Plasmodium chabaudi AS: Distinct CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cell responses during infection in DBA/2 and BALB/c mice

Malaria infections display variation patterns of clinical course and outcome. Although CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ regulatory T (Treg) cells play an essential role in immune homeostasis, the immune regulatory roles involved in malaria infection remains to be elucidated. Herein, we compared the disparity in Treg cells response during the course of blood stage Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi AS (P. c chabaudi AS) infection in DBA/2 and BALB/c mice. BALB/c mice initiated a Th1/Th2 profile respond to P. c chabaudi AS infection, but DBA/2 mice failed to control P. c chabaudi AS infection and almost of them died post-peak parasitemia. At the peak parasitemia, we found that higher proportion of Treg cells with elevated Foxp3 expression in DBA/2 than in BALB/c mice. We used anti-CD25 mAb to deplete Treg cells and found that the survival time and rate were prolonged in DBA/2 mice treated with anti-CD25 mAb. Treatment with anti-CD25 mAb in vivo led to enhanced pro-inflammation responses and Foxp3 expression decline on Treg cells. In contrast, after DBA/2 was treatment with anti-IL-10R mAb, IL-10R blockade in vivo caused excessive pro-inflammation responses and Foxp3 expression loss on CD4⁺CD25⁺ T cells. Earlier death was found in all of DBA/2 mice with anti-IL-10R mAb. It suggested that IL-2 and IL-10 signal involved in maintaining Foxp3 expression on Treg cells. In all, the moderate suppressive activity of Treg cells may facilitate resistance to P. c chabaudi AS infection.     

Superoxide radicals scavenging and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of magnesium lithospermate B from Salvia miltiorrhiza

In this study we investigated the superoxide radicals scavenging effect and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity by magnesium lithospermate B, which was originally isolated from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza (also named Danshen or Dansham), an important herb in Oriental medicine. Superoxide radicals were generated both in β-NADH/PMS system and xanthine/ xanthine oxidase system. Magnesium lithospermate B significantly inhibited the reduction of NBT induced by superoxide radicals with an IC₅₀ of 29.8 μg/mL and 4.06 μg/mL respectively in the two systems. Further study suggested that magnesium lithospermate B can directly inhibit xanthine oxidase and exhibits competitive inhibition. Magnesium lithospermate B was also found to have the hypouricemic activity in vivo against potassium oxonate-induced hyperuricaemia in mice. After oral administration of magnesium lithospermate B at doses of 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg, there was a significant decrease in the serum urate level when compared to the hyperuricemia control. In addition, magnesium lithospermate B significantly protected HL-60 cells from superoxide radicals-induced apoptosis in the xanthine/ xanthine oxidase reactions. This study provided evidence that magnesium lithospermate B exhibits direct superoxide radicals scavenging and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity.     

Identification of interleukin-13 related biomarkers using peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Asthma is a chronic disorder characterized by airway inflammation, reversible bronchial obstruction, hyper-responsiveness and remodelling. Data from human in vitro studies and experimental in vivo models of asthma has implicated interleukin (IL)-13 in the asthma phenotype suggesting that a therapeutic agent against it could be effective in treating asthma. The role of biomarkers is becoming increasingly important in the clinical development of therapeutics. Here we describe the use of the GeneChip^® DNA microarray technology platform to explore and identify potential response to therapy biomarkers that are associated with the biology of IL-13. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from eight healthy donors were cultured in the presence of IL-13, IL-4, an anti-IL-13 monoclonal antibody (mAb) or an isotype control mAb, and RNA from the treated cells was subjected to microarray analysis. The results revealed a number of genes, such as CCL17 (TARC), CCL22 (MDC), CCL23 (MPIF-1), CCL26 (eotaxin 3) and WNT5A (human wingless-type MMTV integration site family member 5A), that showed increased expression in the IL-13 and IL-4 treatment groups. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) subsequently confirmed these results. A follow-up study in PBMCs from five additional healthy donors showed that the neutralization of IL-13 completely blocked IL-13-induced TARC, MDC and eotaxin 3 production at the protein level. These data suggest that TARC, MDC, eotaxin 3, CCL23 and WNT5A if validated could serve as potential biomarkers for anti-IL-13 therapeutics.     

Temperature-related effects of treatments with jasmonic and salicylic acids on Arabidopsis infected with cucumber mosaic virus

Plant-virus interactions are affected by environmental factors, including temperature. Plant defenses are often inhibited by high or low temperature. In this study, oxidative damage and gene expression were detected in Arabidopsis thaliana infected with cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) at different temperatures. Before virus inoculation, plants were treated with jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA), both of which are important signaling molecules in plant defense responses. The levels of MDA and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and electrolyte leakage were significantly higher in CMV-infected leaves at 15 and 37°C. The accumulation of H₂O₂ and superoxide radical (O ₂ ^·? ) was obviously suppressed by spraying with JA followed by SA (JA → SA) at different temperatures. The CMV-CP expression analysis showed that virus replication was inhibited efficiently in the (JA → SA) treatment. Therefore, many JA- and SA-responsible resistance genes were quantified; MPK4 was expressed highly and steadily in the (JA → SA) treatment. To further confirm the role of MPK4, the CMV-CP gene expression was evaluated in wild-type Arabidopsis and its mpk4 mutant infected with CMV. The results suggested that MPK4 might play an important role in the antagonism between JA and SA at temperature fluctuation.     

