Genetic and antigenic analyses of enterovirus 71 isolates in Taiwan during 1998–2005

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) infections can lead to devastating clinical outcomes in children, with an increasing number of severe cases worldwide. The genetic and antigenic variability of EV71 strains isolated in Taiwan in 1998-2005 was evaluated using partial nucleotide sequence analysis of the VP1 gene and the neutralisation assay. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that most EV71 isolates from the 1998 epidemic belonged to sub-genogroup C2, with a minority belonging to sub-genogroup B4. Between 1999 and 2003, isolates belonging to sub-genogroup B4 predominated, followed by a change to sub-genogroup C4 in 2004 and 2005. Antibodies raised in rabbits or collected from infected patients were able to neutralise EV71 virus stocks at high dilutions, regardless of the sub-genogroup of the virus being challenged. The presence of phylogenetically distinct yet antigenically similar populations of EV71 in Taiwan is of concern in the context of herd immunity and vaccine development.     

De novo mutation in the BTK gene of atypical X-linked agammaglobulinemia in a patient with recurrent pyoderma.

BACKGROUND: X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA), characterized by a profound deficiency of all immunoglobulins and the absence of mature B cells, is caused by mutations in the gene encoding Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK). Most patients have recurrent sinopulmonary infection. Infections usually occur in multiple locations across time, but single infection may be limited to one anatomic location. OBJECTIVES: To report a case of atypical XLA with recurrent pyoderma and to observe the immunologic changes in the patient in 10 years. METHODS: Immunologic investigations, skin wound culture, and molecular study with DNA sequencing were performed. RESULTS: The patient was originally diagnosed as having common variable immunodeficiency disease because of the presence of circulating B cells (CD19+ B cells: 7%) at 11 years old. On further evaluation at the age of 20 years, flow cytometric analysis of lymphocytes showed only 0.4% B cells. The molecular study with DNA sequencing of the patient showed a point mutation in complementary DNA 1630 A>G(p.R544G) in the BTK gene, indicating that the patient has XLA. The mutation analysis of the BTK gene revealed a normal DNA sequence in the other family members. CONCLUSIONS: This case is an important example of a possible presentation of XLA with a predominant skin manifestation, and it demonstrates that maintaining a high level of clinical suspicion is essential for the diagnosis of XLA in a child with recurrent pyoderma.     

A 50-kDa membrane protein mediates sialic acid-independent binding and infection of conjunctival cells by adenovirus type 37

The ocular tropism of adenovirus type 37 (Ad37) does not correlate with the wide distribution of the 46-kDa coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR), the major receptor for most adenovirus serotypes. We previously found that Ad37 infects and binds well to conjunctival cells (Chang C), but poorly to lung epithelial (A549) cells that express CAR and hypothesized that this serotype uses a distinct receptor that is selectively expressed on conjunctival cells. To test this, we produced particles of a fiber-deleted Ad5 vector containing the Ad37 fiber protein. The "pseudotyped" vector infected Chang C cells better than A549 cells using a CAR-independent pathway. Ad37 binding was calcium-dependent and was abolished by protease digestion of cell surface proteins. Using a virus overlay protein blot assay (VOPBA), we detected calcium-dependent Ad37 binding to 50- and 60-kDa membrane proteins on permissive Chang C cells. In contrast, calcium-dependent binding was detected with only the 60-kDa protein on nonpermissive A549 cells. Ad19p, a closely related serotype that failed to bind to conjunctival cells, recognized the 60-kDa, but not the 50-kDa, protein. Ad37 has been reported to use sialic acid instead of CAR as a cell receptor on A549 cells. Pretreatment of Chang C cells with neuraminidase abolished Ad37 binding to only the 60-kDa protein, suggesting that sialic acid mediates Ad37 binding to the 60-kDa protein. The pseudotyped Ad37 vector was also able to infect neuraminidase-treated Chang C cells. Thus, subgroup D adenoviral binding to the 50-kDa protein is calcium-dependent and cell type- and serotype-specific, whereas binding to the 60-kDa protein is not necessary for infection of conjunctival cells. Together, these data suggest that the 50-kDa protein is the major receptor for Ad37 on conjunctival cells.     

Phorbol ester-induced synaptic potentiation differs from long-term potentiation in the guinea pig hippocampus in vitro

The relationship between the synaptic potentiations evoked by the protein kinase C activator phorbol-12,13-diacetate and by afferent tetanization has been examined in the CA1 region of the hippocampal slice preparation using extracellular recording. It has been found that the potentiation of the field excitatory postsynaptic potential produced by 1 microM phorbol ester does not affect the amount of long-term potentiation (LTP) that can be evoked by afferent tetanization, and vice versa. A dissociation between phorbol ester-induced and tetanus-induced potentiation is also indicated by the fact that only the former was associated with changes in paired-pulse facilitation. On the other hand, as previously described, higher concentrations (10 microM) of phorbol ester blocked the tetanus-induced potentiation. Since the total potentiation given by 10 microM phorbol ester and tetanization depended on the order of presentation of the potentiation-inducing stimuli, it appears that the blockade of LTP is, at least partly, independent of the phorbol ester-induced potentiation.     

