Is oral microbiome of children able to maintain resistance and functional stability in response to short-term interference of ingesta?

Dear Editor, A series of studies had focused on the ecological stability of human microbiome (Lozupone et al.,2012;Faith et al.,2013;Moya and Ferrer,2016).Despite the continuous perturbation and the highly personalized composition within the human microbiome (Human Microbiome Project,2012),healthy adults stably maintain their microbial communities in terms of space and time (Faith et al.,2013;Moya and Ferrer,2016;Oh et al.,2016).This stability is proved to be critical for the well-being of human body (Lozupone et al.,2012).On the contrary,major shifts in microbial community composition are often related to diseases (Lynch and Pedersen,2016).     

A novel dominant-negative PD-1 armored anti-CD19 CAR T cell is safe and effective against refractory/relapsed B cell lymphoma

Refractory/relapsed B cell lymphoma patients who received the available anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells may still experience a short duration of remission. Here in this study, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of a novel dominant-negative programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) armored anti-CD19 CAR T cells. A total of 9 patients (including 4 diffuse large B cell lymphomas, DLBCL, 2 transformed follicular lymphomas, TFL, and 3 follicular lymphomas, FL) received the novel CAR T cells infusion at a dose of more than 1 × 10⁶/kg. Grade ≥ 3 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity were observed in 11.1% (n = 1/9) and 11.1% (n = 1/9) of patients, respectively. The overall response rate (ORR) was 77.8% (n = 7/9) and complete response (CR) rate was 55.6% (n = 5/9). Two patients have ongoing CR (all at 20+ months). CAR T cells expanded after infusion and continued to be detectable at 12+ months in patients with ongoing CR. This novel CD19-CAR T cell was safe and effective with durable remissions in patients with refractory/relapsed B cell lymphoma.     

N,N –Disubstituted piperazines and homopiperazines: Synthesis and affinities at α4β2* and α7* neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

A series of N, N– disubstituted piperazines and homopiperazines were prepared and evaluated for binding to natural α4β2* and α7* neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) using whole brain membrane. Some compounds exhibited good selectivity for α4β2* nAChRs and did not interact with the α7* nAChRs subtype. The most potent analogs were compounds 8-19 (K_i = 10.4 μM), 8–13 (K_i = 12.0 μM), and 8–24 (K_i = 12.8 μM). Thus, linking together a pyridine π-system and a cyclic amine moiety via a homopiperazine ring affords compounds with low affinity but with good selectivity for α4β2* nAChRs.     

糖尿病肾病与非糖尿病肾病维持性血液透析患者血钙、血磷及甲状旁腺激素水平的分析

目的：探讨糖尿病肾病（diabtic nephropgthy,DN）与非糖尿病肾病（non-DN）维持性血液透析患者（maintenance hemodialysis,MHD）血钙、血磷、甲状旁腺激素（intact parathyroid hormone,iPTH）水平的差异;分析其血钙、血磷、iPTH和糖化血红蛋白（glycosylated hemoglobin,HbA1c）水平的相关性。方法：选择沈阳军区总医院血液透析中心收治的148例MHD患者,分为糖尿病组（58例）和非糖尿病组（90例）,比较两组间血钙、血磷、甲状旁腺激素水平的差异,并分析其血钙、血磷、iPTH、HbA1c水平的相关性。结果：糖尿病组iPTH、血磷水平均明显低于非糖尿病组（P〈0.05）,两组血钙水平比较无明显差异。在非DN组中,iPTH与血钙水平呈显著负相关（r=-0.320,P=0.036）,iPTH与血磷水平呈明显正相关（r=0.426,P=0.005）。在DN组中,iPTH与血钙、血磷无显著相关性,而iPTH与HbA1C水平呈显著负相关（r=-0.732,P=0.007）。结论：糖尿病肾病血液透析患者的iPTH水平和血磷水平明显低于非糖尿病肾病血液透析患者,HbA1c可能抑制iPTH的分泌。     

