Two tumor models of curative adoptive chemoimmunotherapy using tumor-infiltrated spleen cells with potent antitumor cytotoxicity stimulated by antigen-sharing tumors

Previously we have established curative protocols for adoptive chemoimmunotherapy (ACIT) of mice bearing different plasmacytomas that are known to bear cross-reacting antigens: (a) the cure of mice bearing an early-stage, nonpalpable MOPC-315 tumor by a very low dose of cyclophosphamide (10 mg/kg) and cultured MOPC-315-tumor-infiltrated (TI) spleen cells (25×10⁶) and (b) the cure of mice bearing a late-stage, relatively drug-resistant, highly metastatic RPC-5 tumor with cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg) and cultured RPC-5 TI spleen cells (25×10⁶–50×10⁶). In both models, the spleen cells were obtained from mice bearing a late-stage tumor and were cultured for 5 days in the presence of polyethyleneglycol 6000 and autochthonous tumor cells as a source of tumor antigen. Here we show that RPC-5 tumor cells could substitute for MOPC-315 tumor cells in the 5-day culture of MOPC-315 TI spleen cells so that they became curative in ACIT for mice bearing an early-stage MOPC-315 tumor. Similarly, MOPC-315 tumor cells could substitute for RPC-5 tumor cells in the 5-day culture of RPC-5 TI spleen cells so that they became curative in ACIT of mice bearing a late-stage RPC-5 tumor. In addition, RPC-5 TI spleen cells cultured with either MOPC-315 or RPC-5 tumor cells were effective in curing all mice bearing an early-stage MOPC-315 tumor by ACIT. However, MOPC-315 TI spleen cells whether cultured with MOPC-315 or RPC-5 tumor cells, were much less effective than cultured RPC-5 TI spleen cells in curing mice bearing a late-stage RPC-5 tumor by ACIT (although the survival of these mice was extended significantly). Interestingly, whereas RPC-5 TI spleen cells cultured with either MOPC-315 or RPC-5 tumor cells were as effective as MOPC-315 TI spleen cells cultured under the same conditions in lysing MOPC-315 tumor cells in vitro, MOPC-315 TI spleen cells that had been cultured with either MOPC-315 or RPC-5 tumor cells exerted a much weaker in vitro cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity against RPC-5 tumor cells than did RPC-5 TI spleen cells that had been cultured under the same conditions.Work was supported by research grant CA-30088 from the National Cancer Institute and IM-435 from the American Cancer Society. M. B. M. was supported by Career Development Award CA-01350 from the National Cancer InstituteThis work is in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph. D. degree     

耐药菌感染的噬菌体治疗专利技术

耐药菌,尤其是多重耐药菌的出现和持续进化给人类健康带来了巨大的威胁。在抗生素逐渐失去特效作用的情况下,科学界和医药界又把眼光重新投向了抗菌的天然生物-噬菌体,并在一些研究中证明了噬菌体可以作为新的武器去替代抗生素治疗耐药菌感染。通过对噬菌体治疗及衍生的裂解酶治疗的世界专利申请进行统计及分析,获得了专利发展趋势、申请人分布特点及主要专利申请人等信息,详细分析了噬菌体及裂解酶治疗的主要专利技术路线和研发热点。     

耐药结核分枝杆菌潜伏-复发感染动物模型的研究进展

潜伏结核感染(latent tuberculosis infection,LTBI)复发是新发结核病的主要来源,其中耐药结核病所占比例较大,使耐药LTBI复发的防控成为结核病研究的重点。耐药结核分枝杆菌潜伏-复发感染动物模型是开展耐药结核病防控相关机制研究、抗耐药结核分枝杆菌药物和疫苗研究的基础。目前耐药结核分枝杆菌感染动物模型缺乏,而已有的结核分枝杆菌标准株H37Rv潜伏-复发感染模型存在缺陷,如小鼠模型的潜伏期荷菌量偏高、复发期变异大,而猴模型的潜伏期和复发期不可预测。模型的可控性差使其应用困难,且缺乏可用的免疫学评价指标,导致远期复发无法预测。因此,基于现有H37Rv潜伏-复发感染动物模型的制备方法,展望耐药结核分枝杆菌潜伏-复发感染动物模型可能存在的缺陷,通过选用新的抑菌剂和诱导剂,制备有稳定潜伏期、潜伏时长适中、复发起点和复发水平变异小的动物模型,是未来耐药结核分枝杆菌潜伏-复发感染动物模型研究的方向。     

An aureobasidin A resistance gene isolated from Aspergillus is a homolog of yeast AUR1, a gene responsible for inositol phosphorylceramide (IPC) synthase activity

