Epitope-specific humoral immunity to Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein

Erythrocyte invasion by Plasmodium vivax is completely dependent on binding to the Duffy blood group antigen by the parasite Duffy binding protein (DBP). The receptor-binding domain of this protein lies within a cysteine-rich region referred to as region II (DBPII). To examine whether antibody responses to DBP correlate with age-acquired immunity to P. vivax, antibodies to recombinant DBP (rDBP) were measured in 551 individuals residing in a village endemic for P. vivax in Papua New Guinea, and linear epitopes mapped in the critical binding region of DBPII. Antibody levels to rDBP(II) increased with age. Four dominant linear epitopes were identified, and the number of linear epitopes recognized by semi-immune individuals increased with age, suggesting greater recognition with repeated infection. Some individuals had antibodies to rDBP(II) but not to the linear epitopes, indicating the presence of conformational epitopes. This occurred in younger individuals or subjects acutely infected for the first time with P. vivax, indicating that repeated infection is required for recognition of linear epitopes. All four dominant B-cell epitopes contained polymorphic residues, three of which showed variant-specific serologic responses in over 10% of subjects examined. In conclusion, these results demonstrate age-dependent and variant-specific antibody responses to DBPII and implicate this molecule in partial acquired immunity to P. vivax in populations in endemic areas.     

小鼠下颔下腺中肥大细胞异质性研究

取小鼠下颌下腺,用甲苯胺蓝染色、Alcian蓝一藏红染色及免疫组织化学ABC法显示肥大细胞的异质性.结果表明;肥大细胞主要分布于间质的小血管、小叶间导管及神经节周围.此外还发现有些肥大细胞沿腺实质表面排列,有些肥大细胞伸出突起与相邻的神经元或肥大细胞接触.肥大细胞呈降钙素基因相关肽免疫反应阳性,但仅为相邻切片甲苯胺蓝染色的14 %.提示下颌下腺中肥大细胞的存在可能与腺体分泌活动及血流调节有关.     

丝氨酸蛋白酶HtrA2/Omi与细胞存亡

HtrA2/Omi是一种寡聚丝氨酸蛋白酶,存在于大部分的正常组织器官中。在最初的研究中发现[1],当细胞受到凋亡刺激时,HtrA2/Omi可由线粒体膜间隙(mitochondrial intermembrane space)释放进入细胞质中,接着出现大量的细胞凋亡性死亡,这些现象表明HtrA2/Omi与细胞死亡之间有着密切的关系[2]。随着近年来研究的不断深入,人们又惊奇地发现,它不仅出现在细胞凋亡的进程中,当细胞面对各种应激环境时,HtrA2/Omi活性和浓度也会上调,以增加细胞对刺激的耐受能力,使细胞得以生存下来。这是一对看似互相矛盾的事实,却更体现出HtrA2/Omi在细胞存亡调…     

Comparison of immunohistochemical markers in the differential diagnosis of adrenocortical tumors: immunohistochemical analysis of adrenocortical tumors.

Most adrenocortical tumors (ACTs) can be diagnosed directly by a combination of morphologic features and clinical findings. However, sometimes it may be difficult to distinguish ACTs from other neoplasms such as pheochromocytomas and some metastatic tumors, particularly for small biopsy specimens because they may be morphologically similar. Expression of calretinin has recently been suggested as a valuable immunomarker for the differential diagnosis between ACTs and other tumors; however, its diagnostic value is still under debate. To determine the diagnostic value of calretinin in Chinese patients with adrenocortical and non-ACTs, we employed both polyclonal and monoclonal anticalretinin to characterize the expression of calretinin in adrenal tissues and compared its expression with that of inhibin alpha, Melan-A, cytokeratin, or CD99 by immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays and standard tissue sections of 414 specimens. Our results revealed that calretinin was expressed by adrenocortical cells, but not by the other cells tested and the percentage of calretinin-positive ACTs reached 99% when stained with polyclonal antibodies, which was higher than that with monoclonal anticalretinin (91.3%), anti-Melan-A (90.3%), antiinhibin alpha (81.6%). In addition, our results also revealed that ACTs were stained by cytokeratin (AE1/AE3) with variable degrees (58.7%). Furthermore, unlike anti-Melan-A that stained all metastatic malignant melanoma, anticalretinin did not recognize other tested tumors. Therefore, immunohistologic staining with polyclonal anticalretinin is more sensitive than other antibodies tested for the diagnosis of ACTs. However, monoclonal anticalretinin appeared to be more specific. Importantly, our data suggested that the fried-egg-like staining pattern, but not the mere cytoplasmic staining, was characteristic of anticalretinin staining in adrenocortical tissues. Notably, a few anticalretinin negative-ACTs were stained by other immunomarkers that we tested. Thus, the combinational characterization of calretinin (either by polyclonal or monoclonal antibody), inhibin alpha, and Melan-A expression is of great significance in the differential diagnosis of ACTs.     

