Surgical outcomes and strategy of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the surgical clinical results of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We retrospectively collected data on 24 patients who underwent surgical management in the past ten years in two hospitals in China and Madras Medical Mission in India. Myomectomy was carried out on all patients. Among them 3 patients underwent mitral valve replacement; 2 patients underwent mitral valve repair (anterior mitral leaflet plication); 2 patients underwent aortic valve replacement; 1 patient underwent aortic valve repair; 2 patients underwent aortic root replacement; 1 patient underwent Bentall's procedure and 1 patient underwent coronary artery bypass grafting because of a breached muscle bridge.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>One patient died of post-operative heart failure. The mean follow-up time was 4.3 years. There was significant improvement in the symptomatic status. Sixteen patients were asymptomatic with good effort tolerance and only four patients had New York heart association (NYHA) Classes I-II due to associated valvular lesions.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Our experience proved that symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy or non-symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy with combined heart disease is indication for surgery as surgical intervention could get better clinical results in this kind of patients compared with other non-surgical method because it beneficially reduces the systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the mitral valve leaflet, which could not be avoided by other non-surgical treatment.</p>

An experimental study on antiviral effects of IFN alpha / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of different subtypes IFN alpha (IFN alpha2b, IFN alpha2a, and IFN alpha1b) transduction molecular STAT1, STAT2, IFNAR, PKR, and RNase L, and to study the differences of their antiviral effects and to evaluate the key signaling transduction molecules.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>(1) After HepG2 cells were treated with IFN alpha2b, IFN alpha2a, or IFN alpha1b, the mRNA levels of STAT1, STAT2, IFNAR, PKR, and RNase L were detected by RT-PCR. (2) After HepG2 cells were treated with 1000 U/ml IFN alpha2b, IFN alpha2a, or IFN alpha1b, the protein expression levels of STAT1 and IFNAR were examined by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>RT-PCR results: (1) IFNAR, STAT1, and STAT2 mRNA expression levels were slightly higher in the IFN alpha1b group than those in the IFN alpha2b group (P > 0.05). The mRNA expression levels in IFN alpha1b or IFN alpha2b groups were significantly higher than in the IFN alpha2a group (P < 0.05). (2) The PKR mRNA expression showed no significant differences among IFN alpha1b, IFN alpha2b, and IFN alpha2a groups. (3) The RNase L mRNA expression was very weak. We could not compare the differences of the RNase L mRNA levels in different groups by RT-PCR. Western blot results: (1) The IFNAR, and STAT1 protein expressions were greatly up-regulated after IFN alpha induction compared with the untreated group (P < 0.05). (2) The IFNAR, and STAT1 protein expression levels in IFN alpha1b group were slightly higher than the IFN alpha2b group. IFNAR, and STAT1 protein levels of IFN alpha1b or IFN alpha2b group were significantly higher than IFN alpha2a group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>STAT1, STAT2, IFNAR mRNA and protein expressions could all be markedly up-regulated after IFN alpha treatment. Effects of IFN alpha1b or IFN alpha2b were greatly stronger than IFN alpha2a. The PKR mRNA expression also was greatly up-regulated after IFN alpha treatment. Expression levels of PKR in IFN alpha1b, IFN alpha2b, and IFN alpha2a groups were all similar. The mRNA level results were consistent with the protein level results. Our results showed that the antiviral activity of IFN alpha1b or IFN alpha2b were stronger than that of IFN alpha2a. The signal transduction molecules STAT1, STAT2, and IFNAR could be regarded as a key index to evaluate antiviral activity of IFN alpha. Further confirmation is still needed to see whether PKR could be regarded as a key index.</p>

Anti-HBV effect of fusion protein (TA1-IFN) in vitro / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the anti-HBV effect of fusion protein thymosin alpha1-interferon alpha (TA1-IFN) in vitro and to compare its effect with a combination of interferon alpha and thymosin alpha1.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>After 2.2.15 cells were seeded for 24 hours, drugs of five serial concentrations (8000, 4000, 2000, 1000, 500 U/ml) were added to the wells, then the medium was changed every three days. After 2.2.15 cells were treated with drugs for 6 days, the medium was collected. The inhibitory rates on HBsAg and HBeAg were determined using Abbot kit, and the cytotoxicity of different drugs by means of MTT colorimetric assays was also observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The inhibitory rate of fusion protein on HBsAg, HBeAg was dose-dependent and reached the maximum at 8000 U/ml concentration. In the meantime, the inhibitory rates of fusion protein on HBsAg and HBeAg were 72.2% +/- 0.8% and 60.4% +/- 1.1% respectively, and the cell survival rate was 85.2% +/- 2.0%; In the corresponding concentration, the inhibitory rates of combination thymosin alpha 1 and interferon alpha on HBsAg and HBeAg were 40.0% +/- 0.7%, 34.5% +/- 3.2% respectively. The results showed significant statistical differences between them; cell survival rate 70.0% +/- 1.9%, and the difference of the results was also significant. Cytotoxicity of fusion protein was weaker than a combination of thymosin alpha 1 and interferon alpha.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Fusion protein TA1-IFN exerted stronger anti-HBV effects in vitro. Its anti-HBV effects in vitro were stronger than the combination of thymosin alpha and interferon alpha, and its cytotoxicity was weaker than the combination of thymosin alpha and interferon alpha. Our studies provided important evidence for clinical research on TA1-IFN, and also brought new hope for hepatitis B therapy.</p>