Effects of crystalline penicillin G sodium on human T-cells differentiation

Endogenous CO imaging in bacterial pneumonia with a NIR fluorescent probe

Bacterial pneumonia is a serious respiratory illness that poses a great threat to human life. Rapid and precise diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia is crucial for symptomatic clinical treatment. Endogenous carbon monoxide (CO) is regarded as a significant indicator of bacterial pneumonia; herein, we developed a near-infrared (NIR) probe for fluorescence and photoacoustic (PA) dual-mode imaging of endogenous CO in bacterial pneumonia. NO2-BODIPY could rapidly and specifically react with CO to produce strong NIR fluorescence as well as ratiometric PA signals. NO2-BODIPY has outstanding features including fast response, fluorescence/PA dual mode signals, good specificity, and a low limit of detection (LOD = 20.3 nM), which enables it to image endogenous CO in cells and bacterial pneumonia mice with high sensitivity and high contrast ratio. In particular, NO2-BODIPY has two-photon excited (1340 nm, σ1 = 1671 GM) NIR fluorescence and has been utilized to image endogenous CO in bacterial pneumonia mice with deep tissue penetration. NO2-BODIPY has been demonstrated a good capability of fluorescence/PA dual-mode imaging of CO in bacterial pneumonia mice, providing a precise manner to diagnose bacterial pneumonia.

Pleiotropic effects of antibiotics on T cell metabolism and T cell-mediated immunity

T cells orchestrate adaptive and innate immune responses against pathogens and transformed cells. However, T cells are also the main adaptive effector cells that mediate allergic and autoimmune reactions. Within the last few years, it has become abundantly clear that activation, differentiation, effector function, and environmental adaptation of T cells is closely linked to their energy metabolism. Beyond the provision of energy equivalents, metabolic pathways in T cells generate building blocks required for clonal expansion. Furthermore, metabolic intermediates directly serve as a source for epigenetic gene regulation by histone and DNA modification mechanisms. To date, several antibiotics were demonstrated to modulate the metabolism of T cells especially by altering mitochondrial function. Here, we set out to systematically review current evidence about how beta-lactam antibiotics, macrolides, fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, oxazolidinones, nitroimidazoles, and amphenicols alter the metabolism and effector functions of CD4+ T helper cell populations and CD8+ T cells in vitro and in vivo. Based on this evidence, we have developed an overview on how the use of these antibiotics may be beneficial or detrimental in T cell-mediated physiological and pathogenic immune responses, such as allergic and autoimmune diseases, by altering the metabolism of different T cell populations.

Early diagnostic imaging of pneumonia with an ultra-sensitive two-photon near-infrared fluorescent probe

The mortality rate of pneumonia increases significantly with the prolongation of illness. In the pursuit of a tool to accurately diagnose pneumonia in its early stages, we designed and synthesized a two-photon near-infrared fluorescent probe (DCQN) to identify increased concentrations of the inflammation marker SO₂. The probe was found to specifically react with SO₂ by undergoing a 1,4-addition reaction to generate near-infrared fluorescence with good sensitivity (6 s), a large Stokes shift (110 nm) and low detection limit (1.49 nM). DCQN has near-infrared emission as well as good two-photon performance, which can image exogenous and endogenous SO₂ in cells and avoid interference from background fluorescence from cells. Furthermore, this study achieved accurate imaging of a pneumonia lesion site in deep tissues to provide a tool for the fluorescence diagnostic imaging of pneumonia in situ.