Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms Responsible for Cellular Stress and Low-grade Inflammation Induced by a Super-low Dose of Endotoxin

Super-low-dose endotoxemia in experimental animals and humans is linked to low-grade chronic inflammatory diseases. However, the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we examined the effects of a super-low dose of LPS on low-grade inflammation in macrophages as well as underlying mechanisms. We observed that a super-low dose of LPS induces mitochondrial fission and cell necroptosis in primary murine macrophages, dependent upon interleukin 1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK-1). Mechanistically, our study reveals that a super-low dose of LPS causes protein ubiquitination and degradation of mitofusin 1 (Mfn1), a molecule required for maintaining proper mitochondrial fusion. A super-low dose of LPS also leads to dephosphorylation and activation of Drp1, a molecule responsible for mitochondrial fission and cell necroptosis. Furthermore, we demonstrated that a super-low dose of LPS activates receptor interacting protein 3 kinase (RIP3), a key molecule critical for the assembly of the necrosome complex, the initiation of Drp1 dephosphorylation, and necroptosis. The effects of a super-low dose of LPS are abolished in macrophages harvested from IRAK-1-deficient mice. Taken together, our study identified a novel molecular pathway that leads to cellular stress and necroptosis in macrophages challenged with a super-low dose of endotoxin. This may reconcile low-grade inflammation often associated with low-grade endotoxemia.     

A Cellular Automata Model of Proton Hopping Down a Channel

Proton hopping is the process where a H‐atom on a hydronium ion forms a H‐bond with the O‐atom of a neighboring H₂O molecule. There is then an exchange of bonding forces when that covalent bond of the H‐atom in the hydronium ion changes to a H‐bond, and the previous H‐bond changes to a covalent bond with the neighboring O‐atom. The neighboring molecule now becomes a hydronium (H₃O⁺) ion. This process repeats itself very rapidly among neighboring hydronium and H₂O molecules. There is a flow of protonic character through bulk H₂O, referred to as proton hopping. This process carries information through living systems where H₂O is present. A cellular automata model of proton hopping down a channel has been created and studied. Variations in the rate of proton entry into the channel and the effects of the polar character of the channel walls was studied using the model. The behavior of the models corresponds to experimental results.     

Bifunctional Lipocalin Ameliorates Murine Immune Complex-induced Acute Lung Injury

Molecules that simultaneously inhibit independent or co-dependent proinflammatory pathways may have advantages over conventional monotherapeutics. OmCI is a bifunctional protein derived from blood-feeding ticks that specifically prevents complement (C)-mediated C5 activation and also sequesters leukotriene B4 (LTB₄) within an internal binding pocket. Here, we examined the effect of LTB₄ binding on OmCI structure and function and investigated the relative importance of C-mediated C5 activation and LTB₄ in a mouse model of immune complex-induced acute lung injury (IC-ALI). We describe two crystal structures of bacterially expressed OmCI: one binding a C16 fatty acid and the other binding LTB₄ (C20). We show that the C5 and LTB₄ binding activities of the molecule are independent of each other and that OmCI is a potent inhibitor of experimental IC-ALI, equally dependent on both C5 inhibition and LTB₄ binding for full activity. The data highlight the importance of LTB₄ in IC-ALI and activation of C5 by the complement pathway C5 convertase rather than by non-C proteases. The findings suggest that dual inhibition of C5 and LTB₄ may be useful for treatment of human immune complex-dependent diseases.     

基于元胞自动机的生物性病原物类疾病传播模型

生物性病原物类疾病是单一植物群落中常见的一种传染病,它主要依靠风、雨和昆虫等外力传播病菌,传播过程中具有一定的潜伏性,元胞自动机是一种在时间和空间上离散,以每个个体状态的同步更新为前提来讨论系统整体性质的模型,本文利用其特点,将整个森林中的树木分为健康、潜伏期、发病期三类,以树木的营养状况和被感染时间长度为辅助变量,在考虑到树木得病后被治愈的情况后,建立了基于元胞自动机的树林生物性病原物类疾病传播模型．模拟结果表明,在不同的初始条件下,得病树所占的比例由疾病传播和被治愈的相对强度确定．疾病每次传播时,从爆发到被控制的过程具有相似的特点：随着恢复强度从小到大,初始阶段,被感染的树木迅速增加,接着进入传播速度相对缓慢的稳定过程,最终如果恢复机制足够强,则树林中的不健康树木会全部消失．     

