Deep learning-assisted diagnosis of parotid gland tumors by using contrast-enhanced CT imaging.

OBJECTIVES: Imaging interpretation of the benignancy or malignancy of parotid gland tumors (PGTs) is a critical consideration prior to surgery in view of therapeutic and prognostic values of such discrimination. This study investigates the application of a deep learning-based method for preoperative stratification of PGTs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the 3D DenseNet-121 architecture and a dataset consisting of 117 volumetric arterial-phase contrast-enhanced CT scans, we developed a binary classifier for PGT distinction and tested it. We compared the discriminative performance of the model on the test set to that of 12 junior and 12 senior head and neck clinicians. Besides, potential clinical utility of the model was evaluated by measuring changes in unassisted and model-assisted performance of junior clinicians. RESULTS: The model finally reached the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, F1-score of 0.955 (95% CI 0.751-0.998), 0.667 (95% CI 0.241-0.940), 0.913 (95% CI 0.705-0.985), 0.800 (95% CI 0.299-0.989) and 0.933, respectively, comparable to that of practicing clinicians. Furthermore, there were statistically significant increases in junior clinicians' specificity, PPV, NPV and F1-score in differentiating benign from malignant PGTs when unassisted and model-assisted performance of junior clinicians were compared. CONCLUSION: Our results provide evidence that deep learning-based method may offer assistance for PGT's binary distinction.

Sunitinib attenuates reactive MDSCs enhancing anti-tumor immunity in HNSCC.

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is implicated in promoting HNSCC malignant progression. However, EZH2 inhibitors, when used alone, increase the number of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), which are responsible for enhancing tumor stemness and promoting tumor immune escape. We aimed to determine whether combining tazemetostat (an EZH2 inhibitor) and sunitinib (a MDSC inhibitor) can improve the response rate to an immune-checkpoint-blocking (ICB) therapy. We evaluated the efficacy of the above treatment strategies by bioinformatics analysis and animal experiments. EZH2 overexpression and abundant MDSCs in patients with HNSCC are associated with tumor progression. Tazemetostat treatment alone had limited inhibitory effect on HNSCC progression in the mouse models, accompanied by a surge in the number of MDSCs in the tumor microenvironment. Conversely, the combined use of tazemetostat and sunitinib reduced the number of MDSCs and regulatory T cell populations, promoting intratumoral infiltration of T cells and inhibiting of T cell exhausting, regulating of wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway and tumor stemness, promoting the intratumoral PD-L1 expression and improved the response rate to anti-PD-1 therapy. The combined use of EZH2 and MDSC inhibitors effectively reverses HNSCC-specific immunotherapeutic resistance and is a promising strategy for overcoming resistance to ICB therapy.

Predicting the Proliferation of Tongue Cancer With Artificial Intelligence in Contrast-Enhanced CT.

