乙肝患者肝纤维化血清标志物表达水平及其临床意义

目的探讨乙肝患者肝纤维化血清标志物表达水平及其与病情、病程的关系。方法用R IA方法对135例乙肝患者进行血清透明质酸酶(HA)、层粘连蛋白(LN)、Ⅲ型胶原前体(PⅢC)、Ⅳ型胶原(ⅣC)检测。结果乙肝患者血清中HA、LN、PⅢC和ⅣC水平分别为(338.7±122.6)、(226.2±43.3)、(152.8±33.7)和(132.6±41.1)μg/L。其中,急性黄疸肝炎、慢性肝炎轻度、慢性肝炎中度、慢性肝炎重度、肝硬变代偿期、肝硬变失代偿期、肝癌和肝硬变+肝癌患者HA、LN、PⅢC和ⅣC水平分别为(134.2±101.4)、(185.1±104.5)、(373.5±147.1)、(445.5±123.6)、(477.3±186.0)、(653.7±98.5)、(597.5±91.3)和(723.6±110.4)μg/L;(106.7±31.3)、(179.5±28.5)、(234.6±66.1)、(287.3±57.0)、(294.8±66.4)、(345.6±61.2)、(322.1±71.0)和(357.8±88.3)μg/L;(103.5±19.2)、(108.6±21.4)、(145.3±37.3)、(194.5±41.7)、(188.8±39.5)、(247.6±48.0)、(251.3±37.3)和(286.7±35.8)μg/L;(49.6±14.7)、(83.4±15.3)、(134.5±50.5)、(178.7±61.4)、(183.2±61.3)、(256.8±72.4)、(217.7±64.5)和(281.1±57.0)μg/L。结论肝癌、肝硬化、肝硬变+肝癌和慢性肝炎重度患者存在明显的肝纤维化征象,急性黄疸肝炎、慢性肝炎轻度患者肝纤维化程度较轻,在一定范围内肝纤维化程度与肝病的病情、病程关系密切。     

Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci from the pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

Thirteen polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed from an enriched partial genomic library for the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), one of the most important cotton pests in the world. The total number of alleles ranged from two to 12 for a sample of 50 individuals and the expected heterozygosity at these loci ranged from 0.042 to 0.830. Although the presence of null alleles in some loci is suspected, these polymorphic markers are likely to provide useful tools for the population genetic studies of this species.     

Hymenolepis diminuta: Effect of infection on ion transport in colon and blood picture of rats

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an infection with Hymenolepis diminuta on ion transport in an isolated colon and blood picture of rats. Fifty rats were orally infected with five cysticercoids of H. diminuta. The experimental groups of rats were assigned to four groups: group I - 8 days post-infection (dpi), group II - 16 dpi, group III - 40 dpi and group IV- 60 dpi. The control group comprised non-infected rats. The experiments consisted of measuring the transepithelial electrical potential difference (PD) and the transepithelial electrical resistance (R) of the rat colon under controlled conditions as well as during mechanical stimulation (MS) using a modified Ussing chamber. Ion transport was modified using inhibitors of the epithelial sodium channel (amiloride - AMI) and the epithelial chloride channel (bumetanide - BUME), and also using capsaicin (CAPSA), a substance which activates C-fibres. The experimental data presented in this study indicates that experimental hymenolepidosis inhibits sodium and chloride ion transport in the epithelium of the rat colon, with preserved tight junction continuity (except at 40 dpi) and a decreased mechanical sensitivity. The effect of capsaicin on ion transport in the rat colon was varied. In control rats it increased ionic current, and in H. diminuta-infected rats it did not cause any changes in PD.Blood picture in this study showed a statistically significantly lower red blood cells (RBC) count and haemoglobin (HGB) concentration in infected rats in comparison to non-infected. Red cell distribution width (RDW) values and platelet (PLT) count were negatively correlated with the duration of infection, whereas mean corpuscular volume (MCV) value was positively correlated. We did not observe leukocytosis during infection, and amongst the differential leukocyte counts eosinophils and basophils showed statistically significant lower values in infected rats in comparison to non-infected.Our results indicate that hymenolepidosis is associated with the activation of inflammatory mediators and stimulation of nervous fibres, which significantly affects the function of ion channels in the epithelium of the colon in the host. At the same time, a significant decrease in eosinophil count during infection suggests that such an infection did not trigger a strong immunological reaction in rats.     

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection in mosquitoes from Szczecin area

The aim of the study was to determine the level of infection in mosquitoes with spirochetes Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the woody areas of Szczecin. The mosquitoes were collected from May to September 2003. The spirochetes, Borrelia burgdorferi s. l., present in mosquitoes were detected in mosquitoes with indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using rabbit anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies and goat anti-rabbit IgG marked with fluorescein isocyanate (FITC). A total of 1557 females and 58 males were collected. They represented the genera Aedes (63%) and Culex (37%). The infection level of the mosquitoes from the area studied amounted to 1.7%. The results of the present study confirm the potential of these arthropods to spread Lyme borreliosis.     

Hymenolepis diminuta: analysis of the expression of Toll-like receptor genes (TLR2 and TLR4) in the small and large intestines of rats

Toll receptors play a critical role in the rapid activation of innate immune responses to a variety of pathogens. In mammals, Toll-like receptors (TLR) have been found in both immune related cells and other cells. At present little is known about the participation of TLR in host defense mechanisms during parasitic infections. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 genes in rat intestines during experimental hymenolepidosis. There is difference in expression of TLR2 and TLR4 genes in the colon and jejunum in uninfected rats: in the colon, mRNA of the examined TLR is present in much higher amounts than the jejunum, while the protein of the TLR also had a segmented specific distribution. In the jejunum isolated rats infected with Hymeolepis diminuta 6 and 8 days post infection (dpi), mRNA for TLR4 and TLR2 were significantly more strongly expressed in comparison with the uninfected controls. In the colon, a statistically significantly increased expression of TLR4 gene was observed only at 6 dpi, and at 8 dpi for the TLR2 gene. Moreover, we observed that during inflammation, the immunopositive cell number and the intensity of immunohistochemical staining (indicating the presence of TLR within intestinal epithelial cells), increased together with the duration of the infection period.