Effect of tacrolimus and partial hepatectomy on transthyretin metabolism in rats

Liver transplantation, which serves as treatment of familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP), and domino liver transplantation, which utilizes resected livers from patients with FAP for treatment of liver diseases, may induce changes in transthyretin (TTR), a pathogenic FAP-related protein. To evaluate this possibility, we performed a 70% hepatectomy or administered tacrolimus to Dark Agouti (DA) rats for 7 days and then measured changes in liver TTR mRNA levels and changes in serum TTR concentrations. After hepatectomy, TTR mRNA levels decreased by 77%; at day 3, they returned to preoperative levels. Except for slightly elevated serum TTR concentrations 12 h after operation, serum TTR levels remained unchanged. Thus, partial hepatectomy did not influence serum TTR concentrations. After tacrolimus administration, TTR mRNA declined by 56% 12 h after the experiment started; however, after day 3, a rebound phenomenon occurred until day 7. Tacrolimus may facilitate serum TTR degradation, although production of TTR in the liver also increased. This finding -- that TTR, the source of FAP-inducing amyloid, did not increase after transplantation -- may help post-transplantation treatment of patients who have FAP and other liver diseases.     

Differential induction responses of delta-aminolevulinate synthase mRNAs during erythroid differentiation: use of nonradioactive in situ hybridization.

Expression of mRNAs encoding the erythroid-specific delta-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS-E) and the nonspecific delta-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS-N) were examined in murine Friend virus-transformed erythroleukemia (MEL) cells using nonradioactive in situ hybridization. Following dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) treatment, ALAS-E mRNA increased markedly, while ALAS-N mRNA did not increase in wild-type MEL cells. In contrast, in a DMSO-resistant clone of MEL cells, ALAS-E was not detectable before and after DMSO treatment. These findings suggest that ALAS-E and ALAS-N mRNAs are under separate controls and that the expression of ALAS-E mRNA is a critical event in erythroid differentiation.     

An adenovirus type 5 (AdV5) vector encoding an envelope domain III-based tetravalent antigen elicits immune responses against all four dengue viruses in the presence of prior AdV5 immunity

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by four antigenically distinct serotypes of dengue viruses (DENVs). This disease, which is prevalent in over a hundred tropical and sub-tropical countries of the world, represents a significant global public health problem. A tetravalent dengue vaccine capable of protecting against all four DENV serotypes has been elusive so far. Current efforts are focused on producing a tetravalent vaccine by mixing four monovalent vaccine components. In this work, we have utilized a discrete carboxy-terminal region of the major DENV envelope (E) protein, known as domain III (EDIII), which mediates virus entry into target cells and contains multiple serotype-specific neutralizing epitopes, to create a chimeric tetravalent antigen. This antigen derived by in-frame fusion of the EDIII-encoding sequences of the four DENV serotypes was expressed using a replication-defective recombinant human adenovirus type 5 (rAdV5) vaccine vector. This rAdV5 vector induced cell-mediated immune responses and virus-neutralizing antibodies specific to each of the four DENVs in mice. Interestingly, anti-AdV5 antibodies did not suppress the induction of DENV-specific neutralizing antibodies. We observed that anti-AdV5 antibodies in the sera of immunized mice could promote uptake of a rAdV5-derived reporter vector into U937 cells, suggesting that pre-existing immunity to AdV5 may in fact facilitate the uptake of rAdV5 vectored vaccines into antigen presenting cells. This work presents an alternative approach to developing a single component tetravalent vaccine that bypasses the complexities inherent in the currently adopted four-in-one physical mixture approach.     

用SYBR Green I实时逆转录-聚合酶链反应定量检测人、小鼠精子中CatSper1 mRNA

目的:建立并优化SYBR GreenI实时RT-PCR体系,定量检测人、小鼠成熟精子中的CatSper1 mRNA。方法:用TRIzol分别提取人、小鼠成熟精子中的总RNA,逆转录后用SYBR GreenI实时PCR定量检测CatSper1 mRNA。SYBR GreenI实时PCR采用普通PCR试剂,加入SYBR GreenI染料,优化退火温度、Mg2+浓度及上、下游引物比例,并在PCR循环时采用四步法以消除引物二聚体的影响。优化完成后用不同浓度的精子cDNA为模板做标准曲线,以检测SYBR GreenI实时PCR的扩增效率。结果:定量检测CatSper1 mRNA的SYBR GreenI实时PCR体系适宜退火温度、Mg2+浓度及上、下游引物比例分别为63℃、3.0mmol/L和1∶1,四步法中采集荧光的温度为88℃。优化后用人和小鼠精子cDNA为模板做标准曲线分别为Y=-3.402log(X)+25.99和Y=-3.409log(X)+24.09,扩增效率分别为96.8%和96.5%,可定量检测人、小鼠成熟精子中的CatSper1 mRNA。结论:用普通的逆转录及PCR系统和试剂,建立了一种方便、廉价、可靠的SYBR GreenI实时荧光定量RT-PCR系统,可用于人、小鼠精子中CatSper1 mRNA定量检测。     

