Increased mTORC2 pathway activation in lymph nodes of iMCD‐TAFRO

Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD) is a rare and life‐threatening haematologic disorder involving polyclonal lymphoproliferation and organ dysfunction due to excessive cytokine production, including interleukin‐6 (IL‐6). Clinical trial and real‐world data demonstrate that IL‐6 inhibition is effective in 34–50% of patients. mTOR, which functions through mTORC1 and mTORC2, is a recently discovered therapeutic target. The mTOR inhibitor sirolimus, which preferentially inhibits mTORC1, has led to sustained remission in a small cohort of anti‐IL‐6‐refractory iMCD patients with thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever, renal dysfunction and organomegaly (iMCD‐TAFRO). However, sirolimus has not shown uniform effect, potentially due to its limited mTORC2 inhibition. To investigate mTORC2 activation in iMCD, we quantified the mTORC2 effector protein pNDRG1 by immunohistochemistry of lymph node tissue from six iMCD‐TAFRO and eight iMCD patients who do not meet TAFRO criteria (iMCD‐not‐otherwise‐specified; iMCD‐NOS). mTORC2 activation was increased in all regions of iMCD‐TAFRO lymph nodes and the interfollicular space of iMCD‐NOS compared with control tissue. Immunohistochemistry also revealed increased pNDRG1 expression in iMCD‐TAFRO germinal centres compared with autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS), an mTOR‐driven, sirolimus‐responsive lymphoproliferative disorder, and comparable staining between iMCD‐NOS and ALPS. These results suggest increased mTORC2 activity in iMCD and that dual mTORC1/mTORC2 inhibitors may be a rational therapeutic approach.     

Battling for Ribosomes: Translational Control at the Forefront of the Antiviral Response

In the early stages of infection, gaining control of the cellular protein synthesis machinery including its ribosomes is the ultimate combat objective for a virus. To successfully replicate, viruses unequivocally need to usurp and redeploy this machinery for translation of their own mRNA. In response, the host triggers global shutdown of translation while paradoxically allowing swift synthesis of antiviral proteins as a strategy to limit collateral damage. This fundamental conflict at the level of translational control defines the outcome of infection. As part of this special issue on molecular mechanisms of early virus–host cell interactions, we review the current state of knowledge regarding translational control during viral infection with specific emphasis on protein kinase RNA-activated and mammalian target of rapamycin-mediated mechanisms. We also describe recent technological advances that will allow unprecedented insight into how viruses and host cells battle for ribosomes.     

犬传染性肝炎病毒在体外细胞质内的发生

通过对犬传染性肝炎病毒（ＩＣＨＶ）在犬肾传代细胞内形态发生及其抗原定位的电镜和免疫胶体金电镜研究,发现ＩＣＨＶ除了在宿主细胞核内发生外,还有一条细胞质内的发生途径。在细胞质内病毒核壳体的装配是以均质致密包涵体和副晶格包涵体为“基地”,这与人们熟知的细胞核内形态发生方式相似。免疫胶体金标记显示,细胞质包涵体中含有大量的ＩＣＨＶ抗原成分,显核壳体在细胞质内装配病毒的结构蛋白来源。此外,在感染的细胞质内还观察到与核内相同的病毒核心样结构。     

汉坦病毒空气传播感染的实验室和野外采样研究

本项研究是通过动物实验和现场采样研究汉坦病毒气溶胶传播感染。用感染的黑线姬鼠排泄物自然形成的病毒气溶胶进行实验。黑红姬鼠感染后第5天放入离乳小鼠和乳小鼠,暴露10d,检测不到抗体,感染后第7天,放 乳小鼠和乳小鼠,暴露10d,可以检测出抗体;黑线姬鼠在暴露15d时,可以检测出抗体,可见黑线姬鼠感染后,第4天可能是它向体外排毒的一个时间标志,且形成的病毒气溶胶具有感染性。对现场采集的空气样品和收集的打谷者佩戴的口罩样品的研究发现,在稻田堆放的稻捆根部和鼠栖息的草窝的空气中每350L空气中和打谷场脱粒机附近每96L空气中,含有至少一个具有生物活性的汉坦病毒粒子,结合流行病学调查结果,可以判定,汉坦病毒经空气传播吸入感染可能是秋冬季节肾综合征出血热发病的主要传播途径。     

Predictive indicators for the therapeutic effect of OK-432 in patients with chronic active type B hepatitis

Twenty-two patients with chronic type B hepatitis were treated with OK-432. Immunological parameters were serially measured to find predictive indicators for the seroconversion from hepatitis B envelope antigen(HBe Ag) to anti-HBe. In patients who achieved the disappearance of HBe Ag associated with or without the appearance of anti-HBe, the numbers of CD8⁺DR⁺ and CD4⁺DR⁺T cells in peripheral blood increased gradually during OK-432 therapy and then reduced subsequently to the seroconversion from HBe Ag positive to anti-HBe positive. Increases of DR-positive T cells in numbers were significantly correlated with increased amounts of IFN- produced in response toin vitro OK-432 stimulation.In vitro OK-432-stimulated IFN- production and the increase of CD8⁺DR⁺T cells in number in peripheral blood could be proposed as predictive indicators for the disappearance of HBe Ag.     

