Honokiol induces apoptosis-like death in Cryptocaryon irritans Tomont.

BACKGROUND: Cryptocaryon irritans, a common parasite in tropical and subtropical marine teleost fish, has caused serious harm to the marine aquaculture industry. Honokiol was proven to induce C. irritans tomont cytoplasm shrinkage and death in our previous study, but the mechanism by which it works remains unknown. METHODS: In this study, the changes of apoptotic morphology and apoptotic ratio were detected by microscopic observation and AnnexinV-FITC/PI staining. The effects of honokiol on intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), reactive oxygen species (ROS), quantity of DNA fragmentations (QDF) and caspase activities were detected by Fluo-3 staining, JC-1 staining, DCFH-DA staining, Tunel method and caspase activity assay kit. The effects of honokiol on mRNA expression levels of 61 apoptosis-related genes in tomonts of C. irritans were detected by real-time PCR. RESULTS: The results of the study on the effects of honokiol concentration on C. irritans tomont apoptosis-like death showed that the highest levels of prophase apoptosis-like death rate (PADR), [Ca2+]i concentration, ROS, the activities of caspase-3/9 and the lowest necrosis ratio (NER) were obtained at a concentration of 1 µg/ml, which was considered the most suitable for inducing C. irritans tomont apoptosis-like death. When C. irritans tomonts were treated with 1 µg/ml honokiol, the [Ca2+]i concentration began to increase significantly at 1 h. Following this, the ROS, QDF and activities of caspase-3/9 began to increase significantly, and the ΔΨm began to decrease significantly at 2 h; the highest PADR was obtained at 4 h. The mRNA expression of 14 genes was significantly upregulated during honokiol treatment. Of these genes, itpr2, capn1, mc, actg1, actb, parp2, traf2 and fos were enriched in the pathway related to apoptosis induced by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. CONCLUSIONS: This article shows that honokiol can induce C. irritans tomont apoptosis-like death. These results suggest that honokiol may disrupt [Ca2+]i homeostasis in ER and then induce C. irritans tomont apoptosis-like death by caspase cascade or mitochondrial pathway, which might represent a novel therapeutic intervention for C. irritans infection.

Urinary Myeloperoxidase to Creatinine Ratio as a New Marker for Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infection / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Objective To determine whether urinary myeloperoxidase to creatinine ratio (MCR) can serve as a marker for diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI).Methods Patients suspected of UTI were consecutively enrolled and further divided into the culture positive and the sterile groups according to urine culture results. Subsequently, MCR, white blood cell (WBC) and bacteria in the urinary samples from patients were detected and compared between the two groups.Results Finally, 253 patients were enrolled including 157 urine culture positive patients and 96 urine culture negative patients (sterile group). After logarithmic transformation in 2 as the base, the MCR, WBC, and bacteria were separately presented as log, log(quantitative) , and log. The values of log(8.6±2.5 vs. 5.4±1.5, t=-12.453, P=0.001), log(quantitative) (8.0±2.5 vs. 5.2±1.8, t=-10.332, P=0.001), log (11.4±2.5 vs. 8.2±2.8, t=-9.297, P=0.001) and WBC (semi-quantitative) [2 (interquartile range 1, 3) vs. 1 (interquartile range 0.5, 1), Z=-7.580, P=0.001] showed significant difference between the urine culture positive group and the sterile group. Among the urine culture positive group, the values of log of the gram positive and gram negative subgroups were 7.2±2.5 and 9.0±2.4 (t=4.016, P=0.001), respectively. The correlation between log and log (quantitative), log, WBC (semi-quantitative) was 0.708 (Pearson correlation, P=0.001), 0.381 (Pearson correlation, P=0.001), and 0.606 (Spearman correlation, P=0.001), respectively. Conclusions MCR is positively correlated with WBC counts and could be served as a promising biomarker for diagnosis of UTI. MCR could be even used for initial inference of infectious bacteria types of UTI.

A metabolomic investigation into the effects of temperature on Streptococcus agalactiae from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) based on UPLC-MS/MS.

Streptococcosis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae is one of the most serious diseases in farmed tilapia, and temperature is one of the most important environmental factors related to its outbreak. To elucidate the influence of temperature variation on the pathogen from a metabolic perspective, the global metabolomics of 2 pathogenic strains of S. agalactiae from sick tilapia were analyzed at 35°C and 25°C using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) combined with pattern recognition approaches and pathway analysis. The result showed that the metabolic status of S. agalactiae was extensively affected by its culture temperature. Based on the results of metabolites contributing to these differences, a large number of nucleotides and their ramifications were markedly elevated at 35°C. Various energy substances, components of the cell wall and substances associated with stress regulation such as glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, pyroglutamic acid, glutamate, d-Alanyl-d-alanine, glycerophosphocholine, dephospho-CoA, and oxidized glutathione increased when the strains were cultured at 35°C. Additionally, a general decrease in various precursors of capsule, antigen, and virulence protein formation were detected including mannose, maltotriose, N-acetyl-d-glucosamine 6-phosphate, uracil, proline, and citrulline. These metabolic changes indicated that metabolic activity decreased, while adaptive ability to environment and pathogenicity to host increased at high temperature. This study is the first to determine the metabolomic responses of S. agalactiae to temperature, and the results are useful to reveal its pathogenic mechanism and find effective disease control.

