中国人群CCR5△32、CCR2-64I、SDF1-3’A基因多态性与HIV-1感染相关性的Meta分析

目的探讨中国人群CCR5△32、CCR2-64I、SDF1-3’A三种基因的多态性与HIV-1感染之间的关系。方法检索国内外有关中国人群CCR5△32、CCR2-64I、SDF1-3’A基因多态性与HIV感染相关性的病例对照研究文献并进行Meta分析。结果符合CCR5△32的研究共14个,累计HIV感染者病例1607例,正常对照组1632例。杂合子(wt/mt)、纯合子(mt/mt)和杂合子加纯合子(wt/mt+mt/mt)与野生基因型(wt/wt)相比合并的OR值(95%CI)分别为1.156(0.808,1.654)、0.997(0.198,5.022)、1.149(0.808,1.634)。符合CCR2-64I的研究共12个,累计HIV感染者病例1415例,正常对照组1239例。杂合子(wt/mt)、纯合子(mt/mt)和杂合子加纯合子(wt/mt+mt/mt)与野生基因型(wt/wt)相比合并的OR值(95%CI)分别为1.005(0.844,1.197)、1.191(0.808,1.754)、1.028(0.870,1.214)。符合SDFl-3’A的研究10个,累计HIV感染者病例1179例,正常对照组1003例。杂合子(wt/mt)、纯合子(mt/wt)和纯合子加杂合子(wt/mt+mt/mt)与野生基因型(wt/wt)相比合并的OR值(95%CI)分别为1.010(0.830,1.228)、1.188(0.860,1.643)、1.038(0.861,1.250)。结论中国人群CCR5△32、CCR2-64I、SDFl-3’A三种抗性基因与HIV-1感染之间无相关性,显示CCR5△32、CCR2-641、SDFl-3’A三种基因对中国人群HIV-1感染可能不具有保护作用,提示中国人群可能为易感人群。     

Airway exposure to Staphylococcal enterotoxin type B (SEB) enhances the number and activity of bone marrow neutrophils via the release of multiple cytokines

BackgroundThe lung infections by Staphylococcus aureus are strongly associated with its ability to produce enterotoxins. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying trafficking of bone marrow (BM) neutrophils during airway inflammation induced by Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). We therefore aimed to investigate the effects of mouse airways SEB exposure on BM neutrophil counts and its adhesive properties as well as on the release of cytokines/chemokines that orchestrate BM neutrophils trafficking to lung tissue.MethodsMale BALB/c mice were intranasally exposed to SEB (1 µg), and at 4, 16 and 24 h thereafter, BM, circulating blood, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and lung tissue were collected. BM neutrophils adhesion, MAC-1 and LFA1-α expressions (by flow cytometry) as well as measurement of cytokine and/or chemokines levels were assayed after SEB-airway exposure.ResultsPrior exposure to SEB promoted a marked influx of neutrophils to BAL and lung tissue, which was accompanied by increased counts of BM immature neutrophils and blood neutrophilia. BM neutrophil expressions of LFA1-α and MAC-1 were unchanged by SEB exposure whereas a significant enhancement of adhesion properties to VCAM-1 was observed. The early phase of airway SEB exposure was accompanied by high levels of GM-CSF, G-CSF, IFN-γ, TNF-α and KC/CXCL1, while the latter phase by the equilibrated actions of SDF1-α and MIP-2.ConclusionMouse airways exposure to SEB induces BM cytokines/chemokines release and their integrated actions enhance the adhesion of BM neutrophils leading to acute lung injury.     

SDF‐1/CXCR4/CXCR7 is pivotal for vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and chronic allograft vasculopathy

Chronic rejection remains a major obstacle in transplant medicine. Recent studies suggest a crucial role of the chemokine SDF‐1 on neointima formation after injury. Here, we investigate the potential therapeutic effect of inhibiting the SDF‐1/CXCR4/CXCR7 axis with an anti‐SDF‐1 Spiegelmer (NOX‐A12) on the development of chronic allograft vasculopathy. Heterotopic heart transplants from H‐2bm12 to B6 mice and aortic transplants from Balb/c to B6 were performed. Mice were treated with NOX‐A12. Control animals received a nonfunctional Spiegelmer (revNOX‐A12). Samples were retrieved at different time points and analysed by histology, RT‐PCR and proliferation assay. Blockade of SDF‐1 caused a significant decrease in neointima formation as measured by intima/media ratio (1.0 ± 0.1 vs. 1.8 ± 0.1, P < 0.001 AoTx; 0.35 ± 0.05 vs. 1.13 ± 0.27, P < 0.05 HTx). In vitro treatment of primary vascular smooth muscle cells with NOX‐A12 showed a significant reduction in proliferation (0.42 ± 0.04 vs. 0.24 ± 0.03, P < 0.05). TGF‐β, TNF‐α and IL‐6 levels were significantly reduced under SDF‐1 inhibition (3.42 ± 0.37 vs. 1.67 ± 0.33, P < 0.05; 2.18 ± 0.37 vs. 1.0 ± 0.39, P < 0.05; 2.18 ± 0.26 vs. 1.6 ± 0.1, P < 0.05). SDF‐1/CXCR4/CXCR7 plays a critical role in the development of chronic allograft vasculopathy (CAV). Therefore, pharmacological inhibition of SDF‐1 with NOX‐A12 may represent a therapeutic option to ameliorate chronic rejection changes.     

