Study on the diagnostic value of transient elastography, APRI and FIB-4 for liver fibrosis in children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of transient elastography, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), and fibrosis index based on 4 factors (FIB-4) for liver fibrosis in children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 100 cases of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Hunan Children's Hospital between August 2015 to October 2020 to collect liver tissue pathological and clinical data. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was used to analyze the diagnostic value of liver stiffness measurement (LSM), APRI and FIB-4 in the diagnosis of different stages of liver fibrosis caused by NAFLD in children. Results: The area under the ROC curve (AUC) value of LSM, APRI and FIB-4 for diagnosing liver fibrosis (S≥1) were 0.701 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.579 ~ 0.822, P = 0.011], 0.606 (95%CI: 0.436 ~ 0.775, P = 0.182), and 0.568 (95%CI: 0.397 ~ 0.740, P = 0.387), respectively. The best cut-off values were 6.65 kPa, 21.20, and 0.18, respectively. The AUCs value of LSM, APRI, and FIB-4 for diagnosing significant liver fibrosis (S≥ 2) were 0.660 (95% CI: 0.552 ~ 0.768, P = 0.006), 0.578 (95% CI: 0.464 ~ 0.691, P = 0.182) and 0.541 (95% CI: 0.427 ~ 0.655, P = 0.482), respectively. The best cut-off values were 7.35kpa, 24.78 and 0.22, respectively. The AUCs value of LSM, APRI and FIB-4 for the diagnosis of advanced liver fibrosis (S≥ 3) were 0.639 (95% CI: 0.446 ~ 0.832, P = 0.134), 0.613 (95% CI: 0.447 ~ 0.779, P = 0.223) and 0.587 (95% CI: 0.411 ~ 0.764, P = 0.346), respectively. The best cut-off values were 8.55kpa, 26.66 and 0.27, respectively. Conclusion: The transient elastography technique has a better diagnostic value than APRI and FIB-4 for liver fibrosis in children with NAFLD.

Clinical significance of inflammatory factors in severe EV71 hand-foot-and-mouth disease / 中国感染控制杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of 5 kinds of inflammatory factors (MCP 1,IL 1β,IL-18,HMGB1,and IL-10) in severe EV71 hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD).Methods Hospitalized children who were diagnosed with severe EV71 HFMD in a hospital in March August,2014 were as HFMD group,healthy children who underwent physical examination in outpatient department of the same hospital during the sameperiod were as control group,changes in expression levels of peripheral blood MCP-1,IL-1β,IL-18,HMGB1,and IL-10 of both groups were dynamically observed,clinical data of HFMD group were collected.Results There were 102 children in HFMD group,the average age was (2.18 ± 0.91) years old,80.39％ of whom were ≤3 years old;there were 77,16,and 9 cases in HFMD group at stage 2,3,and 4 respectively at admission.77,52,21,and 88 cases went through stage 2,3,4,and 5 respectively.Expression levels of 5 kinds of inflammatory factors at stage 2,3,and 4 in HFMD group were compared respectively with control group,differences were all statistically significant(all P＜0.05);expression levels of IL-10 at stage 3 and 4 in HFMD group were not significantly different (P＞0.05).In HFMD group,the expression levels of HMGB1 of stage 2,3 progression groups were both higher than recovery group(both P＜0.05).The expression levels of 5 kinds of inflammatory factors in the death group and survival group at admission were all significantly different (all P＜0.05).Conclusion The expression levels of MCP 1,HMGB1,IL-1β,IL-10,and IL-18 are closely related to the severity of HFMD,and has certain clinical significance for the prognosis of children.HMBG1 has certain predictive value in the prognosis of HFMD.

Changes in Th17 and CD4+CD25+ Treg cells and their significance among children with hand, foot and mouth disease / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the changes in peripheral blood Th17 and CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells and their significance among children with hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-nine children with HFMD, including 55 cases of common HFMD and 34 cases of severe HFMD, were included in the study; and 30 healthy children were selected as the control group. The percentages of Th17 and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells in CD4(+) T cells in peripheral blood were determined by flow cytometry. The expression levels of interleukin (IL)-10, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and IL-17 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, the cases of common HFMD and severe HFMD had significantly increased levels of Th17 cells and IL-17 (P<0.05) but significantly decreased levels of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells, IL-10, and TGF-β (P<0.05). The severity of the HFMD was positively correlated with the levels of Th17 cells and IL-17 in peripheral blood but negatively correlated with the levels of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells, IL-10, and TGF-β.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Children with HFMD have increased response of Th17 cells but decreased response of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells in peripheral blood. Th17/CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cell imbalance may play an important role in the pathogenesis of HFMD.</p>

