急性白血病患者化疗前后外周血IL-2、TNF-alpha和VEGF 水平变化及与临床预后的关系

目的：探讨急性白血病患者（AL）化疗前后外周血白细胞介素-2 (IL-2)、肿瘤坏死因子-alpha(TNF-alpha)、血管内皮生长因子(VEGF) 水平变化及与临床预后的关系。方法：选2010年3 月-2013 年12 月在我院行化疗治疗的53 例AL患者（AL 组）,并同期抽选我 院47 例健康体检者为对照组,采用放射免疫以及酶联法检测两组外周血IL-2、TNF-alpha和VEGF水平,并探讨AL患者化疗前后外 周血IL-2、TNF-alpha、VEGF水平变化及与临床预后的关系。结果：AL 组化疗前外周血TNF-alpha、VEGF水平明显高于对照组（P<0.05）, IL-2 水平明显低于对照组（P<0.05）。AL组化疗6 个月后外周血IL-2、TNF-alpha和VEGF 含量与化疗前比较差异均有统计学意义 （P<0.05）。AL 组化疗6 个月后长期缓解未复发者42 例、复发者11 例;复发患者的外周血TNF-alpha、VEGF水平较未复发组高,IL-2 较未复发组低,组间差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论：检测AL患者的外周血IL-2、TNF-琢、VEGF含量可作为诊断及判断预后 的重要指标。     

急性髓系白血病免疫表型特征及遗传学特征分析

目的:研究急性髓系白血病免疫表型特征以及遗传学特征。方法:选取2011年1月到2014年5月我院收治的急性髓系白血病患者169例,采用流式细胞术和相关的单克隆抗体来分析所有患者的骨髓免疫表型,采用染G染色体显带技术分析患者的核型,根据淋系抗原(lym Ag)的表达将患者分为lym Ag+组和lym Ag-组。结果:抗原CD13、CD33、CD117以及MPO等髓系抗原最常在急性髓系白血病患者中表达,其中CD117在M3型病例中表达为85.7%(24/28),而CD34、HLA-DR双阴性、较强的自发荧光、CD13、CD33和MPO对M3型的诊断也具有一定的价值;其中47.9%(81/169)的患者伴随着淋系抗原表达,以CD7和CD56为主;60.4%(102/169)的患者伴随着核型异常;而伴随着t(8:21)的M2患者中的CD15、CD19和CD56的表达显著增强,而t(15:17)均发生于M3型患者中;而lym Ag+组患者CD34的阳性患者为77.8%(63/81)显著高于lym Ag-组的47.7%(42/88),两组比较差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:免疫表型对急性髓系白血病的诊断具有重要的意义,且免疫表型和异常核型存在密切的联系。     

小鼠脑潜伏巨细胞病毒激活模型的建立

目的:我们建立了小鼠脑潜伏巨细胞病毒激活模型,来实现小鼠脑内潜伏的巨细胞病毒(MCMV)的激活,并对潜伏MCMV激活时程进行分析,确定MCMV即刻早期蛋白基因1(ie1)基因转录,完成对ie1基因转录和活病毒产生量时程动力学的分析,以及为进一步阐明原始MCMV在脑中潜伏的细胞类型提供模型。方法:采用出生后两天的BALB/c幼鼠,经右侧耳和眼连线为底边的正三角形的中心将Smith Strain MCMV 500 PFU/5μL注射进入右侧脑室,培养至16周。之后,将脂多糖(LPS)依15μg/kg体重(接近致死量)分别经腹腔和侧脑室内注射,对照组注射生理盐水。于注射后的1日,2日,5日,7日,14日和21日分别在LPS组和对照组中选取5只小鼠取脑。应用反转录-聚合酶链式反应(RT-PCR)和高敏感性病毒空斑实验(结合病毒空斑实验和RT-PCR)测定MCMV即刻早期蛋白1(IE1)mRNA的表达以及活病毒产生定量分析。结果:LPS组中,可于14日和21日的脑内检测到IE1 mRNA的转录,敏感性病毒空斑实验只在14日和21日出现细胞病毒效应(CPE),病毒量约为4.29×104 PFU/μL和5.20×105PFU/μL,相应对应MEF细胞匀浆物的RT-PCR结果检测到7,14,21日有IE1 mRNA转录。结论:该实验成功建立了小鼠脑潜伏巨细胞病毒激活的模型,并证实和分析了即刻早期蛋白基因ie1在潜伏MCMV激活过程中的表达和时程。该模型的建立将为进一步阐明MCMV在脑中潜伏细胞类型以及MCMV在急性感染、潜伏和重激活过程中对中枢神经细胞的影响提供研究平台,并为人巨细胞病毒(HCMV)的临床研究提供实验依据。     

