南美白对虾(Litopenaeus vannamei)幼虾和杜拉对虾(Farfantepenaeus duorarum)稚虾对六种白斑综合病病毒(WSSV)地理隔离株的免疫比较

白斑综合病病毒(WSSV)是一种对对虾养殖危害性最大的病原体之一。它广泛分布在大多数养殖对虾的亚洲国家以及墨西哥湾、美国。我们采用南美白对虾(Litopenaeus vannamei)幼虾和杜拉对虾(Farfantepenuaeus duorarum)稚虾对六种WSSV地理隔离株的病毒性进行免疫比较。这6组WSSV地理隔离株分别取自中国、印度、泰国、美国德克萨斯州、南卡来罗纳州的对虾以及美国国家动物园养殖的淡水龙螯虾。为了进行免疫性试验研究，我们把病毒感染组织接种到南美白对虾幼虾和杜拉对虾稚虾中。通过组织检查结果证实发生WSSV感染。在这次免疫性试验中，被六组WSSV地理隔离株感染的南美白对虾幼虾的死亡率为100％。其中，德克萨斯州的病毒比其它的病毒厉害，最快引起实验对象死亡，而淡水龙虾的WSSV病毒致病性最慢。与之形成显著对比，杜拉对虾稚虾的死亡率仅为35％--60％，并且对不同的病毒其死亡率也有所不同。值得注意的是，杜拉对虾对德克萨斯州病毒感染也是最为严重，而对淡水龙虾病毒的感染最轻。这个实验结果表明：不同地区的WSSV病毒对实验对象的致病性略有不同，不同品种的对虾及同一种对虾在其生长的不同阶段对病毒的易感性也有所不同。

Immune functional impacts of oyster peptide-based enteral nutrition formula (OPENF) on mice:a pilot study

Oyster peptides were produced from Crassostrea hongkongensis and used as a new protein source for the preparation of an oyster peptide-based enteral nutrition formula (OPENF). Reserpine-induced malabsorption mice and cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression mice were used in this study. OPENF powder is light yellow green and has a protein-fat-carbohydrate ratio of 16:9:75 with good solubility in water. A pilot study investigating immune functional impacts of the OPENF on mice show that the OPENF enhanced spleen lymphocyte proliferation and the activity of natural killer (NK) cells in BALB/c mice. Furthermore, OPENF can improve intestinal absorption, increase food utilization ratio, and maintain the normal physiological function of mice. These results suggest that oyster peptides could serve as a new protein source for use in enteral nutrition formula, but more importantly, also indicate that OPENF has an immunostimulating effect in mice.

An ELISA Based on a Truncated Soluble ORF2 Protein for the Detection of PCV2 Antibodies in Domestic Pigs

Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) is an important swine disease that is closely associated with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). The capsid protein (Cap protein) is a major structural protein that has at least three immunoreactive regions, and it can be a suitable candidate antigen for detecting the specific antibodies of a PCV2 infection. In the present study, an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (TcELISA) based on a truncated soluble Cap protein produced in Escherichia coli (E.coli) was established and validated for the diagnostic PCV2 antibodies in swine. The TcELISA was validated by comparison with an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIFA). The diagnostic sensitivity (DSN), specificity (DSP), and accuracy of the TcELISA were 88.6%, 90.7% and 89.4%, respectively. The agreement rate was 89.38% between results obtained with TcELISA and IIFA on 113 field sera. A cross-reactivity assay showed that the method was PCV2-specific by comparison with other sera of viral disease. Therefore ,the TcELISA will be helpful for the development of a reliable serology diagnostic test for large scale detection of PCV2 antibodies and for the evaluation of vaccine against PCV2 in swine.

