The correlation between sperm percentage with a small acrosome and unexplained in vitro fertilization failure.

PURPOSE: Since the unexplained in vitro fertilization failure occurs frequently, it is of great importance and clinical value to identify potential underlying predictors. This study aimed to explore whether the percentage of sperm with a small acrosome was correlated with unexplained in vitro fertilization failure. METHODS: A new acrosomal function evaluation index (the percentage of sperm with a small acrosome) was introduced into the analysis of sperm morphology. The association between the index and acrosome function by acrosin activity detection test and acrosome reaction test was investigated. In addition, the correlation with unexplained in vitro fertilization failure was further explored. Finally, the ROC curve was used to analyze the diagnostic efficacy on the failure of in vitro fertilization and the cutoff value was calculated. RESULTS: As the increasing of the percentage of sperm with a small acrosome, the value of acrosin activity, acrosome reaction rate, and in vitro fertilization rate were reduced, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). The index in the low fertilization rate group was significantly higher than that in the normal fertilization rate group (P < 0.05). Finally, the results of ROC curve found that when the index was 43.5%, the sensitivity and specificity were 74.2% and 95.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The percentage of sperm with a small acrosome was positively correlated with unexplained in vitro fertilization failure, which could be potentially used as a prognostic index for the failure of in vitro fertilization. TRIAL REGISTRATION: [Ethics review acceptance No IIT20210339B].

Histopathological, physiological, and multi-omics insights into the hepatotoxicity mechanism of nanopolystyrene and/or diclofenac in Mylopharyngodon piceus.

Nanopolystyrene (NP) and diclofenac (DCF) are common environmental contaminants in the aquatic ecosystem; therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the hepatotoxicity of NP and/or DCF exposure on aquatic organisms and the underlying mechanisms. Juvenile Mylopharyngodon piceus were used as a model organism to study the effects of NP and/or DCF exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations for 21 days. Subchronic exposure to NP and/or DCF resulted in liver histological damage. In the NP group, the presence of large lipid droplets was observed, whereas the DCF group exhibited marked hepatic sinusoidal dilatation accompanied by inflammation. Additionally, this exposure induced liver oxidative stress, as evidenced by the changes in several physiological parameters, including catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and malondialdehyde (MDA). Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis was performed to further investigate the molecular mechanism underlying hepatotoxicity. Multi-omics analysis demonstrated, for the first time to our knowledge, that NP induced hepatic steatosis mainly through activating the glycerol-3-phosphate pathway and inhibiting VLDL assembly by targeting several key enzyme genes including GPAT, DGAT, ACSL, APOB, and MTTP. Furthermore, NP exposure disrupted arachidonic acid metabolism, which induced the release of inflammatory factors and inhibited the release of anti-inflammatory factors, ultimately causing liver inflammation in M. piceus. In contrast, DCF induced interleukin production and downregulated KLF2, causing hepatic sinusoidal dilatation with inflammation in juvenile M. piceus, which is consistent with the finding of JAK-STAT signaling pathway activation. In addition, the upregulated AMPK signaling pathway in the DCF group suggested perturbation of energy metabolism. Collectively, these findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of the multiple hepatotoxicity endpoints of NP and/or DCF exposure in aquatic organisms.

Analysis of factors influencing infrared extinction area of explosive smokescreen.

Objectives: Comparative studies of different smokescreen designs are essential to determine differences in extinction performance. This study aims to investigate the extinction performance of explosive smokescreen under different conditions, and to provide an evaluation method for the optimal design of its charge structure. Methods: The process of formation of the smokescreen with a cylindrical charge structure is described based on the smoothed particle hydrodynamics method. The blast radius and particle density distribution of the smokescreen were calculated for different charge structures and charge ratios through simulations. Lambert-Beer's law was combined to obtain the infrared extinction area. An analysis was then conducted to determine the influence of the number of baffles in the charge structure and charge ratio on the extinction performance of the smokescreen. Field tests were conducted to verify the simulation results. Results: Increasing the number of baffles in the projectile structure made the particle distribution of the smokescreen more uniform and resulted in a larger infrared extinction area. An increase in the explosive quantity, made the smokescreen more dispersed. However, too much of the explosives caused the smokescreen to be sparse, reducing the infrared extinction area.

