Preparation of Purified and Inactivated HP-PRRS Vaccine

[Objective] The aim of this study was to improve the purification and protective potency of HP-PRRS inactivated vaccine. [Method] HP-PRRS virus that had been multiplied inside Marc-145 cells was collected and concentrated 50 times and then inactivated. Complete virions were separated and collected by chromatography with Sepharose 4 Fast Flow. Oil adjuvant was added to prepare purified inactivated vaccine. [Result] Viral protein was separated from other proteins by purification and the viral protein contents ranged from 76.7% to 82.4%, and 96% of the expected serum proteins were removed. Protective potency of purified vaccine was above 4/5 and positive conversion rate of antibody was over 86%, both higher than that of unpurified vaccine. The differences were significant. [Conclusion] The experiment il-lustrated that the immune efficacy of vaccine can be enhanced through concentrat- ing and purifying, while the non-viral protein can be removed, so that allergic reaction and stress response cadsed by vaccine inoculation can be avoided.

Autoantibody profiles in autoimmune hepatitis and chronic hepatitis C identifies similarities in patients with severe disease

To determine how the auto-antibodies (Abs) profiles overlap in chronic hepatitis C infection (CHC) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and correlate to liver disease.METHODSLevels of antinuclear Ab, smooth muscle antibody (SMA) and liver/kidney microsomal-1 (LKM-1) Ab and markers of liver damage were determined in the sera of 50 patients with CHC infection, 20 AIH patients and 20 healthy controls using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and other immune assays.RESULTSWe found that AIH patients had more severe liver disease as determined by elevation of total IgG, alkaline phosphatase, total serum bilirubin and serum transaminases and significantly higher prevalence of the three non-organ-specific autoantibodies (auto-Abs) than CHC patients. Antinuclear Ab, SMA and LKM-1 Ab were also present in 36% of CHC patients and related to disease severity. CHC cases positive for auto-Abs were directly comparable to AIH in respect of most markers of liver damage and total IgG. These cases had longer disease duration compared with auto-Ab negative cases, but there was no difference in gender, age or viral load. KLM-1+ Ab CHC cases showed best overlap with AIH.CONCLUSIONAuto-Ab levels in CHC may be important markers of disease severity and positive cases have a disease similar to AIH. Auto-Abs might have a pathogenic role as indicated by elevated markers of liver damage. Future studies will unravel any novel associations between these two diseases, whether genetic or other.

Gut barrier failure biomarkers are associated with poor disease outcome in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis

To assess the prevalence of a panel of serologic markers that reflect gut barrier dysfunction in a mixed cohort of pediatric and adult primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) patients. METHODSSera of 67 PSC patients [median age (range): 32 (5-79) years, concomitant IBD: 67% and cirrhosis: 20%] were assayed for the presence of antibodies against to F-actin (AAA IgA/IgG) and gliadin (AGA IgA/IgG)] and for serum level of intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) by ELISA. Markers of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure [LPS binding protein (LBP)] and various anti-microbial antibodies [anti-OMP Plus IgA and endotoxin core IgA antibody (EndoCAb)] were also determined. Poor disease outcome was defined as orthotopic liver transplantation and/or liver-related death during the follow-up [median: 99 (14-106) mo]. One hundred and fifty-three healthy subjects (HCONT) and 172 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients were the controls. RESULTSA total of 28.4%, 28.0%, 9% and 20.9% of PSC patients were positive for AAA IgA, AAA IgG, AGA IgA and AGA IgG, respectively. Frequencies of AAA IgA and AAA IgG (P < 0.001, for both) and AGA IgG (P = 0.01, for both) but not AGA IgA were significantly higher compared to both of the HCONT and the UC groups. In survival analysis, AAA IgA-positivity was revealed as an independent predictor of poor disease outcome after adjusting either for the presence of cirrhosis [HR = 5.15 (1.27-20.86), P = 0.022 or for the Mayo risk score (HR = 4.24 (0.99-18.21), P = 0.052]. AAA IgA-positivity was significantly associated with higher frequency of anti-microbial antibodies (P < 0.001 for EndoCab IgA and P = 0.012 for anti-OMP Plus IgA) and higher level of the enterocyte damage marker (median I-FABPAAA IgA posvsneg: 365 vs 166 pg/mL, P = 0.011), but not with serum LBP level. CONCLUSIONPresence of IgA type AAA identified PSC patients with progressive disease. Moreover, it is associated with enhanced mucosal immune response to various microbial antigens and enterocyte damage further highlighting the importance of the gut-liver interaction in PSC.