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is the most common oral malignancy. The proliferation status of tumor cells as indicated with the Ki-67 index has great impact on tumor microenvironment, therapeutic strategy making, and patients' prognosis. However, the most commonly used method to obtain the proliferation status is through biopsy or surgical immunohistochemical staining. Noninvasive method before operation remains a challenge. Hence, in this study, we aimed to validate a novel method to predict the proliferation status of TSCC using contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) based on artificial intelligence (AI). CECT images of the lesion area from 179 TSCC patients were analyzed using a convolutional neural network (CNN). Patients were divided into a high proliferation status group and a low proliferation status group according to the Ki-67 index of patients with the median 20% as cutoff. The model was trained and then the test set was automatically classified. Results of the test set showed an accuracy of 65.38% and an AUC of 0.7172, suggesting that the majority of samples were classified correctly and the model was stable. Our study provided a possibility of predicting the proliferation status of TSCC using AI in CECT noninvasively before operation.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of Bmi-1 expression in human cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of Bmi-1 expression as a prognostic marker for cervical cancer. Design. Retrospectively collected data from a population-based cohort. SETTING: Jiangsu Province Hospital. Population. Eighty-eight women diagnosed with cervical carcinoma between 2000 and 2003. METHODS: RT-PCR assay was performed to determine Bmi-1 mRNA expression in 18 cervical cancer and noncancerous tissue samples and immunohistochemistry to detect Bmi-1 protein expression in 88 cervical cancer samples. The correlation between Bmi-1 expression and clinicopathological factors was analyzed. Additionally, statistical analyses were applied to test for prognostic associations. RNA interference was used to downregulate Bmi-1 expression in a cervical cancer cell line (HeLa). In vitro cytotoxicity was measured by the methylthiazoletetrazolium and colony formation assays. Effects of Bmi-1 inhibition on in vivo growth of cancer cells was detected by the tumorigenicity assay. Cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The levels of Bmi-1 mRNA and protein expression in tissues were evaluated by RT-PCR and Western Blot assays. RESULTS: The level of Bmi-1 mRNA expression in cervical cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in corresponding noncancerous tissues. High Bmi-1 expression was significantly correlated with poor tumor differentiation, advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage and positive lymph node metastasis. Patients with high Bmi-1 expression showed shorter overall survival than those with low expression. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that high Bmi-1 expression was an independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS: RNA interference-mediated Bmi-1 inhibition could inhibit in vitro and in vivo growth, enhance apoptosis and induce cell cycle arrest of cervical cancer cells. Bmi-1 might be an independent prognostic marker for cervical cancer patients.

Improved Diagnostic Accuracy of Ameloblastoma and Odontogenic Keratocyst on Cone-Beam CT by Artificial Intelligence.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to utilize a convolutional neural network (CNN) to make preoperative differential diagnoses between ameloblastoma (AME) and odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) on cone-beam CT (CBCT). METHODS: The CBCT images of 178 AMEs and 172 OKCs were retrospectively retrieved from the Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University. The datasets were randomly split into a training dataset of 272 cases and a testing dataset of 78 cases. Slices comprising lesions were retained and then cropped to suitable patches for training. The Inception v3 deep learning algorithm was utilized, and its diagnostic performance was compared with that of oral and maxillofacial surgeons. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and F1 score were 87.2%, 82.1%, 84.6%, and 85.0%, respectively. Furthermore, the average scores of the same indexes for 7 senior oral and maxillofacial surgeons were 60.0%, 71.4%, 65.7%, and 63.6%, respectively, and those of 30 junior oral and maxillofacial surgeons were 63.9%, 53.2%, 58.5%, and 60.7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The deep learning model was able to differentiate these two lesions with better diagnostic accuracy than clinical surgeons. The results indicate that the CNN may provide assistance for clinical diagnosis, especially for inexperienced surgeons.

A Randomised Study Comparing the Efficacy of Low-Dose Oral Azithromycin versus Doxycycline in Combination with Topical Benzoyl Peroxide in the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Acne Vulgaris

Background@#Acne vulgaris is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease. Long term therapy involving antibiotics warrants for drug with a long half-life to increase compliance of patients. @*Methods@#A twelve-week prospective randomized study was performed on 40 subjects with moderate to severe facial acne to compare the efficacy of oral azithromycin with oral doxycycline. Thirty-six subjects completed the study. Subjects in azithromycin group received azithromycin 250mg three times a week plus topical benzoyl peroxide 5% (BPO), whereas subjects in doxycycline group received doxycycline 100mg daily plus topical BPO 5%. Efficacy evaluation included treatment success rate (Comprehensive Acne Severity Score /CASS of 0 or 1 or improvement of two grades from baseline) and lesion counts.@*Results@#Treatment was successful in 94.4% of subjects in azithromycin group, compared to 88.9% in doxycycline group (p=1.000) at week 12.However, percentage of clear or almost clear by CASS was higher in the doxycycline group ( 83.3% vs 66.7%; p= 0.443).Percentage reduction of inflammatory lesion counts in azithromycin and doxycycline group following treatment for 12 weeks were 78.3% and 85.3% (p=0.133) respectively, whereas for non-inflammatory lesion counts were 77.7% and 78.8% (p=0.852) respectively. Nausea was reported in 77.8% at week 6 and 66.7% at week 12 in doxycycline group, but none in azithromycin group. There were no significant differences in incidence of diarrhoea and abdominal pain.@*Conclusion@#Azithromycin 250mg three times a week plus topical BPO 5% is as effective as doxycycline 100mg daily plus topical BPO 5%.

