Vitamin D3 and Monomethyl Fumarate Enhance Natural Killer Cell Lysis of Dendritic Cells and Ameliorate the Clinical Score in Mice Suffering from Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a CD4⁺ T cell mediated inflammatory demyelinating disease that is induced in mice by administration of peptides derived from myelin proteins. We developed EAE in SJL mice by administration of PLP_139–151 peptide. The effect of treating these mice with 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D₃ (vitamin D₃), or with monomethyl fumarate (MMF) was then examined. We observed that both vitamin D₃ and MMF inhibited and/or prevented EAE in these mice. These findings were corroborated with isolating natural killer (NK) cells from vitamin D₃-treated or MMF-treated EAE mice that lysed immature or mature dendritic cells. The results support and extend other findings indicating that an important mechanism of action for drugs used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) is to enhance NK cell lysis of dendritic cells.     

Hepatitis B—management of acute infection and active inflammation in pregnancy—a hepatologist's perspective

Women at childbearing age and pregnant ladies living in the areas of high or intermediate prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) remain at risk of getting the infection and passing the infections to their offspring via mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HBV. HBV infection may affect the mothers by active hepatitis, very occasionally liver cirrhosis and rarely fulminant hepatitis and liver failure. The virus may be transmitted to the babies despite immunoprophylaxis in the setting of very high maternal viral load. Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) has been shown to be efficacious to reduce MTCT of HBV, which contributes to the elimination of chronic HBV infection by 2030, the goal set by World Health Organization.     

替诺福韦酯阻断乙型肝炎病毒母婴传播不同停药时间的安全性评价

目的探讨采用替诺福韦酯（TDF）阻断乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）母婴传播的高HBV DNA载量孕妇分娩后不同停药时间对母婴安全性的影响。 方法招募2015年1月至2017月12月于深圳市第三人民医院就诊的免疫耐受期HBsAg阳性孕妇109例，均于孕24～28周开始服用TDF治疗，根据简单随机化方法将入组患者分为分娩时停药组（58例）和分娩后4～12周停药组（51例）。定量检测两组孕妇抗病毒治疗后4周、8周、12周、停药时与停药后4周、8周、12周、24周的HBV DNA载量和ALT水平，并定量检测新生儿产后4周HBsAg和HBsAb水平。 结果所有孕妇分娩前HBV DNA载量均显著降低，较基线水平差异有统计学意义（分娩时停药组：Z = 8.459、P < 0.001；分娩后4～12周停药组：Z = 7.760、P < 0.001）。停药时两组产妇HBV DNA载量差异有统计学意义（Z = 2.242、P = 0.025）。停药后4周两组产妇HBV DNA载量差异无统计学意义（Z = 1.041、P = 0.298），且较基线水平差异均无统计学意义（分娩时停药组：Z = 0.155、P = 0.877；分娩后4～12周停药组：Z = 0.376、P = 0.707）。随访至停药后24周，两组产妇产后ALT升高的发生率差异无统计学意义（χ² = 1.319、P = 0.251），两组产妇ALT升高的中位时间点均在停药后4周，差异无统计学意义（Z = 0.196、P = 0.844）。孕期ALT升高可能引起分娩停药后ALT升高，但并非独立危险因素。20例新生儿在产后4周行外周血HBsAg、HBsAb定量检测，HBsAg均为阴性，均产生保护性抗体。 结论妊娠中晚期使用替诺福韦酯能有效阻断HBV母婴传播；随访24周发现分娩后停药与延后停药对产后安全性的无显著影响，新生儿4周龄即能产生保护性抗体并有效发挥作用，母乳喂养是安全的。     

替诺福韦酯治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎患者的疗效及对肝功能指标的影响

目的探讨替诺福韦酯治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎患者的疗效及对肝功能指标的影响。方法选取2017年2月至2018年3月本院收治的126例HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎患者,按照年龄、性别组间具有可比性原则分为对照组与观察组,各63例。对照组予以恩替卡韦治疗,观察组予以替诺福韦酯治疗,比较两组治疗前后肝功能指标及ALT复常率、HBV DNA转阴率、HBeAg转阴率。结果治疗后,两组AST、ALT、TBiI均低于治疗前,且观察组低于对照组,ALB高于治疗前,且观察组高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);观察组ALT复常率、HBV DNA阴转率、HBeAg转阴率均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论相比恩替卡韦治疗,替诺福韦酯治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎患者,可有效改善肝功能,提高HBV DNA阴转率及HBeAg阴转率。     

Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer without cutaneous manifestations in two Japanese siblings

Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer is a rare genetic disorder characterized by cutaneous and uterine leiomyomatosis, and an aggressive type 2 papillary renal cell carcinoma. The disease is caused by a germline mutation in the fumarate hydratase gene. We report a familial hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer in two siblings. A 34‐year‐old woman underwent nephrectomy for treatment of a renal cell carcinoma. The patient's sister had been diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma at 28 years‐of‐age and died of the disease. Neither sister had apparent skin tumors. Histopathology of the renal cell carcinomas of the siblings showed tubulocystic and papillary architectures with high nuclear grades. Immunostaining showed no fumarate hydratase expression in either tumor. Genomic DNA sequencing of the patient showed a germline mutation in the fumarate hydratase gene (c.675delT). Although there is no epidemiological information on Asian hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer, physicians should be aware that typical cutaneous leiomyomatosis might not always be present in patients with hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer.     

Combined therapies to treat complex diseases: The role of the gut microbiota in multiple sclerosis

The commensal microbiota has emerged as an environmental risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS). Studies in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) models have shown that the commensal microbiota is an essential player in triggering autoimmune demyelination. Likewise, the commensal microbiota modulates the host immune system, alters the integrity and function of biological barriers and has a direct effect on several types of central nervous system (CNS)-resident cells. Moreover, a characteristic gut dysbiosis has been recognized as a consistent feature during the clinical course of MS, and the MS-related microbiota is gradually being elucidated. This review highlights animal studies in which commensal microbiota modulation was tested in EAE, as well as the mechanisms of action and influence of the commensal microbiota not only in the local milieu but also in the innate and adaptive immune system and the CNS. Regarding human research, this review focuses on studies that show how the commensal microbiota might act as a pathogenic environmental risk factor by directing immune responses towards characteristic pathogenic profiles of MS. We speculate how specific microbiome signatures could be obtained and used as potential pathogenic events and biomarkers for the clinical course of MS. Finally, we review recently published and ongoing clinical trials in MS patients regarding the immunomodulatory properties exerted by some microorganisms. Because MS is a complex disease with a large variety of associated environmental risk factors, we suggest that current treatments combined with strategies that modulate the commensal microbiota would constitute a broader immunotherapeutic approach and improve the clinical outcome for MS patients.