A portable transistor immunosensor for fast identification of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus

Widespread distribution of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has led to catastrophic losses to the global pig farming industry. As a result, there is an urgent need for rapid, sensitive and accurate tests for PEDV to enable timely and effective interventions. In the present study, we develop and validate a floating gate carbon nanotubes field-effect transistor (FG CNT-FET)-based portable immunosensor for rapid identification of PEDV in a sensitive and accurate manner. To improve the affinity, a unique PEDV spike protein-specific monoclonal antibody is prepared by purification, and subsequently modified on FG CNT-FET sensor to recognize PEDV. The developed FET biosensor enables highly sensitive detection (LoD: 8.1 fg/mL and 100.14 TCID50/mL for recombinant spike proteins and PEDV, respectively), as well as satisfactory specificity. Notably, an integrated portable platform consisting of a pluggable FG CNT-FET chip and a portable device can discriminate PEDV positive from negative samples and even identify PEDV and porcine deltacoronavirus within 1 min with 100% accuracy. The portable sensing platform offers the capability to quickly, sensitively and accurately identify PEDV, which further points to a possibility of point of care (POC) applications of large-scale surveillance in pig breeding facilities.

ARF6 promotes Streptococcus suis suilysin induced apoptosis in HBMECs

Streptococcus suis (S. suis) is a significant zoonotic microorganism that causes a severe illness in both pigs and humans and is characterized by severe meningitis and septicemia. Suilysin (SLY), which is secreted by S. suis, plays a crucial role as a virulence factor in the disease. To date, the interaction between SLY and host cells is not fully understood. In this study, we identified the interacting proteins between SLY and human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) using the TurboID-mediated proximity labeling method. 251 unique proteins were identified in TurboID-SLY treated group, of which six plasma membrane proteins including ARF6, GRK6, EPB41L5, DSC1, TJP2, and PNN were identified. We found that the proteins capable of interacting with SLY are ARF6 and PNN. Subsequent investigations revealed that ARF6 substantially increased the invasive ability of S. suis in HBMECs. Furthermore, ARF6 promoted SLY-induced the activation of p38 MAPK signaling pathway in HBMECs. Moreover, ARF6 promoted the apoptosis in HBMECs through the activation of p38 MAPK signaling pathway induced by SLY. Finally, we confirmed that ARF6 could increase the virulence of SLY in C57BL/6 mice. These findings offer valuable insights that contribute to a deeper understanding of the pathogenic mechanism of SLY.

A porcine kidney-derived clonal cell line with clear genetic annotation is highly susceptible to African swine fever virus

African Swine Fever virus (ASFV), the causative agent of African swine fever, is a highly lethal hemorrhagic virus affecting domestic pigs and wild boars. The primary target cells for ASFV infection are porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs), which are difficult to obtain and maintain in vitro, and less subjective to genetic editing. To overcome these issues and facilitate ASFV research, we obtained a subclonal cell line PK1-C5 by subcloning LLC-PK1 cells that support stable ASFV proliferation. This consequential cell line exhibited high ASFV infection levels and similar viral growth characteristics to PAMs, while also allowing high-efficiency genomic editing through transfection or lentivirus transduction of Cas9. Taken together, our study provided a valuable tool for research aspects including ASFV-host interactions, pathogenicity, and vaccine development.

Construction of prediction model for fetal growth restriction during first trimester in an Asian population

OBJECTIVE

To construct a prediction model for fetal growth restriction (FGR) during the first trimester of pregnancy and evaluate its screening performance.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study of singleton pregnancies that underwent routine ultrasound screening at 11 to 13 + 6 weeks at the Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between January 2019 and April 2022. Basic clinical information, ultrasound indicators and serum biomarkers of pregnant women were collected. Fetal weight assessment was based on the fetal growth curve for the Southern Chinese population. FGR was diagnosed according to Delphi consensus criteria. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (lasso) regression was used to select variables for inclusion in the model. Discrimination, calibration and clinical effectiveness of the model were evaluated in training and validation cohorts.

RESULTS

A total of 1188 pregnant women were included, of whom 108 had FGR. Lasso regression identified seven predictive features, including history of maternal hypertension, maternal smoking or passive smoking, gravidity, uterine artery pulsatility index, ductus venosus pulsatility index and multiples of the median values of placental growth factor and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1. The nomogram prediction model constructed from these seven variables accurately predicted FGR, and the area under the receiver-operating-characteristics curve in the validation cohort was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.74-0.90). The calibration curve and Hosmer-Lemeshow test demonstrated good calibration, and the clinical decision curve and clinical impact curve supported its practical value in a clinical setting.

CONCLUSION

The multi-index prediction model for FGR has good predictive value during the first trimester. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Dual Role of IGF2BP2 in Osteoimmunomodulation during Periodontitis

Periodontitis is a complex disease characterized by distinct inflammatory stages, with a peak of inflammation in the early phase and less prominent inflammation in the advanced phase. The insulin-like growth factor 2-binding proteins 2 (IGF2BP2) has recently been identified as a new m6A reader that protects m6A-modified messenger RNAs (mRNAs) from decay, thus participating in multiple biological processes. However, its role in periodontitis remains unexplored. Here, we investigated the role of IGF2BP2 in inflammation and osteoclast differentiation using a ligature-induced periodontitis model. Our findings revealed that IGF2BP2 responded to bacterial-induced inflammatory stimuli and exhibited differential expression patterns in early and advanced periodontitis stages, suggesting its dual role in regulating this disease. Depletion of Igf2bp2 contributed to increased release of inflammatory cytokines, thereby exacerbating periodontitis after 3 d of ligature while suppressing osteoclast differentiation and ameliorating periodontitis after 14 d of ligature. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that IGF2BP2 directly interacted with Cd5l and Cd36 mRNA via RNA immunoprecipitation assay. Overexpression of CD36 or recombinant CD5L rescued the osteoclast differentiation ability of Igf2bp2-null cells upon lipopolysaccharide stimulus, and thus the downregulation of Cd36 and Cd5l effectively reversed periodontitis in the advanced stage. Altogether, this study deepens our understanding of the potential mechanistic link among the dysregulated m6A reader IGF2BP2, immunomodulation, and osteoclastogenesis during different stages of periodontitis.

Glaesserella parasuis QseBC two-component system senses epinephrine and regulates capD expression

IMPORTANCE

The key bacterial pathogen Glaesserella parasuis, which can cause Glässer's disease, has caused significant financial losses to the swine industry worldwide. Capsular polysaccharide (CPS) is an important virulence factor for bacteria, providing the ability to avoid recognition and killing by the host immune system. Exploring the alteration of CPS synthesis in G. parasuis in response to epinephrine stimulation can lay the groundwork for revealing the pathogenic mechanism of G. parasuis as well as providing ideas for Glässer's disease control.

Generation and Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies against Swine Acute Diarrhea Syndrome Coronavirus Spike Protein

Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV), a member of the family Coronaviridae and the genus Alphacoronavirus, primarily affects piglets under 7 days old, causing symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration. It has the potential to infect human primary and passaged cells in vitro, indicating a potential risk of zoonotic transmission. In this study, we successfully generated and purified six monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specifically targeting the spike protein of SADS-CoV, whose epitope were demonstrated specificity to the S1A or S1B region by immunofluorescence assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Three of these mAbs were capable of neutralizing SADS-CoV infection on HeLa-R19 and A549. Furthermore, we observed that SADS-CoV induced the agglutination of erythrocytes from both humans and rats, and the hemagglutination inhibition capacity and antigen-antibody binding capacity of the antibodies were assessed. Our study reveals that mAbs specifically targeting the S1A domain demonstrated notable efficacy in suppressing the hemagglutination phenomenon induced by SADS-CoV. This finding represents the first instance of narrowing down the protein region responsible for SADS-CoV-mediated hemagglutination to the S1A domain, and reveals that the cell attachment domains S1A and S1B are the main targets of neutralizing antibodies.