Analysis and considerations on revision of instructions for traditional Chinese medicine injections / 中国中药杂志

According to the notice on revision of the instructions for traditional Chinese medicine injections(TCMIs) issued by the National Medical Products Administration(NMPA) from January 2006 to May 2020, the revised contents in the instructions for 29 varieties involved in the notice were sorted out, and the existing problems in the instructions for TCMIs were analyzed, so as to provide the basis for dynamic revision of the instructions. It was found that the revised items of instructions for 29 varieties all involved adverse reactions, contraindications and precautions, and warnings were added for 82.76% of 29 TCMIs preparations, indicating that all the revised contents were related to safety issues. In addition, 33.33% of the drugs risks mentioned in the precautions were not indicated in the adverse reactions; 82.76% instructions did not indicate drug interactions; 17.24% instructions lacked medication notes for special populations; 48.28% instructions did not indicate traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndromes of the main disease; 44.83% instructions did not indicate the type and stage of indication; and 86.21% instructions did not indicate the course of treatment. It could be concluded that the instructions for TCMIs have known risks of drugs that are not fully reflected in adverse reactions and the effective information is not comprehensive. The risk control measures proposed in the precautions need to have aftereffect evaluation and there is a lack of drug interactions and medications for special populations. As an important part of the full life-cycle management of drugs, the revision of instructions for TCMIs should be continuously improved to provide the basis for safe and reasonable application of TCMIs. Based on the above problems, it is proposed that the marketing license holder as the main body of the revision of instructions should actively carry out post-marketing basic and clinical research in accordance with the characteristics of TCM, combine the updated research with the guidance of TCM theory and improve the revision level of instructions for TCMIs to provide the basis for post-marketing evaluation.

The association of abnormal thyroid stimulating hormone levels with elevated blood pressure among females of child-bearing potential / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Objective:To explore the association between abnormal thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and elevated blood pressure among females of child-bearing potential.Methods:A total of 294 674 females of child-bearing age who participated in pre-pregnancy health examination in Shenzhen from 2013 to 2019 were selected. Demographic characteristics, blood pressure, TSH, fasting blood glucose and other indexes were collected. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between abnormal TSH levels and elevated blood pressure (including prehypertension and hypertension).Results:This study showed that females of child-bearing potential with prehypertension and hypertension accounted for 21.77% and 2.41%, respectively. Compared with females of child-bearing potential with normal TSH, the risk of prehypertension and hypertension increased by 34.0% ( OR=1.340, 95% CI 1.248-1.438) and 59.6% ( OR=1.596, 95% CI 1.301-1.938) among those with decreased TSH, respectively, whereas the risk of prehypertension and hypertension increased by 13.6% ( OR=1.136, 95% CI 1.076-1.198) and 38.0% ( OR=1.380, 95% CI 1.198-1.581) among those with elevated TSH, respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that abnormal TSH levels in most subgroups, such as age, ethnicity, educational level, occupation, spouse smoking, alcohol drinking, body mass index, and fasting blood glucose, were associated with the risk of elevated blood pressure. Heterogeneity test showed that the association between decreased TSH and elevated blood pressure was higher in females with high school and below or alcohol drinking, and the association between elevated TSH and elevated blood pressure was higher in females with college/bachelor′s degree and above or non-smoking spouse. Conclusion:There is a significant association between abnormal TSH levels and the risk of prehypertension and hypertension in females of child-bearing potential, and the association should be explored with stratified educational level, alcohol drinking, and spouse smoking status.