Postoperative change of anti-Thomsen-Friedenreich and Tn IgG level: The follow-up study of gastrointestinal cancer patients

AIM: To study the influence of tumor removal on the serum level of IgG antibodies to tumor-associated Thomsen-Friedenreich (TF), Tn carbohydrate epitopes and xenogeneic αGal, and to elucidate on the change of the level during the follow-up as well as its association with the stage and morphology of the tumor and the values of blood parameters in gastrointestinal cancer. METHODS: Sixty patients with gastric cancer and 34 patients with colorectal cancer in stages Ⅰ-Ⅳ without distant metastases were subjected to follow- up. The level of antibodies in serum was determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using synthetic polyacrylamide (PAA) glycoconjugates. Biochemical and haematological analyses were performed using automated equipment. RESULTS: In gastrointestinal cancer, the TF antibody level was found to have elevated significantly after the removal of G3 tumors as compared with the preoperative level (u = 278.5, P < 0.05). After surgery, the TF and Tn antibody level was elevated in the majority of gastric cancer patients (sign test, 20 vs 8, P < 0.05, and 21 vs 8, P < 0.05, respectively). In gastrointestinal cancer, the elevated postoperative level of TF, Tn and αGal antibodies was noted in most patients with G3 tumors (sign test, 22 vs 5, P < 0.01; 19 vs 6, P < 0.05; 24 vs 8, P < 0.01, respectively), but the elevation was not significant in patients with G1 + G2 resected tumors. The postoperative follow-up showed that the percentage of patients with G3 resected tumors of the digestive tract, who had a mean level of anti-TF IgG above the cut- off value (1.53), was significantly higher than that of patients with G1 + G2 resected tumors (χ2 = 3.89, all patients; χ2 = 5.34, patients without regional lymph node metastases; P < 0.05). The percentage of patients with a tumor in stage I, whose mean anti-TF IgG level remained above the cut-off value (1.26), was significantly higher than that of patients with the cancer in stages Ⅲ-Ⅳ (χ2 = 4.71, gastric cancer; χ2 = 4.11, gastrointestinal cancer; P < 0.05). The correlation was observed to exist between the level of anti-TF IgG and the count of lymphocytes (r = 0.517, P < 0.01), as well as between the level of anti- Tn IgG and that of serum CA 19-9 (r = 0.481, P < 0.05). No positive delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction in skin test challenges with TF-PAA in any of the fifteen patients, including those with a high level of anti-TF IgG, was observed. CONCLUSION: The surgical operation raises the level of anti-carbohydrate IgG in most patients, especially in those with the G3 tumor of the gastrointestinal tract. The follow-up demonstrates that after surgery the low preoperative level of TF antibodies may be considerably increased in patients with the carcinoma in its early stage but remains low in its terminal stages. The stage- and morphology-dependent immunosuppression affects the TF-antibody response and may be one of the reasons for unresponsiveness to the immunization with TF-antigens.

Food allergy in gastroenterologic diseases:Review of literature

Food allergy is a common and increasing problem worldwide. The newly-found knowledge might provide novel experimental strategies, especially for laboratory diagnosis. Approximately 20% of the population alters their diet for a perceived adverse reaction to food, but the application of double-blind placebo-controlled oral food challenge, the ＂gold standard＂ for diagnosis of food allergy, shows that questionnaire-based studies overestimate the prevalence of food allergies. The clinical disorders determined by adverse reactions to food can be dassified on the basis of immunologic or nonimmunologic mechanisms and the organ system or systems affected. Diagnosis of food allergy is based on clinical history, skin prick tests, and laboratory tests to detect serum-food specific IgE, elimination diets and challenges. The primary therapy for food allergy is to avoid the responsible food. Antihistamines might partially relieve oral allergy syndrome and IgE-mediated skin symptoms, but they do not block systemic reactions. Systemic corticosteroids are generally effective in treating chronic IgE-mediated disorders. Epinephrine is the mainstay of treatment for anaphylaxis. Experimental therapies for IgE-mediated food allergy have been evaluated, such as humanized IgG anti-IgE antibodies and allergen specific immunotherapy.

