DDT and malaria prevention: addressing the paradox

Background

The debate regarding dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) in malaria prevention and human health is polarized and can be classified into three positions: anti-DDT, centrist-DDT, pro-DDT.

Objective

We attempted to arrive at a synthesis by matching a series of questions on the use of DDT for indoor residual spraying (IRS) with literature and insights, and to identify options and opportunities.

Discussion

Overall, community health is significantly improved through all available malaria control measures, which include IRS with DDT. Is DDT “good”? Yes, because it has saved many lives. Is DDT safe as used in IRS? Recent publications have increasingly raised concerns about the health implications of DDT. Therefore, an unqualified statement that DDT used in IRS is safe is untenable. Are inhabitants and applicators exposed? Yes, and to high levels. Should DDT be used? The fact that DDT is “good” because it saves lives, and “not safe” because it has health and environmental consequences, raises ethical issues. The evidence of adverse human health effects due to DDT is mounting. However, under certain circumstances, malaria control using DDT cannot yet be halted. Therefore, the continued use of DDT poses a paradox recognized by a centrist-DDT position. At the very least, it is now time to invoke precaution. Precautionary actions could include use and exposure reduction.

Conclusions

There are situations where DDT will provide the best achievable health benefit, but maintaining that DDT is safe ignores the cumulative indications of many studies. In such situations, addressing the paradox from a centrist-DDT position and invoking precaution will help design choices for healthier lives.     

Swine adipose stromal cells loaded with recombinant bovine herpesvirus 4 virions expressing a foreign antigen induce potent humoral immune responses in pigs

Increasingly effective vaccination strategies are needed to counteract the high incidence of contagious diseases associated with intensive swine breeding. Recombinant viral vaccines are a promising new avenue in this direction. Key features of viral vectors suitable for immunoprophylaxis are safety, ease of manipulation and the ability to replicate in a variety of hosts. Most of the above requirements are met by bovine herpesvirus 4 (BoHV-4), a non-pathogenic dsDNA virus capable of infecting a broad range of cell types in vitro. Here we report the results of an exploratory study using an engineered BoHV-4 virus (eBoHV-4) expressing two unrelated glycoprotein antigens from bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), to assess the potential of recombinant BoHV-4 as a self-adjuvanted immunogen in pigs. Free eBoHV-4 virions and virions preloaded into homologous swine adipose-derived stromal cells (SADSC) were tested. Neither virus formulation elicited neutralizing anti-BoHV-4 antibodies, nor any disease symptom, yet both induced specific immune responses against the heterologous antigens. However, a much earlier (18 vs 28 days post-infection) and more robust neutralizing response against BVDV and BoHV-1 viruses was elicited by eBoHV-4-preinfected SADSCs compared to free virions. The data validate BoHV-4 as a safe and effective heterologous antigen carrier/producer and identify SADSCs as helpful tools for the formulation of increasingly efficacious recombinant immunogens for pig vaccination.     

促Treg细胞生成及活化重组分子的构建与表达

本研究旨在构建促Treg细胞生成及活化的重组分子的原核表达载体,并鉴定其表达。应用RT-PCR获得人TGF-β1及HIV被膜蛋白gp120的C2-C4区基因并将其克隆至pCR2.1 T载体,酶切制备人TGF-β1及C2-C4区DNA片段,通过PCR定向连接两目的片段至原核表达载体pET-28a,生成pET-28a/C2-C4-Linker-hTGF-β1,转染E.coli BL21(DE3)感受态细胞,使用0.1 mmol/L的IPTG诱导蛋白表达,以Western blot方法鉴定表达结果。结果表明,成功扩增人TGF-β1及C2-C4区基因并分别克隆入pCR2.1-T载体,经亚克隆构建了重组蛋白的原核表达质粒pET-28a/C2-C4-Linker-hTGF-β1,并转染E.coli BL21(DE3)感受态细胞获得工程菌株,通过IPTG诱导,重组蛋白以包涵体形式获得表达。结论:本研究成功构建促Treg细胞生成及活化的重组分子的原核表达载体,并获得原核表达。     

Requirements for effective malaria control with homing endonuclease genes

Malaria continues to impose a substantial burden on human health. We have previously proposed that biological approaches to control the mosquito vector of disease could be developed using homing endonuclease genes (HEGs), a class of selfish or parasitic gene that exists naturally in many microbes. Recent lab studies have demonstrated that HEGs can function in mosquitoes. We constructed and analyzed a model of mosquito population genetics and malaria epidemiology to determine how well HEGs need to function in order to have a significant effect on the burden of disease. Our model, combined with currently available data, indicates that populations of Anopheles gambiae could be eliminated by releasing 2-3 HEGs targeting female fertility genes, or a driving-Y chromosome that is transmitted to 75-96% of progeny. Combinations of fertility-targeting HEGs and Y drive may also be effective. It is possible to eliminate the disease without eliminating the vector, but the parameter space producing this outcome appears to be small. HEGs causing a quantitative reduction in adult survival can be more effective than those targeting female fertility, but the selection coefficients that need to be imposed are still large, unless many HEGs are to be released. Simulations show that HEG-based strategies can be effective over socially relevant time frames. Important limiting assumptions of the models are that there is only a single vector species, and we model a homogeneous population, not a landscape. Nevertheless, we conclude that HEG-based approaches could have a transformational effect on malaria control efforts.     