Differential Cellular Gene Expression in Ganglioglioma

Summary:  Purpose:  Gangliogliomas (GGs) are neuronal-glial tumors highly associated with epilepsy. We hypothesized that the expression of select gene families including neurotransmitter receptor subunits and growth factors would be distinct in neurons and astrocytes within GG compared with adjacent cortex and that these changes would yield insights into seizure onset and lesion formation.
Methods:  Candidate gene expression was defined in single immunohistochemically labeled neurons and astrocytes microdissected from GG specimens compared with neurons and astrocytes microdissected from morphologically intact cortex adjacent to the GG or normal control cortex.
Results:  Differential expression of 16 genes including glutamate transporter (EAAC1) and receptor (NMDA2C, mGluR5), growth factor (hepatocyte growth factor), and receptor (platelet derived growth factor receptor β, fibroblast growth factor receptor 3) mRNAs was detected in GG neurons compared with control neurons. In astrocytes, altered expression of p75NGF, mGluR3, TGFβ3 and Glt-1 mRNAs was detected. Nestin mRNA, a gene that exhibits enhanced expression in balloon cell cortical dysplasia, was increased in GG neurons. Because of the morphological similarities between GG and cortical dysplasia, we show that there is activation of the mTOR cascade in GG as evidenced by enhanced expression of phospho-p70S6kinase and phosphoribosomal S6 proteins.
Conclusion:  We find differential candidate gene expression in neurons and astrocytes in GG compared with adjacent cortex and show that there is activation of the mTOR pathway. These changes highlight pathways that may be pivotal for epileptogenesis and lesion growth.     

Novel IgE peptide-based vaccine prevents the increase of IgE and down-regulates elevated IgE in rodents

BACKGROUND: Immunotherapy with anti-IgE antibodies for treatment of allergy is promising but a short half-life and extremely high cost limit its application. OBJECTIVE: We sought to develop IgE vaccines that induce longer-lasting auto-antibodies to neutralize self-IgE as an alternative therapy. METHODS: The vaccine was made by conjugating three synthetic peptides corresponding to human IgE receptor-binding sites to a carrier, hepatitis B surface antigen. To test the immunogenicity of the vaccine, rats were immunized with the vaccine or hepatitis B surface antigen as control. Serum IgG titres to human IgE and the IgE of other species were measured. The inhibition by rat antisera of the binding of human IgE to its receptor was assessed by ELISA, flow cytometry analysis, and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA), and its ability to recognize receptor-bound IgE was examined. The in vivo effect of the vaccine was evaluated in trichosanthin-sensitized mice and rats. In the preventative study, vaccination started before sensitization commenced, while in the treatment study, vaccination started after sensitization. Sensitized mice and rats receiving injections of the carrier served as controls. Trichosanthin-specific IgE was measured using PCA. RESULTS: Sera from vaccine-immunized rats contained high titre antibodies that reacted with soluble and plate-bound but not with receptor-bound human IgE; they also reacted with mouse, rat, and dog IgE. Furthermore, the sera inhibited the binding of human IgE to its receptor in a dose-dependent manner. In preventative and treatment studies, serum trichosanthin-specific IgE levels were significantly reduced in vaccinated groups compared with controls. CONCLUSION: Antibodies against self-IgE can be induced by IgE peptide-based vaccines, which are effective in preventing the increase of IgE and in down-regulating IgE in sensitized animals.     

高危人群微量乙肝疫苗免疫效果动态观察

采用微量乙肝疫苗（总剂量为６μｇ）对ＨＢＶ高流行区居民进行随机对照研究，免疫Ⅰ组（疫苗＜８℃保存）Ｔ１２抗体阳转率和保护率分别为９０．８％和８７．０％，和对照组相比，差异显著（Ｐ均＜０．００１）；和常规剂量（总剂量９０μｇ）比，其抗体阳转率和保护率基本相同。提示ＨＢＶ高流行区可用微量乙肝苗代替常量乙肝苗进行预防接种。免疫Ⅰ组和免疫Ⅱ组（乙肝疫苗室温保藏２８℃±）免疫效果和保护率基本相同，认为室温条件下乙肝疫苗６个月内效价不变。