乙肝免疫标志物与乙肝病毒核酸含量与肝功能的关系研究

目的:研究乙肝免疫标记物(HBV-M)与乙肝病毒脱氧核苷酸(HBV-DNA)载量与肝功能的关系。方法:检测104例乙肝患者HBs Ag、HBe Ag、HBc Ab、HBs Ab、HBe Ab5种HBV-M;用PCR法检测HBV-DNA含量;同时检测天冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、胆碱酯酶(CHE)等肝功能指标,对三者关系采用Spearman相关性分析。结果:HBs Ag、HBc Ab、HBe Ag阳性组HBV-DNA阳性率及载量均大于其余组(P0.05);HBe Ag含量、ALT浓度与HBV-DNA载量均呈正相关(r=0.48,P0.05)、(r=0.36,P0.05);AST、CHE与HBV-DNA含量无明显相关性,但在无病毒载量与有病毒载量组之间AST比较有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:HBV-M、HBV-DNA与肝功能之间有一定的相关性,但HBe Ag阴转不代表病毒复制停止,HBV-DNA也不能完全反应肝损害程度,临床应加大重视。     

Employment of 4‐(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)phenol as a signal enhancer of the chemiluminescent luminol–H2O2–horseradish peroxidase reaction for detection of hepatitis C virus in real samples

Highly sensitive detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in serum is a key method for diagnosing and classifying the extent of HCV infection. In this study, a p‐phenol derivative, 4‐(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)phenol (4‐TRP), was employed as an efficient enhancer of the luminol–hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)–horseradish peroxidase (HRP) chemiluminescence (CL) system for detection of HCV. Compared with a traditional enhancer, 4‐TRP strongly enhanced CL intensity with the effect of prolonging and stabilizing light emission. The developed CL system was applied to detecting HCV core antigen (HCV‐cAg) using a sandwich structure inside microwells. Our experimental results showed that there was good linear relationship between CL intensity and HCV‐cAg concentration in the 0.6–3.6 pg/mL range (R = 0.99). The intra‐ and inter‐assay coefficients of variation were 4.5–5.8% and 5.0–7.3%, respectively. In addition, sensitive determination of HCV‐cAg in serum samples using the luminol–H₂O₂–HRP–4‐TRP CL system was also feasible in clinical settings. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Different Dicer-like protein components required for intracellular and systemic antiviral silencing in Arabidopsis thaliana

Eukaryotes employ RNA silencing as an innate defense system against invading viruses. Dicer proteins play the most crucial role in initiating this antiviral pathway as they recognize and process incoming viral nucleic acids into small interfering RNAs. Generally, 2 successive infection stages constitute viral infection in plants. First, the virus multiplies in initially infected cells or organs after viral transmission and then the virus subsequently spreads systemically through the vasculature to distal plant tissues or organs. Thus, antiviral silencing in plants must cope with both local and systemic invasion of viruses. In a recent study using 2 sets of different experiments, we clearly demonstrated the differential requirement for Dicer-like 4 (DCL4) and DCL2 proteins in the inhibition of intracellular and systemic infection by potato virus X in Arabidopsis thaliana. Taken together with the results of other studies, here we further discuss the functional specificity of DCL proteins in the antiviral silencing pathway.     

