Characteristic gut microbiota and metabolic changes in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

Intestinal flora provides an important contribution to the development of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). We performed a cross-sectional study in 52 healthy controls (HCs) and 83 patients with untreated active PTB to assess the differences in their microbiomic and metabolic profiles in faeces via V3-V4 16S rRNA gene sequencing and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Patients with PTB had considerable reductions in phylogenetic alpha diversity and the production of short-chain fatty acids, dysbiosis of the intestinal flora and alterations in the faecal metabolomics composition compared with HCs. Significant alterations in faecal metabolites were associated with changes in the relative abundance of specific genera. Our study describes the imbalance of the gut microbiota and altered faecal metabolomics profiles in patients with PTB; the results indicate that the gut microbiota and faecal metabolomic profiles can be used as potential preventive and therapeutic targets for PTB.     

Receptome profiling identifies KREMEN1 and ASGR1 as alternative functional receptors of SARS-CoV-2

Host cellular receptors play key roles in the determination of virus tropism and pathogenesis.However,little is known about SARS-CoV-2 host receptors with the e...     

Intraspecific trait variation of woody species reduced in a savanna community,southwest China

Plants deploy various ecological strategies in response to environmental heterogeneity. In many forest ecosystems, plants have been reported to have notable inter- and intra-specific trait variation, as well as clear phylogenetic signals, indicating that these species possess a degree of phenotypic plasticity to cope with habitat variation in the community. Savanna communities, however, grow in an open canopy structure and exhibit little species diversification, likely as a result of strong environmental stress. In this study, we hypothesized that the phylogenetic signals of savanna species would be weak, the intraspecific trait variation (ITV) would be low, and the contribution of intraspecific variation to total trait variance would be reduced, owing to low species richness, multiple stresses and relatively homogenous community structure. To test these hypotheses, we sampled dominant woody species in a dry-hot savanna in southwestern China, focusing on leaf traits related to adaptability of plants to harsh conditions (year-round intense radiation, low soil fertility and seasonal droughts). We found weak phylogenetic signals in leaf traits and low ITV (at both individual and canopy-layer levels). Intraspecific variation (including leaf-, layer- and individual-scales) contributed little to the total trait variance, whereas interspecific variation and variation in leaf phenology explained substantial variance. Our study suggests that intraspecific trait variation is reduced in savanna community. Furthermore, our findings indicate that classifying species by leaf phenology may help better understand how species coexist under similar habitats with strong stresses.     

鸡腿蘑胞外多糖的形貌结构及分子量动态变化与抗氧化的相关性研究

对鸡腿蘑多糖的结构进行检测,并在此基础上探讨结构与活性的关系,对深度发掘鸡腿蘑多糖的功效具有重要意义.制备发酵时间为72 h、96 h和120 h的鸡腿蘑胞外粗多糖,采用PMP柱前衍生化-HPLC法分析其单糖组成,结果表明发酵72 h、96 h和120 h胞外多糖均由D-甘露糖、L-鼠李糖、D-葡萄糖、D-半乳糖、D-...     

SCM-198 Alleviates Endometriosis by Suppressing Estrogen-ERα mediated Differentiation and Function of CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T Cells

Background: Endometriosis (EMS), a typical endocrine immune disorder, associates with dramatically increased estrogen production and disorganized immune response in ectopic focus. Peritoneal regulatory T cells (Tregs) expansion in women with EMS and their pathogenic role attributable to endometriotic immunotolerance has been reported. Whether local high estrogen promotes EMS by discipling Tregs needs to be further explored. Up to date, there is no effective medicine for the treatment of EMS. SCM-198 is a synthetic leonurine with multiple physiological activities. Whether SCM-198 could regulate Tregs via estrogen and facilitate the radical cure of EMS has not yet been reported.Methods: Proportion of Tregs in peritoneal fluid of patients with EMS was firstly analyzed via flow cytometry. Peritoneal estrogen concentration and the mRNA levels of estrogen receptor α (ERα) and estrogen receptor β (ERβ) of Tregs were detected by ELISA and RT-PCR, respectively. Grouped in vitro induction assays were performed to explore the effects of SCM-198 and estrogen signaling on Tregs. Cell invasion and viability assays were utilized to detect the crosstalk between Tregs and ectopic endometrial stromal cells (eESCs), with or without SCM-198 treatment. Furthermore, EMS mice models were established to verify the therapeutic effects of SCM-198.Results: Increased Tregs were found in peritoneal fluid of EMS patients, accompanied with estrogen-ERα overactivation. Estrogen-ERα triggered the expansion of Tregs and their cytokine production (IL-10 and TGF-β1), which could be reversed by SCM-198 treatment. Moreover, SCM-198 abated the invasion and viability of eESCs enhanced by Tregs. In vivo experiments confirmed that SCM-198 obviously retarded the growth of ectopic lesions and downregulated the functions of Tregs via estrogen-ERα inactivation.Conclusions: These data suggest that SCM-198 attenuates Tregs expansion via the inhibition of estrogen-ERα signaling in EMS and offer a promising therapy for such a refractory disease.     

The Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum Extracellular Vesicles from Korean Women in Their 20s on Skin Aging

Extracellular vesicles, which are highly conserved in most cells, contain biologically active substances. The vesicles and substances interact with cells and impact physiological mechanisms. The skin is the most external organ and is in direct contact with the external environment. Photoaging and skin damage are caused by extrinsic factors. The formation of wrinkles is a major indicator of skin aging and is caused by a decrease in collagen and hyaluronic acid. MMP-1 expression is also increased. Due to accruing damage, skin aging reduces the ability of the skin barrier, thereby lowering the skin’s ability to contain water and increasing the amount of water loss. L. plantarum suppresses various harmful bacteria by secreting an antimicrobial substance. L. plantarum is also found in the skin, and research on the interactions between the bacteria and the skin is in progress. Although several studies have investigated L. plantarum, there are only a limited number of studies on extracellular vesicles (EV) derived from L. plantarum, especially in relation to skin aging. Herein, we isolated EVs that were secreted from L. plantarum of women in their 20s (LpEVs). We then investigated the effect of LpEVs on skin aging in CCD986sk. We showed that LpEVs modulated the mRNA expression of ECM related genes in vitro. Furthermore, LpEVs suppressed wrinkle formation and pigmentation in clinical trials. These results demonstrated that LpEVs have a great effect on skin aging by regulating ECM related genes. In addition, our study offers important evidence on the depigmentation effect of LpEVs.     

Stimulatory Effects of Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Leuconostoc holzapfelii That Exists in Human Scalp on Hair Growth in Human Follicle Dermal Papilla Cells

Human hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs) located in hair follicles (HFs) play a pivotal role in hair follicle morphogenesis, hair cycling, and hair growth. Over the past few decades, probiotic bacteria (PB) have been reported to have beneficial effects such as improved skin health, anti-obesity, and immuno-modulation for conditions including atopic dermatitis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). PB can secrete 50~150 nm sized extracellular vesicles (EVs) containing microbial DNA, miRNA, proteins, lipids, and cell wall components. These EVs can regulate communication between bacteria or between bacteria and their host. Although numerous biological effects of PB-EVs have been reported, the physiological roles of Leuconostoc holzapfelii (hs-Lh), which is isolated from human scalp tissue, and the extracellular vesicles derived from them (hs-LhEVs) are largely unknown. Herein, we investigated the effects of hs-LhEVs on hair growth in HFDPCs. We show that hs-LhEVs increase cell proliferation, migration, and regulate the cell cycle. Furthermore, hs-LhEVs were found to modulate the mRNA expression of hair-growth-related genes in vitro. These data demonstrate that hs-LhEVs can reduce apoptosis by modulating the cell cycle and promote hair growth by regulation via the Wnt/β-catenin signal transduction pathway.     

重楼中一株产纤维素酶内生真菌的分离及鉴定

从重楼根茎中分离、鉴定具有产纤维素酶活性的内生真菌。采用表面消毒法从重楼块茎中分离内生真菌;用纤维素酶活性CMC平板检测分离菌株的产纤维素酶活性;对高产菌株进行形态学观察和分子生物学测序鉴定;探究影响纤维素酶活力的因素;利用平板法检测该株菌产其他胞外水解酶的活性。从3个来源的重楼中分离出41株内生真菌,通过平板检测发现AS-5、AS-7、AS-9和AS-18菌株能产生纤维素酶,其中AS-9菌株活性最强;通过形态学观察和ITS、LSU序列分析将AS-9菌株鉴定为Setophoma terrestris;该菌在pH值为7.0和温度为28℃时表现出最大纤维素酶活性,紫外线照射对产纤维素酶活性无明显作用;检测发现AS-9菌株同时具有产酪蛋白酶、脂肪酶、天冬酰胺酶、谷氨酰胺酶和脲酶活性。首次在重楼中发现内生真菌Setophoma terrestris,且具有较好的产纤维素酶能力,值得深入研究。     

Hepatitis C Virus Nonstructural 5A Protein Interacts with Telomere Length Regulation Protein: Implications for Telomere Shortening in Patients Infected with HCV

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease and is highly dependent on cellular proteins for viral propagation. Using protein microarray analysis, we identified 90 cellular proteins as HCV nonstructural 5A (NS5A) interacting partners, and selected telomere length regulation protein (TEN1) for further study. TEN1 forms a heterotrimeric complex with CTC and STN1, which is essential for telomere protection and maintenance. Telomere length decreases in patients with active HCV, chronic liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the molecular mechanism of telomere length shortening in HCV-associated disease is largely unknown. In the present study, protein interactions between NS5A and TEN1 were confirmed by immunoprecipitation assays. Silencing of TEN1 reduced both viral RNA and protein expression levels of HCV, while ectopic expression of the siRNA-resistant TEN1 recovered the viral protein level, suggesting that TEN1 was specifically required for HCV propagation. Importantly, we found that TEN1 is re-localized from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in HCV-infected cells. These data suggest that HCV exploits TEN1 to promote viral propagation and that telomere protection is compromised in HCV-infected cells. Overall, our findings provide mechanistic insight into the telomere shortening in HCV-infected cells.