肺炎克雷伯菌生物膜对小鼠巨噬细胞免疫功能的影响

目的研究肺炎克雷伯菌生物膜(BF)对小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞TLRs mRNA和细胞因子表达的影响,探索机体抗BF感染免疫的特点。方法将雄性昆明种小鼠40只随机分成2组,一组腹腔植入体外形成肺炎克雷伯菌BF的硅胶片,建立留置性医疗装置BF感染模型实验组,另一组植入与实验组同等量的浮游菌作为对照组。实时定量PCR分析2组巨噬细胞TLRs mRNA的表达水平,双抗体夹心ELISA法测定细胞因子的含量。结果实验BF组巨噬细胞TLR2、TLR4 mRNA表达量是对照浮游菌组的0.23和0.24倍;而TLR5、TLR9两组表达差异无显著性。实验BF组刺激前后IL-1、IL-2的差值明显低于对照浮游菌组,而IL-4则相反(P0.01)。结论与浮游菌相比,BF能下调小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞TLR2、TLR4的表达,机体的免疫应答朝着Th2型免疫反应发展,这可能是BF相对浮游菌更容易逃脱机体免疫防御系统、引起慢性感染的机制之一。     

白介素-17A在小鼠慢性胰腺炎中的作用研究

目的:研究白细胞介素-17A在小鼠慢性胰腺炎模型中的表达及其对小鼠星状细胞的影响。方法:建立雨蛙肽诱导的小鼠实验性慢性胰腺炎动物模型,利用实时荧光定量PCR、ELISA、免疫组化和Western-blot等手段检测白介素-17A在雨蛙肽诱导的小鼠慢性胰腺炎模型中的表达变化及免疫活性。用重组白介素-17A作用于小鼠胰腺星状细胞,检测其对星状细胞活化的作用,并进一步探究其对促胰腺纤维化炎症因子白介素-6、白介素-1β、TGF-β在mRNA水平的表达变化。结果:慢性胰腺炎胰腺组织中白介素-17A受体IL-17RA及IL-17RC mRNA水平的表达较正常胰腺明显升高,慢性胰腺炎小鼠胰腺组织中IL-17A蛋白水平较正常小鼠明显升高,CP小鼠血清中IL-17A蛋白水平(56.40±10.50 pg/L)较NC组(27.88±5.74pg/L)亦明显升高,IL-17A在正常胰腺组织中鲜有表达(8.9±2.72%),而在CP组织中呈强阳性表达(55.84±5.71%),其免疫活性主要定位于间质炎性细胞及导管样复合体中;重组白介素-17A可促进小鼠星状细胞活化,并直接诱导星状细胞表达白介素-6、白介素-1β以及TGF-β等促纤维化细胞因子。结论:白介素-17A在雨蛙肽诱导的小鼠慢性胰腺炎模型中表达上调,并可能通过诱导小鼠星状细胞表达促炎细胞因子白介素-6、白介素-1β和TGF-β,促进胰腺星状细胞活化以及胰腺纤维化。     

口服sST2质粒DNA在炎症性肠病小鼠中的免疫水平

目的制备口服可溶性ST2(Soluble ST2,sST2)质粒,观察其对于小鼠炎症性结肠黏膜免疫应答水平。方法提取小鼠脾脏总RNA,扩增sST2基因,并克隆至pcDNA3.1/myc-His A载体,构建pcDNA3.1-sST2-myc-His A质粒,借此转染COS-7细胞,使之表达sST2-myc-His A融合蛋白。利用脂质体LipofectamineTM2000包裹,制备口服sST2质粒,经灌胃给予用葡聚糖硫酸钠(Dextran sulfate sodium,DSS)诱生溃疡性结肠炎的C57BL/6实验小鼠,并用组织病理学方法观察结肠黏膜组织形态变化。用Real-time PCR检测sST2基因表达,用免疫印迹检测sST2质粒融合蛋白的表达;用ELISA检测小鼠肠固有层淋巴细胞培养上清中细胞因子(IL-4、IL-5和IL-13)的分泌水平。结果Real-time PCR检测到sST2基因的正确表达,经双酶切及测序鉴定,证明质粒pcDNA3.1-sST2-myc-His A构建成功,免疫印迹试验在转染的COS-7细胞检测到sST2-myc-His A融合蛋白的表达,其相对分子质量与预期的相符;观察到结肠黏膜组织形态发生的变化;Real-time PCR结果显示,sST2质粒组在结肠黏膜组织内sST2的表达水平明显高于pcDNA3.1组和生理盐水组(P0.01);ELISA结果显示sST2质粒组结肠固有层淋巴细胞培养上清中IL-4、IL-5和IL-13的分泌水平高于pcDNA3.1组和生理盐水组(P0.05)。结论实验成功制备口服sST2质粒;该质粒可抑制小鼠炎症性结肠黏膜组织内Th2型免疫应答。     

