Objective Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease( COPD) is highly heterogeneous. In theory, the patients with same clinical manifestations, treatment response and prognosis can be classified into one phenotype, which may have same biological or physiological mechanisms. In this study the profiles of patients with COPD including body mass index( BMI) , Goddard score, fractional exhaled nitric oxide( FeNO) were analyzed in order to find some special phenotypes.Methods Patients with COPD at stable stage in Ruijin Hospital from May 2011 to February 2012 were evaluated with COPD assessment test ( CAT) in Chinese version, St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire( SGRQ) , hospital anxiety and depression( HAD) rating scale, pulmonary function test, and 6-minute walking test ( 6MWT) . Baseline data was collected including height, weight, drug use, times of exacerbation, etc. Results A total of 126 patients were recruited. The patients with low BMI had poorer quality of life, lower FEV1 , poorer diffusion function, and higher Goddard score, and was easier to develop anxiety and depression. The patients with high BMI had lower oxygen saturation at rest. We failed to define a certain kind of phenotype according to FeNO. The patients of emphysema phenotype( assessed by Goddard score) had lower BMI, decreased lung diffusion capacity, and poorer quality of life. Conclusion The study can define COPD patients into some special phenotypes( low BMI and emphysema phenotype) , but failed to define a certain kind of phenotype according to FeNO.
Abstract: Objective To induce calcification in aortic valvular interstitial cells (VICs) in vitro and observe the shift of cellular phenotype during the process. Methods Porcine aortic VICs were isolated and expanded by collagenase methods. Fluorescent staining was performed to identify the interstitial cells. VICs at 48 passages were used for experiments. The cells were divided into two groups: the experimental group in which cells were cultured in osteogenic media supplemented with βglycerophosphate, vitamin C and dexamethasone, and the control group in which cells were cultured in normal media. After 2 weeks, calcified nodules were quantified. Calcium deposit was stained and measured by Alizarin Red S staining and assay. Real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) was performed to measure expression of alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and calcification related factors such as osteocalcin, osteopontin and Corebinding factor α1/Runx2 (Cbfα1/Runx2). Results VICs were successfully harvested from porcine aortic valves, identified by positive staining of α-SMA, vimentin and negative staining of Von Willebrand factor (vWF). VICs could calcify after 2 weeks of osteogenic induction with calcified nodules formed. Quantification of calcified nodules and calcification deposit were significantly higher (Plt;0.05) in the experimental group than those in the control group (156.25±17.38 vs. 2.50±1.29, 17.52±2.04 vs. 1.00±0.22). Real Time RT-PCR indicated that expression of α-SMA, as well as calcification related markers like osteocalcin, osteopontin and Cbfα1/Runx2 was much higher in the experimental group than those in the control group (Plt;0.05). Conclusion VICs are activated during the progress of calcification with phenotype shifting to contraction and ossification, which might be the pathological basis of valvular calcification.
ObjectiveTo explore the composition of intestinal microbiota between patients with fixed airflow obstruction asthma, reversible airflow obstruction asthma, and healthy control, and analyze the correlation between key differential bacterial distribution and clinical characteristics. MethodsFifteen patients with fixed airflow obstruction asthma (FAO) and 13 patients with reversible airflow obstruction asthma (RAO) were included, along with 11 matched healthy control subjects. Clinical data were collected, and lung function tests and induced sputum examination were performed. Blood and stool samples were tested to compare the gut microbiota status among the groups, and analyze the relationship between gut microbiota abundance and patients' blood routine, IgE levels, lung function, and induced sputum. Results The dominant bacterial compositions were similar in the three groups, but there were differences in the abundance of some species. Compared to the RAO group, the FAO group showed a significant increase in the genera of Bacteroides and Escherichia coli, while Pseudomonas was significantly decreased. The phylum Firmicutes was negatively correlated with the course of asthma, while the phylum Bacteroidetes and genus Bacteroides were positively correlated with the asthma course. Bacteroidetes was negatively correlated with Pre-BD FEV1/FVC, Pseudomonas was positively correlated with Pre-BD FEV1, Escherichia coli was negatively correlated with Post-BD FEV1/FVC, and Bacteroides was negatively correlated with Post-BD MMEF. The class Actinobacteria and the order Actinomycetales were negatively correlated with peripheral blood EOS%, while the order Enterobacteriales and the family Enterobacteriaceae were positively correlated with peripheral blood IgE levels. Furthermore, Actinobacteria and Actinomycetales were negatively correlated with induced sputum EOS%. Conclusions There are differences in the gut microbiota among patients with fixed airflow obstruction asthma, reversible airflow obstruction asthma, and healthy individuals. Bacteroides and Escherichia coli are enriched in the fixed airflow obstruction asthma group, while the Firmicutes are increased in the reversible airflow obstruction asthma group. These three microbiota may act together on Th2 cell-mediated inflammatory responses, influencing the process of airway remodeling, and thereby interfering with the occurrence of fixed airflow obstruction in asthma.