Calculation of Stokes vector of laser backscattering from typical geometric rough surfaces at a long distance.

The polarization bidirectional reflectance distribution function is key to establishing the relationships between incident and backscattering Stokes vectors. For analytical calculation of Stokes vectors of backscattering light from rough surfaces of objectives at long distances, we treat complicated objectives as a combination of several typical geometric surfaces. The analytical calculation forms of Mueller matrices of typical geometric rough surfaces at different sizes and geometric parameters are presented using a microfacet model, and thus, the backscattering Stokes vectors are determined. Experimental results of four types of geometric forms show good agreement with theoretical simulation, except when the incident angle is larger than about 60° at a wavelength of 532 nm. Further studies should be focused on improving the microfacet model for fitting the experimental results at large incident angles, and effects of multiple reflections between different geometric surfaces cannot be neglected when the combination of typical geometric surfaces is considered.

[York-Mason procedure for urethrorectal fistula: A report of 10 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the York-Mason procedure (posterior sagittal approach) in the treatment of urethrorectal fistula. METHODS: Ten 15－80 (mean 54) years old male patients with urethrorectal fistula were treated by the York-Mason procedure, 3 by anoplasty for congenital anal atresia, 5 by laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, and the other 2 by radical rectal cancer resection. All the cases were single fistula with a history of 3 months to 18 years. Enterostomy was performed in 6 of the cases before the York-Mason procedure. RESULTS: The York-Mason procedure lasted 90－130 (mean 104) minutes, with no perioperative complications. Nine of the cases were successfully repaired in the first surgery and 1 in the second. The patients were discharged after an average of 7 hospital days postoperatively and followed up for 6－90 months without recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The York-Mason procedure is a reliable and effective option for the treatment of urethrorectal fistula, with the advantages low morbidity, short operation time and fast recovery.

EGR2-mediated regulation of m6A reader IGF2BP proteins drive RCC tumorigenesis and metastasis via enhancing S1PR3 mRNA stabilization.

Emerging discoveries of dynamic and reversible N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification on RNA in mammals have revealed the key roles of the modification in human tumorigenesis. As known m6A readers, insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding proteins (IGF2BPs) are upregulated in most cancers and mediates the enhancement of m6A-modified mRNAs stability. However, the mechanisms of IGF2BPs in renal cell cancer (RCC) still remain unclear. Bioinformatic analysis and RT-qPCR were performed to evaluate the expression of IGF2BPs and m6A writer Wilms tumor 1-associating protein (WTAP) in RCC samples and its correlation with patient prognosis. In vitro, in vivo biological assays were performed to investigate the functions of IGF2BPs and WTAP in RCC. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-qPCR (ChIP-qPCR) combined with bioinformatics analysis and following western blot assay, dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to validate the regulatory relationships between transcription factor (TF) early growth response 2 (EGR2) and potential target genes IGF2BPs. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), methylated RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (MERIP-qPCR), RIP-qPCR, m6A dot blot, and dual-luciferase reporter assays combined with bioinformatics analysis were employed to screen and validate the direct targets of IGF2BPs and WTAP. Here, we showed that early growth response 2 (EGR2) transcription factor could increase IGF2BPs expression in RCC. IGF2BPs in turn regulated sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 3 (S1PR3) expression in an m6A-dependent manner by enhancing the stability of S1PR3 mRNA. They also promoted kidney tumorigenesis via PI3K/AKT pathway. Furthermore, IGF2BPs and WTAP upregulation predicted poor overall survival in RCC. Our studies showed that the EGR2/IGF2BPs regulatory axis and m6A-dependent regulation of S1PR3-driven RCC tumorigenesis, which enrich the m6A-modulated regulatory network in renal cell cancer. Together, our findings provide new evidence for the role of N6-methyladenosine modification in RCC.

Perspectives on Circular RNAs as Prostate Cancer Biomarkers.

