胃复春片联合兰索拉唑肠溶片对慢性萎缩性胃炎患者血清胃肠激素、炎症因子及免疫功能的影响

摘要 目的：胃复春片联合兰索拉唑肠溶片对慢性萎缩性胃炎（CAG）患者血清胃肠激素、炎症因子及免疫功能的影响。方法：选取62例CAG患者,根据门诊挂号奇偶性分为对照组（n=31,兰索拉唑肠溶片治疗）和研究组（n=31,胃复春片联合兰索拉唑肠溶片治疗）。比较两组患者疗效、胃肠激素[胃泌素(GAS)、胃动素(MTL)]、炎症因子[超敏C反应蛋白（hs-CRP）、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、白介素-6（IL-6）]、免疫功能及不良反应。结果：研究组治疗2个月后的总有效率为87.10%（27/31）,高于对照组的64.52%（20/31）,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。治疗2个月后,研究组hs-CRP、TNF-α、IL-6、GAS、CD8P低于对照组,MTL、CD4P、CD4⁺/CD8⁺高于对照组（P<0.05）。两组不良反应发生率对比未见明显差异（P>0.05）。结论：胃复春片联合兰索拉唑肠溶片治疗CAG疗效确切,可有效改善机体胃肠激素、炎症因子水平及免疫功能,且安全可靠,具有一定应用价值。     

Knowledge and attitudes regarding genetic testing among Jordanians: An approach towards genomic medicine

BackgroundThe twenty first century can be called the genomic era referring to the rapid development of genetics, and the beginning of genomic medicine. An initial step towards genomic medicine is to evaluate the knowledge and attitude towards genetic testing among different populations. The aims of this study were to assess the genetic knowledge and attitude towards genetic testing among the Jordanian population and patients with immune diseases. In addition, we evaluated the association between knowledge, attitude and several demographic factors of the population.MethodsThis study was performed using an online questionnaire that was distributed to respondents from different regions of Jordan.ResultsA total of 1149 participants were recruited from the Jordanian population. Overall factual genetic knowledge of the participants was good (65.4%), with education level, working or studying in a health-related field and household average monthly income being significant predictors of factual knowledge scores (P = 0.03, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). However, factual knowledge results revealed that scores of questions related to diseases were significantly higher than scores of gene-related scientific facts (P < 0.01). Participants of our study reported to have low perceived knowledge on medical uses (39.5%) and social consequences (23.9%) of genetic testing. Regarding the participants’ attitudes, favorable attitudes towards genetic testing were prevailing (91.5%). Favorable attitudes were more prominent among higher educated participants, and participants with higher scores of factual knowledge.ConclusionDespite the fact that our Jordanian-based study revealed a good level of genetic knowledge as well as a favorable attitude towards genetic testing, we realized an imbalance of knowledge between gene-related scientific facts and disease-related concepts as well as between factual and perceived genetic knowledge, which indicates the necessity of increasing the awareness about genetic testing in order to ensure that individuals can take informed decisions that help in the employment of personalized medicine.     

肠内营养联合微生态制剂对重症胰腺炎患者的疗效

目的观察肠内营养联合微生态制剂对重症胰腺炎患者细菌移位、免疫功能、炎症反应的影响。方法选择我院2017年1月至2019年7月收治的200例重症胰腺炎患者为研究对象,根据治疗方法不同分为A组、B组、C组。A组患者采用肠外营养治疗,B组患者采用肠内营养治疗,C组患者采用肠内营养联合微生态制剂治疗。比较3组患者的治疗效果,治疗后细菌移位情况、细胞免疫功能及炎症因子水平。结果 C组患者总有效率高于A组和B组(χ~2=5.423、9.629,P=0.020、0.002),A组和B组总有效率差异无统计学意义(χ~2=0.790,P=0.374)。治疗后,C组患者血清内毒素、D-乳酸水平低于A组和B组,同时B组低于A组(均P0.05)。治疗后,C组患者CD3~+细胞、CD4~+细胞、CD4~+/CD8~+水平高于A组和B组,同时B组高于A组(均P0.05)。C组患者CD8~+细胞水平低于A组和B组,同时B组低于A组(均P0.05)。治疗后,C组患者血清IL-6、IL-8、TNF-α水平低于A组和B组,同时B组低于A组(均P0.05)。结论肠内营养联合微生态制剂可改善重症胰腺炎患者细菌移位情况和免疫功能,减轻患者炎症因子水平。     

Influence of Wolbachia infection on antimicrobial peptide gene expressions in a cell line of the silkworm,Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae)

Wolbachia, a symbiotic bacterium found in a broad range of insects, manipulates host reproduction. In addition to reproductive alterations, Wolbachia may also modify the immune system of host insects to protect them from additional pathogenic infection. We hypothesized that Wolbachia exerts protective effects by activating antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes. To test this hypothesis, we established immunocompetent cell lines derived from the silkworm, Bombyx mori, which were transinfected with two Wolbachia strains, wKue and wCauB, originating from lepidopteran insects and quantified the expression of four AMP genes, cecropin B, defensin B, attacin, and lebocin 3. The expression was measured in wKue-infected, wCauB-infected, and uninfected cells, before and after treatment with peptidoglycan (PGN) that mimicked a bacterial infection. A two-way ANOVA for each gene showed that both Wolbachia infection and PGN treatment significantly increased the gene expression and their interaction. When treated with PGN, wKue- and wCauB-infected cells showed higher expression of the four AMP genes than those in uninfected cells, suggesting that Wolbachia infection increased the ability of host cells to produce AMPs in response to immune stimulation with PGN. These observations suggest that the two Wolbachia strains have immune priming effects and may protect the host insects from a secondary infection.     

