Studies on toll-like receptor stimuli responsiveness in HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections

Background: HIV-1 and HIV-2 are two related viruses with distinct clinical outcomes, where HIV-1 is more pathogenic and transmissible than HIV-2. The pathogenesis of both infections is influenced by the dysregulation and deterioration of the adaptive immune system. However, their effects on the responsiveness of innate immunity are less well known. Here, we report on toll-like receptor (TLR) stimuli responsiveness in HIV-1 or HIV-2 infections. Methods: Whole blood from 235 individuals living in Guinea-Bissau who were uninfected, infected with HIV-1, infected with HIV-2, and/or infected with HTLV-I, was stimulated with TLR7/8 and TLR9 agonists, R-848 and unmethylated CpG DNA. After TLR7/8 and TLR9 stimuli, the expression levels of IL-12 and IFN-α were related to gender, age, infection status, CD4⁺ T cell counts, and plasma viral load. Results: Defective TLR9 responsiveness was observed in the advanced disease stage, along with CD4⁺ T cell loss in both HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections. Moreover, TLR7/8 responsiveness was reduced in HIV-1 infected individuals compared with uninfected controls. Conclusions: Innate immunity responsiveness can be monitored by whole blood stimulation. Both advanced HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections may cause innate immunity dysregulation.     

Anti-IFN autoantibodies are present in healthy Egyptian blood donors at low titer

Autoantibody against interferon is associated in many viral and non-viral diseases. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anti-IFN-alpha autoantibodies in healthy Egyptian blood donors. The study included 558 (100 females (17.92%) and 458 males (82.08%)) Egyptian healthy blood donors who showed normal levels of liver enzymes and kidney tests and were conformed negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies (Abs), HIV-1/2 Abs, anti-HBc and Treponema Abs. Autoantibody against IFN-alpha-1a and IFN-alpha-2b were screened using ELISA. Anti-IFN-alpha-1a positive cases were found to be 43 subject (7.76%; 6 females (1.08%); 37 males (6.68%)) and anti-IFN-alpha-2b positive cases were found to be 3 (0.54%; all males). Combined positivity against both IFN-alpha-1a and IFN-alpha-2b was 38 (6.86%; 7 females (1.26%) and 31 males (6.60%)). From these findings we can conclude that antibodies against IFN-alpha are present in considerable number at low titer in accepted blood donors.     

戊型肝炎治疗的进展

戊型肝炎(Hepatitis E,HE)是常见的急性病毒性肝炎之一,它由戊型肝炎病毒(Hepatitis E virus,HEV)感染引起。患者以中青年以及老年人居多,老年人、孕妇和肝脏疾病患者若感染HEV可能引发重症肝炎且病死率高。孕妇感染戊型肝炎病毒后,病死率可高达20%-30%[1,2]。戊型肝炎呈全球性分布,以散发多见,流行主要发生在亚洲、非洲和中美洲的发展中国家。1986-1988年新疆南部地区发生的戊型肝炎水型流行是迄今世界上最大一次流行,共计发病119 280例,死亡707例[3]。近些年来包括美国、日本、中国和印度等在内的一些发达及发展中国家或地区,戊型肝炎发病率有逐渐上升趋势,重型肝炎发病率和病死率逐年增加。控制该病已刻不容缓,但目前临床上还没有戊型肝炎标准化的治疗方案,本文针对戊型肝炎治疗方面进行介绍。     

A sandwich-type enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the analysis of recombinant human interferon α-2b

The ability of a previously developed sandwich-type enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for discriminating incorrectly folded recombinant human interferon -2b (IFN-2b) molecular species from multi disulphide-bonded species was investigated. This ELISA was applied to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of the renaturation of IFN-2b, a step that is currently used in the large-scale production of IFN-2b produced in recombinant Escherichia coli strains.