Clinical laboratory investigation of a patient with an extremely high D-dimer level: A case report.

Background: D-dimer, a soluble degradation product of cross-linked fibrin, is commonly used as an important marker for the diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation and differential diagnosis of thrombosis. Herein, we present a geriatric case with an unusually elevated D-dimer level.

Case Summary: An 82-year-old woman, admitted to the ward with a diagnosis of chronic heart failure, was noted to have a remarkably elevated D-dimer level, beyond the qualified range (> 100 mg/L), utilizing the Innovating D-dimer for Sysmex CS-5100 System™.

Immunization with truncated envelope protein of Zika virus induces protective immune response in mice.

The global spread of Zika virus (ZIKV) as well as its unexpected link to infant microcephaly have resulted in serious public health concerns. No antiviral drugs against ZIKV is currently available, and vaccine development is of high priority to prepare for potential ZIKV pandemic. In the present study, a truncated E protein with the N-terminal 90% region reserved (E90) from a contemporary ZIKV strain was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, purified by a Ni-NTA column, and characterized by Western blotting assays.

The bone-preserving effects of exendin-4 in ovariectomized rats.

Exendin-4 was found to be beneficial to the skeleton in diabetic rodents. In this study, we assessed the changes of bone mineral densities (BMDs) and quality in non-diabetic ovariectomized (OVX) rats after treatment with exendin-4. The regulatory role of exendin-4 on osteoblastogenesis and adipogenesis in rat bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) was also explored.

The Anti-inflammatory Effect of the CXCR4 Antagonist-N15P Peptide and Its Modulation on Inflammation-Associated Mediators in LPS-Induced PBMC.

Inflammation was the important pathological process of many disease developments, but current therapeutic means for inflammatory diseases are not satisfactory. Chemokines and their receptors represent valuable targets for anti-inflammatory drug discovery. The N15P polypeptide (sequence: LGASWHRPDKCCLGY) is independently developed by our research group, it is a new CXCR4 antagonist drug derived from viral macrophage inflammatory protein-II (vMIP-II).

A biologically active vMIP-II-IgG3-TfN fusion protein, secreted from methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris.

The viral macrophage inflammatory protein II (vMIP-II) which showed a broad-spectrum interaction with both CC and CXC chemokine receptors including CCR5 and CXCR4, two principal coreceptors for the cell entry of human immunodeficiency virus. To explore the feasibility of using TfN as a carrier moiety for delivery of therapeutic proteins, a genetically engineered vMIP-II-IgG3-TfN fusion gene was loaded into the yeast expression vector pPICZα. The linearized recombinant plasmid pPICZα-vMIP-II-IgG3-TfN was transformed into X33 competent cells.

Anti-HCMV and KSHV effect of a trapping ligand antagonist for herpesvirus-encoded GPCR.

We have found and synthesized a trapping ligand peptide H22-LP (the conservative sequence is NAHCALL) from a random phage library according to the broad-spectrum trapping receptor H22, which derived from the residue 14-35 near the N-terminal region of receptor US28 on HCMV. In this study, we will evaluate its potential as an efficient antagonist of US28 and the anti-virus activity, acting as a broad spectrum chemokine receptors antagonist. Stable expression of US28 and ORF74 in NIH/3T3 cells were successfully constructed in vitro.

[Acute toxicity of CCR5 antagonist C25P polypeptide in mice and its carcinogenicity in vitro].

Objective: To study the acute toxicity of C25P polypeptide, a CCR5 antagonist, in mice and its carcinogenic effect in vitro.

Methods: The acute toxicity of C25P polypeptide in mice was assessed by determining the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). The mice were given C25P at the dose of 3.

[The viral acceptor antagonist to entrapment ligand H9 in vitro activeness and the function to human acceptor CX3-CR1].

Aim: To clarify the activeness of H9 in vitro and internalization and modulation of the surface chemokine receptor CX3CR1 induced by H9, To discuss the influence of H9 on the chemokine receptor CX3CR1.

Methods: Inhibition by chemotactic peptide on the physiological detection of chemokine induced cell migration activity. Flowcytometry examined the effection of H9 on intracellular calcium.

[Study on dengue virus infection of human dendritic cells].

To study Dengue virus (DV) infection of human dendritic cells (DC). Monocyte isolated from healthy human peripheral blood were incubated in medium with GM-CSF and IL-4 for more than 7 days. DCs were then collected and identified by transmission electron microscope, immunohistochemistry and lymphocytes stimulatory ability.

[Inhibitory effect of viral macrophage inflammatory protein-II on metastasis of breast cancer cell line MCF-7 through antagonising CXCR4].

Background & Objective: CXCR4-stromal cell-derived factor-1 (CXCR4-SDF-1alpha) system has been proved to be involved in targeting metastasis of breast cancer. Some antagonists of CXCR4 have inhibitory effects on metastasis of breast cancer. This study was to investigate effect of viral macrophage inflammatory protein-II (vMIP-II), an antagonist of CXCR4, on metastasis of breast cancer cell line MCF-7.