Plasma lipidomics identifies novel biomarkers in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure

Introduction

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a fatal syndrome that presents with acute deterioration of liver function in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients. However, reliable diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers are scarce.

Objectives

The aim of this study to identify lipid species associated with HBV infection as well as novel lipid biomarkers for HBV-ACLF.

Methods

High performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was used for targeted lipidomic analyses of 147 lipid species. Fasting-state plasma samples from 74 HBV-ACLF patients, 86 HBV-non-ACLF patients [30 HBV-immune tolerant (HBV-IT) and 56 chronic hepatitis B] and 20 healthy controls. Univariate and multivariate analyses examined changes in lipid species among patient groups.

Results

The HBV-ACLF and HBV-non-ACLF groups had distinctly different lipid profiles, while the HC and HBV-IT groups had similar lipid profiles. Further, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) 22:6, cholesterol ester (CE) 22:6, CE 20:4, CE 18:2 and CE 18:1 could be used as potential biomarkers for the early prediction of ACLF. Meanwhile, univariate and multivariate analyses identified CE 20:4, LPC 16:0, LPC 18:0, phosphatidylcholine (PC) 40:6 and PC 32:0 as putative diagnostic biomarkers of HBV-ACLF. Moreover, LPC 16:0 and LPC 18:0 were significantly associated with model for end stage liver disease (MELD) scores, and the two lipid species combined with MELD score had significant capability to predict the 6-month mortality.

Conclusions

Our study revealed that lipid metabolism disorders were significantly associated with the severity of liver inflammatory injury rather than HBV infection in patients with chronic HBV infection, and specific lipid species could be used as potentially biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in HBV-ACLF.

     

双壳类的性转换现象及其机理探讨

生物的雌雄同体及性变现象，历来受科研人员关注，在脊椎动物中已有不少研究，在双壳类中虽然也有报道，但研究尚不深入。有关双壳类群体的性别构成，一般认为多为雌雄异体，如马氏珠母贝、栉江珧、企鹅珍珠贝、巴非蛤等；少数物种为雌雄同体，如海湾扇贝、光滑蓝蛤及某些牡蛎。但在雌雄异体种类的群体中，常常发现雌雄同体的个体以及在一定条件出现的性别转化现象。     

PAT家族蛋白在细胞内脂滴代谢过程中的作用

哺乳动物细胞内的甘油三酯是以脂滴的形式贮存的,现在有很多证据表明,脂滴参与多种代谢过程,因而被看作胞内有功能的细胞器。脂滴含有甘油三酯构成的脂质核心,脂核表面覆盖有单层磷脂,在单层磷脂内镶嵌着在结构上具有相关性的PAT家族蛋白,包括perilipin、ADRP、TIP47和S3—12。本文就这些蛋白在甘油三酯水解和脂滴合成中的调节作用加以综述。     

Molecular phylogeny of Osmanthus(Oleaceae)based on non-coding chloroplast and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer regions

The phylogenetic relationships of Osmanthus Lour.were investigated using the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer(ITS)regions and non-coding chloroplast regions(psbA-trnH,trnL-F).The two datasets support the conclusion that Osmanthus is polyphyletic.with some species of the subtribe Oleinae nested within Osmanthus.Osmanthus didymopetalus P S.Green is nested within the clade formed by species of section Osmanthus in two trees.Osmanthus attenuatus P.S.Green.O.Funnanensis P.S.Green,and O gracilinervis R.L.Lu of traditional section Osmanthus are clearly divergent from other accessions,and do not form a monophyletic group with other Osmanthus accessions.Osmanthus marginatus Hemsl.is embedded in the clade formed by species of section Osmanthus in the ITS tree.In cpDNA trees all species of section Osmanthus are placed in the large clade and all species of section Leiolea formed a group.The taxonomic incongruence among trees for ITS and cpDNA indicate hybridization.as introgression may have occurred among some species of sections Osmanthus and Leiolea.Phylogeny of Osmanthus is discussed in light of molecular and morphological data,and a revised infrageneric classification with three sections(Leiolea,Siphosmanthu,and Osmanthus)is presented.The section Linocieroides is abandoned and united with section Osmanthus.     

