The causal effects of immune cells on pancreatic cancer: A 2‑sample Mendelian randomization study

Leveraging publicly available genetic datasets, we conducted a comprehensive 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the causal links between 731 immunophenotypes and the risk of pancreatic cancer (PC). To ensure the robustness of our findings, extensive sensitivity analyses were performed, evaluating stability, heterogeneity, and potential horizontal pleiotropy. Our analysis pinpointed 24 immunophenotypes significantly associated with the risk of PC. Notably, phenotypes such as CD4+ CD8dim %leukocyte (OR = 0.852, 95% CI = 0.729-0.995, P = .0430) and HLA DR+ CD4+ AC (OR = 0.933, 95% CI = 0.883-0.986) in TBNK were inversely correlated with PC risk. Conversely, phenotypes like CD28 on CD45RA- CD4 non-Treg (OR = 1.155, 95% CI = 1.028-1.297, P = .016) and CD25 on activated Treg (OR = 1.180, 95% CI = 1.014-1.374, P = .032) in Treg cells, among others, exhibited a positive correlation. These insights offer a valuable genetic perspective that could guide future clinical research in this area.

Salivary human beta-defensins affected by oral Candida status in Chinese HIV/AIDS patients undergoing ART

OBJECTIVES

To observe relationships between oral Candida status and salivary human beta-defensin 2 and 3 (hBD-2 and hBD-3) levels in HIV/AIDS patients of Guangxi, China during the first year of antiretroviral therapy (ART) dynamically, and to understand the influence of ART on oral Candida status and salivary hBDs expressions.

METHODS

A prospective self-controlled study was carried to observe the dynamic changes of CD4⁺ T cell counts, oral Candida carriages and salivary hBD-2,3 expressions in HIV/AIDS patients during the first year of ART. A total of 90 HIV/AIDS patients were enrolled and were examined at the baseline, 3rd, 6th, 12th month of ART. Thirty healthy individuals were enrolled as control. Peripheral blood, oral rinse sample, and unstimulated whole saliva were collected to test CD4⁺ T cell counts, oral Candida carriages, and hBD-2,3 expressions.

RESULTS

In the first year of ART, CD4⁺ T cell counts increased significantly. However, oral Candida carriages and oral candidiasis decreased significantly, and salivary hBD-2 expressions in HIV/AIDS patients decreased gradually, salivary hBD-3 levels were highly variable. Salivary hBD-2 concentrations were positively related to oral Candida carriages.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of oral candidiasis among HIV/AIDS patients gradually decreased due to the immune reconstruction of ART. Salivary defensins might play an important role in Candida-host interaction in HIV/AIDS patients.

Examining different NEMD methods in simulating nanoscale fluid at high shear rates

In this paper, the non-Newtonian behaviour of a simple fluid is simulated via three different non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) algorithms: boundary-driven shear; homogeneous shear; and reverse-NEMD (RNEMD). The pros and cons of each approach are discussed and results are compared. It is found that the accessible shear rate is very limited when using boundary-driven shear and RNEMD, whereas homogeneous shear is capable of imposing a substantially higher shear rate. However, the boundary-driven shear reproduces rheological experiment setups and the RNEMD yields much better statistically calculated properties. The material functions, velocity profiles, and microstructures of the fluid are examined and the formations of fluid structures are elucidated. The homogeneous shear is shown to be the most appropriate NEMD method to simulate fluids under strong shear, with the smallest number of limitations.

