Pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells from bleomycin-induced rats promote the transformation and collagen synthesis of fibroblasts

Accumulation and activation of myofibroblasts are the hallmark of progressive pulmonary fibrosis, and the resident fibroblasts are the major source of myofibroblasts. However, the key factors involved in the transformation of fibroblasts are unknown. Pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs), major effector cells against pathogenesis in early stages of the disease, can secrete cytokines to induce the differentiation of mesenchymal cells. We speculated that PMVECs could secrete pro-fibrotic cytokines and promote the transformation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. Accordingly, we established a co-culture system with PMVECs and fibroblasts to examine the specific transformation and collagen synthesis of the co-cultured fibroblasts by FACS and Western blot, prior to and after treatment with neutralizing antibodies against transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). We also analyzed expression of TGF-β1 and CTGF in PMVECs. The synthesis and secretion of TGF-β1 and CTGF protein were up-regulated in PMVECs isolated from bleomycin (BLM)-treated rats, most prominently at 7 days post-instillation. We showed that the PMVECs isolated from BLM-induced rats could induce the transformation of normal fibroblasts and their secretion of collagen I, which was inhibited by both neutralizing anti-TGF-β1 and anti-CTGF antibodies. Therefore, up-regulation of TGF-β1 and CTGF in PMVECs plays an important role in activation, transformation, and collagen synthesis of fibroblasts; in particular, these effects in PMVECs are likely to be the key factors for activation and stimulation of static fibroblasts in lung interstitium in early stages of pulmonary fibrosis disease.     

Lactoferrin Deficiency Promotes Colitis-Associated Colorectal Dysplasia in Mice

Nonresolving inflammatory processes affect all stages of carcinogenesis. Lactoferrin, a member of the transferrin family, is involved in the innate immune response and anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-tumor activities. We previously found that lactoferrin is significantly down-regulated in specimens of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and negatively associated with tumor progression, metastasis, and prognosis of patients with NPC. Additionally, lactoferrin expression levels are decreased in colorectal cancer as compared with normal tissue. Lactoferrin levels are also increased in the various phases of inflammation and dysplasia in an azoxymethane–dextran sulfate sodium (AOM-DSS) model of colitis-associated colon cancer (CAC). We thus hypothesized that the anti-inflammatory function of lactoferrin may contribute to its anti-tumor activity. Here we generated a new Lactoferrin knockout mouse model in which the mice are fertile, develop normally, and display no gross morphological abnormalities. We then challenged these mice with chemically induced intestinal inflammation to investigate the role of lactoferrin in inflammation and cancer development. Lactoferrin knockout mice demonstrated a great susceptibility to inflammation-induced colorectal dysplasia, and this characteristic may be related to inhibition of NF-κB and AKT/mTOR signaling as well as regulation of cell apoptosis and proliferation. Our results suggest that the protective roles of lactoferrin in colorectal mucosal immunity and inflammation-related malignant transformation, along with a deficiency in certain components of the innate immune system, may lead to serious consequences under conditions of inflammatory insult.     

The Evolutions of Medical Building Network Structure for Emerging Infectious Disease Protection and Control

Emerging infectious disease is one of the most minatory threats in modern society. A perfect medical building network system need to be established to protect and control emerging infectious disease. Although in China a preliminary medical building network is already set up with disease control center, the infectious disease hospital, infectious diseases department in general hospital and basic medical institutions, there are still many defects in this system, such as simple structural model, weak interoperability among subsystems, and poor capability of the medical building to adapt to outbreaks of infectious disease. Based on the characteristics of infectious diseases, the whole process of its prevention and control and the comprehensive influence factors, three-dimensional medical architecture network system is proposed as an inevitable trend. In this conception of medical architecture network structure, the evolutions are mentioned, such as from simple network system to multilayer space network system, from static network to dynamic network, and from mechanical network to sustainable network. Ultimately, a more adaptable and corresponsive medical building network system will be established and argued in this paper.     

