JMJD3/H3K27me3 epigenetic modification regulates Th17/Treg cell differentiation in ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic nonspecific inflammatory bowel disease characterized by chronic inflammation and ulceration of the colonic mucosa, frequent relapse, and cancerization that is difficult to cure. In recent years, the incidence of UC has increased. However, its etiology and pathogenesis are still not completely clear. In this study, dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) was used to induce the model, and GSK-J1 and dexamethasone were administered to the mice. A variety of molecular biology and immunological techniques, such as immunofluorescence, PCR and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), were used to examine JMJD3/H3K27me3-mediated regulation of Th17/Treg cell differentiation in UC by targeting histone modification. This study will provide an important theoretical basis for understanding the pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets of UC.

Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy for the Treatment of Bowen's Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND

Photodynamic therapy is an established treatment option for Bowen's disease. Our meta-analysis was aimed at evaluating the efficacy and recurrence of photodynamic therapy or other topical treatments (5-fluorouracil, cryotherapy) and of photodynamic therapy alone or in combination with other therapies (ablative fractional CO2 laser or plum-blossom needle) for the treatment of Bowen's disease.

METHODS

Trials that met our inclusion criteria were identified from PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases, and meta-analyses were conducted with RevMan V.5.4. The risk of bias was estimated with the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tools. Complete response rate, recurrence, pain/visual analogue scale score, cosmetic outcome, and adverse events were considered as outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the 2,439 records initially retrieved, 8 randomized controlled trials were included in this meta-analysis. According to our analyses, photodynamic therapy exhibited a significantly higher complete response rate (RR = 1.36, 95% CI [1.01, 1.84], I2 = 86%, p = 0.04), less recurrence (RR = 0.53, 95% CI [0.30, 0.95], I2 = 0%, p = 0.03), and better cosmetic outcome (RR = 1.34, 95% CI [1.15, 1.56], I2 = 0%, p = 0.0002) compared with other treatments. Moreover, there was a significant difference between the complete response rate of photodynamic therapy combined with ablative fractional CO2 laser and that of photodynamic therapy (RR = 1.85, 95% CI [1.38, 2.49], I2 = 0%, p < 0.0001). Photodynamic therapy combined with ablative fractional CO2 laser or plum-blossom needle also showed significantly less recurrence (RR = 0.21, 95% CI [0.09, 0.51], I2 = 0%, p = 0.0005) and a lower visual analogue scale score (RR = 0.51, 95% CI [0.06, 0.96], I2 = 0%, p = 0.03) than photodynamic therapy alone. However, there was no significant difference in the complete response rate between photodynamic therapy combined with ablative continuous CO2 laser and photodynamic therapy combined with ablative fractional CO2 laser (RR = 1.00, 95% CI [0.54, 1.86], I2 not applicable, p = 1.00).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis shows that photodynamic therapy can be used in the treatment of Bowen's disease with better efficacy, less recurrence, and better cosmetic outcomes than cryotherapy and 5-FU. Some methods, including ablative fractional CO2 laser, can be applied in combination with photodynamic therapy to improve efficacy. However, which laser-assisted photodynamic therapy scheme has the most advantages in the treatment of Bowen's disease warrants further exploration.

Compound sophorae decoction enhances intestinal barrier function of dextran sodium sulfate induced colitis via regulating notch signaling pathway in mice

BACKGROUND

Compound sophorae decoction (CSD), a Chinese Herbal decoction, is frequently clinically prescribed for patients suffered from ulcerative colitis (UC) characterized by bloody diarrhea. Yet, the underlying mechanism about how this formulae works is remain elusive.

METHODS

In the present study, the experimental colitis in C57BL/6 J mice was induced by oral administration of standard diets containing 3% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS), and CSD was given orally for treatment at the same time. The clinical symptoms including stool and body weight were recorded each day, and colon length and its histopathological changes were observed. Apoptosis of colonic epithelium was studied by detecting protein expression of cleaved caspase-3, and cell proliferation by Ki-67 immunohistochemistry. Tight junction complex like ZO-1 and occludin were also determined by transmission electron microscope and immunofluorescence. The concentration of FITC-dextran 4000 was measured to evaluate intestinal barrier permeability and possible signaling pathway was investigated. Mucin2 (MUC2) and notch pathway were tested through western blot. The M1/M2 ratio in spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes were detected by flow cytometry. And the mRNA levels of iNOS and Arg1 were examined by qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

CSD could significantly alleviate the clinical manifestations and pathological damage. Body weight loss and DAI score of mice with colitis were improved and shortening of colon was inhibited. The administration of CSD was able to reduce apoptotic epithelial cells and facilitate epithelial cell regeneration. Increased intestinal permeability was reduced in DSS-induced colitis mice. In addition, CSD treatment obviously up-regulated the expression of ZO-1 and occludin and the secretion of MUC2, regulated notch signaling, and decreased the ratio of M1/M2.