Development and evaluation of polyclonal antibodies based antigen capture ELISA for detection of porcine rotavirus

Rotaviruses are rising as zoonotic viruses worldwide, causing the lethal dehydrating diarrhea in children, piglets, and other livestock of economic importance. A simple, swift, cost-effective, highly specific, and sensitive antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (AC-ELISA) was developed for detection of porcine rotavirus-A (PoRVA) by employing rabbit (capture antibody) and murine polyclonal antibodies (detector antibody) produced against VP6 of PoRVA (RVA/Pig-tc/CHN/TM-a/2009/G9P23). Reactivity of the both polyclonal antibodies was confirmed by using an indirect ELISA, western-blot analysis and indirect fluorescence assay against rVP6 protein and PoRVA. The detection limit of AC-ELISA was found 50 ng/ml of PoRVA protein. The relative sensitivity and specificity of this in-house AC-ELISA were evaluated for detection of PoRVA from 295 porcine diarrhea samples, and results were compared with that of RT-PCR and TaqMan RT-qPCR. The relative sensitivity and specificity of AC-ELISA compared with those of TaqMan RT-qPCR were found as 94.4 and 99.2%, respectively, with the strong agreement (κ -0.58) between these two techniques. Furthermore, AC-ELISA could not detect any cross-reactivity with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, transmissible gastro-enteritis virus, pseudo rabies virus and porcine circovirus-2. This in-house AC-ELISA efficiently detected PoRVA from clinical samples, which suggests that this technique can be used for large-scale surveillance and timely detection of rotavirus infection in the porcine farms.

[Mediating effects of obesity and metabolic factors in hyperuricemia and prehypertension]

Objective: To assess the mediating effects of obesity and metabolic factors in the relationship between hyperuricemia (HUA) and prehypertension. Methods: A total of 9 399 individuals were selected using a multistage stratified whole-group random sampling method from 90 villages (neighborhood committees) in 30 towns (streets) of 5 districts (counties) in Fuzhou. A total of 4 754 study subjects were included. A linear regression model was used to analyze the association of HUA with obesity and metabolic factors. Single-factor and multi-factor logistic regression models were used to analyze the association of HUA, obesity, and metabolic factors with prehypertension. Mediating effects models were used to analyze the mediating effects of obesity and metabolic factors on the association between HUA and prehypertension. Results: After adjusting for confounders, the association between HUA and cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C, LDL-C, BMI, waist circumference, creatinine, and urea nitrogen were significantly correlated (P<0.001). HUA, waist circumference, BMI, and triglycerides were significantly associated with prehypertension (P<0.001). Waist circumference, BMI, and triglycerides mediated the relationship between HUA and prehypertension, with OR (95%CI) of 1.018 (1.007-1.027), 1.010 (1.002-1.018), and 1.010 (1.003-1.017) (P<0.001), with mediating proportions of 7.76%, 4.31%, and 4.31% respectively. No mediating effect of cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, creatinine, and urea nitrogen was found on the relationship (P>0.05). Conclusions: Waist circumference, BMI, and triglycerides all had mediating effects in the association between HUA and prehypertension. For the general population, weight control, waist circumference, and a high-fat diet should be used to reduce the occurrence of prehypertension.

The Lyman Normal Tissue Complication Probability Model and Risk Prediction for Temporal Lobe Injury after Re-Irradiation in Patients with Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

The risk of temporal lobe injury (TLI) in recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (rNPC) patients with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is high. We aimed to construct the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) model for TLI of rNPC and establish a risk predictive model.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 103 patients with rNPC who had received two courses of IMRT in our institution. The 206 temporal lobes (TLs) of these patients were randomly divided into a training (n = 144) and validation group (n = 62). We determined the mean value of the following parameters to construct the Lyman NTCP model: TD50(1) (the dose with a 50% probability of complications to an organ when all volumes are irradiated), m [steepness of the dose-response at TD50(1)], and n (the parameter related to volume effect). The most predictive dosimetric parameter and clinical variables were integrated in Cox proportional hazards models. A nomogram was developed for predicting risk of TLs.

RESULTS

The parameters of the fitted NTCP model were TD50(1) = 107.84 Gy (95% confidence interval (CI), [97.15, 118.54]), m = 0.16 (95% CI, [0.14, 0.19]), and n = 0.04 (95% CI, [0.01, 0.06]). The cumulative dose delivered to 0.1 cm3 of temporal lobe volume (D0.1cc-c) was the most predictive dosimetric parameter for TLI. The Kaplan-Meier curves showed a significant difference in 2-year TLI-free survival among different risk groups according to the total score of nomograms.

CONCLUSION

The TD50(1) of TLI in patients with rNPC is 107.84 Gy in Lyman NTCP model. The nomogram model can accurately predict the risk of TLI for individual.

Distribution Pattern of Metastatic Lymph Nodes in 870 Cases of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Clue for Individualized Elective Prophylactic Neck Irradiation

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

We aimed to explore a potential individualized elective prophylactic neck irradiation (iEPNI) to optimize the current strategy by investigating the distribution of metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

MATERIALS/METHODS

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical data of 870 non-distant metastatic NPC patients admitted to the Hunan Cancer Hospital between January 2019 and December 2019 were reviewed. All patients were staged using the 8th TNM staging system, and the LNs location was assigned based on the 2013 guidelines. According to the distribution patterns of the LNs in NPC, the intra-regional lymphatic drainage levels were categorized into the following three stations: Station 1st of level VIIa and II; Station 2nd of level III and Va; and Station 3rd of level IV, Vb, and Vc. Other levels were defined as extra-regional areas.

RESULTS

The incidence of LNs metastasis was 822/870 (94.5%), including 198 cases of unilateral metastasis and 624 cases of bilateral metastasis. Among the 870 patients, the most frequently involved intra-regional lymphatic drainage was level IIb (87.1%), followed by level VIIa (80.0%), IIa (61.8%), Va (30.6%), IV (21.4%), Vb (8.9%), and Vc (1.1%). In the extra-regional areas, the detailed LNs distribution was: level Ia (0.2%), level Ib (7.7%), level VI (0.1%), level VIIb (5.6%), level VIII (5.5%), level IX (0.3%), and level X (0.2%). The rates of LNs metastasis in Station 1st, Station 2nd, and Station 3rd were 820/870 (94.3%), 532/870 (61.1%), and 199/870 (22.9%), respectively. Only 4 patients were considered to be skipping metastasis among the three stations (4/870, 0.5%). Additionally, in 203 patients with unilateral Station 1st LNs metastasis, there were 86 (42.4%) and 37 (18.2%) patients with ipsilateral Station 2nd and Station 3rd metastasis, respectively, and 3 (1.5%) and 1 (0.5%) patients with contralateral Station 2nd and Station 3rd LNs metastasis, respectively.

CONCLUSION

LNs spread from Station 1st to Station 3rd successively with rare skipping metastasis. A potential iEPNI strategy of prophylactical neck irradiation to the ipsilateral latter node-negative station might be feasible, which is detailed as follows: irradiation to Station 1st in patients with no LNs metastasis, irradiation to Station 2nd in patients with only Station 1st metastasis, and irradiation to Station 3rd in patients with Station 2nd metastasis but without Station 3rd metastasis. Further prospective investigations are expected to validate the strategy.

Development and Implementation of a Quadruple RT-qPCR Method for the Identification of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Strains

BACKGROUND

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), leading to abortion in sows and respiratory distress in breeding pigs. In China, PRRSV1 and PRRSV2 are the two circulating genotypes in swine herds, with distinct virulence. PRRSV2 further consists of classical (C-PRRSV2), highly pathogenic (HP-PRRSV2), and NADC30-Like (N-PRRSV2) subtypes. The diversity of PRRSV poses challenges for control and eradication, necessitating reliable detection assays for differentiating PRRSV genotypes.

METHODS

A new TaqMan-based RT-qPCR assay with four sets of primers and probes targeting conserved regions of the ORF7 and NSP2 genes of PRRSV was developed, optimized, and evaluated by us. Reaction conditions such as annealing temperature, primer concentration, and probe concentration were optimized for the assay. Specificity, sensitivity, repeatability, stability, limit of detection (LOD), concordance with the reference method were evaluated for the assay.