Cx40和Cx43调节大鼠肠系膜上动脉收缩反应性与钙敏感性的机制

目的：研究连接蛋白Cx40/Cx43对大鼠肠系膜上动脉内膜依赖的血管收缩反应性与钙敏感性的调节作用机制。方法:以SD大鼠肠系膜上动脉（SMA）为研究对象，用Cx40或Cx43反义寡脱氧核苷酸（Cx40/Cx43AODN）阻断SMA Cx40或Cx43表达，观察缺氧处理后SMA的收缩反应性、钙敏感性、肌球蛋白轻链磷酸酶/激酶（MLCP/MLCK)的活性、20 kD的肌球蛋白轻链（MLC₂₀）磷酸化程度的变化。结果:Cx40AODN可以降低正常组、1 h和3 h缺氧组SMA MLCP活性，增加MLC₂₀磷酸化水平，改善血管的钙敏感性和内膜依赖的收缩反应性；Cx43AODN可以增加各组血管的MLCP活性，减少MLC₂₀磷酸化水平，降低血管的钙敏感性和内膜依赖的收缩反应性。Cx40和Cx43AODN对SMA MLCK活性无明显作用。结论:Cx40和Cx43主要通过调节血管平滑肌细胞的MLCP活性和MLC₂₀磷酸化水平调节血管的钙敏感性，从而调节休克后内膜依赖的血管收缩反应性。     

Antibody dynamics to SARS-CoV-2 in asymptomatic COVID-19 infections

Background

The missing asymptomatic COVID-19 infections have been overlooked because of the imperfect sensitivity of the nucleic acid testing (NAT). Globally understanding the humoral immunity in asymptomatic carriers will provide scientific knowledge for developing serological tests, improving early identification, and implementing more rational control strategies against the pandemic.

Measure

Utilizing both NAT and commercial kits for serum IgM and IgG antibodies, we extensively screened 11 766 epidemiologically suspected individuals on enrollment and 63 asymptomatic individuals were detected and recruited. Sixty-three healthy individuals and 51 mild patients without any preexisting conditions were set as controls. Serum IgM and IgG profiles were further probed using a SARS-CoV-2 proteome microarray, and neutralizing antibody was detected by a pseudotyped virus neutralization assay system. The dynamics of antibodies were analyzed with exposure time or symptoms onset.

Results

A combination test of NAT and serological testing for IgM antibody discovered 55.5% of the total of 63 asymptomatic infections, which significantly raises the detection sensitivity when compared with the NAT alone (19%). Serum proteome microarray analysis demonstrated that asymptomatics mainly produced IgM and IgG antibodies against S1 and N proteins out of 20 proteins of SARS-CoV-2. Different from strong and persistent N-specific antibodies, S1-specific IgM responses, which evolved in asymptomatic individuals as early as the seventh day after exposure, peaked on days from 17 days to 25 days, and then disappeared in two months, might be used as an early diagnostic biomarker. 11.8% (6/51) mild patients and 38.1% (24/63) asymptomatic individuals did not produce neutralizing antibody. In particular, neutralizing antibody in asymptomatics gradually vanished in two months.

Conclusion

Our findings might have important implications for the definition of asymptomatic COVID-19 infections, diagnosis, serological survey, public health, and immunization strategies.