姜黄素诱导人胰腺癌PANC-1细胞凋亡的机制研究

目的：胰腺癌恶性程度高、进展快、预后差,姜黄素对于抑制恶性肿瘤的发生和进程具有广泛的生物学效应。但姜黄素能否诱导人胰腺癌细胞凋亡,其具体作用机制如何？目前仍无报道。本研究拟观察姜黄素对人胰腺癌PANC．1细胞凋亡的影响,探讨姜黄素诱导PANC．1细胞凋亡的机制。方法：不同浓度姜黄素处理人胰腺癌PANC-1细胞,流式细胞仪检测PANC-1细胞凋亡率,并分析Caspase-9和Caspase-3活性的变化,同时通过RT—PCR和Westemblot分析PANC-1细胞中P53表达的变化。结果：PANC-1细胞经不同浓度的姜黄素处理后,可以显著诱导细胞凋亡,并呈现一定的剂量依赖性,提示姜黄素具有一定抗肿瘤活性。姜黄素能够同时增加Caspase-9和Caspase-3的活性,并呈现一定的剂量依赖性,提示姜黄素可能通过Caspase-9和Caspase-3途径来诱导PANC．1细胞凋亡的发生。RT—PCR和westernblot结果显示,姜黄素可以显著增加PANC-1细胞中P53蛋白表达水平。结论：姜黄素可以显著诱导PANC-1细胞凋亡的发生,提高Caspase-9和Caspase-3的活性,同时增加的P53表达,并呈现一定的剂量依赖性,提示姜黄素诱导PANC-1细胞凋亡的过程可能与增加细胞中Caspase-9,Caspase-3以及P53的表达有关。本研究探讨了姜黄素诱导PANC-1细胞凋亡的分子机制,为姜黄素的进一步应用提供了新的思路和理论支持,在人胰腺癌的临床治疗中具有一定的潜在应用价值。     

自噬相关基因LC3-I的基因表达及单克隆抗体的制备

目的：通过克隆LC3．I基因,体外原核表达LC3-I蛋白后制备抗LC3单克隆抗体,作为自噬研究中的标记分子检测自噬的发生和发展过程。方法：RT．PCR方法从RAW264．7细胞基因组中克隆LC3基因,亚克隆至pQE80L原核表达载体后转化E．cobDH5a进行诱导表达,SDS—PAGE电泳及Westemblot鉴定表达蛋白。蛋白纯化后免疫BALB／c小鼠。采用淋巴细胞杂交瘤技术,制备分泌抗LC3．I杂交瘤细胞株,体内诱生腹水制备mAb,间接ELISA法测定其效价,辛酸一硫酸铵沉淀法及亲和层析法纯化mAb。结果：成功克隆了LC3一I基因,并对其在E．coilDH5a进行诱导表达,SDS-PAGE分析表明在相对分子量Mr为20×10^3有特异条带,Westernblot验证表达产物具有一定的生物学活性。建立了3株稳定分泌特异性抗LC3-ImAb的杂交瘤细胞株,诱导产生的腹水获得的抗体效价在10^5-10^7之间,结论：在E．coli中对LC3-I进行表达,并制备特异性较强抗LC3-I蛋白的单克隆抗体。为自噬研究提供了良好的标记分子,可对自噬形成和发展进行有效的检测。     

A Meta-Analysis of the Association between the hOGG1 Ser326Cys Polymorphism and the Risk of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background

Genetic polymorphism of human 8-oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (hOGG1) Ser326Cys (rs1052133) has been implicated in the risk of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC). However, the published findings are inconsistent. We therefore performed a meta-analysis to derive a more precise estimation of the association between the hOGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism and ESCC risk.

Methodology/Principal Findings

A comprehensive search was conducted to identify eligible studies of hOGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism and the risk of the ESCC. Three English and two Chinese databases were used, and ten published case-control studies, including 1987 cases and 2926 controls were identified. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of the association in the dominant and recessive model. Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) and standard error (SE) were used to assess the number of Cys allele and ESCC risk in the additive model. Overall, significant associations between the hOGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism and ESCC risk were found in the recessive model: OR = 1.37 (95% CI: 1.06–1.76, p = 0.02). We also observed significant associations in the Caucasian, Chinese language, population based control and tissue subgroups. In the additive model, positive correlation was found between the number of Cys allele and the risk of ESCC in overall studies (PCC = 0.109, SE = 0.046, p = 0.02), Caucasian subgroup and population subgroup. Funnel plot and Egger''s test indicate there was no publication bias in this meta-analysis.

Conclusion

Under the published data, the hOGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism is associated with ESCC risk in the recessive and additive model. Compared with the Ser/Ser and Ser/Cys genotype, Cys/Cys genotype might contribute to increased risk of ESCC. And the risk of ESCC is positively correlated with the number of Cys allele. A better case-control matched study should be designed in order to provide a more precise estimation.     

利用合成生物学技术深入挖掘放线菌中活性次级代谢产物

放线菌是一类能够产生丰富生物小分子药物的微生物, 对人类的健康事业做出了杰出的贡献。但近几十年来, 来源于微生物并最终上市的药物越来越少, 而病原菌的抗药性问题却越发严重, 人们对新药的期待越来越迫切。本文介绍了近十年里发展迅速的合成生物学对微生物次级代谢产物研发的促进作用。合成生物学以工程化的思想对生命系统进行设计与改造, 使传统方法难以获取的放线菌次级代谢产物通过外源宿主得以产生, 充分利用了自然界的资源; 此外, 对次级代谢基因簇的合理设计和对生物元件的应用不仅使人们获得了自然界中原本不存在的新化合物, 还能使某些具有广泛应用价值药物的产量得以显著提高; 最后, 本文还介绍了合成生物学领域近些年DNA组装的新技术和新方法, 为从事次级代谢产物研发的工作者提供便利。