A novel homozygous 10 nucleotide deletion in BBS10 causes Bardet–Biedl syndrome in a Pakistani family

Bardet–Biedl Syndrome is a multisystem autosomal recessive disorder characterized by central obesity, polydactyly, hypogonadism, learning difficulties, rod-cone dystrophy and renal dysplasia. Bardet–Biedl Syndrome has a prevalence rate ranging from 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 160,000 births although there are communities where Bardet–Biedl Syndrome is found at a higher frequency due to consanguinity. We report here a Pakistani consanguineous family with two affected sons with typical clinical features of Bardet–Biedl Syndrome, in addition to abnormal liver functioning and bilateral basal ganglia calcification, the latter feature being typical of Fahr's disease. Homozygous regions obtained from SNP array depicted three known genes BBS10, BBS14 and BBS2. Bidirectional sequencing of all coding exons by traditional sequencing of all these three genes showed a homozygous deletion of 10 nucleotides (c.1958_1967del), in BBS10 in both affected brothers. The segregation analysis revealed that the parents, paternal grandfather, maternal grandmother and an unaffected sister were heterozygous for the deletion. Such a large deletion in BBS10 has not been reported previously in any population and is likely to be contributing to the phenotype of Bardet–Biedl Syndrome in this family.     

毕赤酵母发酵生产颗粒性乙肝表面抗原的条件优化

乙型肝炎病毒的流行对人们的生命健康造成了极大的威胁, 而有效准确的诊断和预防性疫苗是阻止其流行的主要手段, 乙肝表面抗原是诊断试剂和疫苗的主要成分。本试验在构建稳定表达HBsAg的毕赤酵母菌株后, 对其发酵条件进行了研究。采用摇瓶分批培养方法, 探讨了不同培养基、溶解氧、诱导物甲醇的浓度以及pH值等因素对菌体生长与重组蛋白表达的影响。在10 L发酵罐上采用分批补料培养的方法研究了进行扩大培养生产重组HBsAg。结果表明, FBS无机盐合成培养基是理想的工业发酵培养基, 溶解氧对菌体的生长与表达有显著的影响, 甲醇诱导最佳终浓度为1% (V/V), 发酵的最适pH值为5.4~6.0。发酵罐放大培养后, ELISA和 SDS-PAGE分析表明重组HBsAg获得了高效表达, 最终菌体生物量达到310 OD600, 表达量达到27 mg/L。电子显微镜观察表达重组乙肝抗原可以自组装为22 nm类病毒颗粒, 为HBV的新一代早期血清学诊断和疫苗的大规模生产提供了一定的参考。     

Activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha stimulates both differentiation and fatty acid oxidation in adipocytes

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) is a dietary lipid sensor, whose activation results in hypolipidemic effects. In this study, we investigated whether PPARα activation affects energy metabolism in white adipose tissue (WAT). Activation of PPARα by its agonist (bezafibrate) markedly reduced adiposity in KK mice fed a high-fat diet. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, addition of GW7647, a highly specific PPARα agonist, during adipocyte differentiation enhanced glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, and adipogenic gene expression. However, triglyceride accumulation was not increased by PPARα activation. PPARα activation induced expression of target genes involved in FA oxidation and stimulated FA oxidation. In WAT of KK mice treated with bezafibrate, both adipogenic and FA oxidation-related genes were significantly upregulated. These changes in mRNA expression were not observed in PPARα-deficient mice. Bezafibrate treatment enhanced FA oxidation in isolated adipocytes, suppressing adipocyte hypertrophy. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay revealed that PPARα was recruited to promoter regions of both adipogenic and FA oxidation-related genes in the presence of GW7647 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These findings indicate that the activation of PPARα affects energy metabolism in adipocytes, and PPARα activation in WAT may contribute to the clinical effects of fibrate drugs.     

独活寄生汤加减治疗对风寒湿痹型腰椎间盘突出症患者生活质量、自由基代谢及睡眠质量的影响

目的:探讨独活寄生汤加减治疗对风寒湿痹型腰椎间盘突出症(LIDP)患者生活质量、自由基代谢及睡眠质量的影响。方法:选取2012年1月～2017年12月期间海南省中医院骨一科收治的风寒湿痹型LIDP患者286例。采用随机数字表法将患者分为对照组(n=143)和研究组(n=143),对照组给予常规治疗,研究组在对照组基础上联合独活寄生汤加减治疗,比较两组临床疗效,比较两组治疗前、治疗30 d后生活质量、自由基代谢及睡眠质量情况,记录两组治疗期间不良反应情况。结果:研究组临床总有效率为93.71%,显著高于对照组的66.43%(P0.05)。治疗30 d后,两组患者超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)水平升高,且研究组高于对照组(P0.05),丙二醛(MDA)水平降低,且研究组低于对照组(P0.05)。两组患者治疗前、治疗30d后活力(VT)、社会功能(SF)评分比较无差异(P0.05),两组患者治疗30d后躯体功能(PF)、躯体疼痛(BP)、躯体角色(RP)、心理健康(MH)、总体健康(GH)以及情感角色(RE)评分均较治疗前升高,且研究组较对照组升高(P0.05)。两组患者治疗30 d后匹兹堡睡眠质量指数(PSQI)评分均较治疗前降低,且研究组低于对照组(P0.05)。两组患者治疗期间不良反应发生率比较无统计学差异(P0.05)。结论:独活寄生汤加减治疗风寒湿痹型LIDP患者疗效确切,其可有效改善患者生活质量、自由基代谢及睡眠质量,且安全性较好,具有一定的临床应用价值。