Proposed pathways for vocal self-stimulation: Met-enkephalinergic projections linking the mibrain vocal nucleus,auditory-responsive thalamic vocal nucleus,auditory-responsive thalamic regions and neurosecretory hypothalamus

In this study, we have investigated the neuroanatomical pathways that may underlie the influence of a female bird's vocal behavior upon her own reproductive endocrine response. We traced the ascending efferent projections of the midbrain vocal control nucleus, the intercollicularis (ICo), using an anterograde tracer, PHAL, delivered by iontophoretic application. We found labelled terminal fields in the anterior regions of the hypothalamus that contained luteinizing hormone releasing hormone- (LHRH) immunoreactive neurons. We injected into the LHRH-rich anterior medial hypothalamus (AM) the retrograde tracer, fluorogold, to verify the results of PHAL anterograde tracing and exmine whether retrogradely labelled neurons in the ICo can be stained with met-enkephalin antiserum by the immunohistochemical method. Of the retrogradely labelled neurons in the medial division of ICo (mICo), between 5% and 15% were found to be met-enkephalin-immunoreactive positive perikarya. Our data suggest that axonal projections into the anterior medial hypothalamus may arise in part from enkephalin-immunoreactive neurons in the medial ICo. The mICo neurons distributed along the medial border of the midbrain auditory nucleus give rise to projections into the posterior medial hypothalamus (PMH) via synapses within the shell region of thalamic auditory nucleus, ovoidalis (Ov). We conclude that in the ring dove, the medial division of the vocal control nucleus, by virtue of its connection with the auditory thalamus and neurosecretory hypothalamus, is in a position to exert influence on endocrine response partly through enkephalinergic systems. Implications of similar connections in other species are discussed. 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The synthesis, structure and SOD-like behaviors of a μ-imidazolato-dicopper(II) complex with a binucleating hexaazamacrocycle

The synthesis, crystal structure and magnetic properties of the imidazolate-bridged dinuclear copper(II) complex [LCu₂(Im)(DMSO)₂](ClO₄)₃(DMSO), where ImH is imidazole, and L is 3, 6, 9, 17, 20, 23-hexaazatricyclo[23.3.1.1^11,13]triaconta-1(29), 11(30), 12, 14, 25(26), 27-hexaene, have been studied. Single crystal X-ray diffraction determination reveals the distorted tetragonal pyramid geometries of the imidazolate bridged dicopper(II) center are incorporated within the binucleating macrocycle. Both copper atoms are five-coordinated by four basal nitrogen atoms (three from the macrocycle and one from the imidazolate) and one oxygen atom from the DMSO molecule. Two coordinated DMSO molecules are situated at the same side of the macrocycle. The Cu–Cu separation in the complex is 5.93 Å. Magnetic measurements and ESR spectroscopy studies exibit an antiferromagnetic exchange interaction with a coupling constant of J= − 26.94 cm⁻¹. Investigations on the pH-dependent ESR of the title compound in frozen 50% aqueous DMSO solution confirm the existence of the bridged cation [LCu₂(Im)]³⁺ as a major species in solution mainly in the range 5.2pH11.5. The imidazolate bridge is broken in the pH range of 5.2–3.3, which is close to that for the native enzyme.     

Serum prolactin levels and crop-sac development in ring doves during a breeding cycle

Using a turkey prolactin radioimmunoassay, the serum prolactin levels of male and female ring doves (Streptopelia risoria) during the breeding cycle were measured and their circulating prolactin levels were compared to crop-sac weight on a within-bird basis. During the early phase of the incubation period, crop weight showed a delayed response to prolactin stimulation and there was no correlation; during the midincubation period when prolactin and crop-sac weight were increasing, there was a strong positive correlation; around hatching, when prolactin was at its peak, there was no correlation. There were again strong positive correlations at later samples, when squabs were developing and both prolactin and crop-sac weight were declining. Thus, it appears that the correlation between the circulating prolactin level and crop-sac development depends on the stage of the breeding cycle. While males and females showed similar pattern of circulating prolactin during the period of incubation and parental care, only females consistently showed a postovulatory rise of prolactin. These results were discussed in the context of the role of prolactin in the breeding cycle.