Estradiol induces apoptosis via activation of miRNA-23a and p53: implication for gender difference in liver cancer development

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Achieving partnering success through an incentive agreement : lessons learned from an underground railway extension project in Hong Kong

Author name used in this publication: Linda C. N. FanAuthor name used in this publication: John F. Y. Yeung2008-2009 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalAccepted ManuscriptPublishe

Effect of nucleos(t)ide analogues therapy on HBsAg, intrahepatic HBV DNA and covalently closed circular DNA levels

BACKGROUND: We aimed to study 1) the effects of 1-year nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) therapy on HBsAg and covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) levels; and 2) the possible use of HBsAg reduction as a marker for cccDNA reduction. METHODS: We recruited 124 NA-treated patients with ...postprin

Serum levels of IL-33 and soluble ST2 and their association with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus

BACKGROUND: IL-33 has recently been found to be the specific ligand of ST2, an IL-1 receptor family member that is selectively expressed on Th2 cells and mediates Th2 response. This study aimed to measure serum levels of soluble form of ST2 (sST2) and IL-33 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to examine its association with disease activity. METHODS: Seventy SLE patients were evaluated for disease activity determined by SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI), serological features (anti-dsDNA antibody, C3 and C4) and 57 patients were evaluated longitudinally on a second occasion. IL-33 and sST2 were measured by sandwich ELISA in the 127 SLE serum samples and compared to 28 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. RESULTS: Serum sST2 level was significantly higher in SLE patients with active disease (0.51+0.18 ng/mL) compared to those with inactive disease (0.42+0.08 ng/mL) [P=0.006] and to normal controls (0.36+0.13 ng/mL) [P<0.001]. sST2 level correlated significantly and positively with SLEDAI, level of anti-dsDNA antibody and prednisolone dosage and negatively with C3 and remained significantly predictive of active disease after adjustment for prednisolone use in logistic regression analysis (odds ratio=4.6, P=0.01). sST2 level was sensitive to change in disease activity in longitudinal evaluation and not influenced by age, gender, and renal function. Elevated serum IL-33 was comparable in frequency (4.3% vs 7.1%, P=0.62) and levels (P=0.53) between SLE patients and controls. CONCLUSION: Elevated serum sST2 level in SLE patients was found to correlate with disease activity and was sensitive to change, suggesting a potential role as surrogate marker of disease activity.published_or_final_versionThe 15th Medical Research Conference (15th MRC), Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 16 January 2010. In Hong Kong Medical Journal, 2010, v. 16 n. 1, suppl. 1, p. 46, abstract no. 7

Interleukin-1β increases the risk of gastric cancer through induction of aberrant DNA methylation in a mouse model

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Sequence Variations of Full-Length Hepatitis B Virus Genomes in Chinese Patients with HBsAg-Negative Hepatitis B Infection

BACKGROUND: The underlying mechanism of HBsAg-negative hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is notoriously difficult to elucidate because of the extremely low DNA levels which define the condition. We used a highly efficient amplification method to overcome this obstacle and achieved our aim which was to identify specific mutations or sequence variations associated with this entity. METHODS: A total of 185 sera and 60 liver biopsies from HBsAg-negative, HBV DNA-positive subjects or known chronic hepatitis B (CHB) subjects with HBsAg seroclearance were amplified by rolling circle amplification followed by full-length HBV genome sequencing. Eleven HBsAg-positive CHB subjects were included as controls. The effects of pivotal mutations identified on regulatory regions on promoter activities were analyzed. RESULTS: 22 and 11 full-length HBV genomes were amplified from HBsAg-negative and control subjects respectively. HBV genotype C was the dominant strain. A higher mutation frequency was observed in HBsAg-negative subjects than controls, irrespective of genotype. The nucleotide diversity over the entire HBV genome was significantly higher in HBsAg-negative subjects compared with controls (p = 0.008) and compared with 49 reference sequences from CHB patients (p = 0.025). In addition, HBsAg-negative subjects had significantly higher amino acid substitutions in the four viral genes than controls (all p<0.001). Many mutations were uniquely found in HBsAg-negative subjects, including deletions in promoter regions (13.6%), abolishment of pre-S2/S start codon (18.2%), disruption of pre-S2/S mRNA splicing site (4.5%), nucleotide duplications (9.1%), and missense mutations in "alpha" determinant region, contributing to defects in HBsAg production. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest an accumulation of multiple mutations constraining viral transcriptional activities contribute to HBsAg-negativity in HBV infection.published_or_final_versio

Estrogen represses anti-apoptotic genes expression via MiR-23a: contribution to sex differences in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma

This journal suppl. entitled: Abstract Issue: 23rd Annual Conference of APASL, March 12–15, 2014, Brisbane, AustraliaTopic: 11. Hepatocellular Carcinoma - Basic Science: abstract no. 667postprin

Identification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA Polymerase Sequences to Predict Virological Response to Entecavir Therapy

Poster Presentations: Emerging / Infectious DiseasesConference Theme: Translating Health Research into Policy and Practice for Health of the Populationpublished_or_final_versio

Saliva Viral Load Better Correlates with Clinical and Immunological Profiles in Children with Coronavirus Disease 2019

BACKGROUND: Pediatric COVID-19 studies exploring the relationships between NPS and saliva viral loads, clinical and immunological profiles are lacking. METHODS: Demographics, immunological profiles, nasopharyngeal swab (NPS), and saliva samples collected on admission, and hospital length of stay (LOS) were assessed in children below 18 years with COVID-19. FINDINGS: 91 patients were included between March and August 2020. NPS and saliva viral loads were correlated (r=0.315, p=0.01). Symptomatic patients had significantly higher NPS and saliva viral loads than asymptomatic patients. Serial NPS and saliva viral load measurements showed that the log10 NPS (r=-0.532, p<0.001) and saliva (r=-0.417, p<0.001) viral loads for all patients were inversely correlated with the days from symptom onset with statistical significance. Patients with cough, sputum, and headache had significantly higher saliva, but not NPS, viral loads. Higher saliva, but not NPS, viral loads were associated with total lymphopenia, CD3 and CD4 lymphopenia (all p<0.05), and were inversely correlated with total lymphocyte (r=-0.43), CD3 (r=-0.55), CD4 (r=-0.60), CD8 (r=-0.41), B (r=-0.482), and NK (r=-0.416) lymphocyte counts (all p<0.05). Interpretation: Saliva viral loads on admission in children correlated better with clinical and immunological profiles than NPS