Genetic Analysis of the P1 Region of Human Enterovirus 71 Strains and Expression of the 55 F StrainVP1 Protein

Enterovirus 71 （EV71） is a member of the Entero-virus genus of the Picomaviridae family and is the major cause of Hand, foot, and mouth disease （HFMD） in children. Different strains from Gansu were cloned and the P1 protein was sequenced and analysed. Results indicate that there are three kinds of EV71 infections prevalent in Gansu. The VP 1 protein from one of these strains, 55F, was expressed. The recombinant protein was expressed with high level and reacted specifically with the EV71 patient antibody, the recombinant protein was also applied to raise antiserum in rabbits and after the fourth injection a high titer of antiserum was detected by ELISA assay. These data are useful for further clarification of prevalent EV71 strains in the north of China at the molecular level and provide a basis for EV71 diagnosis.

Resolution of Ibuprofen Ester by Catalytic Antibodies in Water-miscible Organic-solvents

The asymmetric hydrolysis of racemic ibuprofen ester is one of the most important methods for chiral separation of ibuprofen. In this work, a catalytic antibody that accelerates the rate of enantioselective hydrolysis of ibuprofen methyl ester was obtained against an immunogen consisting of tetrahedral phosphonate hapten attached to bovine serum albumin (BSA). The catalytic activity of the catalytic antibody in the water-miscible organic-solvent system composed of a buffer solution and N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) was studied. With 6% DMF in the buffer solution (containing catalytic antibody 0.25 μmol, 0.2 mol·L-1 phosphate buffer, pH 8) at 37°C for 10 h, a good conversion (48.7%) and high enantiomeric excess (>99%) could be reached. The kinetic analysis of the cata-lytic antibody-catalyzed reaction showed that the hydrolysis in the water-miscible organic-solvent system with DMF in buffer solution followed the Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The catalytic efficiency (Kcat/Km) was enhanced to 151.91 L·mmol-1·min-1, twice as large as that for the buffer solution only.

Induction of Endothelial Cell Apoptosis by Anti-alpha-enolase Antibody

Objective To assess the prevalence of anti-alpha-enolase antibody in systemic autoimmune diseases in Chinese patients and its role in endothelial cell apoptosis.Methods The reactivity of anti-alpha-enolase antibody in a variety of autoimmune disorders in Chinese patients was evaluated by dot blot assay.Endothelial cell apoptosis was investigated by in vitro incubation of endothelial cells with IgG purified from anti-alpha-enolase antibody-positive sera,with or without pre-incubation with recombinant alpha-enolase.Results Anti-alpha-enolase antibody was prevalent in different systemic autoimmune diseases with relatively high reactivity in Chinese patients.In vitro incubation of endothelial cells with IgG containing anti-alpha-enolase antibody induced apoptosis in a time-and dose-dependent manner.Apoptosis was partly inhibited by pre-incubation of the endothelial cells with recombinant alpha-enolase.Conclusions Our data suggest that alpha-enolase is a common auto-antigen recognized by anti-endothelial cell antibodies in connective tissue disease.Interaction between alpha-enolase and its autoantibody plays a role in endothelial cell apoptosis.Changes other than cell killing may contribute to the pathogenesis of endothelial damage and microvascular lesions.

Genetic polymorphisms predict response to anti-tumor necrosis factor treatment in Crohn's disease

To investigate genetic factors that might help define which Crohn’s disease (CD) patients are likely to benefit from anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. METHODSThis was a prospective cohort study. Patients were recruited from a university digestive disease practice database. We included CD patients who received anti-TNF therapy, had available medical records (with information on treatment duration and efficacy) and who consented to participation. Patients with allergic reactions were excluded. Patients were grouped as ever-responders or non-responders. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood, and 7 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were assessed. The main outcome measure (following exposure to the drug) was response to therapy. The patient genotypes were assessed as the predictors of outcome. Possible confounders and effect modifiers included age, gender, race, and socioeconomic status disease, as well as disease characteristics (such as Montreal criteria). RESULTS121 patients were included. Twenty-one were non-responders, and 100 were ever-responders. Fas ligand SNP (rs763110) genotype frequencies, TNF gene -308 SNP (rs1800629) genotype frequencies, and their combination, were significantly different between groups on multivariable analysis controlling for Montreal disease behavior and perianal disease. The odds of a patient with a Fas ligand CC genotype being a non-responder were four-fold higher as compared to a TC or TT genotype (P = 0.009, OR = 4.30, 95%CI: 1.45-12.80). The presence of the A (minor) TNF gene -308 allele correlated with three-fold higher odds of being a non-responder (P = 0.049, OR = 2.88, 95%CI: 1.01-8.22). Patients with the combination of the Fas ligand CC genotype and the TNF -308 A allele had nearly five-fold higher odds of being a non-responder (P = 0.015, OR = 4.76, 95%CI: 1.35-16.77). No difference was seen for the remaining SNPs. CONCLUSIONThe Fas-ligand SNP and TNF gene -308 SNP are associated with anti-TNF treatment response in CD and may help select patients likely to benefit from therapy.