Dried Blood Spots - Preparing and Processing for Use in Immunoassays and in Molecular Techniques

The idea of collecting blood on a paper card and subsequently using the dried blood spots (DBS) for diagnostic purposes originated a century ago. Since then, DBS testing for decades has remained predominantly focused on the diagnosis of infectious diseases especially in resource-limited settings or the systematic screening of newborns for inherited metabolic disorders and only recently have a variety of new and innovative DBS applications begun to emerge. For many years, pre-analytical variables were only inappropriately considered in the field of DBS testing and even today, with the exception of newborn screening, the entire pre-analytical phase, which comprises the preparation and processing of DBS for their final analysis has not been standardized. Given this background, a comprehensive step-by-step protocol, which covers al the essential phases, is proposed, i.e., collection of blood; preparation of blood spots; drying of blood spots; storage and transportation of DBS; elution of DBS, and finally analyses of DBS eluates. The effectiveness of this protocol was first evaluated with 1,762 coupled serum/DBS pairs for detecting markers of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus infections on an automated analytical platform. In a second step, the protocol was utilized during a pilot study, which was conducted on active drug users in the German cities of Berlin and Essen.     

Anion homeostasis is important for non-lytic release of BK polyomavirus from infected cells

BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is a member of a family of potentially oncogenic viruses, whose reactivation can cause severe pathological conditions in transplant patients, leading to graft rejection. As with many non-enveloped viruses, it is assumed that virus release occurs through lysis of the host cell. We now show the first evidence for a non-lytic release pathway for BKPyV and that this pathway can be blocked by the anion channel inhibitor DIDS. Our data show a dose-dependent effect of DIDS on the release of BKPyV virions. We also observed an accumulation of viral capsids in large LAMP-1-positive acidic organelles within the cytoplasm of cells upon DIDS treatment, suggesting potential late endosome or lysosome-related compartments are involved in non-lytic BKPyV release. These data highlight a novel mechanism by which polyomaviruses can be released from infected cells in an active and non-lytic manner, and that anion homeostasis regulation is important in this pathway.     

Prediction of viral filtration performance of monoclonal antibodies based on biophysical properties of feed

Controlling viral contamination is an important issue in the process development of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) produced from mammalian cell lines. Virus filtration (VF) has been demonstrated to be a robust and effective clearance step which can provide ≥4 logs of reduction via size exclusion. The minimization of VF area by increasing flux and filter loading is critical to achieving cost targets as VFs are single use and often represent up to 10% of total purification costs. The research presented in this publication describes a development strategy focused on biophysical attributes of product streams that are directly applicable to VF process performance. This article summarizes a case study where biophysical tools (high‐pressure size exclusion chromatography, dynamic light scattering, and absolute size exclusion chromatography) were applied to a specific MAb program to illustrate how changes in feed composition (pH, sodium chloride concentration, and buffer salt type) can change biophysical properties which correlate with VF performance. The approach was subsequently refined and expanded over the course of development of three MAbs where performance metrics (i.e., loading and flux) were evaluated for two specific virus filters (Viresolve Pro and Planova 20N) during both unspiked control runs and virus clearance experiments. The analyses of feed attributes can be applied to a decision tree to guide the recommendation of a VF filter and operating conditions for use in future MAb program development. The understanding of the biophysical properties of the feed can be correlated to virus filter performance to significantly reduce the mass of product, time, and costs associated with virus filter step development. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 31:765–774, 2015     

Effects of solution conditions on virus retention by the Viresolve® NFP filter

Virus filtration can provide a robust method for removal of adventitious parvoviruses in the production of biotherapeutics. Although virus filtration is typically thought to function by a purely size‐based removal mechanism, there is limited data in the literature indicating that virus retention is a function of solution conditions. The objective of this work was to examine the effect of solution pH and ionic strength on virus retention by the Viresolve^® NFP membrane. Data were obtained using the bacteriophage ?X174 as a model virus, with retention data complemented by the use of confocal microscopy to directly visualize capture of fluorescently labeled ?X174 within the filter. Virus retention was greatest at low pH and low ionic strength, conditions under which there was an attractive electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged membrane and the positively charged phage. In addition, the transient increase in virus transmission seen in response to a pressure disruption at pH 7.8 and 10 was completely absent at pH 4.9, suggesting that the trapped virus are unable to overcome the electrostatic attraction and diffuse out of the pores when the pressure is released. Further confirmation of this physical picture was provided by confocal microscopy. Images obtained at pH 10 showed the migration of previously captured phage; this phenomenon was absent at pH 4.9. These results provide important new insights into the factors governing virus retention using virus filtration membranes. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 31:1280–1286, 2015