The Myeloid LSECtin Is a DAP12-Coupled Receptor That Is Crucial for Inflammatory Response Induced by Ebola Virus Glycoprotein

Fatal Ebola virus infection is characterized by a systemic inflammatory response similar to septic shock. Ebola glycoprotein (GP) is involved in this process through activating dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages. However, the mechanism is unclear. Here, we showed that LSECtin (also known as CLEC4G) plays an important role in GP-mediated inflammatory responses in human DCs. Anti-LSECtin mAb engagement induced TNF-α and IL-6 production in DCs, whereas silencing of LSECtin abrogated this effect. Intriguingly, as a pathogen-derived ligand, Ebola GP could trigger TNF-α and IL-6 release by DCs through LSECtin. Mechanistic investigations revealed that LSECtin initiated signaling via association with a 12-kDa DNAX-activating protein (DAP12) and induced Syk activation. Mutation of key tyrosines in the DAP12 immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif abrogated LSECtin-mediated signaling. Furthermore, Syk inhibitors significantly reduced the GP-triggered cytokine production in DCs. Therefore, our results demonstrate that LSECtin is required for the GP-induced inflammatory response, providing new insights into the EBOV-mediated inflammatory response.     

胃肠道间质瘤组织中MMP-13与CD147的表达及其意义

目的探讨基质金属蛋白酶-13（Matrix metalloproteinases-13,MMP-13）和CD147的表达与胃肠道间质瘤（Gastrointestinals stromal tumors,GISTs）临床病理特征的关系。方法采用免疫组织化学检测69例GISTs组织中MMP-13及CD147的表达,分析MMP-13和CD147与各病理参数的关系。结果GISTs组织中MMP-13和CD147的表达率分别为95.7%和97.1%,MMP-13阳性表达程度与GISTs的生物学行为、CD147表达及肿瘤的大小呈正相关（P〈0.05）;CD147阳性表达程度与肿瘤的大小呈正相关（P〈0.05）。结论MMP-13表达与GISTs生物学行为关系密切,可作为GISTs生物学行为的潜在评价指标。     

Newcastle disease virus-vectored rabies vaccine is safe, highly immunogenic, and provides long-lasting protection in dogs and cats

Effective, safe, and affordable rabies vaccines are still being sought. Newcastle disease virus (NDV), an avian paramyxovirus, has shown promise as a vaccine vector for mammals. Here, we generated a recombinant avirulent NDV La Sota strain expressing the rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG) and evaluated its potential to serve as a vaccine against rabies. The recombinant virus, rL-RVG, retained its high-growth property in chicken eggs, with titers of up to 10^9.8 50% egg infective doses (EID₅₀)/ml of allantoic fluid. RVG expression enabled rL-RVG to spread from cell to cell in a rabies virus-like manner, and RVG was incorporated on the surface of the rL-RVG viral particle. RVG incorporation did not alter the trypsin-dependent infectivity of the NDV vector in mammalian cells. rL-RVG and La Sota NDV showed similar levels of sensitivity to a neutralization antibody against NDV and similar levels of resistance to a neutralization antibody against rabies virus. Animal studies demonstrated that rL-RVG is safe in several species, including cats and dogs, when administered as multiple high doses of recombinant vaccine. Intramuscular vaccination with rL-RVG induced a substantial rabies virus neutralization antibody response and provided complete protection from challenge with circulating rabies virus strains. Most importantly, rL-RVG induced strong and long-lasting protective neutralization antibody responses to rabies virus in dogs and cats. A low vaccine dose of 10^8.3 EID₅₀ completely protected dogs from challenge with a circulating strain of rabies virus for more than a year. This is the first study to demonstrate that immunization with an NDV-vectored vaccine can induce long-lasting, systemic protective immunity against rabies.     

巫山蓝家寨遗址家畜的动物骨骼

2012年巫山蓝家寨遗址考古发掘中,出土了春秋时期的马(Equus caballus)、黄牛(Bos taurus)、山羊(Capra hircus)、鸡(Gallus gallus domesticus)、狗(Canis familiaris)、猪(Sus domestica)6种家畜的骨骼。这是三峡地区唯一一个在先秦时期六畜兼备的古文化遗址。遗址中的马、牛,是三峡地区同类家畜中时代最早的发现资料。三峡地区早期历史时期,人类肉食资源以野生动物为主,家畜动物骨骼发现材料较少。蓝家寨遗址出现种类较多的家畜动物种类,为全面分析和认识三峡地区经济形态发展过程、古居民行为模式和区域文化等,提供了重要资料。遗址中在春秋时期出现的家畜马和黄牛,与该时期各种区域文化在三峡地区的碰撞、交流、融合有关。     

革兰氏阴性细菌β-桶状结构外膜蛋白体外折叠的研究进展

除了细胞质膜,革兰氏阴性细菌细胞还有一层组成细胞壁的外膜(Outer Membrane)。膜蛋白是外膜的主要组成成分之一,绝大多数外膜蛋白是由反向平行的β-折叠(β-Strands)通过相邻的氢键结合形成的β-桶状结构蛋白(β-Barrel Proteins)。这些蛋白既可作为通道蛋白、转运蛋白、酶、受体、毒力因子,也可作为结构蛋白发挥稳定外膜的重要作用,它们是否正确折叠并整合到外膜对革兰氏阴性细菌的生存至关重要。大多数外膜蛋白易于重组表达和体外重折叠(in vitro refolding),并且折叠状态可通过多种方法测定,因此β-桶状结构外膜蛋白被当着模式蛋白来研究各类生物和非生物因子对膜蛋白折叠的影响,是膜蛋白研究的一大热点。本文将从β-桶状结构外膜蛋白体外折叠的研究方法和影响折叠的因素角度对近年相关研究进展进行综合述评,最后总结了外膜蛋白体外折叠模式,并结合作者的相关研究结果和观点对该领域的研究前景进行了展望。     

Mass spectrometric U-series dating of Huanglong Cave in Hubei Province,central China: Evidence for early presence of modern humans in eastern Asia

Most researchers believe that anatomically modern humans (AMH) first appeared in Africa 160-190 ka ago, and would not have reached eastern Asia until ∼50 ka ago. However, the credibility of these scenarios might have been compromised by a largely inaccurate and compressed chronological framework previously established for hominin fossils found in China. Recently there has been a growing body of evidence indicating the possible presence of AMH in eastern Asia ca. 100 ka ago or even earlier. Here we report high-precision mass spectrometric U-series dating of intercalated flowstone samples from Huanglong Cave, a recently discovered Late Pleistocene hominin site in northern Hubei Province, central China. Systematic excavations there have led to the in situ discovery of seven hominin teeth and dozens of stone and bone artifacts. The U-series dates on localized thin flowstone formations bracket the hominin specimens between 81 and 101 ka, currently the most narrow time span for all AMH beyond 45 ka in China, if the assignment of the hominin teeth to modern Homo sapiens holds. Alternatively this study provides further evidence for the early presence of an AMH morphology in China, through either independent evolution of local archaic populations or their assimilation with incoming AMH. Along with recent dating results for hominin samples from Homo erectus to AMH, a new extended and continuous timeline for Chinese hominin fossils is taking shape, which warrants a reconstruction of human evolution, especially the origins of modern humans in eastern Asia.