C and V proteins of Sendai virus target signaling pathways leading to IRF-3 activation for the negative regulation of interferon-beta production

We here report a molecular basis for downregulation of interferon (IFN)-beta production by V and C proteins of Sendai virus (SeV). The infection of HeLa cells with SeV poorly induced IFN-beta even if the expression of C/C' was disrupted. In contrast, when the expression of C/C'/Y1/Y2 or V/W was disrupted, SeV infection strongly induced IFN-beta production and significantly activated the interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-3 pathway. The independent expression of C or V inhibited the double-stranded (ds) RNA- or Newcastle disease virus (NDV)-induced activation of IRF-3 and NF-kappa B, as well as the IFN-beta promoter. This inhibitory effect was also observed when Y1, Y2, or a C-terminal half fragment (aa 85-204) of C was independently expressed. Phosphorylation and homodimer formation of IRF-3 were suppressed not only in cells infected with SeV capable of expressing both C/C'/Y1/Y2 (or Y1/Y2) and V/W, but also in HeLa cells constitutively expressing Y1. These results suggest that C, Y1, Y2, and V block signaling pathways leading to IRF-3 activation to downregulate IFN-beta production.     

Analysis of children with type 1 diabetes in Korea: high prevalence of specific anti-islet autoantibodies, immunogenetic similarities to Western populations with "unique" haplotypes, and lack of discrimination by aspartic acid at position 57 of DQB

This study analyzed the expression of anti-islet autoantibodies and HLA-DR and -DQ genotypes in Korean children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The positivity of the anti-ICA512, anti-GAD65, and anti-insulin autoantibodies in the newly onset T1DM patients (n = 15) was 66.7%, 86.7%, and 46.7%, respectively, and all of them had one or more of the autoantibodies. HLA analysis showed higher frequencies of HLA-DRB1*0301, *0405, *09012 and -DQB1*0201, *0401, *03032 alleles in T1DM patients compared to controls (P(c) < 0.05). Because HLA-DQB1*0401, *03032 alleles carry aspartic acid at position 57 of DQB, susceptibility to T1DM in Korean children was not related to the presence of aspartic acid at position 57 of DQB1 locus. We suggest this unique HLA-DR, -DQ allele distribution might be an important factor for the low incidence of T1DM in Korea, and the combined anti-islet autoantibody assays could be valuable screening markers for the early detection of T1DM in Korea.     

热休克蛋白参与NF-κB介导的H2O2预处理的细胞保护作用

目的探讨热休克蛋白(HSP)是否参与核因子-κB(NF-κB)介导的H2O2预处理的细胞保护作用。方法应用碘化丙啶(PI)染色流式细胞技术(FCM)检测细胞凋亡率,免疫印迹法(Westernblot)测定NF-κB的表达水平,免疫细胞化学染色法测定NF-κB的核转移。结果100μmol/LH2O2预处理PC12细胞90min可显著地抑制300μmol/LH2O2引起的细胞凋亡,并可明显地上调PC12细胞NF-κB的表达及促进NF-κB的核转移,同时也能上调HSP70和HSP90的表达。NF-κB的抑制剂TPCK阻断NF-κB表达,并显著地阻断H2O2预处理的细胞保护作用及HSP70和HSP90的表达。结论HSP70和HSP90参与NF-κB介导的H2O2预处理的适应性细胞保护作用。     

Protective effect of retinoic acid on interleukin-1 beta-induced cytotoxicity of pancreatic beta-cells

Cytokines produced by immune cells in pancreatic islets infiltrating are important mediators of beta-cell destruction in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In this study, the effects of retinoic acid (RA) on cytokine-induced beta-cell dysfunction were examined. RA significantly protected interleukin-1 beta (IL-1) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-mediated cytotoxicity of rat insulinoma cell (RINm5F), and also reduced in IL-1 and IFN-gamma-induced nitric oxide (NO) production, which correlated well with reduced levels of the inducible form of NO synthase (iNOS) mRNA and protein. The molecular mechanism, by which RA inhibited iNOS gene expression, appeared to involve the inhibition of NF-kappa B activation. Our results suggest possible therapeutic value of RA for the prevention of diabetes mellitus progression.     

Development and characterization of DNAzyme candidates demonstrating significant efficiency against human rhinoviruses

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Area under the viraemia curve versus absolute viral load: utility for predicting symptomatic cytomegalovirus infections in kidney transplant patients

A novel approach to predicting symptomatic cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections combines the level and the duration of viraemia in a single parameter. Sixty-four kidney transplant recipients were monitored by quantitative shell vial culture, pp65 antigenaemia, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of leucocytes. The area under the curve (AUC) of each parameter was determined from the onset of viraemia to the beginning of antiviral treatment. The AUC values were significantly higher in symptomatic than in asymptomatic patients. For antigenaemia and PCR, optimal AUC thresholds for predicting symptomatic CMV infections were determined. They were superior to standard cutoff levels of absolute viral load in sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value. In 8 of the 23 patients who became symptomatic, impending clinical features were indicated earlier by the AUC thresholds than by standard viral load. In conclusion, the concept of the AUC should facilitate identification of patients at risk of symptomatic CMV infection.     

Peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferative responses to soluble and particulate heat shock protein 65 in health and inflammatory bowel disease

Objectives: The aims of this study were to determine, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), whether particulate antigen triggers (i) an amplified cell proliferative response compared to soluble antigen and (ii) a dysfunctional response in cells derived from patients with chronic inflammation and specifically in those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Subjects: Healthy volunteers (n = 17), inflammatory controls (n = 8) and patients with IBD (n = 17) were recruited from St Thomas’ and Guys’ Hospital, London, UK. Methods: Following optimisation of experimental conditions (0.1–10.0 μg/ml antigen), PBMC were stimulated with (i) 10.0 μg/ml recombinant soluble heat shock protein 65 (hsp 65) and (ii) 1.0 and 10.0 μg/ml hsp 65 conjugated to microparticles (0.5 μm diameter). PBMC proliferative responses were measured by ³H-Thymidine incorporation at day 5 and results compared between groups using unpaired t-test. Results: Conjugation to microparticles of low dose hsp 65 significantly increased overall proliferative responses by 2–11 fold compared to soluble antigen alone (p < 0.05). However, no specific PBMC proliferative dysregulation was noted in cells from subjects with IBD. Conclusions: Low dose antigen, in microparticulate form, leads to amplified cell proliferation in primary human cells, as showed previously in cell lines and animal studies. However there is no abnormal proliferative response in cells from subjects with IBD. Received 8 February 2006; returned for revision 7 March 2006; accepted by G. Wallace 25 October 2006     

Reactivity of a monoclonal antibody produced to the histidine-rich protein of Plasmodium lophurae with Plasmodium falciparum

Monoclonal antibodies were produced against the histidine-rich protein of Plasmodium lophurae and tested for reactivity with Plasmodium falciparum antigens. One anti-histidine-rich protein monoclonal antibody showed immunological cross-reactivity with polypeptides of P. falciparum synthesized in vivo and in vitro.     

核因子-κB活化参与Ox-LDL诱导人肾小球系膜细胞表达单核细胞趋化蛋白-1(英文)

目的：研究核因子-κB(NF-κB)在氧化低密度脂蛋白(Ox-LDL)诱导的体外培养的人肾小球系膜细胞表达单核/巨噬细胞趋化蛋白-1(MCP-1)中的作用。方法： 采用凝胶迁移率变动分析检测NF-κB的DNA结合活性变化，以免疫组化观测细胞内REL P65的核转位，用细胞ELISA法检测细胞内MCP-1及IκBα蛋白含量变化。结果： 不同浓度(10、25、50、100 mg/L)Ox-LDL刺激肾小球系膜细胞均可引起细胞NF-κB的DNA结合活性增强，50 mg/L Ox-LDL活化MCs效果最明显(8.50±1.14，P＜0.01 vs control； P＜0.05 vs 10, 25和100 mg/L Ox-LDL)。Ox-LDL刺激MCs 30-240 min均可以活化NF-κB，60 min时相点活性最强(11.0±2.11，P＜0.01 vs control； P＜0.05 vs 30 min or 240 min)。以50 mg/L Ox-LDL刺激MCs 1 h后，细胞内IκBα蛋白水平最低(0.050±0.006，n=5,P＜0.01 vs control)，作用24 h MCP-1表达水平最高(0.331±0.016， n=5,P＜0.01 vs control)。NF-κB活化的同时伴有REL P65核转位。上述效应可被NF-κB特异性抑制剂吡咯二硫氨基甲酸酯(PDTC)所抑制。结论： Ox-LDL刺激人肾小球系膜细胞产生MCP-1是由NF-κB调控，NF-κB参与了脂质肾损害的发病过程。