A Randomized Single Blinded Study Comparing the Efficacy of Bilastine Versus Cetirizine in Autoimmune Urticaria

@#Autoimmune chronic spontaneous urticaria (aiCSU) is characterized by the presence of anti-FceR1 and anti-IgE autoantibodies. In this study we aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of bilastine versus cetirizine in aiCSU.

Association of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Risk and Severity of Psoriasis Vulgaris in Adults

@#Introduction: Psoriasis vulgaris has a significant association with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). The study intended to explore the relation between the severity of psoriasis vulgaris and OSA risk, and to identify the factors that are attributed to increased risk of OSA. Methods: A cross sectional, observational study was carried out from October 2020 until April 2021 at the dermatology clinic of Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Malaysia. All study participants were evaluated for OSA risk using the STOP-Bang and Epworth Sleepiness Scale questionnaires. Results: Our study recruited 237 participants and the results revealed a higher percentage of moderate to severe psoriasis participants with intermediate to high risk of OSA than participants with mild psoriasis (35.3% versus 17.7%, respectively). There was also a 2.3 times higher incidence of daytime sleepiness among participants with moderate to severe psoriasis as opposed to participants with mild psoriasis (44.1% versus 19.2%, respectively). We have also detected a significantly higher probability for OSA in psoriasis patients with diabetes mellitus versus those without (odds ratio: 2.09). We also noticed that for every unit rise in body mass index (BMI), there seemed to be a 1.06 times higher risk of OSA. Furthermore, patients with moderate to severe psoriasis were found to possess 3.32 times increased odds to have OSA. Conclusion: Our results suggest that psoriasis severity and the existence of comorbidities i.e. diabetes mellitus and high BMI are linked with an enhanced risk of OSA in adults with psoriasis.

Efficacy and safety of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) baths in patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in Malaysia.

Staphylococcus aureus is frequently found in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and contributes to disease exacerbation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of bleach baths as an adjunctive treatment in AD patients. Patients between 2 and 30 years old with moderate to severe AD were enrolled in a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Patients soaked in diluted bleach or distilled water baths for 10 min, twice a week for 2 months. Efficacy assessments included the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) scores and S. aureus density was determined using quantitative bacterial cultures. Patients in the treatment group showed significant reductions in EASI scores. A 41.9% reduction in S. aureus density from baseline was seen at 1 month further reducing to 53.3% at 2 months. Equal numbers of patients in both groups experienced mild side-effects. This study demonstrates that diluted bleach baths clinically improved AD in as little as 1 month. No patient withdrew from the treatment arm because of intolerance to the baths.

Comparison of the Efficacy of Intralesional Triamcinolone Acetonide and Silicone Gel Sheeting for the Treatment of Keloids

Intoduction:There are multiple treatment modalities for keloids but no single modality has been proven to be thegold standard. This study aims to compare the efficacy of intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (TAC)with silicone gel sheeting (SGS) in treating keloids and their effect on patients’ quality of life(QoL).Methods:This was a two-arm randomized-controlled trial involving 56 subjects in which intralesional TAC 20mg/mL after dilution with 2% lignocaine was administered on keloids monthly for patients in group1 while patients in group 2 applied SGS on keloids daily. Patients were treated for 12 weeks andfollowed-up for 16 weeks. Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) and DermatologyLife Quality Index (DLQI) were assessed to monitor treatment efficacy and patients’ QoL respectively.Results:There was 44.2% of improvement in the mean of total score of POSAS in group 1 as compared to11.6% in group 2 (p<0.001). Both groups showed significant improvement in vascularity, pigmentation,thickness and pliability but the improvement was more significant in group 1. Subjects in group 1demonstrated a 67.3% of DLQI score improvement as compared to 13.1% in group 2 (p<0.001). Sideeffects reported were pain during procedure in group 1 and pruritus in group 2.Conclusion:Intralesional TAC was superior than SGS in treating keloids as well as improving patients’ QoL andhence recommended as the first-line treatment. SGS can be considered as an alternative treatment forpatients who are intolerable to pain or as an adjunctive treatment.