High throughput RNA sequencing has revealed the existence of abundant circular RNAs (circRNAs) that are cell lineage-specific and have been implicated in human diseases. CircRNAs are resistant to exonuclease digestion, can carry genetic information of oncogenes, and are enriched in exosome to be transported from tissues into various body fluids. These properties make circRNAs ideal non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers for disease detection. Furthermore, many circRNAs have been demonstrated to possess biological functions in relevant cells, suggesting that they may also be potential therapeutic targets and reagents. However, our knowledge of circRNAs is still at an infant stage and far from being translated into clinics. Here, we review circRNAs in the disease setting of prostate cancer. We start by introducing the basic knowledge of circRNAs, followed by summarizing opportunities of circRNAs to be prostate cancer biomarkers, and discuss current challenges in circRNA research and outlook of future directions in translating current knowledge about circRNA into clinical practice.

Lower circulating adiponectin is associated with higher risk of renal cell carcinoma: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Changes in circulating adiponectin have been related to the risks of various cancers. However, the association between circulating adiponectin and the risk of renal cell carcinoma has not been fully determined. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between circulating adiponectin and renal cell carcinoma risk. METHODS: Observational studies that evaluated the association between circulating adiponectin and renal cell carcinoma risk were identified via a systematic search of PubMed and Embase databases. The difference between circulating adiponectin in renal cell carcinoma cases and healthy controls, and the multivariable adjusted association between circulating adiponectin and renal cell carcinoma risk were evaluated. A random effects model was used if significant heterogeneity existed; otherwise a fixed effects model was applied. RESULTS: Eight case-control studies with 2624 renal cell carcinoma cases and 2904 healthy controls were included. Pooled results showed that circulating adiponectin was significantly lower in renal cell carcinoma cases than in healthy controls (mean difference = -1.08 ug/mL; 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.62, -0.54; P < 0.001). Higher circulating adiponectin was independently associated with a significantly lowered risk of renal cell carcinoma (adjusted odds ratio for 1 SD increment of adiponectin = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.96; P = 0.02). Subgroup analyses according to characteristics including study design, ethnics of participants, blood samples, numbers of participants, mean ages of participants, and study quality showed consistent results. CONCLUSIONS: Lower circulating adiponectin is associated with increased risk of renal cell carcinoma. The potential pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the role of circulating adiponectin in the pathogenesis of renal cell carcinoma deserve further investigation.

CCND1, NOP14 and DNMT3B are involved in miR-502-5p-mediated inhibition of cell migration and proliferation in bladder cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Downregulation of miR-502-5p has emerged as a critical factor in tumour progression in several cancers. Herein, we elucidated the role of miR-502-5p in bladder cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: RT-qPCR was performed to examine the expression of miR-502-5p in bladder cancer. And DNA methylation analysis showed that epigenetic mechanisms may contribute to the downregulation of miR-502-5p. Then, wound-healing assay, transwell assay, colony formation assay, CCK8 assay and flow cytometry analysis were applied to evaluate the function of miR-502-5p in bladder cancer cell lines. Western blot was conducted to measure the protein levels of related genes. Furthermore, dual-luciferase reporter assay, in vivo tumorigenesis assay and immunohistochemical staining were also conducted as needed. RESULTS: MiR-502-5p is frequently downregulated in BCa. Meanwhile, hypermethylation of CpG islands contributes to the downregulation of miR-502-5p. Functionally, overexpression of miR-502-5p inhibited cell proliferation and migration in vitro and repressed tumour growth in vivo. CCND1, DNMT3B and NOP14 were identified as direct targets of miR-502-5p. Interestingly, DNMT3B and miR-502-5p established a positive feedback loop in the regulation of bladder cancer. In addition, rescue experiments further validated the direct molecular interaction between miR-502-5p and its targets. CONCLUSIONS: Our study proposed and demonstrated that the miR-502-5p-mediated regulatory network is critical in bladder cancer; this network may be useful in the development of more effective therapies against bladder cancer.

Nonconserved miR-608 suppresses prostate cancer progression through RAC2/PAK4/LIMK1 and BCL2L1/caspase-3 pathways by targeting the 3'-UTRs of RAC2/BCL2L1 and the coding region of PAK4.

