取食不同食料的美国白蛾幼虫肠道细菌多样性及差异性研究

为了解取食不同食料的美国白蛾Hyphantria cunea Drury幼虫肠道细菌多样性及差异性,本研究应用Illumina Hi Seq二代测序技术检测16S rDNA基因序列的方法分析以人工饲料、桑树Morus alba Linn和柳树Salix babylonica Linn为食的3种美国白蛾5龄幼虫肠道细菌类群结构、丰度差异和α多样性。共获得657 819对读数,聚成3 743个OTUs,注释到23个门,60个纲,90个目,143个科,196个属和58个种。科以上分类阶元,以两种植物为食的幼虫肠道的优势类群一致,但取食人工饲料的幼虫在各级分类水平与前者不同(门水平除外)。在属分类阶元,取食3种美国白蛾幼虫肠道菌群优势属各不相同,丰度最高分别为希瓦氏菌属Shewanella(12.81%)、葡萄球菌属Staphylococcus(7.86%)和芽孢杆菌属Bacillus(5.24%)。种水平上海藻希瓦氏菌Shewanella algae在3种食料的美国白蛾幼虫肠道中都有较高的丰度;松鼠葡萄球菌Staphylococcus sciuri在以桑树和柳树为食料的美国白蛾幼虫肠道中比例较高,但在以人工饲料的幼虫中比例很低。3种食料的幼虫共有的OUTs为228个,特有的OUTs分别为人工饲料145个、桑树160个和柳树138个。以上结论表明取食不同食料的美国白蛾幼虫的肠道细菌类群结构和丰度存在一定差异。α多样性指数表明美国白蛾幼虫肠道细菌群落具有较高的丰富度和多样性。为进一步探明其肠道细菌的功能以及对寄主的适应机制等方面的研究奠定基础。     

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Applications Normalized Prefrontal Dysfunctions and Cognitive-Related Metabolic Profiling in Aged Mice

Chronic high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that has recently received increasing interests as a therapeutic procedure for neurodegenerative diseases. To identify the metabolism mechanism underlying the improving effects of rTMS, we observed that high frequency (25Hz) rTMS for 14 days could reverse the decline of the performance of the passive avoidance task in aged mice. We further investigated the metabolite profiles in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in those mice and found that rTMS could also reverse the metabolic abnormalities of gamma-aminobutyric acid, N-acetyl aspartic, and cholesterol levels to the degree similar to the young mice. These data suggested that the rTMS could ameliorate the age-related cognitive impairment and improving the metabolic profiles in PFC, and potentially can be used to improve cognitive decline in the elderly.     

The N-Terminal Region of IFITM3 Modulates Its Antiviral Activity by Regulating IFITM3 Cellular Localization

Interferon-inducible transmembrane (IFITM) protein family members IFITM1, -2, and -3 restrict the infection of multiple enveloped viruses. Significant enrichment of a minor IFITM3 allele was recently reported for patients who were hospitalized for seasonal and 2009 H1N1 pandemic flu. This IFITM3 allele lacks the region corresponding to the first amino-terminal 21 amino acids and is unable to inhibit influenza A virus. In this study, we found that deleting this 21-amino-acid region relocates IFITM3 from the endosomal compartments to the cell periphery. This finding likely underlies the lost inhibition of influenza A virus that completes its entry exclusively within endosomes at low pH. Yet, wild-type IFITM3 and the mutant with the 21-amino-acid deletion inhibit HIV-1 replication equally well. Given the pH-independent nature of HIV-1 entry, our results suggest that IFITM3 can inhibit viruses that enter cells via different routes and that its N-terminal region is specifically required for controlling pH-dependent viruses.     

Modified Uterine Allotransplantation and Immunosuppression Procedure in the Sheep Model

Objective

To develop an orthotopic, allogeneic, uterine transplantation technique and an effective immunosuppressive protocol in the sheep model.

Methods

In this pilot study, 10 sexually mature ewes were subjected to laparotomy and total abdominal hysterectomy with oophorectomy to procure uterus allografts. The cold ischemic time was 60 min. End-to-end vascular anastomosis was performed using continuous, non-interlocking sutures. Complete tissue reperfusion was achieved in all animals within 30 s after the vascular re-anastomosis, without any evidence of arterial or venous thrombosis. The immunosuppressive protocol consisted of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and methylprednisolone tablets. Graft viability was assessed by transrectal ultrasonography and second-look laparotomy at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively.

