Evasin‐3‐like anti‐chemokine activity in salivary gland extracts of ixodid ticks during blood‐feeding: a new target for tick control

Ticks exploit many evasion mechanisms to circumvent the immune control of their hosts including subversion of the communication language between cells of the immune system provided by chemokines and other cytokines. One subversive molecule secreted in the saliva of Rhipicephalus sanguineus is Evasin‐3, a structurally unique 7 kDa protein that selectively binds the neutrophil chemoattractants, CXCL8 and (with lower affinity) CXCL1. We compared anti‐human CXCL8 and anti‐mouse CXCL1/KC activities in salivary gland extracts prepared from adult Amblyomma variegatum, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and Dermacentor reticulatus ticks during blood‐feeding. Both anti‐CXCL8 activity and anti‐CXCL1 activity were detected in all species and in both adult females and males, with consistently higher activity levels against CXCL8. These results suggest that Evasin‐3‐like activity is common amongst metastriate ixodid tick species, and provide further evidence of the importance to ticks in controlling neutrophils during blood‐feeding. As such, Evasin‐3 offers a new target for anti‐tick vaccine development.     

Regulatory peptides and psychomotor development in infants

Regulatory peptides (RP) are an important homeostatic factor. The maternal organism and placenta are substantial sources of RP for fetus during the prenatal period. Not only endogenous, but also exogenous RP play an important role during early postnatal period. In this study, the concentration of exogenous RP (casomorphins-7) and the activity of peptidases (enkephalinases) in the serum of breastfed and bottle-fed infants were estimated. Possible interrelation between these two parameters and the psychomotor development (PMD) of infants were evaluated. Using specially developed RIA, the investigators estimated the presence of human and bovine casomorphins immunoreactivity (CMir) in the serum of breastfed and bottle-fed infants. A distinct correlation of CMir with PMD was demonstrated. The activity of RP-degrading serum enzymes also correlated with PMD level. The role of endo- and exogenous peptides in normal PMD process and in the pathogenesis of early child autism is discussed in the article.     

β地贫CD41-42突变杂合子复合缺失型α地贫双重杂合子的基因检测与血液学分析

目的了解β地中海贫血(地贫)CD41-42(-TCTT)杂合子(β41-42杂合子)复合缺失型α地贫双重杂合子在本地区β41-42杂合子个体中的检出情况及其临床血液学表现.方法分别采用单管多重PCR与反向点杂交法检测缺失型α地贫与β地贫基因,常规进行血细胞分析及其它地贫筛查试验.结果 144例β41-42杂合子有8例同时复合缺失型α地贫杂合子,其中7例(4.9%)携带有α地贫1基因(αα/--SEA),1例(0.69%)携带有缺失型HbH基因(-α3.7/--SEA).7例复合α地贫1患者的MCV均都高于另外136例单纯的β41-42杂合子的MCV平均值(63.53fl); 而对携带有HbH基因的样本进行pH8.6与6.5的血红蛋白电泳时都无法找到HbH区带.结论诊断β41-42杂合子复合α地贫双重杂合子的患者时,如只依赖其临床表现和常规的实验室检查结果作为筛查诊断的指标,容易会出现有病患的α或β地贫基因漏诊的情况.