慢性乙肝HBV-DNA、MAO及补体C3及C4对患者病情分级的临床意义

目的探讨慢性乙肝HBV-DNA、单胺氧化酶(MAO)及补体C3、C4对患者病情分级的临床意义。方法选取我院2015年2月～2017年2月收治的慢性乙肝患者131例为研究对象,分为慢性乙肝组(乙肝组)68例,慢性乙肝合并肝硬化组(肝硬化组)63例。比较两组HBV-DNA、MAO及补体C3、C4水平,并分析HBV-DNA、MAO及补体与慢性乙型肝炎病理学分级、肝纤维化程度分级的关系。结果肝硬化组患者的HBV-DNA、MAO水平明显高于乙肝组,补体C3、C4水平明显低于乙肝组,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。不同病理学分级的患者HBV-DNA水平比较,差异无统计学意义(P0.05),补体C3、C4水平随G1、G2、G3、G4分级程度的升高逐渐下降,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。不同肝纤维化程度的患者HBV-DNA水平比较,差异无统计学意义(P0.05),血清MAO水平随S0、S1、S2、S3、S4分级程度的升高逐渐升高,血清补体C3、C4水平随分级程度的升高逐渐下降,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论慢性乙肝患者血清HBV-DNA使机体HBV持续复制,这与慢性乙肝的疾病发展及临床结局有密切的关系,测定血清MAO及补体C3、C4水平可对慢性乙肝病理学分级及肝纤维化程度进行判定,从而对慢性乙肝的病情分级及临床诊疗提供参考依据。     

Molecular composition of the alveolar lining fluid in the aging lung

As we age, there is an increased risk for the development of pulmonary diseases, including infections, but few studies have considered changes in lung surfactant and components of the innate immune system as contributing factors to the increased susceptibility of the elderly to succumb to infections. We and others have demonstrated that human alveolar lining fluid (ALF) components, such as surfactant protein (SP)-A, SP-D, complement protein C3, and alveolar hydrolases, play a significant innate immune role in controlling microbial infections. However, there is a lack of information regarding the effect of increasing age on the level and function of ALF components in the lung. Here we addressed this gap in knowledge by determining the levels of ALF components in the aging lung that are important in controlling infection. Our findings demonstrate that pro-inflammatory cytokines, surfactant proteins and lipids, and complement components are significantly altered in the aged lung in both mice and humans. Further, we show that the aging lung is a relatively oxidized environment. Our study provides new information on how the pulmonary environment in old age can potentially modify mucosal immune responses, thereby impacting pulmonary infections and other pulmonary diseases in the elderly population.     

Complement inhibition in pre-clinical models of periodontitis and prospects for clinical application

Periodontitis is a dysbiotic inflammatory disease leading to the destruction of the tooth-supporting tissues. Current therapies are not always effective and this prevalent oral disease continues to be a significant health and economic burden. Early clinical studies have associated periodontitis with elevated complement activity. Consistently, subsequent genetic and pharmacological studies in rodents have implicated the central complement component C3 and downstream signaling pathways in periodontal host-microbe interactions that promote dysbiosis and inflammatory bone loss. This review discusses these mechanistic advances and moreover focuses on the compstatin family of C3 inhibitors as a novel approach to treat periodontitis. In this regard, local application of the current lead analog Cp40 was recently shown to block both inducible and naturally occurring periodontitis in non-human primates. These promising results from non-human primate studies and the parallel development of Cp40 for clinical use highlight the feasibility for developing an adjunctive, C3-targeted therapy for human periodontitis.     

