Localized Scleroderma of Lower Extremities:Clinical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical and musculoskeletal characteristics of localized scleroderma with lower extremities affected.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>All the localized scleroderma patients,who received magnetic resonance (MR ) examinations of affected lower extremities at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from April 2013 to June 2014,were retrospectively reviewed. Their clinical data and laboratory results of antinuclear antibody,anti-double stranded-DNA antibody, and anti-extractable nuclear antigen antibody were collected and analyzed. All the MR examinations were non-contrast imaging using Siemens Skyra 3.0T MR scanner.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were 16 localized scleroderma patients with lower extremities affected, 11 of whom were linear scleroderma, 4 generalized morphea, and 1 deep morphea. Female to male ratio was 1:2.2. The mean age was 22.5 years. The mean time span was 7.4 years. Four of the 14 patients (28.6%) who received antinuclear antibody test were positive. All the 10 patients who received anti-double stranded-DNA antibody test and the 7 patients who received anti-extractable nuclear antigen antibody test were negative. The most common musculoskeletal MR features were subcutaneous septal thickening (16/16) and fascial thickening (11/16). The thickened speta and fascia could either be hypointenstiy or hyperintensity on turbo inversion recovery magnitude/proton density weighted imaging. Other MR manifestations were intramuscular speta thickening (3/16), muscular abnormal signals (1/16), and bone marrow abnormal signals (2/16).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Musculoskeletal manifestations of the lower extremities with localized scleroderma can be well revealed using MR imaging.</p>

Effect of recombinant human erythropoietin on hepcidin mRNA expression in patients with multiple myeloma / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was purposed to investigate the effect of multiple myeloma patients' sera on hepcidin mRNA expression of Hep-3b hepatoma cell line and effect of human interleukin-6 (IL-6) antibody or recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) on hepcidin mRNA expression. The clinical information and serum of multiple myeloma patients were collected. Their sera of a final concentration of 10% were added into Hep-3b cell medium. The mRNA from Hep-3b cells was extracted, and hepcidin mRNA expression was detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A final concentration of 10 ng/ml human IL-6 antibody and 2 U/ml rhEPO were added into the medium respectively. The results showed that the sera of untreated multiple myeloma patients elevated hepcidin mRNA expression of Hep-3b cells, compared with healthy controls and iron deficiency anemia patients. This effect was fully neutralized by human IL-6 antibody or rhEPO. The hemoglobin (Hb) level was stable during the follow up of regularly treated multiple myeloma patients and the effect of MM patient serum on Hep-3b cell hepcidin mRNA expression was reduced. It is concluded that the hepcidin mRNA expression of Hep-3b cell can be increased by untreated multiple myeloma patient serum. This promotive effect can be antagonised by IL-6, which suggests that IL-6 may be possible to elevate expression level of hepcidin in Hep-3b cells and results in anemia of chronic disease (ACD). The above mentioned promotive effects also can be suppressed by rhEPO, which indicates that the rhEPO may possess curative effect for ACD disease. During short-term follow-up of treated patients with multiple myeloma the Hb level is stable, the influence of patients serum on hepcidin mRNA of Hep-3b cells decreases, which shows the stabilization of disease and amelioration of ACD patient status.

New insights on hepcidin in anemia of chronic disease / 中国实验血液学杂志

Anemia of chronic disease is normocytic and normochromic. One of the mechanisms is misbalance of iron metabolism. Hepcidin, a kind of protein secreted by liver is considered to be the hormone regulating iron metabolism. It binds to ferroportin and induces the latter one's internalization. Thus, iron transportation from iron storage cells to serum is reduced. Cytokines are elevated in chronic disease. They stimulate hepcidin expression in liver through JAK2/STAT3 pathway. As a result, iron absorption and reabsorption is blocked, which leads to the misbalance of iron metabolism in anemia of chronic disease. In this article, the hepcidin and its relation to iron metabolism and anemia in chronic disease are reviewed.

Construction and identification of bait recombinant vector of pGBKT7-tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme cytoplasmic tail in the yeast two-hybrid system / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To construct the bait vector pGBKT7-TACEc (cytoplasmic tail of tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme) of Macthmaker GAL4 Two-hybrid System 3, and to test whether it has self-activation and toxic action.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>TACEc gene was amplified by RT-PCR from the mouse testis, and the EcoRI and BamHI sites were introduced into it. The TACEc gene, after sequenced, was cloned into pGBKT7. Self-activation and toxic action of the recombination vector pGBKT7-TACEc was tested.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The pGBKT7-TACEc vector was successfully constructed and proved of no self-activation and toxic action.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The pGBKT7-TACEc can be applied to the screening of the mouse testis cDNA library in the yeast two-hybrid system.</p>