No relationship between IL-1B gene polymorphism and gastric acid secretion in younger healthy volunteers

AIM: To investigate the influence of IL-1B-511 gene polymorphism on IL-1B mRNA expression and gastric acid output in individual with or without Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection.METHODS: IL-1B mRNA expression and gastric acid secretion in 117 health volunteers were assayed using semi-quantitative RT-PCR and gastric juice assay, respectively. Pepsinogen (PG) Ⅰ and Ⅱ of 255 subjects (including 117 health volunteers) were also examined.RESULTS: T/T genotype individuals with H pylori infection had a more decreased PG Ⅰ/Ⅱ ratio. In gastric antrum mucosa, the individuals with H pylori infection had higher IL-1B expression than those without H pylori infection, but there was no obvious difference among each genotype. In gastric corpus, the individuals with H pylori infection had a significantly higher IL-1B expression than those without H pylori infection. IL-1B-511T/T genotype was markedly higher as compared with the other two genotypes. Both maximal acid output and basic acid output were similar among each genotype in IL-1B-511 gene locus, regardless of H pylori infection.CONCLUSION: IL-1B-511 T allele does not decrease gastric acid output, although it has a stimulated influence on IL-1B expression. Consequently, the pathway,through which IL-1B plays a central role in gastric cancer development, might not depend on low acid, but on the other regulation mechanisms.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOAD OF HCV RNA AND ANTIBODIES AGAINST REGIONAL SPECIFIC PROTEINS OF HCV IN SERUM

Objective To study whether HCV RNA load is related to the antibodies against regional spe-cific proteins of HCV. Methods 69 serum samples were detected for HCV RNA load by Real time fluorescent PCR. Anti-HCV and the antibodies against regional specific proteins of HCV were detected by ELISA. Results The positive rates of anti-C and anti-NS3 were remarkably higher than those of anti-NS4 and anti-NS5. We divided the serum samples into two groups on the basis of load of HCV RNA, there was no statistical significance between A and B group in the positive rate as well as the antibody reactivity of HCV anti-C, anti-NS3, anti-NS4 and anti-NS5. From the distribution of different combined patterns, we could conclude that the pattern IV was superior to others in both of the two groups. Conclusion There are remarkable differences in different antibodies against the regional specific proteins of HCV. The positive rates and the antibody reactivity of anti-C, anti-NS3, anti-NS4, anti-NS5 are not related to the HCV viral load. The EfA-3 which conclude C, NS3, NS4, NS5 proteins could enhance the sensitivity of detection HCV.

Application of Computed Tomographic Colonography in Diagnosis of Colonic Polyps

Objective To assess the clinical values of computed tomographic colonography （CTC） in diagnosis of colonic polyps. Methods Forty-two patients who were clinically suspicious of colonic polyps or underwent colonic polyps screening received examinations with both CTC and conventional colonoscopy. Sixteen- or 64-slice spiral computed tomography and professional imaging processing techniques were used for evaluation. Per-polyp and per-patient results were analyzed. Those by per-polyp were subsequently divided into ≥10 mm group, 5-10 mm group, and ≤5 mm group. Sensitivity, positive predictive value （PPV）, specificity, negative predictive value （NPV）, and accuracy were calculated using statistical method for diagnostic studies, with conventional colonoscopy as a gold standard. Results Ninety and 61 polyps were found by CTC and conventional colonoscopy, respectively. The per-polyp sensitivity/PPV were 80.3%/55.6% in total, and 100%/92.9%, 93.8%/65.2%, and 68.8%/ 41.5% in the ≥10 mm group, 5-10 mm group, and ≤5 turn group, respectively. The per-patient sensitivity, PPV, specificity, NPV, and accuracy were 97.1%, 89.5%, 42.9%, 75.0%, and 88.1%, respectively. Conclusion CTC can clearly reveal the morphology of colonic polyps and be used as a routine monitoring method for the clinical diagnosis of polyps.

Racemic X-ray structure of L-type calcium channel antagonist Calciseptine prepared by total chemical synthesis

Snake toxin Calciseptine as a natural antagonist of L-type calcium channel has potential drug values, but its structural information remains unknown. Here, we report the total chemical synthesis of Calciseptine by using hydrazide based native chemical ligation. The crystal structure of Calciseptine was determined by racemic protein crystallography technique. Compared to the structure of its homologous family protein, we found that Calciseptine is adopting a typical three-finger structure.