肝段或肝叶切除术对肝内胆管结石再次手术效果的影响

目的对比不同术式对肝内胆管结石再次手术效果，探讨肝段或肝叶切除术的优势。 方法回顾性分析2011年8月至2014年8月收治的79例肝内胆管结石再次手术患者资料，依据术式不同分为肝段(叶)切除术组(甲组，n＝38)和非肝段(叶)切除术组(乙组，n＝41)两组。应用SPSS 19.0软件对所有临床数据进行统计学分析，手术相关指标等以( ±s)的形式表示，组间比较采用独立t检验；术后并发症发生情况及预后情况等计数资料以例(%)的形式表示，采用χ²检验；P<0.05差异有统计学意义。 结果两组患者术中出血量、手术时间及术后住院时间相比，差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)；甲组患者的术后并发症发生率5.3%(2/38)显著低于乙组22.0%(9/41)(P<0.05)；甲组残留结石发生率、症状复发率2.6%(1/38)、 0(0/41)均显著低于乙组17.1%(7/41)、 12.2%(5/41)(P<0.05)，差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)；但两组患者的病死率2.6%(1/38)和0(0/41)相比，差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。 结论肝段(叶)切除术能够有效改善肝内胆管结石再次手术效果，值得推广。     

Novel vaccination strategies and approaches against human tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of a major health problem worldwide. Tuberculosis vaccine research has made an extraordinary progress over the past few years. However, there is still no replacement for the Bacillus Calmette‐Guérin vaccine, the only TB vaccine licensed for human use. Therefore, the discovery and development of new TB vaccines remains a priority. This article discusses current strategies used to diversify TB vaccines and includes discussion of the status of efforts to improve protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M tb) infection or TB disease by developing new and safe TB vaccines. This article also highlights the current research efforts in immune‐enhancing approaches to improve vaccination efficacy. The development of more effective TB vaccines might have significant impact on global TB control.     

Detection of recombinant and endogenous mouse melatonin receptors by monoclonal antibodies targeting the C‐terminal domain

Melatonin receptors play important roles in the regulation of circadian and seasonal rhythms, sleep, retinal functions, the immune system, depression, and type 2 diabetes development. Melatonin receptors are approved drug targets for insomnia, non‐24‐hour sleep‐wake disorders, and major depressive disorders. In mammals, two melatonin receptors (MTRs) exist, MT₁ and MT₂, belonging to the G protein‐coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily. Similar to most other GPCRs, reliable antibodies recognizing melatonin receptors proved to be difficult to obtain. Here, we describe the development of the first monoclonal antibodies (mABs) for mouse MT₁ and MT₂. Purified antibodies were extensively characterized for specific reactivity with mouse, rat, and human MT₁ and MT₂ by Western blot, immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, and proximity ligation assay. Several mABs were specific for either mouse MT₁ or MT₂. None of the mABs cross‐reacted with rat MTRs, and some were able to react with human MTRs. The specificity of the selected mABs was validated by immunofluorescence microscopy in three established locations (retina, suprachiasmatic nuclei, pituitary gland) for MTR expression in mice using MTR‐KO mice as control. MT₂ expression was not detected in mouse insulinoma MIN6 cells or pancreatic beta‐cells. Collectively, we report the first monoclonal antibodies recognizing recombinant and native mouse melatonin receptors that will be valuable tools for future studies.     

Differential expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in lipopolysaccharide‐stimulated melanocytes from lightly and darkly pigmented skin

Increasing evidence suggests that human epidermal melanocytes play an important role in the skin immune system; however, a role of their pigmentation in immune and inflammatory responses is poorly examined. In the study, the expression of Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) and inflammatory cytokines and chemokines by cultured normal melanocytes derived from lightly and darkly pigmented skin was investigated after cell stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The basal TLR4 mRNA level in heavily pigmented cells was higher as compared to their lightly pigmented counterparts. Melanocyte exposure to LPS upregulated the expression of TLR4 mRNA and enhanced the DNA‐binding activity of NF‐κB p50 and p65. We found substantial differences in the LPS‐stimulated expression of numerous genes encoding inflammatory cytokines and chemokines between the cells with various melanin contents. In lightly pigmented melanocytes, the most significantly upregulated genes were nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT/visfatin), the chemokines CCL2 and CCL20, and IL6, while the genes for CXCL12, IL‐16 and the chemokine receptor CCR4 were the most significantly upregulated in heavily pigmented cells. Moreover, the lightly pigmented melanocytes secreted much more NAMPT, CCL2 and IL‐6. The results of our study suggest modulatory effect of melanogenesis on the immune properties of normal epidermal melanocytes.