神经生长因子对正常和放射线-化学复合损伤小鼠造血调节因子及其受体影响研究

目的 探究神经生长因子(NGF)对正常和放射线-化学复合损伤小鼠造血调节因子及其受体的影响.方法 用实时荧光定量PCR和酶联免疫吸附检测注射NGF后正常和经60Coγ射线照射+腹腔注射环磷酰胺(放射线-化学复合损伤,放-化复合损伤)小鼠肾脏红细胞生成素(Epo)、脾脏红细胞生成素受体(EpoR)、骨髓细胞粒-巨噬系集落刺激因子(GM-CSF) mRNA表达量和血清Epo、GM-CSF、白细胞介素-3(IL-3)浓度变化.结果 注射NGF后正常小鼠脾脏EpoR mRNA表达、放-化复合损伤小鼠血清GM-CSF、IL-3显著高于注射生理盐水的对照组.结论 NGF可以改变小鼠的造血调节因子及其受体水平,但对正常和放-化复合损伤机体,其作用各不相同.     

非洲猪瘟病毒C717R蛋白诱导小鼠炎症应答

【目的】通过炎症应答系统筛选,发现非洲猪瘟病毒(African swine fever virus, ASFV) C717R蛋白可诱导炎症反应,本研究旨在首次鉴定C717R蛋白功能,通过构建C717R重组慢病毒并感染BALB/c小鼠,探究其对炎症应答产生的影响。【方法】通过炎症小体表达系统筛选出诱导炎症应答的C717R蛋白,并构建C717R重组慢病毒。利用C717R重组慢病毒感染小鼠,使C717R在小鼠组织中表达。经实时荧光定量、蛋白质免疫印迹等方法检测C717R慢病毒包装、蛋白表达以及促炎细胞因子TNF-α、IL-1β、IL-6、IFN-β的变化。【结果】C717R蛋白在小鼠组织中正常表达。酶联免疫吸附测定(enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, ELISA)检测发现,表达C717R蛋白的小鼠,血清中促炎细胞因子TNF-α、IL-1β、IL-6、IFN-β及IFN-γ分泌水平显著升高。实时荧光定量检测表达C717R蛋白的小鼠组织证实,C717R、TNF-α、IL-1β、IL-6的mRNA转录水平显著上调;蛋白质免疫印迹证实,C717R可诱导小鼠不同组织caspase-1和IL-1β的成熟。组织病理切片结果显示,表达C717R蛋白的BALB/c小鼠和对照组和相比,肝脏、心脏、肺脏等器官炎性细胞浸润程度较对照组更严重。【结论】ASFV的C717R蛋白表达诱导BALB/c小鼠产生炎症应答,为鉴定和阐明C717R蛋白介导的促炎新机制提供了重要依据。     

新生隐球菌感染小鼠肺泡巨噬细胞相关细胞因子与疾病病程相关性研究

目的通过检测新生隐球菌感染小鼠巨噬细胞相关细胞因子的表达水平,探讨其在感染小鼠疾病病程的作用。方法应用单侧小鼠鼻孔接种感染新生隐球菌建立小鼠吸入感染隐球菌模型,在感染后第1、4、7、11、14、18、21天,PAS染色观察小鼠肺组织病理变化,并通过RT-PCR检测相应时间点小鼠巨噬细胞内相关细胞因子(IL-6、IL-8、TGF-β、TNF-α)的表达。结果小鼠吸入感染隐球菌后,PAS染色发现第4天肺内散在分布隐球菌,第7天可见肉芽肿形成,第11天大量炎性细胞浸润,第14天见肉芽肿内大量隐球菌,第18天隐球菌分布至全肺,第21天肺组织大量坏死;RT-PCR结果显示TGF-β和IL-6的表达在感染后14天达到最高值,然后逐渐降低,其中TGF-β升高幅度更为明显。结论在新生隐球菌感染小鼠中,TGF-β参与了机体的抗真菌免疫,在调节炎症反应方面有重要作用。     