ObjectiveTo investigate the causal relationship between 731 kinds of immune cell phenotypes and positive-human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER+), negative-human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER–), negative-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2–) breast cancer. MethodsGenome-wide association data using immune cell phenotype and breast cancer were used with inverse variance weighting as the primary analytical method; horizontal pleiotropy was tested using MR-PRESSO and outliers were corrected; in addition, the reliability of the obtained data was verified using Cochran’s Q test, Mendelian randomization (MR)- Egger regression and leave-one-out method were used to verify the reliability of the obtained data. ResultsFor HER+ breast cancer, CD3 on CD39+CD4+T cell [ OR=0.940, 95%CI (0.913, 0.968), P=0.019] was protective factor. For HER– breast cancer, no immune cell phenotype was found to be correlated with it. For HER2– breast cancer, CD3 on CD39+CD4+ T cell [OR=0.951, 95%CI (0.930, 0.973), P=0.014], CD3 on secreting CD4 regulatory T cell [OR=0.949, 95%CI (0.925, 0.974), P=0.023] were protective factors. ConclusionThere is a causal association between certain immune cell phenotypes and breast cancer, which may be predictive markers for early diagnosis of breast cancer and development of new immunotherapies.
ObjectiveTo study the relation between the clinical phenotype and neurological developmental quotient in children with epilepsy and GPR98 gene mutation. MethodsGenomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes of the probands and other available members in the epilepsy families.Clinical datas and screened for mutations by next-generation sequencing conbined target sequencing technology and PCR and direct DNA sequencing were collected.Then, the relations between the clinical phenotype and developmental quotient in children with epilepsy and GPR98 gene mutation was analyzed. ResultsSeven novel GPR98 gene mutations were found in seven probands in 65 families, including six heterozygote missense mutations (c.6083C <、c.1969A < C、c.17531C < T、c.9069G < C、c.6661G < A and c.18496A < C) and one nonsense mutation (c.14224G < T). One of their parents carried the same GPR98 gene mutation as the proband's. The initial symptom of six cases was afebrile seizures and one showed febrile seizure, in which the main type seizure was generalized seizure.Moreover, was were significant difference between children with epilepsy and GPR98 gene mutations and healthy children in developmental quotient test(P < 0.01). ConclusionsThe main type of seizures in children with epilepsy and GPR98 gene mutations is generalized seizure. Furthermore, GPR98 gene mutations may be associated with psychomotor retardation.