模拟青霉素分批补料发酵过程的细胞自动机模型

根据青霉素产生菌的生长机理和青霉素分批补料发酵过程的动力学特性,在Paull等建立的形态学结构动力学模型的基础上,建立了模拟青霉素分批补料发酵过程的细胞自动机模型。模型采用三维细胞自动机作为菌体生长空间,采用Moore型邻域作为细胞邻域,其演化规则根据青霉素分批补料发酵过程中菌体生长机理和简化动力学结构模型设计。模型中的每一个细胞既可代表单个产黄青霉菌体细胞,又可代表特定数量的这种菌体细胞,它具有不同的状态。对模型进行的仿真实验结果表明：模型不但能一致地复现形态学结构动力学模型所描述的青霉素分批补料发酵过程的演化特性,而且较形态学结构动力学模型更加直观地刻画了青霉素分批补料发酵过程的演化行为。最后,对所建模型在实际生产过程中的应用问题进行了分析,指出了需要进一步研究的问题。     

应用细胞自动机对一年生植物种群扩散进行理论研究

应用细胞自动机方法构造了用于研究一年生植物扩散的理论模型并应用该模型模拟了一年生植物（杂草）种群在同质环境中的扩散。一年生杂草种子的扩散距离和分布是其种群扩散的主要方式,故本文将其种子扩散分布作为构建邻域细胞函数的基础。根据Howard(1991)^[1]提供的某一年生杂草种子的扩散数据,本文导出了一个25邻的邻域细胞函数和相关的转移函数。建立了一个受控的细胞自动机模型。通过模拟,发现在同质环境中聚集在一起的一年生植物杂草越多就需要越大的控制力才能限制它们扩散;生长于农田边缘的杂草更容易被控制。这些模拟结果表明该模型能较好地表现生态学中的两个众所周知的现象;生物的聚集效应和边缘效应。希望自动机方法和在本文获得的知识将有助于我们制订植物种群的最优管理策略。     

CBR2激活与小胶质细胞的活化和损伤的关系

目的：探讨大麻素CBR2受体激动剂AM1241预处理对脂多糖（LPS）和γ-干扰素（IFN-γ）所致炎症反应对小胶质细胞活化和损伤的影响。方法：联用LPS和IFN-γ作为小胶质细胞损伤模型,将细胞分为Control组、AM1241组、LPS/IFN-γ组和AM1241＋LPS/IFN-γ组;AM1241组和AM1241＋LPS/IFN-γ组经AM1241预处理2h,LPS/IFN-γ组和AM1241＋LPS/IFN-γ组用含LPS和IFN-γ的培养基培养24h。采用MTT法检测细胞代谢率,硝酸还原酶法检测细胞培养液中一氧化氮（NO）释放量,酶联免疫吸附剂测定细胞培养基中炎症因子释放量,倒置相差显微镜观察细胞形态。结果：与LPS/IFN-γ组相比,AM1241＋LPS/IFN-γ组细胞代谢率明显升高（P〈0.05）,NO、TNF-α、IL-1β和IL-10释放量明显减少（P〈0.05）,活化和损伤程度明显减轻。结论：大麻素CBR2受体激动剂AM1241预处理可减轻LPS和IFN-γ对小胶质细胞的活化和损伤。     

CBR2激活与小胶质细胞的活化和损伤的关系

目的:探讨大麻素CBR2受体激动剂AM1241预处理对脂多糖(LPS)和γ-干扰素(IFN-γ)所致炎症反应对小胶质细胞活化和损伤的影响。方法:联用LPS和IFN-γ作为小胶质细胞损伤模型,将细胞分为Control组、AM1241组、LPS/IFN-γ组和AM1241+LPS/IFN-γ组;AM1241组和AM1241+LPS/IFN-γ组经AM1241预处理2h,LPS/IFN-γ组和AM1241+LPS/IFN-γ组用含LPS和IFN-γ的培养基培养24h。采用MTT法检测细胞代谢率,硝酸还原酶法检测细胞培养液中一氧化氮(NO)释放量,酶联免疫吸附剂测定细胞培养基中炎症因子释放量,倒置相差显微镜观察细胞形态。结果:与LPS/IFN-γ组相比,AM1241+LPS/IFN-γ组细胞代谢率明显升高(P<0.05),NO、TNF-α、IL-1β和IL-10释放量明显减少(P<0.05),活化和损伤程度明显减轻。结论:大麻素CBR2受体激动剂AM1241预处理可减轻LPS和IFN-γ对小胶质细胞的活化和损伤。     

