Identification of driver genes and somatic mutations in cell-free DNA of patients with pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis

Next-generation sequencing of cell-free circulating DNA (cfDNA) has emerged as promising technique for identifying minimally invasive genomic profiling of tumor cells recently. However, it remains relatively unknown in LAM disease. In our study, paired cfDNA and genomic DNA (gDNA) in blood samples were obtained from 23 LAM patients and seven healthy controls to explore mutations profiles of targeted 70 cancer-related genes. As results, log2-based allele frequencies of mutations in cfDNA were significantly different from those of gDNA. By comparing the mutual mutations identified both in cfDNA and gDNA, a significant correlation was also observed. After removing mutations in gDNA, distinct somatic mutation profiles of cfDNA were observed in LAM patients. Forty of 70 targeted genes had recurrent mutations, of which ATM, BRCA2 and APC showed the highest frequency. Based on the mutation, correlation network constructed of 40 mutated genes, 11 hub genes bearing intensive interactions were highlighted, including BRCA1, BRCA2, RAD50, RB1, NF1, APC, MLH3, ATM, PDGFRA, PALB2 and BLM. Expression of the hub genes showed significant clusters between LAM patients and controls and that RAD50 and BRCA2 had the strongest associations with subject phenotypes. Myogenesis and estrogen response were confirmed to be positively regulated in LAM patients. Collectively, our study provided a landscape of genomic alterations in LAM and discovered several potential driver genes, that is, BRCA2 and RAD50, which shed a substantial light on the clinical application of key molecular markers and potential therapy targets for precision diagnosis and treatment in the future.     

Life-Threatening Enterovirus 71 Encephalitis in Unrelated Children with Autosomal Dominant TLR3 Deficiency

Journal of Clinical Immunology - Enterovirus A71 (EV71) causes a broad spectrum of childhood diseases, ranging from asymptomatic infection or self-limited hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) to...     

Metal Exposure for Residents Near Diesel Transport Routes

For the past few years, a large number of diesel vehicles carrying gravel and sand have shuttled back and forth every day on the main route (Tai-16 and Tai-21 highways) from Shuili to Shinyi in Nantou County, Taiwan, in support of a river-dredging project. Five stations along Tai-16 and three stations along Tai-21 were selected as the exposure sites. Two very small villages located about 9 and 12 kilometers, respectively, away from the diesel transport routes were selected as the control sites. In this study, five exposure pathways, i.e., ingestion from drinking water, household dust, rice, non-rice dishes, and inhalation from airborne particles, were considered. The daily intake doses of metals varied significantly among the five exposure pathways. There was a significant difference between the exposure and control sites regarding the doses of metals obtained from the exposure pathways of household dust and aerosols. However, regarding the exposure pathways of rice, non-rice dishes, and drinking water, no significant difference between the exposure and the control sites was observed for most metals. Residents who lived within 30 meters of diesel transport roads at the exposure sites were selected as the exposure groups for urine sampling, while residents of the control sites were selected as the control groups. The metal concentrations in the urine of the exposure groups were all higher than those of the control groups. With regards to the urinary metals Fe, Pb, Cu, Ni, and Mo, the levels of urinary metals in residents and the daily intakes of metals from the five exposure pathways showed that the exposure pathways from environmental media (i.e., drinking water, aerosols, and household dust) were a greater factor than food pathways (i.e., rice and non-rice dishes) in the resulting comparative differences between urinary concentration levels of Fe, Pb, Cu, and Mo in exposure groups and control groups. However, the food exposure pathways, rather than the environmental pathways, led to greater comparative differences between the urinary concentration levels of Mn within the two groups.     

抗人CD80单链抗体的构建、表达及与抗原结合的特性分析

目的:构建及表达抗人CD80单链抗体(ScFv),并初步研究其生物学功能。方法:采用RT-PCR法从分泌鼠抗人CD80mAb的杂交瘤细胞株(4E5)中克隆VH和VL基因。用重叠延伸拼接PCR方法构建具有前导肽的L-VH-Linker-VL单链抗体基因,并亚克隆至pIRES2-EGFP表达载体,脂质体法转染中华仓鼠卵巢细胞(CHO),G418加压筛选。纯化抗CD80-ScFv,并分析其对膜型CD80的识别。竞争抑制实验分析抗CD80-ScFv与相应抗原的结合能力。MTT法体外分析抗CD80-ScFv对CD80介导的共刺激信号的阻断作用。结果:构建的抗CD80-ScFv基因全长为828 bp,经测序含有信号肽和连接肽。实验获得稳定表达细胞株SA-Ⅱ,其培养上清与L929-CD80细胞的阳性结合率达98%以上。抗体纯化后产率约为15.12 mg/L,其能够识别Raji和Daudi细胞天然表达的CD80分子,结合率分别为96.6%和95.0%。抗CD80-ScFv对鼠源亲本抗体4E5与抗原结合的竞争抑制率达98.67%,并能阻断CD80介导的共刺激信号转导,抑制PBMC的增殖,增殖率下降43.48%。结论:成功建立了抗CD80-ScFv CHO细胞的表达株(命名为SA-Ⅱ),该抗体能够特异识别细胞表面膜型CD80分子并介导相应的生物学功能。     

