抗PD-(L)1、抗CTLA-4免疫治疗标志物研究进展

免疫检查点抑制剂已经改变了包括肺癌、黑色素瘤等许多肿瘤的治疗情况，并且在一些难治性肿瘤中表现出持久的应答率，然而在部分接受治疗的患者中表现出无反应及严重免疫相关副作用。为了优化免疫疗法的使用，可能需要多种临床应答的预测性标志物。本研究回顾了几种潜在有效生物标志物的可用数据，通过免疫组化检测肿瘤细胞和免疫细胞中PD-L1的表达，提示其是一种临床疗效的良好预测标志物;且PD-L1表达阴性者经免疫治疗后仍可获益。PD-L1表达在肿瘤内是动态和异质性的:在原发性灶和转移灶之间或在穿刺标本和大体标本之间表达不一致。肿瘤突变负荷与新抗原的高比率可获得持久获益。外周血标志物也可作为潜在标志物，增加的绝对淋巴细胞计数（ALC）与疾病控制和生存显著相关。在这篇综述中，我们旨在讨论抗PD-（L）1与抗CTLA-4 免疫治疗相关标志物研究现状，为临床运用提供指导，以便能够准确筛选出从这些治疗中获益更多的患者。     

外周血miR-150-5p、SOCS1 mRNA对类风湿关节炎“病”“证”诊断意义的初步探讨＊

目的 探讨类风湿关节炎患者外周血miR-150-5p、细胞因子信号抑制因子1（suppressor of cytokine signaling 1，SOCS1）mRNA的表达及对类风湿关节炎（Rheumatoid Arthritis，RA）疾病诊断、中医证型判断的意义。方法 纳入符合诊断标准的RA患者57例及健康对照组19例，根据《22个专业95个病种中医诊疗方案》有关RA的中医证候诊断标准，判断RA的中医证型。qPCR检测RA患者及健康对照组miR-150-5p、SOCS1mRNA的相对表达水平，同时检测血常规、肝功能、肾功能等常规指标。双荧光素酶分析方法判断两者是否存在靶向关系。统计分析miR-150-5p、SOCS1 mRNA对RA疾病的诊断意义及其与中医证型的相关性。结果 RA患者外周血miR-150-5p的相对表达水平下调，低于正常人群（t = -19.019，P < 0.05）；其表达水平随疾病活动度升高，有下降趋势；患者外周血SOCS1 mRNA的相对表达水平上调，低于正常人群（t = 5.333，P < 0.05）；其表达水平随疾病活动度升高，有上升趋势。MiR-150-5p与SOCS1 mRNA有靶向结合关系（P < 0.05）。通过AUC曲线比较，miR-150-5p的相对表达水平区分RA的敏感性及特异性分别为98.1%、92.1%（AUC = 0.972，P < 0.05）；SOCS1 mRNA的相对表达水平无法区分RA（AUC = 0.472，P > 0.05）。RA患者中miR-150-5p的相对表达水平低于3.06，RA患者风湿痹阻证、寒湿痹阻证的相对风险分别为8.33、250.00（P < 0.05）。结论 miR-150-5p、SOCS1 mRNA在RA患者中有差异性表达，且有靶向结合关系。miR-150-5p可能是RA的疾病诊断及中医风湿痹阻证、寒湿痹阻证证型诊断的潜在生物标志物。     

Age-related variations in gene expression patterns of renal cell carcinoma

Background

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is known to occur across the adult lifetime traversing the spectrum of age-related organismal changes. Little is known as to how the aging process may affect the course of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and the repertoire of genes involved.

Effect of lacosamide on ethanol induced conditioned place preference and withdrawal associated behavior in mice: Possible contribution of hippocampal CRMP-2

BackgroundExcessive consumption of ethanol is known to activate the mTORC1 pathway and to enhance the Collapsin Response Mediator Protein-2 (CRMP-2) levels in the limbic region of brain. The latter helps in forming microtubule assembly that is linked to drug taking or addiction-like behavior in rodents. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effect of lacosamide, an antiepileptic drug and a known CRMP-2 inhibitor, which binds to CRMP-2 and inhibits the formation of microtubule assembly, on ethanol-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in mice.MethodsThe behavior of mice following ethanol addiction and withdrawal was assessed by performing different behavioral paradigms. Mice underwent ethanol-induced CPP training with alternate dose of ethanol (2 g/kg, po) and saline (10 ml/kg, po). The effect of lacosamide on the expression of ethanol-induced CPP and on ethanol withdrawal associated anxiety and depression-like behavior was evaluated. The effect of drug on locomotor activity was also assessed and hippocampal CRMP-2 levels were measured.ResultsEthanol-induced CPP was associated with enhanced CRMP-2 levels in the hippocampus. Lacosamide significantly reduced the expression of ethanol-induced CPP and alleviated the levels of hippocampal CRMP-2 but aggravated withdrawal-associated anxiety and depression in mice.ConclusionThe present study demonstrated the beneficial effect of lacosamide in attenuation of expression of ethanol induced conditioned place preference via reduction of hippocampal CRMP-2 level. These findings suggest that lacosamide may be investigated further for ethanol addiction but not for managing withdrawal.     