CONCLUSIONS

These data together suggest that CSD can effectively mitigate intestinal inflammation, promote phenotypic change in macrophage phenotype and enhance colonic mucosal barrier function by, at least in part, regulating notch signaling in mice affected by DSS-induced colitis.

Identification of Peripheral Blood and Menstrual Blood Based on the Expression Level of MicroRNAs and Discriminant Analysis

Objective To construct a discriminant analysis model based on the differential expression of multiple microRNAs （miRNAs） in two kinds of blood samples （peripheral blood and menstrual blood） and three non-blood samples （saliva, semen and vaginal secretion）, to form an identification solution for peripheral blood and menstrual blood. Methods Six kinds of miRNA （miR-451a, miR-144-3p, miR-144-5p, miR-214-3p, miR-203-3p and miR-205-5p） were selected from literature, the samples of five kinds of body fluids commonly seen in forensic practice （peripheral blood, menstrual blood, saliva, semen, vaginal secretion） were collected, then the samples were divided into training set and testing set and detected by SYBR Green real-time qPCR. A discriminant analysis model was set up based on the expression data of training set and the expression data of testing set was used to examine the accuracy of the model. Results A discriminant analysis statistical model that could distinguish blood samples from non-blood samples and distinguish peripheral blood samples from menstrual blood samples at the same time was successfully constructed. The identification accuracy of the model was over 99%. Conclusion This study provides a scientific and accurate identification strategy for forensic fluid identification of peripheral blood and menstrual blood samples and could be used in forensic practice.

The potato sucrose transporter StSUT1 interacts with a DRM-associated protein disulfide isomerase

Organization of proteins into complexes is crucial for many cellular functions. Recently, the SUT1 protein was shown to form homodimeric complexes, to be associated with lipid raft-like microdomains in yeast as well as in plants and to undergo endocytosis in response to brefeldin A. We therefore aimed to identify SUT1-interacting proteins that might be involved in dimerization, endocytosis, or targeting of SUT1 to raft-like microdomains. Therefore, we identified potato membrane proteins, which are associated with the detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) fraction. Among the proteins identified, we clearly confirmed StSUT1 as part of DRM in potato source leaves. We used the yeast two-hybrid split ubiquitin system (SUS) to systematically screen for interaction between the sucrose transporter StSUT1 and other membrane-associated or soluble proteins in vivo. The SUS screen was followed by immunoprecipitation using affinity-purified StSUT1-specific peptide antibodies and mass spectrometric analysis of co-precipitated proteins. A large overlap was observed between the StSUT1-interacting proteins identified in the co-immunoprecipitation and the detergent-resistant membrane fraction. One of the SUT1-interacting proteins, a protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), interacts also with other sucrose transporter proteins. A potential role of the PDI as escort protein is discussed.

Recycling of Solanum sucrose transporters expressed in yeast, tobacco, and in mature phloem sieve elements

The plant sucrose transporter SUT1 (from Solanum tuberosum, S. lycopersicum, or Zea mays) exhibits redox-dependent dimerization and targeting if heterologously expressed in S. cerevisiae (Krügel et al., 2008). It was also shown that SUT1 is present in motile vesicles when expressed in tobacco cells and that its targeting to the plasma membrane is reversible. StSUT1 is internalized in the presence of brefeldin A (BFA) in yeast, plant cells, and in mature sieve elements as confirmed by immunolocalization. These results were confirmed here and the dynamics of intracellular SUT1 localization were further elucidated. Inhibitor studies revealed that vesicle movement of SUT1 is actin-dependent. BFA-mediated effects might indicate that anterograde vesicle movement is possible even in mature sieve elements, and could involve components of the cytoskeleton that were previously thought to be absent in SEs. Our results are in contradiction to this old dogma of plant physiology and the potential of mature sieve elements should therefore be re-evaluated. In addition, SUT1 internalization was found to be dependent on the plasma membrane lipid composition. SUT1 belongs to the detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) fraction in planta and is targeted to membrane raft-like microdomains when expressed in yeast (Krügel et al., 2008). Here, SUT1-GFP expression in different yeast mutants, which were unable to perform endocytosis and/or raft formation, revealed a strong link between SUT1 raft localization, the sterol composition and membrane potential of the yeast plasma membrane, and the capacity of the SUT1 protein to be internalized by endocytosis. The results provide new insight into the regulation of sucrose transport and the mechanism of endocytosis in plant cells.

Restoration in vitro of impaired T-cell responses in patients with chronic hepatitis B by autologous dendritic cells loaded with hepatitis B virus proteins (R2)

BACKGROUND

The purpose of the present paper was to investigate dendritic cell (DC) and T-cell functions in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and determine whether therapeutic DC vaccines could restore T-cell function in those patients in vitro.