RESULTS

The assay could detect and type PRRSV1, C-PRRSV2, HP-PRRSV2, and N-PRRSV2 simultaneously with 97.33% specificity, 96.00% sensitivity, 12 copies/μL LOD, 97.00% concordance with reference assays. We applied the assay to 321 clinical samples from swine farms in China. The assay successfully detected and typed 230 PRRSV-positive samples, with 24.78% (57/230) of them further confirmed by ORF5 gene sequencing. The prevalence of PRRSV subtypes among the positive samples was as follows: C-PRRSV2 (15.22%), HP-PRRSV2 (23.48%), and N-PRRSV2 (61.30%). Two samples showed coinfection with different PRRSV subtypes.

CONCLUSION

The quadruple RT-qPCR assay is a powerful tool for detecting and typing the currently circulating PRRSV strains in Chinese swine populations. It can assist in the surveillance of PRRSV prevalence and the implementation of prevention and control strategies.

TurboID screening of ApxI toxin interactants identifies host proteins involved in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae-induced apoptosis of immortalized porcine alveolar macrophages

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) is a gram-negative pathogenic bacterium responsible for porcine contagious pleuropneumonia (PCP), which can cause porcine necrotizing and hemorrhagic pleuropneumonia. Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae-RTX-toxin (Apx) is an APP virulence factor. APP secretes a total of four Apx toxins, among which, ApxI demonstrates strong hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity, causing lysis of porcine erythrocytes and apoptosis of porcine alveolar macrophages. However, the protein interaction network between this toxin and host cells is still poorly understood. TurboID mediates the biotinylation of endogenous proteins, thereby targeting specific proteins and local proteomes through gene fusion. We applied the TurboID enzyme-catalyzed proximity tagging method to identify and study host proteins in immortalized porcine alveolar macrophage (iPAM) cells that interact with the exotoxin ApxI of APP. His-tagged TurboID-ApxIA and TurboID recombinant proteins were expressed and purified. By mass spectrometry, 318 unique interacting proteins were identified in the TurboID ApxIA-treated group. Among them, only one membrane protein, caveolin-1 (CAV1), was identified. A co-immunoprecipitation assay confirmed that CAV1 can interact with ApxIA. In addition, overexpression and RNA interference experiments revealed that CAV1 was involved in ApxI toxin-induced apoptosis of iPAM cells. This study provided first-hand information about the proteome of iPAM cells interacting with the ApxI toxin of APP through the TurboID proximity labeling system, and identified a new host membrane protein involved in this interaction. These results lay a theoretical foundation for the clinical treatment of PCP.

[Efficacy and safety of bendamustine-rituximab combination therapy for newly diagnosed indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and elderly mantle cell lymphoma: a multi-center prospective phase II clinical trial in China]

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of bendamustine in combination with rituximab (BR regimen) for the treatment of newly diagnosed indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-iNHL) and elderly mantle cell lymphoma (eMCL) . Methods: From December 1, 2020 to September 10, 2022, a multi-center prospective study was conducted across ten Grade A tertiary hospitals in Shandong Province, China. The BR regimen was administered to evaluate its efficacy and safety in newly diagnosed B-iNHL and eMCL patients, and all completed at least four cycles of induction therapy. Results: The 72 enrolled patients with B-iNHL or MCL were aged 24-74 years, with a median age of 55 years. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status scores of 0-1 were observed in 76.4% of patients, while 23.6% had scores of 2. Disease distribution included follicular lymphoma (FL) (51.4% ), marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) (33.3% ), eMCL (11.1% ), and the unknown subtype (4.2% ). According to the Ann Arbor staging system, 16.7% and 65.3% of patients were diagnosed with stage Ⅲ and stage Ⅳ lymphomas, respectively. Following four cycles of BR induction therapy, the overall response rate was 98.6%, with a complete response (CR) rate of 83.3% and a partial response (PR) rate of 15.3%. Only one eMCL patient experienced disease progression during treatment, and only one FL patient experienced a relapse. Even when evaluated using CT alone, the CR rate was 63.9%, considering the differences between PET/CT and CT assessments. The median follow-up duration was 11 months (range: 4-22), with a PFS rate of 96.8% and an OS rate of 100.0%. The main hematologic adverse reactions included grade 3-4 leukopenia (27.8%, with febrile neutropenia observed in 8.3% of patients), grade 3-4 lymphopenia (23.6% ), grade 3-4 anemia (5.6% ), and grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia (4.2% ). The main non-hematologic adverse reactions such as fatigue, nausea/vomiting, rash, and infections occurred in less than 20.0% of patients. Conclusion: Within the scope of this clinical trial conducted in China, the BR regimen demonstrated efficacy and safety in treating newly diagnosed B-iNHL and eMCL patients.

Anti-inflammatory effect of Irisin on LPS-stimulated macrophages through inhibition of MAPK pathway

This study aimed to investigate the effect of irisin on LPS-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages through inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. A network pharmacology-based approach, combined with molecular docking and in vitro validation were performed to identify the biological activity, key targets, and potential pharmacological mechanisms of irisin against LPS-induced inflammation. By matching 100 potential genes of irisin with 1893 ulcerative colitis (UC) related genes, 51 common genes were obtained. Using protein-protein interaction networks (PPI) and component-target network analysis,10 core genes of irisin on UC were further identified. The results of gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that the molecular mechanisms of irisin on UC were mainly related to major enrichment in the categories of response to xenobiotic stimulus, response to the drug, and negative regulation of gene expression. Molecular docking results showed good binding activity for almost all core component targets. More importantly, MTT assay and flow cytometry results showed that LPS-induced cytotoxicity was reversed by irisin, after coincubation with irisin, the level of IL-12 and IL-23 decreased in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Irisin pretreatment significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK and AKT and increased the expression of PPAR alpha and PPAR gamma. LPS-induced enhancement of phagocytosis and cell clearance were reversed by irisin pretreatment. Irisin ameliorated LPS-induced inflammation by inhibiting cytotoxicity and apoptosis, and this protective effect may be mediated through the MAPK pathway. These findings confirmed our prediction that irisin plays an anti-inflammatory role in LPS-induced inflammation via the MAPK pathway.

Anti-inflammatory effect of Irisin on LPS-stimulated macrophages through inhibition of MAPK pathway

This study aimed to investigate the effect of irisin on LPS-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages through inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. A network pharmacology-based approach, combined with molecular docking and in vitro validation were performed to identify the biological activity, key targets, and potential pharmacological mechanisms of irisin against LPS-induced inflammation. By matching 100 potential genes of irisin with 1893 ulcerative colitis (UC) related genes, 51 common genes were obtained. Using protein-protein interaction networks (PPI) and component-target network analysis,10 core genes of irisin on UC were further identified. The results of gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that the molecular mechanisms of irisin on UC were mainly related to major enrichment in the categories of response to xenobiotic stimulus, response to the drug, and negative regulation of gene expression. Molecular docking results showed good binding activity for almost all core component targets. More importantly, MTT assay and flow cytometry results showed that LPS-induced cytotoxicity was reversed by irisin, after coincubation with irisin, the level of IL-12 and IL-23 decreased in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Irisin pretreatment significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK and AKT and increased the expression of PPAR alpha and PPAR gamma. LPS-induced enhancement of phagocytosis and cell clearance were reversed by irisin pretreatment. Irisin ameliorated LPS-induced inflammation by inhibiting cytotoxicity and apoptosis, and this protective effect may be mediated through the MAPK pathway. These findings confirmed our prediction that irisin plays an anti-inflammatory role in LPS-induced inflammation via the MAPK pathway.

