Secretory expression of biologically active human Herpes virus interleukin-10 analogues in Escherichia coli via a modified Sec-dependent transporter construct

Secretion of recombinant proteins from E. coli

The microorganism Escherichia coli is commonly used for recombinant protein production. Despite several advantageous characteristics like fast growth and high protein yields, its inability to easily secrete recombinant proteins into the extracellular medium remains a drawback for industrial production processes. To overcome this limitation, a multitude of approaches to enhance the extracellular yield and the secretion efficiency of recombinant proteins have been developed in recent years. Here, a comprehensive overview of secretion mechanisms for recombinant proteins from E. coli is given and divided into three main sections. First, the structure of the E. coli cell envelope and the known natural secretion systems are described. Second, the use and optimization of different one- or two-step secretion systems for recombinant protein production, as well as further permeabilization methods are discussed. Finally, the often-overlooked role of cell lysis in secretion studies and its analysis are addressed. So far, effective approaches for increasing the extracellular protein concentration to more than 10 g/L and almost 100% secretion efficiency exist, however, the large range of optimization methods and their combinations suggests that the potential for secretory protein production from E. coli has not yet been fully realized.

Progress in Treatment of Viral Infections in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

In children, the most commonly encountered type of leukemia is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). An important source of morbidity and mortality in ALL are viral infections. Even though allogeneic transplantations, which are often applied also in ALL, carry a recognized risk for viral infections, there are multiple factors that make ALL patients susceptible to viral infections. The presence of those factors has an influence in the type and severity of infections. Currently available treatment options do not guarantee a positive outcome for every case of viral infection in ALL, without significant side effects. Side effects can have very serious consequences for the ALL patients, which include nephrotoxicity. For this reason a number of strategies for personalized intervention have been already clinically tested, and experimental approaches are being developed. Adoptive immunotherapy, which entails administration of ex vivo grown immune cells to a patient, is a promising approach in general, and for transplant recipients in particular. The ex vivo grown cells are aimed to strengthen the immune response to the virus that has been identified in the patients' blood and tissue samples. Even though many patients with weakened immune system can benefit from progress in novel approaches, a viral infection still poses a very significant risk for many patients. Therefore, preventive measures and supportive care are very important for ALL patients.

The role of macrophage polarization in infectious and inflammatory diseases

Macrophages, found in circulating blood as well as integrated into several tissues and organs throughout the body, represent an important first line of defense against disease and a necessary component of healthy tissue homeostasis. Additionally, macrophages that arise from the differentiation of monocytes recruited from the blood to inflamed tissues play a central role in regulating local inflammation. Studies of macrophage activation in the last decade or so have revealed that these cells adopt a staggering range of phenotypes that are finely tuned responses to a variety of different stimuli, and that the resulting subsets of activated macrophages play critical roles in both progression and resolution of disease. This review summarizes the current understanding of the contributions of differentially polarized macrophages to various infectious and inflammatory diseases and the ongoing effort to develop novel therapies that target this key aspect of macrophage biology.