A novel modi cation of real-time AS-qPCR by using locked nucleic acid-modified oligonucleotide probe as wild type allele amplification blockers for quantitative detection of the JAK2 V617F mutation / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop a novel real-time PCR for sensitively quantitative detection of JAK2 V617F allele burden in peripheral blood.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Based on the real-time allele-specific PCR (AS-qPCR), the locked nucleic acid (LNA)-modified oligonucleotide probe was used for selectively blocking amplification of wild-type alleles in AS-qPCR, and then a novel AS-LNA-qPCR method was established. The percentages of sample JAK2 V617F alleles were directly calculated by its threshold cycle (Ct) values according to the standard curve which generated by JAK2 V617F alleles with its Ct values. We validated intra- and inter-assay variability for quantifying JAK2 V617F. We also assayed 623 apparent healthy donors by our method to validate its clinical application value.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The quantitative lower limit of this method for JAK2 V617F was 0.01%, and the intra- and inter-assay average variability for quantifying percentage of JAK2 V617F in total DNA was 6.3% and 8.6%, respectively. Nineteen JAK2 V617F-positive individuals were identified using AS-LNA-qPCR in blood of 623 apparently healthy donors, and the range of percentages of JAK2 V617F alleles were 0.01%-5.49%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The AS-LNA-qPCR with highly sensitive and reproducible quantification of JAK2 V617F mutant burden can be used clinically for diagnosis as well as evaluation of disease prognosis and efficacy of therapy in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms.</p>

At-line monitoring of key parameters of nisin fermentation by near infrared spectroscopy, chemometric modeling and model improvement.

An analytical procedure has been developed for at-line (fast off-line) monitoring of 4 key parameters including nisin titer (NT), the concentration of reducing sugars, cell concentration and pH during a nisin fermentation process. This procedure is based on near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and Partial Least Squares (PLS). Samples without any preprocessing were collected at intervals of 1 h during fifteen batch of fermentations. These fermentation processes were implemented in 3 different 5 l fermentors at various conditions. NIR spectra of the samples were collected in 10 min. And then, PLS was used for modeling the relationship between NIR spectra and the key parameters which were determined by reference methods. Monte Carlo Partial Least Squares (MCPLS) was applied to identify the outliers and select the most efficacious methods for preprocessing spectra, wavelengths and the suitable number of latent variables (n (LV)). Then, the optimum models for determining NT, concentration of reducing sugars, cell concentration and pH were established. The correlation coefficients of calibration set (R (c)) were 0.8255, 0.9000, 0.9883 and 0.9581, respectively. These results demonstrated that this method can be successfully applied to at-line monitor of NT, concentration of reducing sugars, cell concentration and pH during nisin fermentation processes.

Detection of JAK2V617F mutation rate by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR using allele specific primer and TaqMan-MGB probe for dual inhibiting amplification of wild type alleles / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was purposed to develop a real-time PCR assay for sensitive quantification of JAK2V617F allele burden in peripheral blood and to evaluate the clinical value of this method. Both allele-specific mutant reverse primer and wild-type TaqMan-MGB probe were used for dual-inhibiting amplification of wild-type alleles in a real-time PCR, and then the JAK2V617F mutant alleles were amplified specially. The standard curve for quantification of JAK2V617F was established by percentages of JAK2V617F alleles with threshold cycle (Ct) values in a real-time PCR. Furthermore, 89 apparent healthy donors were tested by this method. The results showed that the quantitative lower limit of this method for JAK2V617F was 0.1%, and the intra- and inter-assay average variability for quantifying percentage of JAK2V617F in total DNA was 4.1% and 6.1%, respectively. Two JAK2V617F-positive individuals were identified (the percentage of JAK2V617F alleles were 0.64% and 0.98%, respectively) using this method in blood from 89 apparently healthy donors. It is concluded that the developed method with highly sensitive and reproducible quantification of JAK2V617F mutant burden can be used clinically for diagnosis and evaluation of disease prognosis and efficacy of therapy in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms. Moreover, this technique can be also used for quantitative detection of variety of single nucleotide mutation.