METHODS

Twelve patients with CHB and 10 normal control subjects with positivity for antibodies to hepatitis B surface and core antigens (anti-HBs and anti-HBc positivity) were enrolled in the present study. Phenotype analysis and allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction assay of DC from CHB patients and normal controls were made in the absence or presence of a cocktail of cytokines: interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Autologous T-cell proliferation assays and the enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) method for detecting interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-producing CD8(+) T cells were used to evaluate the efficacy of DC loaded in vitro with HBsAg or HBcAg.

RESULTS

The DC from CHB patients had a lower expression of costimulatory molecules CD80, CD86 and impaired allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction capacity compared to those from normal controls. However, the impaired DC function could be restored partially by cytokine cocktail supplemented in vitro. Mature DC loaded with HBsAg or HBcAg showed a greater capacity for autologous T-cell proliferation and antigen-specific IFN-gamma production than immature DC. Moreover, as a DC -loading antigen, HBcAg was more immunogenic than HBsAg.

CONCLUSIONS

The impaired function of DC in patients with CHB may be restored by supplementation in vitro with a cocktail of cytokines, and therapeutic DC vaccines might be effective to treat CHB infection in humans.

Improved coreceptor usage prediction and genotypic monitoring of R5-to-X4 transition by motif analysis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 env V3 loop sequences

Early in infection, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) generally uses the CCR5 chemokine receptor (along with CD4) for cellular entry. In many HIV-1-infected individuals, viral genotypic changes arise that allow the virus to use CXCR4 (either in addition to CCR5 or alone) as an entry coreceptor. This switch has been associated with an acceleration of both CD3(+) T-cell decline and progression to AIDS. While it is well known that the V3 loop of gp120 largely determines coreceptor usage and that positively charged residues in V3 play an important role, the process of genetic change in V3 leading to altered coreceptor usage is not well understood. Further, the methods for biological phenotyping of virus for research or clinical purposes are laborious, depend on sample availability, and present biosafety concerns, so reliable methods for sequence-based "virtual phenotyping" are desirable. We introduce a simple bioinformatic method of scoring V3 amino acid sequences that reliably predicts CXCR4 usage (sensitivity, 84%; specificity, 96%). This score (as determined on the basis of position-specific scoring matrices [PSSM]) can be interpreted as revealing a propensity to use CXCR4 as follows: known R5 viruses had low scores, R5X4 viruses had intermediate scores, and X4 viruses had high scores. Application of the PSSM scoring method to reconstructed virus phylogenies of 11 longitudinally sampled individuals revealed that the development of X4 viruses was generally gradual and involved the accumulation of multiple amino acid changes in V3. We found that X4 viruses were lost in two ways: by the dying off of an established X4 lineage or by mutation back to low-scoring V3 loops.

KAI1/CD82 gene expression in benign prostatic hyperplasia and late-stage prostate cancer in Chinese

AIM

To evaluate KAI1/CD82 expression in Chinese patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and late-stage carcinoma of prostate (CaP).

METHODS

Thirty Chinese patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and 34 with CaP (adenocarcinoma clinical stage C and D) were analyzed by means of immunohistochemical methods.

RESULTS

The KAI1/CD82 expression in BPH tissue was all positive, which was uniformly located on the glandular cell membrane at the cell-to-cell borders, but KAI1/CD82 expression in metastasis CaP tissues was either significantly lower than that of BPH or negative, and the immunostaining pattern was not continuous. In late-stage CaP KAI1/CD82 expression was correlated inversely to the pathological grade ( P < 0.05), but not to clinical stage ( P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The authors believe that decreased and negative KAI1/CD82 expression in late-stage CaP may be related to tumor progression and metastasis, and appears to be a prognostic marker.

Fractional conductance quantization in metallic nanoconstrictions under electrochemical potential control

We study the electrical conductance of gold nanoconstrictions by controlling the electrochemical potential. At positive potentials, the conductance is quantized near integer multiples of G0(2e(2)/h) as shown by well-defined peaks in the conductance histogram. Below a certain potential, however, additional peaks near 0.5G(0) and 1. 5G(0) appear in the histogram. The fractional conductance steps are as stable and well defined as the integer steps. The experimental data are discussed in terms of electrochemical-potential-induced defect scattering and Fermi energy shift, but a complete theory of the phenomenon is yet to be developed.

[Stimulatory effect of sodium deoxycholate on alpha-ergocryptine productivity of Claviceps purpurea 94002 (EKPN94002)]

The stimulation of sodium deoxycholate (SDC) on alpha-ergocryptine production of Claviceps purpurea strain 94002 (EKPN94002) was investigated. Preliminary results indicated that SDC, as a stimulator and at appropriate concentrations, could obviously increase the extracellular and the total production levels of the ergot alkaloid. Satisfied results were obtained when 6.0 mg.L-1 of SDC was present in the seed and fermentation media. The possible mechanism was discussed.