检测副溶血弧菌TDH斑点免疫胶体金渗滤法的研究

目的:制备特异性检测副溶血弧菌TDH的斑点免疫胶体金渗滤测试盒(Dot immunogold filtration assay,DIG-FA)。方法:T6D4和T9H4两株抗体分别标记于金颗粒和点样于硝酸纤维素膜,通过双抗体夹心法来开发斑点免疫胶体金渗滤测试盒,并对测试盒的特异性、重复性、稳定性做了分析。结果:研制的斑点免疫胶体金渗滤测试盒能够特异性检测副溶血弧菌TDH,其最低检测限达到250 ng/ml TDH,该测试盒在4℃恒温条件下保存12周后仍表现出准确和稳定的检测结果。结论:成功制备了检测副溶血弧菌TDH的斑点免疫胶体金渗滤测试盒,对现场快速检测TDH提供了可靠的测试工具。     

Corosolic acid stimulates glucose uptake via enhancing insulin receptor phosphorylation

Corosolic acid, a triterpenoid compound widely existing in many traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, has been proved to have antidiabetic effects on animal experiments and clinical trials. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we investigate its cellular effects and related signaling pathway. We demonstrate that it enhances glucose uptake in L6 myotubes and facilitates glucose transporter isoform 4 translocation in CHO/hIR cells. These actions are mediated by insulin pathway activation and can be blocked by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI(3) Kinase) inhibitor wortmannin. Furthermore, Corosolic acid inhibits the enzymatic activities of several diabetes-related non-receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) in vitro, such as PTP1B, T-cell-PTP, src homology phosphatase-1 and src homology phosphatase-2.     

Six new diterpenoids from Croton laevigatus

Abstract

Six new ent-labdane-type diterpeniods (1?6), along with one known compound, were identified from the twigs and leaves of Croton laevigatus. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic interpretation. Compounds 2 and 7 showed inhibitory activity against protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) with IC₅₀ values of 4.11 and 8.33 μg/ml, respectively.     

Disseminated Cryptococcosis Due to Anti-Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Autoantibodies in the Absence of Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis

Introduction

Autoantibodies to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) can cause acquired pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP). Cases of acquired PAP susceptible to typical respiratory pathogens and opportunistic infections have been reported. Anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies have been reported in a few patients with cryptococcal meningitis. This study evaluated the presence of neutralizing anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies in patients without known congenital or acquired immunodeficiency with severe pulmonary or extrapulmonary cryptococcal infection but without PAP.

Methods

We took a clinical history and performed an immunologic evaluation and screening of anti-cytokine autoantibodies in patients with cryptococcal meningitis. The impact of autoantibodies to GM-CSF on immune function was assessed by intracellular staining of GM-CSF-induced STAT5 phosphorylation and MIP-1α production in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells incubated with plasma from patients or normal control subjects.

Results

Neutralizing anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies were identified in four patients with disseminated cryptococcosis, none of whom exhibited PAP. Plasma from patients blocked GM-CSF signaling and inhibited STAT5 phosphorylation and production of MIP-1α. One patient died of disseminated cryptococcosis involving the central nervous system, which was associated with defective GM-CSF activity.

Conclusions

Anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies increase susceptibility to cryptococcal infection in adults without PAP. Cryptococcal central nervous system infection associated with anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies could result in neurological sequelae or be life-threatening. Therefore, timely detection of neutralizing anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies and development of an effective therapy are necessary to prevent deterioration of cryptococcal infection in these patients.

     

Intraneuronal accumulation of Aβ42 induces age-dependent slowing of neuronal transmission in Drosophila

Beta amyloid (Aβ₄₂)-induced dysfunction and loss of synapses are believed to be major underlying mechanisms for the progressive loss of learning and memory abilities in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The vast majority of investigations on AD-related synaptic impairment focus on synaptic plasticity, especially the decline of long-term potentiation of synaptic transmission caused by extracellular Aβ₄₂. Changes in other aspects of synaptic and neuronal functions are less studied or undiscovered. Here, we report that intraneuronal accumulation of Aβ₄₂ induced an age-dependent slowing of neuronal transmission along pathways involving multiple synapses.     

Concise synthesis and PTP1B inhibitory activity of (R)- and (S)-dihydroresorcylide

The present study was designed to develop a concise synthetic route for macrolide, with the purpose of confirming the absolute configuration of natural dihydroresorcylide (1) and making it more easily accessible for biological evaluation. The absolute configuration of C-3 in natural 1 was revised to be R by comparison of the rotation sign of synthetic (R)- and (S)-1. The synthetic (R)-1 was found to be a novel highly specific PTP1B inhibitor with an IC₅₀ value of 17.06 μM.