HtrA is involved in stress response and adhesion in Glaesserella parasuis serovar 5 strain Nagasaki

Glaesserella parasuis is an important pathogen that causes fibrinous polyserositis, peritonitis and meningitis in pigs, leading to considerable economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. It is well established that the serine protease HtrA is closely associated with bacterial virulence, but the role of HtrA in G. parasuis pathogenesis remains largely unknown. To characterize the function of the htrA gene in G. parasuis, a ΔhtrA mutant was constructed. We found that the ΔhtrA mutant showed significant growth inhibition under heat shock and alkaline stress conditions, indicating HtrA is involved in stress tolerance and survival of G. parasuis. In addition, deletion of htrA gene resulted in decreased adherence to PIEC and PK-15 cells and increased phagocytic resistance to 3D4/2 macrophages, suggesting that htrA is essential for adherence of G. parasuis. Scanning electron microscopy revealed morphological surface changes of the ΔhtrA mutant, and transcription analysis confirmed that a number of adhesion-associated genes are downregulated, which corroborated the aforementioned phenomenon. Furthermore, G. parasuis HtrA induced a potent antibody response in piglets with Glässer's disease. These observations confirmed that the htrA gene is related to the survival and pathogenicity of G. parasuis.

[Mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma of kidney: Clinicopathology and prognosis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate and summarize the clinicopathological features, immunophenotype, differential diagnosis and prognosis analysis of mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma (MTSCC).

METHODS

The data of thirteen cases of MTSCC were retrospectively analyzed, the clinical and pathological characteristics and immunohistochemical expression were summarized, and fluorescence in situ hybridization was detected.

RESULTS

Among the thirteen patients, four were males and nine females, with a male-to-female ratio of 1 ∶2.25. The average age was 57.1 years, ranging from 39 to 78 years. The maximum diameter of the tumor was 2-12 cm. All cases had no symptoms, and were accidentally discovered, 3 cases underwent partial renal resection, 10 cases underwent radical renal resection, 9 cases were located in the left kidney, and 4 cases were located in the right kidney. Most of the cases showed the classical morphological changes, with 11 cases of nuclear grading [World Health Organization (WHO)/International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grading system] being G2 and 2 cases being G3. There were 6 cases of stage PT1a, 3 cases of PT1b, 2 cases of PT2a, and 1 case of PT2b and 1 case of PT3a. The positive rates of immunohistochemical staining were: vimentin, AE1/AE3, α-methylacyl-CoA racemase (αMACR) and cytokeratin (CK) 8/18, 100% (13/13); CK7, 92.3% (12/13); epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), 92.3% (12/13); CK20, 46.2% (6/13); CD10, 30.8% (4/13); synaptophysin (Syn), 7.7% (1/13); chromogranin A (CgA), CD57, WT1 and Ki-67, 0 (0/13), and fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that no trisomy of chromosomes 7 and 17 were observed in any of the cases. The follow-up period was 6 months to 7 years and 6 months, 2 cases died after lung metastasis (one with ISUP/WHO grade G3, one with necrosis), and the remaining 11 cases had no recurrence and metastasis.

CONCLUSION

MTSCC is a unique type of low-grade malignancy kidney tumor, occurs predominantly in females, widely distributed in age, the current treatment method is surgical resection, and cases with necrosis and high-grade morphology are prone to recurrence and metastasis, although most cases have a good prognosis, but they still need close follow-up after surgery.

Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus and Its nsp14 Suppress ER Stress Induced GRP78

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a member of the α-coronavirus genus, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration in piglets. Neonatal piglets infected with PEDV have a mortality rate as high as 100%. PEDV has caused substantial economic losses to the pork industry. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which can alleviate the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in ER, involves in coronavirus infection. Previous studies have indicated that ER stress could inhibit the replication of human coronaviruses, and some human coronaviruses in turn could suppress ER stress-related factors. In this study, we demonstrated that PEDV could interact with ER stress. We determined that ER stress could potently inhibit the replication of GⅠ, GⅡ-a, and GⅡ-b PEDV strains. Moreover, we found that these PEDV strains can dampen the expression of the 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), an ER stress marker, while GRP78 overexpression showed antiviral activity against PEDV. Among different PEDV proteins, PEDV non-structural protein 14 (nsp14) was revealed to play an essential role in the inhibition of GRP78 by PEDV, and its guanine-N7-methyltransferase domain is necessary for this role. Further studies show that both PEDV and its nsp14 negatively regulated host translation, which could account for their inhibitory effects against GRP78. In addition, we found that PEDV nsp14 could inhibit the activity of GRP78 promotor, helping suppress GRP78 transcription. Our results reveal that PEDV possesses the potential to antagonize ER stress, and suggest that ER stress and PEDV nsp14 could be the targets for developing anti-PEDV drugs.

Potential biomarkers for the prognosis and treatment of HCC immunotherapy

OBJECTIVE

The liver is a unique organ containing large populations of immune cells. Immunotherapy for liver cancer is a promising yet particularly challenging method. Therefore, it harbors great significance for the identification of immune-related subtypes and the potential therapeutic targets for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Firstly, we classified the HCC samples downloaded from the dataset of Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) into two clusters based on the immune cell infiltration. Thereafter, we identified the significant module and regulatory factors using the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). The immune competence of the regulatory factors was delineated through the ESTIMATE algorithm, the analysis of the tumor microenvironment, and pan-cancer analysis. In the single-cell RNA sequencing analysis, we further explored the immune competence of regulatory factors. We also collected the potential drugs targeting the regulatory factors. In addition, we constructed lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction regulatory networks. Finally, western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were conducted to verify the protein expression of regulatory genes in HCC cell lines and tissues.

RESULTS

According to the immune cell infiltration, two immune-related subtypes-cluster 1 and cluster 2-were found. Patients in cluster 2 had a more significant immune infiltration than in cluster 1. Afterward, six significant regulatory genes were identified through WGCNA, and the expression in cluster 2 was high in cluster 1. We performed a comprehensive analysis to clarify the immune signature. The results showed that the six genes had significant immunological competence. Moreover, the expression of the six genes was similar to the subtypes' classification. In the analysis of the prognosis value, patients in cluster 2 had a better prognosis. In addition, the lncRNA in the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction regulatory networks was located in the nucleus and cytoplasm. In the single-cell RNA sequencing analysis, the six genes were related to the immune cell. We also identified potential drugs for CD6 and CLEC12A, which may provide potential therapeutic drugs. Finally, the regulatory genes were verified in the western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

CONCLUSIONS

The classification into two clusters based on the immune cell infiltration may provide a promising prospect for HCC through immunotherapy. The six regulatory genes may be potential therapeutic targets in the treatment of HCC.

Microbiome-scale analysis of aerosol facemask contamination during nebulization therapy in hospital

BACKGROUND

Microbial contamination of aerosol facemasks could be a source of nosocomial infections during nebulization therapy in hospital, prompting efforts to identify these contaminants. Identification of micro-organisms in medical devices has traditionally relied on culture-dependent methods, which are incapable of detecting the majority of these microbial contaminants. This challenge could be overcome with culture-independent sequencing-based techniques that are suited for the profiling of complex microbiomes.

AIM

To characterize the microbial contaminants in aerosol facemasks used for nebulization therapy, and identify factors influencing the composition of these microbial contaminants with the acquisition and analysis of comprehensive microbiome-scale profiles using culture-independent high-throughput sequencing.

METHODS

Used aerosol facemasks collected from hospitalized patients were analysed with culture-independent 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing to acquire microbiome-scale comprehensive profiles of the microbial contaminants. Microbiome-based analysis was performed to identify potential sources of microbial contamination in facemasks.

FINDINGS

Culture-independent high-throughput sequencing was demonstrated for the capacity to acquire microbiome-scale profiles of microbial contaminants on aerosol facemasks. Microbial source identification enabled by the microbiome-scale profiles linked microbial contamination on aerosol facemasks to the human skin and oral microbiota. Antibiotic treatment with levofloxacin was found to reduce contamination of the facemasks by oral microbiota.

CONCLUSION

Sequencing-based microbiome-scale analysis is capable of providing comprehensive characterization of microbial contamination in aerosol facemasks. Insight gained from microbiome-scale analysis facilitates the development of effective strategies for the prevention and mitigation of the risk of nosocomial infections arising from exposure to microbial contamination of aerosol facemasks, such as targeted elimination of potential sources of contamination.