双歧杆菌对中国对虾原肌球蛋白致敏小鼠的免疫调控作用

【目的】比较研究婴儿双歧杆菌(Bifidobacterium infantis 13.085)对中国对虾原肌球蛋白致敏BALB/c小鼠预防与治疗过敏反应的差异,探究其对致敏小鼠Treg/Th17细胞平衡及相关细胞因子的影响。【方法】采用硫酸铵盐析及等电点沉淀法纯化中国对虾原肌球蛋白(TM),将中国对虾TM和弗氏佐剂混合液腹腔注射诱发BALB/c小鼠致敏,建立动物过敏模型。将实验小鼠随机分为正常对照组、治疗对照组、双歧杆菌治疗组、预防对照组和双歧杆菌预防组。观察分析小鼠过敏症状(腹泻、肺组织HE染色比较、称重法测定小鼠体重和脾脏脏器系数变化),采用ELISA测定小鼠血清中特异性IgE、IgG2a和组胺的含量,采用流式细胞术测定脾脏T淋巴细胞亚群(Treg、Th17)数量,采用荧光定量PCR测定脾脏中Treg型和Th17型细胞因子和转录因子的表达量。【结果】纯化得到中国对虾原肌球蛋白纯度为84.93%,得率为60.88%。体内试验表明,双歧杆菌治疗组和预防组相比于对照组,腹泻和过敏症状均有明显的缓解;不同时期的双歧杆菌干预均对过敏小鼠肺组织症状有明显的改善作用,且可降低过敏小鼠的脾脏脏器系数。第56天实验周期结束后发现,相比预防对照组和治疗对照组,双歧杆菌预防组和治疗组小鼠血清中特异性IgE和组胺含量显著降低(P0.05),脾脏Treg/Th17比值显著升高(P0.05),Th17型细胞因子IL-17A mRNA表达水平显著降低(P0.01);双歧杆菌治疗组相对于治疗对照组,Treg型细胞因子CD25mRNA表达水平显著升高(P0.01)。此外,双歧杆菌治疗组血清特异性IgE及IL-17A mRNA转录水平显著低于双歧杆菌预防组(P0.05),而Treg/Th17比值及CD25 mRNA转录水平显著高于预防组(P0.05)。【结论】双歧杆菌13.085能有效缓解小鼠过敏症状,且治疗免疫调控效果优于预防效果,其作用可能通过平衡Treg/Th17细胞亚群数量,促进Treg型细胞因子表达而抑制Th17型细胞因子分泌,从而阻断炎性抗体及组胺释放。     

丁酸梭菌影响肠炎沙门氏菌对SPF小鼠致病性的作用

【目的】旨在探究丁酸梭菌影响肠炎沙门氏菌(CVCC3377)对SPF小鼠的致病性及对小鼠的保护作用。【方法】选用72只6周龄SPF级雌性C57BL/6小鼠,按照完全随机区组设计分为阴性对照(CON)、饲喂丁酸梭菌组(CB)、沙门氏菌感染组(SE)和丁酸梭菌保护组(CB+SE)4组,每组18只。CON组和SE组饲喂基础日粮和饮水,CB组和CB+SE组饲喂基础日粮和每天更换添加丁酸梭菌(1×10~7CFU/mL)的饮水,连续饲喂一周;第8天进行肠炎沙门氏菌感染实验,分别对SE组和CB+SE组灌服0.2mL 1.1×10~4CFU/只的肠炎沙门氏菌,同时对阴性对照组和丁酸梭菌组灌服0.2mL生理盐水。在感染后第6天处死小鼠并采集肝脏、脾脏和盲肠及内容物样品。采用H.E染色检测肝脏和脾脏组织的病理学变化,免疫组化检测脾脏组织中TLR4、MyD88蛋白的表达水平,荧光定量PCR检测盲肠组织中TNF-α和IL-6的表达水平,并通过高通量测序方法分析其对肠道菌群的影响。【结果】结果显示,丁酸梭菌能够缓解肠炎沙门氏菌感染引起的小鼠体重下降;H.E染色结果显示,丁酸梭菌可以缓解肠炎沙门氏菌感染造成的组织损伤;免疫组化结果显示,丁酸梭菌可降低脾脏组织细胞中TLR4、MyD88蛋白的表达水平,荧光定量PCR结果显示肠炎沙门氏菌能够显著升高盲肠组织中TNF-α(P0.05)和IL-6的表达水平,在此基础上饲喂丁酸梭菌能够降低TNF-α和IL-6的表达水平。高通量测序结果显示,丁酸梭菌组Chao1指数、ACE指数和Shannon指数均高于对照组和沙门氏菌感染组(P0.05),丁酸梭菌可显著降低放线菌门(Actinobacteria)和疣微菌门(Verrucomicrobia)在肠道微生物中的比例(P0.05),另外,丁酸梭菌可以增加乳酸菌属在肠道微生物群落的相对丰度(P0.05)。【结论】结果表明,丁酸梭菌可以提高小鼠免疫力,缓解由于沙门氏菌感染引起的炎症反应,增加肠道微生物多样性,调节肠道菌群结构。     