The aim of this study is to investigate the functions and mechanisms of miR-608 in prostate cancer (PCa). CISH and qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that miR-608 was low expressed in PCa tissues and cells, which was partly attributed to the methylation of CpG island adjacent to the transcription start site (TSS) of miR-608 gene. Intracellular miR-608 overexpression inhibited in vivo PCa tumor growth, and suppressed PCa cell proliferation, G2/M transition, and migration in vitro, which was independent of EMT-associated mechanisms. Then RAC2, a GTPase previously deemed hematopoiesis-specific but now discovered to exist and play important roles in PCa, was verified by western blot and dual-luciferase reporter assays to mediate the effects of miR-608 through RAC2/PAK4/LIMK1/cofilin pathway. MiR-608 also promoted the apoptosis of PCa cells through BCL2L1/caspase-3 pathway by targeting the 3'-UTR of BCL2L1. Moreover, PAK4, the downstream effector of RAC2, was found to be targeted by miR-608 at the mRNA coding sequence (CDS) instead of the canonical 3'-UTR. Knocking down RAC2, PAK4, or BCL2L1 with siRNAs reproduced the antiproliferative, mitosis-obstructive, antimigratory and proapoptotic effects of miR-608 in PCa cells, which could be attenuated by downregulating miR-608. In conclusion, miR-608 suppresses PCa progression, and its activation provides a new therapeutic option for PCa.

Increased Levels of miR-155 are Related to Higher T-Cell Activation in the Peripheral Blood of Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B.

OBJECTIVES: MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) is an important regulator of immune responses in humans. However, its role in T-cell activation in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-one patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 77 HBV carriers, and 51 healthy controls were recruited. HBV DNA and serologic tests were carried out for each subject. Levels of miR-155 in peripheral blood were detected by quantitative reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction. Immune activation of T-cells was determined by detection of surface molecules CD38 and HLA-DR using flow cytometry. RESULTS: We found higher miR-155 levels in CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells of CHB patients than HBV carriers or healthy controls (p < 0.01), moreover, miR-155 levels in the CD8+ T-cells of HBV carriers were higher than in healthy controls (p < 0.01). Furthermore, immune activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in CHB patients was much higher than in healthy controls (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that miR-155 expression positively correlates with T-cell activation, especially in CHB patients, and is a potential biomarker for immune activation and disease progression in HBV infection.

Reconstruction of massive skin avulsion of the scrota and penis by combined application of dermal regeneration template (Pelnac) and split-thickness skin graft with vacuum-assisted closure: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Although skin avulsions to male external genitalia are rare, they can be both physically and psychologically traumatic. Thus, the necessity for judicious management poses significant challenges to surgeons in order to avoid potential permanent disabilities. We report a case of massive penoscrotal skin avulsion and a composite graft was creatively applied to cover the defect which achieved good results. We believe that this case is of great reference value for fellow surgeons. CASE SUMMARY: A 52-year-old male presented with massive traumatic avulsion of the penile and scrotal skin following mishandling of an electric drill. The avulsed skin was missing. The patient was diagnosed with massive skin avulsion of external genitalia. Following initial complete debridement of devitalized or infected tissues, Pelnac dermal substitute was secured to the defect with the assistance of negative-pressure wound closure. In the final step, the silicone layer of Pelnac was removed and a split-thickness skin graft was applied. The defect had healed at the two-month follow-up. The patient now has normal erections and satisfactory sexual function. CONCLUSION: Our experience with this wound repair demonstrated that the combination of a dermal regeneration template and a split-thickness skin graft with vacuum-assisted closure is a safe, well-tolerated and efficient solution for the reconstruction of massive penoscrotal skin defects.

Modified Sauerbrey equation: a facile method to quantitatively probe the conformation of isolated molecules at solid-liquid interfaces.

Despite the increasingly popular application of the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique in monitoring phenomena taking place at solid-liquid interfaces, ranging from changes in mass to changes in conformation, a simple, direct relationship between QCM signal and surface mass remains elusive. In this paper, we report that the proportional relationship between the QCM signal and the surface mass arises from the linear relationship between the viscosity of the layer adsorbed at the solid-liquid interface and the surface coverage, as well as a small viscosity shift. The proportionality coefficient depends on the intrinsic viscosity of adsorbates, solvent density, and quartz crystal thickness. The intrinsic viscosity is dominated by the conformation of the entire molecular chain and the adsorption blob for end-grafted and physisorbed molecules, respectively. Using this modified Sauerbrey equation, the phenomena relating to the conformation of discrete chains at the solid-liquid interfaces can be semi-quantitatively described.