Results

Viable uterine tissue and vascular patency were observed on transrectal ultrasonography and second-look laparotomy. Histological analysis of the graft tissue (performed in one ewe) revealed normal tissue architecture with a very subtle inflammatory reaction but no edema or stasis.

Conclusion

We have developed a modified procedure that allowed us to successfully perform orthotopic, allogeneic, uterine transplantation in sheep, whose uterine and vascular anatomy (apart from the bicornuate uterus) is similar to the human anatomy, making the ovine model excellent for human uterine transplant research.     

噬菌体抗体文库的构建及人源抗HIV-1 gp 160抗体的筛选

构建人源噬菌体抗体文库如下：ＨＩＶ感染者脾细胞中提取ｍＲＮＡ,经反转录再以人ＩｇＧ重链Ｆｄ两端及轻链“通用”引物分别扩增Ｆａｂ基因片段,依次插入到噬菌粒载体ｐＣｏｍｂ３中,电转化大肠杆菌ＸＬ１－Ｂｌｕｅ,经辅助噬菌体救助,重组噬菌体得以溶源裂解,Ｆａｂ表达于噬菌体包膜蛋白Ⅲ的Ｎ端．此噬菌体抗体库的容量为５×１０５．筛选抗ＨＩＶ－１同时又具有能被抗独特型抗体“ＩＦ７”所识别的独特型的阳性抗体：以重组包膜糖蛋白ｇｐ１６０及ｇｐ４１多肽对噬菌体抗体文库进行三次淘选,使抗ｇｐ１６０的特异性抗体得到１００倍的富集．然后通过直接ＥＬＩＳＡ和竞争性ＥＬＩＳＡ实验筛选出两株结合性较好的特异性抗ｇｐ１６０抗体－３Ｂ株与１Ｄ株．直接ＥＬＩＳＡ实验表明这两株克隆均能被“１Ｆ７”所识别,为抗独特型多肽的筛选奠定了基础．     

VEGF/VEGFR-Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of death by cancer worldwide. Despite developments in therapeutic approaches for the past few decades, the 5-year survival rate of patients with NSCLC remains low. NSCLC tumor is a complex, heterogeneous microenvironment, comprising blood vessels, cancer cells, immune cells, and stroma cells. Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) are a major mediator to induce tumor microvasculature and are associated with the progression, recurrence, and metastasis of NSCLC. Current treatment medicines targeting VEGF/VEGF receptor (VEGFR) pathway, including neutralizing antibodies to VEGF or VEGFR and receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, have shown good treatment efficacy in patients with NSCLC. VEGF is not only an important angiogenic factor but also an immunomodulator of tumor microenvironment (TME). VEGFs can suppress antigen presentation, stimulate activity of regulatory T (Treg) cells, and tumor-associated macrophages, which in turn promote an immune suppressive microenvironment in NSCLC. The present review focuses on the angiogenic and non-angiogenic functions of VEGF in NSCLC, especially the interaction between VEGF and the cellular components of the TME. Additionally, we discuss recent preclinical and clinical studies to explore VEGF/VEGFR-targeted compounds and immunotherapy as novel approaches targeting the TME for the treatment of NSCLC.     

Exosome derived from CD137‐modified endothelial cells regulates the Th17 responses in atherosclerosis

The role of exosomes derived from endothelial cells (ECs) in the progression of atherosclerosis (AS) and inflammation remains largely unexplored. We aimed to investigate whether exosome derived from CD137‐modified ECs (CD137‐Exo) played a major role in AS and to elucidate the potential mechanism underlying the inflammatory effect. Exosomes derived from mouse brain microvascular ECs treated with agonist anti‐CD137 antibody were used to explore the effect of CD137 signalling in AS and inflammation in vitro and vivo. CD137‐Exo efficiently induced the progression of AS in ApoE^?/? mice. CD137‐Exo increased the proportion of Th17 cells both in vitro and vivo. The IL‐6 contained in CD137‐Exo which is regulated by Akt and NF‐КB pathway was verified to activate Th17 cell differentiation. IL‐17 increased apoptosis, inhibited cell viability and improved lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in ECs subjected to inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The expression of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule1 (sICAM‐1), monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) and E‐selectin in the supernatants of ECs after IL‐17 treatment was dramatically increased. CD137‐Exo promoted the progression of AS and Th17 cell differentiation via NF‐КB pathway mediated IL‐6 expression. This finding provided a potential method to prevent local and peripheral inflammation in AS.