 945 DEGs were obtained, 272 up-regulated and 673 down-regulated. KEGG analysis revealed that two groups of pathways were significantly enriched: immune function and signaling molecules and interactions. Following interaction network analysis further confirmed the association of DEGs in immune system, signaling molecules and interactions and cancer genes. CONCLUSIONS: Our study could systemically characterize gene expression changes in DLBCL with microarray technology. A range of key genes, pathways and function modules were revealed. Utility in diagnosis and treatment may be expected with further focused research.

[Serum myeloperoxidase activity and serum paraoxonase-1 activity in patients with silicosis and observation subjects and their clinical significance].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the serum myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and serum paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity in patients with silicosis and observation subjects and their clinical significance. METHODS: Seventy-two patients with silicosis (stage I: 30 cases, stage II: 22 cases, stage III: 20 cases) and 37 observation subjects were selected as a case group, and 110 healthy men were selected as a control group. Serum MPO activity was measured by double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and serum PON-1 activity was measured by chemical spectrophotometry. RESULTS: Serum MPO activity was significantly higher in the case group than in the control group [(102.1 ± 15.7) U/L vs. (62.4 ± 11.4) U/L, P < 0.01], but serum PON-1 activity was significantly lower in the case group than in the control group [(85.4 ± 15.7) U/ml vs. (125.4 ± 13.7) U/ml, P < 0.01]. Serum MPO activity was significantly lower in patients with stages I, II, and III silicosis than in the observation subjects [(91.3 ± 13.5) U/L, (85.7 ± 14.4) U/L, and (88.6 ± 14.5) U/L vs. (128.4 ± 16.4) U/L, P < 0.01]. Serum PON-1 activity declined as the stage of silicosis increased; serum PON-1 activity was significantly lower in the patients with stages II and III silicosis than in the observation subjects and the patients with stage I silicosis [(70.4 ± 11.4) U/ml and (67.6 ± 13.7) U/ml vs. (101.5 ± 14.0) U/ml and (89.1 ± 10.1) U/ml, P < 0.01]. CONCLUSION: Serum MPO activity and serum PON-1 activity are valuable for early diagnosis of silicosis and evaluation of patient's condition.

[Elemental analysis and infrared spectra of suspended substance in the effluent from eco-biofilter].

The suspended substance (SS) in the effluent from eco-biofilters was examined by elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy. The inorganic components of SS in D1 and S1 are more than those in D2 and S2, respectively. The IR spectra of SS is mainly composed of the adsorption of carbohydrates, protein, etc. The domninating bands near 1655, 1542 and 1240 cm(-1) are assigned to amide I, amide II and amide III respectively, and the characteristic IR absorption of protein could be one of the significant components of cell walls. The peak near 1460 cm(-1) is attributable to the bending stretching of CH1-- and CH3--. The strength of adsorption peaks in the region 1720-1200 cm(-1) for D1 is lower than that for D2, but at 1040 cm(-1) the case is reversed.

[Infrared spectroscopic investigation on complexes formed from cupric fluoborate and cupric butyrate with Bis (diphenylphosphino) alkane ligands].

The Bis (diphenylphosphino) alkane series ligands and its series of complexes formed from Cu(BF4)2 and Cu(C3H7COO)2 respectively were studied by infrared spectral analysis. This paper discusses the spectral classification and the change regularity of related spectra before and after the Cu(I) complexes were formed. The possible structure model of the formed complexes was discussed, based on the element analysis, powder X-ray diffraction analysis, and thermal gravity analysis.