Combination of Fe(OH)3 modified diatomaceous earth and qPCR for the enrichment and detection of African swine fever virus in water

Water is one of the primary vectors for African swine fever virus (ASFV) transmission among swine herds. However, the low concentrations of ASFV in water represent a challenge for the detection of the virus by conventional PCR methods, and enrichment of the virus would increase the test sensitivity. In this study, aiming to enrich ASFV in water quickly and efficiently, a rapid and efficient water-borne virus enrichment system (MDEF, modified diatomaceous earth by ferric hydroxide colloid) was used to enrich ASFV in water. After enrichment by MDEF, conventional real-time PCR (qPCR) was used for ASFV detection. ASFV were inactivated and diluted in 10 L of water, of which 4 mL were collected after 60 min treatment using the MDEF system. Two thousand five hundred times reduction of the sample volume was achieved after enrichment. A high adsorption rate of about 99.99 (±0.01)% and a high recovery rate of 64.01 (±10.20)% to 179.65 (±25.53)% was achieved by using 1g modified diatomaceous earth for 10 L ASFV contaminated water. The limit of qPCR detection of ASFV decreased to 1 × 10^-1.11 GU ml^-1 (genomic units per milliliter) from 1 × 10^2.71 GU ml^-1 after concentrating the spiked water from 10 L to 4 ml. Preliminary application of MDEF allowed successful detection of African swine fever virus (ASFV), porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), and pseudorabies virus (PRV) in sewage. Thus, the combination of modified diatomaceous earth and real-time PCR is a promising strategy for the detection of viruses in water.

Glaesserella parasuis autotransporters EspP1 and EspP2 are novel IgA-specific proteases

Background

Glaesserella parasuis causes Glässer's disease, which is associated with severe polyarthritis, fibrinous polyserositis and meningitis, and leads to significant economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. IgA is one of the most important humoral immune factors present on mucosal surfaces, and it plays a crucial role in neutralizing and removing pathogens. G. parasuis is able to colonize the mucosal membrane of respiratory tract without being eliminated. Nevertheless, the immune evasion mechanism of G. parasuis in thwarting IgA remains unclear.

Aims

The object of this study is to characterize the IgA degradation activity of Mac-1-containing autotransporter EspP1 and EspP2 from G. parasuis.

Methods

The swine IgA was purified and incubated with EspP1 and EspP2 respectively. Western blotting was used to detect the cleavage of swine IgA. Generation of EspP1 and EspP2 mutant protein were used to explore the putative active sites of EspPs. LC-MS/MS based N/C-terminal sequencing was performed to measure the cleavage sites in swine IgA.

Result

Our results show that G. parasuis EspP1 and EspP2 cleave swine IgA in a dose- and time- dependent manner. G. parasuis lose the IgA protease activity after simultaneously delete espP1 and espP2 indicating that EspP1 and EspP2 are the only two IgA proteases in G. parasuis. The IgA protease activity of EspP1 and EspP2 is affected by the putative active sites which contain Cys47, His172 and Asp194/195. Swine IgA is cleaved within Cα1 and Cα3 domains upon incubation with EspPs. Moreover, EspPs can degrade neither IgG nor IgM while G. parasuis possess the ability to degrade IgM unexpectedly. It suggests that G. parasuis can secrete other proteases to cleave IgM which have never been reported.

Conclusion

We report for the first time that both EspP1 and EspP2 are novel IgA-specific proteases and cleave swine IgA within the Cα1 and Cα3 domains. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the EspPs-induced immune evasion.

SrB4O7:Sm2+ fluorescence improves the accuracy of temperature measurements in externally heated diamond anvil cells

The sample temperature in an externally heated diamond anvil cell (EHDAC) is generally measured by a thermocouple fixed to the pavilions of diamond anvils, ignoring the temperature difference between the thermocouple and the sample. However, the measured temperature depends strongly on the placement of the thermocouple, thus seriously reducing the accuracy of the temperature measurement and hindering the use of EHDAC in experiments requiring precise temperature measurements, such as high-pressure melting and phase-diagram investigations. In this study, the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the 0-0 fluorescence line of strontium borate doped with bivalent samarium ions (SrBO₄:Sm²⁺, SBO) is found to be highly sensitive to temperature and responds extremely rapidly to small temperature fluctuations, which makes it an excellent temperature indicator. We propose herein a precise method to measure temperature that involves measuring the FWHM of the 0-0 fluorescence line of SBO. This method is used to correct the temperature discrepancy between the thermocouple and the sample in an EHDAC. These corrections significantly improve the accuracy of temperature measurements in EHDACs. The accuracy of this method is verified by measuring the melting point of tin at ambient pressure. We also use this method to produce a tentative elementary phase diagram of tin up to 109 GPa and 495 K. This method facilitates high-pressure, high-temperature experiments demanding accurate temperature measurements in various disciplines. The study also discusses, in general, the experimental approach to measuring temperature.

Epidemiological and genetic characteristics of porcine circovirus 3 in 15 provinces and municipalities of China between 2016 and 2020

Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV3) is a newly emerging virus and has been found associated with porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome in pigs. Compared with PCV2, research into PCV3 cap gene sequencing is deficient. To investigate the prevalence and genotype distribution of PCV3, we collected 1291 samples from 211 pig farms throughout 15 provinces and municipalities. 312 out of 1291 samples were tested positive by PCR. We further sequenced and analyzed 164 PCR-positive samples. The majority (61.8%) of isolates we sequenced belong to genotype PCV3c. PCV3c is also the dominant genotype in Hubei, Hunan, Hebei province and Chongqing city. We found 3 sites under positive selection and located in predicted epitope peptide, revealing that the pig’s immunity may be a reason those sites are undergoing highly positive selection.

[A cross-sectional study of prevalence of chronic kidney disease and related factors in adults in Anhui province]

Objective: To understand the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and related factors in adults in Anhui province based on the data of Chinese Chronic Diseases and Nutrition Surveillance program (2018) in Anhui. Methods: Multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling was used to select participants aged ≥18 years. Moreover, questionnaire survey, body measurements and laboratory tests were conducted. The complex weighting method was used to estimate the prevalence of CKD in residents with different characteristics, and complex sampling data logistic regression model was used for multivariate analysis to identify related risk factors. Results: A total of 7 181 participants were included. The overall prevalence of CKD was 11.06% in adults in Anhui, and the prevalence was 12.49% in women and 9.59% in men (P<0.05). The moderate, high and very high risk for CKD progression were 8.66%, 2.02% and 0.38%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that age (OR=1.03, 95%CI: 1.00-1.05), BMI (OR=1.05, 95%CI: 1.01-1.09), being woman (OR=1.38,95%CI: 1.22-1.55), hypertension (OR=2.50, 95%CI: 1.76-3.56), diabetes (OR=2.28, 95%CI: 1.51-3.43), dyslipidemia (OR=1.26, 95%CI: 1.11-1.43) and hyperuricemia (OR=2.16, 95%CI: 1.68-2.78) were risk factors for CKD. Conclusion: The prevalence of CKD in adults in Anhui was relatively high and age, gender, BMI, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia were found to be associated with the prevalence of CKD. To prevent CKD and its complications, attention should be paid to the management of related risk factors, including overweight and obesity, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia.