Eculizumab-C5 complexes express a C5a neoepitope in vivo: Consequences for interpretation of patient complement analyses

The complement system has obtained renewed clinical focus due to increasing number of patients treated with eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody inhibiting cleavage of C5 into C5a and C5b. The FDA approved indications are paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria and atypical haemolytic uremic syndrome, but many other diseases are candidates for complement inhibition. It has been postulated that eculizumab does not inhibit C5a formation in vivo, in contrast to what would be expected since it blocks C5 cleavage. We recently revealed that this finding was due to a false positive reaction in a C5a assay. In the present study, we identified expression of a neoepitope which was exposed on C5 after binding to eculizumab in vivo. By size exclusion chromatography of patient serum obtained before and after infusion of eculizumab, we document that the neoepitope was exposed in the fractions containing the eculizumab-C5 complexes, being positive in this actual C5a assay and negative in others. Furthermore, we confirmed that it was the eculizumab-C5 complexes that were detected in the C5a assay by adding an anti-IgG4 antibody as detection antibody. Competitive inhibition by anti-C5 antibodies localized the epitope to the C5a moiety of C5. Finally, acidification of C5, known to alter C5 conformation, induced a neoepitope reacting identical to the one we explored, in the C5a assays. These data are important for interpretation of complement analyses in patients treated with eculizumab.     

Pentraxins,Anti-pentraxin Antibodies,and Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a disease of the vascular wall, which predominantly affects large and medium-sized arteries. It represents a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Western world. In the last few decades, it has been clearly shown that immune system plays a relevant role in atherogenesis. The effectors of both innate and adaptive immunity, including immune cells, cell or soluble receptors, cytokines, chemokines, complement components or coagulation systems, and autoantibodies are able to modulate atherosclerosis. Among proteins belonging to innate immunity, the highly conserved pentraxin family, which encompass C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid P (SAP), and the long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) seems to be directly involved in the induction and progression of atherosclerosis. By immunohistochemical staining, pentraxins were found within the atherosclerotic plaques where they could play a key role interacting with atherogenic-modified lipoproteins, favoring the formation of foam cells, and exerting a proinflammatory action. Pentraxin serum levels have been shown to be associated with clinical and subclinical atherosclerosis in general population. Antibodies against pentraxins have been demonstrated in patients with autoimmune diseases, but their role in atherogenesis is still controversial.     

Prevalence of monoclonal gammopathy in patients presenting with acquired angioedema type 2

PURPOSE: Acquired angioedema type 1 is characterized by a C1 inhibitor deficiency in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders, whereas acquired angioedema type 2 is characterized by anti-C1 inhibitor antibodies, and has not been thought to be associated with lymphoproliferative disease. We studied the clinical features, complement profiles, and associated diseases in 19 new patients with diagnosed acquired angioedema type 2. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Plasma concentrations and functional activity of complement components were measured by conventional techniques. Functional C1 inhibitor activity was assessed by a chromogenic assay. Autoantibodies to C1 inhibitor were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The 11 men and 8 women (median age, 60 years) presented with recurrent attacks of angioedema. All patients had detectable anti-C1 inhibitor antibodies in serum. A monoclonal gammopathy was detected in 12 patients (63%) at the time of diagnosis, 11 of whom had an immunoglobulin peak of the same heavy- and light-chain isotypes as the acquired anti-C1 inhibitor antibody. Three of these 12 patients developed a malignant lymphoproliferative disease. CONCLUSION: As with type 1 disease, a large proportion of patients with acquired angioedema type 2 have a lymphoproliferative disorder.     

Pathogénie des vascularites associées aux ANCA en 2021 : mise au point

Anticytoplasmic neutrophil antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) are rare systemic immune-mediated diseases characterized by small vessel necrotizing vasculitis and/or respiratory tract inflammation. Over the last 2 decades, anti-MPO vasculitis mouse model has enlightened the role of ANCA, neutrophils, complement activation, T helper cells (Th1, Th17) and microbial agents. In humans, CD4T cells have been extensively studied, while the dramatic efficacy of rituximab demonstrated the key role of B cells. Many areas of uncertainty remain, such as the driving force of GPA extra-vascular granulomatous inflammation and the relapse risk of anti-PR3 AAV pathogenesis. Animal models eventually led to identify complement activation as a promising therapeutic target. New investigation tools, which permit in depth immune profiling of human blood and tissues, may open a new era for the studying of AAV pathogenesis.     

