A novel peptide-based pan-influenza A vaccine: A double blind,randomised clinical trial of immunogenicity and safety

BackgroundFP-01.1 is a novel synthetic influenza A vaccine consisting of six fluorocarbon-modified 35-mer peptides that encapsulate multiple CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell epitopes and is designed to induce an immune response across a broad population.MethodsFP-01.1 was evaluated for safety and immunogenicity in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation, phase I clinical study in healthy adult volunteers (n = 49). IFNγ ELISpot assays and multicolour flow cytometry were used to characterise the immune response.ResultsFP-01.1 was safe and well tolerated at all doses tested with a similar adverse event profile in actively vaccinated subjects compared with controls. Maximum immunogenicity was in the 150 μg/peptide dose group where a robust response (243 spots/million PBMC) was demonstrated in 75% subjects compared with 0% in placebo controls. All six peptides were immunogenic. FP-01.1 induced dual CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses and vaccine-specific T cells cross-recognise divergent influenza strains.ConclusionsThis first-in-human study showed that FP-01.1 has an acceptable safety and tolerability profile and generated robust anti-viral T cell responses in a high proportion of subjects tested. The results support the further clinical testing of FP-01.1 prior to clinical, proof-of-concept, live viral challenge studies.     

心肌肽素对豚鼠心室肌细胞内向整流钾电流的影响

目的研究心肌肽素对豚鼠心室肌细胞内向整流钾电流(IK1)的影响,探讨心肌肽素抗心律失常的作用机制。方法用急性酶解法分离豚鼠心室肌细胞,用标准的全细胞膜片钳技术,观察不同浓度的心肌肽素对内向整流钾电流的影响。结果在测试电压100mV的条件下,观察豚鼠心室肌细胞IK1内向电流对心肌肽素的影响。10μg/ml心肌肽素使IK1从给药前21.0±6.3pA/pF降低到给药后18.4±5.4pA/pF(P<0.05),抑制率为(20±3)%。50μg/ml心肌肽素使IK1从给药前22.8±5.5pA/pF降低到给药后16.0±3.8pA/pF(P<0.01),抑制率为(32±6)%。50μg/ml心肌肽素没有改变IK1的电流密度电压曲线形态。结论心肌肽素抑制豚鼠心室肌细胞IK1,可能是其抗心律失常作用的机理之一。     

Characterization of HCV Genotype 5a Envelope Proteins: Implications for Vaccine Development and Therapeutic Entry Target

Background:

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the major causes of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma with an estimation of 185 million people with infection. The E2 is the main target for neutralizing antibody responses and the variation of this region is related to maintenance of persistent infection by emerging escape variants and subsequent development of chronic infection. While both E1 and E2 are hypervariable in nature, it is difficult to design vaccines or therapeutic drugs against them.

Objectives:

The objective of this study was to characterize genotype 5a E1 and E2 sequences to determine possible glycosylation sites, conserved B-cell epitopes and peptides in HCV that could be useful targets in design of vaccine and entry inhibitors.

Patients and Methods:

This study was conducted through PCR amplification of E1 and E2 regions, sequencing, prediction of B-cell epitopes, analysis of N-linked glycosylation and peptide design in 18 samples of HCV genotype 5a from South African.

Results:

Differences in the probability of glycosylation in E1 and E2 regions were observed in this study. Three conserved antigenic B-cell epitopes were predicted in the E2 regions and also 11 short peptides were designed from the highly conserved residues.

Conclusions:

This study provided conserved B-cell epitopes and peptides that can be useful for designing entry inhibitors and vaccines able to cover a global population, especially where genotype 5a is common.     

Bio-inspired stable antimicrobial peptide coatings for dental applications

We developed a novel titanium coating that has applications for preventing infection-related implant failures in dentistry and orthopedics. The coating incorporates an antimicrobial peptide, GL13K, derived from parotid secretory protein, which has been previously shown to be bactericidal and bacteriostatic in solution. We characterized the resulting physicochemical properties, resistance to degradation, activity against Porphyromonas gingivalis and in vitro cytocompatibility. Porphyromonas gingivalis is a pathogen associated with dental peri-implantitis, an inflammatory response to bacteria resulting in bone loss and implant failure. Our surface modifications obtained a homogeneous, highly hydrophobic and strongly anchored GL13K coating that was resistant to mechanical, thermochemical and enzymatic degradation. The GL13K coatings had a bactericidal effect and thus significantly reduced the number of viable bacteria compared to control surfaces. Finally, adequate proliferation of osteoblasts and human gingival fibroblasts demonstrated the GL13K coating’s cytocompatibility. The robustness, antimicrobial activity and cytocompatibility of GL13K-biofunctionalized titanium make it a promising candidate for sustained inhibition of bacterial biofilm growth. This surface chemistry provides a basis for development of multifunctional bioactive surfaces to reduce patient morbidities and improve long-term clinical efficacy of metallic dental and orthopedic implants.     