Proteome of human colon cancer stem cells:A comparative analysis

AIM： To isolate and identify the biological characteristics of human colon cancer stem cells （SW1116 cells） and further study their proteome. METHODS： SW1116 cells were isolated and cultured with a serum-free medium （SFM）. Sphere formation was assayed to observe the formation of colon cancer stem cell spheres. SW1116 cells were inoculated into a serum-containing medium for observing their differentiation characteristics. Proliferation curve and cross-resistance of SWl116 cells to different drugs were detected by MTT. Percentage of SP cells in SW1116 cells was detected with Hoechst33342 staining. Telomerase activity in SW1116cells was checked by polymerase chain reaction （PCR）-enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Expressions of stem cell relevant genes and proteins were detected by reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Total protein was isolated from SW1116 cells by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis （2-DE） and differentially expressed proteins were identified by tandem mass spectrometry （MALDI-TOF/TOF）. RESULTS： The isolated SW1116 cells presented as spheroid and suspension growths in SFM with a strong self-renewal, proliferation, differentiation and drug-resistance ability. The percentage of SP cells in SW1116 cells was 38.9%. The SW1116 cells co-expressed the CD133 and CD29 proteins. The telomerase activity in SW1116 cells was increased. The expressions of different stem cell relevant genes and proteins were detected. The proteomic analysis showed that the 26 protein spots were differently expressed in SW1116 cells and 10 protein spots were identified as ubiquitin fusion- degradation l-like protein, nuclear chloride channel protein, tubulin 13, Raichu404X, stratifin, F-actin cap- ping protein α-1 subunit, eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 delta isoform 2, hypothetical protein, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and guanine nucleotide binding protein 13 polypeptide 2-like 1, respectively. CONCLUSION： SW1116 cells are biologically characterized by self-renewal, proliferation and differentiation, and the differently expressed proteins in SW1116 cells may be essential for isolating cancer stem cells.

Advances in immunotherapy for treatment of lung cancer

Different approaches for treating lung cancer have been developed over time, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapies against activating mutations. Lately, better understanding of the role of the immunological system in tumor control has opened multiple doors to implement different strategies to enhance immune response against cancer cells. It is known that tumor cells elude immune response by several mechanisms. The development of monoclonal antibodies against the checkpoint inhibitor programmed cell death protein 1 （PD-1） and its ligand （PD-L1）, on T cells, has led to high activity in cancer patients with long lasting responses. Nivolumab, an anti PD-1 inhibitor, has been recently approved for the treatment of squamous cell lung cancer patients, given the survival advantage demonstrated in a phase III trial. Pembrolizumab~ another anti PD-1 antibod）5 has received FDA breakthrough therapy designation for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）, supported by data from a phase I trial. Clinical trials with anti PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies in NSCLC have demonstrated very good tolerability and activity, with response rates around 20% and a median duration of response of 18 months.

A strategy to produce monoclonal antibodies against gp96 by prime-boost regimen using endogenous protein and E.coli heterologously-expressed fragment

Gp96, a member of HSP90 family, is a versatile molecular chaperone with various newly-discovered functions, for example to serve as a low affinity, high capacity calcium binding protein, a natural adjuvant for therapeutic cancer vaccines, a tumor rejection antigen, an immune regulator to pathological cell death. Its multi-functional and structural characteristics make it also an interesting target to develop antibody-based therapeutics. However, its low immunogenicity to mice, because of its high-sequence similarity among different species, is an obstacle to obtain valuable monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). This is a common problem for any low immunogenic proteins, whose sequences share close identity between mice and other species. Here, a new strategy of priming was employed by swine endogenous full-length gp96 and then boosting by E. coli-system heterologously expressed gp96 N-terminal fragment (N-355) to generate MAbs. Twelve different highly-specific MAbs against swine/human endogenous gp96 were successfully obtained. The binding activities of these MAbs were confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot (WB), immunofluorescence and flow cytometry analysis. This provides some important reagents for further research and potential therapeutics. The methods employed can be used for MAb production of any sequence-highly-conserved proteins between mice and swine/human (or any other species).

Preparation of monoclonal antibody to P53 and its clinical application

Objective：The aim of this study was to prepare monoclonal antibody against P53, a kind of tumor suppressor protein,and use the antibody initial y in clinical immunoassay. Methods：Monoclonal antibody was prepared and identified via the classic protocol of monoclonal antibody preparation. Identified monoclonal antibodies were purified by af inity chro-matography. Antibody titer was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The specific binding activity of antibody was detected by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Results：Three strains of monoclonal antibodies named 1P15, 2P37 and 3P40 were obtained and purified by af inity chromatography. The purity of antibodies was higher than 90%. The titers of antibodies were more than 1：6000. Western blot and immunohistochemistry assay showed that the specific antibody can combine with endogenous P53 protein in the tumor celllines and determine the expression of P53 in tumor tis-sue. Conclusion：Three strains of monoclonal antibodies with high af inity to P53 were successful y established, which can be used for detecting the expression of P53 in tumor cells or tissue.