SERUM IMMUNOGLOBULIN OF THE MANDARIN FISH,SINIPERCA CHUATSI WITH DEVELOPMENT OF POLYCLONAL ANTIBODY

Serum immunoglobulin from the mandarin fish, or the so called Chinese perch, Siniperca chuatsi (Basilewsky), was successfully purified using affinity chromatography. Heavy and light chains were detected on electrophoresis gel, with molecular weights being estimated at 72 and 29 kDa, respectively. The tetrameric IgM of S. chuatsi was calculated to be 808 kDa. The rabbit polyclonal antisera against the purifed immunoglobulin were developed and tested by Western blot analysis. The antisera reacted strongly with the heavy chains of S. chuatsi immunoglobulin. Humoral immune responses of the mandarin fish can then be examined using the developed polyclonal antibody.

Induction of IgA and sustained deficiency of cell proliferative response in chronic hepatitis C

AIM： In the present study, antibody and peripheral blood mononuclear cells （PBMC） proliferative responses against hepatitis C virus （HCV） antigens were evaluated in HCV chronically infected patients. METHODS： Paired serum and PBMC samples were taken six months apart from 34 individuals, either treated or not, and tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） and carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester staining. RSULTS： Over 70% of the patients showed specific IgG and IgM against capsid, E1 and NS3, while HVR-1 was recognized by half of the patients. An increase in the levels of the anti-capsid IgM （P = 0.027） and IgG （P = 0.0006） was observed in six-month samples, compared to baseline. Similarly, a significantly higher percent of patients had detectable IgA reactivity to capsid （P = 0.017） and NS3 （P = 0.005） after six months, compared to baseline. Particularly, IgA against structural antigens positively correlated with hepatic damage （P = 0.036）. IgG subclasses evaluation against capsid and NS3 revealed a positive recognition mediated by IgG1 in more than 80% of the individuals. On the contrary, less than 30% of the patients showed a positive proliferative response either of CD4＋ or CD8＋ T cells, being the capsid poorly recognized. CONCLUSION： These results confirm that while the cellular immune response is narrow and weak, a broad and vigorous humoral response occurs in HCV chronic infection. The observed correlation between IgA and hepatic damage may have diagnostic significance, although it warrants further confirmation.

In vitro Induction of primary antibody responses to particulate and soluble protein antigens in T cell-replaced murine spleen cell cultures

Specific antibody responses could be induced in serumfree condition.Specific anti-SRBC or anti-SRBC ghost antibody were induced from anti-Thy treated (T-depleted) murine spleen cells in serum-free culture in the presence of Con A conditioned medium.This induction system may facilitate the study of lymphokine functions on antigen triggered B cells. In T cell-replaced cultures,the antibody responses of B cells could be successfully induced when soluble SRBC membrane proteins were used as antigens.It thus indicates that antigen together with lymphokines are sufficient to drive B cells to become antibody secreting cells in the absence of T cells.The T cell-replaced system provides a more stable way for in vitro immunization and may be applied to monoclonal antibody production when in vivo immunization is difficult to be carried out.

Differentiation of Behcet's disease from inflammatory bowel diseases:Anti-saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody and anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody

The differential diagnosis of Behcet's disease(BD) from inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) is sometimes difficult and challenging.Hereby,we suggested the utility of anti-saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody(ASCA) and anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody(p-ANCA) in the differential diagnosis of BD from IBD.