Management of radiation-induced rectovesical fistula in a woman using ileum: A case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Radiation-induced rectovesical fistulas (RVFs) require the most demanding treatment. We presented a rare case of postradiation RVF in a woman repaired with ileum. CASE PRESENTATION: A 49-year-old women was referred to our department for fecaluria and dysuria after radiation for cervical cancer. The voiding cystourethrography demonstrated a large RVF. A segment of ileum was separated into 2 parts for the simultaneous reconstruction of bladder and rectum, which led to a permanently closed fistula. This approach is easily accessible via transabdominal approach, could be applied for large defect, and bladder augmentation could be performed simultaneously. CONCLUSION: The repair of an RVF using ileum appears feasible and represents an attractive alternative for the management of RVFs.

Benefits of urethroplasty for managing urethral amyloidosis: A case report.

Urethral amyloidosis is a rare condition in which eosinophilic amyloid proteins are deposited in the urethra. Only a small number of reports on urethral amyloidosis have been published. Increased interest has been associated with this disease due to its clinical similarities with urothelial carcinoma. A biopsy of the lesion and a histological examination are essential for the correct diagnosis. Conservative management has been suggested by various urologists as the optimal treatment approach for urethral amyloidosis; however, recurrence and urethral stricture are common, and typically further treatment is required. Urethroplasty has been used in a limited number of urethral amyloidosis cases, with beneficial short-term outcomes; however, long-term follow-up data are lacking. The present case report describes the cases of 2 patients with urethral amyloidosis who underwent urethroplasty without recurrence or progression for >2 years. These findings indicate that urethroplasty is beneficial for the long-term management of urethral amyloidosis.

[Effects of long non-coding RNA-HOTAIR on the cell cycle and invasiveness of prostate cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of long non-coding RNA-HOTAIR in prostate cancer cells and its effects on the growth and metastasis of the cells. METHODS: Using quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), we determined the relative expression of HOTAIR in the normal human prostate epithelial cell line RWPE-I and prostate cancer cell lines PC-3 and DU145. We detected the effects of HOTAIR on the cell cycle and invasiveness of prostate cancer cells by RNA interference, flow cytometry, and Transwell mitration assay. RESULTS: The expressions of HOTAIR in the PC3 and DU145 cells were increased 3.2 and 5.7 times, respectively, as compared with that in the normal RWPE-1 cells. After si-HOTAIR interference, the prostate cancer cells were arrested in the G2 phase and downregulated in the G1 phase. The invasive ability of the prostate cancer cells was evidently inhibited, with the inhibition rates of 32% and 44% of the PC3 cells and 43% and 34% of the DU145 cells for si-HOTAIR1 and si-HOTAIR2, respectively. CONCLUSION: IncRNA HOTAIR is highly expressed in prostate cancer, which is associated with the growth and invasiveness of prostate cancer cells. HOTAIR is potentially a novel marker for the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer.

[Penile necrosis resulting from post-circumcision microwave diathermy: A report of 9 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pathogenesis and treatment of penile necrosis resulting from microwave diathermy following circumcision. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data about 9 cases of penile necrosis resulting from postoperative microwave diathermy following circumcision. The 9 males, aged 20 - 39 (mean 26) years, underwent traditional circumcision for redundant prepuce or phimosis in other hospitals, followed by microwave diathermy for 30 - 60 minutes daily, which resulted in penile necrosis. With no response to conservative therapy, the patients were referred to our hospital at 3 -30 days postoperatively. Of the 9 patients, 5 presented with dry gangrene and 4 with moist gangrene. Six of the patients underwent partial penectomy, including 1 that received penis lengthening.3 months later, while the other 3 underwent total penectomy for total penile necrosis followed by penile reconstruction 3 months later, with deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flaps and by implantation of the 12th costal cartilage in 2 cases and with epigastric groin island flaps and by urethroplasty in the other. RESULTS: The patients were followed up for 2 - 8 years, and all could urinate smoothly in the standing position. Of the 6 men treated by partial penectomy, 1 received penis lengthening and achieved a penile length of 7 cm and 5 had the remaining penile length of 3 -5 cm, 4 with erectile function and the other 2 capable of sexual intercourse. The 3 men treated by total penectomy achieved nearly normal external appearance of the penis, with a finalized length of (11.7 ± 1.3) cm, a circumference of (11.4 ± 2.1) cm, and a normal feel of the skin. Of the 3 cases of penile reconstruction, 2 achieved sufficient erectile hardness of the penis (grade 3) for sexual intercourse, while the other 1 remained impotent. CONCLUSION: Post-circumcision microwave diathermy may result in penile necrosis, for the management of which, early debridement is necessitated and penile lengthening or reconstruction can be performed according to the severity of the lesion and needs of the patient.