Objective To investigate the role of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) combined with hypoxic microenvironment in chondrogenic phenotype differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) of rat in vitro. Methods BMSCs were harvested from 4-week-old female Sprague Dawley rats. BMSCs at passage 2 were divided into 4 groups according different culture conditions: normoxia control group (group A), normoxia and BMP-2 group (group B), hypoxia control group (3% oxygen, group C), and hypoxia and BMP-2 group (group D). Then the cellular morphology was observed under inverted phase contrast microscope. Alcian blue immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the glycosaminoglycans (GAG), Western blot to detect collagen type II and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), and RT-PCRto detect the expressions of chondrogenic related genes, osteogenic related genes, and hypoxia related genes. Results At 21 days after induction of BMP-2 and hypoxia (group D), BMSCs became round, cell density was significantly reduced, and lacuna-l ike cells were wrapped in cell matrix, while the changes were not observed in groups A, B, and C. Alcian blue staining in group D was significantly bluer than that in other groups, and staining became darker with induction time, and the cells were stained into pieces of deeply-stained blue at 21 days. Light staining was observed in the other groups at each time point. The expression level of collagen type II protein in group D was significantly higher than those in other groups (P lt; 0.05). HIF-1α protein expression levels of groups C and D were significantly higher than those of groups A and B (P lt; 0.05). The expressions of collagen II α1 (COL2 α1) and aggrecan mRNA (chondrogenic related genes) were highest in group D, while the expressions of COL1 α1, alkaline phosphatase, and runt-related transcri ption factor 2 mRNA (osteogenic related genes) were the highest in group B (P lt; 0.05). Compared with groups A and B, HIF-1α (hypoxic related genes) in groups C and D significantly increased (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion BMP-2 combined with hypoxia can induce differentiation of BMSCs into the chondrogenic phenotype, and inhibit osteoblast phenotype differentiation. HIF-1α is an important signaling molecule which is involved in the possible mechanism to promote chondrogenic differentiation process.
Objective To investigate the value of a 4-color and 10-antibody flow cytometry immunophenotyping panel using 10 antibodies including CD45, CD38, CD19, CD56, CD20, CD5, CD10, human leukocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR), κ antibody and λ antibody marked by four kinds of fluorescein including R-phycoerythrin (PE), fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), peridinin chlorophy Ⅱ protein (PerCP) and allophycocyanin (APC) in the diagnosis of multiple myeloma (MM). Methods A 4-color and 10-antibody flow cytometry immunophenotyping panel which used CD45dim/-/CD38high as gating strategy supplemented by CD19, CD56, CD20, CD10, CD5, HLA-DR, κ antibody and λ antibody was used to test the bone marrow (BM) specimens of 45 MM patients treated between December 2013 and March 2015. Then by morphological examination, we analyzed the quantitative results and characteristics of myeloma cells. Results In all the 45 MM patients, the myeloma cell detection rate was 100% by flow cytometry. The proportion range of myeloma cells in BM was between 1.17% and 72.31%, which showed a good consistency with the results of 7.5%-90.0% detected by morphological examination. The positive expression rates of antigen on myeloma cells were: 100.00% for CD38, 11.11% for CD45, 2.22% for CD19, 73.33% for CD56, 17.78% for CD20, 42.22% for HLA-DR, and 0% for CD10 and CD5. About 64.44% of the MM patients were restricted cytoplasmic λ light chain typing, and 35.56% were restricted cytoplasmic κ light chain typing. There was no obvious phenotype difference among the 3 Durie-Salmon stages of MM (P>0.05). The expression of CD56 was different among different immunoglobulin types of MM, and the types of immunoglobulin with an expression from high to low were non-secretory, IgA, IgG, and light chain (P<0.05). Conclusion The 4-color and 10-antibody flow cytometry immunophenotyping panel using 10 antibodies including CD45, CD38, CD19, CD56, CD20, CD5, CD10, HLA-DR, κ antibody and λ antibody marked by four kinds of fluorescein including PE, FITC, PerCP and APC has a good diagnostic value for MM.
Objective To investigate the causal effect of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Methods Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data were sourced from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative and published research. We employed: ① linkage disequilibrium score regression to estimate heritability of individual traits and genetic correlations between COVID-19 and IPF; ② multi-trait analysis of GWAS to identify genetic loci associated with COVID-19 and IPF; ③ Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess causal effect of COVID-19 on IPF; ④ colocalization analysis to identify shared causal variants. Results ① Three COVID-19 phenotypes showed significant positive genetic correlations with IPF (P<0.05); ② Multi-trait analysis of GWAS identified loci jointly associated with COVID-19 and IPF; ③ MR indicated that COVID-19 hospitalization may increase IPF risk (P=0.006); ④ Two causal variants were identified: rs12585036 (posterior probability>0.8, mapped to ATP11A) and rs12610495 (posterior probability>0.8, mapped to DPP9). Conclusions COVID-19 hospitalization may increase IPF risk through inflammatory pathways, providing new insights for managing COVID-19-related pulmonary diseases.