Effects of diallyl disulfide on apoptosis of human leukemia K562 cells and expression of Fas, FasL and caspase-8 / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of diallyl disulfide (DADS) on apoptosis of human leukemia K562 cells and possible mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The morphologic changes of leukemia K562 cells after DADS treatment were observed by Hoechst 33258 staining. Cell apoptosis rates after different concentrations and different durations of DADS treatment were determined by flow cytometry. Fas, FasL and caspase-8 mRNA expression was estimated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) 48 hrs after DADS treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The characteristics of apoptosis in K562 cells induced by DADS were observed. After 24 hrs of DADS treatment, the apoptosis rate of K562 cells increased from (11.60 ± 0.83)% at the concentration of 10 mg/L to (37.94 ± 0.87)% at the concentration of 40 mg/L. The apoptosis rate of K562 cells increased after 40 mg/L DADS with the increasing time from (37.94 ± 0.87)% (24 hrs) to (47.02 ± 0.66)% (72 hrs). Expression of Fas and caspase-8 mRNA increased, while FasL mRNA expression decreased significantly 48 hrs after DADS treatment compared with the control group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>DADS can induce apoptosis of human leukemia K562 cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, possibly through increasing Fas and caspase-8 expression and decreasing FasL expression.</p>

Effects of CXCR4 silence induced by RNA interference on cell cycle distribution and apoptosis of Jurkat cells / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of down-regulating the CXCR4 expression on cell cycle and cell apoptosis of human T-ALL Jurkat cells. The CXCR4 specific siRNA plasmid vector was constructed and then transfected into the cultured Jurkat cell line by DMRIE-C. The expression of CXCR4 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR, the cell distribution in cell cycle and cell apoptosis were determined by flow cytometry. The experiments were divided into 3 groups: group A (blank control), group B (non-silencing dsRNA as negative control) and group C (CXCR4 siRNA). The results showed that the expression level of CXCR4 mRNA in Jurkat cells transfected with CXCR4 siRNA (group C) decreased and cell proportion in G(0)/G(1) phase increased as compared with group A (56.9% +/- 1.4% vs 68.3% +/- 2.4% and 35.8% +/- 1.9% vs 18.1% +/- 1.2% respectively) (p < 0.01), cell proportion in G(2)/M and S phase decreased as compared with group A (19.8% +/- 1.7%, 44.4% +/- 2.1% vs 27.2% +/- 1.5%, 54.7% +/- 2.8% respectively) (p < 0.01). The apoptosis rate of Jurkat cells in group C increased as compared with group A (20.9% +/- 2.0% vs 3.13% +/- 0.9% respectively) (p < 0.01), and the comparison between group A and B showed no statistical difference. It is concluded that the CXCR4 specific siRNA can effectively down-regulate the CXCR4 mRNA expression, which induces the cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, thereby inhibits the Jurkat cell proliferation.

Stem cell factor secretion by bone mesenchymal stem cells stimulated with astragaloside IV / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of astragaloside IV on the expression of cytokines in bone mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>MSCs were isolated from Wistar rats by the method of adhesive cultiration and clone, and then their biological activities were assessed using indirect immunofluorescence. Proliferation of MSCs stimulated with astragaloside IV was ascertained by the MTT method. Expression of cytokines was ascertained using RT-PCR in MSCs with astragaloside IV stimulation or not.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MSCs were effectively isolated and purified in vitro, and had expression of many cytokines except IL-3, such as stem cell factor (SCF), thrombopoietin (TPO), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and transforming growth factor (TGF-beta1). Astragaloside IV stimulation promoted MSCs proliferation, and 200 mg/mL astragaloside IV treatment produced a peak effect 72 hrs after culture. The SCF expression in MSCs stimulated with astragaloside IV increased significantly compared with that in MSCs without astragaloside IV stimulation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Astragaloside IV may promote MSCs proliferation and increase SCF secretion in vitro.</p>