GDF5基因启动子表达载体的构建

目的构建含人生长分化因子5（GDF5）基因启动子表达载体pGL3-GDF5,为研究GDF5在骨骼、肌肉发育的作用机制提供实验基础。方法扩增人GDF5基因启动子序列,克隆至pGL3-Basic表达载体并转化入大肠杆菌DH10b,双酶切鉴定并测序。结果 PCR扩增后的产物在约854 bp处出现明显的特异性条带,酶切鉴定结果与理论预测值一致,测序未出现碱基突变。结论成功构建了含GDF5基因启动子的表达载体。     

Regeneration of axons in injured spinal cord by activation of bone morphogenetic protein/Smad1 signaling pathway in adult neurons

Axon growth potential is highest in young neurons but diminishes with age, thus becoming a significant obstacle to axonal regeneration after injury in maturity. The mechanism for the decline is incompletely understood, and no effective clinical treatment is available to rekindle innate growth capability. Here, we show that Smad1-dependent bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling is developmentally regulated and governs axonal growth in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Down-regulation of the pathway contributes to the age-related decline of the axon growth potential. Reactivating Smad1 selectively in adult DRG neurons results in sensory axon regeneration in a mouse model of spinal cord injury (SCI). Smad1 signaling can be effectively manipulated by an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector encoding BMP4 delivered by a clinically applicable and minimally invasive technique, an approach devoid of unwanted abnormalities in mechanosensation or pain perception. Importantly, transected axons are able to regenerate even when the AAV treatment is delivered after SCI, thus mimicking a clinically relevant scenario. Together, our results identify a therapeutic target to promote axonal regeneration after SCI.     

四环素调控复制缺陷性疱疹病毒载体介导LacZ基因在原代培养神经元中的表达

目的利用四环素调控复制缺陷性单纯疱疹病毒I型重组载体(QR9TO-LacZ)感染体外原代培养的大鼠皮层神经元,探讨其介导半乳糖苷酶(LacZ)基因的表达情况及基因调控效能;并检测该载体对神经元活力的影响。方法用RUL9-8细胞系扩增QR9TO-LacZ病毒株,收集后采用噬斑法测定病毒滴度;体外原代培养大鼠皮层神经元。将培养的原代神经元分为强力霉素(DOX)组和对照组。两组细胞均用QR9TO-LacZ转染,强力霉素组加入四环素衍生物强力霉素(0.5μg/ml),对照组加入等剂量空白对照液。同时根据感染复数(MOI),即MOI=3、5、10、30 PFU/cell,将两组培养细胞进一步分为亚组。病毒转染48h后行X-gal染色;光镜下观察神经元形态,随机选取10个高倍镜视野(×400),计算每高倍镜视野中平均蓝染细胞率,比较不同MOI病毒感染神经元的效率。采用四甲基偶氮唑盐微量酶反应比色法(MTT法)检测感染病毒48 h(MOI同上)后神经元的活性。结果在含有DOX的培养环境中,不同MOI亚组(3、5、10、30 PFU/cell)QR9TO-LacZ感染神经元出现蓝染细胞百分比分别为5.35%±0.84%、10.64%±1.92%、19.73%±2.87%、34.41%±2.58%;在无DOX的培养环境中,各亚组均未观察到蓝染细胞。上述MOI感染的神经元细胞存活率分别为:90.24%±8.16%、88.00%±5.69%、83.95%±3.82%、78.90%±5.49%。结论 QR9TO-LacZ载体能有效地将目的基因导入原代培养神经元中并表达;目的基因表达的开启受强力霉素调控;QR9TO-LacZ对体外原代培养神经元毒性较低。     

虫媒病毒及其媒介蚊虫microRNA的研究现状和展望

目前,虫媒病毒引起的严重传染病在世界范围内流行.有关虫媒病毒与媒介蚊虫间相互作用关系成为研究的热点.随着microRNA在动物、植物,甚至是病毒中的发现,使得虫媒病毒与蚊媒之间复杂的分子作用关系有了新的研究视野.本文主要综述虫媒病毒与其媒介蚊虫在microRNA水平上的相关研究进展.     

基于MR图像三维纹理特征的阿尔茨海默病和轻度认知障碍的分类

目的 利用三维纹理特征对阿尔茨海默病(AD)患者和轻度认知障碍(MCI)患者进行分类识别,以探索AD早期诊断新途径。方法 对12例早期AD患者(AD组)、12例MCI患者(MCI组)及12名健康对照者(NC组)的MR图像进行三维纹理分析,采用灰度共生矩阵和游程长矩阵提取每位受试者左、右侧海马结构及胼胝体的三维纹理特征,选取三组间存在显著性差异的纹理参数作为特征变量,采用支持向量机(SVM)方法对各组进行分类,利用留一法估算分类准确率。结果 对NC组与MCI组、MCI组与AD组、NC组与AD组进行分类识别的最高准确率分别为79.17%、83.33%、91.67%。结论 利用三维纹理分析可分类识别早期AD患者及MCI患者,有助于AD的早期诊断。