Molecular and biochemical mechanisms ofPasteurella haemolyticaleukotoxin-induced cell death

Pasteurella haemolyticaleukotoxin (LKT) is a member of the RTX family of pore-forming toxins that kill bovine immune cells. Several studies have suggested that RTX toxins kill target cells by the induction of apoptosis. In the present study, BL3 bovine leukaemia cells were exposed to LKT and assessed by molecular and flow cytometric techniques that measure different aspects of apoptotic cell death. The intoxicated cells demonstrated morphological, light scatter and Hoechst 33258 staining characteristics consistent with cells undergoing apoptosis. The cells also exhibited internucleosomal DNA fragmentation and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage, both indicators of apoptosis. LKT-treated cells bound annexin-V-FITC indicating that phosphatidylserine groups were translocated from the inner to the outer leaflet of the cell membrane. The effect of LKT on cells was dose dependent and inhibitable by incubation with anti-LKT monoclonal antibody. Finally, an early step for induction of apoptosis appears to be the binding of LKT to a β2 integrin since pre-incubating cells with anti-β2 integrin antibodies inhibited LKT-induced apoptosis. This study provides new insights into understanding the pathogenesis of bovine pasteurellosis and could lead to the development of both preventative and therapeutic strategies for disease management.     

Testicular metastasis of primary cecal carcinoid tumor

Testicular carcinoids are rare and the majority are of primary testicular origin. Testicular carcinoids can also be secondary from extra-testicular primary tumors, but the incidence is even less common. The case described here is a patient who initially had an infiltrating cecal carcinoid with hepatic metastasis. Following surgery, he was managed with octreotide and had close monitoring of the levels of serum serotonin and its urinary metabolite. He experienced a fairly indolent clinical course and 5 years after excision of the primary cecal carcinoid, his hepatic lesion has virtually been unchanged. However, he developed a secondary testicular metastasis. He has otherwise remained well, without evidence of metastases elsewhere on imaging studies.     

Favorably tipping the balance between cytopathic and regulatory T cells to create transplantation tolerance

Therapeutic application of broadly reactive anti-T cell antibodies can lead not only to potent immunosuppression but also to profound and long-lived T cell depletion. We reasoned that a strategy that almost exclusively targets activated cytopathic donor reactive T cells and spares immunoregulatory networks might prove to be an exceptionally potent and highly selective means of producing long-term engraftment and tolerance. Herein we show that the combined administration of rapamycin and agonist IL-2- and antagonist IL-15-related cytolytic fusion proteins provides for long-term engraftment/tolerance in exceptionally stringent allotransplant models by (1) limiting the early expansion of activated T cells, (2) preserving and even exaggerating their subsequent apoptotic clearance, and (3) further amplifying the depletion of these activated T cells by antibody-dependent mechanisms, while (4) preserving CD4+CD25+ T cell-dependent immunoregulatory networks.     

A novel lysophospholipid- and pH-sensitive receptor, GPR4, in brain endothelial cells regulates monocyte transmigration.

Abundant evidence documents the highly proinflammatory actions of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC). Further, LPC, found in high amounts in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL), is implicated as an atherogenic factor. In endothelial cells, LPC impairs endothelial barrier function through GPR4, a novel receptor hypothesized to be sensitive to LPC and protons. The authors investigated the stimulation by LPC or low pH of GPR4 in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) and whether the activated GPR4 regulates in vitro monocyte transmigration. The results indicated that HBMECs stimulated by LPC (5 microM), but not low pH, showed a twofold increase in monocyte transmigration. Using retroviruses containing siRNA to GPR4, a > 60% reduction of GPR4 expression resulted in blockade of the LPC-stimulated transmigration. The inhibited response was restored by co-expression with an small interference RNA (siRNA)-resistant, but functional, GPR4 mutant construct. To investigate potential signaling mechanisms, the siRNA-mediated knockdown of GPR4 also prevented LPC-induced RhoA activation. C3 transferase, a Rho inhibitor, prevented approximately approximately 65% of the LPC-stimulated transmigration. LPC also increased MLC phosphorylation by 5 min, which was inhibited by the Rho kinase inhibitor, Y-27632 (10 microM) or ML-7 (myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) inhibitor). The findings indicate that the proinflammatory and atherogenic LPC stimulated endothelial GPR4, which promoted monocyte transmigration through a RhoA-dependent pathway.     

Investigation of 89 candidate gene variants for effects on all-cause mortality following acute coronary syndrome

Background  

Many candidate genes have been reported to be risk factors for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), but their impact on clinical prognosis following ACS is unknown.     

司帕沙星对试验动物的一般药理研究

小鼠单次经口灌服司帕沙星4、20和100mg/kg后,动物的活动正常,未出现兴奋的抑制作用;小鼠单次经口灌服司帕沙星4、20和100mg/kg,与戊巴比妥钠镇静催眠无明显协同作用;给猫静脉注射司帕沙星4、16和64mg/kg,对动物呼吸和心血管系统无明显影响。     

DNA prime followed by protein boost enhances neutralization and Th1 type immunity against FMDV

Prime-boost strategy has been exhibited its potency to enhance immune responses, which would be important to the success to develop a vaccine against the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). An eukaryotic expression construct encoding the FMDV capsid VP1 protein with a recombinant VP1 protein or a commercial FMDV vaccine were tested in the prime-boost strategy in mice and cattle trials. The levels of induced specific antibodies, T cell proliferations, and DTH activities were significantly higher in the prime-boost groups than in those vaccinated with DNA, protein or FMDV vaccine alone. More importantly, the levels of neutralizing antibodies in the former groups were significantly higher than others and could last for at least four months in cattle trials. This study suggests that the prime-boost strategy significantly improves the effective immunity and may provide a longer protection against FMDV infection.     

CTT triplex系统各基因座位等位基因在葡萄胎基因组中的分布及其意义

我们对采用PCR和聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳鉴别出的37例DNA完全来自父方的遗传学完全性葡萄胎(g-CHM)进行基因组中CTTtriplex系统各基因座位(CSF1PO、TPOX和TH01)等位基因分布的分析,并初步研究了这些等位基因分布与临床预后的关系。结果显示,在37例g-CHM中,CSF1PO座位中3个等位基因(11,12和14)和TPOX座位中的1个等位基因(11)的出现率与它们在北京地区人群中的基因频率差异显著;g-CHM中CSF1PO、TPOX和TH01基因座位杂合度显著低于北京地区人群的杂合度(P值均远小于0.01);在23例良性g-CHM和10例侵袭性g-CHM中:CSF1PO座位的等位基因10、11在良性中的出现率高于在侵袭性g-CHM中(P=0.026148),等位基因12在良性中的出现率低于在侵袭性g-CHM中(P=0.023879);TPOX座位的等位基因8在良性中的出现率高于在侵袭性g-CHM中(P=0.004322),而等位基因11在良性中的出现率低于其在侵袭性g-CHM中(P=0.008671)。上述结果提示,葡萄胎基因组中存在某些等位基因分布与在人群中的分布不同,而且葡萄胎是否具有侵袭性也和某些等位基因的出现率过高或过低有相关性,这些与侵袭性有关的等位基因可能成为预测葡萄胎是否具有侵袭性的标志物。