Immunization with autologous T cells enhances in vivo anti-tumor immune responses accompanied by up-regulation of GADD45β

Immunization with inactivated autoreactive T cells may induce idiotype anti-idiotypic reactions to deplete autoreactive T cells, which are involved in autoimmune diseases. However, it is unknown whether attenuated activated healthy autologous T-cell immunization could increase anti-tumor immune responses. To this end, C57B1/6 mice were immunized with attenuated activated autologous T cells. The splenocytes from immunized mice showed a higher proliferative ability than that from naive mice. The special phenotype analysis showed that there were more CD8+ T cells and CD62L+ T cells in immunized mice after 24 h of culture with 10% fetal calf serum complete medium in vitro (P〈0.01). These results demonstrated that this immunization may activate T cells in vivo. Furthermore, the splenocytes from immunized mice revealed resistance to activation-induced cell death (AICD) in vitro. To further study the relative genes that are responsible for the higher proliferation and resistance to AICD, the expression of Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) and GADD4513 was measured by real-time PCR. The results indicated that GADD45β transcription was higher in the splenocytes from immunized mice than that in the naive mice. In addition, the Fas expression showed a parallel higher, but FasL did not change obviously. To investigate the biologic functions induced by immunization in vivo, a tumor model was established by EL-4 tumor cell inoculation in C57/B1 mice. Mice receiving autologous T-cell immunization had significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo (P〈0.01). This study implicated that immunization with attenuated activated autologous T cells enhances anti-tumor immune responses that participate in tumor growth inhibition.

Similar Neutralizing Activity in the HIV-1 Infected Long Term Non-progressors(LTNPs) and Typical Progressors(TPs)

Neutralizing antibodies are considered to be an important protective parameter used in HIV-1 vaccine evaluation. However, the exact role that neutralizing antibodies plays in controlling the disease progression of HIV-1 infected peoples is still undetermined. In this paper, we compared the protective function of the neutralizing antibody response in the plasma from LTNP and TP against clade B and clade C pseudoviruses. No difference in the neutralizing activities between the plasma from LTNP and TP was found, which was consistent with the most recent reports. In addition, no correlations between the titer or breadth and CD4+ or viral load in HIV-1 infected individuals were found. The protective roles played by neutralizing antibodies in controlling disease progression of HIV-1 infected people need to be considered in a new viewpoint.

Cloning, sequencing and analyzing of the heavy chain V region genes of human polyreactive antibodies

The heavy chain variable region genes of 5 human polyreactive mAbs generated in our laboratory have been cloned and sequenced using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. We found that 2 and 3 mAbs utilized genes of the VHIV and VHIII families, respectively. The former 2 VH segments were in germline configuration. A common VH segment, with the best similarity of 90.1 % to the published VHIII germline genes, was utilized by 2 different rearranged genes encoding the V regions of other 3 mAbs. This strongly suggests that the common VH segment is a unmutated copy of an unidentified germline VHIII gene. All these polyreactive mAbs displayed a large NDN region (VH-D-JH junction). The entire H chain V regions of these polyreactive mAbs are unusually basic. The analysis of the charge properties of these mAbs as well as those of other poly- and mono- reactive mAbs from literatures prompts us to propose that the charged amino acids with a particular distribution along the H chain V region,especially the binding sites (CDRs), may be an important structural feature involved in antibody polyreactivity.

Application of GlycoProtein IIb/IIIa antagonist( Integrilin) in peri-percutaneous transluminal catheter angioplasty and stent implantation in Chinese

Objective: to report the application of GPIIb/IIIa antagonist (Integrilin) in peri percutaneous transluminal catheter angioplasty and stent implantation in Chinese. Method: Twenty one patients who underwent percutaneous transluminal catheter angioplasty(PTCA) and stent implantation were included. After arterial puncture, integrilin was injected at dose of 180ug/kg, and then maintained at 2μg/kg·min for 18 hours. Asprine, plavix(clopidogrel) and heparin were used at the same time. ACT, PT, KPTT and blood routine were routinely monitored. Results: All sheaths were drawn out 2 to 4 hours after the procedure.. There was no severe complication such as hematoma, acute and subacute thrombosis in coronary artery, or thrombocytopenia. ACT returned to less than 150 seconds in 2 hours in 15 patients; in 4 hours in 6 patients. There was no significant difference between the pre and post procedure value of PT and platelet count. KPTT was significantly higher than pre procedure value at 2 hours after the procedure .No recurrence of angina pectoris was observed in the first nine patients within one year follow up, and no restenosis occurred in stents in the five patients who had coronary angiography one year later. Conclusion: Application of GPIIb/IIIa receptor antagonist (Integrilin) in peri percutaneous transluminal catheter angioplasty and stent implantation in combination with aspirin and plavix could significantly reduce the dosage and duration of heparin with benefit of shortening the indwelling time of sheaths, but did not increase risk of bleeding or lead to thrombosis in stent.