Development of a Fast ELISA for the Specific Detection of both Leucomalachite Green and Malachite Green

Malachite green(MG), a dye, is an antifungal agent that has been used to treat and prevent fish diseases. It is metabolized into reduced leucomalachite green forms(LMG) that may reside in fish muscles for a long period, thus being harmful to human health. The aim of this study was to develop a competitive and direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) to detect MG and LMG specifically. The monoclonal antibody(m Ab) to LMG was generated using a hybridoma technique. The obtained m Ab showed good cross-reactivity(CR) to malachite green(MG), but not to crystal violet(CV) and Brilliant Green(BG). The m Ab was used to develop a fast detecting ELISA of MG and LMG in fish. By introducing the conjugation LMG-HRP, the detection capability was 0.37 ng m L-1 for MG and LMG. The mean recovery from spiked grass carp tissues ranged from 76.2% to 82.9% and the coefficients of variation varied between 1.8% and 7.5%. The stable and efficient monoclonal cell line obtained is a sustainable source of sensitive and specific antibody to MG and LMG.

Inhibition of SIRT1 Increases EZH2 Protein Level and Enhances the Repression of EZH2 on Target Gene Expression

Objective To study the regulatory roles of SIRT1 on EZH2 expression and the further ef-fects on EZH2's repression of target gene expression. Methods The stable SIRT1 RNAi and Control RNAi HeLa cells were established by in-fection with retroviruses expressing shSIRT1 and shLuc respectively followed by puromycin selection. EZH2 protein level was detected by Western blot in either whole cell lysate or the fractional cell extract. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the mRNA level of EZH2. Cycloheximide was used to treat SIRT1 RNAi and Control RNAi cells for protein stability assay. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was applied to measure enrichment of SIRT1, EZH2, and trimethylated H3K27 (H3K27me3) at SATB1 promoter in SIRT1 RNAi and Control RNAi cells. Results Western blot results showed that EZH2 protein level increased upon SIRT1 de-pletion. Fractional extraction results showed unchanged cytoplasmic fraction and increased chromatin fraction of EZH2 protein in SIRT1 RNAi cells. The mRNA level of EZH2 was not affected by knockdown of SIRT1. SIRT1 recruitment was not detected at the promoter region of EZH2 gene locus. The protein stability assay showed that the protein stability of EZH2 increases upon SIRT1 knockdown. Upon SIRT1 depletion, EZH2 and H3K27me3 recruitment at SATB1 promoter increases and the mRNA level of SATB1 decreases. Conclusions Depletion of SIRT1 increases the protein stability of EZH2. The regulation of EZH2 protein level by SIRT1 affects the repressive effects of EZH2 on the target gene expres-sion.

Clinical significance of connective tissue growth factor in hepatitis B virus-induced hepatic fibrosis

AIM:To determine the utility of connective tissue growth factor(CCN2/CTGF) for assessing hepatic fibrosis in hepatitis B virus(HBV)-induced chronic liver diseases(CLD-B).METHODS:Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure CCN2 in sera from 107 patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB) and 39 patients with HBVinduced active liver cirrhosis and 30 healthy individuals.Liver samples from 31 patients with CHB,8 patients with HBV-induced liver cirrhosis and 8 HBV carriers with normal liver histology were examined for transforming growth factor β-1(TGF-β1) or CCN2 mRNA levels by in situ hybridization,and computer image analysis was performed to measure integrated optimal density(IOD) of CCN2 mRNA-positive cells in liver tissues.Histological inflammation grading and fibrosis staging were evaluated by H and E staining and Van Gieson's method.RESULTS:Serum CCN2 concentrations were,respectively,4.0-or 4.9-fold higher in patients with CHB or active liver cirrhosis as compared to healthy individuals(P < 0.01).There was good consistency between the levels of CCN2 in sera and CCN2 mRNA expression in liver tissues(r = 0.87,P < 0.01).The levels of CCN2 in sera were increased with the enhancement of histological fibrosis staging in patients with CLD-B(r = 0.85,P < 0.01).Serum CCN2 was a reliable marker for the assessment of liver fibrosis,with areas under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves(AUC) of 0.94 or 0.85 for,respectively,distinguishing normal liver controls from patients with F1 stage liver fibrosis or discriminating between mild and significant fibrosis.CONCLUSION:Detection of serum CCN2 in patients with CLD-B may have clinical significance for assessment of severity of hepatic fibrosis.