Investigation and analysis of etiology associated with porcine respiratory disease complex in China from 2017 to 2021

Porcine respiratory diseases complex (PRDC) is a highly serious threat to the pig industry. In the present study, we investigated and analyzed the etiology associated with PRDC and explored the role of viruses in respiratory bacterial infections. From 2017 to 2021, clinical samples were collected from 1,307 pigs with typical respiratory symptoms in 269 farms in China and screened for pathogens related to PRDC by PCR and bacterial isolation. The results indicated that PRRSV (41.16%, 95%CI: 38.49~43.83%), PCV2 (21.58%,95%CI: 19.35~23.81%), S. suis (63.50%, 95%CI: 60.89~66.11%), and G. parasuis (28.54%, 95%CI: 26.09~30.99%) were the most commonly detected pathogens in pigs with PRDC in China. The dominant epidemic serotypes (serogroups) of S. suis, G. parasuis, and P. multocida were serotype 2, serotype 1, and capsular serogroups D, respectively. Pigs of different ages exhibited different susceptibilities to these pathogens, e.g., PRRSV, PCV2, and G. parasuis had the highest detection rates in nursery pigs, whereas fattening pigs had the highest detection rates of P. multocida and A. pleuropneumoniae. Among the 1,307 pigs, the detection rates of S. suis, G. parasuis, P. multocida, and B. bronchiseptica were higher in virus-positive pigs, especially G. parasuis and P. multocida were significantly (p < 0.01) higher than in virus-negative pigs. In addition, a strong positive correlation was found between coinfection by PRRSV and G. parasuis (OR = 2.33, 95%CI: 1.12~2.14), PRRSV and P. multocida (OR = 1.55, 95%CI: 1.12~2.14), PCV2 and P. multocida (OR = 2.27, 95%CI: 1.33~3.87), PRRSV-PCV2 and S. suis (OR = 1.83, 95%CI: 1.29~2.60), PRRSV-PCV2 and G. parasuis (OR = 3.39, 95%CI: 2.42~4.74), and PRRSV-PCV2 and P. multocida (OR = 2.09, 95%CI: 1.46~3.00). In summary, PRRSV, PCV2, S. suis, and G. parasuis were the major pathogens in pigs with PRDC, and coinfections of two or more PRDC-related pathogens with strong positive correlations were common in China, such as PRRSV and G. parasuis, PRRSV and P. multocida, PCV2 and P. multocida, and also PRRSV-PCV2 and G. parasuis and PRRSV-PCV2 and P. multocida.

Low-host double MDA workflow for uncultured ASFV positive blood and serum sample sequencing

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly lethal and contagious disease caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). Whole-genome sequencing of ASFV is necessary to study its mutation, recombination, and trace its transmission. Uncultured samples have a considerable amount of background DNA, which causes waste of sequencing throughput, storage space, and computing resources. Sequencing methods attempted for uncultured samples have various drawbacks. In this study, we improved C18 spacer MDA (Multiple Displacement Amplification)-combined host DNA exhaustion strategy to remove background DNA and fit NGS and TGS sequencing. Using this workflow, we successfully sequenced two uncultured ASFV positive samples. The results show that this method can significantly reduce the percentage of background DNA. We also developed software that can perform real-time base call and analyses in set intervals of ASFV TGS sequencing reads on a cloud server.

[Risk factors for recurrence and survival analysis in locally advanced T4a papillary thyroid carcinoma after R0 resection]

Objective: To investigate the treatment outcomes and risk factors of postoperative recurrence in T4a papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods: A total of 185 patients with locally advanced T4a PTC treated in Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2006 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, including 127 females and 58 males, aged between 18 and 80 years, with 74 patients aged over 55 years. According to AJCC thyroid tumor staging, 111 cases were stage I (T4aN0M0 26 cases, T4aN1aM0 35 cases, and T4aN1bM0 50 cases) and 74 cases were stage Ⅲ (T4aN0M0 29 cases, T4aN1aM0 19 cases, and T4aN1bM0 26 cases). Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the overall survival and the recurrence-free rate, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses on the clinical data were performed. Results: Recurrent laryngeal nerve invasion was observed in 150 cases, trachea invasion in 61 cases, esophagus invasion in 30 cases, and laryngeal structure invasion in 10 cases. Postoperative follow-up periods were 24-144 months, with an average of 68.29 months. Of the 185 patients, 18 (9.73%) had recurrences or metastases, including 9 cases (4.86%) died of recurrences or metastases. The 5-year and 10-year overall survival rates were respectively 95.21% and 93.10%. The 5-year and 10-year disease-free survival rates were respectively 89.65% and 86.85%. Univariate analysis showed that age of onset, tumor diameter, preoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, esophageal invasion and cervical lymph node metastasis were the risk factors for postoperative recurrence of T4a PTC(all P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (OR=3.27, 95%CI: 1.11-9.61, P=0.032) and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis (OR=4.71, 95%CI: 1.19-18.71, P=0.027) were independent risk factors for T4a PTC recurrence. Survival rate of patients with T4a PTC involving only the recurrent laryngeal nerve or the outer tracheal membrane was significantly better than that of patients with tracheal invasion (P<0.05). Conclusions: T4a PTC patients with R0 resection can still achieve good efficacy. Preoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis are independent risk factor for postoperative recurrence in the patients.

Molecular evolution and genetic characteristics of G3P[3] group A canine rotavirus isolated in Wuhan, China

Rotaviruses can infect multiple animal species and have the potential for cross-recombination based on the segmented genome characteristics. To study the intra-host recombination and zoonotic potential of group A canine rotavirus (CRV), 438 samples were collected from domestic dogs in six animal hospitals and from stray dogs from October 2019 to May 2021 in Wuhan, China. Seven of the samples were positive (7/438) for group A CRV from which a CRV strain was successfully isolated in MA-104 cells. The genotype of the isolated strain was characterized by whole-genome sequencing showing that the genotype was group A CRV G3P[3]. According to the Rotavirus Classification Working Group (RCWG), the genomic constellation of the isolated CRV was G3-P[3]-I3-R3-C3-M3-A9-N2-T3-E3-H6, which belongs to the AU-1-like group with gene segments of AU-1-like and Cat 97-like strains. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the 11 gene segments, we found that the different segments of the isolated group A CRV were closely related to several reassortment rotaviruses from different animal sources and bat strains. Based on the analysis of the molecular evolution and genetic characteristics, we concluded that the isolated strain might be a reassortment strain. These data further enrich our understanding of rotavirus molecular evolution and genetic characteristics in China.

[High expression of MYBL2 promotes progression and predicts a poor survival outcome of prostate cancer]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the correlation of MYB proto-oncogene like 2 (MYBL2) with biological behaviors and clinical prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa).

METHODS

We detected Mybl2 mRNA expression in 45 pairs of PCa and adjacent tissues using real-time quantitative PCR, and analyzed the correlation of high (23 cases) and low expression (22 cases) of Mybl2 with clinicopathological features and prognosis of the patients using nonparametric test, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and univariate and multivariate Cox regression. The results were verified by analysis of the data from Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) microarray database, and the molecular pathways were identified by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The CIBERPORT algorithm was used to identify the correlations between Mybl2 expression and tumor microenvironment of PCa. We also tested the effects of MYBL2 knockdown on proliferation and invasion of PCa cell lines using cell counting kit-8 and Transwell assays and observed the growth of PC3 cell xenograft with MYBL2 knockdown in nude mice and the expression levels of Ki-67 in the xenograft using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Mybl2 expression was significantly elevated in PCa tissues in close correlation with Gleason score and clinical and pathological stage of the tumor (P < 0.01) but not with the patients' age. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated a significant negative correlation of high Mybl2 expression with recurrence-free survival (P < 0.05), but not with the overall survival of the patients. The data from TCGA suggested that clinical and pathological stages were independent prognostic factors for recurrence-free survival, and our data indicated that clinical stage and Gleason score were independent prognostic factors of PCa (P < 0.05). GSEA suggested that Mybl2 expression was related with the pathways involving immune function, cell adhesion, and cytokine secretion; CIBERPORT analysis suggested the involvement of Mybl2 expression with memory B cells and resting mast cells (P < 0.05). In LNCaP and PC-3 cells, MYBL2 knockdown significantly inhibited cell proliferation and invasion (P < 0.05); in the tumor-bearing nude mice, the xenografts derived from PC-3 cells with MYBL2 knockdown exhibited a lowered mean tumor weight and positivity rate for Ki67 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Mybl2 is an oncogene related with multiple pathological indicators of PCa and can serve as a potential prognostic marker as well as a therapeutic target for patients with PCa.

