Seroprevalence of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in pregnant women in China: an observational study

Background

We investigated the seropositive rates and persistence of antibody against pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus (pH1N1) in pregnant women and voluntary blood donors after the second wave of the pandemic in Nanjing, China.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Serum samples of unvaccinated pregnant women (n = 720) and voluntary blood donors (n = 320) were collected after the second wave of 2009 pandemic in Nanjing. All samples were tested against pH1N1 strain (A/California/7/2009) with hemagglutination inhibition assay. A significant decline in seropositive rates, from above 50% to about 20%, was observed in pregnant women and voluntary blood donors fifteen weeks after the second wave of the pandemic. A quarter of the samples were tested against a seasonal H1N1 strain (A/Brisbane/59/2007). The antibody titers against pH1N1 strain were found to correlate positively with those against seasonal H1N1 strain. The correlation was modest but statistically significant.

Conclusions and Significance

The high seropositive rates in both pregnant women and voluntary blood donors suggested that the pH1N1 virus had widely spread in these two populations. Immunity derived from natural infection seemed not to be persistent well.     

Genomic characterization and high prevalence of bocaviruses in swine

Using random PCR amplification followed by plasmid subcloning and DNA sequencing, we detected bocavirus related sequences in 9 out of 17 porcine stool samples. Using primer walking, we sequenced the nearly complete genomes of two highly divergent bocaviruses we provisionally named porcine bocavirus 1 isolate H18 (PBoV1-H18) and porcine bocavirus 2 isolate A6 (PBoV2-A6) which differed by 51.8% in their NS1 protein. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that PBoV1-H18 was very closely related to a ～2 Kb central region of a porcine bocavirus-like virus (PBo-LikeV) from Sweden described in 2009. PBoV2-A6 was very closely related to the porcine bocavirus genomes PBoV-1 and PBoV2 from China described in 2010. Among 340 fecal samples collected from different age, asymptomatic swine in five Chinese provinces, the prevalence of PBoV1-H18 and PBoV2-A6 related viruses were 45-75% and 55-70% respectively, with 30-47% of pigs co-infected. PBoV1-A6 related strains were highly conserved, while PBoV2-H18 related strains were more diverse, grouping into two genotypes corresponding to the previously described PBoV1 and PBoV2. Together with the recently described partial bocavirus genomes labeled V6 and V7, a total of three major porcine bocavirus clades have therefore been described to date. Further studies will be required to elucidate the possible pathogenic impact of these diverse bocaviruses either alone or in combination with other porcine viruses.     

Ad-Ang1-IRES-VEGF165腺病毒载体的构建及其促血管形成作用

目的:构建人血管生成素1(Ang1)和血管内皮生长因子VEGF165 (VEGF165)的共表达腺病毒载体Ad-Ang1-IRES-VEGF165(简称Ad-AV),为研究Ad-AV转基因细胞表达产物血管诱生活性提供实验依据。方法:采用IRES介导的Ang1和VEGF165双基因腺病毒共表达模式,通过常规的基因克隆和重组技术,构建Ad-AV双基因共表达腺病毒载体,经感染人胚肾QBI-293A细胞(293A)进行扩增和效价测定后,再感染WI-38人胚肺成纤维细胞,均用ELISA法检测VEGF、Ang1目的基因的表达,并采用鸡胚尿囊膜血管形成实验(CAM)法分析其对血管形成的影响。结果: 扩增的Ad-AV腺病毒效价可达4×10¹⁰pfu/ml;Ad-AV不仅能在293A细胞中成功表达目的基因Ang1、VEGF,而且在WI-38成纤维细胞也能成功表达,其表达产物具有显著的促进CAM上血管生成的活性。结论:成功构建并获得了Ad-Ang1-IRES-VEGF165重组病毒子, 目的基因均能在人胚肾和人胚肺成纤维细胞中表达,其表达产物具有诱导血管形成的功能。     

Docking-based virtual screening of potential human P2Y12 receptor antagonists

Platelet plays essential roles in hemostasis and its dysregulation can lead to arterial thrombosis. P2Y12 is an important platelet membrane adenosine diphosphate receptor, and its antagonists have been widely developed as anti-coagulation agents. The current P2Y12 inhibitors available in clinical practice have not fully achieved satisfactory anti-thrombotic effects, leaving room for further improvement. To identify new chemical compounds as potential anti-coagulation inhibitors, we constructed a three-dimensional structure model of human P2Y12 by homology modeling based on the recently reported G-protein coupled receptor Meleagris gallopavo β1 adrenergic receptor. Virtual screening of the modeled P2Y12 against three subsets of small molecules from the ZINC database, namely lead-like, fragment-like, and drug-like, identified a number of compounds that might have high binding affinity to P2Y12. Detailed analyses of the top three compounds from each subset with the highest scores indicated that all of these compounds beard a hydrophobic bulk supplemented with a few polar atoms which bound at the ligand binding site via largely hydrophobic interactions with the receptor. This study not only provides a structure model of P2Y12 for rational design of anti-platelet inhibitors, but also identifies some potential chemicals for further development.     

人IL-3基因原核表达载体的构建及表达

目的:构建人IL-3基因原核表达载体pET32a-IL-3,并在大肠杆菌中诱导表达。方法:通过佛波酯(TPA)和植物球血凝素(PHA)刺激人T淋巴细胞系Jurkat细胞,增加IL-3mRNA表达水平,提取mRNA,逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)获得cDNA,以Jurkat细胞cDNA为模板,通过PCR方法扩增得到人IL-3基因,将其克隆入原核表达载体pET32a(+)中,将重组质粒转化入大肠杆菌宿主菌株BL21中,以异丙基硫代半乳糖苷(IPTG)诱导融合蛋白表达,并通过改变IPTG浓度,诱导时间,诱导温度等条件最终实现蛋白的可溶性表达。表达产物用SDS-PAGE检测表达情况。结果:酶切鉴定和测序结果证明成功构建了原核表达载体pET32a-IL-3。SDS-PAGE检测结果证明实现了人IL-3基因在大肠杆菌中的可溶性表达。结论:成功构建了人IL-3基因的原核表达载体并在大肠杆菌中获得了良好的表达。     

姜黄素预防高原缺氧大鼠认知功能障碍的电生理机制

目的:探讨姜黄素(curcumin)预防高原缺氧大鼠认知功能障碍的电生理机制。方法:将30只成年雄性SD大鼠随机分为健康对照组、模型组(Model组)、姜黄素[按体重60mg/(kg.d)]治疗组(curcumin组)。造模后,检测脑片水平的海马的LTP变化,并运用膜片钳技术检测海马CA1区神经元的电生理变化。结果:(1)给予HFS刺激后各组均可诱发LTP并持续1h以上,与对照组比较模型组组HFS刺激后LTP明显被抑制(P<0.05),姜黄素可减轻缺氧所致的LTP抑制(P<0.05);(2)高原缺氧使海马CA1神经元阈电位升高,动作电位(AP)数量减少,兴奋性降低,姜黄素干预可明显减轻高原缺氧对细胞神经元的抑制。结论:姜黄素可显著改善高原缺氧大鼠认知功能障碍,其可能机制是通过维持海马CA1细胞的兴奋性减轻高原缺氧对认知功能的损伤。