RGD多肽修饰同种异体骨表面密度的放射性示踪研究

 目的 探讨应用¹²⁵I标记RGD多肽的放射性示踪方法测定RGD多肽在同种异体骨片表面的枝接密度的可行性。探寻RGD多肽反应浓度对表面密度的影响,获得RGD表面密度与反应浓度的关系曲线。方法 用放射性¹²⁵I对人工合成的含RGD八肽(EPRGDNYR)进行标记反应,并测算比放射性。将标记后的¹²⁵I－RGD作为放射性探针加入设计浓度分别为0.01 mg/ml、0.10 mg/ml、0.50 mg/ml、1.00 mg/ml、2.00 mg/ml、4.00 mg/ml的RGD反应液。以1-乙基-3-(3-二甲基氨丙基)碳二亚胺为交联剂,将预制的同种异体骨片置于不同设计浓度的RGD反应液中进行枝接反应。通过测定反应后的异体骨片的放射性和表面积,计算异体骨片表面RGD多肽的枝接密度,评价RGD多肽反应浓度对表面密度的影响并绘制二者的关系曲线。结果 通过放射密度γ－计数器的测定发现,125I能够成功标记于RGD多肽。以含有¹²⁵I－RGD的不同设计浓度的RGD反应液与预制的同种异体骨片进行枝接反应后,发现同种异体骨片具有放射性,说明RGD多肽已经成功枝接于异体骨片。经分析发现RGD多肽的表面密度随反应浓度的增加而增加。结论 RGD多肽的表面密度与其反应浓度间定量相关,随反应浓度的增长,表面密度逐渐趋于饱和值。     

Problems with measuring peripheral oxytocin: Can the data on oxytocin and human behavior be trusted?

Research on the neurobiological and behavioral effects of oxytocin (OT), as well as on its possible therapeutic applications, has intensified in the past decade. Accurate determination of peripheral OT levels is essential to reach meaningful conclusions and to motivate, support and inform clinical interventions. Different, but concordant, methods for measuring plasma OT have been developed over the past four decades, but since 2004 several commercially available methods have been favored in research with humans. Evaluation of these methods reveals that they lack reliability when used on unextracted samples of human fluids, and that they tag molecules in addition to OT, yielding estimates that are wildly discrepant with an extensive body of earlier findings that were obtained using methods that are well validated, but more laborious. An accurate, specific, and readily available method for measuring OT that can be adopted as the standard in the field is urgently needed for advances in our understanding of OT's roles in cognition and behavior.     

Antibody recognition of cathepsin L1-derived peptides in Fasciola hepatica-infected and/or vaccinated cattle and identification of protective linear B-cell epitopes

Fasciola hepatica infection causes important economic losses in livestock and food industries around the world. In the Republic of Ireland F. hepatica infection has an 76% prevalence in cattle. Due to the increase of anti-helminthic resistance, a vaccine-based approach to control of Fasciolosis is urgently needed. A recombinant version of the cysteine protease cathepsin L1 (rmFhCL1) from F. hepatica has been a vaccine candidate for many years. We have found that vaccination of cattle with this immunodominant antigen has provided protection against infection in some experimental trials, but not in others. Differential epitope recognition between animals could be a source of variable levels of vaccine protection. Therefore, we have characterised for first time linear B-cell epitopes recognised within the FhCL1 protein using sera from F. hepatica-infected and/or vaccinated cattle from two independent trials. Results showed that all F. hepatica infected animals recognised the region 19–31 of FhCL1, which is situated in the N-terminal part of the pro-peptide. Vaccinated animals that showed fluke burden reduction elicited antibodies that bound to the regions 120–137, 145–155, 161–171 of FhCL1, which were not recognised by non-protected animals. This data, together with the high production of specific IgG2 in animals showing vaccine efficacy, suggest important targets for vaccine development.     

RP-HPLC法测定注射用胸腺法新中有关物质的含量

目的：建立以反相高效液相色谱法（RP-HPLC）测定注射用胸腺法新有关物质的方法研究。方法将样品用磷酸盐缓冲液（PBS）溶解后进行色谱分析,采用Agilent ZORBAX SB-C18（250.0 mm×4.6 mm,5μm）色谱柱,以流动相A[乙腈-水-磷酸（140∶860∶1）]和流动相B[乙腈-水-磷酸（250∶750∶1）]进行梯度洗脱,流速为1.0 mL/min,柱温40℃,检测波长210 nm,进样量20μL。结果 RP-HPLC法专属性强,重现性好,稳定性佳;有关物质在0.7098～23.6150μg/mL范围内与峰面积有良好的线性关系（r=0.9993）。结论 RP-HPLC法简单、准确、可靠,可用于测定注射用胸腺法新中有关物质的含量。     

Evaluation of genotoxicity testing of FDA approved large molecule therapeutics

Large molecule therapeutics (MW > 1000 daltons) are not expected to enter the cell and thus have reduced potential to interact directly with DNA or related physiological processes. Genotoxicity studies are therefore not relevant and typically not required for large molecule therapeutic candidates. Regulatory guidance supports this approach; however there are examples of marketed large molecule therapeutics where sponsors have conducted genotoxicity studies. A retrospective analysis was performed on genotoxicity studies of United States FDA approved large molecule therapeutics since 1998 identified through the Drugs@FDA website. This information was used to provide a data-driven rationale for genotoxicity evaluations of large molecule therapeutics. Fifty-three of the 99 therapeutics identified were tested for genotoxic potential. None of the therapeutics tested showed a positive outcome in any study except the peptide glucagon (GlucaGen®) showing equivocal in vitro results, as stated in the product labeling. Scientific rationale and data from this review indicate that testing of a majority of large molecule modalities do not add value to risk assessment and support current regulatory guidance. Similarly, the data do not support testing of peptides containing only natural amino acids. Peptides containing non-natural amino acids and small molecules in conjugated products may need to be tested.