Expression of E2F1 Gene in Acute Leukemia and Its Clinical Significance / 中国实验血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression of E2F1 gene in patients with acute leukemia(AL) and its clinical significance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-two AL patients treated in March 2015 -March 2016 in our hospital were selected, and 24 healthy people were selected as controls. RT-PCR and Western blot were applied to determine the level of E2F1 gene transcription and expression, and the statistical analysis was performed to reveal the clinical value of E2F1 gene.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The relative expression levels of E2F1 gene and protein in bone marrow of AL patients was higher than that in control group (P<0.05). The levels of WBC, β-MG and LDH in the patients with high expression of E2F1 gene were higher than those in patients with low expression of E2F1 gene(P<0.05), but the E2F1 gene expression did not correlate with sex, fever, fatigue, bone marrow blast ratio, peripheral blood blasts ratio (P>0.05). The complete remission (CR) of patients with low expression of E2F1 was significantly higher than that of patients with high expression of E2F1(P<0.05). And the drug resistance in the patients with low expression of E2F1 gene was lower than that of patients with high expression of E2F1 gene (P<0.05). The expression level of E2F1 gene decreased significantly in patients with symptomatic remission after treatment (P<0.05). The expression levels of E2F1 gene in M1, M2 and M5 patients decreased significantly after treatment (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that OS and DFS in the patients with low expression of E2F1 gene were higher than those in patients with high expression (P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the age and E2F1 gene were the independent influencing factors of OS (P<0.05); the sex and E2F1 gene were the dependent factors of DFS (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The expression level of E2F1 gene in patients with AL has been found to be higher, the higher level of E2F1 gene closely relates with AL patients, E2F1 gene can be used as a biological target for the clinical treatment of AL.</p>

Expression of miRNA-93 in acute lymphocytic leukemia / 中国病理生理杂志

AIM:To investigate the expression of microRNA (miRNA)-93 in acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and its effect on the proliferation of acute T-cell leukemia Jurkat cells.METHODS:The expression of miRNA-93 in the bone marrow samples of patients with ALL was measured by real-time PCR.After down-regulation of miRNA-93 by transfection with miRNA-93 inhibitor in the Jurkat cells,the cell viability,cell proliferation and cell cycle distribution were detected by CCK-8 assay,EdU assay and flow cytometry,respectively.Furthermore,the protein levels of cell cycle-related molecules such as cyclin D1,cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4),phosphorylation retinoblastoma (Rb) and P27 were measured by Western blot.RESULTS:miRNA-93 was highly expressed in the patients with ALL,and the expression level was highest in the high risk patients.Down-regulation of miRNA-93 inhibited Jurkat cell viability,arrested cell cycle in G1/S transition.In addition,the protein levels of cyclin D1,CDK4 and p-Rb were significantly decreased,the protein expression of P27 was increased in Jurkat cells trasfected with miRNA-93 inhibitor.CONCLUSION:miRNA-93 expression is increased in ALL patients.Down-regulation of miRNA-93 restrains cell proliferation in the acute T cell leukemia cell line Jurkat via regulating cell cycle-related molecules.