Thickness dependent effective viscosity of a polymer solution near an interface probed by a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation method.

The solution viscosity near an interface, which affects the solution behavior and the molecular dynamics in the solution, differs from the bulk. This paper measured the effective viscosity of a dilute poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) solution adjacent to a Au electrode using the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) technique. We evidenced that the effect of an adsorbed PEG layer can be ignored, and calculated the zero shear rate effective viscosity to remove attenuation of high shear frequency oscillations. By increasing the overtone n from 3 to 13, the thickness of the sensed polymer solution decreased from ~70 to 30 nm. The zero shear rate effective viscosity of the polymer solution and longest relaxation time of PEG chains within it decrease with increasing solution thickness. The change trends are independent of the relation between the apparent viscosity and shear frequency and the values of the involved parameter, suggesting that the polymer solution and polymer chains closer to a solid substrate have a greater effective viscosity and slower relaxation mode, respectively. This method can study the effect of an interface presence on behavior and phenomena relating to the effective viscosity of polymer solutions, including the dynamics of discrete polymer chains.

Comparison of the different responses of surface plasmon resonance and quartz crystal microbalance techniques at solid-liquid interfaces under various experimental conditions.

A molecular level understanding of the phenomena taking place at solid-liquid interfaces, ranging from changes in mass to conformation changes, is the key to developing and improving many chemical and biological systems and their scientific and medical applications. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) techniques are often coupled to achieve this understanding. We divided various experimentally relevant scenarios into the following six categories: boundary solutions; surface modifications; conformation; viscoelastic properties; molecular ruler; and mass sensitivity. For each case, based on theoretical analyses, we discuss the following four points with respect to discrete adsorbates at solid-liquid interfaces: (1) the different types of information that can be obtained, why it can be obtained and how to obtain it; (2) the origins of many current approaches and why they are imperfect; (3) guidelines for experimental design; and (4) possible studies, such as the effect of dimensional confinement and adsorption forces on the ability of conformational changes to occur on the receipt of external stimuli and the hysteresis in these changes.

Impact of highly active antiretroviral treatment on expression of HIV-1 coreceptors and ligand levels in peripheral blood from HIV-1 infected patients in China.

OBJECTIVE: Coreceptors are important for HIV-1 entry into target cells and disease progression. The impact of HIV-1 and highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) on coreceptor expression has been little studied. METHODS: Expression of C-C chemokine receptor (CCR) 5 and C-X-C chemokine receptor (CXCR) 4 on CD4+ and CD8 + T cells was compared in HIV-1-infected individuals who had/had not received HAART, and in healthy controls. Relationships between coreceptors and their chemokine ligands were studied. RESULTS: This study included 23 controls and 88 HIV-1-infected individuals, 35 of whom were HAART naïve. Percentages of CCR5 and CXCR4+ CD8 + T cells were higher, and CXCR4+ CD4 + T cells were lower, in patients than in controls. Patients receiving HAART showed a higher percentage of CCR5 expression on CD4 + T cells compared with HAART-naïve patients. HIV-infected individuals had significantly increased levels of peripheral ligands for coreceptors, compared with controls; levels were significantly higher in those receiving HAART compared with the HAART-naïve. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-1 infection increases coreceptor expression on T cells; HAART increases CCR5 expression further and decreases CXCR4 expression, reversing the switch from CCR5 to CXCR4, which was significant for CD4 + T.