Chemotherapy regimens induce inhibitory immune checkpoint protein expression on stem-like and senescent-like oesophageal adenocarcinoma cells

Use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) with chemotherapy to enhance responses in oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) is an attractive approach. We identified subpopulations of OAC cells expressing inhibitory immune checkpoint (IC) ligands (PD-L1, PD-L2 and CD160) and receptors (PD-1, TIGIT, TIM-3, LAG-3 and A2aR) in vitro and in ex vivo biopsies. Combination chemotherapy regimens FLOT and CROSS promote a more immune-resistant phenotype through upregulation of IC ligands and receptors on OAC cells in vitro. Importantly, this study investigated if OAC cells, enriched for ICs exhibited a more stem-like and senescent-like phentoype. FLOT preferentially upregulates PD-L1 on a stem-like OAC cell phenotype, defined by ALDH activity. Expression of senescence-associated β-galactosidase is induced in a subpopulation of OAC cells following FLOT and CROSS chemotherapy treatment, along with enhanced expression of TIM-3 and A2aR ICs. Blockade of PD-1 signalling in OAC cells induced apoptosis and enhanced FLOT and CROSS chemotherapy toxicity in vitro. Upregulation of ICs on OAC cells following chemotherapy may represent potential mechanisms of chemo-immune resistance. Combination ICIs may be required to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy and immunotherapy in OAC patients.     

Honest signals and sexual conflict: Female lizards carry undesirable indicators of quality

Sex differences in animal coloration often result from sex‐dependent regulatory mechanisms. Still, some species exhibit incomplete sexual dimorphism as females carry a rudimentary version of a costly male trait, leading to intralocus sexual conflict. The underlying physiology and condition dependence of these traits can inform why such conflicts remain unresolved. In eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus), blue iridophore badges are found in males and females, but melanin pigmentation underneath and surrounding badges is male‐exclusive. We track color saturation and area of badges across sexual maturity, and their relationship to individual quality (body condition and immunocompetence) and relevant hormones (testosterone and corticosterone). Saturation and testosterone were positively correlated in both sexes, but hormone and trait had little overlap between males and females. Saturation was correlated with body condition and immunocompetence in males but not in females. Co‐regulation by androgens may have released females from resource allocation costs of color saturation, even when in high condition. Badge area was independent of testosterone, but associated with low corticosterone in females, indicating that a nonsex hormone underlies incomplete sexual dimorphism. Given the evidence in this species for female reproductive costs associated with ornamentation, this sex‐nonspecific regulation of an honest signal may underlie intralocus sexual conflict.     

Characterization and function of an E2-17 kDa (UBE2D) in an invertebrate Haliotis diversicolor supertexta

Ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (UBE2s or E2s) are characterized by the presence of a highly conserved ubiquitin-conjugating (UBC) domain, which predominantly determines the type of ubiquitin chains and directly controls the cellular fate of the substrate. In this study, an E2 homolog was identified and functionally characterized in abalone, which we named ab-UBE2D. The full-length cDNA consists of 1005 bp with an ORF encoding a protein of 147 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence shows ab-UBE2D shares conserved UBC domain with other E2 proteins and belongs to class I E2 enzyme family, which are further confirmed by phylogenetic tree analysis. Real-time PCR and western blot analyses showed that ab-UBE2D was ubiquitously expressed in abalone and the expression level of ab-UBE2d was significantly induced by LPS and Poly (I:C). Immunofluorescence microscopy staining demonstrated that native ab-UBE2D was mainly distributed in the cytoplast. Ubiquitination assay showed that ab-UBE2D had ubiquitin conjugating activity to form the enzyme-(Ub)n conjugates. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that ab-UBE2D is an E2 homolog and it may be involved in the immune response of abalone, Haliotis diversicolor supertexta.     

Corticosterone regulates multiple colour traits in Lacerta [Zootoca] vivipara males

Ornamental colours usually evolve as honest signals of quality, which is supported by the fact that they frequently depend on individual condition. It has generally been suggested that some, but not all types of ornamental colours are condition dependent, indicating that different evolutionary mechanisms underlie the evolution of multiple types of ornamental colours even when these are exhibited by the same species. Stress hormones, which negatively affect condition, have been shown to affect colour traits based on different pigments and structures, suggesting that they mediate condition dependence of multiple ornament types both among and within individuals. However, studies investigating effects of stress hormones on different ornament types within individuals are lacking, and thus, evidence for this hypothesis is scant. Here, we investigated whether corticosterone mediates condition dependence of multiple ornaments by manipulating corticosterone levels and body condition (via food availability) using a two‐factorial design and by assessing their effect on multiple colour traits in male common lizards. Corticosterone negatively affected ventral melanin‐ and carotenoid‐based coloration, whereas food availability did not affect coloration, despite its significant effect on body condition. The corticosterone effect on melanin‐ and carotenoid‐based coloration demonstrates the condition dependence of both ornaments. Moreover, corticosterone affected ventral coloration and had no effect on the nonsexually selected dorsal coloration, showing specific effects of corticosterone on ornamental ventral colours. This suggests that corticosterone simultaneously mediates condition dependence of multiple colour traits and that it therefore accounts for covariation among them, which may influence their evolution via correlational selection.