Expression of miRNA-93 in acute lymphocytic leukemia / 中国病理生理杂志

AIM:To investigate the expression of microRNA (miRNA)-93 in acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and its effect on the proliferation of acute T-cell leukemia Jurkat cells.METHODS:The expression of miRNA-93 in the bone marrow samples of patients with ALL was measured by real-time PCR.After down-regulation of miRNA-93 by transfection with miRNA-93 inhibitor in the Jurkat cells,the cell viability,cell proliferation and cell cycle distribution were detected by CCK-8 assay,EdU assay and flow cytometry,respectively.Furthermore,the protein levels of cell cycle-related molecules such as cyclin D1,cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4),phosphorylation retinoblastoma (Rb) and P27 were measured by Western blot.RESULTS:miRNA-93 was highly expressed in the patients with ALL,and the expression level was highest in the high risk patients.Down-regulation of miRNA-93 inhibited Jurkat cell viability,arrested cell cycle in G1/S transition.In addition,the protein levels of cyclin D1,CDK4 and p-Rb were significantly decreased,the protein expression of P27 was increased in Jurkat cells trasfected with miRNA-93 inhibitor.CONCLUSION:miRNA-93 expression is increased in ALL patients.Down-regulation of miRNA-93 restrains cell proliferation in the acute T cell leukemia cell line Jurkat via regulating cell cycle-related molecules.

Disseminated Cutaneous Sporotrichosis with Fungal Sinusitis As An Initial Presentation of Underlying Myeloproliferative Neoplasm

Summary@#Sporotrichosis is a rare and chronic granulomatous subcutaneous mycotic infection caused by a dimorphic fungus, Sporothrix schenckii. We describe a patient with disseminated cutaneous sporotrichosis who was later diagnosed with myeloproliferative neoplasm and discuss the challenges and importance in diagnosing this rare condition.

A Case of Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis Mimicking Cutaneous Tuberculosis and Tuberculous Lymphadenitis

Summary@#Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), or Churg-Strauss Syndrome (CSS) is a rare granulomatous necrotizing vasculitic disease characterized by the presence of asthma, sinusitis, and hypereosinophilia. We describe a patient who was initially diagnosed with tuberculous lymphadenitis and later diagnosed with EGPA.

The ED50 of dexmedetomidine for suppressing cardiovascular responses to placement of laryngeal mask in female patients with induction of propofol / 实用医学杂志

Objective To determine the ED50 of dexmedetomidine for suppressing cardiovascular responses to placement of laryngeal mask airway (LMA) in patients undergoing gynecological laparoscopic surgery with induction of propofol. Methods ASA I or II Patients aged 18 to 55 undergoing elective gynecological laparoscopic surgery were enrolled. After an bolus dose of dexmedetomidine over 10 min , anaesthesia was induced with target-controled propofol, and then bolus of vecuronium of 0.1 mg/kg was injected when the BIS was between 45 and 55. LM palcement was performed 3 minutes after vecuronium injection. The modified Dixon ’ s up-and-down method was used to determine the bolus dose of dexmedetomidine , starting from 1.0 μg/kg (step size:0.1 μg/kg). Cardiovascular response was defined as an increase in SBP and/or HR by 15% of baseline within 2 min after placement of LMA. The test ended after at least 7 crossovers ( successive ‘response’ or ‘non-response’) were obtained. Probit analysis was used to calculate ED50, ED95 and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results The ED50 and ED95 (95% confidence interval) of dexmedetomidine for suppressing cardiovascular responses to placement of LMA was 0.65 μg/kg (0.44-0.80) μg/kg and 0.94 μg/kg (0.79-2.47) μg/kg. Conclusion Under induction of target-controled propofol , the ED50 of dexmedetomidine is 0.65 μg/kg for suppressing cardiovascular responses to placement of LMA in female patients.

