Conditional reprogrammed human limbal epithelial cell model for anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug screening.

To minimize the global pandemic COVID-19 spread, understanding the possible transmission routes of SARS-CoV-2 and discovery of novel antiviral drugs are necessary. We describe here that the virus can infect ocular surface limbal epithelial, but not other regions. Limbal supports wild type and mutant SARS-CoV-2 entry and replication depending on ACE2, TMPRSS2 and possibly other receptors, resulting in slight CPE and arising IL-6 secretion, which symbolizes conjunctivitis in clinical symptoms. With this limbal model, we have screened two natural product libraries and discovered several unreported drugs. Our data reveal important commonalities between COVID-19 and ocular infection with SARS-CoV-2, and establish an ideal cell model for drug screening and mechanism research.

Comparison of VerifyNow P2Y12 and thrombelastography for assessing clopidogrel response in stroke patients in China.

Poor response to clopidogrel is often associated with recurrent ischemic events, and reliable platelet function tests are needed to identify clopidogrel low response (CLR). The aim of the study was to compare the consistency of VerifyNow P2Y12 and thrombelastography (TEG) in acute ischemic stroke patients treated with clopidogrel. Patients hospitalized in Changhai Hospital from August 2012 to September 2013 and assigned to treatment with a daily 75-mg dose of clopidogrel. The blood samples were taken on the 5-7th day to assess the capability of VerifyNow P2Y12 and TEG for evaluation of clopidogrel response, and all instrument parameters were used to perform correlation analysis. Patients with CLR were detected by using the methods and criteria published earlier (PRU ≥ 230 assayed by VerifyNow P2Y12 or TEG-Inhib% ≤30 % measured by TEG). Totally 58 patients were enrolled for the study and there were wide varieties in parameters of VerifyNow P2Y12 and TEG. Results showed a total of 17 and 9 patients, respectively, identified as CLR assessed by VerifyNow P2Y12 and TEG, but only three patients were detected to be clopidogrel low responders with both tests. The kappa consistency analysis showed poor consistency between VerifyNow P2Y12 and TEG results in terms of CLR (Kappa = -0.0349, p = 0.7730). Linear regression also demonstrated poor correlation between VerifyNow-PRU/VerifyNow-Inhib% and TEG-Inhib% (p = 0.07901 and p = 0.3788, respectively). Our study demonstrated that there was poor correlation between VerifyNow P2Y12 and TEG results, and VerifyNow P2Y12 showed a larger proportion of CLR than TEG.

Sensitivity and Specificity of Double-Track Sign in the Detection of Transverse Sinus Stenosis: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Transverse sinus stenosis (TSS) is common among patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. No previous studies have reported on double-track sign detected on axial Gd-enhanced T1WI in TSS. This study aimed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the double-track sign in the detection of TSS. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 383 patients with transverse sinus thrombosis (TST) and 30 patients with normal transverse sinus from 5 participating hospitals in china from January 2008 to June 2014. 167 feasible transverse sinuses included in this study were categorized into TSS (n = 76), transverse sinus occlusion (TSO) (n = 52) and transverse sinus normal (TSN) groups (n = 39) according to imaging diagnosis on digital subtraction angiography (DSA) or magnetic resonance venography (MRV). Double-track sign on axial Gd-enhanced T1WI was compared among the three groups. Sensitivity and specificity of double-track sign in detection of TSS were calculated, with final imaging diagnosis of TSS on DSA or MRV as the reference standard. RESULTS: Of 383 patients with TST recruited over a 6.5-year period, 128 patients were enrolled in the study, 255 patients were excluded because of insufficient clinical data, imaging finding and delay time, and 30 matched patients with normal transverse sinus were enrolled in the control group. Therefore, double-track sign assessment was conducted in 167 available transverse sinuses of 158 patients. Of the 76 sinuses in TSS group, 51 had double-track sign. Of the other 91 sinuses in TSO and TSN groups, 3 had a false-positive double-track sign. Thus, double-track sign on axial Gd-enhanced T1WI was 67.1% (95% CI 55.3-77.2) sensitive and 96.7% (95% CI 89.9-99.1) specific for detection of TSS. CONCLUSIONS: The double-track sign on axial Gd-enhanced T1WI is highly specific and moderate sensitive for detection of TSS. Nevertheless, it could be a direct sign and might provide an early clue for TSS.