杨梅素对环磷酰胺诱导的免疫抑制小鼠的免疫功能影响CSCD

黄酮类化合物杨梅素(myricetin,MYR)具有抗肿瘤、抗氧化等多种药理作用,但在免疫调节方面的作用尚未完全了解,因此本实验通过建立环磷酰胺(cyclophosphamide,CTX)免疫低下小鼠模型来研究MYR对免疫功能的影响。通过称重小鼠脾脏和胸腺以及计算指数评价MYR对模型小鼠症状的缓解程度,用MTT法、溶血试验、酶联免疫吸附法等免疫学相关实验技术检测T、B淋巴细胞增殖,T细胞亚群分布情况,血清溶血素含量,抗体形成细胞数以及细胞因子白介素-2、白介素-4、白介素-6、干扰素-γ的分泌水平。实验数据表明,MYR能提高小鼠免疫器官脾脏、胸腺指数,促进T淋巴细胞和B淋巴细胞的分泌,提高细胞因子水平和抗体形成细胞数量。结果表明MYR能在免疫反应中起积极作用,调节免疫细胞和细胞因子之间的相互作用恢复机体免疫力的平衡,改善免疫力低下的症状。     

壳聚糖对香鱼溶菌酶活性和hsp70基因表达的影响

壳聚糖是一种理想的水产动物免疫增强剂和饲料添加剂。为了研究壳聚糖对香鱼非特异性免疫机能的影响,探讨其调节机体免疫功能的机理,以香鱼为研究对象,在基础饲料中分别添加0%、0.5%、1.0%、2.0%和4.0%的壳聚糖,连续投喂35 d后测定香鱼肝脏、脾脏和肾脏组织中溶菌酶活性和免疫相关基因hsp70基因表达的影响。结果表明,基础饲料中添加1.0%壳聚糖可使香鱼肝脏、脾脏和肾脏组织中溶菌酶活性显著提高,溶菌酶活性与对照分别提高了0.8倍、3.1倍和5.2倍。定量PCR分析结果表明,添加1.0%壳聚糖可显著促进肝脏、脾脏和肾脏中hsp70基因的表达量,且hsp70基因表达量与溶菌酶活性表现出一定的相关性,表明壳聚糖可通过调节免疫相关基因的表达来调节香鱼的免疫功能。     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Enterovirus 71 3C proteolytically processes the histone H3 N-terminal tail during infection

Highlights
1. The N-terminal tail of histone H3 is specifically cleaved during EV71 infection.
2. Viral protease 3C is identified as a protease responsible for proteolytically processing the N-terminal H3 tail.
3. Our finding reveals a new epigenetic regulatory mechanism for Enterovirus 71 in virus-host interactions.     

Detection of EBV and HHV6 in the Brain Tissue of Patients with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis

Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) is a rare pediatric neurological disorder, and the exact etiology is not clear. Viral infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of RE, but conflicting results have reported. In this study, we evaluated the expression of both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus (HHV) 6 antigens in brain sections from 30 patients with RE and 16 control individuals by immunohistochemistry. In the RE group, EBV and HHV6 antigens were detected in 56.7% (17/30) and 50% (15/30) of individuals, respectively. In contrast, no detectable EBV and HHV6 antigen expression was found in brain tissues of the control group. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in 20.0% (6/30) of individuals. In particular, a 4-year-old boy had a typical clinical course, including a medical history of viral encephalitis, intractable epilepsy, and hemispheric atrophy. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in neurons and astrocytes in the brain tissue, accompanied by a high frequency of CD8⁺ T cells. Our results suggest that EBV and HHV6 infection and the activation of CD8⁺ T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of RE.     

Perinatal Vertical Transmission of Chikungunya Virus in Ruili,a Town on the Border between China and Myanmar

正Dear Editor,Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus in the family of Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, is transmitted by the A.aegyptii or A. albopictus mosquito, and causes disease in humans characterized by fever, rash, and arthralgia (Silva and Dermody 2017; Suhrbier 2019). It was first reported in 1953 in Tanzania, and caused only a few outbreaks and sporadic cases in Africa and Asia in last century. However, in the epidemic in 2004, CHIKV acquired mutations that conferred enhanced transmission by the A. albopictus mosquito(Schuffenecker et al. 2006). Since then, it has successively caused outbreaks in Africa, the Indian Ocean, South East Asia, the South America, and Europe (Zeller et al. 2016).     

Development of a Novel Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

In conclusion, the novel visual RT-LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and it is ready for application in primary care and community hospitals or health care centers, and even patients' own houses in response to the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic because the assay does not require sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Furthermore, it is also ready to be used in fields for screening samples from wild animals and environments to facilitate the identification of potential intermediate hosts that mediate the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans.