Inactivated influenza vaccine formulated with single-stranded RNA-based adjuvant confers mucosal immunity and cross-protection against influenza virus infection

Influenza vaccination is considered the most valuable means to prevent and control seasonal influenza infections, which causes various clinical symptoms, ranging from mild cough and fever to even death. Among various influenza vaccine types, the inactivated subunit type is known to provide improved safety with reduced reactogenicity. However, there are some drawbacks associated with inactivated subunit type vaccines, with the main ones being its low immunogenicity and the induction of Th2-biased immune responses. In this study, we investigated the role of a single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) derived from the intergenic region in the internal ribosome entry site of the Cricket paralysis virus as an adjuvant rather than the universal vaccine for a seasonal inactivated subunit influenza vaccine. The ssRNA adjuvant stimulated not only well-balanced cellular (indicated by IgG2a, IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α) and humoral (indicated by IgG1 and IL-4) immune responses but also a mucosal immune response (indicated by IgA), a key protector against respiratory virus infections. It also increases the HI titer, the surrogate marker of influenza vaccine efficacy. Furthermore, ssRNA adjuvant confers cross-protective immune responses against heterologous influenza virus infection while promoting enhanced viral clearance. Moreover, ssRNA adjuvant increases the number of memory CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, which can be expected to induce long-term immune responses. Therefore, this ssRNA-adjuvanted seasonal inactivated subunit influenza vaccine might be the best influenza vaccine generating robust humoral and cellular immune responses and conferring cross-protective and long-term immunity.     

Parkinson''''s Disease and Smoking: An Integral Part of PD''''s Etiological Study

INTRODUCTION Parkinson抯 disease (PD), a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder, is featured with bradykinesia, resting, muscular rigidity, gait disturbances, and postural reflex impairment[1]. PD is rare before age of 50 years, but it increases dramatically with older ages, with peak onset occurring during the age of 70-85 years. In the United States, prevalence of PD in all age groups is approximately 150 per 100 000 and is roughly 30 per 100 000 at age of less than 50 years and 800 …     

17βE2对切除卵巢兔动脉粥样硬化与血液流变学的作用

目的: 探讨17βE₂对卵巢切除(OVX)兔的AS斑块、血脂代谢及血液流变学的影响。方法: 34只成熟未孕雌兔分为4组:A为NC;B为Sham+CHO;C为OVX+CHO;D为OVX+CHO+17βE₂。喂养12周,喂养前与12周后测定血脂TC、TG、HDL-C、LDL-C、ApoA1、ApoB;测定全血粘度、血浆粘度、AIRC及纤维蛋白原。喂养12周后处死,测定AS斑块面积与主动脉总面积百分比。结果: ①AS斑块面积与主动脉总面积之比,A、B、C、D组分别为0.02±0.00、0.42±0.15、0.67±0.23、0.12±0.11,B组小于C组(P＜0.05)、D组明显小于C组(P＜0.01)。②血脂TC、TG、LDL-C、ApoB,B、D组明显小于C组(P＜0.01)。③血液流变学:全血粘度、血浆粘度AIRC与纤维蛋白原D组明显低于C组(P＜0.01)。结论: 17βE₂能抑制脂质斑块沉积,改善血脂代谢,减轻高脂血症,改善血液流变学。这可能是雌激素抑制AS形成的部份机理。     

Single-cell transcriptome atlas reveals protective characteristics of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are promising alternatives to conventional vaccines in many aspects. We previously developed a lipopolyplex (LPP)-based mRNA vaccine (SW0123) that demonstrated robust immunogenicity and strong protective capacity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in mice and rhesus macaques. However, the immune profiles and mechanisms of pulmonary protection induced by SW0123 remain unclear. Through high-resolution single-cell analysis, we found that SW0123 vaccination effectively suppressed SARS-CoV-2-induced inflammatory responses by inhibiting the recruitment of proinflammatory macrophages and increasing the frequency of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells. In addition, the apoptotic process in both lung epithelial and endothelial cells was significantly inhibited, which was proposed to be one major mechanism contributing to vaccine-induced lung protection. Cell−cell interaction in the lung compartment was also altered by vaccination. These data collectively unravel the mechanisms by which the SW0123 protects against lung damage caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection.     