The AUR1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mutations in which confer resistance to the antibiotic aureobasidin A, is necessary for inositol phosphorylceramide (IPC) synthase activity. We report the molecular cloning and characterization of the Aspergillus nidulans aurA gene, which is homologous to AUR1. A single point mutation in the aurA gene of A. nidulans confers a high level of resistance to aureobasidin A. The A. nidulans aurA gene was used to identify its homologs in other Aspergillus species, including A. fumigatus, A. niger, and A. oryzae. The deduced amino acid sequence of an aurA homolog from the pathogenic fungus A. fumigatus showed 87% identity to that of A. nidulans. The AurA proteins of A. nidulans and A. fumigatus shared common characteristics in primary structure, including sequence, hydropathy profile, and N-glycosylation sites, with their S. cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and Candida albicans counterparts. These results suggest that the aureobasidin resistance gene is conserved evolutionarily in various fungi. Received: 27 August 1998 / Accepted: 19 November 1998     

Peptide Derivatives of Antibiotics Tylosin and Desmycosin, Protein Synthesis Inhibitors

Biologically active peptide derivatives of 16-member macrolide antibiotics were synthesized as potential probes for the investigation of nascent peptide chain topography in the ribosomal exit tunnel. The tylosin and desmycosin aldehyde groups at the C6 position of the lactone ring were modified by the aminooxyacetyl-L-alanyl-L-alanine methyl ester.     

Efficacy of Novel Antimicrobials Against Clinical Isolates of Opportunistic Amebas

ABSTRACT We examined the effects of the macrolide antimicrobial agent azithromycin and phenothiazine compounds against clinical isolates of Acanthamoeba spp. and Balamuthia mandrillaris , opportunistic pathogens of human beings and other animals. Acanthamoeba growth was inhibited in vitro at 1,5, and 10 μg/ml of azithromycin, but not the macrolides, erythromycin, and clarithromycin. In experiments attempting to simulate in vivo conditions, azithromycin protected monolayers of rat glioma cells from destruction by Acanthamoeba at a concentration of 0.1 μg/ml, and delayed destruction at concentrations of 0.001 and 0.01 μg/ml. We concluded that the minimal inhibitory concentration of azithromycin was 0.1 μg/ml. Our results, however, suggested that the drug was amebastatic but not amebicidal, since ameba growth eventually resumed after drug removal. The phenothiazines (chlorpromazine, chlorprothixene, and triflupromazine) inhibited Acanthamoeba growth by 70-90% at 5 and 10 μg/ml, but some of these compounds were toxic for rat glioma cells at 10 μg/ml. Azithromycin was not very effective against B. mandrillaris in an in vitro setting, but was amebastatic in tissue culture monolayers at concentrations of 0.1 μg/ml and higher. Balamuthia amebas showed in vitro sensitivity to phenothiazines. Ameba growth was inhibited 30-45% at 5 μg/ml in vitro, but completely at 5 μg/ml in the rat glioma model. In spite of their potential as antiamebic drugs in Balamuthia infections, toxicity of phenothiazines limits their use in clinical settings.     

Evolution and ecology of antibiotic resistance genes

A new perspective on the topic of antibiotic resistance is beginning to emerge based on a broader evolutionary and ecological understanding rather than from the traditional boundaries of clinical research of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens. Phylogenetic insights into the evolution and diversity of several antibiotic resistance genes suggest that at least some of these genes have a long evolutionary history of diversification that began well before the 'antibiotic era'. Besides, there is no indication that lateral gene transfer from antibiotic-producing bacteria has played any significant role in shaping the pool of antibiotic resistance genes in clinically relevant and commensal bacteria. Most likely, the primary antibiotic resistance gene pool originated and diversified within the environmental bacterial communities, from which the genes were mobilized and penetrated into taxonomically and ecologically distant bacterial populations, including pathogens. Dissemination and penetration of antibiotic resistance genes from antibiotic producers were less significant and essentially limited to other high G+C bacteria. Besides direct selection by antibiotics, there is a number of other factors that may contribute to dissemination and maintenance of antibiotic resistance genes in bacterial populations.     

Design and synthesis of potent HIV-1 protease inhibitors incorporating hydroxyprolinamides as novel P2 ligands

A series of new HIV-1 protease inhibitors with the hydroxyethylamine core and different hydroxyprolinamide P2 ligands were designed and synthesized. Variation of substitutions at the P2 significantly affected the enzyme inhibitory potency of the inhibitors. Compounds 2a and 2d showed excellent enzyme inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values in the nanomolar range. An active site binding model for inhibitors 2a and 2d was suggested based upon the computational-docking results of the ligand with HIV-1 protease. This model offers molecular insights regarding ligand-binding site interactions of the hydroxyprolinamide-derived novel P2-ligand.     

肿瘤患者痰培养中细菌谱及耐药性的研究

目的评价肿瘤患者治疗过程中细菌感染的病原种类分布及其耐药情况,从而达到为肿瘤患者的抗感染治疗提供依据。方法对321例肿瘤患者痰标本培养及药敏结果进行分析。结果321例肿瘤患者痰标本检出致病菌（含条件致病菌）435株,革兰阴性杆菌占69．7％,革兰阳性球菌占26．2％,念珠菌占4．1％．5种主要致病菌对常用的抗生素存在不同程度耐药．产超广谱β-内酰胺酶细菌18株,耐甲氧西林葡萄球菌9株。结论对于肿瘤患者的抗感染治疗．临床上应重视细菌的种类分布,细菌的耐药问题,合理使用抗生素。