NITRIC OXIDE AND VEGF EXPRESSION IN ISCHEMIC-HYPOXIC RETINOPATHY

Objective To evaluate nitric oxide(NO)and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)in vitreous humor and blood samples in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR)and in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion(BRVO).Methods NO concentrations were determined by using the Greiss reaction in plasma and vitreous humor samples.VEGF levels were assayed by ELISA.The patients in the studies were divided into four groups:16 patients with PDR,5 patients with BRVO,11 patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment(RRD),and 10 patients with idiopathic macular hole(IMH).Results The vitreous fluid levels of NO were significantly higher in patients with PDR(15.2μmol/L,4.6-50.9μmol/L)than those in the other three groups(F=5.13,P=0.005).The concentrations of VEGF were significantly higher in patients with PDR and BRVO(1507.2 μg/mL,50.71-3722.0μg/ml;838.8μg/mL,159.6-3328.0μg/mL)than those in the other two groups(F=6.84,P=0.0008),but highest in PDR(T=3.92,P=0.001).There was no significant difference between NO and VEGF in serum in four groups.There was no correlation between concentrations of NO and VEGF in four groups whatever in vitreous or plasma(all P>0.05).Conclusion The results suggest that higher levels of NO and VEGF may be related to the angiogenesis in DR.

Celiac disease markers in patients with liver diseases: A single center large scale screening study

AIM:To study the coincidence of celiac disease, we tested its serological markers in patients with various liver diseases.METHODS:Large-scale screening of serum antibodies against tissue transglutaminase (tTG), and deamidated gliadin using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and serum antibodies against endomysium using immunohistochemistry, in patients with various liver diseases (n = 962) and patients who underwent liver transplantation (OLTx, n = 523) was performed. The expression of tTG in liver tissue samples of patients simultaneously suffering from celiac disease and from various liver diseases using immunohistochemistry was carried out. The final diagnosis of celiac disease was confirmed by histological analysis of small-intestinal biopsy. RESULTS:We found that 29 of 962 patients (3%) with liver diseases and 5 of 523 patients (0.8%) who underwent OLTx were seropositive for IgA and IgG anti-tTG antibodies. However, celiac disease was biopsy-diagnosed in 16 patients:4 with autoimmune hepatitis type Ⅰ, 3 with Wilson's disease, 3 with celiac hepatitis, 2 with primary sclerosing cholangitis, 1 with primary biliary cirrhosis, 1 with Budd-Chiari syndrome, 1 with toxic hepatitis, and 1 with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Unexpectedly, the highest prevalence of celiac disease was found in patients with Wilson's disease (9.7%), with which it is only rarely associated. On the other hand, no OLTx patients were diagnosed with celiac disease in our study. A pilot study of the expression of tTG in liver tissue using immunohistochemistry documented the overexpression of this molecule in endothelial cells and periportal hepatocytes of patients simultaneously suffering from celiac disease and toxic hepatitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis or autoimmune hepatitis type Ⅰ. CONCLUSION:We suggest that screening for celiac disease may be beneficial not only in patients with associated liver diseases, but also in patients with Wilson's disease.

Gene expression profiling of rat livers with Yin-deficiency-heat syndrome

OBJECTIVE： To explore the nature of ＂Yin internal heat caused by Yin-deficiency＂ in terms of the theo- ry of Traditional Chinese Medicine, by studying en- ergy metabolism in rats with Yin-deficiency-heat syndrome and analyzing the gene expression pro- file of their livers. METHODS： A Yin-deficiency-heat syndrome model was induced in rats using three Chinese medicinal herbs. Glycogen and triglycerides in blood plasma, and the enzyme activity of ATP in livers were mea- sured colorimetrically. Triiodothyronine （T3）, thyrox- ine （T4）, and thyroid stimulating hormone levels in blood plasma were also measured with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The gene expression profile of livers was detected with gene chip analy- sis. Differentially expressed genes were screened out and classified according to Gene Ontology. The accuracy of results were examined with reversetranscription-polymerase chain reaction RESULTS： Compared with the control group, body weight （P〈0.05） and hepatic glycogen （P〈0.05） were significantly lower in the Yin-deficiency-heat syndrome group. Moreover, toe temperature （P〈 0.01） and triglyceride （P〈0.05）, Na ＋-K＋-ATPase （P〈 0.01）, Mg2＋-ATPase （P〈0.01）, T3 （P〈0.05）, and 1-4 （P〈 0.01） levels were significantly higher. There were 99 differentially expressed genes in livers from the Y/n-deficiency-heat syndrome group. Genes were mainly related to sterol synthesis （Pc=0.0392）, de- fense response （Pc=0.0448）, and sterol metabolism （Pc=0.0533）. CONCLUSION： Abnormal expression genes in rats with Yin-deficiency-heat syndrome prompted the synthesis and metabolism of cholesterol, increased energy consumption, and reduced defense re- sponse. This gene expression might be the molecu- lar mechanism underlying ＂internal heat caused by Yin-deficiency＂ in the rats with Yin-deficiency-heat syndrome.

Antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities of a polysaccharide from Flammulina velutipes

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities of a unique polysaccharide from the medicinal fungus Flammulina velutipes in vitro.METHODS: Using water extraction and alcohol precipitation, crude polysaccharides were obtained. After purification by DEAE-cellulose 52 ion exchange chromatography and Sephacryl S-300 HR gel filtration chromatography, High performance liquid chromatography equipped with evaporative light-scattering detector, Infrared radiation and Nuclear magnetic resonance were used to evaluate the structure of the polysaccharide. Its immunomodulatory activity was measured by examining the production of nitric oxide(NO) and cytokine secretion, and via lymphocyte proliferation experiments. Its effects on the scavenging activities of hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion and reducing power were also measured.RESULTS: A water-soluble polysaccharide, Flammulina velutipes polysaccharide I-A(FVP I-A), was obtained with a molecular mass of 8.14×104Da determined by high performance gel permeation chromatography. An in vitro antioxidant assay indicated that FVP I-A could scavenge hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion and possessed reducing power and could largely promote NO production and augment the interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α secretion by RAW264.7 macrophages(P<0.05). Moreover, FVP I-A could promote lymphocyte proliferation(P<0.05), and synergistically enhance the augmentation of the proliferation of mouse lymphocytes by concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharides(P<0.01, P<0.05).CONCLUSION: The FVP I-A obtained from Flammulina velutipes possessed antioxidant activity and could enhance non-specific and specific immune responses in vitro.

GPR54 deficiency reduces the Treg population and aggravates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice

GPR54 is highly expressed in the central nervous system and plays a crucial role in pubertal development. However, GRP54 is also expressed in the immune system, implying possible immunoregulatory functions. Here we investigated the role of GPR54 in T cell and immune tolerance. GPR54 deficiency led to an enlarged thymus, an increased number of thymocytes, and altered thymic micro-architecture starting around puberty, indicating GPR54 function in T-cell development through its regulatory effect on the gonadal system. However, flow cytometry revealed a significant reduction in the peripheral regulatory T cell population and a moderate decrease in CD4 single-positive thymocytes in prepubertal Gpr54^(-/-) mice. These phenotypes were confirmed in chimeric mice with GPR54 deficient bone marrow-derived cells. In addition, we found elevated T cell activation in peripheral and thymic T cells in Gpr54^(-/-) mice. When intact mice were immunized with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, a more severe experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis(EAE) developed in the Gpr54^(-/-) mice. Interestingly, aggravated EAE disease was also manifested in castrated and bone marrow chimeric Gpr54^(-/-) mice compared to the respective wild-type control,suggesting a defect in self-tolerance resulting from GPR54 deletion through a mechanism that bypassed sex hormones. These findings demonstrate a novel role for GPR54 in regulating self-tolerant immunity in a sex hormone independent manner.

Stem cells modified by brain-derived neurotrophic factor to promote stem cells differentiation into neurons and enhance neuromotor function after brain injury

Objective： To promote stem cells differentiation into neurons and enhance neuromotor function after brain injury through brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF） induction. Methods： Recombinant adenovirus vector was applied to the transfection of BDNF into human-derived umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells （UCMSCs）. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to determine the secretion phase of BDNF. The brain injury model of athymic mice induced by hydraulic pressure percussion was established for transplantation of stem cells into the edge of injury site. Nerve function scores were obtained, and the expression level of transfected and non-transfected BDNF, proportion of neuron specific enolase （NSE） and glial fibrillary acidic protein （GFAP）, and the number of apoptosis cells were compared respectively. Results： The BDNF expression achieved its stabilization at a high level 72 hours after gene transfection. The mouse obtained a better score of nerve function, and the proportion of the NSE-positive cells increased significantly （P〈0.05）, but GFAP-positive cells decreased in BDNF- UCMSCs group compared with the other two groups （P〈0.05）. At the site of high expression of BDNF, the number of apoptosis cells decreased markedly. Conclusion： BDNF gene can promote the differentiation of the stem cells into neurons rather than glial cells, and enhance neuromotor function after brain injury.