Amount Change of Peripheral Blood NK Cells in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies and Its Clinical Significance / 中国实验血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the amount change of peripheral blood NK cells in patients with hematologic malignancies and its significance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 200 patients with hematologic malignancies in our hospital from June 2013 to March 2015 were chosen as study objects, out of them 105 patients were in aute stage and 95 patients were in remisson stage. At same time 100 people from healthy medical examination in our hospital were chosen as control group. The mumber change and subgroups of their peripheral blood NK cells were analyzed and compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In control group the absolute number of NK cells was (412.91 ± 167.35)/µl, the relative number of NK cells was (13.31 ± 2.56) %; in group at acute stage of leukemia the absolute number of NK cells was (97.84 ± 23.18)/µl, the relative number of NK cells was (6.79 ± 0.78) %; in group at acute stage of lymphoma, the absolute number of NK cells was (101.79 ± 25.63)/µl, and the relative number of NK cells was (7.12 ± 1.03) %; in group at remission stage of leukemia, the absolute number was (297.17 ± 87.56)/µl, and the relative number was (10.15 ± 1.64) %; In group at remission of lymphoma, the absolute number of NK cells was (288.52 ± 118.52)/µl, and the relative number of NK cells was (10.82 ± 1.97) %. The number of NK cells between different groups showed statistical difference (P < 0.05). In remission group, the number of NK cells before and after treatment had statistical difference (P < 0.05). In control group, the number of CD56(bright) subgroup was (25.28 ± 4.72) %, the number of CD56(bright) subgroup at the acute stage of leukemia was (65.46 ± 11.21) %, and the number of CD56(bright) subgroup at the acute stage of lymphoma was (70.71 ± 12.14) %, the number of CD56(bright) subgroup at remission stage of leukemia was (23.35 ± 4.67) %, the number of CD56(bright) subgroup at remission stage of lymphoma was (24.89 ± 4.58) %. The number of CD56(bright) subgroup between different groups showed statistical significance (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The number and function of peripheral blood NK cells in patients with hematologic malignancies have been confirmed to be obvious decrement, but after treatment the number of NK cells in those patients showed increment.</p>

Expression and Promoter CpG Island Methylation Status of miR-34b in Leukemia Cell Lines and Their Clinical Significance / 中国实验血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the expression and promoter CpG island methylation status of miR-34b in leukemia cell lines and their clinical significance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 10 cases of non-hematologic diseases were selected as control group, and the bone marrow cells of control group and HL-60, K562 cells were selected; the relative expression of miR-34b was detected in bone marrow cells, HL-60 and K562 cell lines by fluorescence quantitative PCR, and the MiR-34b methylation status was detected by methylation-specific PCR, the HL-60 and K562 cell lines were treated with decitabine, and the expression levels and methylation status of miR-34b in the 2 cell lines were detected by the same method. Has-miR-34b was transfected into K562 cells, which were divided into non-transfection group, negative control group and Has-miR-34b transfection group; if the transfection was successful, the cell proliferation should be recorded at different time points of culture, and the proliferation inhibition rate should be calculated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The relative expression level of miR-34b in the control group was (5.23 ± 0.75), in HL-60 was (0.05 ± 0.01) and in K562 was (0.04 ± 0.01). The difference between 3 groups was statistically significant (F = 44.812, P < 0.01). The promoter regions of CpG island in HL-60 and K562 cell lines were methylated, while the bone marrow cells were not methylated in 10 cases of non hematologic diseases children.Through miR-34b expression levels of HL-60 and K562 cell lines significantly increased by decitabine treatment (P < 0.05), and the methylation of leukemia cell line promoter region CpG island was found before and after decitabine treatment, but after administration of decitabine the methylation significantly decreased, suggesting that decitabine has an inhibitory effect on methylation of promoter region CpG island. After being cultured for 48, 72, 96 and 120 hrs, the cell proliferation in Has-miR-34b transfection group reached to 24.8%, 46.7%, 33.6% and 4.7%, repectively, and significantly lower than that in non transfection group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CpG island methylation of miR-34b promoter region in leukemia cell lines can decrease the expression levels of miR-34b, which is also the reason why miR-34b can reduce the inhibition of cell proliferation, thus miR-34b might be a tumor suppressor gene involved in the regulation of leukemia.</p>