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Han Y, Zhou J, Zhang R, Liang Y, Lai L, Li Z. Genome-edited rabbits: Unleashing the potential of a promising experimental animal model across diverse diseases. Zool Res 2024; 45:253-262. [PMID: 38287906 PMCID: PMC11017087 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2023.201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Animal models are extensively used in all aspects of biomedical research, with substantial contributions to our understanding of diseases, the development of pharmaceuticals, and the exploration of gene functions. The field of genome modification in rabbits has progressed slowly. However, recent advancements, particularly in CRISPR/Cas9-related technologies, have catalyzed the successful development of various genome-edited rabbit models to mimic diverse diseases, including cardiovascular disorders, immunodeficiencies, aging-related ailments, neurological diseases, and ophthalmic pathologies. These models hold great promise in advancing biomedical research due to their closer physiological and biochemical resemblance to humans compared to mice. This review aims to summarize the novel gene-editing approaches currently available for rabbits and present the applications and prospects of such models in biomedicine, underscoring their impact and future potential in translational medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Han
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China
| | - Jiale Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China
| | - Renquan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China
| | - Yuru Liang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China
| | - Liangxue Lai
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510530, China
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guang Dong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), Guangzhou, Guangdong 510005, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China. E-mail:
| | - Zhanjun Li
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China. E-mail:
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2
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Schelle L, Côrte-Real JV, Fayyaz S, del Pozo Ben A, Shnipova M, Petersen M, Lotke R, Menon B, Matzek D, Pfaff L, Pinheiro A, Marques JP, Melo-Ferreira J, Popper B, Esteves PJ, Sauter D, Abrantes J, Baldauf HM. Evolutionary and functional characterization of lagomorph guanylate-binding proteins: a story of gain and loss and shedding light on expression, localization and innate immunity-related functions. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1303089. [PMID: 38348040 PMCID: PMC10859415 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1303089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Guanylate binding proteins (GBPs) are an evolutionarily ancient family of proteins that are widely distributed among eukaryotes. They belong to the dynamin superfamily of GTPases, and their expression can be partially induced by interferons (IFNs). GBPs are involved in the cell-autonomous innate immune response against bacterial, parasitic and viral infections. Evolutionary studies have shown that GBPs exhibit a pattern of gene gain and loss events, indicative for the birth-and-death model of evolution. Most species harbor large GBP gene clusters that encode multiple paralogs. Previous functional and in-depth evolutionary studies have mainly focused on murine and human GBPs. Since rabbits are another important model system for studying human diseases, we focus here on lagomorphs to broaden our understanding of the multifunctional GBP protein family by conducting evolutionary analyses and performing a molecular and functional characterization of rabbit GBPs. We observed that lagomorphs lack GBP3, 6 and 7. Furthermore, Leporidae experienced a loss of GBP2, a unique duplication of GBP5 and a massive expansion of GBP4. Gene expression analysis by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and transcriptome data revealed that leporid GBP expression varied across tissues. Overexpressed rabbit GBPs localized either uniformly and/or discretely to the cytoplasm and/or to the nucleus. Oryctolagus cuniculus (oc)GBP5L1 and rarely ocGBP5L2 were an exception, colocalizing with the trans-Golgi network (TGN). In addition, four ocGBPs were IFN-inducible and only ocGBP5L2 inhibited furin activity. In conclusion, from an evolutionary perspective, lagomorph GBPs experienced multiple gain and loss events, and the molecular and functional characteristics of ocGBP suggest a role in innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Schelle
- Max von Pettenkofer Institute and Gene Center, Virology, National Reference Center for Retroviruses, Faculty of Medicine, LMU München, Munich, Germany
| | - João Vasco Côrte-Real
- Max von Pettenkofer Institute and Gene Center, Virology, National Reference Center for Retroviruses, Faculty of Medicine, LMU München, Munich, Germany
