Association between Interleukin-4 Receptor α Chain (IL4RA) I50V and Q551R Polymorphisms and Asthma Risk: An Update Meta-Analysis

Background

The associations between the interleukin-4 receptor α chain (IL4RA) I50V and Q551R polymorphisms and asthma risk remained controversial.

Methods

We searched the Pubmed, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang databases for studies published before February 2013. The strengths of the associations were calculated using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

A total of 50 studies were included in this meta-analysis. There was a significant association between the IL4RA I50V polymorphism and asthma risk in a dominant genetic model (OR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.04–1.23, P = 0.005). The IL4RA Q551R polymorphism was associated with a significantly elevated asthma risk in a recessive genetic model (OR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.22–1.75, P<0.0001). Subgroup analyses found that the IL4RA I50V polymorphism was significantly associated with asthma risk in Asians (OR = 1.72, 95% CI 1.31–2.25, P<0.0001), pediatric asthma risk (OR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.13–1.99, P = 0.005), and atopic asthma risk (OR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.27–2.79, P = 0.002).

Conclusions

The results of this meta-analysis suggested that the IL4RA I50V and Q551R polymorphisms may be risk factors for developing asthma.     

Functionally Brain Network Connected to the Retrosplenial Cortex of Rats Revealed by 7T fMRI

Functional networks are regarded as important mechanisms for increasing our understanding of brain function in healthy and diseased states, and increased interest has been focused on extending the study of functional networks to animal models because such models provide a functional understanding of disease progression, therapy and repair. In rodents, the retrosplenial cortex (RSC) is an important cortical region because it has a large size and presents transitional patterns of lamination between the neocortex and archicortex. In addition, a number of invasive studies have highlighted the importance of the RSC for many functions. However, the network based on the RSC in rodents remains unclear. Based on the critical importance of the RSC, we defined the bilateral RSCs as two regions of interest and estimated the network based on the RSC. The results showed that the related regions include the parietal association cortex, hippocampus, thalamus nucleus, midbrain structures, and hypothalamic mammillary bodies. Our findings indicate two possible major networks: a sensory-cognitive network that has a hub in the RSCs and processes sensory information, spatial learning, and episodic memory; and a second network that is involved in the regulation of visceral functions and arousal. In addition, functional asymmetry between the bilateral RSCs was observed.     

中国四种龟的细胞遗传研究

本文研究了我国四种龟类动物的核型、Ｃ带和Ａｇ－ＮＯＲ＿ｓ。结果表明金头闭壳龟的核型２ｎ＝５２（１４Ｍ＋２ＳＭ＋４ＳＴ＋６Ｔ＋２６ｍ）,ＮＦ＝７２,核型模式为８＋５＋１３,一对次缢痕位于Ｉ组的Ｎｏ．１ｐｉｎｔｅｒ;三线闭壳龟核型２ｎ＝５２（１２Ｍ＋４ＳＭ＋４ＳＴ＋６Ｔ＋２６ｍ）,ＮＦ＝７２,８＋５＋３,黄缘盒龟的核型　２ｎ＝５２（１６Ｍ＋４ＳＴ＋６Ｔ＋２６ｍ）,ＮＦ＝７２,８＋５＋１３,一对次缢痕位于Ｉ组Ｎｏ．１ｐｉｎｔｅｒ;黄额盒龟２ｎ＝５２（１６Ｍ＋２ＳＭ＋４ＳＴ＋６Ｔ＋２４ｍ）,ＮＰ＝７４,９＋５＋１２,有４对次缢痕,分别位于Ｉ组的Ｎｏ．１ｐｉｎｔｅｒ,Ｎｏ．３ｐｐｅｒ,Ｎｏ．７ｐｐｅｒ和Ｎｏ．６（Ｘ染色体）ｑｐｅｒ。黄额盒龟有１对异型（ＸＹ型）性染色体,其余３个种没有。这四种龟的全部染色体都出现着丝粒区Ｃ带正染。它们都仅出现１对ＡｇＮＯＲｓ,其中黄额盒龟的Ａｇ－ＮＯＲｓ。位于ＩＩ组的Ｎｏ．５ｑｐｅｒ,其余３个种的Ａｇ－ＮＯＲ＿ｓ位于Ｉ组的Ｎｏ．７ｑｔｅｒ。本文还阐述了近缘种间核型的演化机制和黄额盒龟性染色体分化的途径。     

Nogo-A at CNS paranodes is a ligand of Caspr: possible regulation of K(+) channel localization

We report Nogo-A as an oligodendroglial component congregating and interacting with the Caspr-F3 complex at paranodes. However, its receptor Nogo-66 receptor (NgR) does not segregate to specific axonal domains. CHO cells cotransfected with Caspr and F3, but not with F3 alone, bound specifically to substrates coated with Nogo-66 peptide and GST-Nogo-66. Binding persisted even after phosphatidylinositol- specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) removal of GPI-linked F3 from the cell surface, suggesting a direct interaction between Nogo-66 and Caspr. Both Nogo-A and Caspr co-immunoprecipitated with Kv1.1 and Kv1.2, and the developmental expression pattern of both paralleled compared with Kv1.1, implicating a transient interaction between Nogo-A-Caspr and K(+) channels at early stages of myelination. In pathological models that display paranodal junctional defects (EAE rats, and Shiverer and CGT(-/-) mice), distances between the paired labeling of K(+) channels were shortened significantly and their localization shifted toward paranodes, while paranodal Nogo-A congregation was markedly reduced. Our results demonstrate that Nogo-A interacts in trans with axonal Caspr at CNS paranodes, an interaction that may have a role in modulating axon-glial junction architecture and possibly K(+)-channel localization during development.     