荧光定量RT-PCR在轮状病毒检测中的应用

目的:建立轮状病毒的荧光定量RT-PCR检测方法,用于检测临床腹泻样本。方法:使用Taqman探针技术,建立轮状病毒VP6特异的荧光定量RT-PCR体系。与WHO推荐的轮状病毒检测方法ELISA平行检测,对该体系的检测范围、灵敏度、特异性等参数进行评价。并将该体系用于临床腹泻样本。结果:该荧光定量RT-PCR体系具有高度灵敏度和特异性,线性范围宽,最低可检出1TCID50/ml。对113份临床腹泻样本的平行检测结果显示,该荧光定量RT-PCR体系与ELISA的检出率差异无统计学意义(χ2=0.41,P>0.5),可同样用于临床样本检测。结论:成功建立了轮状病毒荧光定量RT-PCR体系,该体系灵敏、特异、重复性好,可用于临床检测。     

Sleep quality and quality of life among the elderly people

ObjectiveTo determine sleep quality and the quality of life of the elderly people.Materials and methodsThis study sample consisted of 187 elderly people. Data were collected with a personal information form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Turkish Version of WHOQOL-BREF-quality of life scale.ResultsIt was found out that sleep quality of the elderly people was poor. It was noted that there was a close correlation between age and sleep quality and quality of life of the elderly people, and sleep quality and quality of life decreased as the age of the elderly people increased. It was explored that there was a significant difference between gender, marital status, educational status, the person with whom the elderly people lived, presence of a physical disease, diagnosis of a disease and sleep quality and quality of life (p < 0.05).ConclusionsThe elderly people have a low sleep quality and there is a close relationship between sleep quality and the quality of life. The quality of sleep should be continued by ensuring sleep hygiene among the elderly people and thus the quality of life should be increased.     

In-silico screening for DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) inhibitors: Combined homology modeling,docking, molecular dynamic study followed by biological investigation

DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is a key enzyme in non-homologous DNA end joining (NHEJ) repair pathway. The targeted inhibition of such enzyme would furnish a valuable option for cancer treatment. In this study we report the development of validation of enzyme homology model, and the subsequent use of this model to perform docking-based virtual screening against a database of FDA-approved drugs. The nominated highest ranking hits (Praziquantel and Dutasteride) were subjected to biological investigation. Additionally, molecular dynamic study was carried-out for binding mode exploration. Results of the biological evaluation revealed that both compounds inhibit the DNA-PK enzymatic activity at relatively high concentration levels with an IC₅₀ of 17.3 μM for praziquantel and >20 μM for dutasteride. Furthermore, both agents enhanced the anti-proliferative effects of doxorubicin and cisplatin on breast cancer (MCF7) and lung cancer (A549) cell lines. This result indicates that these two hits are good candidate as DNA-PK inhibitors and worth further structural modifications to enhance their enzyme inhibitory effects.     

An exome wide association study of pulmonary tuberculosis patients and their asymptomatic household contacts

Tuberculosis is a leading cause of death in India. To identify genetic variants associated with susceptibility or resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, we have performed an exome-wide association study with 0.2 million exonic variants among 119 pairs of tuberculosis patients and their clinically asymptomatic household contacts. The strongest association was identified for rs61104666[A], a synonymous variant (p.E292E) of exon 5 of the gene SIGLEC15 (OR = 2.4, p = 1.49 × 10⁻⁵). We also found association of non-coding variants in the 3′UTR region of a gene encoding the class II human leukocyte antigens (HLAs), HLA-DRA. rs13209234[A] (minor allele frequency (MAF) = 13.8%) (OR = 0.35, P = 2.5 × 10⁻⁴) and rs3177928[A] (minor allele frequency (MAF) = 13.7%) (OR = 0.35, P = 3.3 × 10⁻⁴) were associated with protection from tuberculosis. These two SNPs, rs13209234 and rs3177928, are in complete linkage disequilibrium. These associations remained valid when additional data on freshly recruited individuals were jointly analyzed on 250 patient-control pairs. The identified gene, HLA-DRA, suggest involvement of immune regulation, indicating pathways associated with antigen presentation in tuberculosis infection.