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Sharmeen Fayyaz
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- National Institute of Virology, International Center of Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Augusto del Pozo Ben
- Max von Pettenkofer Institute and Gene Center, Virology, National Reference Center for Retroviruses, Faculty of Medicine, LMU München, Munich, Germany
| | - Margarita Shnipova
- Max von Pettenkofer Institute and Gene Center, Virology, National Reference Center for Retroviruses, Faculty of Medicine, LMU München, Munich, Germany
| | - Moritz Petersen
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rishikesh Lotke
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bhavna Menon
- Max von Pettenkofer Institute and Gene Center, Virology, National Reference Center for Retroviruses, Faculty of Medicine, LMU München, Munich, Germany
| | - Dana Matzek
- Biomedical Center (BMC), Core facility Animal Models (CAM), Faculty of Medicine, LMU München, Munich, Germany
| | - Lena Pfaff
- Biomedical Center (BMC), Core facility Animal Models (CAM), Faculty of Medicine, LMU München, Munich, Germany
| | - Ana Pinheiro
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - João Pedro Marques
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
- ISEM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - José Melo-Ferreira
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Bastian Popper
- Biomedical Center (BMC), Core facility Animal Models (CAM), Faculty of Medicine, LMU München, Munich, Germany
| | - Pedro José Esteves
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
- CITS - Center of Investigation in Health Technologies, CESPU, Gandra, Portugal
| | - Daniel Sauter
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Joana Abrantes
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Hanna-Mari Baldauf
- Max von Pettenkofer Institute and Gene Center, Virology, National Reference Center for Retroviruses, Faculty of Medicine, LMU München, Munich, Germany
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Pinto-Pinho P, Soares J, Esteves P, Pinto-Leite R, Fardilha M, Colaço B. Comparative Bioinformatic Analysis of the Proteomes of Rabbit and Human Sex Chromosomes. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:217. [PMID: 38254386 PMCID: PMC10812427 DOI: 10.3390/ani14020217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Studying proteins associated with sex chromosomes can provide insights into sex-specific proteins. Membrane proteins accessible through the cell surface may serve as excellent targets for diagnostic, therapeutic, or even technological purposes, such as sperm sexing technologies. In this context, proteins encoded by sex chromosomes have the potential to become targets for X- or Y-chromosome-bearing spermatozoa. Due to the limited availability of proteomic studies on rabbit spermatozoa and poorly annotated databases for rabbits compared to humans, a bioinformatic analysis of the available rabbit X chromosome proteome (RX), as well as the human X (HX) and Y (HY) chromosomes proteome, was conducted to identify potential targets that could be accessible from the cell surface and predict which of the potential targets identified in humans might also exist in rabbits. We identified 100, 211, and 3 proteins associated with the plasma membrane or cell surface for RX, HX, and HY, respectively, of which 61, 132, and 3 proteins exhibit potential as targets as they were predicted to be accessible from the cell surface. Cross-referencing the potential HX targets with the rabbit proteome revealed an additional 60 proteins with the potential to be RX targets, resulting in a total of 121 potential RX targets. In addition, at least 53 possible common HX and RX targets have been previously identified in human spermatozoa, emphasizing their potential as targets of X-chromosome-bearing spermatozoa. Further proteomic studies on rabbit sperm will be essential to identify and validate the usefulness of these proteins for application in rabbit sperm sorting techniques as targets of X-chromosome-bearing spermatozoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Pinto-Pinho
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal;
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
- Laboratory of Genetics and Andrology, Hospital Center of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, E.P.E., 5000-508 Vila Real, Portugal;
- Experimental Pathology and Therapeutics Group, IPO Porto Research Center, Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto Francisco Gentil, E.P.E., 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - João Soares
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; (J.S.); (P.E.)
- Center for Research in Advanced Computing Systems, Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (CRACS—INESC TEC), 4150-179 Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro Esteves
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; (J.S.); (P.E.)
