Swine influenza type A H3N2 virus-induced apoptosis in porcine pulmonary alveolar macrophages in vitro
The present study was aimed to discuss the role and clinical significance of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the deterioration of chronic hepatitis B patients superinfected with acute hepatitis E. Serum TNF-α and IL-6 in chronic hepatitis B patients superinfected with acute hepatitis E (n=30), chronic hepatitis B patients (n=20), acute hepatitis E patients(n=20), and healthy volunteers (n=20) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Main biochemical quantitative analyses of serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartamine transferase (AST) and total bilirubin (TBIL), cholesterol ester (CHE), albumin (ALB),and prothrombin activity (PTA) were detected by automatic biochemical analyzer. Compared to that of chronic hepatitis B patients, acute hepatitis E patients, and healthy volunteers, the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in chronic hepatitis B patients superinfected with acute hepatitis E were significantly increased (P <0.01). Compared to that of chronic hepatitis B patients and acute hepatitis E patients, the serum levels of ALT, AST and TBIL in chronic hepatitis B patients superinfected with acute hepatitis E were significantly increased (P <0.05), the serum levels of CHE, ALB and PTA reduced obviously (P <0.05). The serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in chronic hepatitis B patients superinfected with acute hepatitis E showed a significant positive correlation with ALT and TBIL and a significant negative correlation with PTA (P <0.05). TNF-α and IL-6 participate in the process of immune injury in chronic hepatitis B patients superinfected with acute hepatitis E. Detection of the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 has practical clinical value in determining the degree of liver injury and prognosis of chronic hepatitis B patients superinfected with acute hepatitis E.
Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) is an opportunistic pathogen that colonizes on the surface of human skin and in mucous membranes. It can form biofilms by adhering to indwelling medical devices, often causing biofilm-associated infection. Two-component signal transduction systems (TCSs) play an important role in modulating biofilm formation in bacteria. However, regulation mechanisms of TCSs in S. epidermidis are still poorly understood. In this study, the expression of response regulator ArlR of arlRS TCS in S. epidermidis growth phases was investigated. The prokaryotic expression plasmid pET28a-arlR was constructed, and ArlR protein was expressed and purified. The purified ArlR was used to immunize mice for inducing anti-ArlR antibodies. The titers of anti-ArlR in the immune sera were over 1:100000, as determined by immune dot blot technique. ArlR expression in the different growth phases in bacteria was detected by Western blot analysis. Results showed that the expression level of ArlR was lowest at 2-hour culture and highest at 4-hour culture, and declined at 6-hour and 10-hour cultures. Western blot analysis results were confirmed by the transcriptional levels of arlR determined by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. It would help to get additional insight in to arlRS TCS regulation functions in the formation of biofilms in S. epidermidis.