[Analysis of clinical features of multiple myeloma with t(8;14)(q24;q32)]

Objective: To investigate the clinical manifestations and prognosis of multiple myeloma (MM) patients with t(8;14)(q24;q32). Methods: The clinical data of MM patients with G-banding results from 2004 to 2009 in Hematology Department of People's Hospital of Peking University were retrospectively analyzed. The general data, M protein related examination, cytogenetics data, therapeutic regimen and response evaluation of MM patients with t(8;14)(q24;q32) were collected. Results: Of all newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients, the number of patients who had G-banding results was 940, among which 265 had abnormal karyotype in G-banding, accounting for 28.19%. The incidence of t(8;14)(q24;q32) detected by G-banding in MM patients was 0.85%(8/940), t(8;14)(q24;q32) accounted for 3.02%(8/265) of all choromosome abnormalities detected by G-banding. Seven of eight patients were male with a median age of 63.5(56-76) and the immunoglobulin sub-types seven in eight patients were lambda. All eight patients had DS stage Ⅲ at the time of initial diagnosis. FISH detection of these eight patients showed six patients(75%) with 1q21 amplification, and five patients(62.5%) with G-banding results showed abnormal chromosome 1. Among the eight patients, the number of patients reached complete response ,very good response and partial response were separately four, one and two, and the overall response rate(ORR) was 87.5%. After the median follow-up 35 months(23-65months), 2 patients died, and the OS of the dead patients exceeded 5 years. Conclusions: Patients with t(8;14)(q24;q32) accounted for 0.85% of the total who have the results of G banding in our hospital. Of our 8 patients, the light chain sub-type Lambda was more than Kappa, the patients were more common in males, accompanied by 1q21 amplification and chromosome 1 abnormality. The tumor load was high at the time of diagnosis, but the overall response to treatment was fair.

[Toll-like receptors link atopic march and hygiene hypothesis]

The atopic march reveals that infants with atopic dermatitis are prone to food allergy, allergic rhinitis and asthma later in life. The hygiene hypothesis holds that the cleaner the personal hygiene and environment, the higher the incidence rate of asthma and allergy. It is believed that Toll like receptors (TLRs) are the bridge between innate immunity and adaptive immunity, playing an important role in inflammatory and immune diseases. More and more evidence shows that TLRs, involved in the pathophysiology of atopic march, connect atopic march with hygiene hypothesis as a potential therapeutic target for asthma and allergy.

Transcriptome analysis of heat resistance regulated by quorum sensing system in Glaesserella parasuis

The ability of bacteria to resist heat shock allows them to adapt to different environments. In addition, heat shock resistance is known for their virulence. Our previous study showed that the AI-2/luxS quorum sensing system affects the growth characteristics, biofilm formation, and virulence of Glaesserella parasuis. The resistance of quorum sensing system deficient G. parasuis to heat shock was obviously weaker than that of wild type strain. However, the regulatory mechanism of this phenotype remains unclear. To illustrate the regulatory mechanism by which the quorum sensing system provides resistance to heat shock, the transcriptomes of wild type (GPS2), ΔluxS, and luxS complemented (C-luxS) strains were analyzed. Four hundred forty-four differentially expressed genes were identified in quorum sensing system deficient G. parasuis, which participated in multiple regulatory pathways. Furthermore, we found that G. parasuis regulates the expression of rseA, rpoE, rseB, degS, clpP, and htrA genes to resist heat shock via the quorum sensing system. We further confirmed that rseA and rpoE genes exerted an opposite regulatory effect on heat shock resistance. In conclusion, the findings of this study provide a novel insight into how the quorum sensing system affects the transcriptome of G. parasuis and regulates its heat shock resistance property.

The Diversity and Spatiotemporally Evolutionary Dynamic of Atypical Porcine Pestivirus in China

The presence of congenital tremor (CT) type A-II in newborn piglets, caused by atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV), has been a focus since 2016. However, the source, evolutionary history, and transmission pattern of APPV in China remain poorly understood. In this study, we undertook phylogenetic analyses based on available complete E2 gene sequences along with 98 newly sequenced E2 genes between 2016 and 2020 in China within the context of global genetic diversity. The phylogenies revealed four distinct lineages of APPV, and interestingly, all lineages could be detected in China with the greatest diversity. Bayesian phylogenetic analyses showed that the E2 gene evolves at a mean rate of 1.22 × 10⁻³ (8.54 × 10⁻⁴-1.60 × 10⁻³) substitutions/site/year. The most recent common ancestor for APPVs is dated to 1886 (1837–1924) CE, somewhat earlier than the documented emergence of CT (1922 CE). Our phylogeographic analyses suggested that the APPV population possibly originated in the Netherlands, a country with developed livestock husbandry, and was introduced into China during the period 1837–2010. Guangdong, as a primary seeding population together with Central and Southwest China as epidemic linkers, was responsible for the dispersal of APPVs in China. The transmission pattern of “China lineages” (lineage 3 and lineage 4) presented a “south to north” movement tendency, which was likely associated with the implementation of strict environmental policy in China since 2000. Reconstruction of demographic history showed that APPV population size experienced multiple changes, which correlated well with the dynamic of the number of pigs in the past decades in China. Besides, positively selected pressure and geography-driven adaptation were supposed to be key factors for the diversification of APPV lineages. Our findings provide comprehensive insights into the diversity and spatiotemporal dynamic of APPV in China.

Inhibition of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus by Cinchonine via Inducing Cellular Autophagy

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) could cause lethal diarrhea and dehydration in suckling piglets, which can adversely affect the development of the global swine industry. The lack of effective therapeutical and prophylactic treatment especially for PEDV variant strains underlines the importance of effective antiviral strategies, such as identification of novel antiviral agents. In the present study, the antiviral activity of cinchonine against PEDV was investigated in Vero CCL81 and LLC-PK1 cells at a non-cytotoxic concentration determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay in vitro. We found that cinchonine exhibited a significant suppression effect against PEDV infection and its inhibitory action was primarily focused on the early stage of PEDV replication. Moreover, we also observed that cinchonine could significantly induce autophagy by detecting the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II by using western blot analysis. Cinchonine treatment could inhibit PEDV replication in a dose-dependent manner in Vero CCL81 cells, while this phenomenon disappeared when autophagy was attenuated by pre-treatment with autophagy inhibitor 3MA. Consequently, this study indicated that cinchonine can inhibit PEDV replication via inducing cellular autophagy and thus from the basis for successful antiviral strategies which potentially suggest the possibility of exploiting cinchonine as a novel antiviral agent.

Resilience Factors Preventing Schizophrenia in Ultra-high Risk Patients: Lessons from Genetics

Over the past decades, researchers and psychiatrists in the field of psychosis have moved from a conception of a chronic presentation to a more dynamic paradigm. Accordingly, schizophrenia is now conceptualized as a progressive illness that typically emerges during late adolescence and follows different stages: early vulnerability, ultra-high risk state, first episode of psychosis, and chronic disease. Only one-quarter of the ultra-high risk patients will convert to a full-blown psychotic episode within 3 years while the others, called non-converters, will remain at-risk, develop other psychiatric disorders, or fully recover. The reasons for this differential outcome are not yet understood but this concept opens the way to scientific research to determine the protective factors involved in resilience for non-converters. Based on the Gene X Environment interaction model, schizophrenia results from genetic vulnerability and environmental aggressions which can have an impact on the epigenome and gene expression. Recent studies have shown that genetic variants play a role in the resilience of psychosis. Polygenic risk scores, computed as the addition of genetic polymorphisms, can modulate the effects of genetic at-risk deletions (i.e. del22q11) that predispose to psychosis and may also influence the cognitive symptoms of ultra-high risk patients. Resilience, defined as the ability to withstand adversity, is not only related to external skills or psychotherapeutic care but could also be explained by internal molecular factors. Identifying the genetic factors of resilience might help to stratify the risk and to develop precision medicine in psychiatry.