Enhanced cadmium resistance and accumulation in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 expressing the phytochelatin synthase gene of Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Phytochelatins (PCs) are cysteine-rich peptides with high binding affinity for toxic metals. Expressing the PC synthase gene (PCS) in plant growth-promoting bacteria may enhance its metal resistance and accumulation, consequently increasing phytoremediation efficiency in heavy metal pollution. In this study, PCS from Schizosaccharomyces pombe was cloned and expressed in Pseudomonas putida KT2440, which was confirmed by real-time RT-PCR through an increase in SpPCS mRNA expression level when induced by 20 μmol of CdCl2 in the transformed Ps. putida cells. The recombined strain KT2440-SpPCS exhibited enhanced Cd, Ag and Hg resistance. Compared with the original strain, KT2440-SpPCS also displayed a threefold to fivefold increase in Cd accumulation (14·32 μmol g(-1) to 17·38 μmol g(-1) ; dry weight) when grown in 30 and 50 μmol CdCl2 , along with an increase in nonprotein thiols. Further experiments showed significantly enhanced germination rates and growth of wheat seeds in 0·1 mmol to 1·0 mmol Cd when inoculated with KT2440-SpPCS. This study shows potential use of Ps. putida KT2440-SpPCS in plants to construct a symbiotic system for an enhanced phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated environments.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The symbiotic system of using plant growth-promoting bacteria Pseudomonas putida to express phytochelatin synthase gene of Schizosaccharomyces pombe together in plants resulted in high heavy metal resistance and high accumulation capacity, suggesting potential enhancement in phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated environments.

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor α4 Subunit Gene Variation Associated with Chinese Han Patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Previous pharmacological, human genetical, and animal models have implicated the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α4 subunit (CHRNA4) gene in the pathogenesis of ADHD. The objective of this study is to examine genetic association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CHRNA4 gene (rs2273502, rs1044396, rs1044397 and rs3827020 loci) and ADHD. Both case-control and family-based design were used in this study. Children aged 6 to 16 years were interviewed and assessed with the CBCL and CPRS-R to identify probands. No significant differences in frequency distribution of genotypes or alleles between the case and control groups were found. However, further haplotype analyses showed CCGG haplotype on risk for ADHD in 164 case-control sample and TDT analysis suggested that the allele C of rs2273502 over-transferred in 98 ADHD parent-offspring trios. Our findings suggest that CHRNA4 gene may play a role in the pathogenesis of ADHD, and further work is necessary to replicate and confirm what role the CHRNA4 gene may play in the etiology and pathogenesis of ADHD in large independent samples.

Diversity and modulation of plasminogen activator activity in human transitional carcinoma cell lines

Baseline cellular plasminogen activator (PA) activity, the cellular proteins responsible for variations in PA activity and the effect of cellular PA activity on cellular adherence to and lysis of fibrin substrate were evaluated in three human transitional carcinoma cell lines. Net PA activity in the cell lines 253J, 639V and 647V was measured using a chromogenic substrate assay. These lines were then analyzed to determine the specific protein(s) responsible for differences in PA activity. mRNA and protein levels of cellular uPA, tPA, PAI1 and PAI2 were measured using Northern blot analysis and ELISA assays. Intact cells were used in an in vitro fibrinolysis assay so as to correlate cell biology with protein and mRNA level observations. Net cellular PA activity in the three cell lines varied over a 20-fold range (253J > 639V > 647V). Net PA activity demonstrated a direct correlation with mRNA transcript and protein levels of uPA/low levels of tPA mRNA were detected in the 253J line. However, tPA protein was not detectable in any of the lines. Both PAI1 and PAI2 were detected in varying amounts in each of the three cell lines. In vitro assays demonstrated a direct correlation between net PA activity and plasminogen dependent fibrin substrate lysis. Cellular adherence to fibrin varied as an inverse function of net PA activity. These findings suggest that variations in cellular uPA levels are principally responsible for variations in PA activity between cell lines. Variations in net PA activity are in turn reflected at the cellular level by differences in ECMP substrate lysis and cellular adherence to fibrin.

Epidemiological features of an outbreak of diphtheria and its control with diphtheria toxoid immunization

An outbreak of diphtheria primarily involving adults occurred in seven townships and one farm in Jiangling county, Hubei, China from September 1988 to January 1989. Of the 103 reported cases, 80 were aged over 16 years, and there were two deaths. One hundred cases were reported in Jingzhou and its surrounding townships, only three occurred in townships distant from Jingzhou. The incidence and case fatality rates were 11.54/100,000 and 1.94% respectively. Twenty-one strains of diphtheria bacillus were isolated from 68 patients. A special immunization programme using adsorbed diphtheria toxoid was conducted 1 month into the outbreak, following which the incidence declined rapidly. Five vaccinees subsequently developed diphtheria.