Expression of TRIM22 mRNA in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with direct-acting antiviral drugs

Hepatitis C is a global public health problem, and Pakistan is the second largest country in the globe with highest prevalence rate of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Until 2014, pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) has been the standard therapy for HCV, however, owing to its adverse side effects and very low sustained virologic response (SVR) rates therapeutics trend is shifted toward direct-acting antivirals. Tripartite motif containing 22 (TRIM22) is a dynamic antiviral protein that can inhibit multiple viruses in vivo. Expression of TRIM22 mRNA has been linked to outcome of PEG-IFN and ribavirin therapy, where its higher expression leads to rapid virus clearance. However, in terms of therapy with direct-acting antiviral (DAA) or double DAA, impact of TRIM22 expression is largely unknown. These new drugs show more than 90% of SVR rates and lesser side effects and have proven to be better than IFN therapy. Endogenous IFN system suppresses various pathogens through the induction of antiviral effectors termed as interferon-stimulating genes (ISGs). We have studied the expression levels of one of these antiviral effectors, TRIM22 in response to sofosbuvir (SOF) and daclatasvir (DAC) in combination with RBV, using quantitative PCR in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HCV-infected patients. We have observed sustained virus clearance in more than 90% of patients treated with DAA and double DAA and have seen the expression of TRIM22 to be higher in patients who attained SVR as compared to the untreated patients. We have also observed downregulation of TRIM22 in patients who failed to attain rapid virus clearance, and upregulation in those who achieved rapid clearance of virus. Genetic factors that determine the lower TRIM22 expression in these patients are needed to be explored that may also play a role in lower response to anti-HCV therapy. Endogenous IFN system and effects of antiviral proteins in response to DAA therapy is needed to be studied in order to better understand the host response toward these drugs to make them more effective.     

虎杖MYB转录因子PcMYB1的表达特性和功能研究

目的对虎杖中1个新的R2R3-MYB转录因子基因PcMYB1进行转录活性鉴定和表达特性分析,并在转基因拟南芥中进行功能研究。方法利用酵母单杂交实验分析PcMYB1的转录活性;荧光定量PCR(RT-PCR)技术检测虎杖中PcMYB1的表达模式;利用Wiesner染色和溴乙酰法检测PcMYB1转基因拟南芥中的木质素含量;RT-PCR技术分析PcMYB1转基因拟南芥木质素合成相关基因的表达。结果酵母单杂实验结果表明,PcMYB1具有转录抑制活性;RT-PCR结果显示PcMYB1在虎杖根、茎、叶中均有表达,在叶中表达量最高,并且紫外照射处理可诱导叶片中PcMYB1的表达;与野生型拟南芥相比,转基因拟南芥的株高降低了24.07%,木质部的细胞染色程度浅,转基因拟南芥木质素含量降低了14.81%,参与木质素合成的AtC4H、AtC3H、AtF5H、AtCOMT、AtCAD基因表达下调。结论 PcMYB1具有转录抑制活性,对植物木质素合成具有负调控作用。     

Compositional analyses reveal correlations between taxon-level gut bacterial abundance and peripheral T cell marker expression in African infants

ABSTRACT

Although exclusive breastfeeding has been linked to lower rates of postnatal HIV transmission compared to nonexclusive breastfeeding, mechanisms underlying this are unclear. Across a longitudinally sampled cohort of South African infants, we showed that exclusively breastfed (EBF) infants had altered gut bacterial communities when compared to nonexclusively breastfed (NEBF) infants, as well as reduced peripheral CD4 + T cell activation and lowered chemokine and chemokine receptor expression in the oral mucosa. We further demonstrated that the relative abundance of key taxa was correlated with peripheral CD4 + T cell activation. Here, we supplement those findings by using compositional data analyses to identify shifts in the abundance of several Bifidobacteria strains relative to select strains of Escherichia, Bacteroides, and others that are associated with the transition to NEBF. We illustrate that the abundance ratio of these taxa is tightly correlated with feeding modality and is a strong predictor of peripheral T cell activation. More broadly, we discuss our study in the context of novel developments and explore future directions for the field.