Cyclooxygenase inhibitors in some dietary vegetables inhibit platelet aggregation function induced by arachidonic acid / 中国实验血液学杂志

The study was purposed to investigate whether the cyclooxygenase inhibitors from some dietary vegetables can inhibit platelet aggregation function by the arachidonic acid (AA). The vegetable juice was mixed with platelet rich plasma (PRP), and asprin was used as positive control. The maximum ratio of platelet aggregation induced by AA was measured on the aggregometer; heme and cyclooxygenase-1 (COX(1)) or cyclooxygenase-2 (COX(2)) were added to test tubes containing COX reaction buffer, the mixture was vortex-mixed and exposed to aspirin or vegetable juice, followed by addition of AA and then hydrochloric acid (1 mol/L) was added to stop the COX reaction, followed by chemical reduction with stannous chloride solution. The concentration of COX inhibitors was detected by the enzyme immunoassay kit; vegetable juice (aspirin as positive control) was mixed with whole blood, which was followed by the addition of AA, and then the reaction was stopped by adding indomethacin, centrifuged, then the supernatant was collected, and the plasma thromboxane B(2) (TXB(2)) was measured by radioimmunoassay. The results showed that spinach juice, garlic bolt juice, blanched garlic leave juice and Chinese leek juice could inhibit by 80% human platelet aggregation induced by AA. 4 kinds of vegetables were all found a certain amount of cyclooxygenase inhibitors, which COX(1) and COX(2) inhibitor concentrations of spinach were higher than that of aspirin; 4 vegetable juice could significantly reduce the human plasma concentrations of TXB(2) induced by AA (p < 0.05). It is concluded that 4 kinds of raw vegetables containing cyclooxygenase inhibitors inhibit the production of TXA(2) and thus hinder platelet aggregation. Raw spinach, garlic bolt, blanched garlic and chinese leek inhibit significantly AA-induced human platelet aggregation in vitro. 4 kinds of vegetables may have a good potential perspective of anti-platelet aggregation therapy or prevention of thrombosis.

[Application of near infrared spectroscopy in screening Cordyceps militaris mutation strains and optimizing their fermentation process].

To fast screen high-yield Cordyceps militaris mutations strains and optimize their fermentation process, near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy technology combined with chemometrics has been applied to establishing models for simultaneous determination of adenosine, protein, polysaccharide and Cordyceps militaris acid contents in Cordyceps militaris powder samples. Fermentations were implemented in Erlenmeyer flask with 468 Cordyceps militaris mutations strains under various fermentation conditions and Cordyceps militaris powder samples were collected. Then their NIR spectra were obtained using UV-VIS-NIR spectrometer and their adenosine, protein, polysaccharide and Cordyceps militaris acid contents were determined using reference methods. Partial least squares (PLS) method was employed to model the relationships between NIR spectra and the above mentioned components' contents in Cordyceps militaris powder samples. Monte Carlo partial least square (MCPLS) was applied to identify the outliers and select suitable number of calibration samples. Moving window partial least square (MWPLS) was applied to select the characteristic wavelength of the components. The degree of the approaching (Da) was employed as criterion for selecting effective pretreatment methods investigated. The optimum models for determination of adenosine, protein, polysaccharide and Cordyceps militaris acid contents in Cordyceps militaris powder samples were obtained with the above mentioned optimization. Their correlation between actual and predictive values of calibration samples (Re) was 0.92943, 0.98479, 0.90785, and 0.85131, respectively. Their root mean square error of prediction set (RMSEP) was 0.66714, 0.02065, 0.01131, and 0.01159, respectively. The obtained results demonstrated that the fitting and the predictive accuracy were satisfactory. It is feasible to apply this method to screen the high yield Cordyceps militaris mutation strains and optimize their fermentation process.

[Application of near infrared spectroscopy in rapid and simultaneous determination of essential components in five varieties of anti-tuberculosis tablets].

Since 1980s, tuberculosis has become increasingly serious. Rifampicin tablets, isoniazide tablets, pyrazinamide tablets, rifampicin and isoniazide tablets and rifampicin isoniazide and pyrazinamide tablets are currently relatively efficacious antituberculosis drugs. In the present paper, near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) with partial least squares (PLS) was applied to the simultaneous determination of rifampicin (RMP), isoniazide (INH) and pyrazinamide (PZA) contents in 5 varieties of anti-tuberculosis tablets. As the results showed, all of the models for the determination of RMP, INH and PZA contents applied the original NIR spectra. The most efficacious wavelength range for the determination of RMP contents was 1981-2195 nm, it was 1540-1717 nm and 2086-2197 nm for the determination of INH contents, and it was 1460-1537 nm, 1956-2022 nm and 2268-2393 nm for determination of PZA contents. The root mean square error of the calibration set obtained by cross-validation (RMSECV) of the optimum models for the quantitative analysis of RMP, INH and PZA contents was 0.0494, 0.0257 and 0.0307, respectively. Using these optimum models for the determination of RMP, INH and PZA contents in prediction set, the root mean square error of prediction set (RMSEP) was 0.0182, 0.0166 and 0.0134, respectively. The correlation coefficient (r(p)) between the predicted values and actual values was 0.9864, 0.9989 and 0.9993, respectively. These results demonstrated that this method was precise and reliable, and is significative for in situ measurement and the on-line quality control for anti-tuberculosis tablets production.