Role of Sulfur Dioxide in Acute Lung Injury Following Limb Ischemia/Reperfusion in Rats

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is naturally synthesized by glutamate‐oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) from l ‐cysteine in mammalian cells. We aim to investigate the role of SO₂ in inflammation in acute lung injury (ALI) following limb ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Male Wistar rats were subjected to limb I/R and were injected with saline, GOT inhibitor hydroxamate (HDX, 0.47 mmol/kg), or the SO₂ donor Na₂SO₃/NaHSO₃ (0.54 mmol/kg/0.18 mmol/kg). Compared with the sham operation, the plasma SO₂ levels were significantly decreased by limb I/R treatment. In addition, SO₂ concentration and GOT activity in the lung tissue were also reduced in ALI. The occurrence of ALI following limb I/R can be prevented by Na₂SO₃/NaHSO₃ treatment, whereas it can be significantly aggravated by HDX. The plasma IL‐1β, IL‐6, and IL‐10 levels were consistent with myeloperoxidase activity and inflammation in lung tissue. In conclusion, our data suggest that downregulation of endogenous SO₂ production might be involved in pathogenesis of ALI following limb I/R in rats. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J BiochemMol Toxicol 27:389‐397, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com . DOI 10.1002/jbt.21492     

NLRP3 Protein Deficiency Exacerbates Hyperoxia-induced Lethality through Stat3 Protein Signaling Independent of Interleukin-1β

Supplemental oxygen inhalation is frequently used to treat severe respiratory failure; however, prolonged exposure to hyperoxia causes hyperoxic acute lung injury (HALI), which induces acute respiratory distress syndrome and leads to high mortality rates. Recent investigations suggest the possible role of NLRP3 inflammasomes, which regulate IL-1β production and lead to inflammatory responses, in the pathophysiology of HALI; however, their role is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the role of NLRP3 inflammasomes in mice with HALI. Under hyperoxic conditions, NLRP3^−/− mice died at a higher rate compared with wild-type and IL-1β^−/− mice, and there was no difference in IL-1β production in their lungs. Under hyperoxic conditions, the lungs of NLRP3^−/− mice exhibited reduced inflammatory responses, such as inflammatory cell infiltration and cytokine expression, as well as increased and decreased expression of MMP-9 and Bcl-2, respectively. NLRP3^−/− mice exhibited diminished expression and activation of Stat3, which regulates MMP-9 and Bcl-2, in addition to increased numbers of apoptotic alveolar epithelial cells. In vitro experiments revealed that alveolar macrophages and neutrophils promoted Stat3 activation in alveolar epithelial cells. Furthermore, NLRP3 deficiency impaired the migration of neutrophils and chemokine expression by macrophages. These findings demonstrate that NLRP3 regulates Stat3 signaling in alveolar epithelial cells by affecting macrophage and neutrophil function independent of IL-1β production and contributes to the pathophysiology of HALI.     

急性缺血心肌炎症与再灌注

近20年来,随着经皮冠状动脉介入(percutaneous coronary intervention,PCI)治疗的发展,相关的研究日益增多,许多研究显示炎症反应在行PCI治疗的患者的预后中发挥着很大的作用。PCI术后患者心肌再灌注的疗效日益引起人们的关注,尤其是再灌注无复流的危害和重要性,如何控制炎症因子(如hs-CRP,IL-6,TNF-α等)的水平,以有益于行PCI术的患者,需要更多一些前瞻性研究去观察。     

Immunodetection of occult eosinophils in lung tissue biopsies may help predict survival in acute lung injury

Background

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a serious respiratory disorder for which therapy is primarily supportive once infection is excluded. Surgical lung biopsy may rule out other diagnoses, but has not been generally useful for therapy decisions or prognosis in this setting. Importantly, tissue and peripheral blood eosinophilia, the hallmarks of steroid-responsive acute eosinophilic pneumonia, are not commonly linked with ALI. We hypothesized that occult eosinophilic pneumonia may explain better outcomes for some patients with ALI.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry using a novel monoclonal antibody recognizing eosinophil peroxidase (EPX-mAb) was used to assess intrapulmonary eosinophil accumulation/degranulation. Lung biopsies from ALI patients (n = 20) were identified following review of a pathology database; 45% of which (i.e., 9/20) displayed classical diffuse alveolar damage (ALI-DAD). Controls were obtained from uninvolved tissue in patients undergoing lobectomy for lung cancer (n = 10). Serial biopsy sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and subjected to EPX-mAb immunohistochemistry.