重组质粒pRNAT-U6.1/CFB siRNA的构建、鉴定及其对人脐静脉内皮细胞增生的影响

背景 脉络膜新生血管(CNV)是多种眼部疾病致盲的原因之一,研究发现补体系统在CNV的发病机制中起重要作用.目的 构建针对补体因子B(CFB)的小干扰RNA(siRNA)重组质粒,体外观察其对人脐静脉内皮细胞ECV-304增生的影响.方法 根据人CFB的基因序列设计引物,经PCR扩增后与质粒pRNAT-U6.1连接,得到重组质粒pRNAT-U6.1/CFB siRNA,并进行测序鉴定和PCR鉴定.ECV-304细胞株进行常规培养,用电转染技术将重组质粒或空质粒分别转染人ECV-304细胞株,分为CFB-siRNA转染组和空质粒转染组,未转染的细胞为空白对照组.细胞转染后继续培养48 h,于倒置荧光显微镜下观察绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)的表达并计算转染效率;采用半定量逆转录PCR(RT-PCR)法测定各组细胞中CFB mRNA的相对表达量;用MTT法检测各组细胞转染24、48和72 h时细胞的增生值(A)并计算生长抑制率;利用流式细胞技术检测各组细胞的生长周期变化.结果 PCR扩增的目的片段序列与CFB基因序列完全相符,ECV-304细胞转染后,倒置荧光显微镜下可见CFB-siRNA转染组和空质粒转染组的细胞中GFP呈绿色荧光.半定量RT-PCR结果显示,CFB-siRNA转染组、空质粒转染组和空白对照组的CFB mRNA相对表达量分别为0.07±0.04、0.14±0.02和0.14 ±0.03,总体比较差异有统计学意义(F=233.05,P=0.00);其中CFB-siRNA转染组CFB mRNA相对表达量明显低于空质粒转染组和空白对照组,差异均有统计学意义(均P＜0.05).MTT法检测结果显示,各组不同时间细胞增生抑制率总体比较差异有统计学意义(F分组=212.99,P=0.00);CFB-siRNA转染组细胞转染24、48、72 h后细胞增生的抑制率分别为(23.45±0.01)％、(33.48±0.02)％和(45.49±0.01)％,明显高于同时间点空质粒转染组和空白对照组,差异均有统计学意义(均P＜0.05).流式细胞仪检测结果显示,CFB-siRNA转染组、空质粒转染组和空白对照组G1期的细胞数占总细胞数的(44.4±0.5)％、(25.8±0.4)％和(27.9±0.6)％,总体比较差异有统计学意义(F=58.98,P=0.00);CFB-siRNA转染组G1期和G2期细胞所占百分比显著高于空白对照组和空质粒转染组,差异均有统计学意义(均P＜0.05).结论 重组质粒pRNAT-U6.1/CFB siRNA可通过将细胞阻滞在G1期而有效抑制人脐静脉内皮细胞的增生.     

Retinal microglia: Just bystander or target for therapy?

Resident microglial cells can be regarded as the immunological watchdogs of the brain and the retina. They are active sensors of their neuronal microenvironment and rapidly respond to various insults with a morphological and functional transformation into reactive phagocytes. There is strong evidence from animal models and in situ analyses of human tissue that microglial reactivity is a common hallmark of various retinal degenerative and inflammatory diseases. These include rare hereditary retinopathies such as retinitis pigmentosa and X-linked juvenile retinoschisis but also comprise more common multifactorial retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and uveitis as well as neurological disorders with ocular manifestation. In this review, we describe how microglial function is kept in balance under normal conditions by cross-talk with other retinal cells and summarize how microglia respond to different forms of retinal injury. In addition, we present the concept that microglia play a key role in local regulation of complement in the retina and specify aspects of microglial aging relevant for chronic inflammatory processes in the retina. We conclude that this resident immune cell of the retina cannot be simply regarded as bystander of disease but may instead be a potential therapeutic target to be modulated in the treatment of degenerative and inflammatory diseases of the retina.