Modular architecture of the T4 phage superfamily: a conserved core genome and a plastic periphery

Among the most numerous objects in the biosphere, phages show enormous diversity in morphology and genetic content. We have sequenced 7 T4-like phages and compared their genome architecture. All seven phages share a core genome with T4 that is interrupted by several hyperplastic regions (HPRs) where most of their divergence occurs. The core primarily includes homologues of essential T4 genes, such as the virion structure and DNA replication genes. In contrast, the HPRs contain mostly novel genes of unknown function and origin. A few of the HPR genes that can be assigned putative functions, such as a series of novel Internal Proteins, are implicated in phage adaptation to the host. Thus, the T4-like genome appears to be partitioned into discrete segments that fulfil different functions and behave differently in evolution. Such partitioning may be critical for these large and complex phages to maintain their flexibility, while simultaneously allowing them to conserve their highly successful virion design and mode of replication.     

Enhanced recruitment and hematopoietic reconstitution of bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells in bone marrow failure by the SDF‐1/CXCR4

Aplastic anemia (AA) is a bone marrow failure disease. It is difficult to treat AA, and in addition, relapses are common because of its complex disease pathogenesis. Allogeneic bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) infusion is an effective and safe treatment option for the AA patients. However, it found that BMSCs infusion in AA patients is less than 30% effective. Therefore, the key to improve the efficacy of BMSCs treatment in these patients is to enhance their homing efficiency to the target sites. Studies have shown that stromal cell‐derived factor‐1 (SDF‐1)/CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) axis plays an important role in promoting BMSCs homing. In this study, human BMSCs were transduced with lentivirus stably expressing CXCR4‐BMSCs. Transduced BMSCs resemble normal BMSCs in many ways. Migration ability of CXCR4‐BMSCs toward SDF‐1 was increased because of the overexpression of CXCR4. In the mice with bone marrow failure, the migration and colonization ability of CXCR4‐BMSCs to the bone marrow was significantly improved as seen by IVIS imaging and FACS. The SDF‐1 level in the bone marrow failure mice was significantly higher than in the normal mice. Thus, from our study, it is clear that after CXCR4‐BMSCs were infused into mice with bone marrow failure, SDF‐1 interacted with CXCR4 receptor, leading cells to migrate and colonize to bone marrow. Because of the high SDF‐1 expression in mouse bone marrow and CXCR4 receptor expression in cells, BMSCs homing was increased.     

SDF1α‐induced interaction of the adapter proteins Nck and HS1 facilitates actin polymerization and migration in T cells

Noncatalytic region of tyrosine kinase (Nck) is an adapter protein that comprises one SH2 (Src homology) domain and three SH3 domains. Nck links receptors and receptor‐associated tyrosine kinases or adapter proteins to proteins that regulate the actin cytoskeleton. Whereas the SH2 domain binds to phosphorylated receptors or associated phosphoproteins, individual interactions of the SH3 domains with proline‐based recognition motifs result in the formation of larger protein complexes. In T cells, changes in cell polarity and morphology during T‐cell activation and effector function require the T‐cell receptor‐mediated recruitment and activation of actin‐regulatory proteins to initiate cytoskeletal reorganization at the immunological synapse. We previously identified the adapter protein HS1 as a putative Nck‐interacting protein. We now demonstrate that the SH2 domain of Nck specifically interacts with HS1 upon phosphorylation of its tyrosine residue 378. We report that in human T cells, ligation of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 by stromal cell‐derived factor 1α (SDF1α) induces a rapid and transient phosphorylation of tyrosine 378 of HS1 resulting in an increased association with Nck. Consequently, siRNA‐mediated downregulation of HS1 and/or Nck impairs SDF1α‐induced actin polymerization and T‐cell migration.