[A single-center retrospective analysis of 100 consecutive cases treated with lenalidomide/bortezomib/dexamethasone in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of lenalidomide combined with bortezomib and dexamethasone (RVD) in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). Methods: A total of 100 consecutive NDMM patients treated with RVD from August 2016 to September 2020 at Peking University People's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed, including response, drug toxicity, follow-up and survival, and subgroup analysis. Results: The median follow-up time was 19.5 (2.0-57.0) months. For patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) after RVD regimen, the objective response rate (ORR)/complete response+stringent complete response (CR+sCR)/≥very good partial response (VGPR) rates were 100%, 73.3% (33/45), 95.6% (43/45) respectively. For 54 patients not receiving transplantation, the ORR/CR+sCR/≥VGPR rates were 79.6% (43/54), 18.5% (10/54), 51.9% (28/54) respectively. As to the survival analysis, 2-year progression free survival (PFS) rates were 84.5% and 70.9% in transplant and non-transplant patients respectively (P=0.102). Two-year overall survival (OS) rates were 100% and 80.8% in transplant and non-transplant patients respectively (P=0.003). The common hematologic adverse events (AEs) were thrombocytopenia (33%) and neutropenia (25%). Abnormal liver function (43%) and peripheral neuropathy (24%) were recognized more as non-hematologic AEs. Conclusion: RVD as front-line regimen has high efficient response rate and acceptable safety in Chinese NDMM patients.

Campylobacter jejuni Cytolethal Distending Toxin Induces GSDME-Dependent Pyroptosis in Colonic Epithelial Cells

Background

Cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) is a critical virulence factor of Campylobacter jejuni, and it induces cell death and regulates inflammation response in human epithelial cells. Pyroptosis is an inflammatory form of programmed cell death (PCD), but whether it is involved in CDT-mediated cytotoxicity remains elusive.

Aims

This study explores the role and mechanism of pyroptosis in CDT-mediated cytotoxicity.

Methods

HCT116 and FHC cell lines were treated with CDT. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to detect cell viability. Western blotting was used to measure the expression of related proteins in the pathway, and cell morphology observation, annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay were performed to evaluate the occurrence of pyroptosis.

Result

Our results show that C. jejuni CDT effectively induces pyroptosis in a dose- and time- dependent manner in human colonic epithelial cells owing to its DNase activity. Specific pyroptotic features including large bubbles emerging from plasma membrane and LDH release were observed upon CDT treatment. Moreover, CDT-induced pyroptosis involves the caspase-9/caspase-3 axis, which is followed by gasdermin E (GSDME) cleavage rather than gasdermin D (GSDMD). N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibitor, attenuates the activation of caspase-9/3, the cleavage of GSDME and pyroptotic characteristic, therefore demonstrating ROS initiates pyroptotic signaling.

Conclusions

We first clarify a molecular mechanism that CDT induces pyroptosis via ROS/caspase-9/caspase-3/GSDME signaling. These findings provide a new insight on understanding of CDT-induced pathogenesis at the molecular level.

Levistolide A Inhibits PEDV Replication via Inducing ROS Generation

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) variant strains adversely affect the production of pigs globally. Vaccines derived from PEDV traditional strains impart less protection against the variant strains. Moreover, sequence diversity among different PEDV variant strains is also complicated. This necessitates developing alternative antiviral strategies for defending against PEDV. This study explored a natural product, Levistolide A (LA), to possess antiviral activity against PEDV. LA was found to suppress PEDV replication in a dose-dependent manner. And the inhibitory effect of LA against PEDV was maintained in the course of time. In terms of viral RNA and protein production, LA also showed a strong inhibitory effect. In addition, LA was indicated to inhibit PEDV from attaching to the cellular membrane or penetrating the cells. Further study revealed that LA can induce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the corresponding inhibitor, NAC, was found to antagonize the effect of LA on inhibiting PEDV replication. This illustrated that the LA-induced ROS generation played an important role in its anti-PEDV activity. LA was also identified to stimulate ER stress, which is an important consequence of ROS production and was proven to be able to inhibit PEDV replication. To conclude, this study revealed that LA can inhibit PEDV replication via inducing ROS generation.

Macrophage immunomodulatory activity of Acanthopanax senticousus polysaccharide nanoemulsion via activation of P65/JNK/ikkαsignaling pathway and regulation of Th1/Th2 Cytokines

Nanoemulsions (NE) are used widely in pharmaceutical drug formulations and vaccine preparation, and Acanthopanax senticousus polysaccharide (ASPS) is a natural bioactive compound with immunostimulatory activity. Therefore, NE-loaded ASPS is expected to provide immunological enhancement for effective treatment. In the present study, Acanthopanax senticousus polysaccharide (ASPS was encapsulated into nanoemulsions, the resultant ASPS-NE were coated with a negative charge, and the immune enhancement mechanism of these ASPS-NE formulations was analyzed. The immunosuppressive animal models (70 ICR mice, male) for the study were established using cyclophosphamide. In addition, the activation of splenocyte proliferation, phagocytosis of the macrophages, the ratio of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺, the concentrations of the cytokines in serum, Western blot analysis was used for the analysis of the P65/JNK/ikk α signaling pathway in the peritoneal macrophage s. The results revealed that the ASPS-NE could stimulated the proliferation of splenocytes and enhance immunity. The ASPS-NE induced the expression of different cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-6), could activate the expressions of P65, JNK, and ikkα, and regulated the Th1/Th2 cytokines. These findings demonstrated the potential of ASPS-NE formulations for drug delivery and to induce potent and sustained immune responses.

Establishment of a Blocking ELISA Detection Method for Against African Swine Fever Virus p30 Antibody

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly lethal hemorrhagic viral disease of domestic pigs caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). A sensitive and reliable serological diagnostic assay is required, so laboratories can effectively and quickly detect ASFV infection. The p30 protein is abundantly expressed early in cells and has excellent antigenicity. Therefore, this study aimed to produce and characterize p30 monoclonal antibodies with an ultimate goal of developing a monoclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for ASFV antibody detection. Three monoclonal antibodies against p30 protein that were expressed in E. coli were generated, and their characterizations were investigated. Furthermore, a blocking ELISA based on a monoclonal antibody was developed. To evaluate the performance of the assay, 186 sera samples (88 negative and 98 positive samples) were analyzed and a receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was applied to determine the cutoff value. Based on the ROC analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.997 (95% confidence interval: 99.2 to 100%). Besides, a diagnostic sensitivity of 97.96% (95% confidence interval: 92.82 to 99.75%) and a specificity of 98.96% (95% confidence interval: 93.83 to 99.97%) were achieved when the cutoff value was set to 38.38%. Moreover, the coefficients of inter- and intra-batches were <10%, indicating the good repeatability of the method. The maximum dilution of positive standard serum detected by this ELISA method was 1:512. The blocking ELISA was able to detect seroconversion in two out of five pigs at 10 Dpi and the p30 response increasing trend through the time course of the study (0–20 Dpi). In conclusion, the p30 mAb-based blocking ELISA developed in this study demonstrated a high repeatability with maximized diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. The assay could be a useful tool for field surveillance and epidemiological studies in swine herd.

The construction and immunogenicity analyses of a recombinant pseudorabies virus with porcine circovirus type 3 capsid protein co-expression

Porcine circovirus-associated diseases (PCVADs) and pseudorabies (PR) are highly contagious and economically significant diseases of swine in China. Porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) is an emerging swine pathogen of PCVAD. Currently, no PCV3 vaccine is commercially available, and the epidemic caused by it is still spreading worldwide. In this study, we used the PRV variant strain HNX as the parental virus to construct recombinant PRV with TK/gE gene deletion and capsid (Cap) protein co-expression, named HNX-ΔTK/ΔgE-ORF2. The results revealed that PCV3 Cap protein can be detected in HNX-ΔTK/ΔgE-ORF2-infected PK-15 cells by both western blotting and immunofluorescence assays. Vaccination with HNX-ΔTK/ΔgE-ORF2 did not cause pruritus, ruffled fur, systemic infection, or inflammation (without high expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in plasma). Furthermore, HNX-ΔTK/ΔgE-ORF2 immunization induced an anti-Cap specific antibody, activated a PRV-specific cellular immune response, and provided 100 % protection to mice against the challenge of the virulent HNX strain. Thus, HNX-ΔTK/ΔgE-ORF2 appears to be a promising vaccine candidate against PRV and PCV3 for the control of the PRV variant and PCV3.