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- CIBIO—Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO Associate Laboratory, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Rosário Pinto-Leite
- Laboratory of Genetics and Andrology, Hospital Center of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, E.P.E., 5000-508 Vila Real, Portugal;
- Experimental Pathology and Therapeutics Group, IPO Porto Research Center, Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto Francisco Gentil, E.P.E., 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Margarida Fardilha
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
| | - Bruno Colaço
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal;
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
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Rodríguez-Durán A, Ullah S, Parizi LF, Ali A, da Silva Vaz Junior I. Rabbits as Animal Models for Anti-Tick Vaccine Development: A Global Scenario. Pathogens 2023; 12:1117. [PMID: 37764925 PMCID: PMC10536012 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12091117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies evaluating candidate tick-derived proteins as anti-tick vaccines in natural hosts have been limited due to high costs. To overcome this problem, animal models are used in immunization tests. The aim of this article was to review the use of rabbits as an experimental model for the evaluation of tick-derived proteins as vaccines. A total of 57 tick proteins were tested for their immunogenic potential using rabbits as models for vaccination. The most commonly used rabbit breeds were New Zealand (73.8%), Japanese white (19%), Californians (4.8%) and Flemish lop-eared (2.4%) rabbits. Anti-tick vaccines efficacy resulted in up to 99.9%. Haemaphysalis longicornis (17.9%) and Ornithodoros moubata (12.8%) were the most common tick models in vaccination trials. Experiments with rabbits have revealed that some proteins (CoAQP, OeAQP, OeAQP1, Bm86, GST-Hl, 64TRP, serpins and voraxin) can induce immune responses against various tick species. In addition, in some cases it was possible to determine that the vaccine efficacy in rabbits was similar to that of experiments performed on natural hosts (e.g., Bm86, IrFER2, RmFER2, serpins and serine protease inhibitor). In conclusion, results showed that prior to performing anti-tick vaccination trials using natural hosts, rabbits can be used as suitable experimental models for these studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arlex Rodríguez-Durán
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; (A.R.-D.); (S.U.); (L.F.P.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Porto Alegre 91540-000, RS, Brazil
- Grupo de Investigación Parasitología Veterinaria, Laboratorio de Parasitología Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45 No. 26-85, Bogotá 110911, Colombia
| | - Shafi Ullah
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; (A.R.-D.); (S.U.); (L.F.P.)
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan;
| | - Luís Fernando Parizi
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; (A.R.-D.); (S.U.); (L.F.P.)
| | - Abid Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan;
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz Junior
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; (A.R.-D.); (S.U.); (L.F.P.)
- Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Porto Alegre 91540-000, RS, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro 21941-853, RJ, Brazil
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Li W, Zhao T, Tao B, Zhao L, Xiao H, Ding X, Li C, Chen L, Cheng H, Lou Y, Chen Y, Wu C. Monovalent Omicron COVID-19 vaccine triggers superior neutralizing antibody responses against Omicron subvariants than Delta and Omicron bivalent vaccine. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2023; 19:2264589. [PMID: 37846840 PMCID: PMC10583637 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2264589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The continuous evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants poses a challenge to determine the optimal updated composition of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine. The present study aimed to investigate the immunogenicity of the Delta monovalent vaccine, the Omicron monovalent vaccine, and the Delta and Omicron BA.1 bivalent vaccine. Three COVID-19 vaccines were designed using the heterologous DNA prime-protein boost strategy, with each vaccine containing either Delta receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein, Omicron RBD, or both Delta and Omicron antigens. Temporal serum antibody binding titers and neutralizing antibody titers induced by the three vaccines in New Zealand White rabbits were analyzed. To further dissect the vaccine elicited antibodies (mAb) responses at the molecular level, a panel of rabbit monoclonal antibodies (RmAbs) was generated by a high-throughput single B cell sorting and discovery pipeline and further comprehensively characterized. The Omicron monovalent vaccine induced higher antibody binding titers and neutralization activities than the Delta and Omicron bivalent vaccine. Four RmAbs with robust neutralization capacity were isolated from rabbits immunized with the Omicron or Delta monovalent vaccine. Notably, 9E11 isolated from the Omicron monovalent vaccine group neutralized all the Omicron subvariants with an IC50 value ranging from 1.5 to 503.6 ng/mL; thus, this vaccine could serve as a prophylactic and therapeutic intervention. Given the increasing incidence of COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant, RBD from the Omicron strain could serve as a candidate immunogen that can induce higher neutralization activities against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanting Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tiantian Zhao
- Department of Infectious Disease, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bai Tao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Liwei Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hang Xiao
- Yurogen Biosystem LLC, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xinyu Ding
- Department of Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chuang Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hao Cheng
- Yurogen Biosystem LLC, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yang Lou
- Yurogen Biosystem LLC, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuxin Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Institute of Viruses and Infectious Diseases, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chao Wu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Institute of Viruses and Infectious Diseases, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Binns C, Low WY, Shunnmugam B. The Year of the Rabbit and the COVID Pandemic. Asia Pac J Public Health 2023; 35:5-6. [PMID: 36694949 PMCID: PMC9895313 DOI: 10.1177/10105395221150836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Colin Binns
- School of Population Health, Faculty of
Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia,Colin Binns, School of Population Health,
Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845,
Australia.
| | - Wah Yun Low
- Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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