Influence of Genetic Polymorphisms on Clopidogrel Response and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke CYP2C19 Genotype on Clopidogrel Response.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the influence of the genetic polymorphisms on platelet reactivity and clinical outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients taking clopidogrel. BACKGROUND: Little research has been published on relationships between genetic polymorphisms, platelet reactivity, and clinical outcomes in stroke patients treated with clopidogrel. METHODS: Patients hospitalized in Changhai Hospital with acute ischemic stroke were randomly enrolled into treatment with a 75-mg daily maintenance dose of clopidogrel. Genotyping was detected by the MassARRAY iPLEX genotyping system (Sequenom Inc, San Diego, CA), and platelet reactivity was evaluated by the VerifyNow P2Y12 test (Accumetrics Inc., San Diego, CA). Sixteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within 9 genes were selected and high on-clopidogrel platelet reactivity (HPR) was defined as P2Y12 reaction units (PRU) value ≥230. The primary endpoint was ischemic events, including major adverse cardiac events (MACE), recurrence of stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), and the composite of vascular death, and the secondary endpoint was bleeding. RESULTS: Of the 345 patients recruited, 275 (79.7%) patients were followed up for 1 year and 122 (35.4%) patients were categorized as HPR. Among the SNPs selected, only the CYP2C19*2 allele and the CYP2C19*3 allele were statistically significantly associated with PRU (P < 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively). Similarly, the prevalence of HPR was associated with CYP2C19*2 and CYP2C19*3 (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). During the 1 year of follow-up, a total of 64 (23.3%) cases of clinical events occurred, including 60 ischemic events and 4 bleeding events. There were no correlation between CYP2C19 variant alleles and clinical outcomes (P > 0.05), but a statistically significant relevance was found between the HPR and the ischemic events in 1 year of follow-up (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: CYP2C19*2 and CYP2C19*3 had a significant impact on clopidogrel response, but was not associated with ischemic events during 1 year of follow-up in patients with acute ischemic stroke. HPR was an independent risk factor for ischemic events, and the VerifyNow P2Y12 test may be available to guide individualized antiplatelet therapies in stroke patients in China.

Neurological antiphospholipid syndrome: Clinical, neuroimaging, and pathological characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Neurological antiphospholipid syndrome (NAPS) is often misdiagnosed or missed. Only limited clinical and neuroimaging information about it is available, and the pathological characteristics was rarely reported before. This study aimed to explore the clinical, neuroimaging, and pathological characteristics of NAPS. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 51 patients with APS, categorized into NAPS (n = 16) and rheumatology antiphospholipid syndrome (RAPS) groups (n = 35). Demographics and clinical profile were compared between the two groups, and the neuroimaging and pathological information of NAPS was also analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the NAPS patients, 81.25% of whom were female, was 37.56 ± 12.36 years, and the average duration was 1.32 ± 0.96 years (range = 18 days to 3.5 years). No significant differences in age, sex, disease duration, classification, and comorbidities at baseline were observed between NAPS and RAPS patients (p > 0.05). Chief complaint of headache and thromboembolic events was higher in NAPS patients than in RAPS patients (p<0.05). Neuroimaging detected multiple infarcts and demyelination lesions were distributed in subcortical and cortical area asymmetrically. Skin biopsy examination showed small vessel occlusion with inflammatory cells, while brain biopsy examination showed erythrocyte accumulation with some neuron degeneration and local demyelization. Antithrombotic and immunosuppressive therapy proved to be effective. CONCLUSION: Headache and thromboembolic events are more common in NAPS than RAPS. Neuroimaging and biopsy examination demonstrated that NAPS is an ischemic cerebrovascular disease caused by vascular stenosis or occlusion. These characteristics might help to reduce the misdiagnosis of NAPS.