[Application of wavelet transform-radial basis function neural network in NIRS for determination of rifampicin and isoniazide tablets].

A calibration model (WT-RBFNN) combination of wavelet transform (WT) and radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) was proposed for synchronous and rapid determination of rifampicin and isoniazide in Rifampicin and Isoniazide tablets by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS). The approximation coefficients were used for input data in RBFNN. The network parameters including the number of hidden layer neurons and spread constant (SC) were investigated. WT-RBFNN model which compressed the original spectra data, removed the noise and the interference of background, and reduced the randomness, the capabilities of prediction were well optimized. The root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) for the determination of rifampicin and isoniazide obtained from the optimum WT-RBFNN model are 0.00639 and 0.00587, and the root mean square errors of cross-calibration (RMSECV) for them are 0.00604 and 0.00457, respectively which are superior to those obtained by the optimum RBFNN and PLS models. Regression coefficient (R) between NIRS predicted values and RP-HPLC values for rifampicin and isoniazide are 0.99522 and 0.99392, respectively and the relative error is lower than 2.300%. It was verified that WT-RBFNN model is a suitable approach to dealing with NIRS. The proposed WT-RBFNN model is convenient, and rapid and with no pollution for the determination of rifampicin and isoniazide tablets.

Mutation of cystathionine beta-synthase gene(CBS G919A/T833C)in patients with diabetic nephropathy detected by amplification refractory mutation system-real time PCR / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective To develop a TaqMan fluorogenic probe based amplification refractory mutation system (TaqMan-ARMS) for the detection of the C BS gene G919A and T833C mutations,and to investigate whether the mutations are associated with diabetic nephropathy in Chinese population. Methods According to the principle of amplification refractory mutation system,the cycle threshold (Ct) of wild (Wct) and mutation (Mct) allele-specific primers between the two PCR reactions in real-time PCR were monitored and genotype detection criteria were established based on the threshold ratio Act (?ct= Wct/ Mct) or an appearance of exponential amplification.With this technique,the G919A and T833C mutations in the CBS gene were analyzed in 94 patients with diabetic nephropathy and 140 control subjects. Results The detection criteria of TaqMan-ARMS assay for T833 allele were ?ct40,for T833C allele 0.940,respectively.The criteria for G919 allele were ?ct40,for G919A allele 0.9240,respectively.The T833C rates of TT,TC and CC genotypes were 98.94%, 1.06% and 0 in the patients and 99.29%,0.71% and 0 in the controls.The 833C allele frequencies were 0.53% in the patients and 0.36% in the controls.No significant differences in both genotypes and allele of T833C mutation were observed between the two groups.The G919A point mutation was not observed in all subjects.Conclusions A TaqMan-ARMS assay for the detection of the CBS gene GA919A and T833C mutations has been developed.The assay is accurate and sensitive,and is suitable for high-throughput detection of the point mutations.The G919A and T833C point mutations of CBS gene may not be related to diabetic nephropathy in Chinese.

Clinical and molecular biological features of 2 Chinese patients with Kennedy's disease diagnosed by gene analysis / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To diagnose Kennedy's disease (KD) via molecular analysis of the androgen receptor gene with suspected KD.Methods Two patients with suspected KD were reported.We analyzed their clinical features and investigated the number of CAG repeats in the androgen receptor genes. Results Both of the patients were characterized by slow progression of predominant proximal and bulbar muscle weakness.Patient 2 had oligospermatism.Serum creatine kinase and triglyceride levels were found markedly increased.The exact number of CAG was 52 in patient 1 and 48 in patient 2,respectively.These 2 patients were finally diagnosed as Kennedy's disease through the analysis of androgen receptor gene by PCR and direct sequencing.Conclusions The method of molecular analysis for KD had been copied in China.The clinical and molecular biological features of 2 Chinese patients with KD had been discussed.KD is a neurodegenerative disorder by proximal limb muscular atrophy and weakness with lower motor neuron signs,bulbar involvement.Dyscrinism and metabolic abnormalities may also be observed.Gene analysis is the unique and reliable methods to diagnose KD.