ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the association between the value of α-thalassemia minor and the outcomes in pregnant women. Methods: A total of 445 pregnant women with α-thalassemia minor were selected as thalassemia group in the Pingguo County Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi from January 2011 to December 2015, with ratio of 1â¶4 healthy pregnant women was randomly recruited as non-thalassemia group. Clinical characteristics and pregnancy outcomes of the two groups were retrospectively analyzed using methods including t test, χ(2) test, and logistic regression model and ROC curve. Results: There were no significant differences noticed in factors as age, BMI, gestational age and educational level of the two groups. Hemoglobin of the thalassemia group was significantly lower than that of the non-thalassemia group (P<0.001). Differences on parity, ethnicities or occupation were statistically significant. Results from univariate analysis showed that the proportions of low birth weight, small for date infant and 1 min Apgar score<7 were higher in the thalassemia group, but the ratio of adverse pregnancy outcomes was comparable on parameters as preterm birth, stillbirth, macrosomia. Findings from the unconditional logistic regression showed that pregnancy complicated with α-thalassemia minor appeared a risk for both newborns with low birth weight (aOR=2.29, 95%CI: 1.32-3.95) and small for date infant (aOR= 2.11, 95%CI: 1.16-3.84). The ROC curve showed that α-thalassemia minor combined with multiple indicators presented a certain predictive value on neonatal birth weight. Conclusion: Pregnancy complicated with α-thalassemia minor was likely to increase the risk of birth weight loss in newborns, suggesting that prenatal care for pregnant women with thalassemia be strengthened, in order to reduce the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Subject(s)
Pregnancy Outcome/epidemiology , alpha-Thalassemia/complications , Birth Weight , Body Mass Index , Case-Control Studies , China/epidemiology , Female , Fetal Macrosomia/epidemiology , Gestational Age , Humans , Infant, Low Birth Weight , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Small for Gestational Age , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications , Premature Birth/epidemiology , Premature Birth/etiology , Prenatal Care , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Stillbirth/epidemiology , alpha-Thalassemia/blood , alpha-Thalassemia/epidemiologyABSTRACT
We investigated the effects of hepatitis B virus (HBV) S/C double gene loci antisense locked nucleic acid on replication and expression of HBV in hepatitis transgenic mice. HBV mice (N = 30) were randomly divided into five groups of six mice: 5% glucose solution control, empty liposome control, single-target S, single-target C, and dual-target SC groups. An antisense locked nucleic acid fragment was injected into the mice. Serum HBsAg, serum HBV DNA, HBV C-mRNA expression in liver tissue, HbsAg and HbcAg expression in hepatocytes, serum albumin, alanine transaminase (ALT), urea nitrogen, and creatinine were detected. Liver and kidney sections were examined for the effects of antisense locked nucleic acid. The expression of HBsAg was markedly inhibited; the inhibition rates of the S, C, and SC target groups were 36.63, 31.50, and 54.87%, respectively; the replication of HBV DNA was also inhibited: 23.97, 21.13, and 35.83%, respectively. After injection at 1, 3, and 5 days, the corresponding rates for HBsAg inhibition were 14.40, 25.61, and 31.33%, and for HBV DNA inhibition they were 11.04, 19.24, and 24.13%. Compared with the control group, the differences in serum albumin, ALT, urea nitrogen, and creatinine in each group were not statistically significant, and the number of HbsAg- and HBcAg-positive cells in the mouse liver was significantly reduced. The liver and kidney tissues were normal. The gene therapy had significant inhibitory effects on the replication and expression of HBV in transgenic mice, and double-gene targeting was better than single-gene targeting.
Subject(s)
DNA, Antisense/genetics , Hepatitis B Core Antigens/genetics , Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/genetics , Hepatitis B/virology , Animals , DNA, Antisense/administration & dosage , DNA, Antisense/toxicity , Disease Models, Animal , Gene Expression Regulation, Viral , Hepatitis B/blood , Hepatitis B/pathology , Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/blood , Hepatitis B virus/genetics , Humans , Kidney Function Tests , Liver Function Tests , Mice , Mice, Transgenic , RNA, Messenger/genetics , Viral Load , Virus Replication/geneticsABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inhibition of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) S gene by polypurine region locked nucleic acid on viral replication in cells. We designed and synthesized a locked nucleic acid, phosphorothioate oligonucleotides, unmodified oligonucleotides, and unrelated control sequence for the hepatitis B virus S gene polypurine region. HepG2.2.15 cells were transfected by cationic liposome, and fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction technology (PCR) and time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay technology was utilized to monitor the content of HBV DNA, HbsAg, and HBeAg at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 days post-transfection. The effects on cell metabolism were detected by four methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. The locked nucleic acid had an obvious effect on HBV DNA replication and HBsAg and HBeAg expression in a dose and time dependent man-ner. The inhibition rates were 52.14, 57.48, and 29.63% after 6 days, respectively. The locked nucleic acid had no significant effect on cell metabolism. The HBV S gene polypurine region locked nucleic acid could effectively inhibit the replication of HBV in vitro, and could provide an effective target for the treatment of HBV and a theoretical and experimental basis for anti-gene therapy.
