经脐单孔腹腔镜疝囊高位结扎术治疗腹股沟斜疝患儿的疗效及对血清炎性指标和免疫功能的影响

摘要 目的：观察经脐单孔腹腔镜疝囊高位结扎术治疗腹股沟斜疝患儿的疗效及对血清炎性指标和免疫功能的影响。方法：研究为回顾性研究,选取2018年1月~2020年12月期间在我院接受治疗的198例腹股沟斜疝患儿的临床资料,按照手术方式的差异分为传统组（97例）和微创组（101例）。传统组接受开放性腹股沟斜疝疝囊高位结扎术,微创组接受经脐单孔腹腔镜疝囊高位结扎术,观察两组手术相关指标、血清炎性指标和免疫功能变化情况,记录随访期间并发症发生率并作组间对比。结果：与传统组相比,微创组切口总长度更短,手术时间、住院时间缩短,术中出血量减少（P<0.05）。术后2 d组间对比,微创组免疫球蛋白M（IgM）、免疫球蛋白A（Ig A）、免疫球蛋白G（IgG）水平均高于传统组（P<0.05）。术后2 d组间对比,微创组血清白介素-6（IL-6）、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、C反应蛋白（CRP）、白细胞计数均低于传统组（P<0.05）。与传统组相比,微创组随访期间并发症发生率更低（P<0.05）。结论：经脐单孔腹腔镜疝囊高位结扎术治疗腹股沟斜疝患儿,具有创伤小、手术时间短、并发症少、术后恢复快等优势,且该术式引起的炎症反应及免疫抑制程度均较传统治疗更轻,是治疗此类患儿的良好选择。     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Age dependent expression of melatonin membrane receptor (MT1, MT2) and its role in regulation of nitrosative stress in tropical rodent Funambulus pennanti

Age-dependent declining level of melatonin induces free radical load and thereby deteriorates immune function. However, reports are lacking about age-dependent melatonin membrane receptor (MT1 & MT2) expression, their role in regulation of reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and eventually how they affect immunity of a tropical rodent F. pennanti. We checked MT1R, MT2R and iNOS expression in lymphoid organs of young middle and old aged squirrels. Nitrite and nitrate ion concentration (NOx) in lymphoid organs, testes and plasma, lymphocyte proliferation and IL-2 level was recorded. Age-dependent decrease in MT1 and MT2 receptor expression, lymphocyte proliferation, IL-2 level and increased RNS in lymphoid organs, testes and plasma was observed with decreased circulatory melatonin. Androgen and AR expression was increased in middle-aged while declined in old-aged squirrels. Present study suggests that age associated immunosenescence is consequence of increased RNS which might have important relationship with melatonin membrane receptors in F. pennanti.     

Infection,inflammation and exercise in cystic fibrosis

Regular exercise is positively associated with health. It has also been suggested to exert anti-inflammatory effects. In healthy subjects, a single exercise session results in immune cell activation, which is characterized by production of immune modulatory peptides (e.g. IL-6, IL-8), a leukocytosis and enhanced immune cell functions. Upon cessation of exercise, immune activation is followed by a tolerizing phase, characterized by a reduced responsiveness of immune cells. Regular exercise of moderate intensity and duration has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects and is associated with a reduced disease incidence and viral infection susceptibility. Specific exercise programs may therefore be used to modify the course of chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF).Patients with CF suffer from severe and chronic pulmonary infections and inflammation, leading to obstructive and restrictive pulmonary disease, exercise intolerance and muscle cachexia. Inflammation is characterized by a hyper-inflammatory phenotype. Patients are encouraged to engage in exercise programs to maintain physical fitness, quality of life, pulmonary function and health.In this review, we present an overview of available literature describing the association between regular exercise, inflammation and infection susceptibility and discuss the implications of these observations for prevention and treatment of inflammation and infection susceptibility in patients with CF.