Results

EPX-mAb immunohistochemistry provided a >40-fold increased sensitivity to detect eosinophils in the lung relative to H&E stained sections. This increased sensitivity led to the identification of higher numbers of eosinophils in ALI patients compared with controls; differences using H&E staining alone were not significant. Clinical assessments showed that lung infiltrating eosinophil numbers were higher in ALI patients that survived hospitalization compared with non-survivors. A similar conclusion was reached quantifying eosinophil degranulation in each biopsy.

Conclusion

The enhanced sensitivity of EPX-mAb immunohistochemistry uniquely identified eosinophil accumulation/degranulation in patients with ALI relative to controls. More importantly, this method was a prognostic indicator of patient survival. These observations suggest that EPX-mAb immunohistochemistry may represent a diagnostic biomarker identifying a subset of ALI patients with improved clinical outcomes.     

Resveratrol Protects against Cigarette Smoke–Induced Oxidative Damage and Pulmonary Inflammation

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of resveratrol on cigarette smoke (CS)–induced lung injury. Experimental mice were administrated with 1 mg/kg or 3 mg/ kg resveratrol orally, 1 h prior to CS exposure (five cigarettes a day for 3 consecutive days). Airway inflammation and gene expression changes were assessed. CS exposure increased the number of pulmonary inflammatory cells, coupled with elevated production of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin‐6 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids. Resveratrol treatment decreased CS‐induced lung inflammation. Resveratrol restored the activities of superoxide dismutase, GSH peroxidase, and catalase in CS‐treated mice. CS significantly enhanced the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) and NF‐κB DNA binding activity, which was impaired by resveratrol pretreatment. In addition, resveratrol promoted CS‐induced heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) expression and activation. Our results collectively indicate that resveratrol attenuates CS‐induced lung oxidative injury, which involves decreased NF‐κB activity and the elevated HO‐1 expression and activity.     

支原体肺炎患儿细胞免疫功能及肺功能状态变化的临床研究

目的:研究支原体肺炎患儿细胞免疫及肺功能状态的变化情况。方法:选取2014年10月~2015年10月于本院进行诊治的68例支原体肺炎患儿为观察组,以同期68名体检健康儿童为对照组。观察并比较两组儿童的细胞免疫及肺功能,以及不同程度肺炎患儿的细胞免疫及肺功能指标。结果:观察组患儿细胞免疫指标及肺功能指标均低于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);观察组重度肺炎患儿的细胞免疫指标及肺功能指标均低于中度及轻度患儿,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);观察组中度肺炎患儿的细胞免疫指标及肺功能指标均低于轻度患儿,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:支原体肺炎患儿细胞免疫及肺功能呈异常状态,且不同严重程度肺炎患儿的差异明显。     

Computational Modeling of Proteins based on Cellular Automata: A Method of HP Folding Approximation

The design of a protein folding approximation algorithm is not straightforward even when a simplified model is used. The folding problem is a combinatorial problem, where approximation and heuristic algorithms are usually used to find near optimal folds of proteins primary structures. Approximation algorithms provide guarantees on the distance to the optimal solution. The folding approximation approach proposed here depends on two-dimensional cellular automata to fold proteins presented in a well-studied simplified model called the hydrophobic–hydrophilic model. Cellular automata are discrete computational models that rely on local rules to produce some overall global behavior. One-third and one-fourth approximation algorithms choose a subset of the hydrophobic amino acids to form H–H contacts. Those algorithms start with finding a point to fold the protein sequence into two sides where one side ignores H’s at even positions and the other side ignores H’s at odd positions. In addition, blocks or groups of amino acids fold the same way according to a predefined normal form. We intend to improve approximation algorithms by considering all hydrophobic amino acids and folding based on the local neighborhood instead of using normal forms. The CA does not assume a fixed folding point. The proposed approach guarantees one half approximation minus the H–H endpoints. This lower bound guaranteed applies to short sequences only. This is proved as the core and the folds of the protein will have two identical sides for all short sequences.