title: [Expression and significance of severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-X4 protein in lungs of SARS patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the significance of severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-X4 protein expression in lungs of patients with SARS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pathological features of the lungs from 4 SARS patients were examined and the expression of SARS-CoV-X4 protein in the lungs was evaluated with immunohistochemical staining using specific antibodies against protein X4.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Microscopically, all lungs from 4 cases showed edema, erythrocyte and fibrin exudates in the alveoli, hyperplasia of alveolar epithelium, necrosis, hyaline membrane formation and fibroblast foci. Immunohistochemical stains showed a strong positivity of X4 protein in denudation cells, vascular endothelial cells and also erythrocytes and neutrophils in the alveoli of the lung tissues from the 4 cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Expression of SARS-CoV-X4 protein in the lungs may be involved in the pathogenesis and progression of SARS.
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou 510120, China. yaxiatan@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Ya-xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shu-qing
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Yi-min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ying-yu
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiao-yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Xiao-ning
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Quan-sheng
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Qi-ni
authors.initials: QN
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: Ying-ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Hong-ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Xin-ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Mu-chang
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Nan-shan
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C488151:sars7a protein, SARS virus