Salmonella engages CDC42 effector protein 1 for intracellular invasion

Human enterocytes are primary targets of infection by invasive bacterium Salmonella Typhimurium, and studies using nonintestinal epithelial cells established that S. Typhimurium activates Rho family GTPases, primarily CDC42, to modulate the actin cytoskeletal network for invasion. The host intracellular protein network that engages CDC42 and influences the pathogen's invasive capacity are relatively unclear. Here, proteomic analyses of canonical and variant CDC42 interactomes identified a poorly characterized CDC42 interacting protein, CDC42EP1, whose intracellular localization is rapidly redistributed and aggregated around the invading bacteria. CDC42EP1 associates with SEPTIN-7 and Villin, and its relocalization and bacterial engagement depend on host CDC42 and S. Typhimurium's capability of activating CDC42. Unlike CDC42, CDC42EP1 is not required for S. Typhimurium's initial cellular entry but is found to associate with Salmonella-containing vacuoles after long-term infections, indicating a contribution to the pathogen's intracellular growth and replication. These results uncover a new host regulator of enteric Salmonella infections, which may be targeted to restrict bacterial load at the primary site of infection to prevent systemic spread.     

银杏叶中聚戊烯醇含量及其季节性变化

银杏 (ＧｉｎｋｇｏｂｉｌｏｂａＬ .)叶中聚戊烯醇 (ｐｏｌｙｐｒｅｎｏｌｓ)含量较高[1] ,聚戊烯醇在人体中是多萜醇的中间体[2 ] ,对细胞膜糖蛋白生物合成具有重要作用[3 ] ,用于多发性硬化症 (痛风 ,红斑狼疮等 )等免疫功能疾病、糖尿病、慢性肝炎及肿瘤病人化疗的辅助治疗     

二叠纪新小纺锤()模式种Neofusulinella lantenoisi Deprat,1913在云南保山的发现

Ｎｅｏｆｕｓｕｌｉｎｅｌｌａ Ｄｅｐｒａｔ,１９１２是一个有效属,但其模式标本遗失,最早发表的共模切面不正,加之手绘图影不清楚,长期未能准确地把握其属征。除原作者（Ｄｅｐｒａｔ,１９１３）首次记述的模式种（Ｎ．ｌａｎｔｅｎｏｉｓｉ Ｄｅｐｒａｔ－Ｔｈｏｍｐｓｏｎ,１９３４,ｐ．２９２事后指定）以及Ｔｈｏｍｐｓｏｎ和Ｆｏｓｔｅｒ（１９３７）和Ｐｉｔａｋｐａｉｖａｎ（１９６５）所记述的同种外,其余的有     

A distinctive latitudinal trend of nitrogen isotope signature across urban forests in eastern China

Rapid urbanization has greatly altered nitrogen (N) cycling from regional to global scales. Compared to natural forests, urban forests receive much more external N inputs with distinctive abundances of stable N isotope (δ¹⁵N). However, the large-scale pattern of soil δ¹⁵N and its imprint on plant δ¹⁵N remain less well understood in urban forests. By collecting topsoil (0–20 cm) and leaf samples from urban forest patches in nine large cities across a north–south transect in eastern China, we analyzed the latitudinal trends of topsoil C:N ratio and δ¹⁵N as well as the correlations between tree leaf δ¹⁵N and topsoil δ¹⁵N. We further explored the spatial variation of topsoil δ¹⁵N explained by corresponding climatic, edaphic, vegetation-associated, and anthropogenic drivers. Our results showed a significant increase of topsoil C:N ratio towards higher latitudes, suggesting lower N availability at higher latitudes. Topsoil δ¹⁵N also increased significantly at higher latitudes, being opposite to the latitudinal trend of soil N availability. The latitudinal trend of topsoil δ¹⁵N was mainly explained by mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, and atmospheric deposition of both ammonium and nitrate. Consequently, tree leaf δ¹⁵N showed significant positive correlations with topsoil δ¹⁵N across all sampled plant species and functional types. Our findings reveal a distinctive latitudinal trend of δ¹⁵N in urban forests and highlight an important role of anthropogenic N sources in shaping the large-scale pattern of urban forest ¹⁵N signature.