Aberrant T cell responses to myelin antigens during clinical exacerbation in patients with multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of presumed T cell autoimmunity against self myelin. We hypothesized that if myelin-reactive T cells are associated with the disease processes, they may undergo activation and expansion during acute exacerbation. In this study, we examined the precursor frequency, epitope recognition and cytokine profile of myelin-reactive T cells in 14 relapsing/remitting MS patients during exacerbation and remission. The study revealed that T cells recognizing the immunodominant peptides of candidate myelin antigens, including myelin basic protein (MBP), proteolipid protein and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, occurred at increased precursor frequency during acute exacerbation. The T cell responses to MBP focused on the immunodominant regions (residues 83-99 and 151-170) during exacerbation and shifted toward other epitopes of MBP at the time of remission. Furthermore, there was a marked increase in the production of T(h)1 cytokines among T cell lines obtained during exacerbation compared to those obtained during remission. The study demonstrated that myelin-reactive T cells underwent selective activation and expansion during acute MS exacerbation. In contrast, myelin-reactive T cells found during remission in the same patients generally resembled those identified in healthy controls with some discrepancies. The findings suggest potential association of aberrant myelin-reactive T cell responses with acute exacerbation in MS, which may reflect transient activation of myelin-reactive T cell populations of pathogenic potential.     

医院实施ISO9001质量管理体系内部审核的探讨

医疗机构实施ISO9001,其目的是为了提高医疗服务质量,满足病人一切明确和隐含的需求。那么,内审是否发挥作用,直接关系管理体系的有效性。文章对此进行了初步的探讨,即:①明确内审的目的是检查体系满足标准要求的程度;②建立正规的内审机构,要选拔责任心强、综合素质高的人担任内审员;③编制合理且有特色的内审计划,是内审有效性的关键;④适当增加专题审核;⑤医院最高管理者应重视内审结果。     

CYFIP2 is highly abundant in CD4+ cells from multiple sclerosis patients and is involved in T cell adhesion

DNA microarray profiling of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells from non-treated relapsing and remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) patients determined that the cytoplasmic binding partner of fragile X protein (CYFIP2, also called PIR121) was increased significantly compared to healthy controls. Western analysis confirmed that CYFIP2 protein was increased approximately fourfold in CD4(+) cells from MS compared to inflammatory bowel disorder (IBD) patients or healthy controls. Because CYFIP2 acts as part of a tetrameric complex that regulates WAVE1 activation we hypothesized that high levels of CYFIP2 facilitate T cell adhesion, which is elevated in MS patients. Several findings indicated that increased levels of CYFIP2 facilitated adhesion. First, adenoviral-mediated overexpression of CYFIP2 in Jurkat cells increased fibronectin-mediated adhesion. Secondly, CYFIP2 knock-down experiments using antisense oligodeoxynucleotides reduced fibronectin-mediated binding in Jurkat and CD4(+) cells. Thirdly, inhibition of Rac-1, a physical partner with CYFIP2 and regulator of WAVE1 activity, reduced fibronectin-mediated adhesion in Jurkat and CD4(+) cells. Finally, inhibition of Rac-1 or reduction of CYFIP2 protein decreased fibronectin-mediated adhesion in CD4(+) cells from MS patients to levels similar to controls. These studies suggest that overabundance of CYFIP2 protein facilitates increased adhesion properties of T cells from MS patients.     

The critical role of ocular-infiltrating macrophages in the development of choroidal neovascularization

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is directly related to visual loss in some eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration. Although several human histological studies have suggested the participation of macrophages in CNV formation, the precise mechanisms are still not fully understood. In this study, we elucidated the role of ocular-infiltrating macrophages in experimental CNV using CCR2 knockout (KO) mice, wild-type mice, and C57BL/6 (B6) mice. CCR2 is the receptor of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and the number of infiltrating macrophage and the area of CNV were significantly reduced in CCR2 KO mice. Enriched ocular-infiltrating macrophages from B6 mice actually showed angiogenic ability in a dorsal air sac assay. Moreover, their expression of class II, CD40, B7-1 and B7-2 molecules, and the mRNA for potential angiogenic factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, was also observed. Collectively, we conclude that ocular-infiltrating macrophages play an important role in CNV generation.     

Self-assembled biomimetic monolayers using phospholipid-containing disulfides

Several phospholipid-based disulfide molecules were synthesized and attached onto the gold-coated silicon wafer using the self-assembling method. The syntheses of these surface-modifying agents were conducted by introducing bromoethylphosphorate (PBr), phosphorylcholine (PC) or phosphorylethanolamine (PE) groups on the terminals of a dialkyl disulfide. After disulfides adsorption onto gold substrate surfaces, the composition, the film thickness, and the conformational order of self-assembled monolayer surfaces were explored and discussed in detail based on reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy, contact angle measurement, Auger electron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and so on. The monolayer having the PBr end group could also be converted to a PC surface by treating with trimethylamine. The model functional surfaces of Au-SC11-PC, -PE, -PBr, -OH or corresponding mixed layers were used to mimic biomembrane surfaces. The monolayer having PC groups was found to reduce fibrinogen adsorption as evaluated from protein adsorption experiments using quartz crystal microbalance. It also showed relatively low platelet adherence compare to the glass, PBr and PE surfaces. The cell viability test also revealed that the PC surface displayed lower cytotoxicity than other surfaces.     

单侧外周伤害性刺激诱发大鼠脊髓中转录因子CREB的双侧磷酸化(英文)

c AMP反应成分结合蛋白 (c AMP response elem ent-binding protein,CREB)是一种转录因子 ,它在磷酸化之后可调节靶基因的转录。 CREB在 13 3位置的丝氨酸的磷酸化 ,与脊髓中伤害性传入的处理有关 ,本文作者等用特殊抗体对此进行了免疫细胞化学研究。在正常大鼠 ,虽然几乎所有脊髓神经元的核中都可见 CREB的轻度着色 ,但磷酸化的 CREB仅见于双侧腰段脊髓的 ～ 层 (75± 15 vs60± 18)和 层 (9± 3 )。用福尔马林注射引起一侧后脚掌出现炎症时 ,可在双侧腰段脊髓看到磷酸化CREB细胞核的快速 (小于 5 min)和节段性的显著增多 ;它们主要分布在双侧背角表层 ～ 层 (2 5 4± 2 0 vs 2 62± 2 3 )、 层(115± 13 )和双侧 ～ 层 (3 46± 2 0 vs3 2 8± 2 6) ;而在对照和炎症组大鼠的胸段脊髓中均未见磷酸化 CREB的增加。在注射CFA诱发一侧炎症或切断一侧坐骨神经的实验组大鼠 ,也可看到至少延续到第三天的强而双侧性的 CREB的磷酸化。这种由一侧后肢伤害性传入引致腰段脊髓中镜像式双侧 CREB磷酸化的出现 ,与一般看到的损伤传入只在同侧脊髓背角引起某些神经化学改变的结果不同 ,可能是人神经损伤后或在实验动物中出现对侧镜像式疼痛过敏现象的基础