A concept-based retrieval system for thoracic radiology

Current digital information systems in radiology are insufficient to accommodate the retrieval needs of academicians. Significant efforts are required in retrieving clinical cases for teaching and research. We describe a prototype system that supports intelligent case retrieval based on a combined specification of patient demographics, radiologic findings, and pathologic diagnoses. The documents for these cases can be distributed among multiple heterogeneous data bases. The system features automatic indexing of radiology and pathology reports, a comprehensive lexicon for thoracic radiology, an interface to a hospital information system, radiology information system, and picture archiving and communication systems, and a graphical user interface for query formulation and results visualization. The prototype system was developed within the domain of thoracic radiology involving patients with lung cancer.     

siRNA干扰跨膜转运蛋白21的表达对KO小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞γ分泌酶活性的影响

目的探讨跨膜转运蛋白21（TMP21）对γ分泌酶活性的影响。 方法将淀粉样前体蛋白基因缺陷型KO小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞[MEF（KO）]分为转染组（T）和对照组（C），转染组转染载有TMP21小分子干扰RNA（siRNA）的质粒，对照组转染空质粒。每组均制备包含细胞全膜蛋白的样品（T1、C1），经CHAPSO进一步溶解后超速离心制备所得纯化全膜蛋白样品（T2、C2），用γ分泌酶组分早老蛋白1（PS-1）特异性抗体免疫沉降C2或T2后获得的γ分泌酶样品（IPT2、IPC2）。蛋白质印迹法检测各类样品中γ分泌酶重要组分TMP21、PS-1和Nicastrin（NCT）蛋白表达量；应用ELISA法检测β淀粉样肽40和β＆#61472;淀粉样肽42的生成总量。 结果蛋白质印迹法检测显示，TMP21蛋白表达量在转染组样品IPT2中为（5294±247）ng/ml，在对照组样品IPC2中为（19110±579）ng/ml，组间差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）；各类样品中PS-1与NCT蛋白表达量无明显变化；TMP21可与PS-1共沉降。ELISA法检测显示，转染组样品IPT2与饱和浓度底物C99反应生成的β淀粉样肽40和β淀粉样肽42总量为（348±18）pg/ml，对照组样品IPC2为与饱和浓度底物C99反应生成的β淀粉样肽40和β淀粉样肽42总量为（342±18）pg/ml，组间差异有统计学意义（P〈0.01）。 结论TMP21可能为γ分泌酶的组分之一。在TMP21蛋白低表达状态下γ分泌酶活性升高，提示TMP21为γ分泌酶的负调控因子之一。     

Ventral specification and perturbed boundary formation in the mouse midbrain in the absence of Hedgehog signaling.

Although Hedgehog (HH) signaling plays a critical role in patterning the ventral midbrain, its role in early midbrain specification is not known. We examined the midbrains of sonic hedgehog (Shh) and smoothened (Smo) mutant mice where HH signaling is respectively attenuated and eliminated. We show that some ventral (Evx1+) cell fates are specified in the Shh-/- mouse in a Ptc1- and Gli1-independent manner. HH-independent ventral midbrain induction was further confirmed by the presence of a Pax7-negative ventral midbrain territory in both Shh-/- and Smo-/- mice at and before embryonic day (E) 8.5. Midbrain signaling centers are severely disrupted in the Shh-/- mutant. Interestingly, dorsal markers are up-regulated (Wnt1, Gdf7, Pax7), down-regulated (Lfng), or otherwise altered (Zic1) in the Shh-/- midbrain. Together with the increased cell death seen specifically in Shh-/- dorsal midbrains (E8.5-E9), our results suggest specific regulation of dorsal patterning by SHH, rather than a simple deregulation due to its absence.     

电脉冲致离体S-180细胞电穿孔的观察与研究

扫描电镜下我们观察到了一定强度电脉冲致 S- 180细胞电穿孔的现象。同时分别改变电压、电容、脉冲个数 ,对 S- 180离体细胞进行电脉冲作用 ,通过苔盼蓝追踪 ,发现在一定的条件下 ,随着对 S- 180离体细胞电穿孔的电压越大、电容越小、脉冲个数越多 ,其穿孔百分率越大。     

Arthrobacter scleromae sp. nov. isolated from human clinical specimens

A gram-positive, coryneform bacterium was isolated from swollen scleromata of a dermatosis patient. An analysis of its phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and genotypic characteristics showed that this bacterium is closely associated with Arthrobacter oxydans and Arthrobacter polychromogenes but that it belongs to a distinct species, for which the name Arthrobacter scleromae sp. nov. is proposed.     

4E-binding protein phosphorylation and eukaryotic initiation factor-4E release are required for airway smooth muscle hypertrophy

The molecular mechanisms of airway smooth muscle hypertrophy, a feature of severe asthma, are poorly understood. We previously established a conditionally immortalized human bronchial smooth muscle cell line with a temperature-sensitive SV40 large T antigen. Temperature shift and loss of large T cause G1-phase cell cycle arrest that is accompanied by increased airway smooth muscle cell size. In the present study, we hypothesized that phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor-4E (eIF4E)-binding protein (4E-BP), which subsequently releases eIF4E and initiates cap-dependent mRNA translation, was required for airway smooth muscle hypertrophy. Treatment of cells with chemical inhibitors of PI 3-kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin blocked protein synthesis and cell growth while decreasing the phosphorylation of 4E-BP and increasing the binding of 4E-BP to eIF4E, consistent with the notion that 4E-BP1 phosphorylation and eIF4E function are required for hypertrophy. To test this directly, we infected cells with a retrovirus encoding a phosphorylation site mutant of 4E-BP1 (AA-4E-BP-1) that dominantly inhibits eIF4E. Upon temperature shift, cells infected with AA-4E-BP-1, but not empty vector, failed to undergo hypertrophic growth. We conclude that phosphorylation of 4E-BP, eIF4E release, and cap-dependent protein synthesis are required for hypertrophy of human airway smooth muscle cells.