Reexploring the possible roles of some genes associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma using microarray-based detection

In gene expression profiling, nasopharyngeal carcinoma （NPC） 5-8F cells differ from 6-10B cells in terms of their high tumorigenicity and metastatic ability. Differentially expressed genes from the two cell types were analyzed by combining with MILANO （the automatic custom annotation of microarray results which is based on all the available published work in PubMed）. The results showed that five genes, including CTSD, P63, CSEIL, BPAG1 and EGR1, have been studied or mentioned in published work on NPC.Subsequently, we revaluated the roles of these genes in the pathogenesis of NPC by combining the data of gene chips from NPCs versus NPs and pooled cells from 5-8F, 6-10B and CNE2 versus NPs. The results suggested that the roles of BPAG1 and EGR1 are possibly different from those reported in previous NPC studies. These five genes are likely to be involved in the proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and metastasis of NPC. A reexploration of the genes will further define their roles in the pathogenesis of NPC.     

Characterization of Inflammatory Responses During Intranasal Colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae

Nasopharyngeal colonization by Streptococcus pneumoniae is a prerequisite to invasion to the lungs or bloodstream¹. This organism is capable of colonizing the mucosal surface of the nasopharynx, where it can reside, multiply and eventually overcome host defences to invade to other tissues of the host. Establishment of an infection in the normally lower respiratory tract results in pneumonia. Alternatively, the bacteria can disseminate into the bloodstream causing bacteraemia, which is associated with high mortality rates², or else lead directly to the development of pneumococcal meningitis. Understanding the kinetics of, and immune responses to, nasopharyngeal colonization is an important aspect of S. pneumoniae infection models.Our mouse model of intranasal colonization is adapted from human models³ and has been used by multiple research groups in the study of host-pathogen responses in the nasopharynx^4-7. In the first part of the model, we use a clinical isolate of S. pneumoniae to establish a self-limiting bacterial colonization that is similar to carriage events in human adults. The procedure detailed herein involves preparation of a bacterial inoculum, followed by the establishment of a colonization event through delivery of the inoculum via an intranasal route of administration. Resident macrophages are the predominant cell type in the nasopharynx during the steady state. Typically, there are few lymphocytes present in uninfected mice⁸, however mucosal colonization will lead to low- to high-grade inflammation (depending on the virulence of the bacterial species and strain) that will result in an immune response and the subsequent recruitment of host immune cells. These cells can be isolated by a lavage of the tracheal contents through the nares, and correlated to the density of colonization bacteria to better understand the kinetics of the infection.     

人胚鼻咽组织基因表达谱

以水囊引产５、６、７、８个月人胚胎鼻咽组织总ＲＮＡ逆转录标记ｃＤＮＡ探针,与代表５８８个基因的Ａｔｌａｓ＾ＴＭｃＤＮＡ阵列进行杂交,观察了这些基因在不同发育时期内的表达差异。结果发现与细胞分裂增殖及细胞生长相关的基因明显高表达,不同胎龄存在多个表达水平不同的基因及同一基因在不同时期表达水平也不一样,如早期生长反应蛋白１（ｅａｒｌｙ ｇｒｏｗｔｈ ｒｅｓｐｏｎｓｅ ｐｒｏｔｅｉｎ１）基因ＥＧＲＰ１在     

炎性因子IL6的缺失对C57BL/6鼻咽部细菌群落组成的影响

目的研究炎症因子IL-6缺失是否影响鼻咽部菌群组成。方法提取鼻咽部灌洗液DNA并进行扩增子测序检测IL-6敲除前后鼻咽部菌群,分析菌群α多样性,并使用Wilcoxon秩和检验分析差异菌群。通过PICRUSt对菌群OTU丰富度表进行标准化,然后进行菌群关联的KEGG分析。结果 IL-6基因敲除后鼻咽部菌群丰富度和多样性变化不明显,但菌群组成发生明显变化。丰富度前15个属中9个属明显变化,有6个属明显下降,3个属明显上升。其中,Streptococcus和Bergeyella丰富度明显升高,Staphylococcus、Rothia和Corynebacterium_1丰富度明显降低。Real time PCR检测种水平发现IL-6敲除后Staphylococcus lentus丰富度明显降低。菌群KEGG分析发现,IL-6敲除后,炎性功能相关的脂肪细胞因子信号通路表达下调、细胞凋亡通路表达上调,另外,部分抗病毒活性通路表达上调。结论炎性因子IL-6与鼻咽部菌群组成存在明显相关性,菌群KEGG分析发现IL-6敲除后多个炎性功能相关通路表达受到影响。     

Cryptococcosis of the nasopharynx in mice and rats

Summary An attempt to infect the upper respiratory tract of mice and rats with various bacteria and fungi by intranasally instillation was performed. Cryptococcus neoformans was the only agent to invade the tissue. The infection was limited to the nasopharynx, a phenomenon which probably indicates the presence of a specific chemotaxis or receptor.Dedicated to Prof. W. Kaplan, DVM, MPH     

The mandible — a measure of the nasopharynx

This investigation aims to ascertain the statistically significant correlation between the individual dimensions of the pharynx and those of the mandible, a bone most commonly found in anthropological finds and whose dimensions can be easily ascertained by radiography in clinical medicine. Further, this study establishes a method for projecting the dimensions of the nasopharynx and associated parts of the skull base from the dimensions of the mandible. Such projections can be useful in anthropological and forensic investigation and in clinical conditions such as sleep apnea. Portion of this material was presented as a platform paper at the NATO Advanced Study Institute on the “Origin of Languages” in Cortona, Italy, July 8–22, 1988.