     

激发型4-1BB单抗联合凋亡肿瘤细胞负载的树突状细胞在恶性肿瘤免疫治疗中的作用

目的：研究激发型4-1BB单抗（2A）联合凋亡肿瘤细胞负载的DC（AP-DC）疫苗在小鼠B细胞淋巴瘤免疫治疗中的作用.方法：凋亡小鼠B细胞淋巴瘤细胞A20负载的DC用来制备AP-DC.A20荷瘤小鼠分别被注射AP-DC、2A单抗或二者联合.观察肿瘤生长情况及小鼠生存期.流式细胞术检测免疫治疗后荷瘤鼠脾脏T细胞的表型和胞浆内细胞因子;3H-TdR掺入试验检测T细胞体外增殖能力;ELISA法检测荷瘤鼠血清和脾脏T细胞培养上清中IL-2、IFN-γ和IL-10含量.结果：应用激发型4-1BB单抗2A或AP-DC疫苗对荷瘤小鼠开展免疫治疗,可抑制肿瘤生长,延长荷瘤鼠生存期,获得12.5%或25%的肿瘤完全缓解率.但二者联合应用,治疗效果更好,可获得62.5%的肿瘤完全缓解率,并且荷瘤鼠可长期生存.联合治疗后荷瘤鼠脾脏T细胞体外增殖更为显著,CD4^＋IFN-γ^＋细胞的比例也明显增加.IL-2和IFN-γ的分泌水平在联合治疗荷瘤鼠的血清和脾脏T细胞的培养上清中升高更明显,而IL-10的分泌则降低.结论：激发型4-1BB单抗和AP-DC在肿瘤免疫治疗中有协同作用.     

In vitro degradation of silk fibroin

A significant need exists for long-term degradable biomaterials which can slowly and predictably transfer a load-bearing burden to developing biological tissue. In this study Bombyx mori silk fibroin yarns were incubated in 1mg/ml Protease XIV at 37 degrees C to create an in vitro model system of proteolytic degradation. Samples were harvested at designated time points up to 12 weeks and (1) prepared for scanning electron microscopy (SEM), (2) lyophilized and weighed, (3) mechanical properties determined using a servohydraulic Instron 8511, (4) dissolved and run on a SDS-PAGE gel, and (5) characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Control samples were incubated in phosphate-buffered saline. Fibroin was shown to proteolytically degrade with predictable rates of change in fibroin diameter, failure strength, cycles to failure, and mass. SEM indicated increasing fragmentation of individual fibroin filaments from protease-digested samples with time of exposure to the enzyme; particulate debris was present within 7 days of incubation. Gel electrophoresis indicated a decreasing amount of the silk 25 kDa light chain and a shift in the molecular weight of the heavy chain with increasing incubation time in protease. Results support that silk is a mechanically robust biomaterial with predictable long-term degradation characteristics.     

Mucosal bromodomain-containing protein 4 mediates aeroallergen-induced inflammation and remodeling

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HIV-2 DNA疫苗免疫小鼠的免疫反应观察

目的：用构建的HIV－2外膜蛋白gp105和核心蛋白gag基因的DNA疫苗免疫小鼠，评价其免疫效果。方法：将HIV－2型gp 105和gag基因克隆到表达载体pIRES1neo中，构建重组DNA疫苗质粒。间接免疫荧光试验证明，构建的DNA疫苗在真核细胞中表达了gp105或／和gag.构建的疫苗免疫小鼠后，用流式细胞仪测定CD4^ 、CD8^ T淋巴细胞亚类数，并用HIV－2抗体ELISA检测试剂盒检测免疫鼠血清中抗HIV－2抗体水平。结果：构建了3种HIV－2 DNA疫苗pIRES1gag、pIRSE1gp105和pIRES1gag-gp105，转染BHK细胞后均能表达抗原蛋白，免疫小鼠后可有效地刺激淋巴细胞增殖并诱导产生抗HIV－2特异性抗体，其中pIRES1gag-gp105免疫鼠中，淋巴细胞增殖最显著，而pIRES1gp105免疫鼠中HIV－2特异性抗体水平最高。结论：构建的DNA疫苗均能诱导机体产生免疫反应，其中pIRES1gp105诱导的体液免疫应答最显著，而pIRES1gag-gp105 诱导的细胞免疫响应最显著。