乳酸氧化酶分离纯化的研究

粪链球菌发酵液经菌体破壁、丙酮分级沉淀、硫酸铵盐析、DEAE-纤维素柱色谱,Sephadex G-150分子筛和 Sephadex A-50柱色谱等分离步骤,制得较纯的乳酸氧化酶,可用于酶盒测定。     

Polymorphic Forms of Human Cytomegalovirus Glycoprotein O Protect against Neutralization of Fibroblast Entry by Antibodies Targeting Epitopes Defined by Glycoproteins H and L

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) utilizes different glycoproteins to enter into fibroblast and epithelial cells. A trimer of glycoproteins H, L, and O (gH/gL/gO) is required for entry into all cells, whereas a pentamer of gH/gL/UL128/UL130/UL131A is selectively required for infection of epithelial, endothelial, and some myeloid-lineage cells, but not of fibroblasts. Both complexes are of considerable interest for vaccine and immunotherapeutic development but present a conundrum: gH/gL-specific antibodies have moderate potency yet neutralize CMV entry into all cell types, whereas pentamer-specific antibodies are more potent but do not block fibroblast infection. Which cell types and neutralizing activities are important for protective efficacy in vivo remain unclear. Here, we present evidence that certain CMV strains have evolved polymorphisms in gO to evade trimer-specific neutralizing antibodies. Using luciferase-tagged variants of strain TB40/E in which the native gO is replaced by gOs from other strains, we tested the effects of gO polymorphisms on neutralization by monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting four independent epitopes in gH/gL that are common to both trimer and pentamer. Neutralization of fibroblast entry by three mAbs displayed a range of potencies that depended on the gO type, a fourth mAb failed to neutralize fibroblast entry regardless of the gO type, while neutralization of epithelial cell entry by all four mAbs was potent and independent of the gO type. Thus, specific polymorphisms in gO protect the virus from mAb neutralization in the context of fibroblast but not epithelial cell entry. No influence of gO type was observed for protection against CMV hyperimmune globulin or CMV-seropositive human sera, suggesting that antibodies targeting protected gH/gL epitopes represent a minority of the polyclonal neutralizing repertoire induced by natural infection.     

Development and evaluation of an M2-293FT cell-based flow cytometric assay for quantification of antibody response to native form of matrix protein 2 of influenza A viruses

Matrix protein 2 (M2) of influenza A viruses is an attractive target for the development of broadly cross-protective influenza vaccines and therapeutic antibodies. The available evidence suggests that antibodies reactive to the natural tetrameric form of M2 proteins, rather than those to synthetic peptides of M2 ectodomain (M2e), best correlate with M2-mediated immune protection. However, the current ability to quantify strain-specific and/or subtype-cross-reactive M2 antibodies against the natural form of M2 antigens from influenza A viruses of different host origin is limited. In the present study, we generated a panel of 293FT transfected cell lines stably expressing full-length tetrameric forms of M2 molecules from human, avian and the swine-origin 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus, respectively, and developed an M2-293FT cell line-based flow cytometric assay (M2-FCA). Side-by-side comparison of M2-FCA with a synthetic M2e peptide-based indirect ELISA (M2e-ELISA) reveals that M2-FCA is highly efficient in quantifying both M2e sequence-specific and cross-reactive antibodies to the native form of M2 antigens. In contrast, promiscuity was evident when specificity and cross-reactivity of anti-M2 antibodies were assessed by M2e-ELISA. These results demonstrate that M2-FCA represents a rapid, simple and sensitive method to quantitatively assess specificity and cross-reactivity of anti-M2 antibodies after infection or vaccination.     

Evaluation of cellular immune responses in subjects chronically infected with HIV type 1

The importance of host cellular immune responses, particularly CD8(+) cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses, in control of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection has been demonstrated in many clinical studies. These studies, along with vaccination challenge studies in rhesus macaques, indicate the importance of cellular immune responses against HIV-1. Toward this end, we evaluated anti-HIV-1 cellular immune responses in a cohort of 54 subjects who were chronically infected with HIV-1. By validation of IFN-gamma ELISpot assay, we established a dual cut-off criterion for scoring a positive response. The magnitude and frequency of cellular immune responses were measured against HIV-1 antigens (Gag, Pol, Nef, Rev, and Tat), using synthetic peptides as antigens in ELISpot assay. Here we showed that HIV-1 Gag, Pol, and Nef were frequent targets of T cell responses in these subjects, whereas Tat and Rev were less frequently recognized. We further evaluated the possible association between host cellular immune responses and corresponding plasma viral loads in this cohort. By performing ranking correlation analysis, we demonstrated a positive correlation between host viral loads and ELISpot responses of HIV Gag and Pol in untreated subjects. For the subjects under antiviral regimens, however, we did not find any significant association. Our findings suggest that the high levels of ELISpot responses in chronically infected subjects were reflective of their persistent viral infection.     