Comparison on Virulence and Immunogenicity of Two Recombinant Vaccinia Vaccines,Tian Tan and Guang9 Strains,Expressing the HIV-1 Envelope Gene

Background

The vaccinia virus Guang9 strain (VG9), derived from the vaccinia virus Tian Tan strain (VTT) has been found to be less virulent than VTT.

Methodology/Principal Findings

To investigate whether VG9 could be a potential replicating virus vector, the TK genes in VG9 and VTT were replaced with the HIV-1 envelope gene via homologous recombination, resulting in the recombinant viruses, VG9-E and VTT-E. The biology, virulence, humoral and cellular immunological responses of VG9-E and VTT-E were evaluated. Our results indicated no obvious difference in range of host cells and diffusion between two recombinant viruses. Neurovirulence for VG9-E in weanling and suckling mice, and skin virulence in rabbits, were lower than that of VTT-E. The humoral immune responses, including binding antibody and neutralizing antibody responses, induced by VG9-E were not significantly different from those for VTT-E whilst IFN-γ response which represented cellular immune response induced by VG9-E was significantly higher than that did by VTT-E.

Conclusions/Significance

Our results indicated that VG9-E was less virulent, yet induced higher cellular immune response than VTT-E. Therefore, it could be an ideal replicating vaccinia vector for HIV vaccine research and development.     

Spreading speed for a West Nile virus model with free boundary

Journal of Mathematical Biology - The purpose of this paper is to determine the precise asymptotic spreading speed of the virus for a West Nile virus model with free boundary, introduced recently...     

A novel self‐assembling peptide with UV‐responsive properties

A novel heptapeptide comprising Ile‐Gln‐Ser‐Pro‐His‐Phe‐Phe (IQSPHFF) identified and found to undergo self‐assembly into microparticles in solution. To understand the effects of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on the self‐assembly process, IQSPHFF solutions were exposed to the UV light of 365 nm at room temperature. This exposure was found to have a profound effect on the morphology of the self‐assembled aggregates, converting the microparticles to nanorod shapes. Circular dichroism and FTIR studies indicated distinct structural differences in the arrangements of the peptide moieties before and after UV irradiation. However, Mass spectrum analysis and high performance liquid chromatography of the peptide molecules before and after UV irradiation demonstrated that the chemical structure of IQSPHFF was not changed. UV–visible spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy studies showed that the absorption peak both increased after UV irradiation. Overall, our data show that the heptapeptide with UV‐responsive properties. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 101: 272–278, 2014.     

Complex I–complex II ratio strongly differs in various organs of Arabidopsis thaliana

In most studies, amounts of protein complexes of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system in different organs or tissues are quantified on the basis of isolated mitochondrial fractions. However, yield of mitochondrial isolations might differ with respect to tissue type due to varying efficiencies of cell disruption during organelle isolation procedures or due to tissue-specific properties of organelles. Here we report an immunological investigation on the ratio of the OXPHOS complexes in different tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana which is based on total protein fractions isolated from five Arabidopsis organs (leaves, stems, flowers, roots and seeds) and from callus. Antibodies were generated against one surface exposed subunit of each of the five OXPHOS complexes and used for systematic immunoblotting experiments. Amounts of all complexes are highest in flowers (likewise with respect to organ fresh weight or total protein content of the flower fraction). Relative amounts of protein complexes in all other fractions were determined with respect to their amounts in flowers. Our investigation reveals high relative amounts of complex I in green organs (leaves and stems) but much lower amounts in non-green organs (roots, callus tissue). In contrast, complex II only is represented by low relative amounts in green organs but by significantly higher amounts in non-green organs, especially in seeds. In fact, the complex I-complex II ratio differs by factor 37 between callus and leaf, indicating drastic differences in electron entry into the respiratory chain in these two fractions. Variation in amounts concerning complexes III, IV and V was less pronounced in different Arabidopsis tissues (quantification of complex V in leaves was not meaningful due to a cross-reaction of the antibody with the chloroplast form of this enzyme). Analyses were complemented by in gel activity measurements for the protein complexes of the OXPHOS system and comparative 2D blue native/SDS PAGE analyses using isolated mitochondria. We suggest that complex I has an especially important role in the context of photosynthesis which might be due to its indirect involvement in photorespiration and its numerous enzymatic side activities in plants.     

独龙牛遗传多样性及其种群遗传结构的等位酶分析

采用水平片淀粉凝胶电泳技术,进行３０头独牛牛４１种蛋白质共计４４个遗传座位的等位酶分析,只在Ｔｒ,Ｈｐ,Ａｍｙ,Ｅｓｔ等４个座位发现多态性。每个座位等基因的平均数、多态座位百分比和平均杂合度值分别为Ａ＝１．０９０９、Ｐ＝０．０６８２和Ｈ＝０．０２６２。贡山县和福贡县独龙牛群体从酶基因的角度上看遗传多样性贫乏,可能是分别由小种群引种而来,受到瓶颈效应的作用,并伴随着创立者事件的发生。我们结合独龙牛在