title: BLyS and APRIL expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of cryptococcal meningitis patients and their clinical significance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the levels of APRIL, BlyS and receptors as TACI, BCMA and BAFF-R in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of cryptococcal meningitis (CM) patients and its clinical significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  PBMC from 30 CM patients and 32 healthy controls were isolated. The mRNA levels of APRIL, BLyS and BLyS receptors were detected by fluorescent quantitation PCR. The effect of PBMC from CM patients on in vitro growth of Cryptococcus neoformans was compared in presence and absence of BLyS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PBMC of CM patients exhibited significantly lower BLyS, TACI and BCMA mRNA levels but significantly higher BAFF-R mRNA levels than controls. Growth of C. neoformans was significantly slower in presence of BLyS than its absence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Levels of BlyS and its receptors correlated with cryptococcal meningitis progression, and provide new clues for monitoring CM conditions and its effective therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Transfusion, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200003, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Sunxiao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Mingli
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Anmei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Renqian
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D016919:Meningitis, Cryptococcal / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; C120197:BLyS receptor; D001798:Blood Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13