Detection of recombinant and endogenous mouse melatonin receptors by monoclonal antibodies targeting the C‐terminal domain

Melatonin receptors play important roles in the regulation of circadian and seasonal rhythms, sleep, retinal functions, the immune system, depression, and type 2 diabetes development. Melatonin receptors are approved drug targets for insomnia, non‐24‐hour sleep‐wake disorders, and major depressive disorders. In mammals, two melatonin receptors (MTRs) exist, MT₁ and MT₂, belonging to the G protein‐coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily. Similar to most other GPCRs, reliable antibodies recognizing melatonin receptors proved to be difficult to obtain. Here, we describe the development of the first monoclonal antibodies (mABs) for mouse MT₁ and MT₂. Purified antibodies were extensively characterized for specific reactivity with mouse, rat, and human MT₁ and MT₂ by Western blot, immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, and proximity ligation assay. Several mABs were specific for either mouse MT₁ or MT₂. None of the mABs cross‐reacted with rat MTRs, and some were able to react with human MTRs. The specificity of the selected mABs was validated by immunofluorescence microscopy in three established locations (retina, suprachiasmatic nuclei, pituitary gland) for MTR expression in mice using MTR‐KO mice as control. MT₂ expression was not detected in mouse insulinoma MIN6 cells or pancreatic beta‐cells. Collectively, we report the first monoclonal antibodies recognizing recombinant and native mouse melatonin receptors that will be valuable tools for future studies.     

The oncogenic impact of RNF2 on cell proliferation,invasion and migration through EMT on mammary carcinoma

Mammary carcinoma (MC) is one of most common malignancy in women, and ring finger protein 2 (RNF2) possesses various roles in vast human tumors. In MC tissues as well as in cell lines RNF2 exhibited high expression, had significant association with tumor size, lymph node status, TNM stage, patients’ poor survival, and promoted cell proliferation, colony formation, cell migration and invasion of MC cell lines which was mediated by downregulation of E-cadherin protein. These data reveal that RNF2 protein plays a vital role in the development of MC and may be a potential therapy target of MC.     

Inter-ictal assay of peripheral circulating inflammatory mediators in migraine patients under adjunctive cervical non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS): A proof-of-concept study

Objective

To assay peripheral inter-ictal cytokine serum levels and possible relations with non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) responsiveness in migraineurs.

预防性静滴钾离子、镁离子对急性心梗后并发室性心律失常的预防作用

目的 探究预防性静滴钾离子、镁离子对急性心梗后并发室性心律失常的预防作用。方法 选择2015年1月-2018年1月于西宁市第一人民医院进行治疗的78例急性心肌梗死患者为研究对象，按照随机数字表法将其均分为观察组与对照组，每组各39例患者。对照组患者进行常规急性心梗治疗，观察组患者在对照组基础上加用门冬氨酸钾镁进行治疗，对比两组治疗有效率，对比两组治疗前后血液流变学指标纤维蛋白原（Fib）、凝血酶原时间（PT）、血小板计数（Plt），对比两组治疗期间不良反应发生率及心律失常发生率。结果 治疗后，观察组患者治疗有效率为87.18%，对照组为76.92%，两组对比差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。治疗前两组患者Fib、PT以及Plt水平对比差异不具有统计学意义；治疗后，两组患者Plt及Fib水平低于治疗前，PT水平高于治疗前，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；治疗后观察组患者Plt及Fib水平低于对照组，PT水平高于对照组（P<0.05）。观察组患者不良反应发生率稍高于对照组，但对比差异不具有统计学意义。观察组心律失常发生率为7.69%，对照组为15.38%，两组对比差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论 预防性静滴钾离子与镁离子能够显著降低急性心梗患者心律失常发生率，同时有利于提高治疗有效率，改善其血流变指标，且安全性较高。     

Botulinum toxin blocks mast cells and prevents rosacea like inflammation

Background

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition whose etiology has been linked to mast cells and the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin LL-37. Individuals with refractory disease have demonstrated clinical benefit with periodic injections of onabotulinum toxin, but the mechanism of action is unknown.

A DNA vaccine expressing an optimized secreted FAPα induces enhanced anti-tumor activity by altering the tumor microenvironment in a murine model of breast cancer

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), major components of the tumor microenvironment (TME), promote tumor growth and metastasis and inhibit the anti-tumor immune response. We previously constructed a DNA vaccine expressing human FAPα, which is highly expressed by CAFs, to target these cells in the TME, and observed limited anti-tumor effects in the 4T1 breast cancer model. When the treatment time was delayed until tumor nodes formed, the anti-tumor effect of the vaccine completely disappeared. In this study, to improve the safety and efficacy, we constructed a new FAPα-targeted vaccine containing only the extracellular domain of human FAPα with a tissue plasminogen activator signal sequence for enhanced antigen secretion and immunogenicity. The number of CAFs was more effectively reduced by CD8⁺ T cells induced by the new vaccine. This resulted in decreases in CCL2 and CXCL12 expression, leading to a significant decrease in the ratio of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in the TME. Moreover, when mice were treated after the establishment of tumors, the vaccine could still delay tumor growth. To facilitate the future application of the vaccine in clinical trials, we further optimized the gene codons and reduced the homology between the vaccine and the original sequence, which may be convenient for evaluating the vaccine distribution in the human body. These results indicated that the new FAPα-targeted vaccine expressing an optimized secreted human FAPα induced enhanced anti-tumor activity by reducing the number of FAPα⁺ CAFs and enhancing the recruitment of effector T cells in the 4T1 tumor model mice.     

Why We Need Continuous Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and How to Make It Happen

We make the case for why continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing is essential, what the barriers are, and how to overcome them. To overcome them, government action is needed in terms of tax incentives or regulatory incentives that affect time.