Polymodal Nociception in Drosophila Requires Alternative Splicing of TrpA1

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茶园害虫匮乏期天敌与蚊虫的空间关系

为了充分发挥中性昆虫蚊虫作为天敌的食饵替代物作用,科学地保护和利用自然天敌,2015年和2016年开展了合肥地区白毫早茶园和乌牛早茶园害虫匮乏时期(3—5月)的天敌与蚊虫之间的空间关系研究,运用地学统计学方法求得天敌和蚊虫各自的变程,用灰色关联度方法分析蚊虫与天敌变程的关联度,关联度值越大的天敌在空间上对蚊虫的跟随关系越密切。并分析茶树品种间及年度间天敌位次的变化。8种天敌中,白毫早茶园2015年与蚊虫空间跟随关系密切的前四位天敌是粽管巢蛛、八斑球腹蛛、三突花蟹蛛和茶色新圆蛛;2016年的是粽管巢蛛、茶色新圆蛛、锥腹肖蛸和三突花蟹蛛;两年间前四位天敌有3种相同,但位次不全相同。乌牛早茶园2015年与蚊虫空间跟随关系密切的前四位天敌是八斑球腹蛛、茶色新圆蛛、锥腹肖蛸和三突花蟹蛛;2016年的是三突花蟹蛛、粽管巢蛛、草间小黑蛛和茶色新圆蛛;两年间前四位天敌中有茶色新圆蛛和三突花蟹蛛2种相同。年度间天敌位次相异率为87.5%,茶树品种间天敌位次相异率为93.75%。按照天敌位次总和及按照天敌与蚊虫空间关系密切指数总和评判,两种茶园2015年和2016年3—5月份与蚊虫空间关系密切的前四位天敌均依次是粽管巢蛛、三突花蟹蛛、茶色新圆蛛和八斑球腹蛛。本文的结果为人为地促进优势种天敌建群,合理保护和利用自然天敌提供科学依据。     

乌牛早茶园蜡蝉类与其8种天敌空间关系的聚块样方方差分析

为了分析在不同聚块大小条件下,天敌对蜡蝉类Fulgoroidea空间上跟随关系的密切程度、聚集原因和聚集范围,为评价蜡蝉类的天敌优势种和确定样方大小提供科学依据,运用聚块样方方差分析法、灰色关联度法、空间聚集强度指数法、种群聚集均数法和ρ指数法对安徽省合肥市乌牛早茶园不同大小聚块条件下的蜡蝉类及其8种天敌进行分析。蜡蝉类与其8种天敌均方差峰值时聚块样方数的关联度分析结果表明:与蜡蝉类空间上跟随关系密切的前三位天敌依次是茶色新圆蛛Neoscona theisi(0.8010)、草间小黑蛛Erigonidium graminicolum(0.7617)和三突花蟹蛛Misumenops tricuspidatus(0.7613)。在聚块内基本样方数K为1、2、4、8时,随着聚块内基本样方数的增多,聚集分布格局时的扩散系数C不断增大,均匀和随机格局时扩散系数不断减小。聚块内基本样方数K为1、2、4、8时其相互之间的蜡蝉类及其天敌的空间分布聚集程度差异均不显著。蜡蝉类及其天敌的种群聚集均数λ多数情况均大于2,其聚集是该虫本身原因引起的,并且λ的绝对值随着聚块内基本样方数的增加而不断增大。用蜡蝉类不同大小聚块的ρ指数判断个体群聚集时的最小范围是聚块中有4个基本样方,即本文的16 m~2。为该虫抽样时确定样方大小提供了科学依据。聚块样方方差分析法是分析害虫与天敌空间关系的一种简便而又实用的方法。     

Pb‐Reduced CsPb0.9Zn0.1I2Br Thin Films for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells

Fabrication of efficient Pb reduced inorganic CsPbI₂Br perovskite solar cells (PSC) are an important part of environment‐friendly perovskite technology. In this work, 10% Pb reduction in CsPb_0.9Zn_0.1I₂Br promotes the efficiency of PSCs to 13.6% (AM1.5, 1sun), much higher than the 11.8% of the pure CsPbI₂Br solar cell. Zn²⁺ has stronger interaction with the anions to manipulate crystal growth, resulting in size‐enlarged crystallite with enhanced growth orientation. Moreover, the grain boundaries (GBs) are passivated by the Cs‐Zn‐I/Br compound. The high quality CsPb_0.9Zn_0.1I₂Br greatly diminishes the GB trap states and facilitates the charge transport. Furthermore, the Zn4s‐I5p states slightly reduce the energy bandgap, accounting for the wider solar spectrum absorption. Both the crystalline morphology and energy state change benefit the device performance. This work highlights a nontoxic and stable Pb reduction method to achieve efficient inorganic PSCs.