Development of HIV-1 Nef vaccine components: immunogenicity study of Nef mutants lacking myristoylation and dileucine motif in mice

In an effort to develop a safe Nef component for use in Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL)-based HIV-1 vaccines, several versions of Nef constructs lacking myristoylation and dileucine motif were engineered and their abilities to elicit T cell responses were evaluated in mice. Nef-specific murine T cell epitopes were first mapped in three strains of mice (Balb/c, C3H/HeN and C57BL/6), and a pair of dominant Nef-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell epitopes were identified in C57BL/6 mice. C57BL/6 mice were subsequently immunized with engineered Nef DNA constructs, and Nef-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell responses were determined. A Nef mutant with simple alanine substitutions at the myristoylation and dileucine sites was impaired in its ability to elicit Nef-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell responses. Addition of human tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) leader sequence to the N terminus of Nef, which concomitantly inactivates the myristoylation site, significantly enhanced the Nef-specific T cell responses. These findings may have practical implications for developing HIV-1 Nef vaccine component.     

胎肝血管的解剖学观测

目的解剖观测胎肝门静脉、肝固有动脉、胆总管十二指肠上段、脐静脉及静脉导管，为临床辅助性胎肝移植提供解剖学资料。方法选择５６例经福尔马林固定的正常胎儿，解剖显露门静脉、肝固有动脉、胆总管十二指肠上段、脐静脉、静脉导管，测其长度和压扁外径。结果脐静脉、门静脉、肝固有动脉、胆总管十二指肠上段、静脉导管长度分别为４５．２±９．２ｍｍ、２０．１±３．３ｍｍ、１６．３±２．８ｍｍ、１７．２±３．１ｍｍ、１３．１±２．５ｍｍ；直径分别为３．４±０．５ｍｍ、３．０±０．４ｍｍ、１．８±０．２ｍｍ、１．８±０．２ｍｍ、３．０±０．３ｍｍ。结论胎肝血供丰富，在供血管道中以脐静脉最粗，门静脉次之，肝固有动脉最细。因此，在辅助性胎肝移植时可选用脐静脉代替门静脉，以门静脉替代肝固有动脉。同时，在胎肝移植前，应结扎静脉导管，以保证肝脏足够的血供。     

Detection of HIV vaccine-induced cell-mediated immunity in HIV-seronegative clinical trial participants using an optimized and validated enzyme-linked immunospot assay

An effective vaccine for HIV is likely to require induction of T-cell-mediated immune responses, and the interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay has become the most commonly used assay for measuring these responses in vaccine trials. We optimized and validated the HIV ELISPOT assay using an empirical method to establish positivity criteria that results in a < or =1% false-positive rate. Using this assay, we detected a broad range of HIV-specific ELISPOT responses to peptide pools of overlapping 20mers, 15mers, or 9mers in study volunteers receiving DNA- or adenovirus vector-based HIV vaccines and in HIV-seropositive donors. We found that 15mers generally had higher response magnitudes than 20mers and lower false-positive rates than 9mers. These studies show that our validated ELISPOT assay using 15mer peptide pools and the positivity criteria of > or =55 spots per 10(6) cells and > or =4-fold over mock (negative control) is a sensitive and specific assay for the detection of HIV vaccine-induced cell-mediated immunity.     

Restoration of viral epithelial tropism improves immunogenicity in rabbits and rhesus macaques for a whole virion vaccine of human cytomegalovirus

Maternal immunity to human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) prior to conception is ∼70% protective against congenital transmission and in utero infection of HCMV. Both functional antibodies capable of neutralizing virus and effective T-cells are believed to be important for the protection. Previous HCMV vaccines have rarely been shown able to induce neutralizing antibody titers comparable to those seen in naturally infected HCMV seropositive subjects. Recent studies link a glycoprotein H (gH) complex to receptor-mediated viral entry of endothelial/epithelial cells and leukocytes. This pentameric gH complex, composed of five proteins (gH, gL, UL128, UL130 and UL131 proteins), is notably missing in all HCMV vaccine previously evaluated in clinic. Here we showed that a HCMV virus, with restored expression of the pentameric gH complex, can induce 10-fold higher neutralizing antibody titers than an attenuated AD169 virus or a recombinant glycoprotein B vaccine in multiple animal species in which viral replication is not expected. Encouragingly, the peak neutralizing titers post vaccination in rabbits and monkeys were within 2–4-fold of the levels determined in HCMV seropositive subjects. Functional antibodies by vaccination could further be improved when formulated with a novel adjuvant, and the titers of the antiviral antibodies were sustained in rabbits for over a year after vaccination. These results indicate that the pentameric gH complex is associated with greatly improved functional antibodies following vaccination, and support a vaccine concept based on a nonreplicating whole HCMV with the pentameric gH-associated epithelial tropism restored.     

A novel high-throughput neutralization assay for supporting clinical evaluations of human cytomegalovirus vaccines

Neutralizing antibodies are considered an important component of protective immunity against congenital infection of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a frequently cited cause of birth defects. An effective HCMV vaccine is desired to induce potent neutralizing antibodies in seronegative females, so that the viral transmission to fetus would be blocked if the women contracted HCMV infections during their pregnancies. We describe a novel microneutralization assay to measure antiviral activities against HCMV in serum samples. The assay is based on detection of a dominant HCMV antigen expressed in cells, using near infrared dye-labeled immune reagents. Since the detection is independent of viral cytopathic effects, this assay format has the appeal of a short turn-around time and a read-out that is not subject to operator experience and judgment, making it a promising platform to support large scale clinical studies. In a serological survey of a cohort of 200 healthy females, we showed that the neutralizing titers measured in this assay are highly comparable to those from a neutralization assay based on an enzyme-linked immunostaining method. Lastly, to demonstrate the utility of this assay to support HCMV vaccine study, we presented the results of neutralizing titers from a rhesus macaque vaccination study.